Here’s some exciting news for our little neighbors. Crossroads Music, located at Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore), is now offering free monthly music programs for kids under 12 and their parents/caregivers. The first program is on Saturday, Sept. 15 (see more info below). All programs begin at 6 p.m. and last 30-40 minutes. Seating is first come, first served.

Saturday, September 15
Duende Musical (pictured)
Music from Spain and Latin America

Sunday, October 14
AquaAria
Folk music from Italy

Sunday, December 2
Kaïssa
West African music

Sunday, December 16
Shtreiml
Klezmer

Sunday, January 27
Peter Tang Ensemble
Music from China

NOTE: Funding for children’s programs comes from the Union Benevolent association – please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to help keep these events accessible to all children in the community.

Ramen Bar is softly opening today at 4040 Locust Street and will serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Stay tuned for our review.

Clark Park Youth Soccer, a non-competitive and family-friendly program, is looking for volunteer coaches to work with children between ages 5 and 11.

The Fall season begins on Saturday, September 22 and continues until November 17. Kids ages 5-7 practice and play at 10:30-Noon; kids ages 7-11 practice and play from Noon to 1:30. Each team has two to three coaches assigned (with a roster of subs).

If you want fresh air and exercise on Saturday mornings or afternoons and enjoy working with kids, please email to: clarkparksoccer@yahoo.com. Parents, students, or neighborhood soccer enthusiasts are welcome to apply. More information about the program is available here.

A reader, Rachel, emails that her roommate’s bike (pictured below) was stolen yesterday from their house near 48th and Springfield:

Someone walked into our house yesterday afternoon when the door (sadly) was not latched and stole my roommate’s bike from our foyer. He commutes to work with it and it’s a really sharp looking fixed gear – we’d love to get it back to him… It’s an Origin-8 frame. Weinmann dp18 rims, silver MKS track pedals. Another neighbor let us know his lock and helmet where on the ground around the corner from our place, where someone clearly ditched them.

The bike owner filed a police report and let the local bike shops know and hopes it will turn up.

PAWS Clinic is organizing a community Pet Day tomorrow at Cedar Park, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Low-cost shots and microchips will be available. See the flyer below for more information.

A West Philly resident proposed to his girlfriend at Sabrina’s Cafe in Powelton last weekend and made the national news.  Huffington Post says it was “the best brunch proposal ever” and we agree. Dante proposed to Audra by singing to her with accompaniment from a Philly area trombone player he found on Craig’s List. Congrats, folks! Check out the video below.