The 3rd Annual Cobbs Creek 5K Run has been rescheduled for next Saturday, Oct. 26, according to Alon Abramson, founder of West Philly Runners and member of Friends of Cobbs Creek. As we had reported earlier, the run was supposed to take place on Saturday, Oct. 12, but the heavy rainfall flooded the course at the end of last week and the strong winds knocked down branches forcing the organizers to reschedule the race, Alon told West Philly Local.

Packet pickup will still be available at the Philadelphia Runner store (3621 Walnut Street) on Friday, Oct 25 from 3-7 p.m. However, late registration is now only available at the race on Saturday morning. To read more about the Cobbs Creek 5K Run, click here.

Project Runway Season 12 winner Dom Streater making it work (Photo by Barbara Nitke / A+E Networks)

While it’s no secret that West Philadelphia is a neighborhood of stars, it was confirmed last night when Dominique “Dom” Streater won season 12 of Project Runway.

Throughout the season, the 24-year-old local fashion designer, who was born and raised on 58^th and Chestnut Streets (“a really nice community to grow up in,” she said), captivated the judges with her juxtaposition of competing patterns and bold colors. And her collection shown on last night’s Project Runway finale was no different—appropriately titled “Retro Redux,” Streater’s runway show at New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was a vibrant explosion of cool blues and purples intercut with contour shapes that oozed luxury and sophistication.

It’s an edgy trademark look that defines her trend du jour line, the Halcyon Clothing Collection, which she currently designs out of her home in Overbrook. But, as Project Runway’s latest winner, Streater will have the opportunity to launch her next collection with the help of a sizeable prize package, which includes $150,000 furnished by GoBank, state-of-the-art products from HP and Brother Sewing and Embroidery, and a $50,000 styling contract with L’Oreal Paris (among other goodies).

Before last night’s season finale aired, West Philly Local had a chance to chat with Streater, a graduate of Moore College of Art and Design, about making it to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, what defines West Philly fashion, and building her brand in her hometown. Continue Reading

This Saturday and Sunday (Oct 19-20), catch a behind-the-scene glimpse of local art life by visiting studios of many great artists participating in the annual Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST). Each October, over 300 artists across Philadelphia open their studios and work spaces for tours (guided and self-guided), exhibits, demonstrations, talks and receptions. The Philadelphia Open Studio Tours is an annual celebration of visual art in the Philadelphia region. It’s also called a Fall festival of visual art. The West Philly arts community is excited to host the tours this weekend and can’t wait to show you around their studios and tell you more about their work.

Self-guided tours are free to the public and run from Noon – 6 p.m. on both weekend days. You can plan your tour as you like and here you can find more information on what West Philly artists and community partners will be waiting for POST tourists this weekend: http://philaopenstudios.org/post/neighborhood/west-philadelphia. Along with individual artists, community partners, such as The Green Line Cafe, The Institute of Contemporary Art, and The Cedar Works, are inviting guests for exhibitions and other special events this weekend.

Guided Trolley Tours are on Sunday from 1:00 – 5:30 p.m. They depart  from The Gallery at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists at 237 South 18th Street. The cost is $40 per seat and advance reservations are required. For more information, click here.

“Edgar Allan Poe” pumpkin carved by Nate Johnson was last year’s Reader’s Choice winner.

Leaves are falling, the warm woolies are coming out and many SEPTA buses already have the heat cranked up as high as it will go. That can only mean one thing – fall is here and it’s time for the 3rd annual West Philly Local Pumpkin Carving Contest.

Past contests have included some pretty astounding works of art, but you don’t have to be a budding Rodin to get a sweet prize from our many sponsors. This year’s contest categories include funniest, scariest, Philly-themed and kids (carved by kids 12 and under) and, of course, the Readers Choice, which will be chosen based on your votes.

The contest opens today, Oct. 17 and runs through 3 p.m. on Oct. 31. The winners will be announced on November 3. Voting for the Reader’s Choice will run on October 31 – November 2. Note: One entry per person. We’ll put all photos in a gallery.

So here’s what you need to do:

1. Get yourself a pumpkin (we will have pumpkin alerts on Facebook and Twitter that include local places to get them).

2. Come up with a design and carve away.

3. Take a clear picture of your masterpiece. Remember that the quality of the photo could influence judging. It’s the Internet after all.

4. Submit your photo along with your name and address (West Philly residents only please and these details won’t be published) to contest@westphillylocal.com.

One entry per person please, so make it count.

This year’s sponsors include:

• Aksum
• Cafe Renata
• Curio Theatre
• Dock Street Brewing Co.
• Four Worlds Bakery
• Honest Tom’s Taco Shop
• Lil’ Pop Shop
• Penn Museum
• VIX Emporium

If you have questions, email us at: editor@westphillylocal.com.

Knowing what to do and what to expect in some potentially dangerous circumstances on the street can help keep you safe. Here’s a great chance to get some self-defense training.

Community members of all races, backgrounds, orientations, and income levels are invited to attend one or both of the Street Smarts, Safety, and Self-Defense workshops presented by neighbor Iris Marie Bloom tonight and October 30. Both workshops are at Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore Ave) from 6:00 to 7:45 p.m and are free (donations are appreciated).

Here’s what you can learn at each of these sessions:

• Skills and techniques to help you avoid, deter and resist assault
• Practice giving up “mugger money” as one way to stay safer
• A fierce yell — in case it’s needed!
• Strong stance, practical assessment of danger, and a “don’t mess with me” attitude
• Effective and practical tools for physical, verbal and emotional safety, assertiveness and self-defense

Iris Marie Bloom studied with Amulis Women’s Self-Defense where she learned karate, aikido, and other martial arts. She’s a founder of the Women’s Anti-Violence Education (WAVE) nonprofit organization.

This workshop was specifically designed for women, but the information is useful for men as well. For more information and to RSVP, email Patty Bulack of the 48th Street Neighbors at pbulack@gmail.com.

The Spruce Hill Community Association’s (SHCA) Business Association Committee was formed earlier this year to work on several things in support of SHCA’s efforts to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood. These efforts include figuring out what the neighborhood wants and doesn’t want in terms of storefronts. To get a better idea of your interests and opinions, the committee is conducting a survey of retail preferences in the neighborhood and inviting community members to participate. Later this month, SHCA will be distributing a newsletter to every resident in the neighborhood that will include an invitation to participate in the survey, according to Lee Huang, the committee chair.

The 10-question survey is now available online. Residents can also email shca.bac@gmail.com to request a copy of the survey.

Some of the survey questions include: What kind of retail would you like or not like to see in the neighborhood? What is your favorite business? What retail locations need the most improvement? For more information about Spruce Hill, including its borders, visit: http://www.sprucehillca.org/about/