Kate and Yasser Aiq in 2020 (Photo by West Philly Local).

All are invited to Renata’s Kitchen‘s 10th anniversary party! The popular local Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurant and brunch spot, managed by the husband and wife duo Yasser and Kate Aiq, will hold a free celebratory community party and open house on Wednesday, May 10, from 5 to 8 p.m.

The event will take place on Renata’s expansive outdoor patio at 40th and Baltimore. Guests will be treated to lite bites, butlered hors d’oeuvres, carving stations and complimentary welcome cocktails courtesy of Revivalist Spirits.

“We wanted to have this party to say ‘thank you’ to the community for supporting us over the past decade,” said chef Yasser Aiq. “We would not have survived without the continued support of friends, neighbors and our incredibly loyal customers who stood by us through some tough times.” Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of VIX Emporium/Chrissie’s Tea Cup.

VIX Emporium, the West Philly business specializing in unique handmade gifts and local crafts, will feature three local, Black-owned businesses at three pop-up shops on the first three Saturdays in May.

First up, on May 6, it will be Chrissie’s Tea Cup. Inspired by her late mother’s love of a good cup of tea, maker Wydia Becton combines organic herbs and traditional tea leaves to create her signature blends. Stop by the shop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to try popular Zodiac teas as well as tea brewing and serving accessories.

Then Tote Jawn will appear at VIX on May 13. This local business offers an alternative to single-use plastic bags with their stylish canvas tote bags, all Philadelphia themed! They have different bags featuring each Philly neighborhood. Continue Reading

Here are a couple of important announcements for Philadelphia motorists, as parking restriction enforcement begins today to accommodate street sweeping and the safe use of bike lanes for bicyclists.

The Streets Department reminds motorists that enforcement in all 14 areas of the City’s Mechanical Cleaning Program begins on Monday, May 1. Phase III of the program began on April 3 and to facilitate a more detailed cleaning, there will be restricted street parking on streets wide enough to accommodate relocation of vehicles. Motorists that do not adhere to posted “No Parking” signs will be subject to fines.

“No Parking” signage during specified times will be enforced beginning today in all 14 areas, including the following West Philadelphia and Southwest Philadelphia areas:

• West Philly: Parkside Ave. to Spring Garden St. from 52nd St. to 40th St.
• Southwest: Woodland Ave. to Kingsessing Ave. from 49th St. to Cemetery Ave. Continue Reading

The University City District‘s annual report released this week shows that an upward trend in construction that began in 2021 will icrease dramatically in 2023, with more square footage of commercial and residential development under construction than in any year since the report began in 2002.

The “State of University City,” a yearly snapshot of development trends in the area roughly bounded by the Schuylkill River to the east, 50th Street to the west, Market Street/Powelton Avenue/Spring Garden Street to the north and Woodland Avenue/University Avenue to the south, also shows a slight increase in public transit use compared to last year. But ridership is still roughly half that of pre-Pandemic levels on trolleys and the Market-Frankford Line. Continue Reading

Starting today and through Saturday, April 29, the annual Penn Relays will be held on the University of Pennsylvania campus, where hundreds of young athletes from the U.S. and abroad will compete. The competition also brings thousands of spectators and other guests to the area. Watch out for increased traffic on and around Penn’s campus and SEPTA bus detours during the event.

As usual, races will be held at Franklin Field located at 233 S. 33rd Street. The event schedule can be found here and tickets are here. Livestreaming is available here. For more info, visit: https://pennrelays.com.

Two local DIY music festivals, Make Music Philly and West Philly Porchfest, are returning in June and currently recruiting musicians and venues.

West Philly Porchfest returns on June 3 from Noon – 6 p.m. It features musicians of all musical genres performing free shows on porches, stoops and lawns. Musicians who sign up to participate in the Fest will be matched with their host porch. Sign ups are still open for both parties. Sign up here if you want to host a show. Musicians who want to perform at the Fest can contact the organizers on this page. Both parties can connect on the West Philly Porchfest Musician/Porch Connector on Facebook. More info about the Fest is here. Continue Reading