West Philly’s newest bike shop, a branch of the Glenside-based Keswick Cycle, opened this weekend just in time for the return of students to the area. The shop occupies about half of the first floor in the building that formerly housed the Strikes Bowling Lounge at 4040 Locust St. Workers were still moving in bikes and other merchandise Saturday afternoon, but customers were invited in to have a look around.

Update (Sept. 4): The dog was spotted and later found by his owners at his old apartment!

This pooch (Theo) went missing last night (Sept. 2) near 46th and Woodland. He was last seen on Baltimore and 46th St. He is one year old and is a shih tzu/poodle/bischon frise.

He has a blue collar with only a rabies tag on it (the name tag broke off). He is shy and skiddish towards strangers (he ran away from a few people when they tried to catch him).

A cash reward is offered to anyone who finds him or leads his owner to find him. The owner’s name is Jessica and her contact number is 570-313-3847.

Registration is open for the fall session of All Around This World, the kids music program based on international songs, movement and drumming.

The program’s director, Jay Sand, is a well-known West Philly musician and music teacher. Three times a year – in the fall, winter and spring – he offers interactive weekly music classes “All Around This World” for infants to 8-year-olds and their families. Each class is dedicated to a particular region of the world and music from that region.

The fall session begins right after Labor Day, on September 7. The West Philly classes (classes are also offered in Fairmount Park and Center City) are going to explore West Asia and the Middle East. Classes take place near 44th and Pine on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings (check the full schedule here). There is also a special class for babies only at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Discounts, scholarships, free trial classes and sliding scale tuition plans are available.

For more information about the classes and to register go here or contact Jay Sand at: jay [at] allaroundthisworld.com, 215-913-2679.

Starting from tomorrow, Sept. 2, West Philly’s Curio Theatre Company begins a series of free performances of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies in the Clark Park bowl. The shows are scheduled for Sept. 2, 7, 8, & 9 (7 p.m. starting time) and are included in the 2011 Philly Fringe-Live Arts Festival program.

What’s cool about these shows is that along with Curio’s young professional actors playing the main characters, a group of children, the theatre’s school students, is included in the cast. The kids act as the younger boys, or “Littluns,” in the play.

One of the idea’s behind staging Lord of the Flies in the outdoor environment such as Clark Park was the use of natural light. So the show begins just before the sunset and as the events unfold the light will change from the descending sun shining upon the boys to darkness.

Sounds like it will be an event you don’t want to miss, so bring your lounge chairs, snacks and enjoy this classic story.

Today we came across this tree located at the corner of 42nd and Spruce. It needs to be pushed upright, otherwise it may fall over into the street soon when another storm blows through. See that car in danger? There was another tree that required re-positioning (at 43rd and Spruce), but maybe because it’s younger (and smaller) it has already been taken care of.

Update (Sept. 7): We learned that Hickory was reunited with his family two days ago.

This information comes from the missing cat’s owners who live near 46th and Pine:

We are searching for our cat, Hickory. He has been missing for over a week now – he is a wanderer so we weren’t too worried at first but he sometimes strays far and I’m wondering if he got lost or someone took him in mistakenly.

He is black and grey striped with white on chest and paws (I think he is brown as well, but my son thinks just grey), with green eyes.

He usually wears a collar with his name and phone # but I wonder if it came off. He is very friendly and will usually approach people. He is micro-chipped.

If you have seen him or think you have seen him, please let us know. You can call 215-510-7067 and speak to Al. Thanks, he is very much missed.