Addam Schwartz

I’m partial to “Utopia Parkway” … a pure power-pop gem. But they never released a dud.

Done.

Harmony Vegetarian Chinese, in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. I found it not long after I’d given up meat, and Harmony had the best vegetarian ham fried rice in the world. I still miss the wonton soup and the perfectly prepared eggplant in black bean sauce.

Evergreen.

With my wife at Union Transfer waiting for Jeff Tweedy.

Representing “The Tweedy Show” at the Tweedy show at @uniontransfer.bsky.social in Philly. w/ @annapplegate.bsky.social

A beautiful Soldaki tomato.

Brought in this beauty from the garden today. It’s a Soldaki — a prized heirloom of Polish origin. Kind of like me. @annapplegate.bsky.social #tomatoes #soldaki #schwapplegatefarms

Slightly diminish a band: Gladys Knight and I Could Have Sworn There Was A Pip Around Here Somewhere

IIRC, the head of programming for ABC at the time explained its cancellation by saying it made viewers work too hard, what with so many jokes and all. Now I’m heading to one of those all-night wicker places.

@merriam-webster.com ran a list of words added to the official Scrabble dictionary in 2018, along with an example of usage. This was in the entry for “frowny”:

I had become the Norma Rae of frowny faces.
— Addam Schwartz, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 22 May 2018

A shot from the show’s opening montage reading “‘Weird Al’ Yankovic” in horror-movie type

Al dares to be stupid. Not being critical: It’s his Devo tribute.

The man onstage at the Mann.

Things got Weird in Philly last night. Amazing show by @alyankovic.bsky.social at the Mann.

Live Aid tchochkes: program, T-shirt, and ticket stub.

An article I wrote for the Northeast Times about buying Live Aid tickets.

Forty years ago. It was scorchingly hot, super crowded, and absolutely perfect. Tickets had gone on sale less than three weeks earlier, and I wrote about scoring mine for the weekly paper I worked for. (I also wrote about the show, but I can’t find the clip.) #liveaid #northeasttimes

Made daily with food.

Ringo Starr taking a lead vocal.

Ringo Starr behind the drum kit.

Ringo at the Mann was everything I’d expected, and more. Watching an almost 85-year-old Beatle doing jumping jacks onstage was incredible in itself. But his band this time around was just amazing. Special props to co-drummer Greg Bissonette. And Hamish Stuart, who was anything but average.

Larry Kane onstage at the Mann.

At the Mann for Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band, with special guest … Larry Kane!

I saw Pat DiNizio (RIP) of the Smithereens after a Who tribute concert at Carnegie Hall. He was so chill and so damn normal. He spoiled me for other alt-rock heroes.

Every song's a comeback; every moment's a little bit later

Harmony, a vegetarian Chinese restaurant in Philly, had a vegetarian ham fried rice that was perfection. And a place called Wiz Kid briefly made a vegan cheesesteak that made me forget I hadn’t had a real cheesesteak in 30 years. So good. Sigh.

Back in the ‘70s, the Phillies’ Del Unser used to be a .400 hitter. You’d see his name in the agate list of NL leaders. In April. Then, tragically, came May, and June, and he would stop being Ted Williams and be Del Unser again. That’s why I’m not too worried about Alec Bohm. Yet. #phillies

I got the same spiel last month. (Go Birds.)

With a sky blue sky, this rotten time, wouldn't seem so bad to me now

Great piece. Thanks for sharing it. This passage jumped out at me:

Schulz … seemed to view cartoonists as analogous to the Peanuts character Schroeder — dogged practitioners who, at their best, managed to play expressive music on toy pianos that lacked pedals and black keys.

9 Superb Owl Words Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all? We do!

Go Birds.

www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/9-s...

Go Birds

This is Murphy, a particularly handsome cat.

Murphy is always happy to help.

“Saquon Barkley, you are the man!”
— Harry Kalas in heaven, probably
#eagles

“To me, Syd Barrett made a Holy Trinity with Bob Dylan and Captain Beefheart.”

Love this.

A selection of Dr. Konstantin Frank dry Rieslings from 2015, 2020, and 2023. All delicious.

A belated New Year’s vertical tasting of Dr. Konstantin Frank dry Rieslings from 2015, 2020, and 2023 at Schwapplegate Estates. The winner: Us. w/ @annapplegate.bsky.social #dryriesling #drfrank

Happy New Year...in jail!

Murphy, a very handsome boy with a strong resemblance to a Hollywood heartthrob.

Murphy is clearly Ryan Reynolds.

It’s so much worse than we feared