May 29, 2007
If you have never been to the Laurel Hill Cemetery, take advantage of the upcoming nice weather and spend a few hours there. The cemetery is rich in Philadelphia and American history. It is an historical landmark. Numerous famous people are buried there, included many Philadelphians that helped make this city what it is today. It was the first cemetery of its kind. The cemetery was an introduction to architectural landscape and it was the beginning of a peaceful burial ground outside of the city proper. Laurel Hill is beautiful and tranquil. It has some of the most amazing head stones and mausoleums I have ever seen. The landscape is incredible and the cemetery is huge. From the cemetery, you can see picturesque views of Philadelphia.
My friends and I biked down there and rode around on our bikes. We had a great time. You can walk or bike for free, but they offer guided tours for a fee. Also, in October, there are night time tours for spooky fun!
It is located at 3822 Ridge Ave (East Falls Area). If you have walked along the Schuykill River in Fairmount Park (on Kelly Drive), you have probably passed by it. Schedule a time to go inside, I had the most amazing day there.
Laurel Hill Cemetery
3822 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia PA 19132
May 21, 2007
One of the places I’ve been checking out recently is the Palmyra Cover Nature Park, which is literally just at the foot of the Tacony Palmyra Bridge, and run by the Bridge Commission itself.
Palmyra Cove Nature Park (PCNP) consists of 250 acres of woodlands, fields, marshes, river bank, ponds and a cove (hence the name) right next to Philly and surrounded by Jersey’s myriad of small towns linked by suburban sprawl. With its woodlands, wetlands, tidal cove and wild river shore line, PCNP serves as an important feeding site for migratory birds. In May the PCNP is one of the best migrant traps in the region. The Philadelphia metro is the fourth largest in the country and a formidable obstacle for a 9 gram bird trying to get from South America to Canada, this tiny yet vibrant and diverse park is an oasis in the megalopolis. The diversity of birds, especially warblers found here is spectacular. The park also has beaver, deer and fox.
Unfortunately the Army Corps of Engineers had been using the site as a place to put dredge spoils and has an open agreement to dump more. The ACE has announced their intention to cover more than half of the park with dredge spoils in the near future”"so see this gem before is it spoiled (literally)!
Palmyra Cove Nature Park
1300 Rt 73, Palmyra, NJ 08065
http://www.palmyracove.org/
May 17, 2007
Post submitted by Jessie Tettemer
Welcome spring! I don’t want to jinx it, but I think the warm weather is finally here to stay. I figured it was about time to dust off my 1970s blue coaster and head over to Via Bicycle for a quick tune up. This bike shop is the place for everything from basic 3 speeds and coaster Schwinn’s, to turn of the century bicycles. The bikes spill out of the shop and line the sidewalk on 9th Street just below South. You’ll recognize the man with the mustache as Curtis Anthony who opened the shop in 1982, he seems to know everyone who walks by and he’ll make you feel like a regular too.
Via Bicycle is a great place to start if your last memories about biking are your training wheels “” the woman being helped in front of me hadn’t been on bike in 25 years, “Just give it a test drive,” said one of Anthony’s knowledgeable staff, and the born-again biker was off on a green Schwinn.
Via Bicycle will also buy your old bike, or give it a full tune-up to make you fall in love all over again. And check out their website for the online store and Ebay auctions!
Via Bicycle
606 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 627-3370
www.bikeville.com
May 16, 2007
Post submitted by Michael McGettigan
Trophy Bikes has invented a way to combine two of America’s favorite pastimes. Bicycle on over and join us this Friday, May 18th, 6:15pm sharp at the Liberty Bell (5th and Market) for Bike To The Ball Park. Bring your bicycle, a helmet, lights, a lock, and maybe bring a light jacket – the stadium can get chilly after sunset.
We’ll take a leisurely ride across the Ben Franklin Bridge walkways, one of the area’s best-kept secrets, offering wide, majestic views up and down the Delaware. In just 15 minutes, we’ll be at the gates of Campbell Field, home of the Riversharks baseball team. The walkways are usually closed after dark, but as this is Bike Week, they’ll be open ’til late.
General admission tickets are cheap. Just $7 in advance, $10 at the door. We will have at a bundle of advance tickets!
Inside, catch great minor league baseball, Yards and Flying Fish on tap, and tasty stadium food from local concessions.
On the way back after the game, we’ll watch the fireworks from the Ben Franklin walkways and maybe grab a nightcap in Old City before cycling home.
To RSVP, just email mcget@aol.com with “Bike To The Ball Park” in your subject line.
Meet @ The Liberty Bell
5th and Market, Philadelphia, PA 19106
RSVP: mcget@aol.com
www.trophybikes.com
May 16, 2007
South 11th Street between Washington and Carman’s on a fine Sunday afternoon.
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May 15, 2007
Dragging your way through the last two hours of work at The Office and trolling the internet for what the heck to do on this here Tuesday night? Here’s your late pick!
Try Helvetica: The Movie, a late comer to my inbox and a definite “oh whoa why didn’t I hear about this sooner” event, tonight at 6:30 at Drexel’s Bossone Auditorium, 3150 Market Street. It’s a timely tribute to the ubiquitous typeface, which turns 50 years old this year, and is further billed as “an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.” Sound like hip nerdiness? You’re probably not too far off (and it is mostly by Thrill Jockey bands).
The movie’s been on the film fest rounds and this is its only Philadelphia stop. It’s probably your only shot to catch it for a long time, and your only one to do so with the director in house. Make it happen!
Helvetica: The Movie
3150 Market Street
6:30PM, free, followed by a Q&A with the director
May 14, 2007
There was a lit police sign in Spruce Street the other day that read “Road Closed – Penn Move-out.” Detouring, I wondered where the year went, and what would turn up on the suddenly approaching June 1st.
June 1st is the biggest moving day of the year in University City, and that means the most extravagant trash diving imaginable. Walk by any industrial dumpster and peak in and you’ll surely find at least one determined treasure hunter digging around, and rightly so – friends of mine have pulled completely working digital cameras and computers out of there.
For the less aggressive and the Tetanus-minded, all it takes is a little walking up and down the streets – 38th and Chestnut west and south to 46th and Baltimore – to find all the furniture your spot could ever need. There’s too much IKEA out there for the craigslist free pages to sustain, and once in a while there are beautiful Antiques Roadshow-style desks and cabinets that I only wish I had the space to stockpile myself. Bring friends, or better yet, a pickup truck: June 1 is soon, and a lot of great stuff will go to waste just for lack of a home.
May 11, 2007
The Schuylkill Center sits on 340 acres of protected land”" including woodlands, meadows, forests, streams, ponds, and six miles of interpretive trails in the Roxborough neighborhood.
The Center was founded in 1965, one of the first environmental education centers in the country. Since then, The Center has been providing cutting-edge educational experiences for children and adults from all over Philadelphia. There are offerings for everyone–a film series, a native plant sale, field trips, even “Nature Tots” an afternoon outdoor time for toddlers and their families.
But hands down, the best thing about it is the land itself. The property is breathtaking. One could wander for hours through these gorgeous woods, or just sit alongside “Winddance” pond and listen to the songs of the bullfrogs. What I found truly incredible the first time I walked the trails here is that this too, is Philadelphia.
Today there’ll be a night hike for adults. It will be a leisurely stroll through the woods, culminating at the outdoor pavilion area with wine and s’mores around the campfire. Why not use this opportunity to get up the nerve to ask out your crush? Even if it doesn’t work out, you will have have fallen in love with a piece of Philly you never knew.
The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
Night Hike for Adults, 8-10pm 5/11
8480 Hagy’s Mill Road Philadelphia, PA 19128
http://www.schuylkillcenter.org
May 10, 2007
Post submitted by Allison Perlstein
If you’re like me you’re constantly in search of a nail salon that you can call your own. A place you can visit on a consistent basis and actually have your nails done to your liking. For years I hopped around to different main stream nail salons. You know, the places where there are about 20 people doing nails all day, the smell of acrylic in the air, no one speaks to you. By the time you’re finished, your nails are uneven and your cuticles are bleeding. If you agree with me and prefer a more genuine setting, I have the place for you!
After a long day of classes I decided to walk down Walnut (money trap) Street, when on 16th I suddenly came across a hole in the wall, literally. Squished between two buildings and across from American Apparel, there was a tiny door leading to “Nails by Vanessa”. If you walk too fast you’ll pass it.
The shop was no bigger than a freshman’s dorm room, but upon walking in I felt as though I had been transported into a palace. Red velvet and flowered wall paper covered the scene. The atmosphere was stylish, very old fashioned couture. Suddenly I had the urge to pamper myself.
Vanessa was fabulous. A small woman with a whole lot of sass and a whole lot of blond highlights greeted me as if we had known each other our whole lives.
Vanessa really puts people at ease and will cater to individual needs, but she requires her own way to a certain extent. She won’t do glitter, airbrush, or rhinestones, even if you begged her. She really blew me away. I received the most amazing French manicure of my life! The brand of nail polish used was Essie, one of the best out right now. Vanessa also does waxing.
My mani/pedi was $50. The price may not be as cheap as many of the mainstream “nails for u salons” but the experience is definitely worth the cost.
If you’re looking for a killer French manicure and some advice on your love life, visit “Nails by Vanessa.” Walk-ins are allowed, but I would suggest calling to make an appointment. She is popular among the fortunate people who have discovered her.
Nails by Vanessa
1616 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 731-0177
May 9, 2007
Temple University is launching a study that will analyze the potential for mobile devices to enhance the experience of tourists in Philadelphia, and are currently seeking 20 to 35 year old tourists who are planning to visit Philly this month to partake in the study.
The experiment is going to study how tourists gain valuable experiences as they are traveling while analyzing the potential for mobile applications. Using mobile technology, specifically the cell phone and the various features therein, like sharing pictures, GPS mapping, and text messaging, the study will look at how these functions support the tourist experience.
All participants will be given Amazon.com gift card worth $200 (yes!) which can be used virtually anywhere.
Want some more info? Email Iis P. Tussyadiah at iist@temple.edu for details!
Temple University
National Laboratory for Tourism and eCommerce
1700 N Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
iist@temple.edu
