Several West Philly-based arts and culture organizations recently received some much-needed grants to help with everything from redesigning the hallways at Henry C. Lea Elementary School to keeping Shakespeare in Clark Park going.

The grants are from the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts Project Stream, an off-shoot of the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts that makes grants of up to $3,000 available to individuals and organizations who work on arts projects. Information and applications for next year’s grants will be available in the spring.

Here’s a rundown of the West Philly winners thanks to the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance website (awards for the entire Philadelphia region are also available there):

• Yvette Almaguer and the Lea Visual Arts Program –  $1,999
“The Lea Visual Arts Program is a collaborative effort to improve school climate through innovative interior design and visual art interventions throughout hallways and stairwells of the Henry C. Lea School.” West Philly native and Penn Professor Justin McDaniel, a member of the West Philadelphia Coalition for Neighborhood Schools, helped with the grant application.

• Crossroads Music – $1,999
“Crossroads Music, the region’s only organization dedicated to presenting traditional and ethnic music from around the world, will present approximately 20 concerts, along with workshops and children’s events.”

• Intercultural Journeys – $1,666
“Intercultural Journeys is developing a series for the West Philadelphia communities called Sunday Evenings-Music for Contemplation. The musical performances represent a broad variety of musical and faith traditions.”

• Shakespeare in Clark Park – $2,969
“Shakespeare in Clark Park will present a professional outdoor theater production of a Shakespearean play at a free summertime cultural event that is accessible to the Clark Park neighborhood and the Greater Philadelphia area.”
 

A not-so-subtle reminder this morning in front of the CVS at 43rd and Locust. Here are some bike locking tips from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

Most of the 5,000 prisoners incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, will die there. Angola is the largest maximum security prison in the United States. Prisoners there have long sentences, virtually life sentences. West Philly-based photographer Lori Waselchuk released a book this summer documenting the prison’s inmate-run hospice program, which provides dying prisoners some comfort and dignity in their last days. You can talk to her about it this Sunday.

Waselchuk will sign her book, Grace Before Dying, and talk about the project as part of an event hosted by the West Philly-based non-profit Books Through Bars on Sunday, Oct. 16. Running from 2:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the A-Space (4722 Baltimore Ave.), the event will also feature quilts made by Angola inmates that are part of a traveling exhibit (now at Saint Joseph’s University) accompanying the Grace Before Dying project. Local quilters and textile artists will also be on hand to discuss their work.

The event ends with a screening of the documentary In the Land of the Free, which tells the story of Angola inmates Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King, also known as the Angola 3, who between them spent almost a century in solitary confinement. Wallace and Woodfox are still in solitary after more than 37 years.

Here is a schedule for the event:

3:30 p.m. – Quilter’s Roundtable. Local quilters and textile artists will present their work.

5 p.m. – Reception

6 p.m. – Lori Waselchuk talk and book signing

7 p.m. – Screening of the In the Land of the Free

Don’t miss the last chance to tour Mariposa Food Co-op‘s new store (4824 Baltimore Ave). It’s six weeks into construction and is on track to open in January. This Sunday, Oct. 16, everyone is welcome to attend the final in a series of open houses that will include visiting the new co-op building, checking in on construction progress, chatting with members and staff, and some seasonal snacks. The open house hours are from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. For more information and RSVP visit this page.

Next Sunday, Oct. 23, Mariposa invites neighbors to celebrate Food Day and enjoy a delicious three-course dinner with seasonal and local ingredients, prepared by La Nena Cooks‘ guest chef. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35 and all proceeds will go towards the Mariposa expansion. Space is limited so RSVP here: Food Day Dinner for Mariposa.

Judging by the buzz on community listserves, Sabrina’s Cafe‘s new location at 34th and Powelton already has fans in the area. The two older Sabrina’s locations – the Italian Market and Fairmount/Art Museum district – get rapturous word of mouth (and many 4-star reviews by Google users). Except among those who hate waiting for Sunday brunch, Sabrina’s has a reputation for delicious, vivid, and generously portioned meals.

Last Thursday at noon, it appeared that the new Sabrina’s Powelton location had already become a Drexel faculty favorite. Amongst the student/advisor pairs were larger groups of research teams or faculty committees. On the pleasant enclosed wrap-around porch, service was brisk, friendly, and professional.

I ordered the Islander sandwich ($12.99), grilled Ahi tuna on brioche. The generous portion of fresh tuna was perfectly cooked to order (mine: medium rare), and topped with balsamic-spiked caramelized onions and wasabi mayo. The brioche was fresh (breads are by LeBus and Sarcone’s). I substituted polenta fries (additional $1.79) for the usual potato fries, and found they were no crispier than average fried polenta, and more fork- than finger-food. The slaw was strictly for show: colorful but underdressed. My companion’s Southwest Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad (large: $14.89), dominated the table with its spicy buffalo garlic chicken on a mountain of fresh veggies – including hot jalapeno slices – tossed with chipotle blue cheese dressing. After a bite of that exploded on my palate, my wan polenta fries faded into obscurity. The Southwest salad exemplified the Sabrina’s aesthetic: bright colors, intense flavors, and an almost overwhelming volume of food. Expect leftovers (or order the small version for $9.99).

All-day breakfast is another Sabrina’s thing. At one point a waiter swept by with plates of stuffed French toast the size of nine-inch layer cakes. My son and I made a repeat visit the following Saturday to try it. Until a regular brunch crowd coalesces at Powelton, the full brunch menu with the Phillies-themed specials will not be available — expect just the daily breakfast menu, plus two specials. We ordered the thick-cut Challah french toast ($11.95) stuffed with cream cheese, caramel, cinnamon bun pieces, orange preserve, pecans, and butterscotch chips(!), served with peach-honey syrup. It was magnificent. The cinnamon bun pieces were MIA (or maybe mushed up in the filling?) but so much was going on that we hardly missed them. The other special was pumpkin pancakes topped with raspberry pound cake topping and crumbled golden oreos, served with raspberry-cinnamon butter and berry orange syrup ($11.94). I was temped, but I had to dial it back. The small fruit cup ($3.99) of fresh-cut pineapple, cantaloupe, and supermarket strawberries provides a decent place-holder for dieters, sharers, and minimalists.

Overall, the kitchen and waitstaff are attentive and careful, the dining areas are clean and cheerful, and the menu is amped-up diner food with fresh ingredients and a touch of whimsy. It’s comfort food: if you are not worrying about your waistline or fretting about the politics of consumption, you will love your experience at Sabrina’s.

There’s two-hour street parking, but you’d be better off biking or taking the Green Line followed by a short hike through the Drexel campus. Also note that they don’t take reservations but they do provide daily call-ahead seating, which bumps you to the front of the line when you arrive. Also, unlike the other two locations, the Drexel location doesn’t allow BYOB, so leave the bloody mary mix at home. Two minor requests to management: round up the prices (I know it’s a $13 sandwich — skip the 99 cents nonsense) and don’t forget to water the hanging plants!

– Jen

Design consultants and city officials unveiled plans last night for long-term bike and pedestrian improvements that could include upgrades to the intersection of 50th and Baltimore and more bike lanes on West Philly streets.

The preliminary plan, which is the second phase of an overall evaluation and improvement of Philadelphia’s bike and pedestrian infrastructure, recommends bike lanes for Chestnut Street from 34th Street to the Cobbs Creek Parkway, a separated bike lane on Belmont Avenue and the conversion of Pine Street to a “bike friendly” street from 39th to 57th.

Some recommendations are minor and include the painting of streets, while other are very ambitious, including the possibility of installing “cycletracks” – a bike-only lane sandwiched between the sidewalk and the street on major thoroughfares like Walnut Street.

“One of the downsides is that it would take more of the parking off the streets,” said Dan Goodman, a senior planner at Toole Design Group, the firm assembling the plan.

The plan’s recommendations are based on field research conducted over the past year on streets throughout West Philadelphia. Data collectors examined pedestrian and bike traffic from Greys Ferry to City Avenue and from the Schuylkill River to Cobbs Creek Parkway. Their tentative plans, including maps, will soon be available here.

Last night’s meeting was the second in West Philadelphia this week. Both are part of the community input phase of the project. Later this fall and winter, Toole Design Group will review community recommendations and come up with a final plan to submit to the city. Phase one of the plan, conducted in 2009 and 2010, saw vast improvements to bike and pedestrian facilities in Center City, including 200 miles of new bike lanes and “bike friendly” streets.

But just because recommendations are in the plan does not mean they will be carried out. As with most improvements in Philadelphia, politics will play a big role – at least for the major improvements such as new bike lanes that could affect traffic flows and parking.

Small improvements, though, are usually included in the city’s paving plans. Steve Buckley, the city’s deputy commissioner of transportation, was at last night’s meeting to answer questions about whether many of the proposed improvements will ever see the light of day.

“Do we think every single piece will be implemented? We can’t guarantee that,” he said. “Right now we are looking for low-cost improvements that can be done with paint.”

One problem is that the city has far less paving projects scheduled than it has in the recent past because those funds have been designated for other projects like installing accessibility ramps at street corners to meet federal guidelines.

One low-cost recommendation at the meeting was repainting some of the existing bike lane borders to make clear to drivers that they are for cyclists. Buckley agreed.

“We have not committed enough money to those kinds of refreshers,” he said.

He recommended reporting fading lines to the Streets Department.

Possible improvements to the block of Baltimore Avenue include a mid-block crosswalk for pedestrian traffic crossing over to Cedar Park.

Toole Design is still accepting comments from residents for a couple of more weeks. Contact them here.