The other day, when walking along Baltimore Ave we lamented that there was only one Dollar Stroll this year. It took place June 19 – seems like a long time ago. Today University City District (UCD) announced that due to popular demand, a second Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll this season is coming on Thursday, Sept 18! That’s great news for Dollar Stroll fans.

A record number of visitors flocked to the area for the last stroll, so UCD together with the Baltimore Avenue Business Association (BABA) are excited to bring the season’s second Dollar Stroll to Baltimore Avenue, between 43rd and 51st Streets.

As always, the event will start at 5:30 p.m. and go on until 8:30 and all are welcome to sample $1 items from local vendors during these three hours. There’s something for everyone – from $1 pours of craft beers to various bites for a buck to special memberships and ticket offers. In addition, there will be live entertainment at the 46th Street Triangle, including music from Y-Not radio, jugglers and fire artists.

The event (Facebook page) will happen rain or shine, according to the organizers. More information about participating businesses and their $1 specials is coming soon. Stay tuned.

Friday night Gush Gallery opened its doors. During dusk hours on the otherwise quiet 5000 block of Baltimore Avenue, warm yellow light and dozens of people spilled into the streets. People were here to see Gush’s first show, Embark, which features a number of lesser known artists from around Philadelphia.

The crowd had a punk feel and included artists, art lovers, neighbors and family. Interesting pieces included a skull reconstructed with crochet, a light shaded with faux bones, an image of a row home floating in a lake with bass swimming underneath, and a set of cherished family items sewn firmly into felt, reminiscent of bugs in a spider web.

A year long buildup came before Friday night. It started with a casual conversation between two Pratt classmates, Stephanie Slate and Sarah Thielke. Next came an Indiegogo campaign bolstered by an active Facebook and Tumblr feed. Plans had the gallery opening in 2015 but a Craigslist discovery of an old barbershop at a great price in a prime location accelerated the schedule.

Now that Gush is open (5015 Baltimore Ave, T-F 1-8 p.m., S-S 12-6 p.m.), the owners hope to maintain their business not just through the sale of art, consignment and T-shirts. They also offer by-the-hour use of a high quality workstation, scanner and printer. More events will come too, including art classes, and group critiques.

Stephanie and Sarah are very eager to invigorate the West Philadelphia art community. They hope to collaborate with other West Philly artist hubs such as the Gold Standard Cafe, and Soapbox Gallery. They would love to bring First Fridays out west as well. In the words of Stephanie, “We totally want people to come in and say ‘Hey I’m an artist’ and hang out. We want to see their work and we want to show their work.”

– Selah Lynch

Photos by Selah Lynch / West Philly Local.

Talking Headz’s new location at 4922 Baltimore Ave. (Facebook photo)

If you are heading to Talking Headz for a haircut, a trim or coloring, please take notice that the neighborhood hair salon with the motto “Rad Hair for Rad People” has recently moved a little further west on Baltimore. As of July 5, 2014, Talking Headz is operating in the heart of Cedar Park – at 4922 Baltimore Ave.

The salon first opened in 2011 in a small space at 4714 Baltimore Ave and quickly gained popularity for its friendly staff, awesome vibe, and reasonable prices (check out recent Yelp reviews and an older review by a neighbor and blogger West Philly Mama).

The new space seems great and has much more room. They have eight chairs now in comparison to just three at the old location and new staff was hired to keep up with the expansion. The salon has also added an extra day of operation. It is now open Monday through Sunday during the following hours: Monday 12 – 6 p.m., Tuesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Wednesday 12 – 8 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 12 – 5 p.m.

According to their website, the Talking Headz people can cut your hair “ranging anywhere from classic to wild.” The place is also kid-friendly (we can confirm) and they even have a kids play area. By the way, kids haircuts start at just $16. Prices for adult haircuts range from $21-$36 depending on the length of your hair. Walk-ins are welcome but not always available, so appointments are recommended. You can make an appointment by calling 215-729-2028.

For more information about Talking Headz, their services and pricing, visit their website.
 

We’re sad to report that one of Spruce Hill’s fixtures, Marigold Kitchen, is closing soon, according to various reports. The owner and chef, Robert Halpern, is moving on and selling the restaurant, which he has owned since 2009.

Marigold Kitchen has received great reviews and drawn customers from all over the city and beyond with its delectable dishes. Just recently, the restaurant went menu-free.

The final night of operation will be June 28, according to Philly.com’s The Insider. Regular dinner will be served until May 19, followed by a series of “small, super-seasonal ‘best of’ dinners” on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from May 30 through June 28, 2014.

Although we’re seeing a little setback with the weather, here’s some great news: University City District began re-installing “parklets” (outdoor seating platforms), throughout the neighborhood. Yesterday, the UCD installed two of them – one by the Green Line Cafe on Baltimore Ave and another one by Little Baby’s Ice Cream in Cedar Park:

Today UCD crews installed 43rd St. (@GreenLineCafe) & 49th St.(@LittleBabysIC) Parklets! Enjoy them #UCDPARKLETS pic.twitter.com/QhGG7K4Hhd

— University City (@ucdphl) April 14, 2014

Overall, five parklets will be installed in the neighborhood, all near trendy local shops, cafes and restaurants (though, like parks, they are public spaces so you don’t have to buy anything to sit in them):

Parklet by Fu-Wah Market on S. 47th St. (archived photo).

• 4040 Locust St (hosted by Ramen Bar)
• 261 S. 44th St (hosted by Honest Tom’s Tacos and Lil’ Pop Shop)
• 4239 Baltimore Ave (hosted by Green Line Cafe)
• 810 S. 47th St (hosted by Fu-Wah Market)
• 4903 Catharine St (hosted by Little Baby’s Ice Cream and Hibiscus Cafe)

The city’s first parklet was installed on 43rd Street near Green Line Cafe in the summer of 2011. Parklets, which are a wood and metal platform with tables, chairs and planter boxes, usually pop up in April and remain through October or until the cold weather sets in. Although enjoyed by many, parklets have also received some criticism, since they take up parking spots, which are hard to find in our area.

Gary’s Nails Salon (Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local)

Well, readers, it looks like Gary’s Nails Salon which was severely damaged after Elena’s Soul Christmas Eve fire in 2012, is coming back better than ever.

As we reported in October, Gary’s Nails was undergoing some roof renovations after almost a year of silence since the demolition of Elena’s Soul Lounge destroyed the nail spot at 4910 Baltimore Avenue. Turns out, as we saw when we passed by yesterday afternoon, there’s a bit more work happening on the building.

When we peaked inside Gary’s Nails through the empty window frame, it looked as though the interior is shaping up for a revival. Multiple beams were erected throughout the salon, forming what seem to be the foundation for new bays. We also noticed two permits on the wall—according to Philadelphia Licenses and Inspections, Gary’s Nails was issued an electrical permit on January 16, which is active, to install a service breaker; and a plumbing permit on January 14 (updated on February 19), also active, to install toilets and bathrooms, sinks, ten pedicure chairs, and a laundry tub.

No one was on site to give us more details, so we’ll post an update as soon as we have more information.

–Annamarya Scaccia