July 18–25, 1996 critic pick|conference African American Women on Tour Six years ago, Jackie Staten, owner of Ethnic Expressions in Tacoma, WA, was flipping through the back pages of Essence where she saw an ad for the African American Women…

July 18–25, 1996 critic pick|conference African American Women on Tour Six years ago, Jackie Staten, owner of Ethnic Expressions in Tacoma, WA, was flipping through the back pages of Essence where she saw an ad for the African American Women…

July 11–18, 1996 hit and run Bad Car-ma It all started when somebody broke the window of Tracy McNeil’s BMW, parked at 3rd and Race Streets, and made off with her car stereo. Instead of leaving it on the street…

June 27–July 4, 1996 critic pick|jazz Charles Gayle The sound of Charles Gayle’s tenor saxophone is a maelstrom of emotions. You may not be sure what enlightens or enlivens the 55-year-old. From a whisper to a scream, he plays to…

June 27–July 4, 1996 critical mass|sidebar The Write to Rock With all of these penmanship samples on hand, City Paper wanted to see if there was any dirt to be discovered with the aid of handwriting analysis. We faxed copies…

June 20–27, 1996 book quicks|children’s books TEAMMATES: JACKIE ROBINSON AND PEE WEE REESE BY PETER GOLENBOCK, ILL. BY PAUL BACON, GULLIVER BOOKS, $15.95, AGES 7-11 You may not know a steal from a strike; nevertheless, this fascinating baseball picture book…

June 20–27, 1996 book quicks|lesbian chic THE GIRLS NEXT DOOR: INTO THE HEART OF LESBIAN AMERICA BY LINDSY VAN GELDER AND PAMELA ROBIN BRANDT, SIMON & SCHUSTER, 314 p., $23 Lindsy Van Gelder and Pamela Robin Brandt are the dynamic…

May 16–23, 1996 hit and run Phlash In The Pan Do you have this haunting yet un-pinpointable feeling of late that there’s purple missing from your life? Perhaps it’s the Phlash. The Phlash, Philadelphia’s downtown tourist bus, which provides public…

May 16–23, 1996 critical mass The Further Adventures of the Gavone Family Troupe du Jour, The Brick Playhouse, 623 South St., 592-0901. It’s hard not to be concerned when the author of the play you’re about to see pulls you…