Curio Theatre cast members Trice Baldwin Browns (left) and Aetna Gallagher. (Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas)

Two women are spotted kissing each other in Dublin’s Crumlin Shopping Centre and now they’re in a show …reluctantly. Defying stereotypes, they’re here to share with the audience something they’ve never dared show before. They are very nervous. And it shows.

I ♥ Alice ♥ I, by Amy Conroy, is a funny and heartfelt new work from Ireland – a beautiful love story about two women, which premieres at Curio Theatre this week. Company members Trice Baldwin Browns and Aetna Gallagher star in this lovely story from the Emerald Isle. Curio Managing Director Gay Carducci co-directs this piece with company member Rachel Gluck.  Continue Reading

Dozens of folks showed up along the 900 block of S. 47th late Wednesday morning to welcome Vice President Mike Pence and Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of Education, who were at the Saint Francis de Sales School for a visit connected to “National School Choice Week.”

Carrying rainbow flags and signs calling for fair funding of public education, protesters set up on both sides of 47th Street amid a fairly heavy police presence.  Continue Reading

Vice President Mike Pence will be rolling through West Philly today for an event at the Saint Francis De Sales School at 47th and Springfield.

Pence is scheduled to be joined by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway for the event, billed as a celebration of National School Choice Week. They are scheduled to be at the school at 12:30 this afternoon.

An impromptu rally organized mostly on Facebook will be there to greet Pence and the others. Entitled “Love Thy LGBTQ Neighbor, West Philly,” the gathering is scheduled to meet at 47th and Springfield from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Renata’s Kitchen owners Kate and Yasser Aiq at their new location at 40th and Baltimore.

Renata’s Kitchen is ready to welcome customers at their new location at 40th and Baltimore, in the two-story building formerly occupied by Trolley Car Station Diner. The new Renata’s Kitchen & Bar is officially opening to the public on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Restaurateurs Kate and Yasser Aiq, the masterminds behind Renata’s Kitchen on Baltimore Avenue, are bringing their brunch menu to the space, which is roughly six times larger than the current location. Customers can expect familiar items such as lemon pancakes, an eclectic selection of espresso beverages and an expanded meze (small plates) menu with fan favorites like shakshukas, a Middle Eastern stew with eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers and garlic.  Continue Reading

Gaia, a touring artwork by artist Luke Jerram, will be on display at the Horticulture Center during the Getaway at the Greenhouse event.

This February, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Constellation Culinary Group will transform the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center into “Getaway at the Greenhouse,” a pop-up indoor summer oasis. Back by popular demand from last year’s debut event, the Horticulture Center will offer art, food trucks, movies, live music and more for visitors of all ages.

Now extended to 16 days (through Sunday, Feb. 16), and with more free programming, this summertime-inspired series is a great way to warm up your winter. Programming for children includes an oversized indoor sandbox, arts and crafts, story time, live animals, and more. Adults can enjoy food trucks, pop-up bars, live music, happy hours, and more.  Continue Reading

Free Library of Philadelphia branches are hosting special events next month in celebration of Black History Month, including a cultural fair, film screenings, workshops, community forums and discussions, and events and activities for children and families (see list below).

You can also explore the Free Library’s resources on African American history and culture, including famous African Americans from Philadelphia, poets and poetry, fiction and nonfiction, children’s books, politics and more Black History Month events throughout Philadelphia area by visiting this page.  Continue Reading