Grid Magazine April 2018 [#107

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Bike lanes successfully defended

Birds of prey (and the people who love them)

Green weddings, Philly style

p. 6

p. 21

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APRIL 2018 / ISSUE 107 / GRIDPHILLY.COM

T O W A R D A S U S TA I N A B L E P H I L A D E L P H I A

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Access Granted An accessibility hackathon for the disabled hopes to yield the next big idea Technology puts the world at our fingertips, but what if your fingers don’t work?

Enter the LipSync, a mouth-operated joystick that controls computer cursor movement, which allows people who can’t use their arms to use a computer. In June 2017, NextFab’s Member Services Director, Marcella Barker, organized a LipSync Buildathon in partnership with Makers Making Change and made 17 devices .

Charles Sammartino is the Adaptive Technology Coordinator at Inglis House, whose mission since its founding in 1877 is to enable people with disabilities and those who care for them to achieve their goals and live life to the fullest. Sammartino was keenly interested in the event and started talking with Barker about how it could develop.

“We struck up a conversation about Charles’ work at Inglis, and the challenges he faced with limited fabrication equipment,” says Barker. “We immediately began dreaming up ways that NextFab could be of help.”

Sammartino visited NextFab and became a member. “Once I stepped through the doors, it was invigorating to see all the tools that were offered. With access to almost any tool, it allows you to push your creativity and thinking to a point that may have been previously unachievable.”

That “next big idea” may appear at April 28’s Accessibility Hackathon, where participants will solve real-world challenges ranging from making current systems more efficient to improving quality of life.

Barker is eager for the event. “The Hackathon format is a super fun, exhilarating way to get a large and diverse group of people together to focus their skills and energy on a common goal. The impact of a single day can be astounding when you have a room full of problem-solvers and the goal of making a difference!”

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EDITO R ’S NOT ES

by

alex mulcahy

Seasonal Joy If you are feeling optimistic, it’s only natural

H

ope does not winter eternal, it springs eternal.

Welcome back, sunshine, gardens and baseball! I know most people use New Year’s Eve to make resolutions, but I think springtime is when I feel most committed to self-improvement. For example, I’m finally getting back to my daily bike commute.

Every year, it seems, winter robs me of that habit. Sometimes it’s the snow, or not having working lights for my bike, or succumbing to the health-wrecking army of germs the winter unleashes. My helmet is off to all of you who made it through the frost without giving up. Forgive me, and my fair-weather friends, for crowding your bike lanes.

Just as predictable a signal that spring is winding up is seeing the calendar swell with festivals dates. These days, it’s tempting to see these celebrations of joy and community as an antidote to what we see in the national news.

As gatherings that celebrate diversity, creativity, intellectual curiosity, scientific rigor and community—and that are infused with optimism and are welcoming in nature—they make for a stark contrast to the national news. But thinking of these events as reactions does them a disservice. They are 100 percent positive events, almost all of which preceded the current administration, and almost all of which will outlast it.

The power of creating community by attending and participating in events is especially relevant in the midst of the Facebook backlash.

In the early days of Grid, I was a man about town, always carrying an armful of magazines and a pocketful of business cards.

It was at events like these that I met the warm and wonderful Action Mom of the

month, Judith Robinson, an indefatigable champion for her neighborhood, and the Action Mom columnist herself, Paige Wolf.

I met urban naturalist Bernard Brown at a Philly Green Drinks at the Standard Tap in Northern Liberties. And I once upon a time participated in a sustainability event that Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark, whom we profile on the occasion of her new book, put together at Chestnut Hill College.

For the past few years, I slowed down my gadfly lifestyle as my wife and I started a family. The nap schedule, the lugging around the many things necessary to maintain a child on the road for a few hours—not to mention the hilariously difficult task of getting kids dressed—all conspired to keep me away.

But it’s springtime, and we can change again. This year, mark my words, we’re going to get a few of these on our calendar at home—especially since so many of them are family friendly.

So, now that sunlight is on our side and the sprouts are emerging, what are you going to do? Is there a resolution you want to make, or a project you’ve imagined but haven’t quite gotten around to? I bet there is.

If the ideas are slow to come, may I suggest mixing it up with creative people who will be regularly convening at festivals over the next few months. It will make you happy.

And remember, when you’re feeling happy, they don’t say you’ve got some winter in your step. You’ve got some spring in your step.

publisher Alex Mulcahy editor-in-chief Alex Mulcahy alex@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 102 associate editor Walter Foley copy editor Cara Stefchak art director Michael Wohlberg michael@redflagmedia.com 215.625.9850 ext. 113 writers Constance Garcia-Barrio Vince Bellino Kriston Jae Bethel Bernard Brown Justin Klugh Emily Kovach Randy LoBasso Paige Wolf photographer Kriston Jae Bethel advertising Santino Blanco santino@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 112 distribution Alex Yarde alex.yarde@redflagmedia.com 215.625.9850 ext. 106 published by Red Flag Media 1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.625.9850 G R I D P H I L LY. C O M

ALEX MULCAHY Editor-in-Chief alex@gridphilly.com COV E R P HOTO BY JEFF FUSCO

ACT I O N MOM

by

paige wolf

A Resourceful Grandmom Cleans Up

I Mt.Airy South Philly

West Philly South Jersey

thenestinghouse.net

n 2005, judith robinson was fed up with the litter and illegal dumping plaguing her North Philadelphia neighborhood. A real estate broker and grandmother of two, Robinson refused to accept the status quo of garbage-filled lots, and she took her concerns to community meetings—as well as into her own hands.

First, she noticed groups of teenagers hanging around near her office, so she offered them money out of her own pocket to clean up areas along the major commercial corridor of Susquehanna Avenue.

“We created a team of youth,” she says.

“Using our own resources, initially, we purchased a rolling trash can, brooms, and shovels and sent the youth to clean up.”

And that was the birth of Susquehanna Clean Up/Pick Up, which has spent more than a decade bringing issues of recycling, waste management, land use and climate change to North Philly residents.

Realizing that prevention was key to addressing the litter problem, Robinson guided SCUPU to partner with Keep Philadelphia Beautiful and the city to provide recycling bins for the entire neighborhood.

Robinson and her team helped residents​ take advantage of Recycle Bank, which offers financial incentives for recycling.

SCUPU has provided forums on the green jobs economy, solar panels, stormwater management and energy workshops. In 2009, SCUPU partnered with the state and received a grant to reimburse the organization for its efforts against illegal dumping. It also partnered with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society for the LandCare program, which focuses on cleaning and greening vacant parcels.

In 2010 SCUPU received its first grant among many that would go toward providing environmental justice education in urban settings.

Robinson was alarmed when construction of a new Temple Student Health and Wellness Center left large dirt piles to blow in the wind, raising environmental and health concerns. She held a community meeting about the construction, but turnout was low. So she posted a photo of the dirt pile on her Facebook page, where she often writes “Temple Tuesday” posts to point out the effects of university construction in the neighborhood. She received a call from Temple News, where she was able to share her concerns with a wider audience.

“There are some major environmental justice problems going on where our community is disrespected,” Robinson says.

“We can’t stop buildings from being built, but we can speak up about how things are being built and how we are being affected.”

The construction dirt was finally removed when the center was complete, but Robinson still keeps a close eye on the university’s plans to construct a new stadium.

A recent mini-grant from the Franklin Institute’s Climate & Urban Systems Partnership will help SCUPU plant trees in the area and remove existing ones that negatively affect properties. She has community members signed up to learn to be “tree tenders” and will also hold forums with the water department on stormwater management and science education at an open-space classroom in a local park.

“It’s actually easier now with the strange weather to talk about climate change without seeming like a kook,” she says.

As a longtime “action mom,” Robinson credits motherhood for teaching her to be patient with herself and others. She also credits her maternal instincts for helping her to manage time, money and resources.

She has made a little go a long way.

“Pinching pennies is an art form,” she says.

paige wolf is the author of “Spit That Out!: The Overly Informed Parent’s Guide to Raising Healthy Kids in the Age of Environmental Guilt.” Follow @paigewolf on Twitter.

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BI K E TA LK

by

randy lobasso

Politicians, Stay in Your Lane

A

s is too often the case in Philadelphia, when a project takes one step forward, someone, somewhere, decides to bring it two steps back.

That one step forward happened for bicycling infrastructure last summer, when Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell introduced an ordinance that would allow for a protected bike lane along 11 blocks of Chestnut Street, between 45th and 34th streets.

Her support of the new streetscape came after six years of advocacy in the area— meetings with business and community associations, hours of door-knocking, crash analyses and so on. It was a major victory, but nothing like what advocates originally pushed for: a bike lane between 22nd and 63rd streets. Blackwell said her constituents west of 45th didn’t want the infrastructure, despite several letters of support from community groups, and blocked the extension.

Because legislators in Philadelphia are allowed to do that.

For cyclists who commute through West Philly, the small section of protection has been life-changing. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia found a 63 percent increase in bicycle traffic along Chestnut at 34th streets since the lane was installed, with only a three-minute delay in vehicular traffic. A University City District study found a decrease in crashes in the corridor.

As for those two steps back?

Councilwoman Blackwell turned against the bike lane in record time. At the lane’s unveiling, she publicly demanded the Streets Department make the lane temporary, even though she wrote and introduced the law that made the lane permanent.

In a Philadelphia magazine interview in February, Blackwell called the project the biggest mistake of her several-decade career in City Council. And later that month, she introduced legislation to require a Council ordinance for “any modification to an exist-

ing bicycle lane that would affect the flow of traffic.”

Her legislation would have meant that district Council members—not planners or engineers—would have final say over whether the city adds, for example, more paint or physical protection to any existing bike lane, while making it harder, costlier and more time consuming for Philadelphia to create safer streets.

Blackwell walked her legislation back at March’s Vision Zero Conference, citing both Councilman Mark Squilla and the Bicycle Coalition as having changed her mind.

This was very welcome news, but it put the spotlight on another issue: City Council can bring up legislation like this, and often does, as a first resort. Such legislation makes streets more dangerous and slows Philadelphia’s commitment to zero traffic deaths by 2030.

This law has already slowed down Philadelphia’s progress, especially when compared to other cities.

While Philadelphia has installed 2.5 miles of protected bike lanes since 2007, New York City, for example, has installed 98 miles.

NYC’s vehicular deaths are also plunging while Philly’s roughly 100 yearly traffic deaths remain stagnant.

Bike lanes are proven traffic-calming measures that make travel safer for everyone. That includes people in cars and on the sidewalk. Philadelphia is lagging behind other cities specifically because of the 2012 ordinance. What Blackwell did not mention in her speech at Vision Zero 2018: the sheer pressure on City Council to ditch her bill.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, 5th Square and people all over Philadelphia signed petitions, emailed and called politicians, demanding they not hinder the city’s Vision Zero program.

Such organizing will continue next time City Council inevitably decides to take two steps back.

randy lobasso is the communications manager at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

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U RBA N N AT U RA L I ST

by

bernard brown

Hawks and Hawkaholics A community of admirers advocates for the red-tailed hawk

M

om,” a red-tailed hawk and Philadelphia’s most-watched bird, napped in a small London plane tree next to Sister Cities Park on a gray winter morning.

On the sidewalk below, I joined Christian Hunold, associate professor of political science at Drexel University and a nature photographer. We suspected Mom had already filled her crop with rat meat by the time we found her. Carolyn Sutton, one of the most dedicated members of Philadelphia’s hawkwatching community, had run off to track down Mom’s paramour, a younger fellow named T4 (“T” for “tiercel,” the proper term for a male hawk). She found him a few blocks away ripping into another unlucky rat. Just another morning for an urban hawk family.

If you spend much time in Philadelphia, you have probably seen Mom, T4 or another of our urban red-tailed hawks. If not, now that you’ve read this, you will start seeing them everywhere: perched on rooftops, cruising over the road you’re driving on, swooping down to grab a squirrel while you eat lunch on a park bench. You’ll hear them too.

“Red-tails make the greatest noise you’ve ever heard a bird make,” says environmental educator and BirdPhilly co-founder Tony Croasdale. The result is that their fearsome keee-aaaah scream is the go-to audio track anytime any raptor, such as a bald eagle, appears in a movie (bald eagles actually sound like giggling chickens).

Red-tailed hawks are not too picky about where they’ll put the pile of sticks they call

a nest, and just such a nest at the Franklin Institute made Mom and her family famous.

In 2009 she and her then-mate “Dad” built a nest on a ledge outside a conference-room window. Like any self-respecting science museum, the Franklin set up a camera to livestream the hawks.

As so often happens, the live nest cam attracted a crowd. “There’s something about being able to see everything the birds are doing and every bit of the birds growing up that you can’t take your eyes off it,” Sutton explains. The nest cam website had a chat feature that fostered a community feeling among the avid watchers.

Sutton, a retiree living in East Falls, soon started coming down to the Franklin Institute with her camera and binoculars to get a view of hawk activity not visible on the nest

A red-tailed hawk named Mom gained a fanbase at the Franklin Institute in 2009

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P HOTO BY CHRISTIAN HUNOLD

2018-03_GridMag_TaTaTokensBus_RRR.pdf 1 2/21/2018 12:54:37 PM

cam. There she met other hawkwatchers in the flesh, including Della Micah, who decided to start a blog, Hawkwatch at the Franklin Institute. Their observations and photos supported the blog as well as a Facebook group, Franklin Hawkaholics.

Nine years is a long time for a hawk family. Dad got killed by a car after a few years living under the media spotlight. Mom found a new love, T2, but he was found dead near 30th Street Station, and T3 died from rodenticide he ingested via a poisoned rat. In 2012, two fledglings perished after crashing into the windows of the Moore College of Art and Design, and, perhaps motivated by the poor fledgings, the hawks moved their nest up the Parkway to a tree in Eakins Oval.

Along the way the hawkwatchers got more involved in protecting the hawks. “It started off quiet, and now it’s become this activist thing,” Sutton says. Their advocacy led Moore to hang scrim artwork in front of the dangerous windows to warn away any hawks unfamiliar with glass. T3’s demise C spurred a recent petition to Mayor Jim Kenney to ban the sale of the class of rodenticide M Y that killed the hawk.

Hunold found a new line of research CM through the hawkwatching community.

MY “Suddenly this whole ecology revealed itself. The prey animals—the rats, the pi- CY geons, the squirrels—the human commu- CMY nity that had sort of grown up around the K hawks to the point of naming them and being able to identify individual animals, and so the Parkway revealed itself to be prime wildlife habitat right here in the middle of the city in a way I hadn’t thought about or been aware of,” Hunold says. “It calls into question the ideas we have about where nature is supposed to be and not supposed to be in a city.”

His research into the hawks and their fans culminated in a 2017 paper, “Why Not the City? Urban Hawk Watching and the End of Nature,” published in the journal Nature and Culture.

Want to join the club? “Wherever you think there should be a red-tail nest, there is one,” says Hunold, who noted nests every mile or so along the Schuylkill River as examples. And wherever there is a hawk family, there can be a community of hawkaholics rooting for them. bernard brown writes about nature, goes herping and podcasts about urban wildlife in Philadelphia.

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P RO FIL E

advocate

Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark in her office at the Sisters of Saint Joseph Earth Center

Our Common Home Inspired by the pope’s encyclical, a local nun links faith and by justin klugh environmental action in a new children’s book

I

n june 2015, the Vatican produced a 184-page papal encyclical calling for all people to take responsibility for caring for the planet on which we live. “Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home,” was a clear message that Pope Francis was choosing to refocus the Catholic Church on an issue it had long left unaddressed, and doing so with direct and forceful language. The day the encyclical was released, the pope issued this blunt tweet: “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”

For Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark, a longtime and committed voice of environmentalism within the Catholic Church, it was 10

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the tweet she’d been waiting a long time to receive.

“This was the first papal encyclical on the environment from the Vatican,” she says. “I am very happy with Pope Francis.”

For years, Sister Mary—director of the Sisters of Saint Joseph Earth Center, and the assistant to the president for sustainability at Chestnut Hill College—has advocated within the Catholic Church for environmental stewardship, an area that remained largely ignored by the church’s most influential figures.

Her work with the Catholic Climate Covenant and the Global Catholic Climate Movement were some of the relatively few church initiatives addressing environmental issues.

With a vocal advocate in the Vatican who, during a visit in May 2017, gave a copy of “Laudato Si” to President Donald Trump, Sister Mary sees the potential to louden what was for so long a whisper.

“That’s all been, I think, given a shot in the arm by Pope Francis’ enthusiasm,” Sister Mary says. “What I like about the encyclical is what he calls ‘integral ecology,’ which means that social justice is an integral part of environmental justice. I think in the past the Catholic Church didn’t make that connection so clearly, so that is a real plus for me.”

Emboldened by the new culture of advocacy within the church, Sister Mary has published “Teaching Kids to Care for God’s P HOTO BY KRISTO N JAE BETHEL

Creation: Reflections, Activities, and Prayers for Catechists and Families,” a guide for educators and parents to introduce the elements of environmentalism to their children.

The guide focuses on characterizing the earth as “our common home,” reflecting the language of “Laudato Si,” and using environmentalism as a starting point to discuss with children wider social and personal topics, such as cultural awareness and self-reflection. Each brief section asks a question parents or teachers can use to open a lesson on environmental stewardship, how children’s faith can play a role in it, and the most productive methods of celebrating the earth.

But facing issues of such enormity, many of Sister Mary’s advised or suggested topics and exercises involve breaking down a global issue into a digestible format for a child. In a section meant to reflect the philosophy of the earth as our home and what we can do to protect it, Sister Mary advises parents to use the scope of a child’s own home, a familiar place where they have routines and hobbies, to encourage a discussion of what it is they love about where they live. This allows for the introduction of home stewardship as a concept before ratcheting it up to be applied to an entire planet.

“They are the most enthusiastic,” she says. “Children in general love nature. They love animals, they love being outdoors, they love playing outdoors… They’re fascinated, curious. All of the things that Pope Francis is encouraging us as adults to get back to are natural as children.”

Her book invites questions for children to ask, including, “What does food have to do with our common home?” and “What does my faith teach me about how to live?”

The lesson here is simple: Whether we sit in the highest office or work tirelessly from an education center in Chestnut Hill, we’re all inhabitants of planet Earth. What we face are cataclysms of intimidating scope, but challenges that are, Sister Mary says, collectively surmountable.

The fight for change is ongoing, but the fight to be recognized within the church has been, for now, a victory. While those in more influential positions may have needed convincing, however, Sister Mary has never had a shortage of advocates in the classroom.

“I think, naturally, [students] find it abhorrent to see litter or destruction of habitats,” she says. “What I find with children is a natural curiosity and an appreciation for nature.”

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B U Y LO CA L

cold-pressed juices

Cold-press cafes are pushing juice into the mainstream by

emily kovach

A

new wave of juice bars carries the torch of the health food trend started in the 1970s, but in the decades between then and the mid-aughts, juice has undergone a bit of a makeover. Like so many wellness trends—yoga, acupuncture, organic foods and so on—juice has leveled up out of the crunchy, patchouli-scented cultural fringes and into the mainstream. Juice 2.0 is here, and by the looks of it, it’s here to stay.

Part of Juice 2.0 is the move toward cold-pressed juices. Instead of the juicers of the past that pushed produce through 12

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a fast-spinning blade basket to separate the juice and pulp, cold-pressed juice uses massive amounts of force. Because this doesn’t require the same motorized power as old-school juicers, it exposes the juice to much less heat (thus, the “cold” in cold press). Many people believe this imparts a fresher, cleaner taste, and the list of the alleged health benefits of this method are touted by many in the industry. FJ Leto, the owner of Juice Dr., an organic cold-pressed juice delivery service based in Ardmore, is one such believer. The cold-press method, he says, helps to “preserve up to 99 percent

of the nutrients for about three days because of the absence of light, heat and air involved in the process, all of which rapidly break down the juice.”

Leto admits that there isn’t much proven science behind the healing benefits of juice.

However, everyone agrees that consuming fruits and vegetables is good for the body.

Leto points to a Harvard University-led research project stating that eating one or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day can dramatically reduce the risk of developing some of the most major chronic diseases, such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, by up to 30 percent. Experts agree that juice can help deliver critical nutrients and antioxidants that protect the body.

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Rev up with recipes: Creating a tasty juice blend is a bit of an art.

Consult pro recipes (the internet has plenty) to get a sense of how to build and balance juice flavors before striking out on your own.

Save the pulp: Don’t toss all that great fiber!

Use it to make veggie broth or fruit tea, bulk up baked goods or add to a smoothie.

Drink it ASAP: The longer the juice sits around, the more it oxidizes, losing nutritional potency and flavor.

Clean your machine: Prolong the life of your juicer—and make cleaning less of a headache— by disassembling and rinsing the equipment as soon as you’re done using it.

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cold-pressed juices

B U Y LO CA L

Totally Juiced Bottles of affordable cold-pressed fruit juices are just the by kriston jae bethel beginning for local entrepreneur

Tariq Mangum, owner of Delectable Juices

A

few years ago, Tariq Mangum was concerned he wasn’t giving his body the nutrition it needed.

“I don’t eat a lot,” Mangum says of his personal diet. “I probably eat two meals a day.” So he started researching ways he could enhance the quality of his diet, finally settling on homemade smoothies to supplement his meals. Eventually, a friend asked if Mangum could make him one. Then another friend. Then another.

That’s when he realized he could turn it into something.

Now he’s working on a new venture that he hopes will become the Starbucks of juice.

“I came up with the idea of creating a healthy juice and bringing it to the community,” Mangum says. “A better tasting, healthier juice that we can enjoy.”

Mangum says that what sets Delectable 14

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Juices apart from others is the focus on locally sourced fruits, and that his products are made without the common sugars and additives found in most major brands.

Equally as important to its contents is the pricing. Mangum is trying to build partnerships with local farms so he can keep the price below the average $9 per bottle for popular brands sold at Whole Foods. A 16-ounce bottle of fruit juice from delectablejuices.com is $5.

Currently run out of West Philadelphia’s Enterprise Center with a single commercial cold juice presser and several employees, it’s a simple operation that goes a long way toward his goal of providing a healthful and affordable drink. It’s Mangum’s way of addressing the lack of access to healthy food for many in Philadelphia, where 1 in 4 residents lives with food insecurity.

Mangum has a history of seeking solutions to Philadelphia’s problems. After graduating from college, he used his own money to start the Mangum Foundation, with a broad goal of improving communities. He’s covered everything from providing meals to the homeless to creating a sensory room for students with autism at an elementary school. He’s even started a youth soccer team, AC Fairhill, that will soon have a home field in North Philadelphia.

The inspiration for all of Mangum’s philanthropic endeavors can be traced back to 2006, at the end of his senior year of high school. While seeing off a friend to prom, the driver of the car he was in backed into a pole.

Everyone else in the vehicle was unharmed, but whiplash broke the C5, C6 and C7 vertebrae in Mangum’s neck. It was miraculous, doctors said, that he was even alive. Left paralyzed from the neck down, he was told that he would have to relearn how to talk and that he would never walk again. Mangum’s plans to attend Kutztown University, where he had a full scholarship lined up to play basketball, were abruptly ended.

“Your whole life’s about to start as a young adult, and it’s cutoff,” Mangum says, reflecting on that singular, life-changing moment. “It turned out to be for the better.”

Despite his initial struggles, there’s nothing about that day that has slowed Mangum down. He eventually went on to regain use of his arms and complete a business degree at Strayer University. All of this he attributes to those around him.

“My support system was the biggest thing to help my recovery,” Mangum says. “I want to create a support system for others.”

Delectable Juices are available online, and this summer Mangum will take them to the streets in a food truck. But his long game is to use the bottled product to test the market and generate seed money for a business model that will eventually focus on bringing brick-and-mortar stores to underserved communities.

He envisions stores that provide healthful juices, snacks and maybe even classes to help communities better manage their diets.

“It’s not a juice,” Mangum says. “It’s a brand.”

P HOTO BY KRISTO N JAE BETHEL

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cold-pressed juices

Is a Blender Better? by

emily kovach

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WHERE TO GET JUICED When you want to get your fruit and veg on, check out some of our favorite spots in town to sip on freshly squeezed and pressed juice:

Animo Juice, Center City Philadelphia and Haddonfield, N.J. Fresh juice (and there are so many to choose from) is just the beginning at this health-focused café; fill up on whipped bananas and smoothie bowls at breakfast or protein-packed burritos, soups and salads at lunch. animojuice.com • 267.519.0949; 856.427.9070

Hibiscus Café, West Philly This no-frills neighborhood joint offers half a dozen juice blends, regular and superfood smoothies, and a number of pescetarian, vegetarian and vegan food options, such as a curried kale and chickpea platter and a salmon wrap with chimichurri.

215.307.3749 I Got the Juice Café, Lansdowne, Pa. Fruit and veggie blended juices share the menu with protein shakes that riff on childhood favorites (Thin Mint Oreo and Fruity Pebbles). Food options include gourmet takes on café

B L E N D E R : I S TO C K P H OTO ; S T R I P P ’ D : M . F I S C H E T T I F O R V I S I T P H I L A D E L P H I A

he wellness world is no stranger to intercommunity squabbling. Massage or cupping? Yoga or Pilates? Kombucha or kefir? Well, when it comes to liquified fruits and veggies, the debate is all about juice versus smoothies. Of course, these two things aren’t diametrically opposed, but ask around, and we’ll bet you’ll find people coming down firmly on one side or the other.

Juice lovers prize the quick delivery of nutrients—cold-pressed juices can contain up to 10 pounds of produce in one bottle (thus, the hefty price tag). Juices, especially those with lots of vegetables, are also usually lower in calories and sugar than smoothies.

Smoothie fans prefer a mega-dose of fiber in their beverage; the lack of fiber in juice is one factor that is often cited as a “con” to all of juice’s positive attributes. In an op-ed in the Washington Post last spring, three nutrition-focused medical professionals came down hard on juice for its lack of fiber, calling it “little more than sugar water.” They criticized juice’s aggressive branding as health food as misleading, and pointed to the high sugar content and easy consumption of liquid calories as factors in the United States’ obesity and diabetes crises.

It can also be argued that smoothies create less waste than juice, with none of the pulp left over after processing.

Katie Rodger, owner of The Juice, a plant-based smoothie delivery service in Philly, refuses to say if smoothies are “better” than juice, but points out that each serves different needs. She does incorporate cold-pressed juice into her program, but primarily blends her offerings to maintain the fiber content. “Blending our ingredients also allows me to incorporate electrolytes, extra protein and recovery powders, all of which are plant based with minimal glycemic impact,” she adds. “This then allows for more satiation, as well as enhanced replenishment and muscle recovery.”

Nutrition-focused juice fans are often quick to point out that smoothies can be loaded with sugar—and at some big-chain smoothie shops, syrups and juice concentrates are sometimes added in addition to whole ingredients. When considering the sugar issue, Rodger says it’s first important to look at the difference between naturally occurring fructose and glucose of the citrus ingredients, compared with any added or artificial sweeteners.

“Avoiding the latter is crucial, whereas the naturally occurring sugars are far more digestible and can be easily converted into energy for active athletes,” she notes. She, like many other small-batch smoothie companies, also tends to balance any occuring natural sugars with the addition of spinach or kale. The fiber from leafy greens can help prevent any “crashes” from the quickly absorbed fructose ingredients.

However you prefer your fresh produce intake—liquified, pulverized or cold-pressed into oblivion—if you choose products made with quality ingredients, no added sugars and some veggies to balance out all that fruit, you can’t go wrong.

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Best time for locals to shop: 8 am – 11 am & 4 pm – 6 pm

Shop Reading Terminal Market. All under one roof. fare, like the spicy bourbon chicken and broccoli cheesesteak and a jerk parmesan salmon rice bowl. i-got-the-juice-cafe.business.site 267.587.7331

Sip-n-Glo, South Street and Center City Among the first on the cold-pressed juice game in Philly, these sleek, minimalist cafés are still going strong, selling beverages with modern names and ingredient lists (think: Radiant Glo with carrot, orange, peach hibiscus tea, pineapple, turmeric and lemon). sipnglo.com • 215.351.9300

215•922•2317 ReadingTerminalMarket.org Open Every Day 8am - 6 pm

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Stripp’d Juice, Old City Local farms and purveyors provide a majority of the produce to this small shop. The menu includes cold-pressed juices, smoothie bowls, nut-milk-based smoothies and a handful of simple breakfast options. strippdjuice.com • 267.550.7877

The Juice Merchant Manayunk and Narberth You’ll only find 100 percent vegan and organic ingredients in the juices, whips, smoothies and sweet-and-savory food options here. Head to the Narberth location for sandwiches and flatbreads with plenty of gluten-free options. thejuicemerchant.com • 215.483.8888; 610.668.0100

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T H E

N E W

P H I L A D E L P H I A

Sustainable Wedding IN 2003,

I married my college sweetheart at 23 years probably find a picture of me.) old. I was old enough to know who I wanted to My family spent a fortune, everyone was thoroughly imspend my life with (celebrating our 15-year wedding anniversary pressed, and my husband and I did enough vodka shots with our this year) but way too young to know who I really was. college friends to have completely erased any memory of the day.

Needless to say, the wedding of the socially conscious couIt was the height of Sex and the City, and I was committed to wearing an exceedingly high-priced Vera Wang gown. We ple in 2018 looks substantially different. Gritty photography by registered for fine china and crystal glassware at Macy’s, with foraged flowers against the Frankford El. Food trucks pa i g e most of which shattered over the course of moves and none bearing custom cupcakes and locally produced craft beers. wolf of which we have ever used.

Invitations not chosen from a curated catalog, but designed Without hesitation the wedding was booked at a country with hand-drawn fonts and custom hashtags. club near my childhood home, despite the fact that not even And, in Philadelphia, nuptials have their own unique flavor, my parents still lived in the town. The wedding was lavish and often sprinkled with the fallen flowers from ginkgo trees and elegant, with photographic evidence resplendent in front of a soft-pretzel salt. These three recent weddings kept their special standard backdrop. (Google “basic black tie wedding” and you’ll days close to home andsustainably minded.

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Resa Mueller AND

Jillian Encarnacion M AY 7, 2 0 1 7 A T H E R I TA G E R E S TA U R A N T PHOTOS BY MAX GRUDZINSKI

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esa and jillian have rooted themselves in Philadelphia for the past nine years, where they own and operate Pelago, which creates roving Filipino pop-up dinners.

They say they have found so much love in the camaraderie of local business owners and their passion for sustainability, and wanted a wedding that reflected both their Filipino heritage and the Philadelphia community. Just two blocks away from where they live in Northern Liberties, Heritage was an easy venue choice for the couple. With a seasonal locally sourced menu, rotating craft beers on draft, draft cocktails and an urban garden, the location was perfect to host the couple’s vision—plus they had worked with the chef on their pop-up dining events. Resa and Jillian had their engagement rings and wedding bands made at Bario Neal, which is committed to environmental responsibility, ethical sourcing and marriage equality. Resa’s outfit was designed in the Philippines

by Vania Romoff using pieces of her parents’ wedding outfits, while local fashion designer Rachelle Nicole designed Jill’s dress. Maestro Filmworks, a studio known for supporting the local community by mentoring kids with an interest in the arts, provided photography to capture the event.

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2018

SUMMER CAMPS featuring sports, arts, technology, and more ages 3 + up

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Lucy Price

AND

NOVEMBER 4, 2017

•

L

Andrew Schmidt

THE BOK BUILDING

•

PHOTOS BY GRACE DICKINSON

ucy and andrew had been following the renovations of the Bok building, a historic vocational school restored into a creative space for small businesses with a rooftop bar and event space. They were thrilled to be one of the first weddings on the South Philly rooftop terrace with 360-degree views of the city. The industrial space was embellished with local florals from Vault + Vine in East Falls. Birchtree Catering, a woman-owned business known for its local and seasonal fare, created a spread of coffee-smoked brisket, lemon-roasted chicken and orchard salad. A “donut wall” by Federal Donuts evolved through the night into a pretzel wall from Philly Pretzel Factory. Using local artisan business Remark Glass, the couple was able to create commemorative repurposed glassware from their empty wine and champagne bottles. Lucy and Andrew understand that weddings are a huge financial investment, so they wanted to make sure to not only put that money toward their beautiful day, but also toward small businesses that share their values and love for Philadelphia.

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Rachel Isenberg

AND

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O C T O B E R 7, 2 0 1 7 • 1 2 0 0 B L O C K O F R O D M A N S T R E E T • I M A G E S B Y K E V I N Y O R K P H O T O G R A P H Y

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K Y O R K P H OTO.C O M

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h i l e n e i t h e r r ac h e l n o r a da m originally hails from the Philadelphia area, they found their home, their careers, and each other here in the City of Brotherly Love. Their connection to the city led them to create the ultimate “Philly block party wedding”—literally making use of their own city street. It just took a permit and permission from some very friendly neighbors—all of whom were invited to the festivities—to create the quintessential free outdoor venue. Food was provided by local vendors, including Ramble Pizza food truck and a halal truck recommended by some of the students at Temple University, where Rachel teaches. Seasonal dahlias, zinnias, lavender and scented geraniums were fresh from Jig-Bee flower farm, located on a former vacant lot in Kensington. The couple was married under a 15-year-old family heirloom chuppah designed by artist Elsa Wachs. While the Mr. Softee truck and soft pretzels were not the epitome of sustainability, they were unmistakably Philly.

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SPRING FESTIVAL GUIDE It was a long winter, wasn’t it? With the arrival of spring comes a slew of festivals, events and celebrations that you won’t want to miss. Art, science, technology, film, crafts and food are all there for the taking, presented by people in our community who want to share their passions. Some are indoors, some are outside, but all of them are somewhere near Philadelphia, and the initiative you take in attending them will be richly rewarded. ¶ We’ve highlighted a few events, one from each of the next three months: the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival (April), the PFCU Kensington Derby and Arts Festival (May) and Art for the Cash Poor (June). It’s by no means a comprehensive list, but it should provide a good jumpstart for the season. ¶ With myriad cultures on display, we can all use this season to broaden our horizons and understanding of people throughout the world. And because they are held in so many different neighborhoods, we can simultaneously connect more deeply with our city. ¶ Oh, and did we mention there will be lots of food? Dig in.

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Lights, Camera, Action!

Environmental film fest expands international participation and invites more female directors

by Wa lte r Fo le y

E

veryone knows “the media is the message,” but as the second annual Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival expands in size and scope, we’re reminded that the message—naturally—is also the message.

“Some documentaries can go on and on and on, often repeating things,” says PHEFF Artistic Director Alexandra Drobac Diagne as she excitedly describes this year’s shortest film. “So, to see someone condense it down to a 30-second nutshell is like, ‘Bingo! You win.’”

From April 6 to 8, the Prince Theater in Center City will screen 25 new short films and nine features—some produced on a shoestring budget, others with Oscar buzz—from all over the world.

Phila d e lp hi a Envi ro nme n tal Film F e s ti va l A pri l 6 –8

Above: The line outside the inaugural Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival in 2017.

Left: A Seaview SVII underwater camera used in “Chasing Coral.”

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PHEFF organizers have expanded educational programming this year to include a Friday morning of environmental films curated for more than 400 Philadelphia-area schoolchildren, along with a short-film competition and a lesson plan on plastic pollution in the waterways.

The festival’s opening feature is “Chasing Coral,” a documentary that made the Academy Awards’ shortlist about the loss of coral in the Great Barrier Reef and elsewhere. A Q&A with director Jeff Orlowski will be moderated by Carol Collier, director of the environmental studies and sustainability program at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

Many of the films’ directors will attend the festival, and most screenings are supplemented with discussions moderated by local experts. A panel at 11:30 a.m. on April 7 dubbed “Philly Rising!” includes the city’s managing director, the vice president of the Saint-Gobain manufacturing company, the commissioner of Parks and Recreation, and the urban conservation program director for the Pennsylvania chapter of the Nature Conservancy. The April 7 screening of “Wasted! The Story of Food Waste” will include a Q&A with director Anna Chai, moderated by Philabundance Executive Director Glenn Bergman.

The 12-member selection jury is made up of environmental experts, film industry professionals and creatives who watched all 265 films submitted to PHEFF—up from about 200 last year. PHEFF Executive Director Debra Wolf Goldstein heads Conservation Matters, which provides legal and policy advice to environmental organizations, has served as vice president of the Fairmount Park Commission and has chaired the land-use committee of the Philadelphia Commission on Parks and Recreation.

Thirty-three of the selected films will be Pennsylvania premieres, and two are fresh from Sundance Film Festival, which often showcases the year’s most impactful environmental films, Diagne says.

“We had many more films that we could have used that we had to make hard de-

P H OTO BY X L C AT L I N S E AV I E W S U R V E Y - T H E O C E A N AG E N C Y - A A R O N S P E N C E

S P R I N G F EST I VA L GU I D E

cisions on—like if they repeated a topic, for instance,” Diagne says. “We have to make sure we cover lots of topics and lots of styles.”

The leaders of PHEFF, a nonprofit, have so far been able to show every film they’ve wanted, and they hope to screen three or four Sundance films next year. They drew submissions from a larger pool of countries (34 last year, 43 this year) and were able to promote more films made by women.

“We have 11 women directors, which in our current climate—including Frances McDormand’s wonderful speech and the #MeToo movement—was something we were happy to highlight,” said Diagne, who has curated the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and has worked on art house and blockbuster films, including “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Titanic” and “Avatar.”

All of the films at the festival are family friendly, although Diagne points out that “Wasted!” includes the often colorful vocabulary of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.

“Person of the Forest,” a 17-minute film about recent research on endangered orangutans in the vanishing lowlands of Borneo, shows them making pillows, fashioning umbrellas and displaying regional greetings.

April 8 includes a screening of “The New Fire,” which focuses on a group of young nuclear engineers who see a safe and clean future in nuclear energy and hope to clarify misconceptions about its dangers.

This year, PHEFF will close with the documentary “Blue,” from Australian director Karina Holden, about how industrial-scale fishing, habitat destruction, species loss and pollution affect the oceans.

The April 6 pre-festival opening is curated for six local schools, whose students spent weeks prior to the festival workshopping environmental topics with their teachers. Dylan D’Haeze, a 14-year-old director, will screen his films “Plastic Is Forever” and “Tipping Point” and help guide the students in follow-up activities and discussions.

“Last year, we wanted to have a good film festival, keeping it bare bones,” Diagne says.

“This is our year of expanding the concept a little further, and it’s our first attempt at real school outreach… We’re getting kids into the theater and packing that theater for impact—440 seats filled, where we can really relay a message.”

Visit us this spring!

All-School Open House

April 19 • 9 am

Nursery Open House

April 21 • 9:30 am

Educating for Excellence Since 1845 • friendscentral.org AP RIL 20 18

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April 5–7

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April 21

April 28

Media Film Festival The 2018 Media Film Festival will focus on short films from both local and international artists.

Works presented will encompass a wide variety of genres, including horror, drama, comedy, animated, documentary and COST: $12-$20 WHERE: experimental.

Media Theatre, 104 E. State St., Media, Pa.

Earth Day Festival An Earth Day celebration will be held at Lardner’s Point Park, along the newly renamed Riverfront North. Activities include an outdoor cleanup, yoga, guided tours and environmentally friendly vendors.

COST: Free WHERE: Lardner’s Point Park, Levick St.

Go West! Craft Fest 100 local makers will converge in West Philadelphia to sell unique, handmade gifts that range from ceramics and jewelry to knitted items to stationery, home items and more.

COST: Pay as you go WHERE: The Woodlands, 4000 Woodland Ave.

April 7–15

April 21

April 28

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Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival The Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia hosts this annual celebration of the start of spring and the blooming of the cherry trees with food and entertainment, including a 5K, live performers, and COST: Varies by event arts and crafts.

WHERE: 4800 States Drive

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April 14–15

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Riot Nerd Craft Bazaar Featuring more than 100 vendors over two days, pop-culture-savvy organizers from Riot Nerd host a flea market that specializes in oddities, “relics of pop culture” and anything that leans toward the curious COST: $5 WHERE: District or macabre.

N9NE, 460 N. 9th St.

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April 15

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Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival More than 50 food trucks and vendors will line Main Street in Manayunk for the annual StrEAT Food Festival. This year, vendors have adopted a strawberry COST: Free WHERE: Main Street, theme.

Manayunk

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April 20–28

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Philadelphia Science Festival The Franklin Institute invites kids and adults to see inside science labs, participate in activities at 200 educational establishments, and even observe the stars using COST: Varies astronomers’ equipment. by event WHERE: Varies by event

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Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market The goal of this festival, organized by the African People’s Education & Defense Fund, is to bring awareness to the health struggles that African communities face in Philadelphia. The flea market has more than 100 vendors, with dancing, free HIV COST: Pay as you go testing and more.

WHERE: Clark Park, 4300 Baltimore Ave.

Center City Jazz Festival There’s something for every jazz fan at these Center City concerts, which take place at multiple venues with 20+ groups performing over the course of six hours. Venues include Frankie Bradley’s, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, Fergie’s Pub, Milkboy and Time.

COST: $20 WHERE: Varies by event, Center City

April 21–22

April 28

Alba Vineyards Spring Food Truck and Alba Vineyards sets Wine Festival this festival on its own property to offer samples of a variety of wines. There will also be a number of regional food trucks on site, plus live music. The event is open to all ages, and attendees 21+ will be able COST: to participate in wine tastings.

Pay as you go WHERE: Alba Vineyard, 269 Riegelsville Warren Glen Road, Milford, N.J.

Fairmount Arts Crawl The area around the Art Museum will be transformed to bring artists and performers of various mediums into the streets and nearby businesses. There will also be COST: Free activities for children.

WHERE: Art Museum area

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April 23 Mt. Cuba Center Wildflower Celebration A variety of spring ephemeral plants will be at their peak during this event, during which individuals and families can walk through native plant gardens and watch gardening demonstrations. There COST: will also be food and live music.

Free WHERE: Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, Del.

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Philly Tech Week Brush up on your programming or learn something new during these enlightening lectures and demonstrations. Developers will be on site to lead workshops, as well as to give talks about the challenges they’ve faced in the field and how they solved them.

COST: Varies by event WHERE: Varies by event

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Don’t miss the 8th year of the largest gathering of technology, entrepreneurship and innovation in the region from APRIL 27 to MAY 5, 2018.

• APRIL 27th: PTW18 Kickoff @ The Piazza Outdoor fun & games for the whole family • MAY 2nd: Dev Conference @ Temple University, Alter Hall All levels workshops, Dev talks & exclusive Happy Hour • MAY 3rd: Introduced, by Technical.ly @ Science History Institute Get introduced to new content, ideas, companies and more • MAY 4th: Signature Event @ Reading Terminal Market Cocktail reception meets an interactive local technology expo and party

100 Community Events APRIL 27th–MAY 5th throughout the city and suburbs!

ORGANIZED BY

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Hello, Mudder

Art, engineering, puns and a mud pit are all part of the fun in this festival

by Vi nc e Be l l i n o

I

t’s not often that the words “mud pit” and “arts festival” are uttered in the same breath, unless you live in East Kensington. Then it’s an annual tradition.

Every year since 2006, a few dozen teams—ranging in size from solo operations to 15-person school squads—design and parade quirky floats throughout a neighborhood obstacle course.

These “artistic sculptures” are intended to celebrate Kensington’s vibrant artistic and small-business communities, says Bea

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we select or invite to be sponsors.” If potential event sponsors don’t have a presence in the community, or the organizers feel they don’t align with the attitude of the derby and festival, they will turn them down.

The event is also an annual opportunity Rider, director of resource development for to shift perceptions of the neighborhood.

New Kensington Community Development “There’s been a lot of disinvestment and Corporation. Awaiting entrants at the Phildecay that, over time, has been reversed in adelphia Federal Credit Union Kensington East Kensington and Fishtown in particuDerby and Arts Festival on May 19 will be lar,” Rider says. “A lot of the Fishtown, East obstacles ranging from foam scattered on the Kensington neighborhood has seen sort of ground to, yes, a mud pit near the finish line. this surge in artists and maker communities There contestants will be judged in a variwhere some of those industrial buildings ety of categories, including best engineering, have been transferred into live/work artist best breakdown and best/worst pun. space like we did at [formerly abandoned Surrounding the mud pit is the arts festextile factory] Coral Street Arts House.” tival element, where 200 local makers and The community of artists is not new, food vendors gather to take in the spectacle however. Rider says it has existed there for and hawk their wares to the crowd, many of a long time, and seeing a human-powered whom live within the community.

AT-TE sculpture parading down the street The festival is a marriage between two alongside a fleet of human Care Bears and events that were held simultaneously: the an enormous Mickey Mouse sculpture unTrenton Avenue Arts Festival and the Kensderscores that. ington Kinetic Sculpture Derby.

In the past, Rider says that the PFCU There is a strong emphasis on communiKensington Derby and Arts Festival has ty throughout the planning and execution typically hosted 20 to 30 participating of the event, something Rider says NKCDC teams. This year, due to registration sponand the East Kensington Neighbors Associsorship from Penn Treaty Special Services ation keep in mind throughout the process.

District, registration is free, which should “The festival and the derby itself have make the event even more inclusive. always had this quirky, neighborhood, acThe most significant change to come to cessible feel, and we want to maintain that,” the derby this year is an expanded course, she explains. “We’re very careful about who which will now run from Norris to Hagert streets. In the past, the course ran from Trenton and Norris to Front and Dauphin before returning to K ensingto n the starting point. The expanded Derby and course will allow for more venArt s Fest ival dors than any year prior, as well as May 1 9 more areas for spectators to gather.

Despite the changes that have shaped the derby over the years, the quirky, lighthearted tone that sets the Kensington Derby and Arts Festival in its own category remains intact. The parade happens rain or shine, and there are few restrictions on the materials entrants can use to build their floats; depending on the resources available to the entrants and their skill level, Rider says she has seen contestants enter sculptures made from cardboard, steel and everything in between. So long as the sculpture can move at a minimum speed of 3 miles per hour and only uses any power physically generated by the team, it’s all fair game.

P HOTO BY AL BERT YEE

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May 1–31

Cellar, 4038 Skippack Pike

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Celebration of Black Arts This event has been honoring African-American artists in Philadelphia for the past three decades. Throughout May, art exhibits, conferences, lectures and more will be held in appreciation and celebration of No black creativity and literature.

2018 information available at time of publishing

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May 1–June 30

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May 12–13

May 19–20

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Spring Art Star Craft Bazaar 2018 marks 15 editions of this event, curated by Art Star (who also have a brick-and-mortar storefront in Northern Liberties). In addition to a wide variety of craft vendors, the bazaar features take-home crafts, a COST: photo booth, food and cash bar.

Free WHERE: Penn’s Landing Great Plaza

South 9th Street Italian Market Festival The Italian Market celebrates a staggering century of continuous existence this year, making this street festival even more significant. 70,000 attendees are expected, with vendors and entertainment lining the South Philly staple location.

COST: Free WHERE: Italian Market

May 19

May 19–20, 26–27 & June 2–3

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Chinese Lantern Festival Twenty-eight lantern sculptures are the highlight of this spring staple, which will include sculptures never seen in North America. In addition to the lantern sculptures, attendees can watch Chinese acrobatics, purchase handcrafted items and enter the Dragon (Beer Garden).

COST: $12-$18 WHERE: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th St.

Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival This crowded gathering (attendance numbers are around 50,000) is the only time when Walnut Street is closed for vehicle traffic. It features more than 100 booths with vendors, culinary demonstrations, cocktail samplings and other forms COST: Free WHERE: of entertainment.

Walnut Street between Broad and 19th

May 5

May 19

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South Street Spring Fest Twelve blocks in the Headhouse District will fill with vendors, beer and constant live music across multiple pop-up stages. Last year featured activities like the Philly Taco Challenge, Atomic City Comic Con and COST: Free Rocky Horror at the TLA. WHERE: Front to 8th Street along South Street

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May 6 Chestnut Hill Home & Garden Festival Celebrate gardening and check out the work of more than 150 vendors and experts who can answer your gardening questions, then stay for some demonstrations and live music. The festival itself ends at 5, but celebrations continue at COST: nearby restaurants and bars.

Free WHERE: 8000 to 8600 blocks of Germantown Avenue

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NJ Renaissance Faire Polish up your chainmail—the ninth annual New Jersey Renaissance Faire will feature 50 interactive cast members, 10 stages, and 20 performers and musicians. Comedy, combat, jousting, glassblowing, shopping and fire-based stunts will be on display.

COST: $12-$50 WHERE: 1195 Florence Columbus Road, Bordentown Township, N.J.

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May 25–28

Roxborough First Annual Community This new event looks to Block Party become a staple in Roxborough, providing a unique spin on block parties by offering free services including eye, dental and physical exams, haircuts, SAT prep, college application help and more to those who would normally be unable to afford COST: Free WHERE: Roxborough them.

Church, 8230 Ridge Ave.

Philly Tango Fest Learn to dance at the eighth installation of Philly Tango Fest. There will be plenty of opportunities to learn if you’re new to the art form, including workshops and performances by a variety of dancers. Music will be provided by the Pedro Giraudo Tango Orchestra.

COST: $22-$650 WHERE: Lithuanian Music Hall, 2715 E. Allegheny Ave.

May 19–20

May 26–27

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Skippack Spring Wine Fest More than two dozen wine and food vendors will be on site at the Skippack Wine Fest, alongside more than 30 other vendors, accompanied by live jazz. The event is dog friendly. COST: $25-$40 WHERE: Village Wine

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Downingtown Fine Arts Festival No functional art will be in attendance at the Downingtown Fine Arts Festival, making it a rare occurrence in which everything on display is simply for aesthetic enjoyment. Sculpture, mixed media, painting, jewelry, printmaking and drawing will be COST: Free WHERE: 202 E. highlighted.

Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, Pa.

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Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival at Morris Arboretum

Two Saturdays , April 7 & 14 Events from 10am-3pm www.morrisarboretum.org 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118

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Join us to celebrate ACHIEVEability at the 8th annual Food For Thought! Enjoy an evening with great food, live music, games and auction at one of Philadelphia’s iconic locations.

All proceeds support ACHIEVEability’s mission to break the generational cycle of poverty for lowincome, single-parent and homeless families.

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Easel Street

Construction at the Crane Arts building prompts Art for the Cash Poor to find new, outdoor location

by Vi nc e Be l l i n o

Y

ou don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy art. It’s for everyone. Art for the Cash Poor was conceived with that idea in mind, knowing that financial barriers often keep people from even considering buying art.

Started 19 years ago by InLiquid, a Phillybased nonprofit that works to create opportunities for visual artists, Art for the Cash Poor began with 25 artists selling works under $50. Since then, the number of competing arts festivals in the Philadelphia area has multiplied—that’s a good thing—and the springtime event has expanded, eventually finding a home at its longtime space at the Crane Arts building.

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to support people that you respect and the work that you like. That’s the only way it gets started.”

Zimmerman expressed her hope that the move to a new location for 2018 will give InLiquid the opportunity to invite other arts organizations and local businesses to have a presence at the event, though at the time of writing, exact programming and participants Art fo r t he are still being decided. One Cash Po o r idea being considered is to Ju ne 1 5 & 1 6 install pop-up exhibits in the block’s multiple empty storefronts; another is to For 2018, however, Art for the Cash Poor invite craft distilleries to set up inside an will occur in and around the area at 10th unused Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Buttonwood streets. pop-up garden. Respecting the community This move to the Callowhill neighborthat is already in the neighborhood, Zimhood of the city calls for different arrangemerman says, is critical to InLiquid. ments than at Crane Arts, namely the shift “We want to embrace all that competition from a two-day indoor event to a single-day and use this as a way of saying, ‘Look at all outdoor attraction. Construction in Crane the stuff that’s happening in Philadelphia,’” Arts’ Kensington neighborhood is responZimmerman explains. “‘Look at all these sible for the move, but Executive Direcdifferent festivals. Look at all these differtor Rachel Zimmerman says InLiquid is ent people who are making stuff and doing thrilled to take Art for the Cash Poor to a work,’ and let’s get people to be really ennew location. gaged in the arts community and support it “We’re excited about bridging out for this and buy work, because if you want the arts year and creating new partnerships and to be around, you’ve got to support it.”

In addition to Saturday’s festivities, a new opportunities,” Zimmerman says. “I think it’s great for the artists because I think kickoff party will be held at the former Bike being more centrally located will attract a Factory at 448 N. 10th St. As in the past, the lot more people.” kickoff party is a ticketed event, and InLiqLike years prior, all of the works for uid splits the profits of the night with AIDS sale at Art for the Cash Poor are modestly Fund Philly. A yet-to-be-announced art inpriced, maxing out this year at $199, and stallation will be the centerpiece of the party. there are many pieces much lower than that.

The 2018 edition of Art for the Cash Poor “If you don’t get exposure to people who gives attendees the chance to experience the are doing good work, they’re never going festival in a one-time location. Zimmerman says InLiquid plans to bring Art for the to get to a higher level,” Zimmerman explains. “People ask me all the time about, Cash Poor back to the Crane Arts building in 2019 with even more ideas in tow. That’s ‘Who should I buy artwork [from]?’ You should buy what you like, and then you denext year, though. For now, InLiquid is fovelop your taste, then you never know who’s cused on turning Art for the Cash Poor into going to become important, but you’ve got an engaging outdoor arts festival.

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Become Fluent Stroll through gardens of wildflowers, grow your knowledge in our classes, or enjoy a family-friendly event.

Upcoming Events:

Annual Wildflower Celebration Sunday, April 29 10 am–4 pm Free admission

National Public Gardens Day Friday, May 11 10 am–4 pm Reduced admission mtcubacenter.org/grid 3120 Barley Mill Rd. Hockessin, Delaware

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June 1–3

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June 21

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Philadelphia Latino Film Festival This film festival will honor its mission to showcase and nurture established and emerging creative Latin American and Latino filmmakers with a variety of films.

The Philadelphia Latino Film Festival is the only one of its kind in the region.

No 2018 details available at time of publishing

West Park Arts Fest West Fairmount Park plays host to the festival for a second year in a row, which features the visual arts in addition to dance, music, crafts, local vendors and nonprofit organizations.

A local artist will also be selected to create COST: an installation for the festival.

Free WHERE: West Fairmount Park

Phillies Phestival This charity event at Citizens Bank Park raised over $600,000 in the fight against ALS last year. Attending Phillies fans can meet the players and coaches, who will be in attendance to sign autographs, take photos and No 2018 information available at more. time of printing

June 1–3

June 10

June 23–24

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Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Show This is the oldest outdoor fine arts show in the country, featuring artists from a variety of mediums, as well as a program COST: Free for students.

WHERE: Rittenhouse Square

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June 1–10 Philadelphia International Festival of the Performers of all kinds will be Arts in Philadelphia for the International Festival of the Arts, with highlights including French troupe Transe Express’ “Cristal Palace,” described as a 90-minute performance using a “human chandelier.”

COST: Varies WHERE: Varies by event

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June 1–10

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Philly Beer Week This 10-day celebration of beer has more events than you can raise a glass to. There will be festivals, pub crawls, homebrew competitions and more throughout the week-and-a-half shindig.

COST: Free WHERE: Varies by event

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June 2–3

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South Jersey Arts Fest There will be plenty of kid-friendly activities at this festival hosted at South Jersey’s Appel Farm, such as a “kid camp” area with a bounce house and activities—while adults can browse vintage wines and craft beer.

There will also be a South Jersey cycling COST: $15-50 WHERE: Appel Farm tour. & Arts Center, 457 Shirley Road, Elmer, N.J.

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Odunde Festival A celebration of Africa in Graduate Hospital, the oldest historically black neighborhood in Philadelphia, Odunde brings vendors from around the U.S. as well as from Africa, South America and the Caribbean. Cultural food and live music will also be present.

COST: Free WHERE: 23rd & South streets

Manayunk Arts Festival A huge variety of artists peddle their wares, from jewelry to photography to sculpture and anything in between, at this annual Manayunk attraction. Awards are given out in a variety of categories, and there is a tent COST: Free featuring emerging artists.

WHERE: Manayunk

June 10

June 28–July 4

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PrideDay Parade and Festival This year’s parade and festival celebrates its 30th birthday. Typically attracting more than 25,000 visitors, the LGBTQ rights celebration begins in the Gayborhood before parading to a party at the Festival COST: Free for Pier at Penn’s Landing. parade, $10-$15 for festival WHERE: Gayborhood to Penn’s Landing

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June 16

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Bloomsday The impact of James Joyce’s groundbreaking early 20th century novel “Ulysses” is undeniable, so much so that Bloomsday is held in its honor. The Rosenbach, which houses the manuscript, hosts this event with all-day readings.

COST: Free WHERE: The Rosenbach, 2008-2010 Delancey Place

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Wawa Welcome America A multiday, multi-location celebration of Philadelphia’s rich history—and the birthplace of the United States as we know it today— Welcome America includes free entrance to museums, concerts, film screenings and No 2018 information available at more. time of publishing

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Practical Organic Gardening

Urban Regeneration Forum: Resilience

Join newly published author Mark Highland, aka the Organic Mechanic, where he will share practical methods of organic gardening to make a garden greener, encourage beneficial insects, protect pollinators and build healthy soils. Copies of “Practical Organic Gardening” will be available for purchase and signing after the workshop.

Farm-to-Table Fresh Organic and Local Outdoor Seating by the River 1 Boathouse Row 215-978-0900 Corporate & Private Events 7 Days a Week • 8 AM–Dusk

cosmicfoods.com

primexgardencenter.com

This second installment of the Urban Regeneration Forum will focus on the theme of resilience. The audience can expect a multifaceted event with an introductory talk on “What is Regeneration?”, a panel conversation among local leaders and a keynote talk from Jim Newman of Linnean Solutions, centering on community resilience. nexus.ticketleap.com

WHEN: 10 to 11a.m. COST: $10 WHERE: Primex Garden Center, 435 W. Glenside Ave., Glenside, Pa.

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. COST: Pay what you can WHERE: Walk Auditorium, Ritter Hall, Temple University, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave.

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Tree-mendous Trees: Kids Read and Explore

Backyard Breeding: Making New Plants

From woodpecker hideouts and cracking-good nuts, to essential oxygen and cooling shade, trees give us gifts year round. The group will read the story “Tree Lady” and celebrate the importance of trees through hands-on activities, tree planting and a stroll through the woods. natlands.org

Through an understanding of flower parts, some basic principles of genetics and tips on making crosses, you can start your own backyard breeding program. Tom Orton, a Rutgers professor and tomato breeder, shows the class how to control the process of pollination, keep track of your work, and collect and store your “babies.”

WHEN: 1 to 3 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Binky Lee Preserve, 1445 Pikeland Road, Chester Springs, Pa.

Spring Nature Photography Series The Philadelphia Orchard Project comes to Bartram’s Garden to teach the basics of nature photography. In each three-hour standalone session, instructor Joshua Lee Mallory of Noise Soul Cinema will cover shot composition, lighting, auto focus and tips for editing photos through a phone or Instagram. phillyorchards.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. COST: $15 WHERE: Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd.

A pril 10 Eating Well on a Budget Attendees will be surprised to learn about all the healthful meals they can make for no more than $5. Weavers Way Co-op and the nonprofit Food Moxie will provide tips for navigating the grocery store and recipes for budget friendly bites. Tastings included! weaversway.coop WHEN: 6 to 7:30 p.m. COST: $5 WHERE: Weavers Way, 45 Forest Ave., Ambler, Pa.

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mtcubacenter.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to noon COST: $30 WHERE: Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, Del.

A pril 14 Birding & Bagels Riverbend Environmental Education Center and the Valley Forge Audubon Society offer this birding 101 class for those interested in birdwatching but not sure where to start. Experienced birders are welcome to join and pair off. Please register at info@riverbendeec.org. riverbendeec.org WHEN: 9 to 10:30 a.m. COST: Free WHERE: Riverbend Environmental Education Center, 1950 Spring Mill Road, Gladwyne, Pa.

34th Annual Darby-Cobbs Clean Up This volunteer project encompasses approximately 35 sites spread over the entire watershed including Darby Creek ,Cobbs Creek, Naylor’s Run, Muckinpatis Creek, Ithan Creek, also the Cobbs Creek from Haverford Township through Upper Darby, Millbourne, Philadelphia to Eastwick. dcva.org WHEN: 9 a.m. to noon. COST: Free WHERE: Various locations, see website

An Up-Close Look at Lichens James Lendemer, assistant curator of lichenology at NYBG, has studied lichens for more than a decade, documenting their biodiversity, how they have become threatened and ways to protect this key member of many ecosystems. He provides a look at this complex amalgam of fungi and algae followed by a lichen expedition through Mt. Cuba Center’s gardens. mtcubacenter.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. COST: $45 WHERE: Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, Del.

Seasonal Family Exploration Explore Four Mills Reserve throughout the seasons. Look for the first flowers of spring, creatures of the creek, and the sights and sounds of autumn. Activities may include scavenger hunts, crafts and nature journaling. Refreshments will be served. wvwa.org WHEN: 1 to 3 p.m. COST: $0 to $10 WHERE: Four Mills Reserve, 12 Morris Road, Ambler, Pa.

A pril 15 Mill Open House: Connecting with Nature Feel the excitement of rumbling stones, hear the splash of water over the wheel and witness the cornmeal as it spills down a chute and into a barrel below. There will be presentations to celebrate Earth Day. wvwa.org WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Evans Mumbower Mill, Swedesford & Township Line Roads, North Wales, Pa.

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A pril 18 Master Gardeners Make and Take Get an early start on your herb garden indoors. This evening of herb education is an opportunity to create your own take-home herb-filled window box. Please mail checks to Master Gardeners of Camden County. Attention: Becki Szkotak. camden.njaes.rutgers.edu WHEN: 7 to 8:30 p.m. COST: $20 WHERE: Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill, N.J.

A pril 19 Pennypack Farm & Education Center: Annual Movie Series A screening of the last film in the series, “Origins of Organic.” The movie will be preceded by vendors and will follow with a Q&A. pennypackfarm.org WHEN: 6:30 to 9 p.m. COST: $10 WHERE: Ambler Theater, 108 E. Butler Pike, Ambler, Pa.

Storm Drain Marking Training

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Learn how to lead storm drain marking at this free training and connect people to their creeks by marking storm drains to keep pollution out of the waterways. Please RSVP to frankie@ttfwatershed.org or 215-744-1853.

West Philly Star Party with the Penn Museum

ttfwatershed.org WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Glenside Free Library, 215 S. Keswick Ave., Glenside, Pa.

PACA at CW: Conflict Management CultureWorks and Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance will offer a workshop series aimed at developing leadership capacity, skills and collaboration. Each month will cover a different topic, sharing expertise and resources for co-ops, nonprofits and for-profits in the region. This month’s focus is conflict management. cultureworks-x-paca.ticketleap.com WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m. COST: $10 to $40 WHERE: CultureWorks, 1315 Walnut St., Suite 320

Investigate the legends of ancient skies with brief talks by experts in astronomy and archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania Astronomy School and the Penn Museum. Use a telescope with real astronomers and gaze at the skies from the highest point of the cemetery. woodlandsphila.org WHEN: 7 to 10 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: The Woodlands, 4000 Woodland Ave.

A pril 21 Learn Bird Song Workshop Take your birding skills to the next level by learning to identify birds by their songs.

This workshop will focus on the songs of several common breeders and migrating warblers. You'll learn tips and tricks for

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april 2018

remembering bird songs and technology tools to help you master bird song on your own. wvwa.org WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. COST: $0 to $10 WHERE: Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, 12 Morris Road, Ambler, Pa.

Naturepalooza: A Family Earth Day Celebration Spend Earth Day celebrating the Schuylkill Center’s Year of Water with science and environmental art activities, hikes and crafts. There will also be food trucks, dancing and even a fort-building competition.

Naturepalooza is in partnership with the Philadelphia Science Festival and occurs rain or shine. schuylkillcenter.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road

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Garden Day & Plant Sale

Building Backyard Habitat

Penn State Extension Master Gardeners offer free garden workshops, tours of three award-winning demonstration gardens, all day "ask a Master Gardener" table, Philadelphia Science Festival “Science in the Garden” activities, affordable plants for sale, free soil testing for lead. extension.psu.edu

Want to make a difference for wildlife in your neighborhood? Start in your backyard!

Learn the essential elements necessary to attract native pollinators and birds, and how you can provide the valuable resources they need. natlands.org

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Fairmount Park Horticulture Center, 1 Horticulture Drive

Philly Vegan Pop Flea: Mother Earth Market!

Celebrate Earth Day with local vegan and veg-friendly vendors on the second floor of Tattooed Mom. motherearthveganmarket.eventbrite.com

Philly Celebrates Jazz | Umar Rahem’s New York Connection Composer/saxophonist Umar Raheem keeps his music inspirational, innovative and in the best classical jazz tradition to highlight the history of this music.

WHEN: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Torresdale Library, 3079 Holme Ave.

Earth Day at the Center Take part in hands-on crafts, learn about what you can do to help protect the environment and earth-friendly giveaways. The center will also be celebrating the closing of the exhibition “Seeing the Forests and the Trees: Winifred Helton – Harmon” curated

by Ricardo Viera. centerforartinwood.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: The Center for Art in Wood, 141 N. 3rd St.

EVEN TS

WHEN: 1 to 6 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Tattooed Mom, 530 South St.

WHEN: 10 a.m. to noon COST: $15 to $20 WHERE: ChesLen Preserve, 1199 Cannery Road, Coatesville, Pa

Morris Arboretum Dogs and Barks Tour Come see the dogwood in its many shapes and forms—trees, shrubs, spring bloomers, summer bloomers—while celebrating 2018, the Chinese Year of the Dog. Explore the artistry of tree barks on many kinds of trees from all over the world—from beech, filbert, hickory and lacebark pine to noticeably different barks on the beloved dogwoods. morrisarboretum.org

Bare Roots and Bulbs Attendees can plant their own root pouch containers with their choice of strawberries, raspberries or flower bulbs. The class will talk soil, light, position, care and maintenance for particular containers and conditions. Learn about bare roots and what to do with your non-hardy bulbs in the fall when the weather starts to cool. greensgrow.org WHEN: Noon to 1:30 p.m. COST: $45 WHERE: Greensgrow West, 5123 Baltimore Ave.

WHEN: 11 a.m. to noon COST: $0-19 WHERE: Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.

48th Annual Creek Clean Up Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association and Friends of the Wissahickon have partnered on the 48th annual Creek Clean Up of the Wissahickon Creek. All volunteers are pre-assigned to sections of the Creek and trail and can pick-up their supplies at WVWA’s headquarters the week before. wvwa.org WHEN: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Wissahickon Valley Watershed, 12 Morris Road, Ambler, Pa.

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DIS PATC H

personal essay

The Physic Garden

I

f the physic garden at Pennsylvania Hospital hadn’t offered me a silent lesson, I might have remained distraught. At 71, I needed a total knee replacement, the surgeon said, mere months after a hip replacement.

“Yes, it’s more painful than hip replacement because the knee has more nerves,” the surgeon replied to my question. “The recovery’s longer.”

Damn. I felt angry, frightened. I recalled horror stories of knee replacements gone wrong, of people who limped for the rest of their lives, and I started to cry. I left the hospital building and headed for the enclosed area bordered by tall trees and graced with a garden divided into quadrants. What would aging exact from me next? And how soon?

Another wave of tears threatened as I sat down on a bench, but just then a crisp autumn breeze brought me the earthy scent of the garden.

Inwardly, I thanked Benjamin Franklin and Philadelphia physician Thomas Bond for that moment of solace. When Bond and 48

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Franklin co-founded the hospital, the nation’s first, in 1751, Bond felt that a physic, or medicinal garden, would put the plants most used in the remedies of that time within easy reach. The hospital’s board of managers applauded the idea at its meeting on June 7, 1774, but a lack of funds sank it. The plan gathered dust for 200 years.

Fast-forward to 1976, the 225th anniversary of the hospital’s founding as well as the city’s bicentennial celebration of America’s birth. Several groups teamed up—the Philadelphia Committee of the Garden Club of America, Friends of Pennsylvania Hospital, including hospital staff—and got the garden growing.

The garden soothed my spirit that day.

Tall purple foxgloves, used to treat heart ailments in the 18th century, eased my attention away from fear. Saffron-colored marigolds, once used for skin irritations, bejeweled one part of the garden and spoke of life’s vividness. Did I dare chew a leaf of

sage, said to calm the stomach and lift one’s mood? The fuzzy leaves of wooly lamb’s ear drew me closer. If I wet one and put it on my skin, I’d heard, it would serve as a bandage for stings and minor cuts. I glanced around, saw no one looking, picked a leaf, licked it and stuck it on the back of my hand. Its soft verdancy against my brown skin reminded me that, however many or few days lay ahead in my life, I still had some greenness in me.

The physic garden had edged into autumn. Some flowers had faded, and the passing days had rounded many roses into bright red hips. The garden was entering a season of rest, just as receiving a new knee would push me into a time of pain, quiet and rehabilitation.

My hand came to rest on the earth whose scent had drawn me. From this source would come the garden’s rebirth. I took a pinch of dirt, sniffed it, and then put it in my pocket so that I could go toward surgery carrying a promise of renewal.

constance garcia-barrio lives in Philadelphia and writes about African-American history.

PENN MEDICINE

After a series of difficult surgeries, a professor finds consolation in plant life

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Highway-to-highway One Penn alumna brings sustainable solutions to the road VIRTUAL CAFÉ Join the MES program director on the first Tuesday of every month from 12-1 p.m. for an online chat about your interests and goals.

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“Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies (MES) helped me realize that I am a big picture kind of person. In the classroom and out in the field, I would often ask myself, ‘How do we get people where they need to be to fix a problem?’” shares Hilary Leifsen (MES ’16), a Transport Sustainability Developer for the Inter IKEA Group.

In her role, Hilary ensures truck fleet suppliers adhere to IKEA’s code of standards for environment, health and safety, working conditions and fair wages. She then guides suppliers in implementing green solutions like using alternative fuel, electric trucks and rail. Hilary adds, “The economic case for renewables, environmental technology, transportation and infrastructure only gets stronger every day. The ROI is faster and customers demand it.”

During her time at Penn, Hilary dove into courses on eco-friendly business practices. “I learned how to communicate strategy and make sure planned results have a positive environmental impact.” Now working in corporate sustainability, Hilary finds that “the good news is, the majority of large companies realize their operations are tied to sustainability and if they want to keep growing into the future, they need to address this publicly, aggressively and honestly.”

To discover more about Hilary’s global efforts with IKEA, visit:

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