Overnight closures are planned for the University City area from Monday, April 29 to Sunday, May 4 due to I-76 repairs.

Several travel restrictions will be in place at night on eastbound and westbound Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway) in Center City for construction on the viaduct between the 30th Street and University Avenue interchanges and the viaduct carrying Schuylkill Avenue over the expressway between Walnut Street and Market Street, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Thursday.  Continue Reading

West Craft Fest, featuring over 100 local crafters and artists, will return for the 15th time to The Woodlands (40th and Woodland) on Saturday, April 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The spring edition of this popular bi-annual event is a great opportunity to shop for unique, handmade Mother’s Day gifts, such as artisan jewelry, handmade ceramics, clothing, accessories, prints, stationery, soaps, candles, children’s items, home wares and more.

Guests can also enjoy live music, food trucks, children’s activities and acrobatic performances by Tangle Movement Arts, plus learn some Philadelphia history while you stroll The Woodlands’ 54 acres of historic cemetery monuments, gardens, and flowering trees and bushes.  Continue Reading

Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas

Curio’s 2018-2019 season is coming to an end with a bang. Beginning this Saturday, the West Philadelphia theatre company will present Shakespeare’s timeless play “The Winter’s Tale,” where the audience will be taken on a journey with the actors. The audience will be invited to go outside to the theatre’s backyard space for part of the play. The space will also function as a place to gather and enjoy a glass of wine or beer or other beverages before and even during the show!

“We’re doing something new and adventurous with this production and that is that we’re going to ask our audience to go on a literal journey with us!” said Curio Company Member Liz Carlson-Guerin, who directs the show. “… this is a play about community and a celebration of our community. We are incredibly lucky to have such a loyal and adventurous audience in West Philly and we strive to create spaces and experiences for our neighbors to come together, share a story, go on an adventure…”  Continue Reading

Here are some details on projects and properties that have been discussed at recent zoning meetings in Cedar Park and Spruce Hill.

• Ahimsa House (5007 Cedar Ave.)

                                Ahimsa House

The Cedar Park Neighbors zoning committee will support a variance request from the owner of the Ahimsa House at 5007 Cedar Ave. that would allow the privately owned residence that is used for various community activities to continue to operate. The decision made at its April 16 meeting follows a lengthy zoning committee hearing concerning the property last month.

The variance would rezone the property as a three-unit, multi-family dwelling. The zoning committee’s support includes stipulations that the property owner continues to live at the residence and that the zoning would be rescinded if the building was sold or operated as a non-owner occupied building. Other stipulations include that the variance be renewed after three years and that the owner follows fire and food safety codes.  Continue Reading

Jamie Gauthier

City Council candidate for the 3rd District, Jamie Gauthier, will have meet-and-greets this week with two West Philly wards.

On Tuesday, April 23, Gauthier will meet with the 51st Ward at her campaign headquarters at 5121 Baltimore Avenue, from 6 to 8 p.m. She will have another at the same location and same time on Thursday, April 25 with the 46th Ward.

All interested individuals are invited to meet the candidate and ask questions. Free dinner will be served at both events.

The map with Philadelphia political ward boundaries is available here.

Jamie Gauthier is running against long-term incumbent Jannie Blackwell in the May 21 primary election.

Philadelphia’s first “parklet” was installed in 2011 at 43rd and Baltimore (Archived photo).

Since the weather has gotten consistently warm, temporary seating platforms, aka “parklets”, have been reinstalled at six locations:

• 4040 Locust St. (hosted by Ramen Bar)
• 261 S. 44th St. (hosted by Honest Tom’s Tacos and Lil’ Pop Shop)
• 4239 Baltimore Ave. (hosted by Green Line Cafe)
• 4903 Catharine St (hosted by Little Baby’s Ice Cream)
• 3601 Market Street (between Market and Filbert, hosted by Schmear It, Jimmy John’s, and M.A.T.T.S. Sliders)
• 4725 Pine Street (hosted by the Garden Court Community Association)  Continue Reading