Absolute POP Philly Art Blocks

Great gift idea for anyone who likes Philadelphia: attractive 10"x10" art blocks for just $39 from Absolute POP. The store at 141 South 13th Street has artistic photos and painting prints of classic and unusual Philadelphia scenes. They are giclee prints on thick wooden blocks treated to withstand heat and humidity.

Absolute POP and its sister store Absolute Abstract are good places to find reasonably priced original and replicated artwork. Some of the selection border on gaudy (they also serve corporate offices), but many items are unique and beautiful. Their Absolute Philadelphia series of images is also available in other sizes and on canvas.

Mitchell & Ness throwback jerseys

Stopped in the Mitchell & Ness store at 13th and Chestnut today to oggle their collection of throwback Phillies jerseys. Mitchell & Ness has been a sporting goods company since 1904, when they began selling wooden tennis racquets and golf clubs. By the 1920s they were manufacturing baseball jerseys of local teams and at one point supplied official uniforms for the Eagles, Phillies, and the since-departed Philadelphia Athletics. In the late 1980s, with business struggling, the company decided to focus its efforts into making vintage uniforms, first in baseball and then in other sports.

The authentically made vintage uniforms can be a little pricey, running $200-$300, but you can find throwback jackets, caps, and T-shirts for $50 or less.

Here are some of my favorites:
Philadelphia Phillies Battery Jacket, $60


Philadelphia Athletics 1927 Road Jersey (featuring the white elephant!), $225


1945 Philadelphia Phillies "4 Jimmy Foxx" jersey (with Blue Jay!), $250

Philadelphia LOVE Necklace

A shining tribute to Robert Indiana's famous design and the sentiment it represents. This sterling silver piece is inspired by the famous LOVE statue in JFK Plaza (LOVE Park) in central Philadelphia. Made on Jewelers' Row, this is a slice of Philly that will even appeal to someone who is yet to visit the city.

Sterling Silver, 16" or 18" chain
On sale at Etsy.com. $75.

Philadelphia Filly

I saw this great t-shirt the other day at a Phillies game and looked around online for it. It’s available from zazzle.com at zazzle.com/nuclearswan/filly+gifts, and can be custom printed in a variety of styles and colors. Makes a great Philadelphia gift for any Philly girl. And it looks hot too.

Philly Fiction

2006’s Philly Fiction was published, as its subtitle suggests, to “highlight Philadelphia as a city of literary inspiration.” It features 19 stories set in Philadelphia, all written by authors who are from Philly or who live in the city. The cover features a stylized sketch of Philadelphia’s ubiquitous icon Benjamin Franklin, rendered by West Philly artist Theron Warren in a cartoonish deconstructionist style that seems to straddle homage and mockery. (There’s a Septa train on the back cover, too!)

Philly Fiction is an ideal gift book for area readers. The stories are diverse and of a generally very high quality and present Philadelphia tenderly, while keeping a knowing eye on its peculiar flaws. As Philadelphia Magazine put it: "[t]he writing sings; in 'The Shanghai Ship to Love,' Edward P. Clapp hilariously describes a trip on the Chinatown Express. There’s genuine emotion in Michael Aronovitz’s 'The Big Picture' …. In Greg November’s 'Dinnertime at 42B,' a loser pays a hooker for her company, but the woman isn’t pretty, and the ending isn’t Hollywood. Welcome to Philadelphia."

Other reviews at the time, such as this extended piece in the Inky, were full of praise. It is available through area bookstores and online at PhillyFiction.com and Amazon.com. A second volume of tales was released earlier this year.

Philadelphia in Art: Paintings by Lilliana Didovic

Philly-based artist Lilliana Didovic finds inspiration in the streetscapes and skylines of her adopted city (she was born in Croatia and lived in Bosnia before finding a home here). Her paintings depict city landmarks like the Betsy Ross House (one of Didovic’s renderings of this is in the possession of Mayor Michael Nutter), South Street, the Friendship Arch in Chinatown, and the Ben Franklin Bridge. Recent work has incorporated shining stones to capture the lights of the city. Didovic also has a series of paintings of the Philadelphia skyline that straddle a border between representative painting and abstract expressionism, with Philly skyscapes hovering surreally over single-color backgrounds.

Didovic's work has appeared in numerous galleries around town: Smile Gallery, Skylight 307, and the Davinci Art Alliance Gallery, among others. The paintings are affordable: many of them can be had for less than $1,000. For a cheaper option, consider purchasing a set of Didovic’s postcards of her art. Contact Lilliana@lillianadidovic.us for more information.

[This article has been corrected. It originally incorrectly identified Lilliana's place of birth. Many apologies for the mistake.]

Philadelphia Products

We'll be posting notices about books, clothing, jewelry, music, and other items related to the city of Philadelphia. Ideally, products will be inspired by the city, made in the city, and reference Philly in some way. Whenever possible, we'll sell the pieces or provide links to where they can be purchased.

As these things go, we'll likely post a few at first and then it'll peter out.

Go phils.