Monthly Top Five - December

Hey, remember the What's Weekly Top 5 feature? So do we. The only problem is that it rarely came on a weekly basis, so we're switching gears. In  High Fidelity, the characters compare their top fives in a variety of categories. Being big fans of both the film and novel, we here at the What bring you our Weekly Monthly Top Five, a feature focused on five fantastic things that you should become familiar with.

Reasons to Visit Philadelphia in 2012

The City of Brotherly Love is a fantastic destination for arts and culture. With a great selection of museums, galleries, and theaters, there is no shortage of fantastic cultural institutions to choose from. While many flock to New York for theater or Washington for museums, Philadelphia has the best of both worlds. In 2012, several exciting events and exhibits are scheduled to be the highlight of Philly's cultural calendar.


5. Philly (Insert Fun Thing Here) Week - Chances are that no matter where your interests lie, Philly has a week for that. During Restaurant Week one can sample a variety of delicacies from the city's stellar selection of top-notch dining establishments. Fashion Week comes twice a year and boasts the best of Philly fashion. After taking a sabbatical in 2011, we can only hope it returns in 2012! If not, one can always find comfort in Beer Week. Beer Week is likely my favorite of all the weeks, as it is the perfect way for Philly's excellent roster of brewers to show their stuff.


4. The Festival Circuit - Philadelphia has become a hotbed for a variety of festivals over the years. With fests celebrating Film, Craft Beer, and all things folksy leading the helm, there are two somewhat newer festivals that lead the pack. In only its second year, the Philadelphia Science Festival looks to be at the top of many to-do lists after a strong debut in 2011 (as discussed by the What here). Perhaps the most anticipated of the many festivals offered in Philadelphia, is the Live Arts & Fringe fest. With a brand new headquarters and an ever-growing roster of participants, the Fringe is always a fantastic fest.

Song of the Day - 11.Dec.11

 

Stealing Christmas, a part of this complete breakfast.

As an adult, one often discovers interesting factoids about the programming they grew up on as children. For example, Laurence Fishburne hung out at Peewee's Playhouse, Miss Piggy and Bert have more in common than you think, and Dr. Seuss is more political than you ever realized. With it being the holiday season, another discovery along these lines was made, at least in the What's inner circle, pertaining to Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. We are, of course, referring to the cartoon version, not the live-action Jim Carrey film. Perhaps the most recognizable part of that cartoon is the song describing some of the titular character's less-than-perfect traits. Did you know that distinctive crooner Thurl Ravenscroft (super badass name), the man behind this Christmas classic, is also responsible for voicing Tony the Tiger? You learn something new every day.

Mixtape Madness #10: A Very Merry Mixtape Madness

According to the novel High Fidelity the making of a good mix tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. Furthermore, a good mix is never finished. You never know when you will come across a song that changes the dynamic of the mix you just completed. There is a litany of intricacies to crafting the ideal mix no matter what the mix’s intended purpose should be. This feature is merely a guide on the cosmic highway of mix making, and while experienced, the writer does not claim to be an expert.

A Very Merry Mixtape Madness

All around the country, local soft rock and easy listening radio stations have switched their format to 24/7 Christmas music. Unfortunately, these playlists that pass for radio stations these days play a steady stream of Christmas crap, and there is no good reason for it. There is a ton of great Christmas tunes out there. My iTunes library alone contains seven hours of holiday cheer. While I'm not ready to present all seven glorious hours, I will give you a small sample of the type of yuletide tunes the What rocks out to. 

The What's Last-Minute Gift Guide

The What is dedicated to providing recent college grads with colorful ideas for everyday life. We understand that life gets a little hectic in those first few post-collegiate years and you may forget things, such as Christmas. No fear, we are here to give you a handy guide to suggest a few last-minute gifts for those special people in your life (i.e. the ones who will probably be buying you something).

READS
Who isn't a fan of quirky little books? Quick, entertaining little reads like Grandma's Dead ($9.99 on Amazon) are everywhere. Urban Outfitters usually has a decent selection, or if you're shopping at the couch mall, try Amazon.

PRIMER - Gifts for Guys

Click on the image above to see Patrick's latest contribution to Primer Magazine, and stay tuned here for the What's Last Minute Gift Guide.