The annual “Love Your Park” Fall Service Day is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 12, and Philadelphia Parks and Rec is now recruiting volunteers who can help clean, green and celebrate Philly’s parks. Overall, 2,000 volunteers are needed to help plant trees, collect leaves for compost, clean up trash and litter, and more.

There are many beautiful parks in West Philly, and volunteers can sign up to participate in the fall service day in their neighborhood park. Kids, families and large groups are welcome.

Go to loveyourpark.org or call (215) 683-3689 for participating parks and to register.

Every year, the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) and residents organize a Halloween Parade and Party when our little neighbors can showcase their cute/scary/funny costumes. This year is no exception. The parade will be held on Monday, Oct. 31, beginning at 4:30 p.m. (gathering starts after 4 p.m. at 45th and Baltimore).

The parade will proceed to the 4200 block of Osage Ave. (Little Osage) where the annual Halloween Party will be held until 7 p.m. Neighbors and local businesses will be treating the tots to cider and baked goods.

The parade has taken place over the past eighteen years and has grown each year.

For more information, visit the SHCA website. Also, check this Facebook event page for latest information.

The northern section of Clark Park at 43rd and Baltimore (Clark Park “A”) has been under construction this week. The work includes installation of long-awaited permanent chess tables to “replace the ratty units the players now employ,” according to the Friends of Clark Park website, and restoration of the layer of gravel that covers the plaza, which hasn’t been updated since 2009.

A rough estimate of the cost of this project is $15,000, and the funding became possible thanks to Friends of Clark Park membership dollars.

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Mood Cafe’s second location will open this fall at 126 S. 45th Street. (Photo by West Philly Local)

The popular Indian/Pakistani chaat restaurant on Baltimore Ave, Mood Cafe, is expanding to a second location in the area – 45th and Sansom – with plans to open in two to three weeks. Owner Hasan Bukhari wanted to make sure customers knew he wasn’t shutting down the old location. “It’s not a new location, it’s an expansion,” he said.

The new location will have more menu offerings with hot food favorites such as Chicken Tikka Masala, Biryani and Lamb Rogan Gosh. “I’d like to introduce the people to really good food. The cooking style will be closer to homestyle cooking, we’re going to have a very selective menu… Over there, I’m thinking we’ll start delivery at some point. But for now, we’ll only offer takeout and a place for people to sit,” Bukhari explained.  Continue Reading

If you’re going to watch the final presidential debate before the election, check out these viewing parties in West Philly. The debate is this Wednesday (Oct. 19), and begins at 9 p.m. There are various starting times for the parties though, so check out more information below. Also, the following West Philly/University City bars usually host watch parties: The Bar(n) (49th and Catharine), City Tap House (39th and Walnut), as well as the Hillary Clinton SW Philly Office (533 S. 52nd St).

Drexel Dems Presidential Debate Watch Party

8-11 p.m., Wahoo’s (3180 Chestnut St)

West Philly 3rd Presidential Debate Watch Party

8-11 p.m., Cavanaugh’s Restaurant & Sports Bar (119 S 39th St)  Continue Reading

The first floor of the residential building connected to the left side of Clarkville at 43rd and Baltimore would be converted into a restaurant under a proposal considered last night by the Spruce Hill Zoning Association (Photo from Google Street View).

The Spruce Hill Community Association considered a proposal last night to convert the first floor of the row home adjacent to Clarkville at 43rd and Baltimore into a small restaurant amid concerns from some neighbors of commercial encroachment in residential areas.

Brought by the owners of the Clarkville building (not the business itself), the proposal for 4303 Baltimore includes an 1,100-square-foot restaurant on the first floor and renovated, high-end apartments on the second and third floors. In the past, the building housed three apartments, but is in rough shape, said Tom Lussenhop of Best House Partners, the building owners since May.

The proposal requires a variance for the first-floor restaurant, which has yet to be decided on (they’re open to suggestions). It will not have a liquor license.  Continue Reading