Seven (or more) great ways to put off Monday …

• Sultry Philly songstress Joanna Pascale (pictured) celebrates the release of her second CD, Through My Eyes, at the Loews’ Millennium Hall on Sunday night. $25 gets you in and a copy of the CD, which you can sample here. If you need your jazz a little more interesting, don’t miss Grazyna Auguscik & Eastern Blok at Chris’ Jazz Cafe tonight.

• It doesn’t have the panache of, say, Body Worlds, or the nostalgic fun of Star Wars, but the Franklin Institute’s new Real Pirates exhibit (opening Saturday) should keep the kids happy, though you might have to watch Pirates of the Caribbean again as a result. Be sure to look out for the weird pirate fetishists that will undoubtedly turn up. (What, you’ve never been invited to a “pirate party”?)

• Burlesque troupe Peek-a-Boo Revue sexes up Silk City on Spring Garden with the Striptease Orchestra on Sunday night. This is Peek-a-Boo’s final Philly performance before heading to Miss Exotic World 2008 in Vegas. Read our Q&A with Peek-a-Boo director Lulu Lollipop.

• On Sunday afternoon, in a departure from their normal repertoire (like Saturday night’s Metal Meltdown, which I am ashamed to say that I have a hand in), Fishtown’s Johnny Brenda’s presents the Big Horn Cavaliers, a 15-piece big band in the tradition of Charles Mingus. While at JB’s, don’t miss the pork tacos and oyster stew from their newish menu.

• As the theater scene winds down for the summer, we still have the Arden’s production of Our Town (reviewed here) to keep us going, soon to be followed by the Oprah-backed Color Purple, which I mention because tickets are moving quickly and you don’t want to get caught without, assuming that you’re not anti-Oprah like me.

• Yes, it’s true that you have seen the Wizard of Oz something like 34 times, but any chance you have to watch it on film on a gigantic movie screen, the way it was originally intended, you’ve gotta do it, and the Colonial in Phoenixville offers such a chance on Saturday. Speaking of repertory flicks, the Bryn Mawr Film Institute still has space in its four-week Hitchcock film education series, which begins next Wednesday.

• If you just haven’t heard enough about the 2008 presidential election, Bill Maher does his political comedy thing at the Borgata on Saturday. Also at the Borgata, you’ve got that annoying redhead Kathy Griffin. I was told that all of her shows were sold out, but now I’m hearing that you might be able to scare up some tickets to tonight’s late show.

Anyone who still thinks of a crafts fair as a place to buy tissue box holders and “I (heart) my daschund” signs needs to get out a little more often. Trailblazing crafty boutique owners Erin Waxman and Megan Brewster, who recently moved their artfully chic shop from Liberties Walk to 623 N. Second Street, have likewise moved their extremely extraordinary, thoroughly popular Art Star Craft Bazaar for its oh-so-cool 5th b-day.

Guest reviewer K.R. McGrath considers the Arden’s new two-venue production of Thornton Wilder’s classic.

In any production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, silence and stillness are key. They are in the writing, in the measured universality of the language, in the rhythm of the piece. There is a flow from act to act, and in certain places — the graveyard of act three in particular — a communal holding of breath.

The Arden Theatre celebrates its first 20 years (and may there be many more) with a beautiful, if somewhat disjointed, production staged at both the F. Otto Haas Theatre and nearby Christ Church. The audience moves from one to the other during two intermissions, and is forced to make adjustments (aided by body mics for the actors and supplemental theatrical lighting for the stunning sanctuary) for the different spaces. Now deprived of clear sight lines, we cheerfully stand for the entrance of the bride and are urged to sing a hymn, since, of course, we really are in church. The stop-start quality of the evening is eventually soothed by a heartbreaking act three back at the theatre, and a lovely and pristine performance by the luminous Rebecca Blumhagen as Emily.

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Pier 34 owner Asbell a free man once again: An 11-month house arrest sentence is over for Michael Asbell, owner of a Philadelphia nightclub pier that collapsed in May 2000, killing three women and injuring dozens. Victims’ families were angered by Asbell’s light sentence and claimed that his negligence after repeated warnings of its structural problems from inspectors caused the accident. Asbell must still serve 1,000 hours of community service. [6 ABC]

Still, it’s probably sound advice: An e-mail that circulated throughout Center City businesses yesterday warning workers to keep a close eye on their purses turned out to be a hoax. Police have no reports of the rumored five female victims of a bike-riding, purse-snatching thief in the vicinity of 17th and Market. [6 ABC]

And all I’m getting my dad for Father’s Day is this crappy tie: The SEC filed charges yesterday accusing James Gansman, a former partner at Ernst & Young L.L.P, of passing insider tips to Donna Murdoch, a managing director at the Keystone Equities Group L.P. and a Philly local, who in turn gave her supervisor/father and her friend the lowdown on seven deals from which they made a total of $596,000 in illegal profits. Murdoch allegedly received some of her info from Gansman via text messages, which is a reminder to us all to keep our shady business out of our texts. [Inquirer]

This time of year, I feel like the only person in Philadelphia without access to a Shore house. Usually, I spend just a few days in August at the beach. When I feel blue about it, I just remind myself of the perks that come with summer in the city. Shorter lines at DiBruno Bros.! Ample street parking! And, best of all, last-minute reservations practically wherever I want to go!

Recently, during a 4 p.m. Open Table search, I could have reserved a same-night table at Amada, Buddakan, El Vez, Lacroix, Morimoto, Osteria(shown), Tinto or Vetri.

At least those of us stuck inside city limits all summer can count on eating well.

TASTE DAILY: Eat like a king all summer

GOOD LIFE DAILY: Nab crazy cool finds here

HEALTH: Need a little motivation? See how this national cycling team is taking Philly by storm

It’s historic for not being historic!: The Preservation Alliance folks are a clever bunch. In renominating the Boyd Theater, Center City’s last surviving movie palace, for historic status a week after the National Trust placed the building on its most endangered list, the group cited the theater’s previous failure to gain protection — a famous case that prompted many cities to revamp their preservation laws — as one of the historic events associated with the property. [Inquirer]

Ed still carrying water for Hills: What’s the fairest outcome of this weekend’s meeting to settle the Democrats’ primary problem? Our Number-One Clinton Fan of a governor says to just let Florida’s vote stand already and go halfsies on Michigan — coincidentally allowing Clinton to claim a higher popular vote count for the primary season. [KYW]

Want info on the new 311 system? Don’t call 311: ’Cause no one’s going to answer. The Daily News has the lowdown on the various contract hitches and funding questions facing the citizen-info center just six months before the system is supposed to come online. Managing director Camille Barnett remains optimistic that somebody will be picking up the phone by the end of the year, even if they have to use leftover “While You Were Out” slips to take notes. [Daily News]

Lately, I’ve been trying to trade in my jolting mugs of java for calming cups of tea. Not so surprisingly, I’ve found that trying to curb a caffeine habit is not fun. What makes it slightly more tolerable are all the utterly adorable trinkets and accessories that go along with all my Earl Greys and English Breakfasts and chais: delicate teacups, cute tea cozies, sweet little tea presses — and this subtly statement-making teapot by local ceramicist Teresa Chang.

Chang’s pared-down designs and creamy off-white colors let her impeccable details — life-like bamboo handles, for example — shine through. Plus, Chang’s actually studied the ins and outs of teapots, so her pots won’t drip or leak, and you’ll get a perfect pour every time.

Much cuter than that bulky coffeemaker you’ve got sitting on your counter.

On Thursday, in honor of their new issue, “Temptation,” Painted Bride Quarterly hosted a lively discussion about all the things that tempt us at — appropriately enough — First Unitarian Church on Chestnut. Panelists included the devilishly alluring Lulu Lollipop, director of the venerable burlesque troupe, the Peek-a-Boo Revue. We checked in with Lulu to get a peek at the life of Philadelphia’s premiere temptress. If you want to get more than a peek at her, check out her moves on Sunday at Silk City. — Alison Cahill

The Peek-a-Boo Revue is all about temptation. What’s it like to tempt an audience?
It’s freeing. One of the things that I love about the show is getting these new girls, and when they come in, they’re a little bit shy and a little bit timid, and within six months, all of a sudden they have this power and fire behind their eyes. They know they can own any audience and control them. It’s really cool watching a woman just come out of her shell … You’re just free. It’s this fire inside of you, it’s incredible.

How does a burlesque show differ from other, less-artful types of titillation?
[For] our show in particular, we consider ourselves a classic vaudevillian neo-burlesque show. We try to stay close to those roots and stay away from a stripping show. You find a reason to take off your clothes. It’s truly about the art of stripping, not the art of seducing; it’s this slow and sensual movement. It’s titillating if someone just walks up to you and they’re naked, like, yeah, that’s great. But if you have to wait for someone to take off each piece of clothing, and you have to wait to see anything — if you’re going to see anything at all — that’s what’s different about it.

You’re obviously very comfortable with taking your clothes off on stage. What was your first time like?
I’ll never forget it. I got so involved in making these costumes that I forgot I actually had to wear them. The first night, I was so nervous — mom and my step-dad were there, and I had to show my boobs! I was wearing pasties, but I was so nervous. I mean, I was one of those girls who never showed any skin, baggy pants, skirts below the knee type of thing. But once I took my clothes off on stage that first time, I feel like I never put them on again. And then the way I dressed started to change, and it went from there.

Where do you get the inspiration for the costumes that you design?
It’s one of those things, you hear the music and, all of a sudden, you just see it. And I love lingerie and vintage lingerie. I love the way that it shaped women’s bodies, and I love the way that they would dress for every occasion, and how even underneath their clothes, they were dressed. Every piece had a purpose. When I get stuck, I go back into old history books and look at chorus line costumes and try to piece it all together — on a very tight budget — and make something that will make people go, “Wow.” And sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t, but if all else fails, cover it in rhinestones.

Any close calls with your snake co-star?
No, I’ve only ever performed with that snake, she’s my pet. I haven’t had any close calls with her yet, knock on wood, although I stopped performing with her for a couple of months because she got oddly aggressive, so I took her to the vet and the vet said she was in heat. So, apparently, my snake needed to get laid!

My morning drive from hell: New Jersey motorists headed northbound on Route 42 experienced hellish delays due to a water main break on an I-295 overpass. Water and steel beams filled 42, closing several lanes and backing up traffic to an ungodly extent. According to witnesses, a truck lost its load after striking the pipe while trying to squeeze under the overpass. I was one of the pissed-off drivers, and was over an hour and a half late for work, thanks. Fortunately there were no injuries. [NBC 10]

Goodbye, Donald. Hello, Jimmy!: A.C.’s Trump Marina — the worst-performing of the three Trump Entertainment properties in Atlantic City — is being sold for $316 million and turned into a Margaritaville. Hopes are that Jimmy Buffett’s baby-boomer parrotheads will flock together at this current SeniorCitizenville. [Inquirer]

Who wants to date a homeless man?: Paul Krueger, a 50-year-old Montogomery County man, has been charged with conning rich women he met on “Millionairematch.com” out of around $100,000. Krueger claiming to be everything from a high-roller in A.C. to being nominated for several Grammy awards for his job as a record producer, allegedly duped the women into investing money into his bogus record company while he gambled away, bouncing from one “comped” hotel room to the next. [KYW]