Thursday, May 8
PAINTING SYNTHESIS: The Burrison Gallery presents “Synthesis,” a new body of paintings by Daniel Wilder. The “Synthesis” series was inspired by observations of the changes in Wilder’s South Philly neighborhood over the last four years. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Burrison Gallery, 3611 Walnut St. Info: 215-898-5994 or Ilene Wilder at ilenee@pobox.upenn.edu. Exhibit runs until May 31.
TRUCK STOP: Rebecca Frezza is a former dancer and children’s educator who has found her true calling playing music for kids with her band, Big Truck. She performs at World Cafe Live on Saturday, May 10 at 11:30 a.m. For tickets, call 215-222-1400 or go to www.worldcafelive.com.FREE YOUR MIND: Learn Mindfulness Meditation from 6 to 7 p.m. at PENN Tower Hotel, 3400 Spruce St., Bridge Level Conference Room. Info: 215-615-2774 or email stress.management@ uphs.upenn.edu.
BABY WHISPERER: In Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby Class, expectant and new parents learn step-by-step how to help their baby sleep better and soothe even the fussiest infant in minutes. Includes kit with DVD and soothing sounds. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Pennsylvania Hospital, 800 Spruce St. Info: You must register by calling 215-829-5020 or e-mail Michelle Rodriguez at rodrigum@pahosp.com. $55.
RAMPED UP: A site-specific installation by Trenton Doyle Hancock is on view in ICA’s Ramp and Project spaces until August 3. Above is his 2005 work, “Addis Ababa.” For more information on this and other ICA exhibits, cal 215-898-7108 or go to www.icaphila.org.
SELF-TAUGHT: Leif Gustavson, associate professor of education at Arcadia University, discusses his new book, “Youth Learning On Their Own Terms: Creative Practice and Classroom Teaching.” 4 to 5 p.m. at Penn Bookstore, 3601 Walnut St. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/ bookstore.
CLEANUP WOMAN: Pedro Costa’s new film, “Bones (Ossos),” is the story of a young woman who becomes a mother, the child’s father who takes the baby away from the mother without permission and the housecleaning woman. 7 p.m. at International House, 3701 Chestnut St. Info: 215-387-5125 or www.ihousephilly.org.
Friday, May 9
GOOD QUESTION: Sara Rosenbaum, chair of the Department of Health Policy at the George Washington University Medical Center, asks, “Is There a Role in National Health Reform for a Policy Response to Health Inequality?” Noon to 1:30 p.m. at John Morgan Building, 3620 Hamilton Walk, Class of ‘62 Auditorium. Info: 215-898-5611 or www.upenn.edu/ldi.
ADOLESCENT HIV: An estimated 5,132 young people ages 13 to 24 were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the United States in 2005, reports the Centers for Disease Control, and that was only in the 33 states (plus Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting.
This was an increase from the estimated 4,883 young people diagnosed in 2004 in the same age group, representing about 13 percent of the persons given a diagnosis during that year.
The Penn Center for AIDS Research (Penn-CFAR) holds an “Adolescent HIV in the United States” seminar May 15 with Jonathan Ellen, professor and vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics at John Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Adolescents, the CDC says, are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, such as unprotected sex, when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In 2005, 23 percent of high school students who had sexual intercourse during the past three months drank alcohol or used drugs beforehand.
Penn CFAR is one of 19 National Institutes of Health-funded Centers for AIDS Research in the U.S. and includes HIV and AIDS investigators at Penn, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Wistar Institute. The Center’s membership includes faculty from basic, clinical, social, and other sciences. It promotes an interactive environment to foster communication, collaboration, and synergy among participating members.
The seminar takes places from 1 to 2 p.m. at Biomedical Research Building, 421 Curie Blvd. For more information, call 215-746-2754 or email Olivia Loskoski at oliviaj@mail.med.upenn.edu.
BODY & SOUL: Feel Good Fridays are a series of workshops to boost your mental and physical health. 3 p.m. at Penn Women’s Center, 3643 Locust Walk. Info: 215-898-8611 or www.vpul.upenn.edu /pwc.
COMFORT ZONE: Come to the opening reception for Netanel Eliezer’s new show, “Personal Landscapes.” As International House’s resident photography fellow, he continues to research different expressions of the intimate relationship between humans and the environment. 6 p.m. at I-House. Info: 215-387-5125 or www.ihousephilly.org.
GOOD COMPANY: Milton and The Devils Party’s catchy tunes combined with their sophisticated lyrics justify comparisons to such artists as The Kinks, The Smiths, R.E.M. and The Go-Betweens. 9 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $12.
Saturday, May 10
MOTHER’S KEEPER: Make mom a keepsake wreath that she’ll be able to treasure for years with Cheryl Wilks, owner of Flowers on Location. This workshop is designed for 5 to 12 year-olds. 10 a.m. to noon at Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave. Info: www.morrisarboretum. org. Registration: 215-247-5777, ext. 156 or 125. Members $30; non-members $32.
ORIENT EXPRESS: Join enthusiast Mark Frank for an introduction to orienteering, the skill that allows you to find your way between specified points through unknown terrain by using a detailed map. For ages 8 years old and up. 10 a.m. to noon at Morris Arboretum. Info: www.morrisarboretum.org. Registration: 215-247-5777, ext. 156 or 125. Members $12; non-members $15.
CHILD’S PLAY: From her roots in musical theatre and her work as a children’s music educator, Rebecca Frezza has developed into an award-winning children’s music singer and songwriter. 11:30 a.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $10 for adults, $7 for children 1 to 12, free for children under one.
PIRATES OF THE ARBORETUM: Kids can participate in a scavenger hunt to find natural treasures and a game of forest bingo where the shapes you discover in nature become the bingo sheet. 1 to 3 p.m. at Morris Arboretum. Info: www.morrisarboretum.org. Registration: 215-247-5777, ext. 156 or 125. Members $16; non-members $18.
RARE OPPORTUNITY: Hundreds of trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials, many of which are unusual or difficult to find at other garden centers, are available to the public for purchase. Arboretum horticultural experts are on hand to answer questions and advise attendees with their choices. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Morris Arboretum. Info: 215-247-5777 or www.morrisarboretum.org.
NO “I” IN TEAM: Expectant mothers and partners learn the value of working as a team during the childbirth process. This class covers stages of labor, medication options, cesarean birth, breathing and relaxation techniques and much more. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pennsylvania Hospital. Registration required: 215-829-5020 or e-mail Michelle Rodriguez at rodrigum@pahosp.com. $120.
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: Elwood, the 2007 winner of the Ugliest Dog Contest, promotes his book, “Everyone Loves Elwood: A True Story,” with author and owner Karen Quigley. This is a true story of a funny-looking, unwanted puppy who enjoys a fabulous life once he finds a loving home. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Penn Bookstore. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/bookstore.
Sunday, May 11
SECOND CHILDHOOD: Bring Mom to a Mother’s Day Brunch with Kate Schutt, whose debut studio album, “No Love Lost,” reflects the days when her very first guitar teacher made her play jazz standards over and over. Noon at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $30.
RARE OPPORTUNITY: See Saturday, May 10. Noon to 4 p.m. at Morris Arboretum. Info: 215-247-5777 or www.morrisarboretum.org.
Monday, May 12
GUEST LECTURER: Mark Berends, an associate professor of Public Policy and Education at Vanderbilt University, speaks as part of the IES Lecture Series. Noon to 1:30 p.m. at Graduate School of Education, room 007. Info: 877-PENNGSE or www.gse.upenn.edu.
NEVER TOO LATE: Lise Funderberg reads and signs copies of her new book, “Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home—A Memoir.” This is the poignant and often comical story of a grown daughter getting to know her dying father in his last months. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Penn Bookstore. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/bookstore.
Tuesday, May 13
BROTHERS & SISTERS: In this class, children learn what to expect when a new baby arrives. This class includes fun activities such as bathing and diapering a baby doll, a learning video, demonstrations, and a tour of a hospital room and the newborn nursery. 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Pennsylvania Hospital. Info: You must register by calling 215-829-5020 or e-mail Michelle Rodriguez at rodrigum@pahosp.com. $20.
FAIR OR UNBALANCED?: Marda Dunsky discusses and signs copies of her book, “Pen and Swords: How the American Mainstream Media Report the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” She takes a close look at how more than two-dozen major U.S. print and broadcast outlets have reported the conflict in recent years. 6 to 7 p.m. at Penn Bookstore. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/bookstore.
COLOR FILM: The Reelblack film series closes its fifth season with a showcase of short work by filmmakers of color from the tri-state area, followed by a Q &A hosted by Monica Peters. 7 p.m. at I-House. Info: 215-387-5125 or www.ihousephilly.org. Free admission for members above Internationalist level; $5 Internationalist members, students and seniors; $7 general admission.
INTESTINAL FORTITUDE: 54 Seconds—best described as psychedelic-pop headphone music with swirling guitar textures and freakish keyboards—renders excellent melodies, heartening lyrics and eerie, otherworldly atmospheres that wrench the gut of the listener. 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $10.
Wednesday, May 14
TIME WELL SPENT: This three-hour course focuses on rescue procedures for infants and children up to eight years of age. Instruction covers such emergencies as choking, respiratory and cardiac arrest. 6 to 9 p.m. at Pennsylvania Hospital. Registration required: 215-829-5020 or e-mail Michelle Rodriguez at rodrigum@pahosp.com. $30.
GORY DETAILS: Horror-film aficionado Trenton Doyle Hancock has selected Lucio Fulci’s “The Beyond” for the “Whenever Wednesday: Hancock’s House of Horrors Film Series.” The film features crucifixions, eyeball impalements, sulfuric acid meltdowns, flesh-eating tarantulas and throat-shredding demon dogs. Dusk at Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 S. 36th St. Info: 215-898-7108 or www.icaphila.org.
O CANADA: Rock Plaza Central is a Toronto-based seven-piece ensemble that carries on in the psychedelic-folk tradition of Neutral Milk Hotel and adds a new chapter to the musical saga of the indie-lush city of Toronto. 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $11.
Thursday, May 15
ADOLESCENT HIV: See “Editor’s Pick.”
CARE & COMFORT: This two-hour class is designed to help build confidence as new parents learn safe and comfortable ways to care for, swaddle, diaper and bathe their new baby. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Pennsylvania Hospital. Registration required: 215-829-5020 or e-mail Michelle Rodriguez at rodrigum@pahosp.com. $35.
LIFE LESSONS: Each commencement season has its pearls of wit and weirdness. In “Wisdom and Wack for the Graduate,” Kate Barth, a first-year law student at Penn Law School, writes true gems of guidance for the new graduate. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Penn Bookstore. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/bookstore.
MAMBO HOP: Henry Chalfant’s “From Mambo to Hip Hop” dances through the history of a borough that nurtured two musical movements: the mambo that evolved into salsa, and the hip-hop that arose from the most desperate days of the South Bronx. 7 p.m. at I-House. Info: 215-387-5125 or www.ihousephilly.org. Free admission members above Internationalist level; $5 Internationalist members, students and seniors; $7 general admission.
FANCY FOOTWORK: Pilobolus creates work with the imaginative use of costumes and props, precarious aerial work, and message and meaning all wrapped up in a deceptively accessible story. In this show, the troupe presents its first collaborative creation, “Pilobolus,” first conceived in 1971. 7:30 p.m. at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St. Info: 215-898-6701 or www.pennpresents.org. $32, $39, $46. Additional performances May 16 and 17.
Friday, May 16
PICTURE PAGES: Meet the Mouse from “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” Young readers will come away smiling at the antics that tumble like dominoes through the pages of this delightful picture book. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Penn Bookstore. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/bookstore
TEAR DA CLUB UP: BuzzUniverse features smoking horns and a rock-solid rhythm section. Since 2000, the band has been performing and tearing up clubs and large festivals throughout the northeast and has released two captivating studio albums. 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $10.
FANCY FOOTWORK: See Thursday, May 15. 8:00 p.m. at Zellerbach Theatre. Info: 215-898-6701 or www.pennpresents.org. $32, $39, $46. Additional performances May 17.
Saturday, May 17
MR. ROGERS: Author and horticulturist Ray Rogers presents a fresh approach to container planting and design. He provides a finite number of “recipes” for specific planting combinations and takes you on an engaging exploration into basic design principles. 10 a.m. to noon at Morris Arboretum. Info: 215-247-5777, ext. 156 or 125 or www.morrisarboretum.org. Members $25; non-members $30.
ADMIRING EYES: This session includes iris admiration, discussion, demonstration and digging in the Miller’s Cottage garden. Get the hands-on story on how to select and grow irises in the mixed border or in iris beds. 10 a.m. to noon at Morris Arboretum. Info: 215-247-5777, ext. 156 or 125 or www.morrisarboretum.org. Members $25; non-members $30.
DESIGN OF A DECADE: Come celebrate Eugenie L. Birch’s ten accomplished and fabulous years as chair of Penn’s Department of City and Regional Planning. The evening includes cocktails, dancing to the music of the James D. Orchestra and dinner. 6:30 p.m. at Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce St., Class of ‘49 Auditorium. Info: 215-898-8124 or Kate Daniel at katf@design.upenn.edu. $25.
CAT PEOPLE: The Cat’s Pajamas brings its high-octane kid-rock to parks, schools and theaters throughout the greater Philadelphia area and all over the East Coast. They bring a musical-comedy twist to kid-friendly rock. 11:30 a.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $10 for adults, $7 for children 1 to 12, free for children under one.
FANCY FOOTWORK: See Thursday, May 15. 2 p.m. at Zellerbach Theatre. Info: 215-898-6701 or www.pennpresents.org. $29, $34, $39. There is a second showing at 8 p.m. $32, $39, $46.
THE ROCK: This poetry reading features former students of Penn professor Dan Hoffman, the poet-in-residence and Director of Creative Writing at Penn before his retirement. Hoffman’s poetry workshop was the foundation upon which Penn’s Creative Writing Program was built. 4 p.m. at Writers House. Info: 215-573-WRIT or www.writing.upenn.edu/wh/. RSVP to whalumniweekend@writing.upenn.edu.
Sunday, May 18
BELGIUM BEERFEST: Belgium has enjoyed an unparalleled reputation for its specialty beers since the Middle Ages. This festival will give attendees the opportunity to sample the offerings of over three dozen Belgian breweries. Featured breweries include Chimay, Duvel, Abbey du Val-Dieu and St. Bernardus. 1 to 4 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $55.
Monday, May 19
COMMENCEMENT: Penn’s 252nd Commencement ceremony, with speaker Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, takes place at 10:15 a.m. at Franklin Field, 33rd and Spruce sts. Info: www.upenn.edu/commencement/.
SIDE GIG: Cinematic Sunrise is a side project of Chiodos’ Craig Michael Owens and Bradley Bell. However, instead of the crunching guitars and blazing synthesizers of Chiodos, the sound of this Michigan five-piece features acoustic guitars and mellow vocals interspersed with the occasional piano. 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $16 to $23.
Tuesday, May 20
TRUTH ABOUT DOGS: Justine Lee, assistant clinical professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, answers common and offbeat questions about furry friends such as, Is a dog’s nose a good indicator of his health? Can a Chihuahua and a Great Dane mate? 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Penn Bookstore. Info: 215-898-7595 or www.upenn.edu/bookstore.
LATCH ON: This class is designed to dispel myths about breastfeeding and provide information and tools to help new mothers successfully breastfeed. 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Pennsylvania Hospital. Registration required: 215-829-5020 or e-mail Michelle Rodriguez at rodrigum@pahosp.com. $35.
THE TALENTED MR. YAZBEK: David Yazbek is a two-time Tony Award nominee, whose shows “The Full Monty” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” have played in more than 20 countries. His first album, The Laughing Man, won the N.A.I.R.D. Award for Best Pop Album of the Year. He is also a Grammy-nominated record producer and an Emmy-Award winning TV writer. 7:30 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $19, $24.
Wednesday, May 21
HENDRIX-ESQUE: One of the most influential bands of the 1970s, The Bothy Band forever changed the face of Irish traditional music. Bothy Band-mate Donal Lunny once described founding member Paddy as “the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes.” 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $23.
Thursday, May 22
WRITE ON: The “New York Songwriters’ Circle: Philadelphia—All-Star Kickoff Showcase” launches the first franchise of the legendary music community responsible for discovering artists like Vanessa Carlton, Lisa Loeb, Kate Voegele, and Chris Barron (of the Spin Doctors). 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live. Info: 215-222-1400 or www.worldcafelive.com. $13.
