About.com Philadelphia

This Weekend: Eagles, Pigs and a Few Humans Too

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:09:53 +0000

Between Election Day, the SEPTA strike and the World Series, it's been a crazy week here in Philadelphia. This weekend, do something fun:

All Weekend: The First Person Arts Festival
Celebrating "memoir and documentary art," the First Person Arts festival features films, talks, workshops and more (including karaoke!) through the weekend.

Friday: First Friday
Throw on a winter coat and brave the chill of November's First Friday. Go classic in Old City or check out the art openings, live music and more in Mt. Airy, the Frankford Avenue Arts Corridor, or Doylestown.

Saturday: Bacon, Sausage and Scrapple Making
From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, stop by the Howell Living History farm in Lambertville, NJ to "meet your meat" as farmers make popular pork products while you watch. For $2, children can also participate in a craft program and make soap on a rope.

Sunday: Watch the Eagles
The Phillies didn't win the World Series. Disappointing? Yeah. Oh, yes. But this Sunday, fill your mouth with the only two words that could possibly replace "Go Phillies" right now: Go Birds.

This Weekend: Eagles, Pigs and a Few Humans Too originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 10:09:53.

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Biking During the SEPTA Strike

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:54:13 +0000

If you're thinking of biking to work during the SEPTA strike, there are plenty of resources to help you travel on two wheels:

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is offering additional bike parking and a bicycle service station at City Hall that they promise will be set up this afternoon and continue through the duration of the strike.
If you need a new bike or a tune-up for your existing cycle, here's a list of Philadelphia bike shops by neighborhood.
The City of Philadelphia offers bike maps to help you plan your cycling commute. In addition to what you see on the maps, there are also bicycle lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets in Center City that were added earlier this fall.

If you are traveling to Philadelphia on Regional Rail and hope to use a bike once you arrive in the city, note that bikes are only allowed on Regional Rail trains during non-peak hours. The only exception is folding bicycles as long as they are folded and stowed in the train's luggage area. Read more about SEPTA's bicycle policy.

For more information on how to commute during the public transportation stoppage, check out the SEPTA Strikes page.

Image: Meg Favreau

Biking During the SEPTA Strike originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 11:54:13.

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SEPTA on Strike: What to Do

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:47:07 +0000

Governor Rendell was able to delay the SEPTA strike while the World Series was in town by ordering SEPTA management and union officials to stay at the bargaining table. Unfortunately, however, Rendell wasn't able to hold the strike off entirely: as of 3 a.m. this morning, members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 have walked off the job.

SEPTA has posted a guide to which services are and are not running during the strike.

For information on how to commute during the strike as well as a brief history of SEPTA work-stoppages, visit the SEPTA strikes page.

SEPTA on Strike: What to Do originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 08:47:07.

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Philadelphia and New Jersey Elections: Find Your Polling Place

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:17:01 +0000

Election Day is here again. On November 3, Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents will vote for a variety of public servants ranging from Philadelphia City Controller to Governor of New Jersey.

If you have recently moved or just registered to vote for the first time, follow these links to find your polling place:

Pennsylvania Polling Locations
New Jersey Polling Locations

Polls in Pennsylvania will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; polls in New Jersey will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Happy voting!

Philadelphia and New Jersey Elections: Find Your Polling Place originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 17:17:01.

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This Weekend: Phillies & Halloween

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:52:37 +0000

What a great game last night - despite the rain and being in Yankees stadium, the Phils brought the awesome. I've been joking with my friends since the National League games that the swine flu in Philadelphia is going to be spread solely through Phillies-based high fives. If we keep having games like last night, that joke seems more and more likely to become truth.

All Weekend: Watch the Phillies
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Febreeze that red shirt and put it on again. Not sure where to watch the game? Get some ideas by reading FooBooz's post on bars and restaurants with World Series specials.

Friday: Park in the Dark
The rain is breaking and tomorrow's high is supposed to be in the 60s, which means it should be a great night to spend in Norristown Farm State Park. For ages 7 and up, this nocturnal walk promises to be educational and creepy at the same time.

Saturday: The Henri David Ball
This elaborate costume ball put on by jewelry-shop owner Henri David is the place to scope out both wild costumes and famous folks - one of my friends has a much-cherished photograph of himself dressed as a creepy security guard with Governor Ed Rendell. The ball is at the Center City Sheraton and begins at 9 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door.

Sunday: Halloween Candy Buyback
If your kid has a king-sized pillowcase full of candy, here's a great way to cut the amount down to standard-pillowcase size: candy buyback. Mount Holly Family Dentistry in Mount Holly, NJ is running a candy buyback program on November 1 from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. where children 13 and under will receive $1 per pound of candy they turn in. The dentist's office will then ship the candy to troops overseas.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/loop_oh/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

This Weekend: Phillies & Halloween originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 09:52:37.

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Follow Me on Twitter

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:58:18 +0000

I've created an AboutPhilly twitter account that I'll be using to share reviews and news, keep in contact with folks and more. If you're twitter-inclined, start following me at AboutPhilly, and I'll see you in, uh, twittertown.

Follow Me on Twitter originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 07:58:18.

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SEPTA Strike Scheduled

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:01:50 +0000

SEPTA employees have been working without a contract since March. After several months of negotiations with management, SEPTA's largest union, Transport Workers Union Local 234, voted earlier today to authorize a strike if a contract cannot be reached by the end of the week - meaning that the strike would begin just as the Phillies start playing home World Series games. Yikes.

How your commute may (or may not) be affected:

First of all, remember that a strike isn't guaranteed: SEPTA employees are only striking at the end of the week if a contract isn't reached by then. Talks are scheduled to begin again on Monday.
If a strike does occur, SEPTA subway lines, trolleys and busses will be affected. Regional Rail will still run since its trains are operated by a separate union. NJ Transit and the PATCO will also be unaffected.
During the last SEPTA strike in 2005, the city made 2,200 additional parking spaces available for the duration of the strike. No word yet about whether they might do the same thing this time. Either way, if you'll need to drive to work in Philadelphia, consider making carpooling plans.

UPDATE: As of 3 a.m. on November 3, a SEPTA strike is in effect. For more information about the history of SEPTA strikes and what to do during the strike, visit the SEPTA strikes page or my blog post about biking during the 2009 SEPTA strike.

SEPTA Strike Scheduled originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 21:01:50.

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Weekend Picks (and Yay Phils!)

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:21:16 +0000

After all the Phillies-win revelry (and pole greasing) in Philadelphia last night, was anybody else a little surprised to wake up this morning and discover that it's only Thursday? It feels like the weekend should already be here. With that in mind, here are your extended weekend picks:

Thursday: Go Out to Eat
This can be anywhere, as long as you're sitting outside. We're looking at a high of 74 today, folks, and it's probably going to be the last one we see for a while. Maybe bring a sandwich to Rittenhouse Square, chomp on a crepe at Beau Monde, or get a burger-and-shake dinner at PYT?

Friday: Haunted Poe
For a haunted house that's "going more for a sustained spooky vibe than outright terror," check out BRAT Productions' Haunted Poe, based on the works of good ol' Edgar Allan.

Saturday: Explore Philadelphia's Hidden Past
This free event from the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum promises illustrated talks by archaeologists, artifacts, an opportunity to see a working archeology lab and more.

Sunday: Humor Abuse There are still tickets available for the final performance of Lorenzo Pisoni's much-lauded show about his childhood in the Pickle Family Circus.

Image: Meg Favreau
Weekend Picks (and Yay Phils!) originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 10:21:16.
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Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:13:23 +0000

Earlier this week, the Obama administration reversed the Bush administration's stance on medical marijuana, telling federal authorities not to arrest or prosecute medical marijuana distributors in states where medical marijuana is legal.

Currently 13 states have medical marijuana laws on the books, and there's potential for Pennsylvania to join them soon. House Bill 1393 would change the current marijuana laws to legalize medical use in the state. The bill was introduced by Philadelphia Democratic Representative Mark Cohen back in April, and then referred to the Health and Human Services Committee, where it stayed over the course of the state budget impasse. In early September, WHYY's Kerry Grens reported that "Advocates for medical marijuana are hoping that once a budget is approved, their issue will get some attention." Since Governor Rendell finally signed the budget plan earlier this month, we might see some action soon.

New Jersey is also considering medical marijuana legislation. The state Senate approved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act in February, and the bill is now under consideration in the general assembly. When the three major gubernatorial candidates addressed the issue in a recent debate, Governor Corzine said that he would sign the legislation, Chris Christie said he would support a somewhat stricter bill than what currently exists and Chris Daggett noted that he wasn't familiar with all the details of the current bill, but that he generally supports "the use of marijuana for medical purposes as long as it can be done in a way that targets its use by the intended patient and has adequate safeguards against misuse or illegal use."

So what do you think - should Pennsylvania and New Jersey approve medical marijuana?
Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 10:13:23.
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What�s the Best Place to Watch the Phillies?

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:53:27 +0000
I was thinking about that question last night, when, thanks to a six-hour airport delay, I followed the game on a combination of my cell phone, the radio and a flat-screen TV hung over baggage claim carousel D. Usually I watch Phillies games with my friends at a bar in my neighborhood; last year the tiny interior was so packed for the lead up to the World Series that the bar brought in extra TVs. Oh my goodness, it was a lot of fun, and I have no desire to watch the Phils anywhere else (except, of course, Citizens Bank Park). Other than at the ballpark, what do you think the best place to watch the Phillies is?
What�s the Best Place to Watch the Phillies? originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 11:53:27.
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