London Grill’s 19th Annual Bastille Day Block Party
On Saturday, July 13 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., popular Fairmount restaurant London Grill (2301 Fairmount Avenue, 215-978-4545) and sister restaurant, Paris Wine Bar (2303 Fairmount Avenue, 215-978-4545), will celebrate Bastille Day with their 19th annual Block Party. Festivities will include a host of French fare from co-owner Chef Michael McNally, beer from Yards and Kronenbourg, the perennial favoriteMarie Antoinette Cocktail and an historical reenactment of the events of the French Revolution starring London Grill/Paris Wine Bar co-owner Terry Berch McNally as Marie Antoinette in the largest free theatrical performance in the city.
During the Block Party, guests will feast on Chef McNally’s special menu of festive French dishes including: Duck Confit, Salad Niçoise and Sweet or Savory Crépes. Beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, rain or shine, Berch McNally and The Bearded Ladies will present The Storming of the Bastille, featuring appearances by Napoleon, Joan of Arc, Benjamin Franklin impersonators and a life-size French Baguette. American and French revolutionary music, from the 1700s and today, will provide the soundtrack for the spectacle. For her part, Berch McNally is poised to carry on a 19-year tradition, crying “Let them eat Tastykake!” and throwing handfuls of the confections from the walls of neighboring Eastern State Penitentiary before she is ceremoniously “beheaded” to the delight of the crowd. Costumes are strongly encouraged.
After the “guillotine” has fallen, London Grill will host dancing in the street with The West Philadelphia Orchestra from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Paris Wine Bar, the intimate 50-seat venue serving a selection of Pennsylvania-produced, sustainable wines, will offer a quieter refuge, with live music from Josh Lawrence from 9 p.m. until midnight.
Not content to celebrate for just one day, London Grill has a week worth of festivities to celebrate Bastille Day, including: a French Fling Bar Crawl on Thursday, July 11 beginning at 6:30 p.m., featuring special pricing on Kronenbourg 1664 and Blanc beer; Fairmount Goes French Wheel of Fortune Night on Friday, July 12 at 7 p.m., with France-centric trivia at the bar and fun prizes; a lively Street Party from 6:30 p.m. until midnight onSaturday, July 13 featuring music from The West Philadelphia Orchestra; and to finish off the weekend, a French Champagne Brunch with a special make your own Bloody “Marie” Bar on Sunday, July 14.
For more information, please call (215) 978-4545 or visit www.londongrill.com. You can also follow the restaurants on Twitter (@LondonGrill), (@ParisWineBar) and also on Facebook.