Fun around town, for $10 or less: Hard Core Barbie: Project Runway viewing party every Wednesday, with Barbie design challenge for all in attendance, at National Mechanics (22 S 3rd), 11PM. $7 Gay Catholic Erotica Author: Scott D. Pomfret reads from his new book Since My Last Confession: A Gay Catholic Memoir at Giovanni’s Room (345 S 12th), 5:30PM. Free PW Concerts in the Park: XPN welcomes Adam Arcuragi and The Capitol Years in Rittenhouse......

Get in one last beach read: PW folks and others give their recommendations for late-summer reading. Also, independent bookmongers show what we’re really buying. All right, we have no excuse for skipping the treadmill ever: Local doc and fitness instructor Marjorie Dejoie (aka Dr. Dej) talks about staying fit while battling sickle cell disease. Enrich yourself, or fail to do so: a guide to area continuing education and enrichment programs. EW! EwEwEw! Yeah yeah, it’ll......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Open Up: Open Mic at Wooden Shoe Books (508 S 5th), 7-10PM. Free Hush Up: Outdoor screening of Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte at the International House (3701 Chestnut), 8PM. Free Quiet Down: Intro to Buddhist meditation presented by the Menlha Buddhist Center at the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia (1906 S Rittenhouse Sq), 7-8:30PM. $10 Got a frugal tip? Don't be stingy! Send it here and share the......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Mummy!: Gear up for Chinese mummies with the Mummy Returns at the Great Plaza on Penn's Landing (Chestnut and Columbus Blvd), 6:30PM. Free ROUS on the Banks: The Princess Bride as part of the Laughter on the Banks series at the Walnut Street Dock (25th and Walnut), 8PM. Free Support Your Local Poets: New Philadelphia Poets at Germ Books and Gallery (2005 Frankford), 7PM. Free Love Music: Music......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Slamming: The theme of this month’s First Person Story Slams: “caught.” At L’Etage (624 S 6th), 7:30PM. $10 Take the Ferry: Sunset Jazz Series presents Average White Band at Wiggins Park (Mickle Street and Riverside Drive in Camden), 8PM. Free Keep It Local: Local author Hakim Woods reads from his Stevy Bonneville Walace: A Philly Urban Hip Hop Black Psychological Studied Short Novel, set in West Philly, at......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY: We Were Framed!: Phillyist Framed, a photo exhibit with works from Phillyist readers, at Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore), 7PM. $5 suggested donation (plus free beer) Hype: the HYPE! presents Boy Wonder, Nicole Lynn, Steve Hackman, Swift Technique, Laura Cheadle, and Half Evil Half Good at Upstairs at World Café Live (3025 Walnut), 8PM. $9 The N Crowd: Improv comedy troupe the N Crowd perform at the Actors......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Outdoor Music: Friday Night Summer Jazz Concerts every Friday in Cedar Park (50th and Baltimore), 6-8PM. Free The N Crowd: Improv comedy troupe the N Crowd perform at the Actors Center (257 N 3rd), 8PM. $10 Brakes CD Release Party: XPN welcomes The Brakes with Ben Arnold and Carney at Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N Frankford), 8PM. $10 SATURDAY The Kids Are All Right: Paul Green School of......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Medicine and Rats: Authors William Frankl and Harris Cohen read from their respective works The Merger and Rat Tales and Other Stories (the latter set in West Philly) at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S 13th), 6PM. Free Folky: The Fairmount Park Commission sponsors a folk dancing session with instruction (no experience or partners needed) every Tuesday on the Art Museum Steps (26th and the Parkway), 8-10:30PM. $3 White Rabbits:......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Sounds Like Diplomacy in Our Office: Author Gregory Levey reads from his memoir Shut Up, I'm Talking: And Other Diplomacy Lessons I Learned in the Israeli Government, detailing his time as a speechwriter for the Israeli delegation to the U.N. and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S 13th), 6PM. Free MadDragon Showcase: Love Like Pi, Univox, Greyhound, and Except After Sea at Upstairs at World......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Robert On Robbery: Drexel prof and author Robert Zaller discusses his latest book Theft of the Century: Who's Trying to Steal the Barnes, and Why It Won't Work at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S 13th), 6PM. Free Knitty: Knitting circle every Wednesday at Vagabond (37 N 3rd), 6-8PM. Free Spinny: The Spinning Leaves, Birdie Busch, and Cowmuddy at Upstairs at World Café Live (3025 Walnut), 8PM. $9 Quizzo Mania:......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Bring Your Own Tank: SCUBA National Touring Dance Alliance at the Conwell Dance Theater on Temple’s campus (Broad and Montgomery), 8PM. $10 (also on Saturday) Last Friday: Celebrate March’s last Friday with poet Matthew Dickman, singer/songwriter Irene Molloy, and extended gallery hours at the Philadelphia Art Alliance (251 S 18th), 7PM. $5 SATURDAY Free Classical: The Six, performing Bach and Monteverdi and conducted by Matt Glandorf at......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: John Cusack Is Dreamy: Movie Night featuring High Fidelity and free PBR and popcorn at the M Room (15 W Girard), 9PM. $3 (21+) Moonstone Poetry: Featuring local poets J.T. Barbarese and Dan T. O’Hara with host Justin Vitiello at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S 13th), 6PM. Free From Ars Nova Workshop: James Fei Alto Quartet presented by Ars Nova at the Rotunda (4014 Walnut), 8PM. Free Got a......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Kink: Author Lori Tharps reads from her memoir Kinky Gazpacho at the book's launch party at Big Blue Marble Bookstore (551 Carpenter Lane), 7PM. Free Ouch: Nightmare of You, Makeout Party, and Manic Mirrors at the Balcony at the Troc (1003 Arch St.), 7PM. $10 John Sterling: John Sterling and The Essmen with Broken Prayers at the Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd), 8:30PM. $8 Quizzo Mania: Get your......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: A Reading that Has Nothing to Do with the Sudan: Authors Lionel Shriver (The Post-Birthday World) and Laura Lippman (Another Thing to Fall) read from their latest works at the Central Branch of the Free Library (1901 Vine), 7PM. Free Moonstone Poetry Series: Local poet Justin Vitiello and non-local poet Jon Thompson read from selected works at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S. 13th), 6PM. Free Who's the Boss?: Vibrophonist......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Friday: N It: Enjoy some improv with The N Crowd at The Actors Center (257 N. 3rd), 8PM. $10 Ashley Deekus: Ashley Deekus, Jesse Sparhawk, and Eichen Oaks at Brickbat Books (709 S. 4th), 8PM. Free. Why Do You Build Me Up: Drink Up Buttercup, Moneynotes, Jukebox the Ghost, Modern Skirts, and Madi Diaz at the Khyber (56 S. 2nd), 9PM. $8 Saturday: It’s International Women’s Day: Celebrate......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: The Music of Regret: Artist Laurie Simmons introduces her The Music of Regret, a mini-musical in three acts, as part of the ICA Puppet Show, at the International House (3701 Chestnut), 7PM. $6 Thinking Is Hard: "Critical Thinking," a panel discussion of Philly’s One Film The Emperor of the Sun, at World Café Live (3025 Walnut), 7PM. Free Drinking Is Not: Test your knowledge of The Emperor of......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: London Calling: Free dance party featuring Brit Rock from the '60s to today spun by DJs Jared Styles and Jim McGuinn at World Café Live (3025 Walnut), 6PM. Free (pre-registration required) Exit A: Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead, reads from his latest book Exit A at the Penn Bookstore (3601 Walnut), 7PM. Free Deep Breath: Introduction to Buddhist meditation presented by the Menlha Buddhist Center at the Ethical......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Experimental Music: Slought Foundation and Soundfield, NFP present Vienna/London-based ensemble Polwechsel at the Slought Foundation (4017 Walnut), 8PM. $10 Poetry Night: Local poets Cindy Savett and Kate Greenstreet read from their new works at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S. 13th), 6PM. Free All Ages: Dalek, Russian Circles, and Young Widows, courtesy our friends at R5, at The Barbary (951 Frankford), 6:30. $10 Got a frugal tip? Don't be stingy!......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Chicken!: Wissahickon Chicken Shack at the Dawson Street Pub (100 Dawson), 9:30PM. Free One Film to Rule Them All: Kick off One Film, One Philadelphia with a screening of Empire of the Sun at Moore College (N. 20th and the Parkway), 6PM. Free New Idioms: Ongoing concert series by Bowerbird, featuring artists working in composed, electronic and electroacoustic music, free improvisation, and other creative, genre-defying forms, at the......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Massive: WZT Hearts, Wet Hair, Secret Abuse, Nimby, Evan Miller, Teeth Mountain, and Prince Hand Vs. Prince Hand at the Rotunda (4014 Walnut), doors 7:30PM. $5 Celebration: Opening reception for A Celebration of Life and Art, works by the late Marge Peterson, at Highwire Gallery (2040 Frankford), 5-9PM. Free Reading: David Levithan reads from his new short story collection, How They Met and Other Stories, at Giovanni’s......