Photo by Ryan Collerd, courtesy University City District.

It’s hard to believe it but The Porch at 30th Street Station is celebrating its 5th anniversary this week. It opened in the fall of 2011 and transformed a parking lot and a dangerous walkway outside of the nation’s second busiest train stations into a vibrant and pedestrian-friendly public space complete with tables and chairs, umbrellas, swings and greenery.

The Porch’s 5th Anniversary Party will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 28 (weather permitting) and will feature food, drinks, giveaways, and music. University City District (UCD), who operates and programs The Porch, is partnering with 33rd Street Hospitality and Jet Wine Bar to bring $5 food and drink specials in honor of the five years since The Porch debuted.

Since its introduction in 2011, The Porch at 30th Street Station has been offering seasonal horticulture, special events, and lunch service from local food trucks. The Porch was Philadelphia’s first “lighter quicker cheaper” public space, and originally involved simple, cost-effective, and fully removable elements.

Five years later, The Porch has evolved into a more permanent mainstay, with elements contributed by Groundswell Design Group, Gehl Studio, and Visit Philly. The Porch has also cemented itself as a popular gathering space for commuters, local workers, and visitors to Philadelphia looking for a space to lounge and linger.  Continue Reading

Good news for SEPTA customers: A few months after introducing the SEPTA Key Early Adopters program, which allows customers to purchase cards that work as monthly or weekly TransPasses, SEPTA has announced the roll-out of “Quick Trip” – single trip tickets for Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines.

A Quick Trip is a disposable magnetic strip ticket that customers can swipe at new Key turnstiles. A Quick Trip is valid for one-way travel from the station where it is purchased, and must be used on the day it is purchased. Station and date-of-purchase details are printed on the ticket.

The addition of the Quick Trip feature gives riders the option to purchase their fare in the station without worrying about having a token or exact change beforehand.

There is no discount for a Quick Trip – the regular one-way transit cash fare of $2.25 applies. Also, a Quick Trip cannot be used in combination with a transfer. However, SEPTA customers can use their debit and credit cards for single-trip purchases at station kiosks, and riders who use cash will receive change if they don’t have exact fare.  Continue Reading

Metro has put together a list of places around the city that will host tonight’s Presidential debate watch parties as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off for the first time. The list doesn’t include any West Philly locations, so we have compiled this information (with the help of our readers!). If you know of more debate watching events in the area please add them in the comments below. The debate begins at 9 p.m. and you can also watch it on CNN and other major networks.

Region 39A Debate Watch Party

6:15-11:30 p.m. Hillary Clinton SW Philly Office (533 S. 52nd St).

Drexel Dems Presidential Debate Watch Party w/Special Guest Elizabeth Banks

6  – 11 p.m. Wahoo’s (3180 Chestnut St). More details.  Continue Reading

On Saturday, Sept. 24, community members and guests are invited to celebrate Viola Street in the Parkside section of West Philadelphia. There will be food, music, African dancers, an oral history project, community asset mapping, and other activities. The event highlights the history of the area and is a collaborative effort between residents of Parkside and neighborhood organizations, such as Viola Street Residents Association, and various large city organizations, such as Fairmount Park Conservancy, Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

The event will be held from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on in the Viola Street Alley (42nd Street between Parkside Avenue and Viola Street; see map below).

In the recent years, there have been efforts to revitalize the area, including fixing up historic Flemish Revival brick row homes, turning vacant properties into new residences and greening the street. Read more about these efforts here.

Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas

OK, now here is something to look forward to as the days get shorter and the leaves begin to fall. Curio Theatre Company will be staging The Birds in October.

Yes, we’re talking Hitchcock (based on Daphne du Maurier’s novelette, of course). Irish playwright Conor McPherson’s play builds on the story of birds gone wild as three people retreat to an abandoned farmhouse, where relationships begin to unravel. As it becomes clear that the birds are a signal of the apocalypse, the rules of society change.

While it shares its name with du Maurier’s work, which was set in her native Cornwall, England, and Hithcock’s frightening film, McPherson’s work charts its own course that includes explorations of human frailty under extreme duress.  Continue Reading

There’s a new sport on this side of the river and it’s catching on. The new West Philly Archery club has informally been created, thanks to Gabriel Nyantakyi. With about eight years of archery experience under his belt, he’s taught a couple of summer camps here and there and currently considers himself a hobbyist. He can be seen shooting at Kingsessing Park at 49th and Chester, but he wants to teach others how to participate in the sport as well. Which is why he started West Philly Archery.

When I asked Nyantakyi if he worried about shooting in a public space and if there were any safety issues, he said, “Safety is always a priority haven’t had any incidence in my eight years of teaching and shooting.”  Continue Reading