Canadian haute rock band Young Empires has recently stopped by Sweetgreen at 40th & Walnut to present the restaurant’s first “Sweetlife” music session. The guys seemed to enjoy their short stay (and Sweetgreen salads). See snippets from their live set and a brief interview below.

Sweetgreen’s Sweetlife sessions were launched earlier this month and already featured two bands giving free performances. There will be some more great bands coming through West Philly soon. Keep an eye on our Events calendar for announcements.

Young Empires sweetlife session from sweetgreen on Vimeo.

Thanks to the joint efforts of several community organizations and over 300 volunteers, residents of the 3800 block of Aspen Street in Mantua are getting their homes improved and their block beautified.

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The volunteers and vendors, who are providing repairs to 20 homeowners on the block and working on greening and beautifying the block, will get together this Saturday, March 31, at the Green Block Party Open House. The open house will be held from 10:00 a.m.- noon and will include the house tours to see improvements in progress. There will also be an opportunity to learn more about healthy homes, meet the program partners, and hear local leaders and residents speak. Update: If it’s raining the open house will be held at the Mantua Community Improvement Committee building, 619 N. 35th Street – between Mt. Vernon and Haverford.

The project is carried out by the Green Block Build Collaborative, a coalition of community organizations including Philadelphia LISC, Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, The Partnership CDC, and a wide variety of other community partners. It is also supported by Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Green Block Build strategy is to improve low-income households, block-by-block, house-by-house by building on the strengths of each partner organization. Each home on the block will receive multiple critical repairs or energy efficiency upgrades, energy assessments, education around home health issues, and financial education. Other home improvements include the installation of green and cool roofs, rain barrel installation, the removal of allergy and asthma triggers such as mold and dampness, weatherization improvements, and overall greening.

The projects are designed to specifically meet the needs of each homeowner. For example, one homeowner with physical handicaps will receive repairs to his home that make the bathroom, backyard, and other rooms more handicap-accessible.

Once the renovations are complete, Drexel University will conduct an analysis of the program’s impact.

“Lord have mercy, we’ll enjoy living in our neighborhood again!” said Barbara Hall, the block captain, when she learned about the Green Block Build Program, “This has given me so much hope.”

See more, including photos, on Plan Philly.

There are a few Easter egg hunts being held in the neighborhood this and next weekend. If you know of any others, please drop us a line at: editor [at] westphillylocal.com

Saturday, March 31, 3:30 p.m. – Parent Infant Center lawn (42nd & Locust)
This egg hunt is organized by the Woodland Presbyterian Church. Eggs filled with candies and a chance to win prizes for the little ones to hunt!

Saturday, April 7, 1 p.m. – Walnut Street West Library (40th & Walnut)
Children will receive books and stuffed animals. There will be an egg hunt for very young children in an area separate from the older children.

Saturday, April 7, 3 p.m. – Clark Park (43rd & Chester)
For kids ages 0-8. Rain or shine. The event is free, but the egg hunt spaces are limited. There will be crafts and refreshments for everyone and a raffle prize at the end. There will also be a couple of bunnies to see and pet.

Saturday, April 7, 4 p.m. – St. Mary’s Church (3916 Locust Walk)
On the Nursery School steps (West side). All children and their families are welcome. This is a BYO basket event.

 
University of the Sciences is organizing its 7th annual 5K Race for Humanity on Saturday, March 31. The race begins at 9 a.m. and both runners and walkers are welcome to participate. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Athletic Recreation Center at 43rd and Woodland Avenue.

Proceeds from the race will go to Livengrin Foundation for Addiction Recovery to support their patient programs and services.

Some of the race features:

Free T-shirts
Refreshments
Water stations along course
Medals for Winners
Timing by Athlete’s Closet
Ample parking and restrooms
Free raffle prizes

For more information and to download the registration form, visit this page.

The Parent Infant Center at 42nd and Locust is holding its annual Spring Plant Sale. They have a great selection of annuals, perennials, herbs, fruits & veggies, and hanging baskets.

They are currently taking orders for plants until April 15. This year you can place your order and pay online. To see the catalog and to order, click here. And don’t forget to buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win a basket filled with $100 worth of gardening goodies! The plants will be ready for pickup at PIC on Friday, May 4 (4-6 p.m.) and Saturday, May 5 (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.).

Every penny earned through PIC’s Spring Plant Sale supports their scholarship fund. Over the past decade, PIC families have raised nearly $150,000 to provide scholarships to families in the early learning and school-age programs.

This Saturday, March 24, from 1 – 4 p.m. Penn Museum presents Hello India!, a special event celebrating this vibrant nation. There will be classical dance performances and workshops, music, spicy food, and an assortment of arts and crafts activities for all ages.

Highlights include dance performers from Bharathiya Vidhyalaya presenting traditional Indian folk dances, Indian classical music performed by Penn’s student group Penn Sargam, and a Sari-wrapping station where visitors can dress in authentic Indian garb.

Children and families are especially welcome. The event is free with Museum admission ($10 general admission; $7, seniors and military; $6, children 6-17 and students with ID; free for children under 6). For more information and performance schedule, visit this page.