The Wake Up Yoga studio in West Philly (4916 Baltimore Ave.) is bringing back its Mommy & Me class beginning Wednesday, Nov. 2. This is a yoga class for new mothers who are welcome to bring their babies as they rebuild their strength and stamina. Mommy & Me includes some poses that can be practiced with the baby. The class will be taught by instructor Felicia Graham and will be offered on Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.. Each class is $16 and you don’t have to register. Just drop in and enjoy. If you have questions please contact the studio at 215-235-1228.

From November 10 until December 23 there will be an opportunity for beginners to learn some yoga basics, as the studio is offering a six-week Brand New Beginners series. The series consists of eight classes with the focus on breath and movement. This series will be taught by Monica Kriso and meet on Thursday evenings, 7:45 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. (no meeting on Thanksgiving). The cost for the series is $81 and pre-registration is required. To learn more about it and to register please go here.

So another Halloween has come and gone in West Philly. We have a photo slideshow and video below from the parade and we will be announcing the winners of our Pumpkin Carving Contest a little later today. We hope everyone had an awesome and safe Halloween.
 

 

We would like to add two more events to the list of Halloween happenings in our area.
 

Monday, October 31

 
Halloween Haunted Garden

4611 Springfield Ave.

5 – 7 p.m.

All ages, free

This annual Halloween party features 10+ spooky “Sets” with five being “Treat” stations, over 2,000 full sized candy bars, about 1,600 hugs and thousands of fruits, pretzel bags and bite-sized treats. The PHILLY THRILLERS will entertain the folks who are waiting in line.

NOTE: Volunteers are needed to hand out treats and tricks. Anyone who is free Monday from about 4:30-7:30 p.m. and has a warm costume, can help deliver the candy. Treat delivery starts at 5 p.m., so volunteers must commit from about 4:30 to about 7:30 p.m. At least two people are assigned to a station, so come with a friend or make new ones at the event.

You can also help with decorating needs today until 5 p.m. and doing a run-through in the early Monday afternoon, to turn on machines, check power, batteries and fluids, and ‘break’ the glow sticks into eerie perfection.

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

University of Pennsylvania – Irvine Auditorium, 3401 Spruce Street

7:15 p.m.

Free, open to the public

Following Penn’s annual Halloween concert tradition, the 1922 German classic movie “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” is screening Monday night, accompanied by a musical score performed by famed organist Peter Edwin Krasinski on Irvine’s 10,731-pipe Curtis Organ. For more information go here.

Thanks to everyone who submitted pumpkins. Now it’s time for you, dear readers, to cast your vote for your favorite pumpkin in the 2011 West Philly Local Pumpkin Carving Contest. The “Readers’ Choice” winner will win two prizes from our sponsors: Aksum, Dock Street Brewery, Mariposa Food Co-op, Milk & Honey, VIX Emporium and Wake Up Yoga).

On Monday we’ll announce winners in the Scariest, Funniest, Philly-themed, and Kids categories, which will be decided by a crack panel of judges.

Check out the slideshow below or go to the Flickr gallery and jot down the number of the pumpkin you like best. Click on your choice to register your vote. The voting is open until 6 p.m. Monday. One vote per person.

Voting has ended.

Henry, a big grey tabby mix cat (grey with darker grey stripes) has escaped from his home at 5012 Kingsessing Ave.

Henry has a white belly and chest. He is fairly social and usually comes when called by name.

Please contact Christina at 215-514-6630 or Brendan at 267-597-9679 if you see him wandering around the neighborhood.

The Clark Park Farmers’ Market (43rd & Baltimore) has a nice selection of pumpkins today if anyone still needs one. But hurry up, it closes at 2 p.m.