I'd like to try and avoid the "this summer is heating up" cliché, but it's just too hard right now. There's a ton of awesome stuff going on in Hampden. For starters, after years in the making, Paulie Gee's (3535 Chestnut Ave.) is finally open and serving pizza.
Also years in the making, Sweet Side Café (3543 Chestnut Ave.) is also now open and serving frozen yogurt, soft serve ice cream and an array of other tasty sweets.
On Thursday, July 14, two writers series are converging to create a sort of supergroup of writers series at Atomic Books (3620 Falls Road), from 7 to 9 p.m., when Hey You, Come Back! and Writers & Words join forces to present writers Isabella Martin, Rejjia Camphor, Hannah V. Sawyerr and James Magruder.
On July 14, Union Craft Brewing (1700 Union Ave.) kicks off Pride Week with Beers For Queers, from 6 to 9 p.m. It's a happy hour with music from DJ Kim Brannan. There are also limited edition Union Pride tanks available. Plus, $1 from every beer sold will go toward helping the families of the victims of the horrific Orlando shooting.
The outdoor movie series at Luigi's Italian Deli (846 W. 36th St.) continues on Saturday, July 23, when they present "Romeo + Juliet." It's BYOB. The movie starts at 10 p.m., and Luigi's will be selling burgers and hot dogs on the cheap.
On Friday, July 15, there's a Barr Hill spirits tasting at the Wine Source (3601 Elm Ave.) at 5 p.m. Then, on Saturday, July 16, if names like "Doggie Style," "Raging Bitch" and "Pearl Necklace" sound fun and delicious to you, be sure to check out the Flying Dog Brewery beer tasting from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wine Source.
Then, on Saturday, July 23, Centurion: 100 Minutes of Stand-Up Comedy returns to Atomic Books' Eightbar from 9 to 11 p.m. For a mere $5 admission, you'll get more than an hour and a half of laughs from Max Levine, Ian Salyers, Alyssa Cowan and Jim Meyer, as well as from host Collin Baker.
And then on Thursday, July 28, author Bob Proehl will read from and discuss his new book, "A Hundred Thousand Worlds," from 7 to 9 p.m., as part of the Atomic Fiction Series at Atomic Books. I co-host this series with local author Kathy Flann. Proehl's novel is being compared to Michael Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" and is about a mother and son on a cross-country road trip of comic conventions.
Finally, on Saturday, July 30, Union Craft will celebrate its fourth anniversary (where does the time go?!!) with a party at the brewery, at 7 p.m. The party promises new, rare and vintage brews, as well as great food and local music from DJ Daniel Biltmore and the Afrobeat Society, which will perform the music of Fela Kuti in its only performance this summer. And, a portion of the proceeds will go toward Believe In Music.