After working as a server in Philadelphia for many years, Guo ‘Sunni’ Tang was done. “As a server, you work 12 hours a day and don’t make much money,” she explained. “I want to make more money to improve life for my parents.”

Driven by a goal of supporting her aging parents and the desire to provide a wider selection of food for the University of the Sciences student population and the area surrounding it, Tang decided to open a dumpling and bubble tea spot. Curry Bird, a new Cantonese and Thai takeout restaurant, is at 4604 Woodland Ave. (where New China Gourmet used to be), adjacent to Noah’s Pizza.

The shop had its soft opening on Saturday, where chicken curry and veggie dumplings samples were given away to neighbors at no charge. News spread via word of mouth.

The interior has been completely redesigned with wooden panels and wooden floors. Another thing you’ll notice is that there are no servers, but just a takeout restaurant with minimal seating.  Continue Reading

Cedar Park residents and all interested individuals are invited to a community meeting on Tuesday, March 21 to hear a proposal of a pop-up (temporary) beer garden on the 5100 block of Pentridge Street. The meeting is organized by Cedar Park Neighbors.

The beer garden is being proposed at 5112-5120 Pentridge St. (see map), the area that currently includes a few empty lots. A search of the BRT database revealed the owner of the property as Fatty Tuna LLC. The meeting is an opportunity to meet with the owner, see the plans of what they would like to do and voice your opinion on this issue.

The meeting will be held at the Calvary Center (4740 Baltimore Ave.), beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Those who would like to comment but cannot attend the meeting are welcome to send their comments to CPN: zoning@cedarparkneighbors.org.

Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) has begun its competitive lifeguard recruitment process for the summer. PPR hires 400 lifeguards annually to staff its 70 outdoor and four indoor pools (read our earlier post here).

This is a great summer job for young people because it pays between $12.33 and $14.60 an hour and most people are able to work in their own neighborhood. PPR staff can even assist interested candidates that may not be the strong swimmers, if they start the process early.

The first step for interested candidates is to attend a screening at one of PPR’s three indoor training facilities during the following screening days and times from now until June:  Continue Reading

                                       Click to enlarge.

The Philadelphia Police Department has released surveillance video and is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying an armed suspect who they believe robbed two food trucks in the area on Monday.

The first robbery took place at approximately 6:30 p.m. when an unknown male entered the Halal food truck parked near the corner of 45th and Walnut Streets, armed with a black handgun, and demanded money. He took $500 and fled north on 45th Street toward Sansom. Surveillance video shows the suspect getting out of the passenger side and then getting back into a black sedan parked near the corner of 45th and Sansom.  Continue Reading

The seven candidates running for District Attorney are scheduled to attend a forum in West Parkside on Thursday (March 16) from 9-11 a.m.

Candidates Teresa Carr Deni, Tariq El-Shabazz, Beth Grossman, Joe Khan, Lawrence Krasner, Rich Negrin, and Michael Untermeyer will discuss issues ranging from mass incarceration to police oversight at the Philadelphia Business and Technology Center (5070 Parkside Ave). The Business Association of West Parkside is sponsoring the forum.

Craig Ey, Editor-in-Chief of the Philadelphia Business Journal, will moderate the forum. This will be the first official event with all seven candidates present. Attendees will also have the chance to ask specific questions.  Continue Reading

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) continues offering job training and employment opportunities to West Philly residents. Now through March 24, WPSI is recruiting for a training program with Green City Works, University City District’s in-house landscaping operation.

WPSI is seeking applicants who possess a high school diploma or GED, are currently unemployed, and live in the West Philadelphia zip codes of 19104, 19131, 19139, 19143, or 19151. WPSI is seeking applicants with a track record of excellence in landscaping or related fields.

In addition to learning the skills needed to successfully connect to employment, program graduates are guaranteed an interview with the employer and receive a performance-based stipend during the training.

Interested applicants can visit www.westphiladelphiaskill.org to learn more about the program and submit an application, available under “Opportunities for Job Seekers.” Applications are also available here. Paper applications are available at First District Plaza, Suite 206 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application deadline is March 24 at 5 p.m.