H Y PERLOC AL
DON E DI F F E R E N T LY
FISHTOWN + KENSINGTON + NORTHERN LIBERTIES + PORT RICHMOND + BRIDESBURG
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WEEK JANUARY 11, 2017 VOL. 14 NO. 02
ST. LAURENTIUS
Potential developer says historic designation of church’s interior could make adaptive reuse “nearly impossible.” 8
FIRST FRIDAY Freezing temperatures, fine art, full pints and geeky fun found on Frankford Ave.’s First Friday 6
BONGO BILLY Open Mic regular at The Fire explains what makes his music tick. 5
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Dining Out in the
Winter Doldrums New Restaurants to Get You Out of Those Sweatpants and Into the Neighborhood Written by Ptah Gabrie
Find out whats being built on your block. 11
BALDSPOT Spirit's own weekly games and comics. 10
ACCU-REGGIE Seven day forecast for the Riverwards. 3
W
ith the holidays in our rearview mirror, we’re now entering that special time of year when we go into our own forms of hibernation. It’s cold outside and if it’s snowing, you may find yourself in sweatpants binge watching the latest docudrama or Netflix series on your lengthy watchlist. Unlike bears and chipmunks, though, people need to eat during our mini-hibernation periods. If you like to cook, throwing a bunch of your favorite ingredients into a slow cooker and returning hours later is an easy way load up. An alternative is resorting to your neighborhood sandwich, pizza or chinese food joint that delivers right to your door, so you only have to take a short glance at the outside world before slamming the door and devouring your latest GrubHub order. These don’t have to be the only way to get through these winter doldrums, however. Even as the snow is falling, there are plenty of brand new restaurants in our neighborhoods that are ready to satisfy your mid-winter munchies. Here are a few of our favorite new spots to get you out of those joggers and into the real world before spring.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Gaul and Co. Malthouse 3133 Gaul St. — Port Richmond
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Gaul and Co. Malthouse has balanced the feeling of a neighborhood pub with fresh takes on classic Philly sandwiches. The combination is sure to warm you up the next time you’re in Port Richmond. When you walk in, the bar’s old-school charm will captivate you, but it’s what you’ll smell that will make your mouth water. I brought a friend with me to sample what Gaul and Co. had to offer. We sat at one of the cozy two seat tables and ordered two sandwiches and an appetizer. The appetizer arrived first. I ordered buffalo cauliflower bites. I’ve been learning more and more about the versatility of cauliflower in vegetarian cooking and Gaul and Co. nailed it. The cauliflower bites were soaked in hot sauce and served with bleu cheese and celery. I was surprised how similar the texture was to dark meat chicken. With all that hot sauce slathered on each bite it was easy to forget I was eating cauliflower. The two sandwiches followed shortly after. First was the “Arnold Ziffel Cast Party,” which is Gaul and Co.’s take on
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HOT OFF THE
PRESS
Philly’s most underrated sandwich, the roast pork. One thing that can easily ruin a roast pork is overcooked broccoli rabe. It’s bitter and overpowers the savory pork. The broccoli rabe on Gaul and Co.’s sandwich was perfectly cooked. Marinated roasted red peppers top off the gravy soaked pork, so it might get messy. Even so, this sandwich is worth the mess. Then came the “Wit or Witkowski” — a marriage of two Philly classics, the cheesesteak and the kielbasa sandwich. According to Manager Billy Flavin, the owners were looking to produce a different kind of sandwich that would still appeal to the neighborhood. “They thought since we were in a Polish neighborhood, let’s try to incorporate classic Polish ingredients and do a little twist on it,” Flavin said. There’s usually a kielbasa sandwich on every mom and pop restaurant or bar menu in Port Richmond, which makes sense given the neighborhood’s demographic. Gaul and Co.’s take is a little different than most. Instead of serving a whole link of sausage, these guys chip up locally-sourced kielbasa like a cheesesteak. It’s a totally different mouth feel. The sandwich is topped off with caramelized onions and American cheese sauce. You get the smokey goodness of the kielbasa with a cheesy, gooey chipped meat texture just like a cheesesteak. Tart Araperia 18.64 1204 N. Front St. — Kensington www.tartareperia.com
There’s a new restaurant open right next to the entrance to the Girard El Station in the space formerly occupied by First Street Steaks. The new business, TartAreperia, serves a fresh take on a classic Venezuelan dish. Traditional Arepas are a meat-stuffed white cornmeal cakes. To set themselves apart, TartAreperia serves their meat fillings in a round cornmeal tart. The tart is firm and houses whichever filling you choose. Co-owner Nestor Ayala says no one else is serving arepas like this. “If you want to eat a tart arepa, this is the only place you will find it,” Ayala said. “I think that in a growing area like this, we could definitely use more businesses that present different types of choices for the locals. It Continued on Page 4.
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 THE
local lens hiladelphia’s sugary drink tax is now in effect. But as residents are experiencing various levels of shock and dismay at the dig into their pocketbooks, City Hall may be planning a second assault, so get ready! Why stop at soda, after all? In time, we may find that this soda tax will do little or nothing to help fund the city’s Pre-K (expensive daycare) program. That’s because the tax money from all Coke, Pepsi and fruit juice sales (some markets have included hot sauces in the sugary drink tax) are being funneled to other sources, like the city’s fund balance. This time next year, with sugary drink consumption way down in the city because of the extra cost, His Honor and City Council may be looking at other possible tax sources. Don’t be surprised if the mayor announces that super sweet cereals should be taxed, along with processed meats, frozen French fries and microwave popcorn. Microwave popcorn, after all, contains diacetyl, perfluorooctanoic acid and plenty of trans fats — a far more unhealthy food than your average sugary drink. Imagine this: The mayor may explain that these new taxes will go toward an expanded Pre-K program that will include first and second grader “lifestyle costs.” The Post-K Lifestyle Enhancement Program (PLEP) will ensure that elementary school children are able to afford arts and cultural activities on the weekends, and even bus trips to Longwood Gardens. Once PLEP is underway, Councilwoman Helen Gym could call for an upgrade, The Middle School to Adulthood Program (MSAP), which will help fund extra learning college preparatory courses and weekend educational seminars for students who are not gifted, but who would like to be gifted. An additional special tax will then be levied on fast food chicken nuggets, which of course is another unhealthy food with more than its fair share of synthetic ingredients, including Red #40, diglycarides and carrageenan. Ms. Gym, in her enthusiasm for MSAP, may find it advisable to go way beyond taxing chicken nuggets, since that food is not universally loved. What is closer to being universally loved is candy, chocolate, jams and jellies containing high fructose corn syrup. The additional new tax imposed on these products would ensure that almost every jam in the supermarket would go way up in price, except for a very small selection of highly expensive organic jams, which are normally two or three times the price as the fructose-ridden jams. The net tax gain from MSAP would go a long way to fund labor intensive “I’m going to make you a genius” (the slogan of MSAP’s city wide campaign) workshops throughout the Philadelphia School District. Within a short amount of time the Philly School system would see rapid improvement in the grades of average students who wish to be gifted, and Ms. Gym will be awarded a ribbon in City Hall. But at the end of the day, even this tax will not be enough. A movement will surface that will raise the question: What about those mechanically inclined students who don’t wish to go to college, but who cannot find a trade school to polish their technical skills? The Tech School Star Launch (TSSL) will be proposed by Mayor Kenney at the beginning of his second term. TSSL will help mechanically inclined students to make the most out of their talents and it will also fund a city-wide public relations campaign to help eliminate the charges of some that technical school isn’t as good as a college education. Because TSSL would need substantial funding, Mayor Kenney, with the assistance of Mark Squilla and Ms. Gym, will work on another food tax levy. The focus this time will be processed meats, which can cause hypertension, colon cancer and diabetes — three big No-No’s no matter how you slice it. A hefty tax on processed meats will easily sail through by City Council, but the bill will not include expensive organic meats, like Boar’s Head products. When this tax, called The Big Meat Levy (BML), is proposed there will be a huge uproar from Mom and Pop food stores and mainstream, grocery chains. The outcry will be much like the initial protest when the sugary drink tax was first proposed. Like then as now, the protest won’t mean a thing: City Hall will get what it wants and in the end most processed meat (a variety of cheeses will be added at midnight on the day before the singing of the bill) will be taxed. In time, observers will begin to see diminishing lines in city supermarkets, but there will also be increased auto traffic from Philly into New Jersey, Delaware and other neighboring states that don’t have a Mayor Kenney or a Helen Gym in office. Optimists will try to placate de-
BY THOM NICKELS
pressed consumers by pointing to all the foods still left on the shelves that are not taxed, like broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, lentils, lima beans, beets, succotash, eggplant and liver. Perhaps the biggest controversy will occur when City Hall decides that even with all these new taxes, the bounty seems to disappear too quickly. We still need money, the politicians will say, only this time we need it for the sanitation department and to help keep city pensions afloat. A tax on frozen chicken pot pies and frozen entrees, with their high amounts of sodium, trans fats, steroids, hormones and cholesterol, will be imposed as a final measure, with the mayor promising that this will be the last tax, “so help me God.” By this time, however, most Philadelphians will be in the habit of leaving the city to shop. City Line Avenue in Bala Cynwyd will be thick with clogged traffic as families drive back and forth into Montgomery County to hit the big shopping malls. Philly grocery stores will see profits slip as the lines in city markets become thinner and thinner. Many will also opt to leave the city altogether. Mayor Kenney, at the end of his second term, will balk at the mass exodus and try to impose an exit tax to penalize fleeing businesses and residents. But in the end this will not work. By this time, of course, Helen Gym will have finished her terms and found a new political opportunity in New York while ex-Mayor Kenney contemplates retirement in Palm Beach. A new candidate for mayor, another product of the city’s political machine, will promise four more years of continued growth and prosperity. They will be elected, after which other taxes will be imposed until at last the city will find itself on the brink of disaster. Many of the students who benefited from the slew of programs under Mayor Kenney will now be struggling parents trying to make ends meet. They will have no choice but to move to Pennsauken or Audubon, New Jersey, far away from the towering image of Billy Penn on top of City Hall. P.s.: Shortly after Denmark instituted a tax on sweet drinks in the 1930s, that country soon realized it was losing millions of dollars in illegal soft drink sales, yet they did nothing to repeal the law. Instead they imposed a 2.3 percent flat tax on foods with saturated fat. What seemed like a quick fix was abolished in 15 months when it was revealed that less than 7 percent of Danes had bothered to reduce their fat intake and that most Danes were traveling to Germany and Sweden to do their food shopping. In the end, Denmark decided to ditch both the soda tax and the fat tax, and the Danes have been happy ever since. •
O’Brien named Democratic chairman of Urban Affairs Committee State Rep. Mike O’Brien, D-Phila., will serve as Democratic chairman of the House Urban Affairs Committee for the 2017-18 legislative session. He is the first chairman from the 175th Legislative District in more than 30 years. "I will be working to advance legislation to help Philadelphia and Pennsylvania's other cities. I appreciate the Democratic leadership entrusting me with this important position," O'Brien said. The Urban Affairs Committee oversees bills pertaining to the general governance of Pennsylvania’s cities and
THOM NICKELS IS A PHILADELPHIA BASED AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, POET, FILM CRITIC & FEATURE WRITER FOR SPIRIT NEWS.
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most-populated counties, and the operations of housing and redevelopment agencies, municipal authorities — and common-interest ownership communities such as condominiums, real estate cooperatives and planned communities. Additionally, the committee handles legislation related to manufactured housing and economic and community development. The committee has a long history of working to develop measures to eradicate blight and stimulate the commercial and residential revitalization of the state’s older communities. The 175th Legislative District covers areas in Northern Liberties, Fishtown and Kensington. •
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 S E V E N D AY F O R E C A S T F O R T H E R I V E R WA R D S
accu-reggie TWITTER: @ACCUREGGIE • FACEBOOK: ACCU-REGGIE
W
e made it! We survived the harshest period of winter so far! Last week, winter was not playing around. We received, officially, 4.9” of snow from two storms over 3 days. Meanwhile, we were lucky to see 30 degrees in the temperature department. While you may already be weary of winter, have no fear! The pattern is about to reverse again in favor of some warmth and rainy conditions. While we will still get snow, ice and cold the next 2 weeks, we don’t have to worry about extreme winter weather like bone-crushing cold and epic blizzards. The warmth this week is going to feel like balmy spring weather after dealing with the constant cold of last week.
Waves of moisture are going to ride along a frontal boundary creating different bouts of rain, snow and ice throughout the week. Wednesday starts off with the first wave of rain before things turn breezy and dry. It will be mild as temperatures get to the lower 50s. Wave 2 of rain begins overnight into Thursday. Thursday is the warmest day of the week. It will be cloudy, but most of the rain will be to our north. Temperatures will climb through the 50s to near 60! The cold front drops south on Friday so it’s going to be a cooler day with temperatures dropping through the 40s into the 30s.
Saturday features wave 3 in the afternoon which looks to start off as snow (maybe 1-2 inches) before ending as some sleet and freezing rain. This will be the coldest bit of moisture this week as winter decides to return, albeit briefly. Any remaining snow and ice will wrap up Sunday morning as we wait for wave 4, which should bring warmer weather (40s) and clouds back into the picture. On Monday, showers begin in the afternoon. The bulk of the storm will occur on Tuesday as rain. While this storm may trend colder, the chance of snow remains primarily in the Poconos for now. It will be a chilly rain in Philly. Yuck! •
FINANTA
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017
Continued from Page 1. brings value to this area too.” The menu also has a few entrees, as well as some interesting Venezuelan breakfast items that, according to Ayala, can also be considered appetizers. If you are a fan of mozzarella sticks — we most certainly are — then you will definitely want to try the Tequenos. These are breaded and fried pieces of queso blanco, which is a standard cheese in many Latin American dishes. It resembles a classic mozz’ stick, but the flavor of the queso blanco is much different. It’s a soft cheese with a hint of sweetness that makes for a perfect breakfast snack with a cup of coffee. I started with the Asado Negro tart. The beef roast is slow cooked in a mixture of brown sugarcane and Venezuelan spices that cooks down to a rich, black sauce. The beef flakes apart just like brisket does after hours of careful slow and low attention. The brown sugar caramelizes as the beef cooks, creating a perfect harmony of sweet and savory that compliments the melt-in-your-mouth shreds of beef. The Camarones al Ajillo, or garlic shrimp, is a stir-fry of shrimp cooked in Spanish olive oil with garlic and parsley. Once the shrimp are in the tart, they’re drizzled with a light, creamy green sauce and garnished with tiny bits of parsley. This dish is simple with its ingredients, but I found the combination of garlic shrimp with the sweetness of the cornbread tart to be perfect. Usaquen 1451 E. Columbia Ave. — Fishtown (Inside Philly Style Bagels) Follow on Instagram @usaquen.philly A few years ago, Philly Style Bagels (PSG) was an Instagram phenomenon that had Fishtowners lining up outside Pizzeria Beddia on Sunday mornings for a taste. In the truest fashion of remembering where you came from and giving back, PSG has been hosting a monthly pop-up inside their own brick and mortar store at 1451 E. Columbia Ave. called Usaquen. Usaquen is a Colombian food pop-up co-owned by Mel Tenorio and Samantha Schlegel. It offers both meat dishes and veggie options. “We normally try to make at least one vegetarian option that’s like a full dish,” Schlegel said. Tenorio added that he hopes his meatless items appeal to the walking demographic, but it is a compromise he’s willing to make. “I would love to make more meat, but I don’t think that would be fair for everyone,” Tenorio said. “In Colombia, there’s no such thing as being a vegan. You rarely meet a vegetarian. Over there they think vegetarian is someone that still eats chicken.” We caught up with Usaquen at two of their recent pop-up events. At the first event, Usaquen serving up their version of a Colombian Hot Dog — a chorizo sausage dressed up with salsa rosada which is a mixture of ketchup, mayo and spices. Then it’s hit with a reduced pineapple sauce, crushed potato chips and homemade cole slaw. I also ordered some beef empanadas and coconut rice to go with my dog. Once I had my grub, I walked over to a bench in Palmer park and got to business. The chorizo was exactly how I like it. It wasn’t overcooked and the outer casing snapped as I bit into the spicy sausage. The cool toppings add a freshness and contrasts the saltiness of the meat. I then proceeded to tear into the beef empanadas. A mixture of seasoned beef and red peppers is stuffed into empanada dough before being baked in Philly Style Bagels’ oven. The pastry comes out light and flaky. It’s similar to a jamaican beef patty in texture, but has a unique Latin American flavor. I doused everything in aji, which Tenorio said is a staple Colombian condiment. The mixture of chopped green onions, cilantro, vinegar, lemon and tomato looks like salsa, but the flavor and texture is different. Tenorio says chopping the ingredients rather than pureeing them is key to the authentic aji flavor. I managed to fit bites of the sweet coconut rice into my mouth in between the chorizo and empanadas. The next time I popped in, I tried the Colombian Chees-
Nanaimu Bar
Wit or Witkowski (L) and Arnold Ziffel Cast Party (R) esteak. Thinly sliced beef tenderloin was grilled up and served on a roll from Ba Le Bakery in South Philly. Ba Le is known for some delicious banh-mi, but Usaquen uses the roll for their sandwich. Usaquen’s take on this Philly classic is served with sweet onion, red peppers, mushrooms and a colombian tomato sauce. It was topped with crumbled queso blanco. The aji came on the side, but soon found its way onto my sandwich. This was the first Colombian cheesesteak I had ever had, and I enjoyed it a lot. The beef was tender and the tomato sauce made the taste unique. Usaquen has been gaining a following of people in search of authentic Colombian flavor, so be sure to follow them on Instagram to find out when their next event is. There’s always something new on the menu. Cake Life 1306 Frankford Ave. — Fishtown www.cakelifebakeshop.com Frankly, I have no business eating any more sweets after the amount of treats that I shoveled into my mouth over the holiday season. I made one exception and indulged yet again with a few of Cake Life’s sweet and savory goodies. The newest cake shop in the ‘hood recently opened up next to Bottle Bar East along Frankford Ave. Coconut rice with beef empanadas and aji.
Camarones Al Ajillo (L) and Asado Negro (R)
I love anything with chocolate and espresso, so the Double Chocolate Chip Espresso cookie seemed like a wise decision. It was. The outer layer of cake featured a little crispiness that protected the interior layers of pretty soft to super soft “oh my god yes” chocolate. If you’re looking for something savory, Cake Life has a variety of quiches, sandwiches and hand pies as well. I sampled the bacon cheddar scone. Scones are super flakey on the inside, with an outer crust that holds it together. Cake Life’s version of this breakfast pastry was perfect. The flakey inside gives way to little pieces of bacon suspended in the buttery cheddar dough. It’s definitely a winner if you need a little bacon in the morning. I was told by the woman serving me that I had to try the Nanaimu bar. I never question any professional advice about sweets, so I took her at her word. This treat was decadently amazing. It features a chocolate chip cookie crust with shreds of coconut mixed into it, topped with a thick almond and vanilla custard and a square of chocolate. Eating this treat was a delicious process. As I bit into it, soft custard is pressed between the harder layers. The top piece of chocolate forced the custard to bulge out of the side of the bar. What followed was a bite, chew and lick process as I cleaned up the excess custard with my tongue. I repeated the process until I found myself licking my fingers clean. • Colombian hot dog.
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 WRITTEN BY SEAN BARRETT
Bongo Billy
THE KING OF RANDOM MUSIC AND HIS 50-YEAR REIGN “Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness.” - Allen Ginsburg It’s 11:30PM on a Monday. A man in sunglasses and a full white beard approaches the stage of a small club wielding a large chili-pot and its lid. Seemingly from the ether, he produces a set of wind chimes, which he hands off to someone from the audience, then does the same for his bongos. As a noisy, yet coherent, rhythm is unearthed, he begins calmly delivering a poem about his appetite for music. This rises into a crescendo where he leads all present in shouting “DINNERTIME!!!” at the top of their lungs in anarchic glee, instantly destroying all boredom, alienation and despair within earshot. We are all made young. Who is this bright-eyed, old prankster-wizard of joyous liberation? He is best known to Philadelphia’ music world as Bongo Billy. Born Bill Clancy in Port Richmond on August 11, 1959, Baby Boy Bongo was an unpredictable, hyper-active child. As he put it, “I was a rambunctious child, always getting into things, doing things and tapping on tables. I was one of those kids, corner kids, ‘Get in the corner!’” Against the grain of his being, the musician inside this four-year old promised to behave in begging his parents to let him stay up late on February 9, 1964 to see his favorite band, The Beatles, on The Ed Sullivan Show, their first U.S. appearance. As they played “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” to a literally hysterical audience, some switch was flipping in that young brain. “I said ‘That’s what I wanna be.’ I swear to this very day, I said, ‘That’s what I wanna be, a musician.’ Ever since that moment, it never stopped.” What he didn’t know at the time was that another life-changing moment was hiding in the shadows, stalking it’s prey. “I fell down a flight of steps when I was a kid, months after [the Ed Sullivan performance]. I fell down and lost my hearing for a while. For years I had wax build-up. My mother would say ‘pop your ears’ and write in on the paper so I could read it. She would grab my nose and she would [holds my nose and puffs out cheeks]. I was going nuts without my hearing. All I could remember was the Beatles songs in my head.” With wax in his ears and The Beatles in his head, little Billy was enrolled into Ebensburgh, a sort of cross between hospital program and boarding school, where he would learn sign-language and, as he slowly regained hearing, would help staff members and deaf clients work together and communicate. More relevantly though, it was here that he joined the choir and the marching band. His first official musical performance was at their 1966 Christmas play in which he sang "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" and hit the drums for "Little Drummer Boy". By the time he left, at the age of nine, he was in his first rock ‘n’ roll group, One Band United, with other clients. After spending his teenage years in various cover bands, Billy said another shift in his journey revealed itself in 1982, when “I saw [Herb Murray] perform solo at a talent show and said ‘I gotta jam with this guy.’" So jam with that guy he did. That jam became by far Billy's longest running band, The Work Addicts, playing for fourteen years until 1996. As the band began to dissolve, Billy found musical collaboration in another area of his life when he began living with Helen Way. “She had a beautiful voice. She was blind; I lived in her house and helped her out, made her food, guided her places, stuff like that, and I lived with her for 21 years. She was up there in age, but if you talked to her on the phone, you would think she was a young woman. She had a beautiful voice, man.” That beautiful voice lived, danced, and breathed atop Billy’s bongo-playing for the whole of those twenty-one years, with the group they formed playing parties they would host at their home. It was a rhythm they would hold until 2014, when life pulled the rug out from underneath their feet. “She died three days before Herbie did, back-to-back. When Helen passed away I was devastated; when Herbie passed away, I was devastated.” Just before Herb’s death, Bill had been preparing to go play with Herb at The Fire’s open mic, where Herb had been playing every Monday since 2006. Instead, what he arrived for was the Herb Murray Tribute Show, their first open-mic without him. “I found out he was getting sick and ill and everything. He got diabetes and went blind and passed on. They helped him on stage and he wanted to play one more time. I never had a chance to play with him at The Fire. To this very day, that’s gonna haunt my ass.” Rather than falling prey to the inaction of despair, as many would have done in his shoes, Billy kept bringing his antics to the table, Monday after Monday, just as Herb did
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This report is courtesy of Larry Levin, Coldwell Banker Preferred. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright ©2017 before him. “When I first started at The Fire, I didn’t have bongos for the first three months. I was just playing pots and pans, cans, the tom-tom. When I got the bongos, that put my name right in place: Bongo Billy.” Not long after, he would add the Connie’s Ric Rac openmic on Wednesdays in the Italian Market to his regular itinerary. On Sundays, Billy also plays with the band at Cross Tabernacle Baptist Church, a black gospel church made up mostly of Herb’s extended family, who became Billy’s god-family not long after losing Herb. A man of faith, he still goes every Sunday not just to play music and not just to see what has become his family, but to give thanks for his ability to play and share his songs with others. Among those songs are “Ghetto Ghost Town” and “Dope Zombie”, slices of life taken from the streets of K&A and Port Richmond as he’s seen them from before, during, and after the crack epidemic of the early ‘80s. Other topics in-
clude holidays, being picked on, and the power of music. Throughout his journey of becoming the open-mic legend he is today, he has stepped into all sorts of pies, working as a disc jockey for parties in the late ‘80s, voicing “Philly Billy”, a regular call-in personality for local sports radio, dancing at neighborood block parties and sporting events, inhabiting the persona of “Seamus O’Reilly, the crazy Irishman” for a wrestling trivia night, interviewing Harry Kalas, acting in plays and music videos (most recently for Molly Rhythm), and lending his drums and dances to rappers, poets and guitarists alike. The two-song sets of Bongo Billy’s rejuvenating madness can be experienced any given Monday (The Fire) or Wednesday (Connie’s Ric Rac). In recent years, he has taken to calling himself The King of Random Music, and in his kingdom, all are fed. It’s dinnertime, y’all. •
Bongo Billy performing at The Fire open mic night./Natalie Piserchio
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 W R I T T E N B Y J U L I A J A B L O N O W S K I A N D S H E A LY N K I L R O Y
First Friday
F R E E Z I N G T E M P E R A T U R E S , F I N E A R T , F U L L P I N T S A N D G E E K Y F U N F O U N D O N F R A N K F O R D AV E . ’ S F I R S T F R I D AY
T
he initial First Friday of 2017 brought outside temperatures cold enough to see your breath. However, behind closed doors along Frankford Ave., First Friday festivities were underway in a warmer, room-temperature climate.
Philadelphia Brewing Co. 2440 Frankford Ave. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board initiated a new regulation which has allowed breweries to sell beer by the pint without being a brew pub. With this new change in liquor laws, Nancy Barton, owner of Philadelphia Brewing Company, saw this as an opportunity to celebrate, for its first time ever, First Friday style. With doors opened from 5-8:30 PM, brew lovers found a mixture of beer and ciders on tap while sounds of Philadelphia’s River Bones Band filled the tasting room. 10 taps highlighted a variety of beers and ciders. Six beers were showcased, which included Philadelphia Brewing Co.’s Winter Wonder Beer, an amber colored winter spiced ale brewed with plums, dates and cranberries. Four Commonwealth Ciders were also being poured to drinkers’ delight. Not sure what you want? No worries, half pints are $3. And the evening's special guest, a full pint, is only $5. With its first First Friday being a hit, Barton is excited for the months ahead. “We have a couple different artists line up for the next few months,” said Barton. “So hopefully people get word and it just starts building [from here].”
Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse 2578 Frankford Ave. Since last April, this comic book store and coffee shop has hosted “Tribbletang” on First Friday. “It’s a night full of music, art, and geekery,” said Lenn Webb, the creator and producer of podcasting nerd quintet Black Tribbles. The team went live a for an audience and recorded an episode with comedian Darryl Charles. Games like ‘Up, Up, and Away’, where Webb gives a member superpowers and they’ll have to guess what superhero they are, was on the agenda for the night. To reap all of the benefits of Amalgam’s first Friday, Webb encourages one to dig out their nerdy side for the Tribble draft. “All you have to do to become a Tribble is embrace your geek,” said Webb. “Even if you don’t think you are, everyone’s a geek. [Becoming a Tribble] is embracing wherever your geek lies.” Webb is also known as BatTribble due to his fondness for Batman. He told us to work on our own a.k.a. As fans of sloths and goats, we’re currently brainstorming the best versions of our Tribble names. Friday’s recording along with the rest of the Black Tribbles’ podcasts can be found on iTunes, SoundCloud, and on the Black Tribbles’ website.
Space 2033 2033 Frankford Ave. When we walked into Space 2033 we were immediately greeted by the warmth of the room and ambient music that immediately put you into a semi-meditative state. The walls were covered with vibrant and colorful works of art that drew you into the space. Various Philadelphia artists had the opportunity to showcase their art, which all
revolved around the theme of nature. A few artists, such as Leta Gray, Sam Spetner, and Priscilla Anacakuyani Bell, displayed works that more specifically focused on the importance of water in direct response to the issue of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Jess Marino, the owner of Space 2033 and a “No DAPL” supporter, has been holding First Friday benefit shows since Oct. 2016. “Part of those proceeds for any of the [artwork] sales are going to help benefit the people at Standing Rock,” Marino said. While Marino says that this is likely to be Space 2033’s last benefit show for Standing Rock, you can still help support the cause by buying Spetner’s prints. Circle of Hope 2007 Frankford Ave. Local artist Priscilla Anacakuyani Bell not only had some of her work shown in Space 2033, but also was the main focus of a solo show a few doors down at the Circle of Hope. Bell, a community activist, educator and someone of Taino descent, has been working to embrace her ancestry and those who identify with the indigenous culture by making it the main subject of her art throughout the last five years. “These are actual people [referring to the figures in her paintings] that belong to, or self-identify as Taino,” Bell said. She combines their portraits with other visual elements, such as text in a Tanio dialect and excerpts from a 2001 genetic study showing the commonality of Taino ancestry throughout areas such as Puerto Rico, to connect these diverse personalities to their heritage. Want to see her work in person? No problem! Bell’s show will be on display throughout the rest of January in the Circle of Hope’s gallery on Frankford Ave. •
Philadelphia Brewing Co. /Julia Jablonowski
Space2033./Shealyn Kilroy
Circle of Hope./Shealyn Kilroy
Space2033./Shealyn Kilroy
Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse./Julia Jablonowski
The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017
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WRITTEN BY THOMAS BECK
kurant cider KURANT CIDER COMING TO FISHTOWN THIS YEAR
K
urant Cider will be setting up shop in Fishtown at 436 East Girard Ave. in place of a former garage. Reconstruction will begin soon. The cidery is expected to open in August. It will serve as both a test kitchen and a bar at which various Pennsylvania wines, beers and spirits will be sold. Co-owners Joe Getz and Michael Meyers first met when one tried to buy brewing equipment from the other. They were attracted to Fishtown as a place to establish their newest business location because of the neighborhood's “collaborative” aura. Fishtown’s Kurant Cider will include a small brewing system, though most of the production will continue to take place at its flagship location in Bucks County at the Free Will Brewing Company. Several other similar projects are in the works in Fishtown. At 1727 N Front St., the Evil Genius Beer Company will be opening a brewery and tasting room. An old elevator factory at 1100 Frankford Ave. is being converted into the Fishtown Brewpub (to open this spring). Lastly, the Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company is allegedly planning on opening a taproom across the street from the Fillmore. •
Kurant Cider will be setting up shop in Fishtown at 436 East Girard Avenue in place of a former garage./Google Street View
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 WRITTEN BY ANDREW MARK CORKERY
St. Laurentius
P O T E N T I A L D E V E L O P E R S AY S H I S T O R I C D E S I G N A T I O N O F C H U R C H ’ S I N T E R I O R C O U L D M A K E A D A P T I V E R E U S E “ N E A R LY I M P O S S I B L E ”
D
eveloper Leo Voloshin has spent nearly a year attempting to bring about an adaptive reuse of the interior of St. Laurentius Church into 23 apartments. In an interview with Spirit News, he declared that if a recent motion to nominate the church’s interior as historic is approved by the Philadelphia Historical Commission (PHC), his proposed development may become “nearly impossible” to achieve. “It depends on how exactly the interior would be designated as historic,” Voloshin said. “But it would be unlikely that we would be able to proceed with the adaptive reuse we have proposed.” As Spirit News reported in February 2016, Voloshin entered a preliminary agreement to purchase St. Laurentius Church from the Holy Name of Jesus Parish. This agreement is supported by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (AOP). Despite the obstacle that a historic designation would present to the development, the developer stresses that his commitment to the project is unwavering, saying, “This continues to be our focus... to prevent demolition.” PHC recognizes that demolition could be the ultimate outcome following the potential designation if a financial hardship application were to be approved. If Holy Name Parish, the AOP, or developer claims financial hardship on the historic site, demolition could still occur. “The PHC is keenly aware of this possibility,” said Jon Farnham, Executive Director of PHC, in an email to Spirit News. “Designating the interior and thereby perhaps preventing the current redevelopment project would potentially place the entire building at risk.” “If there was no way to feasibly reuse the building, the Historical Commission would need to relax its restrictions to allow the property to be profitably reused,” Farnham added. “Regulating the property such that it had little or no value would be unconstitutional.” According to Farnham the financial resources of the AOP, Voloshin, or any particular developer for that matter, would be irrelevant to the hardship review. He concluded: “The question for a hardship review would
be: Would any prudent developer acting with a profit motive adaptively reuse the building such that it produced a reasonable rate of return? It is a question that is answered by analyzing the construction costs to rehabilitate, the costs to finance the rehabilitation, and the real estate market and possible returns for rent, lease, and sale for various reuses.” Farnham’s comments came after a recent non-binding PHC Committee meeting last month, where the committee recommended that the PHC designate the church's interior as historic. John Wisniewski, a leading member of Save St. Laurentius, put forth the nomination of the church's interior to the PHC Committee. Save St. Laurentius is one of the community groups that has supported efforts to preserve the church since it was deconsecrated and closed by the AOP in March 2014. “It was kind of exciting from our end,” Wisniewski said. ”We had almost a full bus of supporters and a lot of representation at the meeting, including the honorary consul of Poland who represents Southeastern Pennsylvania.” Wisniewski added: “The hearing took two and a half hours, so I think it was obvious that the PHC Committee recognized the historical, cultural and religious value the building has, especially to Polish immigrants in the Phil-
adelphia area.” St. Laurentius was the first Polish-American Church built in Philadelphia. It first opened in 1882. Wisniewski’s support for the church’s interior historic designation — potentially blocking a path to Voloshin’s adaptive reuse of the church — comes in sharp contrast to comments he has made as recently as mid-November. “There have been no takers on this church and [Voloshin] came through,” Wisniewski told Spirit News in an article from November 23, 2016. “I don’t see any other way we can save the exterior aspects of the church unless it’s repurposed and this is the only person that has stepped up to help after much outreach.” Both Wisniewski and Voloshin maintain their relationship remains in great standing. Their disagreement on how to best bring about a future for the church is in no way personal. Instead, Wisniewski’s decision to pursue the nomination of the church’s interior came from his inability to receive “100 percent assurance” from Voloshin that the proposed adaptive reuse would not be derailed or scraped in the event of unforeseen issues once development starts. When pressed as to how this potential scenario differs from one where the AOP is forced to demolish that church, Wisniewski explained: “I don’t have a crystal ball to say that, but the net outcome would still be the same. If either pursue financial hardship, that outcome would still be the same.” Wisniewski noted his evolving personal journey over the past three years of supporting preservation efforts for the church as yet another reason for his push to have the church's interior designated. “I did a lot of personal soul-searching and put all the variables on the table. I came to the conclusion that if there were no variables.. that, yeah, Leo’s plan is great, let’s save the exterior,” Wisniewski said. “I know last time [I] spoke Continued on Page 9.
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 Continued from Page 8.
[to Spirit News], I told you that I was backing [Voloshin’s plan]. But the bottom line was, for my own soul and conscience, I had to go through with the interior designation as a representative of all the people who have been a part of that church and after consulting other preservationists.” Wisniewski concluded: “I’m an accountable man and if I end up being perceived as an instrument through which St. Laurentius was demolished, then let people perceive that. But what everyone is missing are the true culprits, t the holy men who parade around in Catholic robes, that are truly evil.” c Throughout the last three years members of different coms munity groups that have looked to preserve the church, int cluding Save St. Laurentius and The Faithful Laurentians, have repeatedly criticized the AOP. They cite what they per] ceive as the AOP’s lack of willingness to work with those in e the community to find a solution for the church. n Oscar Beisert, the nominator of the church's exterior, concurs with Wisniewski regarding the AOP’s culpability. o “The AOP is a non-profit. They don’t pay taxes and I believe that non-profits should have a higher standard of ethical behavior,” Beisert said. “I do think there are some n ethical questions when it comes to repurposing without y any input from the church's former congregants.” Ken Gavin, Communications Director for the AOP, den clined Spirit News’ request for an interview, saying that he e was “grateful for the opportunity, but will not be available d for a phone interview on this topic.” e The AOP did provided this brief statement via email: “At this time it remains a parish matter. We certainly support s the parish in its efforts to be a prudent steward of its as, sets and look toward the safety of the community but we y have no further comment beyond that at this time.” r However, Beisert’s views somewhat contrast with e Wisniewski when it comes to the viability of nominating the interior of the church as historic. Beisert stresses that r he is against demolition in “all cases,” but believes that r Wisniewski and others who support the interior nominae tion are misdirected in their intentions when it comes to achieving a desired outcome. “I’m still sympathetic to the cause and I know they want e to keep the interior. But you know I have told them all that e I think they are letting the perfect get in the way of the e good,” Beisert said. “This is a developer (Voloshin) who is
reusing the building and is doing it even though the building's exterior is designated historic, which certainly does not make it easier for him. So he is someone we should be celebrating and thanking, not putting barricades in front of a project that is only marginally feasible to begin with.” Members of the Faithful Laurentians (FL) do not subscribe to the hazardous implications of the church's historic designation outlined by Beisert. FL “fully supports” Wisniewski's nomination of the church’s interior to the PHC. Additionally, the group regards discussion of the church's possible demolition in this context as “scaremongering”, designed to stifle all opposition to Voloshin’s proposed adaptive reuse. “Regardless of what you think Leo can do, St. Laurentius Church was built for the community and if it is adaptively reused it should remain a community space — not private apartments,” Jeanne Murphy Curtis, a leading member of FL, said in an email to Spirit News. “The interior should be appropriately documented and archived and integrated into the new use, not painted over or torn out. There are viable concepts that would allow for this; our business plan is just one of those.” In recent months, members of FL have attempted to take matters into their own hands by creating an alternative plan they view as a means to “save the entirety” of the historic structure. Their two-part plan would create a non-profit 501(c)(3) group called the Faithful Laurentians Institute. The new organization would be charged with writing grants, seeking donations, doing public outreach and setting up educational programs to teach people about the church. The plan’s second facet would include a cooperative business arm called the St. Laurentius Polish Cultural Center, which would be heavily engaged in event planning, hosting weddings, corporate events, community functions, concerts and other events. However, there are no available funds for such a plan at this point in time. Leading members of FL also cast suspicion on the motives of Voloshin and his financial backers, Linden Lane Capital. “Not once has Leo Voloshin or his backer, Linden Lane Capital, publicly stated emphatically, ‘We will not demolish St. Laurentius,’” Curtis said. “Voloshin is the face of the project... not the money. Linden Lane Capital is bringing the big money for this project. They have never preserved a building. They are in the business of buying dis-
tressed properties and razing them to build new. So why all of a sudden this charitable change of heart?” But even if the church’s adaptive reuse as apartments continues, Beisert stresses to those in the community that certain elements of the interior could be designated historic, keeping those items intact while not entirely holding the developer back. “There are certain elements you could designate in the interior that would not really interfere, (such as the paintings the columns), because the developer could incorporate those elements into the interior,” Beisert said. “But every statue, every piece of paint — that's what makes it special. The space of the church, without having the objects in it [that would present obstacles for the developer’s plan], is not architecturally significant enough to designate as historic in my view, though.” As a specialist in historic preservation, Beisert has seen similar situations to St. Laurentius play out all over Philadelphia in recent years. “I’m just looking at this situation through a city-wide perspective,” Beisert said. “We have a lot of churches that are going to have to be decommissioned at some point or already are. They are all either underutilized or not maintained well and we have to find new uses for them.” Beisert concluded by drawing distinctions in the ways other global cities utilize their historic architecture. “Paris has a map of churches you can visit to look at the architecture and in Philadelphia we have a map of churches that we have demolished,” Beisert noted. “So we have to be very reasonable in how these buildings are reused, or else we will lose them.” Voloshin stresses to the those in the community the urgency with which he feels his proposed adaptive reuse should be considered, given the alternatives. “Our motivation is to really get going as soon as possible, so that we can really preserve the building before it's too late,” Voloshin said. “[The more time that passes] the more expensive it gets, and this project really hinges on economic viability.” The PHC will consider the nomination and the Committee’s non-binding recommendation for Historic Designation of the St. Laurentius church interior on January 13, 2017. •
WRITTEN BY SPIRIT STAFF
ptssd grants
P T S S D T O AWA R D O V E R $ 1 4 8 , 0 0 0 I N G R A N T S A N D S P O N S O R S H I P S AT T H E J A N U A RY 2 0 1 7 M E E T I N G
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he Penn Treaty Special Services District (Penn Treaty SSD) is proud to announce Grants and Sponsorships to the following recipients. The awards will be presented at the January 18th
a restoration initiative. Core Mural Arts programs such as Art Education, Restorative Justice, and Porch Light yield unique, project-based learning opportunities for thousands of youth and adults. Contact: Melinda Gervasio at melinda.gervasio@muralarts.org
St. Laurentius School – $60,000 to help support the costs of a badly needed new roof. St. Laurentius School serves the children who are entrusted to our care by providing a quality academic education while proclaiming the Catholic faith and enforcing a strong value system. Utilizing a variety of resources, we provide opportunities for individual formation in a safe, caring and challenging environment that meet the needs and challenges for future lifelong learners in a global society. Contact: Elaine McKnight at emcknight@stlaurentius.org
Lutheran Settlement House – $3,500 to help support the 2017 Women of Courage fundraising event on May 10, 2017. Established in 1902, Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) is a non-profit, community-based organization committed to serving children, adults, and families living in Philadelphia. Over the past century, the programs and services offered by LSH have changed in response to the evolving needs of the community. However, the core mission of Lutheran Settlement House — “to empower individuals, families, and communities to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency through an integrated program of social, educational, and advocacy services” — has remained constant. Contact: Christine Stutman at cstutman@lutheransettlement.org
meeting.
Olde Richmond Civic Association – $50,000 to support their Neighborhood Town Watch Security Camera Program in which cameras are distributed to strategic locations throughout Olde Richmond to help police solve crimes. ORCA is a non-political civic association of resident citizens and businesses united for the purpose of maintaining and improving the quality of life for those within its boundaries. ORCA is committed to maintaining a safe, stable, and valued community by uniting neighbors for the purpose of furthering public safety, enhancing neighborhood cleanliness and beautification, maintaining property values and neighborhood stability, participating in development and making this community a great place to live. Contact: Don Gould at dgould@ olderichmond.org Mural Arts Philadelphia – $25,000 to cover costs of supplies for the “Shadow Ripple” Mural to be installed at 1080 N. Delaware Ave. For 30 years, Mural Arts has united artists and communities through a collaborative process, rooted in the traditions of mural-making, to create art that transforms public spaces and individual lives. Mural Arts engages communities in 50–100 public art projects each year, and maintains its growing collection through
St. Anne’s Reunion Committee – $3,500 to support their 2016 “Shore Thing” fundraiser to raise money to install an elevator for access to the upper church. St. Anne's Reunion Committee is dedicated to continuing the reunions that were attended by all fellow classmates, old and new neighbors, and anyone who likes to stay connected to all those we have grown with throughout your lives. Contact: Theresa Stahl at recomstan@gmail.com Fishtown Neighbors Association – $3,400 to cover the costs of the 2017 March Madness event on March 23, 2017. Fishtown is a vibrant Philadelphia community with a rich history, a culture all its own, and plenty of creativity. The Fishtown Neighbors Association is proud to welcome you. We’re a nonprofit, volunteer-run civic association dedicated to making Fishtown the best neighborhood it can be. Contact: Jamie Ware at info@gmail.com Philadelphia Nurse-Family Partnership/National NurseLed Care Consortium – $2,400
to support their Fifteenth Anniversary Celebration event. Our mission: To advance nurse-led health care through policy, consultation, and programs to reduce health disparities and meet people’s primary care and wellness needs. We accomplish our mission by: Providing national leadership in identifying, tracking, and advising healthcare policy development; Positioning nurse-managed health clinics as a recognized mainstream health care model; Fostering partnerships with people and groups who share common goals. Contact: Katherine Kinsey at kkinsey@nncc.us
Beacon – $1,188 to support their 2016 Gingerbread House children’s event. Beacon is a neighborhood faith community located in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia that strengthens our community, its children and neighbors, through faith, art, and storytelling. We believe that creative expression and storytelling provide unique avenues for individual and community transformation and growth. We offer space for creative expression weekly through after school programs for children and youth, community events for all ages, and an open, welcoming worship service. Contact: Hannah Nielsen at info@thewordatbeacon.org
The Penn Treaty SSD, incorporated in 2009, is a 501(c) (3) community-based organization that works to enhance the quality of life for residents of the immediate neighborhoods surrounding SugarHouse Casino—including Fishtown, South Kensington, Old Richmond and Northern Liberties. Funding — which to date has totaled more than $3.7 million — is provided by SugarHouse Casino through an annual donation. Allocation of funds is determined exclusively by the Penn Treaty SSD Board through a grant request form and a review process. For more information on the Penn Treaty Special Services District, or to apply for a grant, visit www.penntreatyssd. com. See more of what we do at our Facebook Page: Penn Treaty SSD. •
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017
epidemic
WORDS AND MUSINGS BY LOCAL AUTHOR JIM MCGOVERN
’ve heard a lot of different things about the heroin epidemic in the streets of Kensington. More than 40 dead so far; 11 died in one weekend. The figure no one knows, though, is the number of OD’s prevented by having the police carry the death-preventive substance called Narcan. However, someone told me that some of the cops are tired of bringing back the same person over and over. There is a lot of talk and inquisitiveness about why people buy drugs they knew were killing others. “Are these people crazy?”, “do they have a suicide/death wish?” For the most part I do not think they want to die, they just want to get very, very high. One weekend, the Daily News printed the ages, gender and location of each body found dead. Most were in abandoned cars or houses and a surprising amount (more than half) were more than 30 years of age. I do suspect that for some of them, going out in a proverbial ‘blaze of a glorious high’ was why they shot the dope cut with the fentanyl, or rat poison or whatever. Word on the street that the dope was killing people made it very popular. Knowing the super powerful stuff was available had the users looking for that and that only. They know they might die, but what is so tragic about the cessation of an existence that is pretty much shit to begin with; at least there will be no more scrambling, hustling or tricking to get that one to make the pain go away. One can assume the hand was dealt as follows: • The percocets started to cost too much, so I graduate to heroin. • Higher doses are needed as the dope tolerance ratchets up and I have to have it. • I need some dope so I won’t be sick. • There is some super shit being sold — it is killing folk so it must be great. • If I do this shit, I might die, but I’ll get nice and high
first. • If I don’t die, I can get me some more... or... • Maybe I can try detox, or rehab, or methadone, or suboxone, or the Last Stop… • Again It hurts more when you know the person who died. Two weeks ago, a beautiful 24-year-old girl was laid out over in Jersey. She had a two-parent family and a positive upbringing. Tonight, I heard of a 23-year-old overdose who used to go to a lot of the same meetings I did. If I recall, she was clean for around a year. She was cheerful and grateful and seemed on the right path. Her dad is also
Photo by Thomas Weir
in recovery and, needless to say, he is near-inconsolable. Then there was the 30-year-old I knew from a long time ago who hung himself last week. So the beat goes on. I haven’t heard too much about the goings on down Kensington/Somerset way lately. The epidemic may be over and the streets and the patrons will return to less frenetic paces of life. The police’s massive bust of drugs, money and weapons a while back will serve as an inconvenience and nothing more. The demand remains, ergo the supply will surely replenish. The rule of the marketplace. Maybe Marx had it right... Jim McGovern is a local writer who can be reached at batesius33@gmail.com •
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 WRITTEN BY THOMAS BECK
development news THE KING OF RANDOM MUSIC AND HIS 50-YEAR REIGN
Fishtown Ampere Capital Group is redeveloping the Ampere Electric Building at 2200 East Norris Street in Fishtown. Riverwards Produce will be located on the first floor and will open in the spring. Two studios and seven one-bedroom apartment units will constitute the three upper floors. The studios are currently available for purchase; the seven other units will be put on the market in February. Established as a fire station in the 1860s, the Ampere Electric Building sold several years ago for $1.25 million. Kensington Construction has begun on the 37,000-square-foot lot at 2649 Amber Street. In October last year, developers proposed constructing 30 homes on the parcel, each with one- or two-car parking. These homes will be located close to the upcoming Woods Square project. The former Ninth National Bank at 1952 - 1958 North Front Street is on the market for $1.8 million. Several years ago, the Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) proposed demolishing the building and replacing it with affordable housing rentals. That plan fell by the wayside. Soon after, Onion Flats announced that it would purchase the property. However, nothing has become of the building yet. The Designation Committee of the Philadelphia Historical Commission voted in favor of recommending adding the former Weisbrod & Hess Brewery to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Due to its deteriorated state, the structure’s chimney is still susceptible to demolition. For financial reasons, co-owners Anton Michaels and Chris Isaacs opposed the nomination (to no avail).
Ampere Electric Building/Thomas Weir
37,000-square-foot lot at 2649 Amber St./Google Street View
Northern Liberties The owners of the Cristalvetro Glass warehouse at 1143 North 3rd Street have proposed tearing down the warehouse and replacing it with a five-story, 26-unit mixed-use building. They first presented their plan to the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association (NLNA) several months ago; they’ll take it to the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) in February. • 1143 North 3rd Street./Google Street View
Thank You! Friends of Penn Treaty Park would like to thank the following people for participating by decorating the tree that is placed in Penn Treaty Park every year. · General Philip Kearny School - Teacher, Rita O’Brien & children · William Cramp School - Teacher, Miss Hopkins & children · Beacon Church - Teacher, Becca & children · Portside Arts Center - Teachers & children · St. Anne’s Senior Center - Ann Bailey and Karen Rouse · Lutheran Settlement House - Theresa & Laura Special thank you to Bo and Gus for the use of the Lobby to place our tree. Thank you to all of the children for the beautiful ornaments that make our tree to festive. Barbara Moorehead, Founder & Vice President of the Friends of Penn Treaty Park.
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017
COMMUNITY
CALENDAR N E W S @ S P I R I T N E W S . O R G • 1 4 2 8 E . S U S Q U E H A N N A AV E • 2 1 5 . 4 2 3 . 6 2 4 6
meet ing s EKNA MONTHLY MEETINGS East Kensington Neighbors Association (EKNA) meets at 6:30PM on the third Monday of the month at Philadelphia Brewing Company, 2440 Frankford Avenue. Next meeting: January 16. Topics will include: Committee Updates, including Zoning and Development; Committee Meeting Time. Not able to make our meeting in person but interested in joining via livestream? Email info@ekna.org for more information! FNA MONTHLY MEETINGS Fishtown Neighbors Association (FNA) meets at 7PM on the third Wednesday of each month at Fishtown Rec Center, 1202 East Montgomery Avenue. Next meeting: January 18. HCA MONTHLY MEETINGS Harrowgate Civic Association (HCA) usually meets at 6:30PM on the first Thursday of each month at Heitzman Recreation Center, 3631 Amber Street. However, this month's meeting is on Thursday, January 12. ORCA MONTHLY MEETINGS Old Richmond Civic Association (ORCA) meets at 7:30PM on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Cione Rec Center, 2600 Aramingo Avenue. Next meeting: January 24. PROPAC MONTHLY MEETINGS Port Richmond on Patrol and Civic (PROPAC) meets at 7PM on the first Wednesday of each month at Columbia Social Club, 3529 Almond Street. Next meeting: February 1. SNBL MONTHLY MEETINGS Somerset Neighbors for Better Living (SNBL) meets at 6:30PM on the first Monday of each month. This month's meeting is on Monday, January 9. Meetings alternate between two locations. This month's meeting is at Rock Ministries, 2755 Kensington Avenue. The February 6 meeting is at Firm Hope Baptist Church, 2313 East Auburn Street. NKCDC OPEN OFFICE HOURS NKCDC is hosting open office hours in the 19134 zip code at two locations. They will be at the Firm Hope Baptist Church on Tulip and Auburn Streets every second Wednesday of the month from 4-7PM. They will assist you with signing up for benefits like SNAP, connecting to housing counselors for any housing needs, rent and property tax rebates, food referrals, health insurance and safety or quality of life issues in your community. For further information contact Tess at tdonie@NKCDC. org or 215-427-0350 x 139. Monday, January 9, 7PM EKNA SMALL BUSINESS & ARTS COMMITTEE Believe it or not, it is almost Trenton Avenue Arts season again! Join EKNA's Small Business & Arts Committee for help expanding our small business connections in and around East Kensington! Planning for the next Trenton Avenue Arts Fest is just starting, and you can be a major part of making this coming TAAF a huge success! Meeting at Soup Kitchen (2146 E Susquehanna Ave.) Wednesday, January 11, 7:15PM EKNA ZONING COMMITTEE Please bring proof of address. Meeting at Circle of Hope (2007 Frankford Ave.) Wednesday, January 11, 6:30PM FRIENDS OF HACKETT GENERAL MEETING We have lots of news to share with you and an exciting number of projects including the schoolyard revitalization, after school programming, and fundraising. This will also serve as an opportunity for those of you who might be interested in lending a hand to one of our many volunteer-based projects to jump on board! We will be meeting at 1714 Mascher Street, and babysitting (and some gymnastics play) will be provided by the amazing Katie Rivera of Flip Out Productions. Thursday, January 12th, 8PM EKNA EDUCATION & YOUTH COMMITTEE Join our Education & Youth Committee to continue the important work of engaging the young people of East
Kensington. Topics of discussion include creating programming to connect with teens and young adults in our neighborhood. Meeting at Liberty Choice (Front and Norris). January 16, 8:30AM-3:30PM MLK DAY OF SERVICE AND CAMP If you have to work and want your kids to have a fun, yet impactful experience consider joining this Service Day and Camp. We are going to hear from some impactful Philadelphians, make gifts for those in need, and collect donations from the neighborhood. $45 per child/ $5 off with a donated non-perishable food item. Camp at 700 North 3rd Street. Email nlartsorg@gmail.com to register. Tuesday, January 17, 7PM FNA ZONING MEETING This meeting will take place at the Fishtown Rec Center, 1202 E Montgomery Ave. All residents and business owners in Fishtown are eligible to vote. Please bring proof of residence or business ownership in the form of a driver’s license or a photo id and a lease, utility bill, or recent piece of mail addressed to your home or business. 1357 E Columbia Ave: Proposal to construct a 4-story single-family residence with accessory parking. 1323R E Montgomery Ave (flag lot between Montgomery and Wilt): Proposal for the construction of 2 multi-family residential structures with a total of 12 dwelling units and 12 accessory parking spaces accessed by a common drive. Thursday, January 19, 7PM FRIENDS OF H.A. BROWN MONTHLY MEETING Join the Friends of H.A. Brown for their monthly meeting Thursday, December 15th at Liberty Choice. Learn more about how to support your local elementary school! Meeting at Liberty Choice (Front and Norris). AL-ANON AT HOLY NAME CHURCH HALL Meetings are held every Monday night from 7-8PM at Holy Name Church Hall at 701 Gaul Street. Anything shared at a meeting stays there and everyone is welcome to attend. Al-Anon meetings are free, anonymous and confidential. NETWORKING MEETINGS Philadelphia Mastermind Group – Every Friday, 8-9:30AM, B2B Networking at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) HAPCO/DIG/GPAR – 2nd Thursday of the Month, 12:001:30PM. Lunch & Learn, real estate meetup at the Greater Philadelphia Association of realtors (341 North Delaware Avenue, Suite 200) DIG/HAPCO – 3rd Wednesday of the Month, 6:30-8:30PM. Philly Riverwards Sub-Group, Diversified Investors Groups meet up at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) For more information contact Joe Scorese 215-290-5108 or jscorese@firstrust.com.
events Wednesday, January 11th, 4-7PM JOB FAIR The Fillmore (Frankford and Allen) is hosting a job fair, and is hiring for various positions such as bartenders, barbacks, cooks, guest services, security, servers, ticket seller) January 23rd, 6PM FINANCIAL PEACE AT RICHMOND LIBRARY The Hope Zone is offering a class at the Richmond Library (2987 Almond St.) to help folks take control of their money.This class will teach you how to: Become Debt Free; Prepare for the Future; Get on a Plan Together. Classes begin Monday, January 23rd at 6PM. A free class for kids 5-12 will also be available. For more information and to register go to http://fpu. com/1032344. Saturday, January, 28th FRIENDS OF MDG DESIGNER BAG BINGO MDG Church Hall located at 2918 E. Thompson St. Tickets are $30.00 each. There will be more than 10 chances to win!! Doors open at 6pm and games will begin at 7PM. For more information and/or to purchase tickets please contact Frank Valentino at 267-408-4926, Chrissy Yancer at 267-688-9470 or Joe/Claire Briscella at 215-680-1870.
January 28 & 29 ART STAR CRAP BAZAAR On Saturday, January 28th from 11-7PM and Sunday, January 29th from 12-6PM at Art Star (623 N. 2nd St.) A "Seconds" Sale in Art Star's gallery space. One offs, samples, and pieces that didn't quite make the cut - all hugely discounted. 25 percent of profits donated to the ACLU of PA Free to attend, open to the public. Participating Artists: Kasie Lyn Jewelry, Le Puppet Regime, Popped Stitches, Stanley Chester & Albert, and West Oak Design.
Third Mondays LOST PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBER SUPPORT GROUP December’s meeting will be December 12th at Cione Rec Center (Aramingo and Lehigh Ave.). For anyone who is suffering the loss of a loved one, a friend, whoever, is welcome.
3rd and 4th Tuesday of Every Month, 6:30PM-8:30PM WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE CLASSES Fishtown Recreation Center is hosting a Women’s Self Defense class 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM on the 3rd and 4th Tuesdays of each month for $10 per class starting 11/15/16. You can register in person at the Rec on weekdays 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM or on Saturdays 9:00 PM to 12:00 noon.
Last Tuesday of every month, 7PM SPIRITUAL INQUEERY A safe space to explore and study the intersection of faith and sexuality for LGBTQIA+ Christians and Inquirers. Come share, listen, learn, and find community support in navigating the trials and tribulations of this life. We meet on the last Tuesday of every month at 1542 E. Montgomery Ave.
Wednesdays, 6PM YOGA AT TOWEY REC Roots2Rise will hold yoga classes at Towey Rec (1829 N. Howard St.). Cost is $5 per class. Participants must bring a mat For more info, visit roots2rise.com
Wednesdays, 6 to 7PM WEDNESDAY EVENING CLEAN-UPS IN EAST KENSINGTON At Huntingdon Emerald (Huntingdon & Emerald) and Arcadia Commons (Kern Street, Mid-Block). Join us each Wednesday evening for clean ups at two of our beloved neighborhood parks! Help keep our green spaces beautiful by supporting Arcadia Commons. Monthly board meetings, open to the public, take place on the third Thursday of each month at 2614 Amber Street.
Thursdays POWERS PARKS FARMER’S MARKET Come attend the Farmers’ Market on Thursdays from 3-7PM at Powers Park (Ann & Almond Streets). Fresh food available from local farms and kitchens. More information (vendors, etc.) is available on the Powers Park Conservancy Facebook page.
Sundays, 12-4PM AMALGAM ADVENTURER’S LEAGUE Adventurers! Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse is now hosting Adventurers' League play on Sundays from noon to 4PM. Bring your level 1 character, or just yourself and our DM will have pre-gens, and join us as we begin the new season of Storm King's Thunder with the Great Upheaval adventure. New and experienced players welcome!
Every Sunday morning, 10AM LET THE CHILDREN COME. Progressive, child-led Christian education for children ages 3-13. Storytelling (with ample time for wondering) with a focus on processing through art. All children and families welcome, regardless of religious affiliation. At Atonement Lutheran Church, 1542 E. Montgomery Ave.
PORTSIDE ART CLASSES Make the season bright. Enroll in Stained Glass, Mosaics, Jewelry Making, or Upholstery and give the gift of a beautiful handmade work of art! To learn more, please visit www.PortsideArtsCenter.org or call us at 215-427-1514
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017
children CUB SCOUT PACK 500 Open to boys in K-5th grade. We meet every Thursday 7-8pm in the St Anne's Annex gymnasium at the corner of Memphis & Tucker. Scouts build projects, learn skills, help the community, and go on hikes and camping trips. Feel free to stop by a den meeting and check it out. For more information, email Den Leader Lisa at Pack500Fishtown@gmail.com
-PORT RICHMOND TIGERS ,Sign up now for indoor tot-basketball, girls and boys ages -3-6. Sign up at Tigers clubhouse (Chatham and Ann) MonAdays thru Friday, 6:30-7:30 or call Tom Mack at 215-275:8838. Season starts in January, so sign up now! , SIXERS NEIGHBORHOOD BASKETBALL LEAGUE Hancock Rec has more openings for players in their SNBL league held at Moffett Elementary School. For more information please contact Coach Larry @215-685-9877, or come to Moffett to register on Mondays, Tuesdays and cWednesdays from 4-6PM.
s -FISHTOWN LIBRARY Tuesdays: Toddler Storytime: Join Miss Dana for stories, songs, and silliness! Tuesdays @ 10:30AM. For ages 0-3 ½
Wednesday -PRESCHOOL STORYTIME AT RICHMOND LIBRARY sThis program is intended for children ages 1-4 and their ncaregiver. Siblings are always welcome. Daycares should 0call for separate appointments. Richmond Branch of the Free Library, 2987 Almond Street. For further information call 215-685-9992.
h . seniors n t yEXERCISE CLASSES FOR PEOPLE AGES 50+ Stay Healthy and Active with a variety of exercise classes at St. Anne’s Senior Center. Latin Rhythm on Mondays at 10:00am; Chair Yoga on Tuesdays at 9:30AM (excluding the 2nd Tuesday of each month;) Tai Chi on Wednesdays . at 10:00AM; EnhanceFitness on Thursdays and Fridays at g 10:30AM; St. Anne’s Senior Center (2607 E. Cumberland St.) For more info call 215-426-9799
CREATIVE ART CLASSES FOR PEOPLE 50+ The Clay Creations class meets weekly on Friday afternoons from 12:30 – 2:00pm. Learn about the art of hand dbuilding to create spectacular pots and other clay forms. h Creating with the Color Wheel on Tuesday afternoons dfrom 12:30- 2:00PM. Participants will mix paint to create - a color wheel and use this technique to create colorful d paintings and eye-catching designs. Registration and madterial fees will be charged for these workshops. St. Anne’s Senior Center (2607 E. Cumberland St.) For more info call 215-426-9799
BINGO m St. Anne’s Senior Community Center has bingo on Mondday and Thursday afternoons. Bingo supplies are on sale starting at 11:00AM. Lunch will begin at 11:30AM. Bingo - will begin at 12:30PM. Please make your meal reservation in advance to dine with us. Free parking is available. CCT Transportation is offered to members who are 65 years of age or older. St. Anne’s Senior Center (2607 E. Cumberland St.) w For more info call 215-426-9799 n d NUTRITION ASSISTANCE FOR SENIORS w Did you know that if you are age 60 or older, or disabled land have low to modest income that you may be eligible for SNAP benefits? Snap is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps) and can provide assistance with purchase of groceries. If you are single and your income is less than $1962/month, or less than $2656/ n month for a couple, you may qualify. There is no limit on )how much a senior has in savings and checking accounts. d Don’t miss out on this important benefit for which you t may be eligible! For assistance in completing an application, contact the Social Service Coordinator at St. Anne’s Senior Center 215-4269799. , - Sundays SUNDAY BINGO rSt. Anne Church will host bingo on Sundays in the Social Hall, Memphis and Tucker streets. Doors open at 4PM; bingo starts at 6PM. Cost is $12. Call 215-739-4590 for more details.
Fridays ART WORKSHOP FOR SENIORS St. Anne’s Senior Center, 2607 E. Cumberland St., is offering an art workshop for people age 50 and older. “Clay Creations” will meet weekly on Fridays, from 12:30-2 PM Participants will learn about the art of hand building to create pots and other clay forms. Those interested should register in advance. For more details call 215-426-9799. SENIOR EXERCISE CLASSES Exercise classes for people 50 and older will be offered at St. Anne’s Senior Center, 2607 E. Cumberland St. Class schedule will be Enhance Fitness on Mondays and Thursdays at 9:30 AM, Chair Yoga on Tuesdays at 9:30AM, Tai Chi on Wednesdays at 10AM, and Line Dancing on the first and third Friday of every month. For more information call 215-426-9799.
faith Wednesdays FIRST PRESBYTERIAN BIBLE STUDY GROUP A Bible study group meets at First Presbyterian Church, 418 E. Girard Ave at 7PM . Come and bring a friend for informative, exciting and lively open discussions. As always, everyone is welcome. Thursdays ST. ANNE WEEKLY NOVENA St. Anne weekly Novena Thursday evening service, 7PM Church of Saint Anne, Memphis St. and Lehigh Ave. Tuesdays PRAYER MINISTRY First Emmanuel Prayer Partners Church, 711 W. Girard Ave. Prayer Ministry is looking for Prayer Partners. Everyone is Welcome to come pray with us. For further information call 215-456-9974.
sign ups Wednesday, January 18th, 6:30PM DANCE PROGRAM FOR GIRLS The Rizzo PAL Center will be holding a final registration for it's annual Dance Program for Girls ages 10-18, on Wednesday, January 18th, at 6:30 pm, followed by practice from 6:30-8:30 pm. All programs run at PAL are free of charge. For more info on any Rizzo PAL program, please contact Officer Ernie at 215-426-6583. Friday, January 20 THE COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU! New Kensington Neighborhood Advisory Subcommittee (NAS) is seeking members. Come together with residents from the area to discuss community needs, brainstorm solutions, and share resources! The group will discuss safety, zoning, sustainability, or other issues that matter to you and your neighbors. As a NAS member you will serve a two-year term, beginning February 2017, and attend 10 monthly meetings per year. Candidates must live within the NAC area (Front St./ Kensington Ave. to Delaware River, Laurel St. to Allegheny Ave, & Kensington Ave to Amber St, Allegheny Ave to Castor Ave). The deadline for nominations is Friday, January 20. For more details call the NKCDC office at 215-427-0350 x125. Applications can be picked up at NKCDC’s office at 2515 Frankford Ave.
COHOCKSINK PLAYGROUND (2901 CEDAR ST.) Zumba is on tuesday nights from 7:30-8:30 with Ms. Jamie. Only $5 a class. Yoga is on Wednesday nights from 7:15-8:15 with Ms. Amanda. Only $5 a class. Both classes are held at Cohocksink Playground, 2901 Cedar St. Our phone number is 215-685-9884 BRIDESBURG REC CENTER (4625 RICHMOND ST) Zumba – Classes are Mondays and Thursdays from 7-8PM, and the cost is $4. Pre-school — 3-year-olds. Thursday and Friday, noon2:40PM Pre K — 4-year-olds, age as of September 1, 2016. 8:5011:30AM or noon-2:40PM Monday and Wednesday. Food Pantry - Please donate nonperishable food and clothing for needy in the neighborhood. Drop off donations at the Rec weekdays from 9AM-9PM. Scrapbooking – Scrapbooking group meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-9:30PM. The cost is $5 per class and everything will be supplied except a book and photos. Ladies Bowling League — Tuesday mornings at 9AM @ Erie Lanes. Interested? Come an join us any Tuesday. For more information call Miss Jackie at 215-685-1247. CIONE SIGNUPS Zumba: Fridays 7:30 to 830PM. Cost is $5 per class. Chess: Thursday from 6:30 to 8PM and Saturday 12 to 1:30PM. No cost. All ages. All Skill Levels. No cost. Arts & Crafts: Saturdays 12 to 1:30PM. Ages 5 to 12. No cost. FREE ENGLISH & CITIZENSHIP CLASSES Can you or someone you know benefit from English as a Second Language (ESL) or Test for Citizenship Classes? The Richmond Library at 2987 Almond St. presents free English and citizenship classes. Tuesday and Thursdays from 6-7:30PM at the Richmond Library. For more information, call the Library at 215-685-9992. WALKING CLUB The Playgrounds and Rec Centers in Parks and Recreation District 2 are starting a Walking Club. Exercise as you wait at your child’s program. There is no cost to sign up, and the first 100 participants get a free t-shirt. Stop in and sign up at the Bridesburg Rec Center at 4601 Richmond St. For more information and to register, call the Center at 215685-1247.
Email, call or drop off your calendar event to The Spirit. news@spiritnews.org 215-423-6246 1428 E. Susquehanna Avenue
Wednesdays, 7PM ST. ANNE’S CHURCH CHOIR St. Anne’s Church Choir is back with a new director, April Anderson, and assistant director, Rich Burns. We’ll be rehearsing on Wednesday evenings at 7PM at St. Anne’s Church (Lehigh and Memphis). Former director Nick Pignataro will return to conduct St. Anne’s Annual Christmas Concert later this year. All are welcome to come and sing. Call 215-426-8422 for more information. GIRL SCOUT TROOP AT GLAVIN PLAYGROUND Welcomes New Members. Meetings will start week of Sept. 19 at Glavin Playground (2600 E Westmoreland St.) with breakdown of age level meetings as follows: Brownies – 1st – 3rd Grade – 6:45 – 8:00 – Monday Nights; Daisies – K – 1st Grade – 6:05 – 7:00 – Tuesday Nights; Older girls – 6th – 12th Grade - 7:00 – 8-00 – Tuesday nights; Juniors – 4th – 6th Grade – 6:45 – 8:00 – Wednesday nights. Information about registration and the troop management will be available from the troop leader at the meetings.
Maryann Parisno Heffron It’s hard to believe that for 23 years I would drive up Gaul Street for a minute outside of 3657 and say a little prayer and then go on my way. Happy Birthday, 12-28-16 Frank
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 COMMUNITY
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Is there something going on that’s a little funky in your neighborhood? Anything you want us to look into? Have something juicy you want to leak? Know of something fun or interesting going on that you think we should know about? We rely on sources like you for news that effects our neighborhoods. No tip is a bad tip. Drop us a line at news@spiritnews.org.
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017
Scam Alert If you’re trying to sell your timeshare, be warned of the timeshare resale scam. You may get a call from a company that claims to have a buyer. The caller will even give you the name and phone number of the prospective buyer, who will confirm interest. The caller faxes you legitimate-looking paperwork, along with a request for a credit card number for escrow and title services – with a promise you’ll get that money back once the deal closes. Only you never hear back and you lose your money. Don’t fall for it! Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam. Report scams to local law enforcement. Contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/ fraudwatchnetwork for more information on fraud prevention. •
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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 11, 2017 WRITTEN BY STEVE BOHNEL
sinkhole season 2 SUVS FALL VICTIM TO GIANT SINKHOLE
I
t’s that time of the year again, folks. Over the weekend, two vehicles were swallowed up by a giant sinkhole caused by a water main break in Olde Richmond. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident. The 6-inch main broke around 9:30AM on Sunday in the 2300 block of Boston Street. According to neighbors, the broken main caused water to rush into their basements. Outside, a large section of street collapsed, taking two SUVs parked along the road with it. Joe Sergi, 58, lives on street where sinkhole happened. Sergi first noticed there was an issue when he went to brush his teeth Sunday morning and noticed that the water pressure was low. Once Sergi realized his basement was flooding and saw activity on the street, he asked his wife to talk to a worker outside to see what happened. When she went to check, two SUVs fell into the hole. “The timing could not have been more perfect,” he said. “She went out and saw them fall in… Then one of
the [PWD] workers yelled to a truck driver, ‘Pull the truck back!’ because they didn’t want to lose their truck as the road was collapsing.” On Monday, a Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) worker told Spirit News it will be a week for the water and gas department to fix infrastructure, after which the Streets Department can start to work street repairs. Sergi said he doesn’t currently have any heat or water, only electricity. He was told by officials that he should have it back around Thursday. Damaris Figueroa, 31, lives on 2400 block of Tulip, just around corner from hole. She found out about the sinkhole upon returning home with her fiance Sunday. “A few neighbors said, 'wait till you see what’s around the corner,'” Figueroa said. She says that the sinkhole will mainly impact her ability to find parking around her house. She says that many people on her block use Boston Street for parking. “Sinkholes can happen, but you don’t know when it can happen around the corner from you.”
These large sinkholes are nothing new in Olde Richmond. Last year, a giant sinkhole appeared at the corner of Huntington and Tulip, only a few blocks away from the new hole. Sergi believes that new buildings may have caused problem for nearby residents. “A lot of people have been expressing concerns that the infrastructure can’t handle the new buildings in the area… our street has no issues, there was no sign of anything going on… it’s scary because it could happen on any block.” •
/Patrick Clark
WRITTEN BY SHARON ISABEL CURLEY
Spirit Astrology YOUR DOSE OF HYPERLOCAL SPIRITUAL ADVICE
A
ries: I used to live in a magical wonderland with three friends I consider as brothers. We lived in a dirty warehouse in West Philly they named The Avant Gentlemen's Lodge. My one brother, John, built me a bedroom made up of two brick walls and two plywood walls. Did I mention there was no heat? The brutally cold winters spent there, however, are some of my warmest memories. As a spring baby, cold isn't really your forte. I urge you to find warmth in your own ways; a lover's eyes, a cat's cuddle, or even a fireplace. If you're warm on the inside, you're warm on the outside. Taurus: A recent trip to the Village Thrift on Kensington Avenue got me a pair of $7 shoes I bet I will never wear. Yet, in the moment I saw them, I was certain I needed them and was full of ideas for pairing them with so many outfits. This year is going to be full of tough decisions for you, Taurus, and living in the moment is not going to be your way to get through them. Instead, you're going to have to realistically think things through. I know this doesn't sound very enticing, but your smart moves are going to get you kinged. Gemini: A recent dinner date at JB's had me gazing out the window across Girard, wondering what happened to Palm Tree Market. La Calombe coffee for $2 and endless delicious options from their deli were definitely some local favorites. While I am wondering why the place closed suddenly, I bet your Gemini spirit has barely noticed. You've the gift of the Zodiac when it comes to change; completely open and flexible. Don't lose this trait, for big changes are coming your way and you're going to need your special little gift when they do. Cancer: I studied color therapy while attending college for Naturopathy. I learned many ways of it's effectiveness, such as light projection, chakra shades, and color guided meditation. This is a very healthy, beautiful way to balance yourself. Lay down, close your eyes and relax. What color do you see? Make that now the color of your mind's eye. Breathe it in. If you start with a color not so soothing, go through the rainbow until you feel at ease. This is a perfect time for you to find new ways to chill. Leo: These winter temperatures are really all over the place, waking up to a mere 20 degrees on Monday morning and reaching nearly 60 degrees on Thursday (as most likely seen in Spirit News’ Accu-Reggie section). How can this be? Why not just have winter without these warm days? It’s like Mother Nature is going through menopause. What if you made these temperatures relative to the jumping degrees of your emotions, Leo? Your ups and downs have been as frigid as Monday morning and as relieving as Thursday calls for. Are you just allowing this or wondering why? Why not ask yourself this and maybe find a way to level yourself out. Let the weather behave manically. Virgo: I am not some crazy fan of pound cake, so when my dad started his yip-yapping about Stock's bakery on Lehigh, I sort of just shut him out. Then, a few weeks ago, he bought one when I was visiting him for dinner. Pound cake, who knew? It was literally perfect. The taste, the texture, everything. Virgo, is someone trying to tell you some-
thing that you're having trouble hearing? If so, don't wait for them to prove it, just allow yourself to believe. If your outcome is as amazing as this pound cake, you will not regret it! Libra: I dated a drug addict years ago who did so much speed it was frightening. Knowing addicts and seeing the symptoms is something I am all too familiar with and yet his behavior was beyond anything I’d ever seen. Constantly sweating, never blinking, not eating, and not sleeping for days on end. I tried so hard to help him, to show him I cared and that he didn’t need these things, but he was on another life train. Is there something you are struggling with enough that maybe you’re denying it as a problem to even yourself? Are people close to you pointing this out? I think it’s time to stop denying and listen to these people. Sometimes they know what’s best for you more than you do. Scorpio: The truth is, as I've expressed in my love of the Scorpio, I believe you're the most creative genius of us all. Yet, I recently took an IQ test, answering all but two questions correctly. I boast as I say... well, you know what I mean. You're not the only one, Scorpio. There are many other signs of genius all around you. Be your glorious little self, no less, but let someone else know that they fit in with you. Put all four of your legs in the potato sack of life, and go win that race together! Sagittarius: The great Greek Philosopher, Aristotle, believed that babies become human the moment they laugh for the first time. Laughter, the pure joy he believed to only be experienced by humankind, is what magic is made of. Often, laughter is enjoyed with other humans, even without knowing its origin of the moment. It's so contagious. However, to laugh at oneself with such joy seems difficult. Sagittarius, it's time to really enjoy yourself in such a way
you can find the strength to laugh alone. Stand in front of a mirror and bring yourself to tears of joy. Capricorn: A Capricorn friend recently pointed out to me that I've been a little too sour in your weekly Spirit Astrology. I not only had to agree, but also saw something different in many Capricorns I know just recently. You see, to convince a Capricorn otherwise is a tough feat. Yet, for yourself to convince you otherwise is simple. You may be feeling more open to things that felt closed not long ago. Open those doors, my friend, for new endeavors full of joy and love and happiness are there for you to find. Wait for next week's exciting outcome! Aquarius: So far it's seeming like this is your year. Energy levels are high, productivity is in effect, and the future is seeming likely. This is no sense of good luck, Aquarius, but rather a shift in your mental state. The usual aloof you is learning that with a little more work, dreams do come true. Commit to this attitude in the coming weeks (or longer, if you can). I think whatever you believe to be luck, or karma, or some other energy ridden force is soon to be on your side. Pisces: Did you know that Helen Keller is credited with introducing the Akita breed of dog to the United States? I bet, even as a dog lover (if you are), that you didn’t know this. In my opinion, the Akita is one of the cutest dog breeds ever. It’s like this little known secret only for the true Helen Keller fan to know. I challenge you to find hidden little secrets in some of your favorite relationships. Find something that might mean a lot to a certain friend, and let them know you think this part of them is great. Allow credit where credit is due, all the while bringing cheer. •