A Philadelphia story: Lee Daniels returns to the City of Brotherly Love."The allure, excitement, and weather were very intriguing to me." says Lee Daniels about why he left his hometown of Philadelphia to head west when he was 18 years old. Also in pursuit of a Hollywood dream, he toiled and networked for 20 years in California before eventually forming Lee Daniels Entertainment (www.leedanielsentertainment.com) six years ago. His company is the production force behind the critically acclaimed film Monster's Ball. Today. Daniels has a renewed appreciation for his hometown, In fact, with the exception of Monster's Ball, Lee has shot all of his films in the City of Brotherly Love Noun 1. brotherly love - a kindly and lenient attitude toward people charity benevolence - an inclination to do kind or charitable acts supernatural virtue, theological virtue - according to Christian ethics: one of the three virtues (faith, hope, and . including the upcoming Shadow-boxer (his directorial debut), scheduled for release this May. "It was almost cathartic cathartic (kəthär`tĭk): see laxative. , says Daniels, because I was home and I was able to give back by employing people t grew up with." Daniels is not alone in his affection for Philly. The city has become a hotbed hotbed, low, glass-covered frame structure for starting tender plants. It differs from a cold frame only in that the soil is heated—either artificially as by underground electric wiring or steampipes, or naturally with partially fermented stable manure, which for artists, attracting creative talent from across the nation. Daniels frequents performances by Philadanco. the Philadelphia Dance Co., (215-387-8200, www.philadanco.org), and sits on the jury of the Philadelphia Film Festival (215-773-0608 ext. 219, www.phillyfests.com). But there are other attractions as well: Compared to other major cities. Philadelphia's cost of living is relatively low. Housing is still affordable and in 2005 it experienced 1.3% job growth. The city's main industries are education (according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. WetFeet.com, there are 88 four-year colleges and universities), healthcare. and manufacturing. Philly also has great restaurants and one of the best airports in the country. Daniels directs us toward these city scenes. AROUND TOWN: PHILADELPHIA ACCOMMODATIONS 1 "The bar is a great place to congregate, even if you aren't a guest," says Daniels about Loews Hotels Loews Hotels is a luxury hotel brand based in New York City, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation. Loews maintains 18 locations in the United States and Canada:
RESTAURANTS 2 At Buddakan (325 Chestnut St., 215-574-9440, www.buddakan.com), mahogany doors, candlelight, a waterfall, and a 10-foot gold-leaf Buddha, create a plush, warm setting for an engaging menu of modern Asian cuisine Asian cuisine is a term sometimes used in the West as an umbrella term for the various cuisines of East Asia and Southeast Asia and for fusion dishes based on combining them. It does not usually include Polynesian, Central Asia or Middle Eastern cuisine. . 3 For an authentic down-home experience, Daniels recommends Miss Tootsie's Soul Food (1314 South St. at 13th Street, 215-731-9045) and Ron's Ribs (1627 South St., 215-732-3561, www.ronsribs.com), a spot frequented by Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), born Eleanora Fagan and later nicknamed Lady Day (see "Jazz royalty" regarding similar nicknames), was an American jazz singer, a seminal influence on jazz and pop singers, and generally regarded as one of the . "She once said these were the best ribs she ever had." LEISURE * Stiletto (124 South 18th St., 215-972-O920, www.stilettostyle.com) offers cutting-edge designer handbags and shoes for men and women. * Peruvian mud wraps, mocha Mocha (mō`kə), town (1990 est. pop. 2,000), S Yemen, a port on the Red Sea. It was noted for the export of the coffee to which it gave its name but declined as a trading port in the late 19th cent. with the rise of Hodeida and Aden. foot scrubs, anti-aging facials, intense deep-tissue massages, and more await those who desire to indulge at Total Serenity Day Spa (2108 Walnut Street, 215-557-0678, www.totalserenitydayspa.com). Daniels says the black-owned establishment "brilliantly understands our skin care." |
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