Max Yesgur, a local of Bethel, New York, one day decided that something needed to be done.  Something (actually, someone) needed to bring a list of the world’s greatest musicians to one place, and introduce them under one bill.  Max Yesgur took this idea, threw in some peace, love, and a splash of color(s) and the Woodstock Music Festival was born.  The idea was receated in 1994 and 1999, but it never held the same promise as it once did in 1969.

Max Yesgur didn’t create something new, he just made it a lot better.  Since those three days in New York, festivals in America have never been the same.

Festivals have become a staple of Philadelphia culture, especially during the summer months.  So, now that you know of a great place to stay while visiting (The Independent Hotel, of course), why not plan a trip revolving around one (or more!) of the great  festivals the City of Brotherly Love has to offer?

Join us later this spring for the Brandywine River Blues Festival.  Have a night out on the town, take the elevator home with us that evening, and venture off to the Chaddsford Winery the very next day.  Enjoy the area’s signature wines, pack a picnic for the day, and enjoy some great blues music.  With Chaddsford Winery less than an hour away from us, there is no reason not to make a weekend that includes the city and the country all in one trip.  You’ll have to hurry fast, because this secret will get out sooner than you think.  Book your room now for May 30th and 31st, and catch this great winery estate in the middle of the most beautiful time of year!

For more information on the Brandywine River Blues Festival, please visit their website:

http://www.chaddsford.com/root/home/index.htm

Spring has already sprung, but witness the “springing” Philadelphia style at the annual Rittenhouse Spring Festival on May 1st, 2010.  Enjoy creative local art, fashion, food, and let the WXPN family bring you some of the best local music in the area.  This festival is only one day, and attracts over 50,000 people.  Streets are closed around Rittenhouse Square for this event, so staying the night on April 30th with us, and taking a short stroll to the festival is the best way to visit!

For more information, vist:

http://www.visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/rittenhouse-row-spring-festival/

The XPNoential Music Festival is the most popular music festival in Philadelphia every year, and attracts over 300,000 people every year.  The festival has not been scheduled as of yet, but it always occurrs in July.  Stay tuned for the latest details as they become available!

The other very popular music festival is just becoming a staple of the region.  The Roots Picnic will host some of the most popular musical acts today, including Vampire Weekend, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mayer Hawthorne, and of course our very own The Roots with ?questlove!  This picnic has attracted more and more people every year since it’s inception in 2008, and it looks to only get bigger this year.  With many rooms left on June 5th, it’s a no-brainer to stay with us at the Independent and take a small trip to Penn’s Landing’s Festival Pier, a walk, or short ride away from the hotel! 

For More information, visit:

http://www.billboard.com/news/vampire-weekend-anchors-third-roots-picnic-1004071930.story

Are you a fan of smooth jazz like we all are here at the Independent?  Then you will love Penn’s Landing’s Smooth Jazz Summer Nights.  Enjoy the smooth sounds that only Penn’s Landing can offer every Friday night in August.  This extremely popular series is back by popular demand, and it looks as if it’s turning out to be a great month.  Let the cooooooool sounds of Jazz flow over your body on a hot August night, and then come unwind and let the music sink in while you stay with us overnight!!  Smotth Jazz Summer Nights are presented on August 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th.  Look ahead now for our rates and availability:

https://reservations.ihotelier.com/istay.cfm?hotelid=15322

For more information on Smooth Jazz Summer Nights, and other Delaware River Events, vist:

http://www.delawareriverevents.com/index.php?module=calendar&month=8&year=2010

Philadelphia has so much to offer you during the Spring and Summer months, it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.  Revel in cool music, art, food, and fashion.  Let The Independent be your guide!

Spring is a peculiar time of year.  This season has many traditions and generational meanings attached to it, and that means there is always something new to discover.  Before it was known as Spring, this particular season was known as Lengten, or, Lenten.  This word literally means “Lengthen”.  As the days get longer, and the ground starts to sprout new life, the season moves steadily along, helping all of us forget the misery that sometimes is Winter.

As the Winter season comes to a close, the snow melts, and the ground begins to sprout, there is a buzz in the air around the city of Philadelphia.  Sure, that could just be the harassing bee announcing his presence in your ear, but it could also be the City of Brotherly Love whispering to you:”Visit Me”.

We, here at the Independent Hotel, know all too well how many great specialties the city has to offer during this season of rebirth.  That is why we would be ecstatic to welcome you to the city of Philadelphia during this most beautiful of seasons.

Island life is great in the winter, but in the Spring there is just too much the city offers for you to pass over.  In just a few short weeks our boys of summer, the Philadelphia Phillies, will be officially kicking off their season on April 12th at 3:05P.M. at Citizen’s Bank Park against the Washington Nationals for their home opener.  Staying in the heart of the city, enjoy a walk, some shopping, and some breakfast or lunch, and then in the late afternoon head down to the ballpark to witness the defending National League Champions in action!

http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=phi

Miss the flower show earlier in the year?  Have no fear, Macy’s will come through for you for only the second time in its history as it hosts its 2nd Annual Flower show between March 28th and April 11th.  With Macy’s just a few short blocks away from the Independent, it’s almost too convenient!

Take advantage of one of spectacular packages.  The Ancient Rome and America exhibit at the National Constitution Center (also located almost too conveniently from the Independent) is appearing through August 1st.  This package will truly make you feel like a V.I.P.  This includes accommodations at the Independent, two V.I.P. Passes to the Ancient Rome and America exhibit, which includes access to the award-winning theatrical performance “Freedom Rising” and Singer’s Hall.

http://reservations.ihotelier.com/crs/p_prod.cfm?HotelID=15322&ProdID=264764&killcookie=1&LanguageID=1

Feeling charitable?  On April 29th, what many consider the busiest restaurant night of the year (and the most important) is Dining out for Life.  With most of the city’s greatest and most popular restaurants within walking distance of the Independent, make a night out of it and help fight A.I.D.S. by dining out within the city.  Every participating restaurant will donate 33% of the cost of your meal to help fight the virus.  For a list of participating restaurants, and to discover which ones are closest to us, please visit:

http://www.diningoutforlife.com/philadelphia/participating

Located right off Broad Street, the Independent is a great place for you to relax and prepare for the annual Broad Street Run.  This 10-mile run will allow the most competitive, and leisurely runners to enjoy the great sights and history of the city while jogging down broad street.  After you’re finished, unwind with us at the Independent on May 2nd!

Want to the see the Olympians of tomorrow?  Visit the city and stay with us while you attend the Penn Relays.  The Penn Relays are the single most important amateur track and field event in the country.  Witness the athletes who may one day wear the gold right here in our backyard.  Join us during April 22nd through the 24th.  After becoming tired with all the daily activity, unwind with us on property for the complimentary Guest Reception that features our wine picks and cheeses.

Even though it is now known as ‘Spring’, this great season boasts a lot of great opportunities to explore new things.  Philadelphia can be an old friend, or a new acquaintance…no matter, visit the beautiful, historic city and ‘Lengten’ your senses to something truly wonderful.  The Independent is here to welcome you with open arms.

20 Days until Opening Tap

Over 445 events at dozens of venues

in the city and suburbs
And more to come!

The second-annual Philly Beer Week (PBW) 2009 will kickoff on Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m., in the spectacular Comcast Center lobby and Winter Garden (17th street and JFK Boulevard) with the Opening Tap, a celebration honoring over 30 regional breweries whose beer help make Philadelphia “the best beer-drinking city in America.” The Opening Tap will begin with a ceremonial ‘first tap’ using the official Philly Beer Week Keg Mallet, followed by a strolling beer tasting and a festive awards ceremony. Opening Tap tickets cost $40 and can be purchased online at www.phillybeerweek.org ($50 at the door.)

“The Opening Tap is a one-of-a-kind event featuring our local breweries and their beers, as well as the men and women who create them,” says Don Russell, who along with Tom Peters and Bruce Nichols are the founders of Philly Beer Week.

Invited breweries for the Opening Tap include: Appalachian Brewing, Barley Creek Brewing Company, Brew Works, Dock Street, Dogfish Head, Earth + Bread, Erie Brewing Company, Flying Fish, General Lafayette, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Lancaster Brewing Company, Legacy, Lion, Manayunk Brewpub, McKenzie’s, Nodding Head, Penn Brewery, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Porterhouse, Reading Brewing Company, Riverhorse, Rock Bottom, Roy Pitz, Sly Fox, Triumph, Stewart’s, Stoudts, Troegs, Twin Lakes, Victory, Weyerbacher, Yards and Yuengling.

A group of local beer writers created the awards that will honor each brewery represented at the event. An emcee will announce each award and invite the brewery representative to join them, get their photo taken and receive their PBW award.

“These are not your traditional “Best Of” awards. They have a definite Philly attitude! In this town, we may take our beer seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” says Russell who created the awards with fellow beer writers George Hummel, Bryan Kolesar, Lew Bryson, Jack Curtin, Suzanne Woods, Rich Wagner, Woody Chandler and Carolyn Smagalski.

Food will be available for purchase from the Market at the Comcast Center, and live music is also planned. Attendees must be at least 21 years of age, and no children will be admitted.

Those wishing to take public transportation to Philly Beer Week, can purchase Sip Safely with SEPTA, an unlimited, all-day, bus-trolley-rail pass that will be sold for $9.00, valid any one day between March 6 and March 15. This pass is valid on SEPTA services, to encourage PBW participants to travel safely, rather than driving from event to event. Sip Safely with SEPTA passes are available for sale at most SEPTA locations.

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The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival features performances by acclaimed contemporary dance and theater companies who are selected and invited to the Festival by our producing director. While some Live Arts artists are based in Philadelphia, many come from other parts of the U.S., and from around the world

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16 days of Bold Entertainment from around the world right here in Philadelphia! Book your stay at our wonderful boutique hotel, and enjoy some of the finest in the world of art and performance.

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BUY LIVE ARTS FESTIVAL TICKETS HERE

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Rooms are still available. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR ROOM!! or call 215-772-1440 to reserve. Call the Independent Hotel Philadelphia at for specials associated with the Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe.

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Ready to get your hands …  CLEAN?? 

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Only a few steps away from the Independent Hotel is a wonderful little Soapery (our word for a place where they concoct wonderful soaps) called duross & langel.  Here, YOU can participate in the development of a new generation of natural and organic cosmetics through their fun and delightful workshops each 1st and 3rd Sunday morning at 10AM.  Today, we all need to be socially responsible.  So why not have some “clean” fun doing it. 

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Socially Responsible Natural Soaps:  “our sea salts are purchased from family owned and operated salt farms on the dead sea and in the Caribbean, our shea butter is grown and harvested by a village co-op in burkina fasco, and many of the ingredients are from local market vendors here in the delaware valley. our commitment is to quality, fidelity and loyalty in all that we do. this is why we’ve placed our names on every label. we invite you to come by our modern apothecary shop and visit the soap makers at work, then test our scrubs and moisturizers, grab a free sample of soap and go have some good clean fun!” - quoting duross & langel…

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FUN WORKSHOPS!!  Leave your pencils and type-A personalities at the door because our workshops are all about the fun. it’s 2 hours of creativity and instruction on your favorite skin care products. as a group we work to create useable art in the form of luscious soaps and balms for our store. using our proprietary base ingredients, you’ll add extracts, oils and pigments while elbow deep in all-natural elements + you get to take home a sample of everything you make!  You must be 18 years old to attend (with the exception of our classes for kids).  The cost is a non-refundable $35 pre-paid. schedule conflicts are easily resolved by calling to reschedule class placement 48 hours prior to class. classes begin promptly at time listed. approximate class time is 2 hours unless otherwise specified.  Please dress appropriately for any splatters and splashes that might occur.  To reserve a space for a workshop please call 215.592.SOAP

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duross & langel savonniers
117 south 13th street philadelphia, pa 19107

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UPCOMING EVENTS AT duross & langel
july 9th: in-store event 6 PM to 8 PM
luscious grapefruit lip balms are on the menu and we’ll be brewing them before your eyes! bring the whole family for a FREE balm and a taste of capogiro’s pompelmo sorbetto which inspired us

july 12th: kezia read’s pre-party 6 PM to 8 PM
kezia is getting married and we are throwing her a pre-bachelorette bash in our kitchen.
we will laugh and play before they par-tay by creating some sensual wedding night treats for bride and groom

july 16th: in-store event 6 PM to 8 PM
lolita margaritas for everyone! come by to share the fun as we whip up a batch of margarita soap, sip on lolita’s signature cocktail and take home a FREE sample too!

july 20th: sunday school 10 AM to 12 PM
healing elements SOLD OUT- basic skin care to soothe and heal with extracts, oils and dried herbs. the class will create soaps, balms and salves

july 20th: katie reick’s birthday 1 PM to 3 PM
our little katie is having a party for all her friends in the d & l kitchen. though katie is anything but vanilla…every soap and sugar scrub we make with be dripping with vanilla!

july 23rd: in-store event 6 PM to 8 PM
capogiro’s peppermint stracciatella gelato has inspired us to light the cauldren. join us while we create this new, yummy summer soap and gobble up plenty of the inspirational gelato

july 30th: in-store event 6 PM to 8 PM
delightfully sweet nectar of mango spiced with indian cardamom inspired by bindi. both the soap and the cocktail will be flowing tonight
so join in the fun

august 6th: in-store event 6 PM to 8 PM
james’ favorite, capogiro thai coconut milk gelato will be served, soaped and sampled for your home bathing pleasure

august 20th: in-store event 6 PM to 8 PM
we are celebrating steve’s birthday with his favorite limoncello sorbetto from capogiro while we create yummy limoncello lip balms

august 27th: in-store event 6 PM to 8 PM
a surprise for us all

Hello guests of The Independent Hotel, we’re happy to announce fabulous and legendary music artists performing right here in Philadelphia this week!!  We LOVE great music! 

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To celebrate a week of Legends, we are offering 20% off this week for each nights stay to those who have tickets or ticket stubs to these events should rooms be available.  CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR’S!! or call 215-772-1440. 

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Click on the following for concert information:

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John Mellencamp performs at the Mann Music Center this Tuesday: (July 8th)

Ani DiFranco performs at the Mann Music Center this Wednesday  (July 9th)

Van Morrison Performs at the Tower Theatre this Thursday and Friday.  (July 10th and 11th)

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What a great week of live music legends here in Philadelphia!

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Yes, all the rumors are true! The Independent Hotel Philadelphia is now taking reservations. We are a boutique hotel, with so much more!

Visit the Hotel website at www.theindependenthotel.com to explore our wonderful boutique experience.

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