Falling inQueenlove Village with
Author Jennifer Weiner on why she loves our neighborhood FALL 2019
Bloomsday Cafe wants you to get into regional wine
Summer at Courtyard makes learning fun for kids
Community gardeners donate their bounty
special issue
AUGUST 2019 B E S T O F P H I L LY
BEST of 2019
BEST PHILLY IT BAC K !
of
341
people, places and things that make us feel all orange and fuzzy
P H I L LY M A G . C O M
AUGUST 2019
$6.99
This Year’s Best Philadelphian Gritty like you’ve never seen Gritty before PAGE 116
BEST CROISSANT
BEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT + BEST STUFFED PASTA
Cry Baby Pasta
627 South 3rd Street crybabypasta.com @crybabypasta
BEST RAMEN
Neighborhood Ramen 617 South 3rd Street neighborhoodramen.com @neighborhoodramen
BEST BUDGET OMAKASE
Sakana Omakase Sushi 616 South 2nd Street phillysakana.com @philly_sakana
Hungry Pigeon
743 South 4th Street hungrypigeon.com @hungrypigeonphilly
BEST WAY TO CONSUME CHEESE
The Raclette at The Good King Tavern 614 South 7th Street thegoodkingtavern.com @tgktavern
BEST WINE BAR
Bloomsday Cafe 414 South 2nd Street bloomsdaycafe.com @bloomsdaycafe
S O U T H S T R E E T. C O M
BEST CHEAP LAUGHS
Tattooed Momedy Tattooed Mom’s 530 South Street tattooedmomphilly.com @tmoms
BEST NATURAL HAIR CARE SHOP
Marsh + Mane
BEST CITY SHOPPING DESTINATION
FABRIC ROW: Paradigm Gallery + Studio; Moon + Arrow; Little Moon; Bus Stop Boutique; Yowie
4th Street between Bainbridge and Catherine
BEST TECH REPAIR
Wise Guy Computer & Phone Repair
529 South 4th Street marshandmane.com @marshandmane
525 South 4th Street wiseguyrepair.com
BEST SAME DAY CLEANERS
J. Brite Cleaners 617 South 5th Street
Congrats!
DISCOVER NEW LOCAL BUSINESSES
Aurora Grace 517 South 5th Street / 267-703-8886 hello@auroragracechocolates.com
@auroragracechocolates
Bincho 228 South Street / 267-534-3774
@bincho.philadelphia
Bloomsday Cafe 414 South 2nd Street / 267-319-8018 bloomsdaycafe.com
@bloomsdaycafe
Brooke Lanier Fine Art 820 South 4th Street / 507-358-1596 brookelanier.com @brookelanierfineart
Cilantro 613 S 4th Street / (267) 761-9609 cilantro-fondue-restaurant.business.site
Olly 700 South 5th Street / 267-457-5319 ollyphilly.com @ollyphilly
Nepal-Tibet Handicrafts 644 South Street / 215-279-7507 nthandicrafts.com @NThandicrafts
South Street Art Mart 530 South 4th Street southstreetartmart.com @southstreetartmart
3rd Street Gallery 610 South 3rd Street / 267-768-6691 3rdstreetgallery.com @3rdstreetgallery
@southstreetheadhousedistrict
Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
southstreet.com
THEY GOT
Av e nk yu EP ass
4
4 Fulton
St
11
Monro
e St
8
South S t
Bainbri
dge St
11
5 12
6 10
3
12 1
6
9 2
St
S Front
Lombar d
S 2nd S t
9
rton S t
1
2
St
8
7 10 13
Pemb e
Fitzw ater S t
Gaskill
St
Pine St
S 3rd St
5
St
south st headhouse district
S 4th St
Kater St
THE BEAT
SHOPS & VENUES OF
S 6th St
3
S 7th St
MUSIC Addis on St
S 5th St
Pine St
Spruce
13
7
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 3
Contents Oh, those dog days of summer
7 8 10 12
FALL 2019
President’s Letter
Out and About The “You Can’t Kill a Poet” series at Tattooed Mom has turned five.
QVNA Spotlight Discover QVNA’s most recent community grant recipients.
South Street Beat It’s a fashion-forward fall in Queen Village, so make sure to check out the offerings from our local shops and artisans.
18
With July’s average temperature at 87 degrees, many
Feature: Jennifer Weiner can’t stop talking about the neighborhood Resident bestselling author Jennifer Weiner has a new book out, but she’d also like to tell you about how much she loves Queen Village.
Queen Villagers splashed at the shore or at spray poles and pools, but one sly dog splashed in the fountain at 3rd and Bainbridge. Drink Gentle Friends was installed to provide water for horses and dogs. Read more about this on page 23.
20
23 14
Features: A new hotel, a bottle shop and cafe, and a beloved baker looks for a successor Queen Village now has its own boutique hotel; Bloomsday Cafe offers Pennsylvania-inspired food, a “Fancy Wine Club,” and carefully crafted coffee; a local baker looks for someone who shares her passion.
24
26
31 Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
School Bell Population changes are straining our local schools—find out the facts— and Settlement Music School opens its doors to all in the community.
The Commons Bainbridge Green’s sesquicentenarian horse trough now serves our canine friends. Read Joseph G. Brin’s reflection.
How It Works A fire can upend a family’s life and have lasting psychological effects. Learn how one family is coping after a devastating loss, and how to protect your own home.
It Takes a Village Two long-lived summer programs bring together volunteers to nourish our seniors and enrich the minds of our kids—and Queen Village gets its own Leaning Tower of Pisa.
QV Life Can't-miss dates and ways to engage this fall.
Volume 1 | Issue 3 FALL 2019
Publisher Queen Village Neighbors Association Editor-in-Chief Heather Shayne Blakeslee editor@qvna.org copy chief Walter Foley Designer Alec Meltzer Content Contributors Fernando Arias-Mendoza Shana Bergmann Heather Blakeslee Joseph G. Brin Regina Colantonio Suzanne Dreitlein Lucy Erdelac Dana Feinberg Eleanor Ingersoll Mary Harvey Mark Holmes III Hilary Young
A trusted name in Philadelphia Real Estate for over 90 years To view all Center City properties visit our website: plumerre.com Residential, Commercial & Investment Real Estate 226 South Street, Philadelphia | info@plumerre.com | 215 Plumer Ad 4.75x4.625.indd 1
922 4200 8/26/14 8:19 AM
Ad Sales Lucy Erdelac advertising@qvna.org 215.339.0975 qvna.org/advertise Office Manager Jake Peterson info@qvna.org 215.339.0975 All opinions are of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Queen Village Neighbors Association.
Office location: 417 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 Mailing address: PO Box 63763 Philadelphia, PA 19147
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 5
Queen Village Neighbors Association is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization.
QVNA provides community stewardship, advocacy and service to help improve the quality of life for residents of Queen Village.
Board of Directors
• • • • •
Officers: Eleanor Ingersoll President Inez Green Vice President Mike Seidenberg Treasurer Mark Grabarits Secretary Lucy Erdelac Ex Officio
Bilingual program from Preschool to Grade 8 Diverse school community and global focus Before and after school care and extracurricular activities US and French accreditations New students are admitted at the age of 3, 4, or 5 with no prior knowledge of French! 150 N. Highland Avenue • Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 • (610) 667-1284 • www.frenchschoolphila.org
Cozen O’Connor is a proud supporter of Summer at Courtyard, enriching the lives of youth in our Queen Village community.
Michael J. Heller Executive Chairman & CEO (215) 665-4141 | mheller@cozen.com Vincent R. McGuinness President & Managing Partner (215) 665-2097 | vmcguinness@cozen.com Ira C. Gubernick Vice Chair, Corporate Practice Group (215) 665-5545 | igubernick@cozen.com 750 attorneys | 29 offices | cozen.com © 2019 Cozen O’Connor
Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
Directors: Joseph G. Brin Anita Brook Dupree Latasha McKnight Mike McPhilmy Emily Perschetz Emeritus Directors: Kathy Conway Michael Hauptman QVNA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your QVNA membership or donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law; please consult your tax advisor. www.QVNA.org/membership
President's letter
QVNA Never Takes a Vacation from Service by Eleanor Ingersoll, QVNA President
Hello Neighbors, hope the summer of 2019 treated you well, with equal parts hot and cool when you needed them. It was a busy season in the neighborhood as Summer at Courtyard enjoyed its fifth successful year—thanks to all who volunteered. Be sure to check out the list of amazing sponsors, volunteers, and partners. QVNA also worked closely with South Street Headhouse District and police to educate neighbors about initiatives to curb pre-dawn partying on and around South Street. A hearty thanks to Jim’s South Street, Lorenzo & Sons Pizza, Ishkabibble’s, and 2nd Street Wawa for volunteering to close at 2 a.m. on weekends, placing neighbors over dollars. And let’s not forget the rats. When an infestation in August began to overrun trash cans along Front Street, the South Street Bridge, and Bainbridge Street between 4th and 5th streets, QVNA worked diligently with the city’s Vector Department, South Street Headhouse District, and Interstate Land Management Corp. to address the situation. QVNA also kept neighbors updated on the facts of the situation and how short dumping of household trash against public trash cans is providing a food source that helps keep the rats fed, comfortable, and ready to mul-
I
tiply. Information about how neighbors can report the illegal and finable activity of short dumping can be reviewed at http://bit.ly/how-to-reduce-infestations. As September marks the beginning of another school year in Philadelphia, population changes across the city are straining neighborhood schools. Our neighborhood elementary schools are feeling these changes acutely. A Kindergarten Lottery, instituted at Meredith Elementary, is affecting the autonomy of Nebinger Elementary. Parents from both schools are working to put pressure on the School District of Philadelphia and the Board of Education to address capacity issues, but long-term solutions are still in the distance. Since both schools are essential to the health and vitality of the neighborhood and their catchments, find out more about how we got here in School Bell. Page 20. In October, be sure to take advantage of revering and reimagining Weccacoe Playground. A ceremony placing the historical marker for the Bethel Burying Ground site takes place on Oct. 1. Then on Oct. 16, be part of a Community Conversation with Councilman Mark Squilla and Aparna Palantino of Parks and Rec. We’ll discuss the findings of the Weccacoe Playground survey, circulated this summer, and consider how the playground will change and be augmented.
In November, QVNA holds its Board of Directors elections and especially encourages association volunteers to consider becoming more involved. Over the last year, QVNA’s board has made strides in solidifying neighborhood partnerships and communicating with the community. The association also advocates for the neighborhood with Councilman Squilla and City Hall, State Senator Larry Farnese, State Representatives Mary Isaacson and Brian K. Sims, the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and Interstate Land Management Corp., just to name a few. If you are inspired to become more involved with QVNA and its mission of community stewardship, advocacy, and service, check out the process at http://qvna.org/BoD-candidates. Last but not least, let’s all raise a glass on Nov. 3 and toast the beginning of QVNA’s 50th anniversary year and the hundreds of association members and volunteers who have made our community stronger and better. Cheers,
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 7
Out and About
‘You Can’t Kill a Poet’ Series Celebrates Five Years Founder Boston Gordon talks Tattooed Mom and cheering as loudly as you can Interview by Heather Shayne Blakeslee
of friends, and friends of friends, to read at the Wooden Shoe. In a room of maybe 25 people, we kicked things off. Since then, readings have been held almost every other month, and the community of readers and attendees has bloomed.
Boston Gordon
QVC: Does the name come from anywhere in particular? What meaning does it have for you? BG: It’s from a line in a poem by Eileen Myles called “Rotting Symbols.” When I organized the first event it felt like a good rallying cry for a series specific for queer and transgender poets. Mostly people just think we’re called “How to Kill a Poet” or some other transformation of the name that makes me laugh. It definitely is a statement of a name.
QVC: Tell us a little bit about the reading series “You Can't Kill a Poet” and why you started it. BG: You Can’t Kill a Poet is an ongoing reading series that exclusively features writers who identify as LGBTQ. I started the series when I was feeling frustrated about tokenism in writing communities, and feeling passionately that queer-specific spaces are vital to LGBTQ folks. I started the series in May 2014 by booking a couple
QVC: Tattooed Mom, a South Street institution, has been a longtime host of the event, though it has been held in other locations as well. How have they been as a host? Is the neighborhood welcoming? BG: Tattooed Mom has been very supportive. They have dedicated staff for organizing events, and Robert Perry, the owner of TMom’s, is a lovely and supportive individual. He always has a kind word
Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
to say about the series, and definitely is the backbone of what makes TMom's a special place to host an event. QVC: Do you have any favorite or proud moments from the series when you've thought to yourself, “Yes! This is why I'm doing this!” BG: All the time! We have incredible writers at the events. My favorite moments are when a poet has expressed to me that they’ve never read at a reading before, and then they get up there and share the most amazing and earnest work. They just needed a place to read! It’s not always easy to find the right series or open mic for your work, and getting on the roster at some series can be challenging if you’re new to the scene. I love having newbies up there. QVC: The series has been going now for five years. What do you see coming down the line? Will it keep going? BG: For now it will definitely keep going. As long as I have the energy to organize the event, I want it to keep going. Queer spaces are vital—and dissappearing. If I can bring together the queer community once every couple months, and give poets a space where they feel they can be au-
thentic and not tokenized, then I am going to keep doing it. I didn’t create this community, but I love being a steward for it. Queer spaces have kept me alive my whole life, and there is nothing like the queer joy in the room at You Can’t Kill a Poet.
ROOT QUARTERLY art and ideas from philadelphia Issue Two: Monsters
Queer spaces have kept me alive my whole life, and there is nothing like the queer joy in the room at You Can’t Kill a Poet. QVC: If people want to participate in the reading, what's the process? What should attendees expect? BG: You can email YCKAPPhilly@gmail. com, follow the series at facebook.com/ yckap, or twitter at @cantkillapoet. I regularly put out calls for new readers on social media, and if you email directly I can provide information of how to participate. Readers don’t need to prove anything to participate, just be a writer who identifies as LGBTQ and has work to earnestly share. Readers have time slots of 5–10 minutes to share their work. Attendees absolutely pack the second-floor room every single month. It’s two hours of laughing, of cheering, of absolute awe sometimes. It’s a really fun and welcoming environment. I like the readings to feel energetic instead of stuffy. Come as you are and cheer as loud as you can. QVC: What else should we know about the series? BG: There will be another reading in September but the date hasn’t been finalized yet, so follow the socials for information on the next reading! ■
ROOT QUARTERLY Volume I // Issue No. 2 // Monsters
MADE WITH LOVE IN QUEEN VILLAGE RQ offers you curated Philadelphia destinations and recommendations, fiction, essays, poetry, cultural criticism, and profiles of local artists. Issue 2: Fall 2019
RootQuarterly.com
find us online. Read us in print. Subscribe now.
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 9
Q V NA S P O TLI G H T
Spring 2019’s Community Grant Award Recipients
F
ive 2019 Community Grant Award recipients were announced by QVNA President Eleanor Ingersoll at the May 15 Volunteer Celebration. A total of $10,000 was awarded.
Pat Bigley, John and Maureen Weir, John Koger, and Treasurer Liz Mester accepts the grant on behalf of the group.
Principal Daniel Peou accepts the grant award on behalf of the school.
Horace F. Furness High School, Queen Village’s public high school, was awarded $3,500 to help develop a multimedia center for students and a Parent/Community Resource Center.
Shot Tower Advisory Council was awarded $2,000 to provide two eightweek summer camp tuitions and to defray camp expenses.
Director Jessica Noel and children accept the grant award on behalf of the theatre.
Philly PACK theatre & dance company was awarded $2,100 to provide three tuitions to its two-week Summer Theatre Production Intensive for Nebinger Elementary students.
Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
Chair Dan Gibbon accepts the grant on behalf of the Tree Tenders.
Queen Village Tree Tenders was awarded $1,500 to remove hazardous dead trees and old stumps from tree pits.
Tim Graham accept the grant on behalf of the group.
Friends of Moyamensing Point was awarded $900 for supplies and expenses related to park maintenance, planting materials, and use of the park area, including the group’s annual Phestivus event. QVNA’s Community Grant Program provides funding to help improve neighborhood quality of life. Grant requests can include a wide range of projects and programs, such as enhancing parks, gardens, playgrounds, and historic preservation. QVNA also accepts grant applications for academic and/or learning enrichment programs during the school year and the summer. QVNA’s Grants Committee reviewed all applications before making funding recommendations to the Board of Directors. Thank you, Grant Committee Chair Kathy Dilonardo, and committee members Mike McPhilmy and Nancy Morgenstern for your volunteer service. ■
Q V NA S P O TLI G H T
Thank you for your service
W
alt Yuska shared his building expertise with our community during his more than 10 years of volunteer service on the QVNA Zoning Committee! Justin Fishman shared his expertise as a private equity investment professional. He served as board treasurer since 2018, as a director since 2016, and as a Youth and School Committee member since 2015. Justin is also a U.S. Navy Reserve commanding officer who was mobilized to active duty. We look forward to Justin’s safe return in 2020.
Melissa Donnelly, who joined the board in 2016, shared a breadth of skills with QVNA. An expert in sustainability, Melissa began volunteering more than seven years ago and chaired the Clean and Green Committee. In 2018, she was elected executive vice president and appointed chair of the Board Nominating Committee. She was instrumental in the development of QVNA’s new Fiscal Sponsorship Program. Dahvia Dalton joined the board as a director in 2018, and also voluntereed with the Summer at Courtyard program. During her tenure, Dahvia served on the Board
Nominating Committee and as Board Liaison to QVNA’s seven fiscally sponsored groups. In this latter role, she brought important insights to shape the development of QVNA’s new Fiscal Sponsorship Program. Elizabeth Grimaldi served since 2016 as a board director and in 2018 became board secretary. In 2017, Liz’s nonprofit management experience proved invaluable at a time when QVNA faced several administrative challenges. In addition to professional insights, Liz provided hands-on skills when it was time to reopen the office, and QVNA has benefited greatly from her service. ■
Queen Village Foodie and 'Best of Philly' Alert!
C
ilantro has opened in Queen Village at 613 S. 4th St., adding to the already bustling restaurant scene on Fabric Row. The owners are originally from Egypt, and their food focuses on authentic Mediterranean cuisine, including a pasta bar and a “meat lovers salad bar,” which offers dishes such as charcoal-grilled kofta. Vegetarians take heart: Homemade hummus, grilled pita and veggies, and trusty falafel are here for you, too. If you’re looking for authentic, homestyle meals with a fastcasual feel, Cilantro should be on your radar. It should also be on your list of latenight spots and lunch go-tos. They open daily at 11, and they’re always open until at least midnight. On Saturdays and Sundays Cilantro is open until 2 a.m. If you’re craving freshly made meals but want to enjoy them at home, a new food delivery program offers the neighborhood a local option for prepared meal delivery: “Food by Us.”
Owner Hester Struben, originally from the Netherlands, wants to parlay her catering experience into bringing fresh food to dinner tables in Queen Village, Bella Vista, and Central Philadelphia. “I love to cook and want to help my community, so I decided to put both together and make weekday meals for them,” says Struben. Sustainability principles are at play in Struben’s business plan: She uses minimal, recyclable packaging for the meals and focuses on local and seasonal procurement when possible. Three sizes of meals are available to order one week ahead; the meals can be picked up or delivered on Tuesdays and Thursdays; pickup locations include Shot Tower Coffee and Philadelphia Java Co. Finally, two Queen Village businesses were honored with Best of Philly awards this season. If you haven’t yet tried out Fiore at 757 S. Front St., you’re missing out on elevated Italian cuisine for dinner that includes hand-
rolled pasta and wood-fired meats and vegetables. Wednesday through Saturday they also offer a café menu from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. that features a selection of fresh house-made Italian pastries, sandwiches, and pizzas. For the wine enthusiasts out there, you can check out their list online; the bar, which specializes in amaro, offers a 5–7 happy hour. If all these food options aren’t enough of a treat, you can also indulge in a trip to Sanctuary on 2nd, another Best of Philly winner at 752 S 2nd Street. Housed in a Victorian storefront that used to be a millinery shop, Sanctuary on 2nd offers custom massages as well as special add-ons (try out the seasonally scented face treatments). Couples massage, massage for kids under 12, and pregnancy massages are all part of their attempt to ensure that every body gets individual attention from its therapists. Congratulations to all of these businesses serving Queen Village! ■
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 11
So u t h S t r e e t B e a t Hair Blow-Out $35 Natalie Poserina—Stylist Juju Salon & Organics 713 S. 4th St. 215.238.6080 jujusalon.com Face Makeup $75 Adrian Novak—Makeup Artist Juju Salon & Organics 713 S. 4th St. 215.238.6080 jujusalon.com Mani/Pedi $45 Cindy—Nail Artist Cozy Nail Salon 128 South St. 267.519.8944 Body Makeup Nadia Petruzelli—Body Artist Baked 740 S. 4th St. 267.639.4022 bakedtanning.com Aromatherapy Body Lotion Fabriq Spa 728 S. 4th St. fabriqspa.com
A FashionForward Fall in Queen Village Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
Fashion curator: Mary Harvey, Urban Princess Model: Dana Feinberg, South Street Headhouse District Photographer: Shana Bergmann Photo locations: Bistrot La Minette, Moon + Arrow South Street Headhouse District appreciates the generosity, enthusiasm and positive relationship we have with the participating business owners. Moon + Arrow’s Moon Room is a beautiful 'blank canvas' to host photo shoots, events, or to connect and create in. Contact Jess at events@moonandarrow.com.
So u t h S t r e e t B e a t Azteca Earrings, Designer: Eleven44 $98 Infinite Body Piercing, Inc. 625 S. 4th St. 215.923.7335 infinitebody.com
Pendant, Natural Baltic Amber $180 Mineralistic 319 South St. 215.922.7199 mineralistic.com
Fringe Waist Bag, Designer: Dennis Wolk $325 Steel Pony 758 S. 4th St. 215.467.6065 steelpony.com
Gold “ULA� Ring, Designer: Tafkara $240 Moon + Arrow 754 S. 4th St. 215.469.1448 moonandarrow.com New store opens Sep 27!
Retro Jeans, Levis 501 $65 Cactus Collective 739 S. 4th St. 267.908.4178 thecactuscollective.com
Gold Cuff, Designer: Marlyn Schiff $48 Shazza Shop 704 S. 4th St. 267.606.0146 shazzashop.com
Sun Glasses, Designer: Stella McCartney $250 Blink Optical 415 South St. 267.758.5182 blink267.com
Vegan Leather Vest, Designer: Coalition LA $58 Urban Princess 620 S. 4th St. 267.909.8317 urbanprincessboutique.com
Black Leather Handmade Sandals, Designer: P-Monjo $375 Bus Stop Boutique 727 S. 4th St. 215.627.2357 busstopboutique.com
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 13
F e a t u r e : op e n i n g s
New Businesses Keep it Local Philadelphia-inspired rooms at a new hotel and regional wines at Bloomsday
Rooms at a new hotel opening in Queen Village this fall
Hotel photos by Joseph G. Brin
Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
by Suzanne Dreitlein & Heather Shayne Blakeslee
T
wo new Queen Village businesses have taken over long-vacant corners to offer neighborhood amenities. Bloomsday Cafe on Headhouse Square is serving up highly curated, seasonal food as well as coffee and regional wine; a new hotel, tentatively named The Queen, will offer 30 rooms that feature a vintage industrial aesthetic, a full-service restaurant located on the ground floor, and a roof deck with panoramic views and a full-service bar. Richard Veitch, lead builder and master craftsman on the hotel project, has been working on breathing new life into the buildings at the corner of Bainbridge and 5th streets. His painstaking craftwork now reflects the beauty and local color of Queen Village. “Rich was the brain behind so much of the design,” says Adam Zaken, who owns the hotel along with Ido Zaken. “The hotel is a piece of art— we commissioned it, and Rich is the artist.” The brothers are no strangers to the neighborhood: Ido’s father owned Dr. Denim on South Street, and Adam spent many days in his youth hanging out on South Street and eating cheese fries at Ishkabibble’s. Now an adult and property owner, he says, “Queen Village is an incredible neighborhood. Our goal was to make something special for the area.” Although it would have been much easier and faster to demolish and build new, building on the original structure was
F e a t u r e : op e n i n g s
A rooftop view from the new hotel
of the utmost importance to the Zakens, Veitch, and their whole team. They capitalized on Veitch’s building experience to reuse as many materials as possible, which also ensured that the new building maintained consistency with the existing architectural characteristics and history of Queen Village. Guests will find exposed brick, the standard of homes throughout the neighborhood, as well as a nod to our waterfront industrial past with exposed iron beams and industrial fixtures. The property will be managed by the
Steel beams and exposed brick are part of the industrial aesthetic
Sonder hospitality group. Location manager Eric Kravitz, a Hawthorne resident, notes that they plan to staff more than 90 percent of their team with people from the area. He also said that Sonder chose to operate in Queen Village because it provides guests an opportunity to experience an amazing neighborhood that lies just outside of the historic area while being highly walkable to many attractions and some of the best restaurants in the city. Kravitz says this accessibility is important to guests who typically use car shares and explore neighborhoods on foot.
‘WOW… that is so good, and it’s from around here?!?’ When guests set out from their suite, they’ll definitely run into locals who have found the haven at Bloomsday Cafe on 414 S. 2 St. It opened on July 12 and since then has been serving coffee, wine, and light fare with an emphasis on local sourcing and thoughtful curation that complements its proximity to the Head House Square farmer’s market. Located in the long-empty corner of 2nd and Stamper streets, Bloomsday is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, providing a cozy place to meet with friends over a glass or two of wine or to sip a cup of coffee. Bloomsday also uses local roaster Rival Bros. Coffee and serves Near & Far teas, kombucha, and yerba mate on draft. On the second week of September, members in their new wine club will receive their first selections of regional wines. Owner Zachary Morris says that even people who are skeptical of local wine, their first reaction to his curated selections is usually, “Wow… that is so good, and it’s from around here?!?” Morris knows his stuff: he spent six years teaching at the Wine School of Philadelphia as their director of education.
Zachary Morris of Bloomsday Cafe
He travels extensively with his wife and children to keep up with the business. “This past year we’ve been to Alentejo in Portugal, Sierra de Gredos in Spain, Empordá in Catalonya, the entire island of Sicily, and Slovenia,” says Morris. Summer and fall trips include Austria and Georgia. Those who are curious can stop by for Bloomsday’s “Open Bottles” events for Wednesday happy hour. “It’s a chance for us to open and pour a small sample of some bottles that we feel strongly about at a given moment. Anyone is welcome,” says Morris. Classes are also forthcoming. “My biggest aspiration is to be a neighborhood fixture for a long time,” Morris says. “We certainly weren’t focused on being a trendy place. Rather, we wanted to be a place that anyone would feel comfortable coming to at any time— a true neighborhood cafe that can last for generations.” ■
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 15
F EATURE : BA K ER Y
A New Homeowner for Homemade Goodies? A popular bakery is looking for a new steward to serve the neighborhood by Joseph G. Brin
A
fter 22 years of cracking eggs and churning out great homestyle baked goods, business owner Roz Bratt is looking to hand over the reins of her 5th Street bakery to “the right person with the same passion,” departing from the sweet smells, hot ovens and flour dust of her trade. “I want to travel,” she says. A lack of good, reliable help and time itself has caught up with Bratt, who looks to fulfill other ambitions now that she has delivered on her dream of Homemade Goodies by Roz. In 1992, Bratt was employed as a bank teller when a chance came to provide home-baked treats to a 3rd Street luncheonette, signaling her true calling. The ingredients to her long-term success are good help, good product, and getting the word out, she says. Though traditional, Italian family bakeries dot South Philadelphia, it's unusual to see a kosher Jewish bakery set into a block with a Chinese restaurant, a dry cleaner, and hairdresser, just around the corner from the clamoring crowds of South Street. Always looking for new business strategies, Bratt expanded her kosher, nondairy offerings to include vegan baked goods, supplying Passyunk Avenue’s new vegan restaurant Avenue Cup. Wholesalers such as Weavers Way Co-op, Cafe La
Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
Roz Bratt
Maude, and Di Bruno Bros. have propelled her business along with synagogue events, parties, and weddings of any religion. She caters to walk-ins, too, though such patronage is limited by comparison. Homemade Goodies by Roz made good on a customer's surprising request
Photo by Joseph G. Brin recently—the 307-foot-long WWII submarine Becuna, docked on the Delaware River, celebrated its 75th birthday with an elaborate chocolate cake topped with chocolate roses. “You have to love what you're doing,” Bratt says. “Work is not a job.” ■
We be����e t�a� Phi��y Sc�o��s Rul� an� as pa���t�, we ma�� o�r lo��� ca��h���t� be���r t��o�g� pa���c��a���n! We s��iv� to ma�� a di���r���e in o�r co���n��� so we ha�� c�e���d o�r "Phi��y Sc�o��s Rul�" ca����g�. For ev��� ho�� we se�� s�a�t��� in 2019 s��o�l ye��, Jo� an� I wi�� ma�� a do����on to t�e lo��� Fri���s Gro�� or Hom� an� Sc�o�� As�o���ti�� fo� t�e lo��� pu���c s��o�l ca��h���t t�e ho�� is lo����d in. If yo� he�� of an���� lo����g to bu�, se��, or in���t p�e��� co���c� us so t�a� we ca� co��r����e to Mer����h an� Neb����r Sc�o��s. I wo��� lo�� to be yo�� re����ce fo� an��h��� re�� es���� re����d so do�'t he����te to re��� o�t if yo� ha�� qu����on� or ar� cu���u� w�a� yo�� ho�� is wo��h in to���'s s�i�t��� re�� es���� ma���t.
Tog����r we ca� ma�� su�� Phi��y Sc�o��s Rul�!
XO, Liz, Jo�, & Jul� �
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 17
F e a t u r e : J ENNI F ER W EINER
Mrs. Queen Village Resident and writer Jennifer Weiner says all of her stories are Philadelphia stories by Regina Colantonio
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Jennifer Weiner
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ne of the many reasons to feel proud of living in Queen Village: we get to call bestselling author Jennifer Weiner one of our own. Since 2007, Weiner has lived in a historic Queen Village home that was once a four-room schoolhouse, where she has produced a mountain of published work. Weiner’s neighborhood roots pre-date her current home; she tells people she has spent “25 years moving around the same block.” Like many Philadelphians, Weiner knows how to hustle. She wrote her first book, Good in Bed, at night and on weekends while working as a features reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Weiner continued to work at the Inquirer even after that debut novel was published in 2001 and she had two additional books under contract. Over the next two decades, Weiner published another 15 books (all of which she wrote in Queen Village) and enjoyed massive success. Weiner’s books, one of which was made into a major film, have sold over 13 million copies and spent more than five years on The New York Times bestseller list. Not one to rest on prior triumphs, Weiner commits herself to writing in her Queen Village closet/office she dubbed her “cloffice” at a steady clip of about 2,000 words a day, but she makes time
for writing breaks with piano lessons at Settlement Music School. Weiner’s impact extends far beyond her published books. Over the past 10 years, Weiner has earned national notoriety for highlighting the underrepresentation of female writers in literary media, writers whose books were often ignored by major book review publications. Weiner also contributes sharp opinion pieces laced with her trademark humor to The New York Times. Throughout her career, Weiner has relentlessly pursued and achieved her lifelong dream of making a living as a writer. But the deeper mission behind Weiner’s work has always burned brightly: the telling of women’s stories and proclaiming to the world that those stories matter. Weiner has no intention of letting up on that commitment anytime soon. Weiner’s latest book, Mrs. Everything, was published in June and is available at Head House Books. QVC: You grew up in Connecticut and moved to Philadelphia in 1994 to work for the Inquirer. Why have you chosen to make Queen Village your home? JW: Living in Queen Village gives me access to everything that Philadelphia has to offer. I can walk to get great wood-oven pizza at Stella or top-notch sushi at Izakaya, or incredible pastries and pasta at
F e a t u r e : J ENNI F ER W EINER Fiore. I can go see a first-run independent film at one of the Ritz theaters and performances at the Arden and the Wilma and the Kimmel Center; I can walk to the Art Museum or the Barnes, if I’m feeling ambitious. But Queen Village still feels cozy and leafy and friendly, like a small-town neighborhood. That’s why I love it here. QVC: What are a few of your most loved Queen Village places and businesses? JW: Head House Books has been a touchstone of my Queen Village life since it arrived. I’ve done events there, attended events there, bought dozens of books for myself and my kids, spent hours with my younger daughter in the children’s section and watched her move from picture books to chapter books to YA. Fiore is a new favorite—I love the idea of all-day dining, and oh, those scones and cornetti. The [Headhouse] Farmers’ Market is a Sunday ritual, and I always come home with a bagful of produce and an armful of flowers. Some of my favorite dresses and skirts come from Eye’s Gallery (and if they don’t fit perfectly, Bobby Schorr’s makes it right). The folks at the UPS Store are unfailingly friendly and professional. And I’m at Rita’s every few days in the summertime, to cool off with a custard twist cone. QVC: Philadelphians are people with tenacity, grit, and a willingness to speak their minds. To what degree do you think those qualities are inherent in you and to what degree can Philadelphia claim (with pride) some influence over the past 25 years? JW: When I wrote Good in Bed (lo, these many years ago), I wrote about Philadelphia having the character of a sullen second sibling—the one Mom doesn’t love best. But that sibling tries harder! Yes, we are eternally in the shadow of NYC and
hopefully happier than they were when their journey started, having learned that maybe they didn’t get what they wanted, but they ended up exactly where they were always meant to be. That, to me, feels like a very Philadelphia arc.
"I like to think I’ve inherited some of Philadelphia’s grit and resilience." DC; yes, it’s been hard to shake “Filthydelphia,” yes, every time I go to Los Angeles, people ask me, “So, New York, right?” (And I say, “No, Philadelphia, because we’re actually allowed to live other places!”) I like to think I’ve inherited some of Philadelphia’s grit and resilience. I know for sure that the whole no-respect thing feels like it landed squarely on my head. (If New York’s the real city, where real writers write real books, Philadelphia is where genre writers toil, to large readerships but very little critical regard.) My books are Philadelphia stories. Even the ones that aren’t set here. They’re all about women who face down difficulty and learn to rise above; who learn and grow along the way and end up wiser and
QVC: You have enjoyed such an incredible career. You are already at work on your next book. What else do you hope to experience or achieve? What excites you about the future? JW: I’ve thought about this a lot. As my 50th birthday approaches, I read a piece in The Atlantic recently about how accomplished people handle the second half of their lives. There are people who are constantly trying to top their earlier achievements, which is a recipe for misery—what if you can’t? And if you do, what’s next— do you just keep setting the bar higher and higher? Then there are people who go through an evolution, and find meaning in teaching or in giving back. I have been very lucky, and I really have accomplished a lot of what I wanted to do, as a novelist, as an opinion writer, as someone with a platform who’s tried to use that platform for good. If I was able to go back in time and tell my 12-year-old self what I grew up and became, I think she’d be pretty happy! So when I look at the next 20 or 30 years, I want to keep writing novels, and keep pushing myself in new directions; I want to keep writing opinion pieces, but I also want to find as many ways as I can to give back, to teach, and to nurture the next generation of female writers. I don’t want to share details yet, but I have some pretty big, exciting plans in the works for 2020, and I hope to announce them within the next few months. ■ This interview has been edited and condensed.
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 19
S c hoo l B e l l
Local Elementary Schools Wrestle with Population Changes Classroom trailers are bound for Queen Village by Eleanor Ingersoll
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hroughout the city, the School District of Philadelphia is charged with addressing population changes that affect city schools. This includes Queen Village, where an influx of families has resulted in more kindergarteners than the 60 available spots at Meredith Elementary School at 5th and Fitzwater streets. In Pennsylvania, kindergarten attendance is not mandated, so school districts aren’t required to offer it. Thus, the School District of Philadelphia is permitted to put a cap on the kindergarten classroom size. As a result, parents of rising kindergartners started resorting to lining up outside of the school at pre-dawn hours in the dead of winter to be the first in line for the opening of January’s registration. To address the problem, three years ago the district discontinued the regular kindergarten registration process at Meredith Elementary and instituted a verification process for birth and residence in the catchment. Verified students were then eligible to be entered into a lottery; the students could then return to Meredith for first grade if they chose. The district sent students who did not receive a Meredith lottery slot to nearby Nebinger Elementary School at 6th and Carpenter streets, which the school district determined had enough space. However, Nebinger, once briefly slated
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for closure in 2011 due to unfilled seats, was now in the midst of a renaissance. Out-of-catchment families had begun applying for voluntary transfers and became an engaged part of the Nebinger community. They now make up 55 percent of the school’s population. The influx and exodus from year to year of out-of-catchment kindergarten students created by the district's lot-
ger, leaving families with more questions than answers. Would the transfer process, closed to students outside of Nebinger’s catchment, also apply to the Meredith families who chose to stay? And what about the younger siblings of existing Nebinger families? Would they be able to register in order to stay together at Nebinger? In June, previously registered out-of-catchment students at Nebinger
The school district also eliminated the voluntary transfer option for Nebinger, leaving families with more questions than answers. Would the transfer process, closed to students outside of Nebinger’s catchment, also apply to the Meredith families who chose to stay?
tery have created an instability issue for Nebinger administrators. Because school budgets are increased or decreased based on annual student populations, it has resulted, for instance, in the near dismissal of a newly hired teacher for a projected third kindergarten classroom. The school district also eliminated the voluntary transfer option for Nebin-
were deregistered and notified by letter, leaving parents to scramble for fall placement elsewhere. At Meredith, there is also no preference for siblings, as the lottery does not take into account where older siblings are attending school. Conflicting instructions for accepting a kindergarten spot at Nebinger left some Mer-
In Memoriam edith families with no kindergarten placement. Meanwhile, the classroom sizes in many grades at Meredith exceed the recommended cap of 30 seats in first through third grades; for comparison, many suburban schools target a classroom size of 22 students. Even a handful of additional students can tax not only physical space, but also affect the ratio of instruction time versus classroom management: In the 2018–19 first grade, where the recommended cap is 60 seats for 6- and 7-year-olds, there were an extra 15 students who needed to be spread across just two classrooms. Classroom trailers at Meredith, which will not arrive until 2020, are a short-term fix, which leaves no solution in place for overcrowding this year. It will also leave teachers, who come from as far away as Delaware, without a parking lot;1council 5-31-18 FCC QVNA Ad.xp8:Layout 5/31/18
members Mark Squilla and Helen Gym are working on alternative solutions to alleviate that future problem. The school district is also exploring longer-term solutions, including assessing available classroom space at other locations around Queen Village and Bella Vista, and assessing vacant district schools for the possibility of a collective middle school that would pull from similarly overcrowded catchments. The district will also implement a Comprehensive School Planning Review. The multi-year strategic planning process will assess projected population changes across the city and make necessary changes in order to provide all children “access to a great school, close to where they live.” Meredith and Nebinger will be in the first of four phases of this comprehensive review, which begins thisPM fall.Page ■ 1 8:34
Harry Azoff
Photo by Mark Holmes III
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n mid-summer, Queen Village said a final farewell to Harry Azoff, friend to just about every person and dog who walked the 800 block of South Front Street, where he lived since 1978. In the July/August 2018 issue of QVNA Magazine, writer Mark Holmes III said, “If Queen Village had a mayor, it would have to be Harry Azoff.” (Story online at http://bit.ly/HarryAzoff. Obituary: http://bit.ly/Inquirer-HarryAzoff) Among his many talents, Harry wrote poetry and prose—and we are privileged to publish one of his works: Contentment Peaceful friends and people that you like to see Comfortable places and a mind at ease Looking out the window at the traffic and the tree There’s always lots of food around For friends and family
Looking for the Calm of Spirit? Our Church invites the community to join us for spiritual growth through:
Sunday & Wednesday Services • Sunday School for Children & Our Reading Room Sunday Service: 11AM • Wednesday Evening Meeting: 7:30PM Reading Room Hours: Monday: 11AM to 1:30PM, Wednesday: 2PM to 7PM, Thursday and Friday: 11AM to 4PM Saturday: 11AM to 1:30PM
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST, PHILADELPHIA …Supporting healing for all mankind
225 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 215-922-0828 visit us at: firstchurchcsphila.org
Gratitude and openness, being truthful in what you say Contentment seems to form itself in many ways I have the greatest neighbors, so I’m lucky in that way It’s unexplainable, It’s what I have, I’m lucky in that way — Harry Azoff “Mayor of Queen Village” Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 21
s c hoo l b e l l
Family Fun Day at Settlement Music School A chance to get to know a Queen Village treasure by Hilary Young
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any people overlook a hidden gem right here in our backyard: Settlement Music School. If you’re interested in experiencing the school for yourself, the Mary Louise Curtis Branch, located at 416 Queen St., will be hosting an Open House/Family Fun Day on Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can drop into classes, participate in open studio sessions, receive a tour of the school, and meet and greet some of the faculty over refreshments. The Fall Open House is a great opportunity to discover all that Settlement Music School has to offer, especially for the early childhood offerings, such as Children’s Music Playshop and Children’s Music Workshop. As an inclusive creative community, Settlement Music School offers classes and services in dance, music, the visual arts, and creative arts therapy to both children and adults. The local branch has some exciting programs coming up for
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A violin student at Settlement Music School
the fall, including ukelele and rock band classes for kids and teens, introductory piano classes for adults, a variety of dance classes for kids ages 3 to 18, a monthly community drum circle for adults who are interested in hand drumming, and much more.
For more information about Settlement Music School, visit their website at settlementmusic.org. ■ Missed the open house? Check out their Rhythm and Brews event on Sept. 27, or peek in on the free student recitals on Oct. 12 and 14.
the commons
Drink, Gentle Friends The Bainbridge Green horse trough as touchstone to history Reflection by Joseph G. Brin
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horse fountain in the 21st century seems about as useful and essential as a telephone tethered to a cord, attached to an immovable wall. Who needs a horse fountain today? Only a thirsty horse, hardly a common sight in Queen Village. The one remaining granite horse trough in Queen Village, at 3rd and Bainbridge streets, is about to celebrate its 150th anniversary this fall. With its beckoning inscription, “Drink Gentle Friends,” it is a touchstone to an earlier time and a symbol of society's dedication to the well-being of “beasts of burden.” It is slated to be restored to its original function within the next two years. While few horses may take advantage, the opportunity it presents to learn about our past is something the entire neighborhood stands to benefit from. The Annie L. Lowry Memorial Fountain was paid for and erected in 1910 by the Women's Animal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The group was then renamed the Women's Hu-
The original dedication in 1910.
mane Society and renamed again to today's Women's Animal Center, which just gained approval from the City Historic Commission for fountain repairs. The Lowry fountain represents a love story rooted in simple respect, comfort, and compassion for animals. It harkens to a time when draft animals were an ever present, domesticated workforce. The women who built this statue were wives of the wealthy. Although it wasn't culturally acceptable for them to work at the time, it was acceptable for them to do good works using their husbands' money. Those women founded several forward-looking nonprofits that are active to this day, including Ralston House and the Women's Animal Center. Today the fountain is symbolic of Queen Village's heritage, a place where there is still a thriving animal culture evidenced by pet hospitals, dog runs, doggie daycares, cat cafés and the like. Although anachronistic now, the truth is that the fountain once simultaneously quenched the hot summer's thirst of horses, people, and dogs.
Photo by Joseph G. Brin Horses were key to the everyday economy, as was their proper treatment. Sights and sounds of spigots flowing and splashing again will be heartening. But let’s pause for a moment to wonder about the value of the object itself as the embodiment of history in our midst. The restoration is significant from a utilitarian standpoint. Yet should utility be our only measure of what’s worthy of preservation? Could curiosity and learning also be a valid reason for preserving our material culture? Imagine a child encountering this odd, massive landmark: “What is a horse trough? How did the trough work? Why is the edge of it damaged? When was the last time a horse drank from the fountain? Did horses have to stand in line? How much can one horse drink at a time? How did horses drink when it turned to ice? Who carved the stone trough? How long did it take to scoop out all that stone?” There is an answer to each of those questions. For a child, though, each question and answer is a transporting experience. Cart away that fountain and our common history and the social values associated with it are gone forever. Who would miss it? Again, only a thirsty horse...or would we be thirsting for and missing something, too? ■ Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 23
H ow I t W o r k s
September is Fire Prevention Month Do you know how to protect the ones you love?
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moke alarms save lives, but only if you install and use them! No matter your living situation, they help protect you—and your neighbors. You can also put basic safety prevention measures in place while cooking, augmenting heat with portable devices, and dealing with older outlets and sockets. Always have a fire safety plan.
leave the kitchen for even a short period, turn off the stove. ■■ Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of 3 feet around the stove. ■■ Never leave children unattended near operating stoves, even for a short time.
Practice safety with the whole family
If you must use a portable heater
■■ Find two ways to get out of each room in the event that the primary exit is blocked by fire or smoke. ■■ A secondary route might be a window onto a neighboring roof or a collapsible ladder for escape from upper-story windows. ■■ Make sure all windows can open, screens can be quickly removed, and any security bars can be properly opened. ■■ Practice “feeling your way out of the house” in the dark or with your eyes closed. ■■ Teach children to seek help from, and cooperate with, firefighters in case of an emergency. ■■ Store matches and lighters out of children's reach and sight, preferably in a locked cabinet.
Cook with safety ■■ Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you
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■■ Buy only heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized institution, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). ■■ Make sure the heater has a thermostat control and switches off automatically if the heater falls over. ■■ Keep combustible items, children, and pets at least 3 feet away from the heater.
Prevent electrical fires ■■ Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace worn, old, or damaged appliance cords immediately. ■■ Never run electrical cords under rugs or furniture. ■■ Never force-fit a three-prong electrical plug into a two-slot outlet or extension cord. ■■ If a light switch is hot to the touch or the room lights flicker, immediately shut off the switch and have a licensed electrician check your wiring and replace the switch.
If you want to install alarms yourself ■■ Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. ■■ Test batteries monthly. Replace batteries each year (unless it’s a 10-year lithium battery model). ■■ Never disable a smoke alarm while cooking—it can be a deadly mistake. ■■ Replace the entire smoke alarm unit every 8–10 years or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
How to get free, city-installed smoke alarms If you own and live in a one- or two-bedroom Queen Village home, you can request free smoke alarms, and the Fire Department will install them. This includes smoke alarms designed for hearing-impaired or deaf residents. You should have one alarm on each floor of your home, including the basement. To request smoke alarms, call 3-1-1 or request them online at http://bit. ly/free-smoke-detector. If you need them, please order your smoke alarms today—it sometimes takes as long as 60 days from your order until the actual installation.
If you rent, your landlord is responsible for smoke alarms If you live in an apartment building or are renting a house, the landlord must provide smoke alarms on every level of the home. If your landlord has not provided smoke alarms, call Philly 311 to report the violation. ■
After the Fire Neighbors supported us. The house has been rebuilt. But we may never fully recover. Essay by Fernando Arias-Mendoza
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n Jan. 4, 2018, our house in Queen Village of more than 30 years was hit by fire. We live on the first block of Pemberton Street, mostly formed by historic houses with an appealing oldenday charm. It has been more than a year since the fire, but still, it feels recent. And we aren’t the only ones having these thoughts. Nearby and not-so-near neighbors have told us that the fire deeply affected them. At 4 a.m., just a few hours after the news of a nor’easter, a fire started in a house two lots away from ours. An unattended space heater and a faulty electrical system seemed to be the reason for the fire, which damaged six houses in addition to the building where it started. We were awakened by a strong smoke smell and hard banging from firefighters already working next door, but the fire had not yet spread to our home. This delay allowed us to leave the house still under safer conditions and to gather some belongings. When we got out, the flames were not yet in our home, but the fire was engulfing the house next to us.
I remember the few days after the fire in a haze. Scenes of the house after the fire marshal allowed us in were as if the house was frozen in time but covered with soot, trampled, wet, or cut in pieces. I also found it difficult to move forward on those days, as if I were carrying a huge load on my shoulders. What is next? was a pressing and somewhat unanswered question in my head. Thankfully, our neighbors (our heroes!) from Queen Village came to the rescue, showing us how blessed we are for living in this neighborhood. But even things as devastating as fire have a way to come to an end, and, after 11 months of renovation, we finally got back in our house. It looks different because of the changes made during renovation, especially those regarding fire prevention and control. However, more importantly, sometimes we think the house seems different because we don’t feel safe inside. How are we going to know if another next-door neighbor has been diligent enough with their electrical system, or heating system or fireplace?
burgers, dogs, mac & cheese Now Open Daily 11am-2am
Do we still think about the fire? All the time. That is the reason why we do not feel safe anymore. At the slight smell of smoke, we react—looking for the source to ensure it is not a threat. A fire engine on the road? Our hearts skip a beat. Do we have post-traumatic stress disorder? You bet we do. But still, we call this house our home and we are here attempting to recover and at the same time learn from the experience. We made our old historical house safer and we have a contingency plan to follow. And we believe being aware of a possible fire is important. We hope that relating our experience will make people wonder if their houses are safe enough and if they have a plan to follow in an emergency. We hope you do. For the sake of your family, you, and your neighbors all around you. ■
eat in/take out? call us 267.519.2080 848 s. 2nd st | queen village | luckyslastchance.com
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 25
it takes a village
Enrichment Learning to Curb the Slide
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ummer at Courtyard 2019 celebrated its fifth year of offering free summer learning enrichment programming to children from Queen Village. This year’s program included 30 children, ages 5–11, led by program managers Michael Kimmel and Mia DeCrescenzo, (both teachers during the school year), and was made possible by volunteers and the generous donations of businesses and individuals.
Summer at Courtyard provides enrichment through art, music, free play, and field trips. However, the element QVNA is most proud of is the daily reading program—developed by Kimmel and DeCrescenzo—to curb the “summer slide.” Made possible this year through a grant from the Free Library of Philadelphia, books were curated to include appropriate reading materials for each level of comprehension. And small group instruction included sta-
tions for reading, computer reading programs, and word games. The six-week program ran Monday through Thursday from July 9 until Aug. 15 at the Courtyard Apartments at Riverview’s Community Room, 1021 S. 4th St. Summer at Courtyard is a partnership among QVNA, the Courtyard Residents Council, Southwark Development Corporation, Better Tomorrows, and the Michaels Organization. ■
Weekly field trips spanned in topics from science and nature
Thank you for your generosity, Summer at Courtyard sponsors: Platinum level — $5,000+ ■■ Care Institute Group, Inc. ■■ Cozen O’Connor Foundation Silver level — $1,000–4,999 ■■ Bill and Margie Berlinghoff ■■ David Bresler D.D.S., P.C. ■■ Eugene Ehrenfeld Sunshine level — $500–749 ■■ Steven Fishman
Fun learning experiences included drumming (www.musicopia.net), dental care (www.cavitybusters.com), ceramics (www.theclaystudio.org), and the culture of Indigenous peoples (www.wearetheseeds.org).
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Summer level — $250–499 ■■ Jamie Nadeau ■■ Kenneth Segarnick
It Takes A Village
Summer at Courtyard students toured City Council Chambers with Councilman Mark Squilla, and used microphones to ask him questions.
!
Pragmatic)Counsel.))Diligent)Advocacy.) !
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1845 Ten!Penn!Center,!Suite!630! 1801!Market!Street! Philadelphia,!PA!!19103! ! T:!!(215)!667.8011! F:!!(215)!914.6332! !
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Summer at Courtyard’s daily reading program included book time, word games, and digital comprehension challenges.
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 27
It Takes A Village
Nine Thousand Pounds of Salad to Go Southwark garden feeds seniors and others in need
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One of three garden beds dedicated to growing food donated to Courtyard seniors
Gardener Barbara McKenzie holds one of several donated trombone zucchinis
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or Volunteer Leader Janice Chorba, Mark Raymond, Barbara McKenzie and more than 60 other members of the green thumb club (aka the Southwark/Queen Village Community Garden), picking, gathering and giving away fresh summer produce has long been part of the garden’s culture. In addition to the three large garden beds for vegetables destined for donation, any gardener is free to donate what they grow. This year, like the past eight before it, more than a thousand pounds of organic vegetables were donated to seniors-inneed who reside in the Courtyard Apartments at Riverview on South 4th Street at Washington Avenue. A staff member of the Courtyard partners with Chorba to weigh, receive, and transport each week’s bounty, which averages 100 pounds. The Southwark/Queen Village Community Garden is a member of City Harvest, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s program that provides support to local growers who offer organically grown vegetables to neighbors who otherwise would not have access to them. City Harvest provides the community garden with a wide variety of young plants, which Chorba and other volunteer gardeners grow specifically for their donation to elderly neighbors who live at the Courtyard Apartments at Riverview. ■
Gardener Mark Raymond does a wheelie with 72 pounds of salad
Janice Chorba leads the garden's City Harvest program, providing fresh produce weekly to neighborhood seniors
iberty
ree by Thomas Paine
In a chariot of light, from the regions of the day, The Goddess of Liberty came, Ten thousand celestials directed her way, And hither conducted the dame. A fair budding branch from the gardens above, Where millions with millions agree, She brought in her hand as a pledge of her love, And the plant she named Liberty Tree.
Beneath this fair tree, like the patriarchs of old, Their bread in contentment they ate, Unvexed with the troubles of silver or gold, The cares of the grand and the great. With timber and tar they Old England supplied, And supported her power on the sea; Her battles they fought, without getting a groat, For the honor of Liberty Tree.
The celestial exotic stuck deep in the ground, Like a native it flourished and bore; The fame of its fruit drew the nations around, To seek out this peaceable shore. Unmindful of names or distinctions they came, For freemen like brothers agree; With one spirit endued, they one friendship pursued, And their temple was Liberty Tree.
But hear, O ye swains (’tis a tale most profane), How all the tyrannical powers, Kings, Commons and Lords, are uniting amain To cut down this guardian of ours. From the East to the West blow the trumpet to arms, Thro’ the land let the sound of it flee; Let the far and the near all unite with a cheer, In defense of our Liberty Tree.
215.886.6111 (Glenside, PA) 215.725.3637 (Philadelphia, PA) 215.572.6937 (Fax) www.libertytree.com
MIKE DUFFY Certified Arborist PD-1766A
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 29
OPEN HOUSES Tues., Sept. 24 8:45 a.m. Grades Pre-K & K
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qv L i f e
QV Community Calendar TUE September 17 • 6 p.m. Police Captain’s Town Hall 11th & Wharton streets
TUE October 15 • 6 p.m. Police Captain’s Town Hall 11th & Wharton streets
TUE November 5 • 7:00 a.m. – 8 p.m. Philadelphia General Election http://bit.ly/QV-vote-here
THU September 19 • 6:30 p.m. QVNA Community Meeting St. Philip Neri Church Hall 218 Queen St.
WED October 16 • 6:30 p.m. QVNA Community Meeting St. Philip Neri Church Hall 218 Queen Street
WED November 6 • 6:30 p.m. Police PSA 1 Meeting Santore Library 932 S. 7th St.
FRI September 20 QVNA Community Grant Programs Fall application window opens www.QVNA.org/grants
FRI October 18 QVNA Board Candidate Nomination Deadline https://qvna.org/BoD-candidates
SAT November 9 • 9 a.m.–noon LOVE YOUR PARK Service Day http://loveyourpark.org
SAT September 21 • Noon Philly AIDS Thrift 14th Anniversary Block Party 5th & Bainbridge streets
SAT October 19 Trash & Recycling Curbside Pickup
FRI September 27 • 4 p.m. 4th Friday on 4th Street Fabric Row TUE October 1 • 1 p.m. Dedication of the Bethel Burying Ground Marker Weccacoe Playground 413 Queen St. (entrance) WED October 2 • 6:30 p.m. Police PSA 1 Meeting Santore Library 932 S. 7th Street WED October 9 • 7:30 p.m. QVNA Zoning Meeting 416 Gaskill Street THU October 10 • 6 p.m. Central DE Advocacy Group Meeting Society Hill Towers Community Room 285 St. James Place MON October 14 Columbus Day – Federal Holiday
FRI October 25 • 4 p.m. 4th Friday on 4th Street Fabric Row SAT October 26 • 12 p.m. South Street Pumpkin Fest Headhouse Shambles 2nd & Lombard streets WED October 30 • 1 p.m. QVNA Community Grant Program Fall application deadline www.QVNA.org/grants THU October 31 • 5 p.m. Halloween at Mario Lanza Park 200 Catherine St. SAT November 2 • 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Hazardous Household Waste Drop-Off Event Streets Department Northeast District 3901 Delaware Ave. http://bit.ly/what-is-hazardous SUN November 3 QVNA’s 50th Anniversary Year begins
MON November 11 Veteran’s Day – Federal Holiday WED November 13 • 7:30 p.m. QVNA Zoning Meeting 416 Gaskill St. THU November 14 • 6 p.m. Central DE Advocacy Group Meeting Society Hill Towers Community Room 285 St. James Place SAT November 16 • 9 a.m.–noon LOVE QUEEN VILLAGE DAY Volunteers Needed Meet at Weccacoe Playground 400 Catherine St. SAT November 16 Trash & Recycling Curbside Pickup TUE November 19 • 6 p.m. Police Captain’s Town Hall 11th & Wharton streets WED November 20 • 6:30 p.m. QVNA Community Meeting and Board Election St. Philip Neri Church Hall 218 Queen St. (calendar continues next page)
Queen Village Quarterly Crier // PAGE 31
QV Calendar (continued) THU November 21 Thanksgiving Day – Federal Holiday SAT November 23 Trash & Recycling Curbside Pickup WED December 4 • 6:30 p.m. Police PSA 1 Meeting Santore Library 932 S. 7th St. WED December 11 • 7:30 p.m. QVNA Zoning Meeting 416 Gaskill St.
To anyone else: an undistinguished bollard, cockeyed since who-knows-when. To artist Christopher Blizzard: a readymade model in miniature, awaiting homage as 5th and Gaskill’s Leaning Tower of Pisa.
THU December 12 • 6 p.m. Central DE Advocacy Group Meeting Society Hill Towers Community Room 285 St. James Place
See www.qvna.org/events for our complete calendar.
Congratulations! Congratulations to board directors Inez Green and Mike Seidenberg. In June, QVNA President Eleanor Ingersoll appointed Inez Green to serve as vice president and Mike Seidenberg to serve as treasurer. Both appointments were unanimously approved by the Board.
Enrolling Full Day and Part Time Toddler Preschool
QVNA Haiku
Preschool and Kindergarten
Before and After Grades K-2 Now Enrolling Full Day Kindergarten
Weeds in Queen Village Every place we look, they’re there. See? Uproot them. Thanks!
• FUN PROJECTS! • FIELD TRIPS • YOGA FUN FOR KIDS • MUSIC AND MOVEMENT • HEALTHY SNACKS • OPEN ENROLLMENT • THREE STORY BUILDING • PLENTY OF NATURAL LIGHT
Extracurricular Activities Visit our Website for more information or to Schedule a Tour!
Police Officer Tom Lewis and Councilman Mark Squilla played air guitar with the School of Rock Philadelphia House Band during National Night Out on August 6th. This annual event lets neighbors and officers mix and mingle in a light-hearted environment.
Beanstalk • Leader in Project Based Education 729 E. Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147
www.beanstalkschool.com
Queen Village Quarterly Crier \\ FALL 2019
215-278-2960
Helping improve the quality of life in Queen Village is our mission. Ready to make it your mission, too?
Run for the QVNA Board On November 16th, Queen Villagers will elect board members for the January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 term.
Current QVNA volunteers are encouraged to consider Board service.
Candidate nominations will be accepted through October 18th for the following 4-6 positions: ■■ Treasurer ■■ Secretary ■■ Directors (minimum of 2, maximum of 4)
Interested?
We’d love to meet with you. Please call/text 215.339.0975 or email info@qvna.org. Find more information at: www.QVNA.org/BoD-Candidates
Qualifications for candidacy: ■■ Queen Village resident 18+ ■■ Attendee of two QVNA-sponsored meetings between January 1 and October 18, 2019
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