Week of July 18, 2024
Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind with the latest batch of our favorite Philly stories:
Justin Coleman Speaks With Essence About His Growing, Bacon-fueled Philly Empire
Bacon: For some it’s a breakfast food; for others, it’s a lifestyle. Count Philly’s Justin Coleman in the latter camp. The chef and entrepreneur is the owner of several popular food trucks, as well as brick-and-mortar spot Bake’n Bacon — Philly’s first bacon-themed establishment, where crispy strips of pork shine in almost every dish.
After appearing on stage this month at the 30th annual Essence Festival of Culture, Coleman sat down with the culture mag to talk about the inspiration behind his growing bacon empire. As it turns out, it all started with a dream.
Blobfest: The New York Times Shines a Light on Phoenixville’s Kooky Film Fest
Let’s be honest. Philly has a bit of kookiness to it, a je ne sais quoi jawn that straddles tastefully between weird and endearing. It’s what we love so much about this place and its people. Perhaps nothing captures this spirit better than Blobfest.
Held annually in Phoenixville in Chester County — about 30 minutes outside of Philly proper — the three-day festival celebrates the town’s starring role in The Blob, a 1958 sci-fi film that was panned so universally that it was destined to become a cult classic.
The weekend features elaborate costume contests, a “Blob Ball” dance, a fire extinguisher parade (the firefighting tools play a critical role in the film) and several “run outs,” recreations of a famous scene in the movie that sees townsfolk fleeing The Colonial Theatre. In celebration of the event’s 25th anniversary this month, The New York Times sent a team to capture all the kitschy and kooky vibes.
After a Dropped Home Run Ball, Phillies Usher Richard Lewandowski Comes to the Rescue
While the Phillies spent the week in Texas sipping wooder and hitting homers during the 2024 MLB All-Star Game festivities, it’s something that happened in the stands last week that really reminds us why we’re baseball fans.
In the eighth inning of a July 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the South Philly crowd erupted as Kyle Schwarber launched a home run in the direction of the second deck in right field. A father — attending the game with his wife and two sons — reached up to make a catch that looked like a sure thing and then … he dropped it. As the ball slipped through his fingers and into the section below, his young son burst into tears. Enter Richard Lewandowski.
The veteran Phillies usher promptly swooped in to deliver a game-used ball to the youngster. Tears turned to smiles. And then, smiles turned into hugs. While the moment of kindness went viral on social media, Lewandowski insists he was just doing his job. Baseball. How can you not be romantic about it?
Philly Cheesemonger Jake Heller Crowned the Best in the Country
Jake Heller is the fastest cheese-slicer in the west. Or anywhere, really. And he has the trophy to prove it.
The Main Line native recently beat out 44 other competitors in the Cheesemonger Invitational, a Brooklyn-based competition between the best cheesemongers in the country. The fierce contest featured several rounds, with challenges like blind tastings, speed-slicing and wrapping, and cheese trivia.
Heller’s love for cheese runs deep. After taking a clerk job at Narberth Cheese Co. at age 16, the now-28-year-old worked his way up from budding cheese enthusiast to certified cheesemonger at shops like Downtown Cheese in Reading Terminal Market. He’s now a full-time cheesemonger and cheesemaker at Kensington’s lauded Perrystead Dairy (ya know, the place with a 24/7 cheese vending machine). Gouda on you, Jake!
14-Year-Old Cavan Sullivan Makes History in His First Match with the Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan made history this week, becoming the youngest player to ever appear in a Major League Soccer (MLS) match.
At just 14 years and 293 days old, the midfielder made his debut in the 85th minute of the Union’s convincing 5-1 home victory over the New England Revolution on July 17. Not only is Sullivan the youngest player in MLS history, he’s also younger than anyone who’s ever played in any of Europe’s five major soccer leagues.
To make things a little sweeter, Cavan’s older brother and Union teammate Quinn Sullivan, scored a beautiful goal just before he entered the match. We love Brotherly Love!
