Tickets are still available for the University City Arts League‘s annual fundraiser, “Spring Fling,” happening this Saturday, May 10 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hall of Flags (Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce St). Traditionally, the fundraiser includes a silent auction featuring many great items and dinner. The online portion of the auction is also still open (closes tonight at 10 p.m.). You can choose from a number of unique experiences, classes, works by local artists and more. To view the auction items, to bid, and to buy tickets, go here.

The Spring Fling fundraiser will take place on Saturday from 6 – 9 p.m. and here are some more details (from ucartsleague.org):

Times

6 p.m. – Cocktails and Silent Auction; 7:30 – Dinner (by chef Greg Salisbury); 8 p.m. – Live Auction.

Parking

Free parking will be available at the Penn Museum Garage at South St and Convention Center Blvd. A shuttle will be running from the garage to the Hall of Flags from 6 to 7 p.m. and then from the Hall of Flags to the garage at the end of the evening.

Child Care

The Arts League will be offering an evening of pizza, movies and activities for children aged 5 to 12 from 5:30 to 9:30. Cost will be $35 for the first child and $25 for each additional child for the evening. Please contact the Arts League Office to make arrangements for child care.

Sample of Auction items

• Six oriental carpets including beauties from Tibet and Pakistan will be available at the Auction plus two silk on silk wall hangings. Winning bidders can also get free custom padding for their carpets at Woven Treasure.
• An iPad from the University of Pennsylvania Computer Connection, one of the special items to be auctioned at the Arts League auction.
• Gift certificates to numerous local restaurants including the White Dog Cafe will be available.
• Numerous spa services.

For more information, call 215-382-7811 or email: info@ucartsleague.org.

Neighbor Kate Krauss, one of the organizers of “Fund for Phil” set up to help Philippe Holland, the pizza delivery driver shot by police near 51st and Willows on April 22, has sent us an update on Philippe’s condition, the fund and a couple of other important messages:

“Philippe has been transferred to a rehab hospital in Newark, New Jersey. He read the original card we sent for the first time three days ago and was very touched. His mother says that she can’t even find the words to express how grateful she is. So let’s keep this going–we will continue to collect money at Mariposa through June.

We have $969 in the PayPal account, so today is a great time to try to reach $1,000… Here is the link: https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/send-money-online [please enter “FundforPhil – at – Gmail.com”].

[Bindlestiff Books owner] Alexis Buss has already collected about $400 at Bindlestiff Books…”

We also hear that a Channel 3 news reporter is coming to Bindlestiff Books (4530 Baltimore Ave) tomorrow (Thursday) at 11:00 a.m. to do a little spot on the neighborhood’s response to the shooting of Phillipe Holland and those who donated money are welcome to stop by.

A crowd forms at The Flying Deutschman Saturday afternoon (Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local)

Chef Stirling Sowerby is all over the place.

Not in a bad way, though. Instead, as Sowerby and I are chatting in front of his food truck, The Flying Deutschman, the energetic German chef bounces between cooking on the line to mingling with customers and then back to our conversation. At one point, he even feeds a piece of his signature bratwurst to a 10-week-old grey and white pitbull mix named Sapphire.

It’s mid-day on Saturday when I stopped by Sowerby truck, which is parked on the Chester Avenue side of Clark Park. There’s a rotating line of people—some repeat customers—ordering from the Deutschman’s simple German street food menu of schnitzels, bratwursts, bockwursts, and hefty sides. It’s delicious food, and a first for the West Philly area.

Among the tacos and smoked meats, The Flying Deutschman stands out.

Chef Stirling Sowerby cooking on the line (Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local)

Launched on March 1st, The Flying Deutschman is an entirely new venture for the 55-year-old Sowerby, who’s owned restaurants back in Germany (he moved to the States 18 years ago). And being unknown territory is “kinda the reason” he dove head first into the business, he said, dropping about $120,000 into the truck. Sowerby’s also hired a few students from his alma mater, The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill, to serve as his line cooks.

At the moment, he’s only stationed at Clark Park on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or 3 p.m., depending on the day), and on Tuesdays at the Navy Yard. He is currently working on other locations. But Clark Park holds a special place for him.

The Flying Deutschman’s first stop at Clark Park was his third day on the road—and his first successful day as a food truck owner. “That’s why I have some form of emotional attachment to that local[e],” Sowerby told West Philly Local.

So far, the Deutschman suits Sowerby well.

But how’s business? “I think very good, but you really should ask the customer that question,” he told West Philly Local. “For me as a chef, I look at repeat customers and those I have since day one.  If you have time just come by and try it, that’s the best way to judge food.”

We did, and this is what a couple of West Philly Local readers had to say:

@annamarya_s It’s good stuff. Hope they stick around all summer. The owner is pretty entertaining as well. — Tom Rose (@slurve) May 2, 2014

@annamarya_s @WestPhillyLocal Really good food, really good prices, entertainingly eccentric owner to boot. Recommend! — Nicholas McAvoy (@ohbadiah) May 2, 2014

But you be the judge.

–Annamarya Scaccia

A three-day mini-collaborative arts festival, the Collage Festival, is taking place this week in West Philadelphia. The annual festival focuses on the idea of “collaboration, intermingling, exploration and diversity.” Philadelphia Magazine suggested the Collage Festival as one of “gay things to do in Philly this week.”

Collage 2014 is the “year of the gewgaw,” which means all the work submitted for the festival, regardless of media, must center around or include a gewgaw (see video below).

The 2014 Collage Festival will feature performances, installations, and pieces from over 40 artists of the Philadelphia area and beyond. Artists will be featuring interactive works and audience participation performances. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the art on several different levels. Between artist collaborations and audience participation, the experience will never be the same or predictable.

The Collage Festival will be held from Thursday, May 8 – Saturday May 10 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Community Education Center (3500 Lancaster Ave). Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. Three-day passes are also available.

There are also volunteering needs at the festival. All volunteers will receive free passes to events. If you’re interested to volunteer, email: info@collagefestival.com.

COLLAGE 2014 : YEAR OF THE GEWGAW from George Alley on Vimeo.

UPDATE (5:30 p.m.): The tree branches were removed by the city and the street was reopened around 4:30 p.m.

Reader Frank Innes reported earlier this afternoon that a tree near the northeast corner of 46th and Regent crashed into the street sometime overnight, damaging a minivan parked near it. 46th Street was blocked off between Regent and Chester. Frank sent along a couple of photos too:

A young man is fighting for his life after he was stabbed multiple times outside West Philadelphia High School at 49th and Chestnut Streets. The stabbing happened at 2:35 a.m. on Tuesday. Both the victim and the attacker are 23 years old, according to police.

The victim suffered stab wounds to his back, leg and left side, and was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in critical condition. The suspect was arrested and the weapon was recovered at the scene, police said. It is not known yet what led to the stabbing, as the investigation continues. The police were interviewing the suspect this morning and charges were expected to be filed, CBS Philly reports.