West Philly bicyclists and everyone else who cares about biking in our area are invited to make their voice heard at two public meetings/open houses organized by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. The first meeting is tomorrow, Oct. 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Myers Recreation Center (5803 Kingsessing Ave.); the second one is Wednesday, Oct. 12., from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Penn’s Fisher Fine Arts Library (220 S. 34th Street, 4th floor).

At the meetings, there will be an opportunity to learn about the City’s plans for biking and walking in West Philly. Also, it’s a good chance to let the City know what residents think about the plan, to ask questions and share your concerns. Click on the flyer for more details.

Curio Theatre Company opens its 7th season this week with Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice, which will run from October 12 to November 12. The preview shows are on Wednesday, Oct. 12 and Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m.

Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, an American playwright and recipient of a MacArthur fellowship, retells the myth of Orpheus from the perspective of his wife Eurydice. Ruhl created some new characters, such as Eurydice’s father, and made several changes to the original myth’s storyline. The play premiered at Madison Repertory Theatre in 2003 and off-Broadway in New York in 2007.

It’s interesting that Curio’s artistic director Paul Kuhn will be playing Eurydice’s father, and Eurydice’s role will be played by his real life daughter, Tessa Kuhn. All in all, it promises to be a delightful show from start to finish.

For more information on the show schedule and to purchase tickets ($15-$20) go to this page.

Did you know that one of the world’s most complex and acclaimed greenhouses was located here in West Philly?

Come tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. to the Woodlands Cemetery (4000 Woodland Ave.) for the unveiling and discussion of archeological findings by Sarah Chesney, a PhD candidate at The College of William and Mary who specializes in early American greenhouses. Since 2009 Chesney has been exploring the site of a carriage shed that was once the location of William Hamilton’s prized greenhouse and hothouse complex.

Hamilton (1745-1813) was a botanist and an avid collector of exotic plants who brought many species of trees, including the gingko, to America. His greenhouse complex is said to have contained over 10,000 rare and exotic plants and attracted visitors from all over the world.

Chesney and her team will be showing some interesting items that they discovered during their research, including a previously-unknown brick cistern, a large midden (trash pit), and a partial brick foundation.

The event is free and open to the public. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy after the talk. There will also be an opportunity for self guided tour of the cemetery. For more information contact The Woodlands at: info [at] woodlandsphila.org or call 215-386-2181.

The Penn Bookstore (3601 Walnut St.) has a bunch of interesting authors coming in over the next couple of weeks, including Nicholas Sparks and Philadelphia Inquirer mob correspondent George Anastasia.

Here is a rundown:

• October 13 – Julie Hersh, author of Struck by Living: From Depression to Hope, 6 p.m.

• October 15 – Nicholas Sparks signing his newest book The Best of Me, 2 – 4 p.m.

• October 17 – Poetry Readings by the 34th Street Poets.

• October 20 – Former Penn faculty member Elijah Anderson will discuss his book The Cosmopolitan Canopy: Race and Civility in Everyday Life.

• October 25 – Stephen Tow will discuss The Strangest Tribe: How a Group of Seattle Rock Bands Invented Grunge.

• October 27 – The Inquirer’s George Anastasia and sports radio talk show host Glen Macnow will discuss The Ultimate Book of Gangster Movies.

West Philly parents! Bring your kids to Clark Park “A” (43rd & Baltimore) this Saturday, Oct. 1, to join fall fun at the Scarecrow Festival organized by the Parent-Infant Center (PIC). At the festival, show your creativity by making your own scarecrow.

All the materials necessary for creating and dressing up your scarecrow will be provided for $10. The money will go to support PIC’s family programs.

The festival will begin at 10 a.m. and will go on until noon. For more information contact Rachel at: rcrossot [at] parentinfantcenter.org.

We’d like to spread the word we received from Niesha Kennedy, a volunteer neighborhood cleanup coordinator with Philadelphia Community Corps/United Philly. Niesha is in charge of scouting locations and taking requests for and organizing cleanups from beginning to end.

Niesha’s first cleanup is scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 1, at 53rd and Delancey (between Pine and Spruce), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The block is small, with senior residents who want to help clean it. But more people are needed to make this work. All cleaning supplies will be provided. See the flyer below for more details of the cleanup.