Tinsel & Tine: Quick Philly Weekend Recap (Todd Douglas Bailey “Going Up”)

As I’ve mentioned, I moved exactly 1 month ago to West Philly from Mt. Airy and this past weekend was the first time I really took advantage of how convenient the 34 Trolley is to get into Center City Philadelphia – 15 minutes flat to go from 48th & Baltimore to 13 & Market!  – So now there’s no more looking for parking, paying for parking or fear of meter running out and getting a ticket, no more expensive Regional Rail ride or driving to Ridge Ave to get the infrequent #9 bus, which sits in traffic on the Schuylkill (Rt 76) and most thankfully, no more taking the H bus to Broad & Erie to get the Broad Street Orange line. It used to be tough on a blogger to get into the city, now it’s just 1 quick, pleasant commute, the longest I waited for a Trolley all weekend was 10 min.  Now, if only my day job were in Philly too and I could lose this gas guzzling commute to Chesterbrook everyday –  God hear my prayer!

Dr. Ketchup performing in Cedar Park. (Photo courtesy Cedar Park Jazz)

My 4th of July plans are still up in the air, but it was a busy pre-holiday weekend: Friday, Cedar Park Summer Jazz Series (my friend and screenwriter Cathy Shefski came from the city to West Philly on Trolley).

Philly Blogger Le Anne Lindsay at WaWa America Block Party

Attended WaWa Welcome America Liberty Block Party Event. Had bad funnel cake, but heard good jams.

Fly Ty & The Essence Ensemble

Attended a couple of Philadelphia Independent Film Festival Screenings:

Writer/Director Todd Douglas Bailey

Writer/Director Todd Douglas Bailey personally wrote asking if I would attend the screening of his set in Philadelphia film Going Up  a comedy/drama about a young husband and wife whose marriage falls apart over trivial things, that Mars vs Venus kinda stuff – like women tend to want the togetherness shared during dating to continue, where guys after having landed their bride, tend to want to get back to hanging with their friends and playing X-Box.  This makes women less interested in intimacy, which gets men thinking marriage means no sex etc…

Leads of “Going Up” and real life couple Coley & Brandon Eaton

The couple who play the main characters Lacy & Gavin Walker are very believeable in their roles, as well they should be, as they are a married couple in real-life – Coley & Brandon Eaton.

I asked the couple if the fighting and issues played out in the movie, transferred over into real life when they got home? They said, not really, because they don’t ever fight like this couple does. Instead, they tended to wanna come home and apologize to one another for the make-believe fights; but they also said at times it was kinda fun to be able to yell at each other, since that’s really not their style.

Cleverly, Todd used a friend’s home brew Berzerka Beer in the movie and as promotion for the film created Berzerka Beer commercials and gave out the T-shirts as IndieGogo crowd funding incentives.  He also held a contest for musicians to send in music for the soundtrack of the movie, keeping the ASCAP budget to $0 and giving aspiring musicians some exposure.

Benjamin’s Desk Common area

Going Up screened at Benjamin’s Desk which is an event venue and place for start up businesses to have reasonably priced, month to month office space in Center City (1701 Walnut Street).

Le Anne Lindsay & Fernando J. Scarpa

Sunday, I went to the Alexander Inn (12th & Spruce) and chatted with LA writer/director Fernando J. Scarpa, whose film Doradus premiered at #PIFF. – Stay tuned for interview!

Le Anne Lindsay and Emily Wachtel

And went to PFS Roxy Theater and got lucky enough to talk to writer/director Emily Wachtel, whose film Lucky Them is playing now and I can’t recommend it enough – LOVED IT! – Stay tuned for post on film’s Q&A

Great Tinsel & Tine Philly Film & Events Blogging Weekend!

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