Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 42

PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS Dec. 17, 1987 Page 42 1 -i 1 1 ii mob-' w. i rn V- Where the Bottoms-Up Crowd Meets The Skaters Wobble these two are doing will, in time, evolve into the Skaters' Waltz if they remember to practice. Cobbs Creek Skate House in the Park, 63rd and Walnut streets, has opened with a big lineup of activities, including hockey clinics and I Call Ahead for Cannoli lessons. Sessions Mondays, Wednesdays.

Thursdays and Fridays. p.m.ff and p.m.; Saturdays and 3 Siinrlavs and By MARIANNE COSTANTINOU Daily News Nightlife Writer p.m.; $1 for adults, 50 cents underA 16. Info: 747-1668. couple is walking -down Dickinson' Street in South Philadelphia. They are strangers in the neighborhood.

g- A Night at the Operas Scenes from operas, like "Hansel and Gretel" (right), have become a popular presntation of the Opera Department of the Curtis Institute of Music, 1726 Locust St. Tonight's program at 8 features students in excerpts from Beethoven's "Fidelio," Bizet's "Carmen," Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" and Verdi's "La Traviata" and "Rigoletto." It's free. Info: 893-5260. "You lookin' for Strolli's?" guesses a young man who passes them on the Without waiting for a reply, he points to the ancient Coca-Cola sign on the corner of Mole Street, a block and a half west of Broad. Strolli's?" asks another passer-by as the couple stands confused on the corner.

She tilts her head toward a shed covered in aluminum siding and topped with barbed wire. Welcome to Strolli's, the Italian restaurant that is legend in the word-of-mouth crowd, practically invisible otherwise. In the phone directory's white pages, it's just listed as a residence under the owner's name: Strolli John 1528 Dickinson 336-3390 The restaurant is so homey it even looks like somebody's living room. Paintings and photographs of the Strolli family decorate the walls. A household refrigerator at the bar cools the wine.

John Strolli, 76, personally greets each customer a tradition ever since he and his wife Carmela, now 74, opened the restaurant in 1938. The restaurant serves dinner every night till 9 not a second later. "Ca-meer," he says, waving patrons into the crowded room. "How many here? "Have you been here before? Shame on We have the cheapest, best food in the United States and Canada and the world." That done, he shuffles over to a table and motions to the customers to sit. Looking down at their placemats.

they soon realize why each Ii5 Sn iff I An Osmond Christmas Party The boys singing their heads off (left) are four of the sons of Alan and Suzanne Osmond another generation of Osmonds who have taken to the stage at tender ages. The Osmond Boys plus three of the big-guy Osmonds, and their sister Marie, put on a Christmas show, guaranteed to leave you feeling warm and lovey-dovey all over, at 8 p.m. at the Valley Forge Music Fair, Route 202, Devon. Tickets: $20. $12.50 for children under 12.

Info: 640-9230. of the restaurant 56 seats is filled, arid why no big sign or grand entrance is needed. A cup of noodle soup is 50 cents. Spaghetti with shrimp is S3.50. Stuffed eggplant is S3.

The most expensive entree, veal cutlet parmigiana with gnoc- chi, is S6.75. The cannoli, if not sold out, are S1.25 each. Those in the know call ahead and reserve the pastry. "Depression prices," Strolli says proudly. watching the newcomers' jaws go slack.

Strolli raises the prices a few cents every time he prints more menus. He orders 25,000 menus at a time. 10,000 Maniacs in Town With the cutting of their second major-label album. "In My Tribe," the group called 10,000 Maniacs, originally from Jamestown. N.Y..

has probably created the album they've been trying to make for a long time, according to vocalist Natalie Merchant. The Maniacs' music is described as weaving a wealth of diverse -influences into something that's strikingly original yet hauntingly familiar. They're in town for a one-nighter at the Chestnut Cabaret, 3801 Chestnut St. Innocence Mission opens' the show at 9 p.m. Tickets: $10.

Info: 382-120T. Low prices are the secret of his success, he says. Keep the prices low and the turnover will be high. Folks come, too, to hear John Strolli strum his mandolin or tell stories stogie in hand about Philadelphia's early days. A favorite story is how Isaac Stern used to rush to the restaurant after a performance at the Academy of Music.

Some nights. Stern would accompany Strollt on the violin. I- v-' i "Good night, kids," he says, ending the tale to entertain 'able. "Mce navin you.