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Lots of live music, fun at 40th Street Summer Festival and more events this Saturday

July 24, 2015

MixedPeople

Mixed People band will perform this Saturday at 40th and Walnut.

The 40th Street Summer Festival which includes dazzling acts ranging from jugglers and fire dancers to puppets and percussions, kicks off at 5 p.m. this Saturday (July 25) in the green space behind the Walnut West Library near 40th and Walnut.

The festival will also feature live music from Mixed People, Red Cedar Strings (Facebook page) and Au Jus, and entertainment and activities for the whole family.

nejoehill-roadshow-philadelphiaLater on Saturday the University Lutheran Church (3637 Chestnut St.) will host the Joe Hill Roadshow, a tour commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of International Workers of the World activist and songwriter Joe Hill. Hill, who was executed in 1915, had a long-lasting influence on radical organizing in the country. The tribute concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and includes music from MagpieCharlie King, George Mann and special guest John Braxton. Tickets for this show are also available at Bindlestiff Books at 4530 Baltimore Ave.

For more upcoming events, please visit our Events Calendar.

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Parklet mania on 40th Street

July 17, 2015

So folks seem to be going bananas about the new parklet – the biggest one yet – that the University City District has installed outside of the new building on 40th Street across from The Fresh Grocer at 125 S. 40th. That’s the boxy building with Hai Street Kitchen, Zesto Pizza and Grill, Jake’s Sandwich Board and Dunkin Donuts. It’s 60 feet long – the parklet that is – and the usual 6 feet wide.

This big ole parklet spans the length of the building and has caught the eye of folks around the Twittersphere. Here is everything you need to know about the new parklet:

Plan Philly claims it’s the “largest parklet on Earth”:


NewsWorks (A WHYY jawn) calls it a “Super-parklet”:

Curbed Philly has a video of it being put together:

And the Philadelphia Business Journal called it a “magnet for social activity”:

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‘We’re getting tired’: Long-time restaurateurs put The Gold Standard up for sale

July 16, 2015

goldstandardcafeAbout 35 years ago Roger Harman and a partner opened a small café in a former laundromat at 47th and Chester. They named it The Gold Standard. A few years later they renamed it The Palladium and moved it to Penn’s Arts, Research and Culture House (ARCH) on Locust Walk where it operated for 20 years.

Then, Harman teamed up with Vince Whittacre to open Abbraccio, an Italian restaurant at 47th and Warrington (where the Vietnam Café is now). That closed, but six years ago they were back in business at 48th and Baltimore with a name that saluted the old days, opening The Gold Standard Café, the ever-pleasant coffee shop/restaurant/outdoor bistro that quickly became an institution along that section of Baltimore Avenue.

Now it’s on the market.

“We’re getting tired,” said Harman.

He couldn’t provide too many details on the effort to sell the restaurant, but said that its future will be a lot more clear in a week or two. We’ll keep you posted.

Mike Lyons

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From Metro: An immigrant’s story of robbery charges, weeks in jail and mistaken identity

July 14, 2015

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Vickson Korlewala in the office of his company, Empower Liberia. Photo by Charles Mostoller/Metro

Metro reporter Sam Newhouse contacted us this morning to share his story about Liberian immigrant Vickson Korlewala, 58, a chemist and entrepreneur who lives near 55th and Market and who was wrongly arrested last year on robbery charges.

Korlewala and his wife Lorpu spent weeks in jail until charges were finally dropped. Both were arrested based on surveillance footage that shows a man who is clearly not Korlewala. He opens up to Newhouse about the experience.

“When I realized that it was not a joke, that I was in jail, it was the most fearful thing that ever happened to me in my life. Because it was wrong,” Korlewala said. “I’ve never been arrested in my life. I could see my whole future just went blank.”

Read the rest of Newhouse’s story here.

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Live outdoor jazz and scholarships; a feel-good Friday in Cedar Park

July 9, 2015

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2014 Cedar Park Neighbors scholarship recipients. (Photo courtesy CPN)

Tomorrow evening is a good chance to catch some outdoor jazz at Cedar Park (49th and Baltimore) and congratulate a hard-working group of neighborhood young people who are heading off to college.

Gretchen Elise and Friends is scheduled to take the stage at 6 p.m. as part of the Summer Live Jazz Fridays in Cedar Park series. In between sets, folks from the community group Cedar Park Neighbors will announce the recipients of college scholarships from the Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fund. Each year Cedar Park Neighbors award scholarships to students in the neighborhood.

As always, the concerts are free and open to everyone.

Upcoming concerts in the Jazz Fridays series include:

• July 10th – Gretchen Elise and Friends
• July 17th – Dahi Divine and Friends
• July 24th – Broke and Blue Band
• July 31st – Side by Soul

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SEPTA July 4 service changes

July 3, 2015

On Saturday, July 4, SEPTA Transit Service including bus, trolley and subway service will operate on a Sunday schedule. Regional Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4. On Saturday, additional service will be added on many lines to accommodate travelers heading to and from events in Center City. Planned service changes by mode include:

Market Frankford and Broad Street Lines

Additional trains will be added on each line beginning at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, providing service every 5 to 7 minutes through 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. Regular weekend “Night Owl” rail service will be in effect throughout the holiday weekend, providing trains every 20 minutes until 5:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 15th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line and City Hall and Race-Vine Stations on the Broad Street Line provide easy walking access to and from the Parkway.

Trolley

Additional trips on Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will be added on Saturday evening headed to Center City before the concert and fireworks show on the Parkway, with additional trolleys departing Center City on each line after Parkway events end.  Continue Reading

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