Philadelphia Weekly

Junot Diaz

Dominican-born, Jersey-raised Junot Diaz is hot, hot literary shit. The New York Times describes his debut novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao as "Mario Vargas Llosa meets Star Trek meets David Foster Wallace meets Kanye West." And this was before Wallace tragically died and literary bandwagoners everywhere polished his halo. Diaz won fistfuls of book-geek awards and the major rager Pulitzer. On Friday Taller Puertorrique�o welcomes Diaz as a part of its Meet the Author series. Taller, founded by Latino activists in North Kensington in 1974, aims to bring world-class authors to North Philadelphia to create an uprising of news-conscious citizens. Though Wao was originally conceived as a multimedia experience in the style of the comics the lead character loves, Diaz wound up doing just fine with spinning the tale old-school in a paper-pulp book. (Tara Murtha)

Phillies World Series Flannel Pants

We know: You're a kid at UArts who got into the Phillies when you helped flip over a car in Center City. You'd like to commemorate the event somehow, but you're just not into ugly T-shirts and sports caps. Never fear. Somebody got the bright idea to put "Phillies 2008" on a pair of flannel pajama pants. Now you can dream about looting Robinson Luggage until you get too fat to wear those pants anymore. (Daniel McQuade)

Found Footage Festival Vol. 3

The third installment of Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher's hilarious collection of weird video ephemera contains the usual mix of public access clips and instructional VHS cassettes from the 1980s, including footage of Hulk Hogan saluting the flag and ripping up a photo of Colonel Qaddafi and a rap about Arby's, so it's probably the best one yet. (D.M.)

Castle in the Air

It may not be Fashion Week in Milan, but Monday night at Lakshmi Hair Studio you can see a runway show that highlights a new jewelry collection by local designer Zivile Pupinyte, who creates incredible fashion-forward art-inspired accessories. Pupinyte's work combines leather and lace with jewel-hued stones and rare crystals to create one-of-a-kind jewelry for women who want nontraditional pieces. Glittering metals and stones cover luxurious fabrics to create collars and earrings with contrast. The self-taught Lithuanian designer, who derives inspiration from her dreams, promises gift bags to attendees. The fashion event will also feature live music and specialty martinis as well as a special surprise involving bubble wrap. (Anastasia Kotsosavas)

�

Doubletime!

What are two words you can hear sung across schoolyards throughout the city? "Challenge, challenge!" True footwork masters know what this means: It's on. To them double dutch is more than a game. It's serious business. Rope commandment No. 1? Turn the rope for other jumpers as you would have them turn for you. Turning too fast, too slow, rope fumbles and footwork fouls are all crimes that'll get you disqualified. You either play double dutch or you live for it, and hardcore hoppers know the difference. The movie Doubletime, screening as part of the First Person Arts Festival, captures the passion of double dutchers who do everything from cartwheels to splits while masterfully skipping over the ropes. In the film, the Bouncing Bulldogs, hailing from the suburbs of North Carolina, take on the Japanese Double Dutch Forces at Harlem's Apollo Theater. North Philadelphia's Ramonita Negron Rivera Recreation Center's double-dutch team will perform at the screening. (Shahida Muhammad)