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One of the biggest local events of the year, the Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival, will return on Saturday, July 15 from noon to 7 p.m. to Saunders Park Greene at 39th and Powelton. The 11th edition of the festival, which has grown from a few hundred attendees to more than 3,000, will feature the “New Wave of Jazz.” Philadelphia saxophonist Jaleel Shaw will be headlining the event.

This year, the FREE festival offers a family-friendly event showcasing the best of Philadelphia: a mix of up and coming young artists who are shaping the future of jazz, a diverse gathering of people, a view of the city and a chance to enjoy a neighborhood that is rich in arts and culture.

Artisans and vendors along with a variety of specialty food trucks will be on site. Activities such as a moon bounce, face painting, community resources and digital pop-up computer lab will be available for everyone’s enjoyment. Free parking is available one block away at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center’s lot at Powelton Avenue and State Street.  Continue Reading

Here’s a good news/bad news situation for West Philly music lovers, particularly those who dig vinyl or need an instrument or turntable repaired.

Photo from The Marvelous Records & Music Facebook page.

The bad news is that The Marvelous – Records and Music on Baltimore Avenue (formerly of 40th Street) is closing after 14 years on July 14. The good news is that the storefront at 4916 Baltimore Ave won’t really skip a beat as a purveyor of music-related stuff.

The Marvelous opened in a basement storefront on 40th Street in 2003 and in 2012 moved into a former yoga studio at 4916 Baltimore Ave., where they offered a large selection of vinyl, CDs, instrument supplies, and more.

“Nothing could have pleased us more than to spend this time rubbing our cheeks up in your jowls and we deeply appreciate every last crusty 45, guitar pick and even crispy comic which you saw fit to purchase from us over the last decade and a half,” owner Milan Marvelous wrote us.  Continue Reading

Here’s some great news for Malcolm X Park and neighborhood residents. The Philadelphia Water Department is working on bringing green improvements to the park, which will include specially designed tree systems that will help manage local stormwater while adding new green features to the park’s square located at 52nd and Pine.

Residents are invited to learn more about this initiative at tonight’s community meeting organized by the Water Department and the Friends of Malcolm X Park. The meeting will be held at the park, beginning at 6 p.m. weather permitting, but will move to Lois’ Learning Tree (430 S. 52nd St.) in the event of rain.

The planned improvements are a part of the city’s Green City, Clean Waters program, which uses landscaped green tools to improve neighborhoods and protect local waterways from stormwater pollution.

West Philly residents have an opportunity to learn more about solar power for their homes at an upcoming Cedar Park Neighbors meeting at the Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore). The meeting will be held on Monday, July 17 from 7 – 8 p.m.

In an effort to make solar power more affordable for all Philadelphians and to provide solar installation training at the School District, a special city-run program, Solarize Philly, has been recently created as part of the Philadelphia Energy Authority. Representatives from Solarize Philly will be at the meeting to explain how the program works and to answer questions.

The program has already been picking up steam in the city, including in West Philadelphia.  Continue Reading

Baltimore Ave fire site Wednesday afternoon (Photo West Philly Local).

Emergency responders have a fire at 52nd and Baltimore under control. The fire was reported at a donut shop and Million Dollars store near 52nd and Baltimore shortly after 8 a.m. The 34 trolley was operating with shuttle buses.

Donut store and Million Dollars at 52nd and Baltimore on fire. Hope no one hurt. pic.twitter.com/3Q0xpS062x

— Amara Rockar (@arockar) July 12, 2017

Rte 34: Service is operating with shuttle buses on Baltimore Avenue due to a fire on 52nd Street. Delays are expected.

— SEPTA (@SEPTA_TRL_34) July 12, 2017

Chef Jezabel Careaga, a native of Argentina whose Jezabel’s Café at 26th and Pine has been named one of Philly’s best “under-the-radar breakfast places,” is bringing her empanadas, alfajores, specially made mate tea and coffee to an intimate storefront near 45th and Walnut.

Jezabel Careaga, chef-owner of Jezabel’s.

Jezabel’s Studio will open tomorrow, July 12, at 208 S. 45th St. At only 400 square feet, Jezabel’s Studio will definitely not be a place to park with your laptop. But Careaga is making the most of the space, which includes a small indoor sitting area (there are a couple of seats on the sidewalk too).

Offerings will include a variety of her signature empanadas (yes, they have a vegan option) as well as alfajores, Argentine shortbread cookies that are filled with dulce de leche and rolled in coconut shavings.  Continue Reading