Spruce Hill: Musician Gets Personal At West Philly Porchfest
Spenser Colmbs has a bachelor’s degree in advertising and a certificate in neuroscience from Temple University. He has a friendly, honest demeanor that helps make his day job as an insurance agent a little bit easier. Colmbs is also an active musician, performing solo as well as in two Philadelphia-based bands, Three Man Cannon and […]
Parks and Recreation: Five Spots in Philly’s Urban Outdoors for Canoodling
Philadelphia is a city with around 10,000 acres of parks and plazas open to the public where the environments are conducive to romance and well, making out. Water Works There are lush gardens surrounding fountains in this historic landmark and gathering place on Kelly Drive adjacent to the Art Museum. Along with being a park adorned with benches, it is also a popular place for […]
West Philadelphia: Five Eclectic Coffee Shops To Fit Your Mood
West Philadelphia is blossoming as a haven for flocks of young professionals and new families who enjoy the duality of pseudo-neighborhood living paired with easy access to Center City. A few blocks west of University City and a few blocks south of Market Street, a hip and eclectic community is materializing and bringing with it […]
Powelton Village: Five Churches Supporting the Community
The Powelton Village section of West Philadelphia is known for housing a unique blend of students, artists and activists but it is also home to a rich tapestry of religious organizations. One three-block stretch of Baring Street in the heart of the neighborhood, for example, is lined with four churches and a religious student center. […]
Clark Park: Eating Healthy and Affordable with Livengood Family Farm
Eating healthy, wholesome and local is no longer a privilege but a possibility for everyone in West Philadelphia, thanks to Livengood Family Farms. Entering its 15th year of selling Lancaster, Pennsylvania-grown produce and vegetables, Livengood Family Farms has become one of Clark Park Farmers Market’s biggest vendors. Dwain Livengood and his family are at the center […]
Powelton Village: EAT Café Hosts First Witness To Hunger Event
In response to the country’s new federal administration, the leaders behind West Philadelphia’s Witness to Hunger introduced their first gallery exhibition and open community forum to highlight poverty in the community. First established in 2008, Witness to Hunger fights against hunger and poverty through both photography and discussion. Panelists at the first gallery exhibition included Angela-Nike Sutton, […]
Sustainability: The Philadelphia Orchard Project Provides Fresh Fruit to Communities
Just when you think the fast-paced, industrialized, city life is dry and desolate, the Philadelphia Orchard Project brings nature’s beauties to brighten up Philly’s urban neighborhoods. As a nonprofit, community-based organization, the Philadelphia Orchard Project transforms vacant lots, schoolyards, community gardens and areas in low-wealth neighborhoods into green spaces to harvest useful and edible plants for the […]
Education: Center For Literacy Classes Offer Adult Learners Help, Hope
Adult illiteracy is a major issue in Philadelphia, with more than two-thirds of the adult population classified as low literate – meaning they do not have the basic skills necessary for the modern workplace, according to a report published by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board. Center for Literacy (CFL) is a 50-year-old, longstanding institution that works to […]
University City: Keeping The Printed Page Alive
Among the bright blue walls and posters full of literary puns, Kathleen Volk Miller (below) sits in a sea of papers and books. It’s a scene some might find overwhelming, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. As a writer, professor and the director of Drexel’s new graduate program in publishing, Miller says of all […]
LGBTQ: Five Welcoming Places for the Community
Intersecting at 13th and Locust streets, the rainbow crosswalk represents more than lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and queers. It embodies the boundaries and obstacles crossed and overcome by the LGBTQ community in Philadelphia. In neighborhoods across the city, there are LGBTQ facilities that provide affordable medical treatments and education, encourage the exploration of self-expression, and promote a confident life. […]