PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 by Philadelphia Weekly

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Pandemic leaves SEPTA on the wrong side of the tracks End this miserable year by laughing at Jeremiah Watkins. | Page 13

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FROM THE EDITOR

HIGH HOPES FOR

CURTAINS UP L

Oh emphasized that although the bill ive music venues like Union passed and saw no reason it wouldn’t be Transfer and the Fillmore came a drumbeat closer to reopening signed into law, he said it doesn’t solve the when Congressional leaders gave larger problem, calling it a “hopeful promise” that that money would make its way to the green light to the Save Our Philly’s struggling venues in a timely fashion. Stages Act last week. It offered “You have to put pressure on your local and a glimmer of hope to people like Mark Denino, owner of Chris’ Jazz Cafe, that state government to do things now – to get he could one day see the seats filled in his things done now, and the money will make its way to Philadelphia and the state,” Oh said. longest and oldest continuously running jazz “But for some people, they think this is goclub in Philadelphia. As part of a long-awaited COVID-19 stimu- ing to solve things. It’s going to take time like anything else and has to be distributed.” lus package, the Save Our Stages Act provides Brent Porsche has been a night and week$15 billion in relief to independent music end DJ at 93.3 WMMR for the past 15 venues, movie theaters and similar years. He said ad revenue has been cultural institutions that have been down so much that he’s done shows almost entirely shuttered since lasting five or six hours and had March. maybe less than five minutes’ worth For Kerri Park, general manager of commercials to read. of World Cafe Live, as devastating “Those are the concerts and live as the pandemic has been on her events coming to Philadelphia,” he industry, the news presents a rare said. opportunity. “They’re just not there.” “We have the choice now to presShawn Agnew is co-owner of ent ourselves at the center of recovUnion Transfer and – up until reery in Philadelphia. cently – Boot & Saddle on South Creative economies do not get Broad Street. Boot & Saddle was created overnight and we can deforced to close for good due to the cide to invest and expand what alpandemic. Agnew said it served as ready exists and has taken years to @ RUFFTUFFDH the first stage in Philadelphia for build,” she said. many national and international “Once we get beyond the daily struggle for survival, we can focus our newly artists. “Since March, we’ve had to cancel more bonded collective efforts on a more equitable landscape throughout the industry and addi- than 250 concerts...It’s almost as if someone tionally focus on truly getting Philly the at- took a vacuum cleaner to our bank account while bringing in zero dollars,” he said. tention it deserves as a nationally recognized “Myself and my partners, we operated our music city.” An optimistic outlook, considering World business the right way. We were responsible. We did save for a rainy day, but when it Cafe Live went from hosting 17 events a week to zero and shrunk its staff from 90 people to became clear that rainy day would become 10 when COVID lockdowns forced concert a rainy year, I don’t think many businesses could survive that.” venues to close. Other advocates expressed their hardships Park and other leaders in the industry shared their thoughts during a panel discus- like Ellen Trainer, president of the local musicians union and Maureen Malloy, program sion hosted by City Councilman David Oh, director for 90.1 WRTI, and even an entertaina longtime lover of the local music scene, on ment lawyer offered future predictions and Monday. long-term solutions for bouncing back. But He convened a panel of experts on Zoom the same is true for each of them, live music to talk about how the pandemic has affected their businesses, possible solutions, and what venues can’t reopen the same way other busieveryone can do at the local level to keep pres- nesses can. Hopefully, the federal stimulus relief will provide some kind of lifeline to keep sure on city and state officials to support each the music going. other.

JENNY DEHUFF

DON’T GO IT ALONE ANOTHER LOCKDOWN IS TOUGH,

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FREE ADVERTISING PW has packages available right now for companies impacted by the city’s lockdowns—and the ads are FREE. If your business has had to shut down, call us now! We’ll help you get back in business. JOURDAN COOPER IS READY TO FIND YOU EVERY CUSTOMER THAT’S OUR THERE. EMAIL HER AT: JCOOPER@PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM OR 267-296-1094

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

STATE OF OUR CITY

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STATE

CITY FASHION

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FORWARD

Jeantrix, a local, Black-owned clothing company known for its cameo appearance in Beyonce’s “Black is King” visual album, is launching a brand new collection by designers Nyce & Homm. It features editorials by Philly photog Corey Hariston and Jeantrix’s signature leather jackets, rain coats and ready-to-wear items with pops of color and symbolism that are intended to “captivate not only your fashion sense, but also your imagination.” They also released a short film on their YouTube channel, JeantrixTV, at the beginning of the month.

Success story A French publishing company has decided to make an investment in Philadelphia with a goal to raise literary awareness, encourage new and emerging writers and highlight the importance and timeliness of literature. This fall, a new project called Philly Storied City is coming to town. Philadelphians are invited to submit stories, poems or creative nonfiction to their website (short-edition.com) for a chance to have them published internationally. Part of the project involves installing Short Story Dispensers around the city. “Inspired to promote literature in our ever faster, digital world of screens, we imagined and created the Short Story Dispenser in 2016 to combine the old with the new in offering an ever-changing cache of short stories to offer people unexpected literary moments in their daily lives,” writes Short Edition, the concept designer. Connected to the online platform, the dispensers print stories of one, three or five minutes’ duration onto high-quality paper for the public, free of charge.

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Feeding frontline workers Despite being closed due to the city’s new COVID-19 restrictions, Harrah’s Philadelphia recently donated hundreds of boxed meals and quarts of soup to local first responders. Staff assembled dozens of gift packages for their annual Adopt-a-Kid program, which benefits local kids in Chester. The food donations went to Taylor Hospital employees and Chester City paramedics, firefighters and police.

Dan McDonough, Jr. Chairman & Publisher Jenny DeHuff Editor in Chief

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Contributors: A.D. Amorosi, Jesse Bunch, Paul Davis Resolve Philadelphia, Timaree Schmit, Ryan K. Smith, Kerith Gabriel, Eugene Zenyatta. Intern: Zachary Bard.

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STATE OF OUR CITY

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SANTA

DRIVE-BY Sitting on Santa’s lap is a big no-no in 2020, so most interactions with a real-life version of Old Saint Nick are either done virtually or drive-by this year. We can’t say for sure if Santa can still hear young ones’ Christmas wishes from the road, but he’s certainly being careful in the age of COVID.

BACK IN ACTION We reached out to City Councilman Mark Squilla over the weekend to see how he was feeling. The councilman tested positive for COVID-19 in early December, reported mild symptoms and had been quarantining at home. This past Saturday was his last day of isolation, he said. “I feel a lot better. So happy to be able to go out.”

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

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LOSING STEAM Fare hikes, service cuts loom as SEPTA struggles to stay on track

ide the Market-Frank- the authority – including fare hikes. ford El, the Broad Street Service cuts and layoffs are also posLine or any bus or trol- sibilities, officials say. According to Andrew Busch, ley in the region and SEPTA’s chief press officer, you will become SEPTA ridership is about 30 aware that SEPpercent of what it was preTA ridership has BY THOM COVID. taken a huge hit. Not only NICKELS “COVID is having a mado the empty seats indicate jor toll, but part of what we a future with dim prospects, want to do is attract riders,” but they recall how in 2019, Busch said. SEPTA seemed fixed in strength “What we are trying to offer ridand insolubility. With the advent of ers today is confidence that SEPTA COVID-19, that robustness has collapsed in the form of altered transit is safe, and we do that by not just saying it but keeping up with the schedules, canceled regional rail cleaning program, so that when lines and financial losses to the tune people come back they can have of $1 million a day. All of this could mean changes for a good experience.”

DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY Busch wants riders to know that public transit is not a spreader. “Currently, about 90 percent of our riders are complying with the mask rule without any kind of issue. All of the nation’s major transit agencies are suffering because of the pandemic, but SEPTA may be forced to look at service cuts and possibly layoffs. We are approaching this with care and caution,” he says. COVID-19 has forced the 57-year-old agency to make drastic changes in its daily operations. Most of the cutbacks have affected the regional rail lines, most notably the temporary elimination of the Chestnut Hill West and Cynwyd lines. Ridership on regional rail is lower than it is on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street line, something that Busch attributes to more people in the suburbs working at home than in the inner city. Regional rail, Busch says, operates on a Saturday schedule, with trains running every hour, except for the high-volume Paoli-Thorndale line that runs every half-hour during rush hour. “All the regional rail lines are running with less frequency than pre-COVID,” he said. Ridership on the regional rail was down a shocking 96 percent in April 2020, but today, that percentage is 88 percent, a figure Busch expects to stay constant going into the future. “For the time being, until we get indications that commuters are starting to come back, we’re probably going to be stuck at v88 percent.” The public’s reluctance to flock back to SEPTA en masse, even with a vaccine in the offing, can be traced to the earlier days of the pandemic, when riding any form of public transit, even while masked and observing

FEATURED social-distance rules, was viewed as risking one’s life, comparable to walking (unmasked) into a filled-to-capacity sports stadium. The decrease in ridership over the last several months has created a SEPTA revenue shortfall of $350 million (from a total operating budget of $1.5 billion) for this fiscal year. SEPTA’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. “This means that the agency’s 2020 run is about halfway through,” Busch said. That shortfall forced SEPTA to reduce its Lifeline Service Schedule in April because of virus-related employee absences. According to published reports, 10 station stops along the MFL were temporarily closed, and the BSL saw eight stations sidelined. At that time, there were 76 confirmed cases of COVID among SEPTA employees, with three deaths. Overall ridership had declined by 80 percent. Compare that to a year ago, when MFL passenger cars were so crowded that trains often had to skip major station stops like Girard during rush hour because commuters covered every square inch of the waiting platforms. Passenger-packed trains would whiz past the Girard platform because there just wasn’t room for additional people. The agency’s current loss of $1 million a day has to be made up somehow. Busch says that the threat of a fare increase looms because of this shortfall. Busch is quick to add that a fare increase was not implemented by the SEPTA board when it met Dec. 17. “The board delayed the increase once before. It was supposed to go into effect July 1, but the board delayed the increase in June

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2020. They delayed it again, but the question will come up again July 1, 2021,” he said. But even if there is a fare increase next year, Busch doesn’t expect the baseline fare of $2.50 to change at that time. Should the SEPTA board approve fare increases on July 1, 2021, those new numbers would include: Cash fare buses, trolleys and subways would remain at $2.50. Weekly TransPass (good for buses, trolleys and subways – “Transit” modes) would increase by $1 to $26.50; and the monthly TransPass would go up $3 to $99. Weekly and monthly TrailPasses (good for regional rail and Transit) would increase by an average of five to six percent, as would individual regional rail ticket rates. SEPTA reviews a possible fare increase every three years, but attempts to keep any increase within the cost of living. “We prefer to do that rather than wait longer periods of time and then come back with a bigger increase,” Busch said, “because small increases are more predictable for SEPTA riders. They know that every three years they are looking at an increase in fares that is consistent with what they’re paying for other goods and services.” According to the nonprofit TMA Bucks, this summer saw the implementation of two positive changes: Free transfers and a new policy that children under 11 ride free. At the same time, there was also a threatened strike by the Transport Workers Union Local 234. The 5,300-member union demanded that SEPTA take extra precautions for its transit workers. These included taking employees’ temperatures; sending home anyone who had a fever above 100.4; regular testing of air quality on vehicles; paying workers with pre-existing conditions to quarantine at

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY home, and classifying COVID-related deaths as work-related for fair compensation. The union had threatened a work stoppage, but that move was thwarted after negotiations with the mayor. In June, a $17 million contract was approved for automatic passenger counters. Cloth seats on vehicles (a targeted concern during the bed bug scare some years ago) were also removed. Overnight weekend service on both the MFL and the BSL was suspended until further notice so workers can clean and sanitize stations and train cars. Currently, the Owl bus service runs every 15 minutes in place of the all-night trains. New transit glass shields to protect drivers were put in place in early November. SEPTA also eased restrictions on taking bicycles on regional rail, the MFL and BSL during rush hour. Busch says that SEPTA’s main issue right now is finding new ways to attract people, such as emphasizing its affordable options for traveling compared to what people would pay to park or to take a ride sharing service. What is Busch’s best-case scenario vision for SEPTA one year from now? “We may not be back where we were pre-COVID, but we’re building ridership back up. We’re on track. There’s been some movement on getting long-term capital funding at the state level. We can also replace the oldest parts of the regional rail fleet, the ones that date back to the mid 1970s. We will also be able to move ahead with infrastructure improvements to get us ready to start accommodating electric-battery operated buses.” A worst case scenario, he says, would be a permanent stall in operations if SEPTA isn’t able to obtain additional stop-gap funding for its looming operating budget deficits. “We would then have to move forward on plans that would reduce service. That would make it harder for the region and SEPTA to recover from this,” he said.

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MUSIC

NEW MUSIC FROM AJAY ‘Phantoms’ relates to the mass angst of the 2020 lockdowns Philly-based AJAY recently released ‘Phantoms,’ a catchy, funky pop tune that also speaks to the challenges of 2020. Image: Courtesy of AJAY

DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

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inger, songwriter, ago,” AJAY said. “It was a rough time in my and multi-instrulife where I had to leave Philmentalist AJAY encompasses the best adelphia for a year and work parts of modern pro- a day job in my hometown, Harrisburg. The lack of interduction, along with the smooth, soul- action with people I identified with (young artists drenched ingrediand creatives) caused ents that defined the a morbid sense of isosound of Philadelphia BY EUGENE lation. I was starting for decades. Equally ZENYATTA to notice how adults comfortable with the can get caught up nuances of Alternain their repetitive, tive R&B, Neo-Soul, everyday lives and often let Hip Hop, or Bedroom Pop, their social interactions be inAJAY’s production and musical prowess blend seamlessly fluenced by alcohol and happy hours. with his vulnerable, yet confi“Musically, the song refdent falsetto voice. erences the guitar tones and Recently, the Philly-based artist released “Phantoms,” a harmony of ‘70s soul/fusion, while the bouncy programmed catchy, funky pop tune. drums and clouds of synthy “’Phantoms’ was self-protextures shout out future elecduced, written and recorded in my bedroom two years tro R&B. The song is two years

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MUSIC

courage each other to keep experimenting and old to me, but will ironically relate to the mass evolving our sounds. These days, it’s hard to angst of our 2020 lockdowns.” collaborate, but time to reflect on myself as PW recently caught up with AJAY to talk an artist and just a person has been a sense of about his new music, the pandemic and more. value in a crazy time. When did you discover your interest in How have the pandemic and all of the music? Who were some of your early influclosures impacted your career? How have ences? you spent your downtime? When I was really young (around 4-5 years I lost all my gigs, as did most other musiold), my mom would always listen to BB King, Eric Clapton and a lot of classic rock in the cians in the city. I’ve been trying to spend the car. I feel like I didn’t initially know I had a time writing and finishing as much future material as possilove for music ble. I go through until my brother After relocating to Philadelphia, AJAY found a waves of being taught me some community of younger, self-produced artists who all ultra creative and simple songs on encourage each other to keep experimenting and just letting myself guitar at age 10. evolving their sounds. Image: Courtesy of AJAY not be obsessed A lot of the very about productiviearly influences ty. There’s really of being a child all the time in the before ever touchword, which is a ing an instrument little insane, but came rushing strangely comfortback, and I realing at times. ized the vintage What’s ahead blues guitar sound for you after the is what I wanted pandemic ends? to study. ThroughLive performancout my early es? More work in teens, I was super the studio? fascinated with I’m already foJimi Hendrix and cused on more older blues musiwork in the stucians before my dio and that will interests shifted continue to be toward R&B and after the pandemHip-Hop in high ic. I’m actually school. about to spend In an intera few months view earlier this in New Orleyear with WXans at my friend PN’s The Key, Andrew’s spot, you mentioned Neutral Sound The Roots were Studio, learning “life-changing” how to engineer for you. How so? outside of my simI was getting ple home studio really into ‘90s setup. It’s what I Hip-Hop in the eighth and ninth grades...Artists like Biggie feel like I really need right now – to advance the way I go about producing my own music – and Tribe Called Quest made me fall in love but also a good way to direct my skill set away with the genre, but I saw no place for myself from just live performances. I’d love to use in it being that at the time I was a guitar player. The Roots were the first time I saw Hip-Hop these skills to do more work as a producer/ engineer than as a bass player/guitarist for being performed by live musicians. Around 10th grade, I started to write rap verses and other artists. With that being said, it’s been so long since live shows that I can’t wait to persing hooks over chord progressions I came up form again, whether it be performing my own with on guitar. What’s the Philly music scene like these music or not. What are the best ways for your fans to days? Why have you chosen to settle here? Being from Harrisburg, Philadelphia was keep up with you? For social media, I would say following @ the closest big city to reside in and find a real ajay.music on Instagram. There, you can find music scene after high school. The Philly mulinks to my music on any platform you use sic scene quickly introduced me to a lot of amazing musicians who are known as side including Spotify and Apple Music. All my music can be found for free, but if you want men to some very famous, renowned artists. to directly support financially, you can use Among the generations of renowned musicians, I also found a community of younger, the link to my Bandcamp on Instagram to buy music/donate to my work. self-produced artists like myself who all en-

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

CRIME BEAT

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

BEWARE OF THE BURGLARS

s your beloved gifts of electronics, jewelry and other expensive items sit under the Christmas tree as we approach the New Year, be aware that your home may now be a target for burglars. Burglary has been called “the Silent Crime” as the burglar uses stealth to enter homes and businesses when the owners are asleep or away from the property. Burglary is generally defined as the breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony. As many businesses are closed due to COVID-19 governmental edicts, I suspect burglars will be hitting more homes this year. I’ve gone out on ride-alongs with patrol officers and detectives, and I’ve accompanied them as they investigated burglaries of businesses, houses and apartments. I recall one time when I entered an apartment in South Philadelphia with a 3rd District officer. The burglar kicked in the back door of the firstfloor apartment when the tenant was not at home. The sound of the door being smashed in was heard by another tenant, but rather than calling 911, the tenant called the owner of the property. He also didn’t call 911, and he jumped in his car and drove to the property. He finally called 911 when he discovered the front door to the apartment was ajar. When the responding officer arrived at the apartment with me in tow, we saw that

DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

the burglar had tossed furniture, clothes and the doors and windows. Burglary detectives say there are three other belongings about wildly as he searched frantically for cash. After he discovered some types of burglars. There are professional burglars, thieves and opportunists. The procash, he walked out the front door. Thankfully, the tenant was not at home and was not fessionals target mansions, major businesses harmed, but the sight of the apartment in and other high-end targets. Prior to committing the burglary, the professional disarray was devastating to the burperforms surveillance or “cases” glary victim. the target. Although the targets genI recall another time that I acerally have state-of-the-art alarm companied a responding officer systems in place, the professionals to the scene of a burglary. It was use their knowledge and specialized during the Christmas season and tools to thwart the systems. the victim told the officer that the The professionals also use a netburglar had stolen many of the work of “fences” where they sell the wrapped presents that had been jewelry, stamps, silver, artwork and under the tree. Most of the wrapped other stolen items. These fences are gifts were toys and games for the usually associated with organized victim’s young children. That was a crime. heart-breaking crime scene. The thieves will commit armed Detectives and security specialrobbery, burglary, rob cars and ists I’ve spoken to over the years commit any type of crime. They say that most burglaries can be prevented. To avoid being burglar- PAULDAVISONCRIME.COM use less-sophisticated tools than the professionals and they target busiized, simply install an alarm system nesses and homes that have less protection with cameras, place a sign in plain sight that states the property has an alarm system, and than high-end establishments. They will target homes known to contain install good locks on the doors and windows. valuables such as cash, guns, jewelry and elecThe cops see that many of the victims of burglary often have apparent security weakness- tronic equipment. The opportunist, often a drug addict or a es that the burglars probably saw as well. The victims’ homes had no exterior lights, teenager, is a criminal who goes out looking for a business or home that he thinks he can no alarm system, no signs and poor locks on

PAUL DAVIS

break into easily and get away quickly. There is little planning prior to the crime. One Philadelphia detective I know recommended that homeowners install an all-in-one fire and burglary alarm system. The system should be connected to a service that responds to alarms. If an alarm is activated, the security service will call within a minute. If the owner does not answer the phone, the service will call the police. If the owner does answer, the service will ask the owner to identify himself and state the password given to the service. “I would also recommend having a dog in addition to an alarm system,” the detective told me. “Burglars don’t like dogs.” The detective said that burglars are usually not violent, but some are desperate due to drug habits and they might become violent if they encounter the homeowner. So if you want to avoid being burglarized, be sure to install a good alarm system, place a security sign in plain view, install exterior lights and good locks on your windows and doors – and get a dog. Paul Davis’ Crime Beat column appears here each week. He is a Philadelphia writer who has written extensively about organized crime, cybercrime, street crime, white-collar crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.

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COMEDY

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

END THIS MISERABLE

YEAR WITH A LAUGH

eremiah Watkins is heralded as the co- ly became known as the new funny guy, and median for making Judd Apatow fall that felt good. I realized I might have a real shot in love with comedy again, and that’s with a comedy career following an original coma direct quote from Judd himself. You edy song I performed at my brother’s wedding may know him as one-third of The Wave for my Best Man speech. It killed with all of the from Comedy Central’s “Roast Battle,” ages that were present, and it was the first feelas Moshpit (a roadie/hypeman) in “The ing of, I think I can get paid to do this someday! Comedy Jam,” or as half of the musical 2020 has been quite the year. Have the pancomedy super-duo Regan and Watkins demic, social unrest, political disduring “Kill Tony,” the No. 1 live podcord, etc., forced you to change your cast in the world. He performs stand-up BY EUGENE routine? What’s funny in 2020? at all of the major clubs in Los Angeles Family, relationships and how we ZENYATTA throughout the week and became a paid all have to adapt to the craziness of life regular in 2016 at The World Famous will always be funny. Comedy Store, getting his name painted on its You just released your debut hour-long prestigious wall in 2017. The Comedy Store is comedy special “Family Reunion.” How also the home for his wildly popular live show would you describe it and how can people see “Stand-Up On The Spot,” which just came off a it? hit run of shows at Montreal’s Just For Laughs It’s a fun and really light special that makes Comedy Festival and was named by GQ Magayou miss the comedy club experience because zine as one of the “5 Funniest Nights in Ameryou feel like you are part of the crowd. My ica.” family surprised me by sitting in the front row, Since moving to LA from Kansas, he has eswhich is a comedian’s nightmare. But for the tablished himself as one of the most physical viewer, it’s a beautiful disaster. I interview my stand-up comedians in Los Angeles with his family, so it’s a great way for you to get to know high-energy and off-the-cuff style. He placed me outside of what I’m doing on stage. second in the 2015 Big Sky Comedy Festival, and There’s some great written bits throughout has performed at Just for Laughs, Bonnaroo, and some fun crowd work that I improvised in Outside Lands, TBS’s New York Comedy Festithe moment that made it into the cut. If you val, South by Southwest, Riot LA, Moontower, like silly, this special is for you. It’s available on and many other festivals throughout the counAmazon Prime, Apple TV, VOD & more. The altry. bum with bonus tracks just came out on Spotify, Other film and TV appearances include: iTunes, etc. You can find all the available plat“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Netflix’s “Historical forms on my website jeremiahwatkins.com. Roasts,” and more. He is a graduate of The SecYou work the crowd a lot in your routine. ond City, has trained at The Groundlings, and What will your fans who show up Dec. 30 at has performed improv all over Los Angeles. SoulJoel’s experience? Watkins is headlining SoulJoel’s Comedy Club My shows are always fun, interactive and and Lounge in Royersford on Wednesday, Dec. different every time. We’re going to have a good 30 at 7pm. Visit souljoels.com for tickets and all time together! I don’t fully know what to expect, of the details – especially given the COVID reand neither do you, which makes it exciting and strictions. SoulJoel’s has an outside amphithefresh for us all. ater for shows. What’s ahead for you? More appearancWatkins also just released his debut hour- es – both in-person and through the media? long comedy special “Family Reunion.” And he More albums? announced he and his wife are having a baby! I have some projects that I’m working on PW caught up with Watkins to talk comedy in right now and I’m really excited for people to what is definitely not a funny year. see/hear me on some upcoming TV/film apLet’s go back to the beginning. When did pearances in 2021. you realize you were funny, and when did What are the best ways for your fans to you make the decision to get into comedy as keep up with what you’re doing? a career? I’m very active on social media. @jeremiahI realized at a young age I had a talent for standup on all platforms. YouTube.com/jeremimicking people and doing impressions. When miahwatkins for weekly podcasts, standup and I started middle school in a new district, I quickmore. Tour dates and merch at jeremiahwatkins.com.

Catch Jeremiah Watkins at SoulJoel’s Dec. 30

Jeremiah Watkins just released his debut hourlong comedy special‘Family Reunion,’ which includes his family right there in the front row. Image | Courtesy of Comedy Dynamics

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

VOICES

OF OUR

CITY

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

THE SHOUT OUT

Opinion pieces need to respect facts Re: Paul Davis’ Dec. 17 column: Even an opinion piece needs to respect facts. And columnists have an obligation to their readers to use current information. I was dismayed to find MOVE listed as a “violent group” in the article’s second paragraph. The violence associated with the group is the aerial bombing of their home in 1985 resulting in the deaths of 11 MOVE members, including children. This violence was perpetrat-

ed by city officials. Recently the city offered an apology. Casual and untrue name-calling in this context is victim blaming. Paul Davis admiringly quotes Joseph Wambaugh on the killing of George Floyd as an “incident” and an example of the kind of “instant life-and-death decisions” police make, ignoring the well known fact that it took officer Chauvin 8 minutes and 46 seconds to kill Floyd, hardly an instant.

Marta Guttenberg | Center City

PW cover wildly inappropriate Re: PW’s Dec. 17 cover: While I recognize that what follows that cover is an editorial, I feel it is wildly inappropriate to make the claims that you are making. Thousands are dying every day while you and others concern yourselves with business viability. This is a massively complex issue that you

are bringing down to its lowest common denominator. If whoever reads this message has any lofty journalistic ideals with which you may have entered college left, I believe that you feel the appropriate level of shame for this publication and I urge you to speak truth to those with the power of the pen.

Jamie Rubin | Philadelphia

DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Image: Immo Wegmann

The New Year is almost here – and that means it’s time to resolve to turn over a few new leaves.

Your turn: What should the city government’s New Year’s resolutions be? Send your thoughts to voices@philadelphiaweekly.com

VOICES OF OUR CITY

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Celebrate the Bidens’ Delaware Valley ties That you are holding this week’s edition er before has anyone who has worked out of of Philadelphia Weekly, or eyeballing it on a the ultimate home office hailed from what is screen, makes it likely you have found little, if known as the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. anything, worth celebrating about Think about it: For the first time, the election of Joseph R. Biden Jr. a Commander-in-Chief will actualas the 46th president of the United ly be able to credibly discuss cheesStates of America. esteaks, understand such terms as Hoagie Fest and Shorti and know all But I submit there is at least the words to “Fly, Eagles, Fly.” And one reason why anyone who lives if he can’t, you can pretty much bet within a 35-mile radius of City Hall the row home the First Lady can. should be bursting with pride and While Joe Biden wasn’t born in brimming with joy (or is that brimthis particular corner of the uniming with pride and bursting with verse, he has lived in northern joy?) that the former vice president Delaware for decades and, so it’s and his wife will soon be measurbeen reported, has made regular ing the drapes at 1600 Pennsylvania trips to this city for both work and Avenue. Even better, it is something leisure-time activities. But Dr. Jill that transcends both political ideolBiden is a native of Willow Grove ogy and raw politics. Ever since George Washington @CHUCKDARROW and as such, is as Philly as it gets: A blonde-tressed firecracker of fierce took the first Oath of Office in 1789, loyalty and unselfconscious huwe here in the Philly region have manity wrapped in that special addytood that lived under the leadership of a diverse group identifies one of as a true Delaware Valleyan. of gentlemen – landed gentry from Virginia, This is a woman who, presumably for New York City patricians, an actor from Illiat least the next four years, will, by defininois, a Georgia peanut farmer, et al. But nev-

CHUCK DARROW

tion of her circumstances, contribute to the American zeitgeist. And she will, by all accounts, be the first person in her exalted position to be able to identify Sally Starr, Roosevelt Boulevard and the Wanamaker Eagle. Likewise, she’ll be the first to instinctively understand the agony and the ecstasy of being a Philly sports fan and the first to readily know the answer to that eternal question: “Jeet?” Not to mention the first to understand in her very DNA that wooder, Ac-ame and Arg’n (as in the Arg’n Diner) are the correct pronunciations of words the rest of America serially mispronounces. And regardless of your philosophical bent, you can’t not grasp how freakin’ cool – and unprecedented – that is.

Given the cardinal rule of politics is “to the victors go the spoils,” one would hope that the Bidens’ deep Del Val roots will mean good things for this region in terms of federal largesse. But even if it doesn’t, those roots should be celebrated by anyone who has ever said the word shtreet or knows the correct wintertime use of a lawn chair. So, let’s, if only for a moment, put politics and tribalism aside and revel in the fact that the next First Couple, if nothing else to your liking, are Two of Us. Chuck Darrow has spent more than four decades as a writer and broadcaster specializing in covering the Philadelphia region’s arts, entertainment and casinos. He is still afraid he may one day have to work for a living.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

GOSSIP

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ICEPACK

Image | Chad Madden

DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Now shut up and enjoy the ham, everybody

yearn for family and his immediate environt’s clockwork: Every year, within seven days of the holiday, we’re paid to ment, and that he had never been away from take off and celebrate. A local paper them or his own bed for more than a few days of record will ask its own tiresome before the project’s lengthy shooting schedule. version of “Is ‘Merry Christmas’ ofBid to blow up casino fensive to non-Christians?” with a teWhether you’re on the left or the right, you dious writer finding fault with God’s have to admit that developer Carl Icahn and logic. As a dyed-in-the-dark-wool-devout JuDonald Trump (I know, I know, in name only, deo-Christian Roman Catholic, I know that but still, who lets their shit run down like focusing on Christ at “Christmas” is meant that?) really turned the long-closed Trump to be inclusive of all – that was/is His whole Plaza Hotel & Casino property into a scumdeal. Like Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a my eyesore. The perfect Christmas gift – see Groove,” where everyone EVERYONE is “getwhat I did there, CHRISTMAS – then for the ting down just for the funk of it. Good God.” family member who has everything is a big So, all creeds and colors are in on the red bow on the cigarette-stained winning finChristmas tip, and under the Yuletide ger on the button of the Trump Casino wire, log, what-have-you. implosion. An auction benefiting AC’s Further proof that Jesus is just alBoys & Girls Club can be found here: BY A.D. right with me, and that it’s HIS birth- AMOROSI https://www.liveauctioneers.com/ day, we’re celebrating is the current item/94949258_implode-trump-plaza-atmega-success of Montco teen WALLIS’ lantic-city-nj. Begin your bidding. viral hit “Lonely Christmas.” The only notaBanned politicians ble thing to come out of Montgomery County Just an idea: Members of the NYC Restausince LEGOLAND isn’t singing about a lonely rants Open group recently got together with holiday. Ellen DeGeneres (who I can’t stand, the online Coney Island Blog, and banned but that’s not the point) didn’t hype WALLIS’ New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and now NYC video to her 79 million followers because the Mayor Bill de Blasio from dining (not in, not 15-year-old singer-songwriter is crooning according to these two) or getting take-out about something soulless like “the season.” from any eateries in New York City. Splendid. IT’S CHRISTMAS SHE’S SINGING ABOUT Any restaurateurs in Philly or its suburbs AND IT’S CHRISTMAS THAT IS GIVING – even Montco – pissed that they can’t serve, YOU A LONG WEEKEND IN A YEAR OF shouldn’t serve Philly’s Kenney or PennsylvaEVEN LONGER WEEKENDS. SO SHUT THE nia’s Wolf. Let them dine in Maryland where FUCK UP AND ENJOY THE HAM. we caught our mayor eating without a mask M. Night glad to be home six months ago. Or just stick to Rouge on RitI can’t give too much away here – it is tenhouse where he was spied dining on SunPhilly’s M. Night Shyamalan after all – but the day night in a very enclosed tent. Penn Valley-born-and-bred auteur filmmaker Alex G scores movie whose locally shot “Servant” series Season 2 Gi-hugic DIY indie world lo-fi pop comstarts Jan. 15, told me, frankly, that filming poser, player and Havertown-ian Alexander his other project, “OLD,” away from home was Giannascoli or Alex G or (Sandy) Alex G, is jarring. His first film made outside of Philly nothing if not prolific, what with three stu(the Dominican Republic, yet) made him dio albums, one live album, and 12 singles re-

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GOSSIP

leased in the last five years alone. So why not Suddenly, all selling at craft shows was canscore a film? AG scored the new gamer-based celed, and her business came to a screeching movie from director Jane Schoenbrun “We’re halt. All Going to the World’s Fair” set to premiere “It took me less than five days to pivot and at Sundance on Jan. 31. “I listened to Alex’s pull my hobby/back-burner business – dressmusic constantly while writing my movie,” ing up as princesses for kids – off the shelf tweeted Schoenbrun. “When I found out he and started to do virtual princess visits,” said was down to write a score + original music for Loeks. the film, I basically had an out-of-body experiWhile Loeks quickly designed and sewed ence. His music is SO BEAUTIFUL.” I second princess couture while teaching herself a new skill – wig making – her Princess characthat. ter took on her own pandemic half-life. “My New mall leadership Remember Icepack, circa autumn 2020, prince gifted me a huge library full of books, when I wrote that the Pennsylvania Real Es- but I never had time to sit and read them all,” tate Investment Trust (your friendly neigh- claimed the Princess. “Now, during the pandemic, I’ve been able borhood PREIT) had to cobble together a fast-financing plan for the worst idea ever – to get through more than half of that library and have taken on a new skill of learning anMarket Street’s Fashion District Gallery Mall other language. I already speak English and rethink – with its lenders in preparation of French, but, now I’m filing Chapter 11 banklearning Spanish, too.” ruptcy protection? As of While Aisha is fond this weekend, Macerich of her adjustable mask Co., of Santa Monica, with the silicon beads Calif. – Fashion Dison the back (“it makes trict’s co-owner – will it so it doesn’t pinch my wrest control of the mall ears so much, and I also starting in January, have a matching neckafter having paid a big lace chain I made for it”), chunk of its mortgage Loeks has also sewn a debt (around $100 mil mask for the Princess to on nearly $400 mil), and match the dresses she making all its decisions had already made for from here on out. Good her, thus representing for corporate symmetry. what the new normal of Bad for Philly. Expect COVID-19 would become a large hole in Market for the Princess. Street sooner than later. “I love that it is sparEagles esports kly, and it’s my favorite At the exact time color. Isn’t the gold just when eternally ungrateso pretty?” says the Prinful QB Carson Wentz is cess. demanding to be traded While Loeks and her out of Philly, the Eagles Princess are both waitdo have one thing going for the day that their ing for it: The team just masks could come off, reached an agreement Image | Courtesy Aisha Maira Loeks their prince to come, and with the unfortunate nab that princely kiss acronym EEG (that’s Esports Entertainment Group) to become the (“when the mask comes off now, I rub my face! It’s so weird how much you actually want to NFL’s first esports tournament club provider. touch your face. I think I will feel really naked This means that EEG will operate its twice yearly Madden NFL Esports tournaments when they come down forever”) each has their for the Eagles utilizing its Esports Gaming own glittering vision of the present day. “I have been having such a wonderful time League platform, AND make the Eagles into an EEG shareholder at the same time. Hey, being a princess every weekend for the Princess Brunches at Germantown Garden Grill, Jeff Lurie didn’t make any profits selling tickets to cardboard cut-out fans or keeping and doing stoop visits to little kiddos all Howie Roseman onboard. Money’s got to come throughout Philadelphia,” said Loeks. “Also, online sales for my jewelry business from somewhere. (Adorned by Aisha) have been fantastic. EvMasked Philly: The Beauty Princess Aieryone has really been supporting local busisha Maira Loeks In Icepack’s continuing saga of asking nesses.” As for the Princess, she is excited to spend mask-donning local celebrities what they’ve been up to, beyond the pale, during COVID- Christmas in her castle and drink. “We always make eggnog from scratch and 19’s pandemic, I reached out, this week, to A Dash of Magic Events owner Aisha Maira bake cookies together. Then, we lay by the fire and read books until we fall asleep.” Loeks and her alter ego, The Beauty Princess. Loeks was selling handmade jewelry at the @ADAMOROSI Philadelphia Flower Show when COVID hit.

Saving Lives of Children with Food Alergies Just in Time For Saving Lives of Children Living With Food Allergies’ is a Non-Profit Organization. We look to better educate parents and the surrounding community in gaining a better understanding of what it takes to improve the day-to-day lives of families raising children with food allergies. We will also provide parents with the necessary tools to empower them to create a safe and healthy future for their children. Dr. Naomi Pereira-Lane CEO 1200 Clifton Avenue 1st Floor Rear Collingdale., PA. 19023 484-497-5324 Email: drnaomipereiralane@gmail.com www.justintimeforsavinglives.org @justintimeforsavinglives

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PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

THE RUNDOWN

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THE RUNDOWN Image | Nathan Ansell

Ring in the New Year with these great deals

It’s time to kick 2020 out the door and welcome 2021, which just has to be better. We’ve rounded up some dining and party options to help you do that in style – along with a few new holiday offerings. Be sure to contact the venue in advance to check on reservations, COVID restrictions and more.

Kids Countdown to New Year’s

Garces Favorites NYE Cocktail Party

Cheers to the season with a selection of our favorite small plates from Garces restaurants for the perfect cocktail hour! Includes: Family-style portions of Whipped Feta & Garden Vegetables (JG Domestic), Bacon-Wrapped Dates (Amada), Crab Fingers (The Olde Bar), Shrimp Cocktail (The Olde Bar), Deviled Eggs (Village Whiskey), and Spanish Meatballs & Manchego-Stuffed Cherry Pepper (Amada). This meal requires two days notice. $65 per person, minimum of two people. Ready-to-Heat with instructions. Order at http://garcestradingcompany.com/

DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Glu Hospitality and A Dash of Magic Events presents the Kids’ Countdown to New Year’s Eve with Cinderella at the Igloos at Germantown Garden Grill. Head to Northern Liberties and say goodbye to 2020 with one of the most famous and timeless princesses of them all. This magical and socially-distanced dining experience will be an unforgettable way to say goodbye to 2020. The royal date is set for Dec. 31, with three seatings at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Tickets $10 for outdoor seating, $15 for Igloo seating. Food and drink separate. 1029 Germantown Avenue. germantowngarden.com/#sectionEvents

Germantown Garden Grill

Three seatings: 5pm, 7pm, 9pm. $75 per person includes app, entree, dessert and endless champagne. Each table will also receive a champagne bottle to go for a champagne toast at midnight to enjoy at home! Includes option for heated private igloo dining! In-person event with socially distanced heated covered seating. 1029 Germantown Avenue. germantowngarden.com/#sectionEvents

Amada’s New Year’s Eve Feast Ring in the New Year’s with a seven-course taste of Garces. Includes: Family-style portions of Strip Steak with Veal Short Rib, Scallop Pappardelle, Crab-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers, Garlic Shrimp, Fennel & Chicory Salad, and Brussels Sprouts. Finished with Spanish-Style Cheesecake. Take-home for at-home celebration! $80 per person, minimum of two people, Ready-to-Heat with instructions. Order at http:// garcestradingcompany.com/. Pick up at The Olde Bar, 125 Walnut Street.

Lacroix

Celebrate the holidays at home this year with a decadent feast from Lacroix at The Rittenhouse. While Christmas and New Year’s may look a bit different this year, families and loved ones can still create special memories safely at home with these over-the-top to-go offerings. Start off with delectable appetizers and sides like Osetra Caviar and Foie Gras Torchon, followed by main dishes like Prime Rib, Black Truffle Mac & Cheese and Rack of Lamb. For dessert, enjoy a festive Rittenhouse Hot Chocolate kit with Valrhona Manjari Chocolate, cocoa powder, organic milk, vanilla marshmallows and whipped cream. Rittenhousehotel. com

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Rock Salt

MilkBoy, the iconic Philadelphia-born brand consisting of a legendary recording studio in Northern Liberties and consumer-facing bar/restaurant/ music venue concepts, has recently pivoted MilkBoy South Street into a festive and winter-perfect music-infused streetery, aptly dubbed Rock Salt. The effervescent street scene debuted with a myriad of twinkling lights, holiday decor, gold and platinum records, hot beverages and a heat lamp for every table. The inviting outdoor tables are fully covered and will be marked by a stellar playlist prepared by MilkBoy’s own Jamie Lokoff and updated regularly in a nod to MilkBoy’s recording roots. Milkboysouthstreet.com

Positano Coast

$120 for two. Crab Tacos, Seafood Basket and much more. Check out the website for more details. Plus tax, alcohol and gratuity. No substitutions. For take-out only. Not available for third-party delivery. Menu available Thursday, Dec. 31. Take-out orders must be placed by Dec. 29. 212 Walnut St. | 215.238.0499 | positanocoast.net

Harper’s Garden

Three seatings: 5, 7, 9pm. $80 for five courses. Private heated greenhouse and garden patio dining available. Menu includes Kuri Squash Veloute, Green Curry Spoonbread, House Made Yogurt, Seared Diver Scallop, Parsnip, Burgundy Black Truffle and more. In-person event with socially distanced heated covered seating. harpersgardenphilly.com/ | 31 S. 18th St. | (267) 886-8552.

Crown Catering

New Year’s Brunch 2021. Breads, pasta, rolls, cinnamon buns and much more. See the website for all of the details. The Victoria Freehouse, Crown Catering | 10 S. Front Street | (215) 543-6089 | www.crowndining.com/

Pivot Coffee and Soupery

Restaurateurs Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico just opened Pivot Coffee and Soupery at 738 S. 11th Street. The husbandwife duo behind popular concepts Hawthornes, Wine Dive, Tio Flores, Quick Sip, The Cambridge and soon-to-open Grace and Proper, present their first-ever full service coffee and espresso shop, soupery, bake shop and wine shop – all rolled into one. Pivotcoffeephilly.com

Fond

The acclaimed contemporary French restaurant on East Passyunk Avenue is saying farewell to 2020 in style with a seafood-focused takeaway feast, a bevy of wine and bubbly, and a street-side pop-up on New Year’s Eve. Ring in the new year with an array of sommelierselected wine and champagne bottle options aimed to pair with the New Year’s Eve takeaway dinner. The seafood dinner includes a variety of menu offerings. The deadline to order is Monday, Dec. 28 for pick-up on Thursday, Dec. 31. Orders can be placed by email at orders@fondphilly. com. fondphilly.com

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

THE RUNDOWN

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Dance party

Cap off this ridiculous year with an online, team-taught afternoon dance party featuring a playlist “countdown” of the hottest songs of 2020. Instructors Timaree, Michelle, Marianna and Jody will start with a few new releases that haven’t made the charts yet, then work backward through some of their favorite singles from the Billboard Year End Hot 100. Deb will emcee with a few music-related trivia questions (prizes for the correct answers). Absolutely no prior dance experience required; singing along is highly encouraged! Dec. 31, 3:30 pm. Phillydancefitness.com

From dance parties to new beer spots, we’ve rounded up a few things you’ll want to check out as 2020 finally comes to an end.

As the year winds to an end, here are a few more events to check out Evil Genius Beer Company

Evil Genius Beer Company has announced the grand opening of two new beer pop-up shops in Northern Liberties and Rittenhouse neighborhoods. Serious beers with seriously funny names are coming to new Evil Genius Kwik-E Beer Pop-up Shops at 702 N. 2nd Street and 1602 Spruce Street. The Fishtown-based brewery will pivot and expand with their first-ever brick-and-mortar locations beyond The Lab at 1727 Front Street with these first new beer shop concepts. Evilgeniusbeer.com

The Clay Studio

Join Jennifer Zwilling, curator of artistic programs at The Clay Studio, and the former Resident Artists participating in The Clay Studio’s newest exhibition, “Future Memories.” The artists have created works that explore the transformative nature of their Residency experience and are inspired by their visions of the future during that time in their lives. Don’t miss your opportunity to ask the artists about their inspirations and thought processes, and how they look back on their past goals and aspirations. Join the Zoom call to listen to the discussion Jan. 7, noon. Theclaystudio.org

DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Window display

There’s a holiday tradition in South Philly that isn’t stopping in 2020! East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District locals are hosting their annual window display, this year honoring non-medical essential workers who have kept the neighborhood and community going during the pandemic, lit daily through New Year’s weekend. Dave Christopher and Kate Mellina of Unexpected Philadelphia have installed lighted photos of local neighbors and merchants to their 27 windows for the past several years during the holiday season. The window display is located across from The Singing Fountain at East Passyunk Avenue and Tasker Street and is filled with photos and bios of sanitation and utility workers, grocery and pharmacy staff, mail carriers and firefighters, SEPTA drivers and more.

Barbacoa

Barbacoa has pivoted to take-only (1134 S. 9th St.). It has a newly constructed outdoor dining street enclosure with heat lamps, and is also offering everything to go and on UberEats. Menu changes daily; call 267-470-1464 for details.

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NYE with HoneyTree and Flirt

Join Philly burlesque staples HoneyTree EvilEye and Flirt Vonnegut as they hang out with some of their most gorgeous, delightful friends for a night of fun! The night kicks off at 9 pm with a delightfully nerdy pre-show, a virtual episode of Flirt Vonnegut’s Fantasy Basement. At 10pm, they feature interviews, games and debauchery, plus sultry burlesque by Philly super stars Isa Ardiente, Selene Rose & reigning champion of Philadelphia Burlesque Battle Royale, Queen Conch. Stay afterward for gogo by HoneyTree, to songs picked by you. Thursday, Dec. 31, 9pm start time. $10.

With the city still on lockdown, we turn to the internet for entertainment. Fortunately, eventbrite.com has lots of alternatives. Here are a few of our favorites. Check out eventbrite.com for all of the details.

Online fun is all around us – here are a few of our favorites Abundant Life Mentoring Program for Young Men

100 Black Men of Philadelphia Chapter has men raised in every part of the city who have fought through the “Systems” and found Success in Life. Its goal is to pour into as many young men who are ready to receive. Topics will include: Self Development, Economic Empowerment, “The System,” Health & Wellness, Family Matters and more. Monday, Dec. 28, 7pm. Free.

Kwanzaa at Sunset

The American Women’s Heritage Society presents the first-ever “Live! from The Belmont Mansion” event. They will bring the cultural tradition of Kwanzaa to life at The Historic Belmont Mansion and Underground Railroad Museum in Philadelphia. Following a live sunset tour of these historic grounds, atop the Belmont Plateau overlooking the Philadelphia skyline at sunset, the Sisters Laying Hands Collective will lead this highly entertaining Kwanzaa celebration from inside the Underground Railroad Museum. Tuesday, Dec. 29, 4:15-5:30pm. Online. Donations requested.

Next Level Philadelphia Eagles Fans Zoom Party

Presented by Virtual Celebrations by Marianne. For the Philadelphia Eagles 2020 season, they are providing a virtual party for each game so that you can cheer with 99 other Eagles fans! You will have an opportunity to win up to $150 in e-gift cards for official Eagles merch. Sunday, Dec. 27, 4:25-7:25pm. $10.

Virtual Forest Therapy

Presented by Wild Philadelphia. Forest Therapy is a healing practice that weaves together the Japanese art of shinrin yoku, or “forest bathing,” and elements of Jungian psychology, to help individuals slow down and cultivate a deeper sense of connection both with nature, and with themselves. Join Wild Philadelphia, a certified forest therapy provider, for a guided virtual walk where participants will deepen their personal connections to the natural world, and explore how mindful time with nature can increase our sense of calm, resilience, clarity and connection to our true selves. Sunday, Dec. 27, 2:30-4pm. Donation.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

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If you follow news about sexual content ona person who works in the sex industry to line, oooohboy, has it been a whirlwind lately. have a long, shitty day on the job where they In recent weeks, a number of shake-ups feel like the money is absolutely not worth the have occurred, including PornHub making trouble…as there are in many industries. And major policy changes and purging millions trafficking does exist, though largely not as of videos. This happened after movies imagine it and more often they got heat from a New York in agricultural and domestic serTimes expose (with questionable vice fields than in full-service sex motives), and led to Visa and Maswork. tercard severing ties to the site. For years, the creators of sexMeanwhile, Instagram puritaniual content have bemoaned the cally updated their Terms of Serbusiness practices of PornHub, vice, TikTok started purging users owned by MindGeek, and lobbied who were found to have OnlyFans for them to stop making it so easy accounts, and Twitch expressly to steal and share their content. conflated all sexy content to haLargely, these efforts were to no rassment – all ready to jettison avail, as porn performers and othanyone who continues to post the er sexy folks are rarely given macontent that built their platforms. jor platforms or taken seriously Some facets of the news – like by mainstream Americans, even the financial war on sex workers those who consume their content. and censorship of sexuality on Enter organizations like Ex@TIMAREE_LEIGH social media – have been ongoing odus Cry and other groups of for years. Meanwhile, a newly proself-appointed saviors purporting posed bill in the Senate threatens the future of to battle trafficking. Clearly, any decent persexuality on the internet entirely. To underson would be opposed to sexual enslavement, stand what is happening, and why absolutely right? Well, that’s also the major selling point everyone should care, we must examine the of joining QAnon too. That doesn’t make them origin of this prudish movement. not crazy. Even the UK’s Slavery Museum There are few areas of overlap between libtemporarily was swayed by these groups, failerals and evangelical Christians, but a long- ing to understand the context that these acstanding area of contention has been pornogtivists believe any sexy work is, by definition, raphy. The feminist porn wars of the ‘70s and slavery. ‘80s have dwindled into the ashes of history, Anti-trafficking has been at the core of yet an ember remains of the fear that all pormany monumentally bad pieces of legislanography is a shield for sexual exploitation. tion, notably 2018’s FOSTA-SESTA. This comTo be clear, there are highly exploitative bination of laws significantly neutered the labor practices in the porn industry, as there internet, made sex work harder and more are in many industries. It is also possible for dangerous, and, ironically, made it more dif-

TIMAREE SCHMIT

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

ficult for authorities to find actual victims of trafficking. The basic gist of FOSTA-SESTA is that it made websites legally liable for any sale of sexual services that happen on their platform. Because there is no legal distinction between forced and consensual sexual commerce in the U.S., any hint of sexiness on Facebook or Patreon could potentially open the company up to major liabilities. And because these sites don’t have any philosophical commitment to freedom of speech or any interest in ensuring the continued existence of marginalized communities that revolve around sexuality education, performance or labor, they’d rather simply purge that content entirely. ndustry to When you look where theyat the updated worth theguidelines on tries. AndPornHub, ensurely not asing only verified more oftenaccounts will be mestic ser-able to upload ervice sexcontent, banning downloads, and rs of sex-working with oaned thechild abuse dataPornHub,bases to find and nd lobbiedremove horrific it so easycontent, it sounds r content.great. When you ere to nohear that the site s and oth-routinely hosts given ma-videos of underseriouslyaged people or ans, evenvictims of sexual r content. violence, it’s absolike Ex-lutely ghastly. But groups of then you find out urportingthat all websites ecent per-have this problem lavement,actually...and that ling pointthe policies won’t make themstop that abuse Museumfrom happening or oups, fail-being shared...but these ac-it will make it even definition,harder for people to survive. e core of For years, people in sexual industries, of legisla-even legal ones like porn and stripping, have This com-battled for their financial rights – as apps utered thelike Venmo and PayPal seize their assets and and morebanks shut down and deny them accounts. All more dif-in the name of combating trafficking.

SEX WITH TIMAREE The latest bill, known as SISEA, also sounds good on its face, as it’s intended to “prevent the uploading of pornographic images to online platforms without the consent of the individuals in the images.” But it calls for sites to have a 24-hour response team, a two-hour turnaround to removal requests, and a variety of other things that websites simply won’t give enough of a damn to do. Instead, they’ll just put the onus on users and remove content without warning or recourse. Celebrities with the ability to raise a kerfuffle might be able to keep their accounts and get their posts reinstated, but the everyday people who rely on incomes they make from platforms they’ve spent years building, or even those creators who don’t meet conventional standards of thinness may be booted. So what do we do about this? First, you can contact your legislators about these issues. SISEA has only recently been introduced and can be killed. If you are a content creator and this may impact you, make sure you have a backup means for your followers to connect. Get a website going, start a newsletter, whatever works. Finally, be an ethical consumer of porn and other sexual content: Pay for it, especially if you can do so directly from the makers themselves. Follow creators online and stay informed about what is happening in the industry. Because this is far from the end of this battle. Have a question for Timaree? Send an email to asktimaree@philadelphiaweekly.com.

“Be an ethical consumer of porn and other sexual content: Pay for it, especially if you can do so directly from the makers themselves.”

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REGGIE Skylights

$1,868 / 702ft2 - 24/7 lobby attendant, Convenient online resident services, Skylights. 1666 Callowhill Street. Logan Lofts defines the true urban experience. The space restores the industrial details and character that originally enhanced the building as a five-story plant for the Harrington Hoist Company in 1903. Centrally located in the midst of Center City, each of our loft apartments in Philadelphia provide easy access to everything our city offers. Features: Sleek wood flooring. Eat-in kitchens. Quartz Counter sink with storage vanity. Elegant designer cabinets accented by granite countertops. Modern appliance package. Individual climate control in each unit. Breakfast bar and pass-through from kitchen to dining area. Skylights. Ceramic tile floors and tub surrounds. High, lofty ceilings. Wrought iron and oak spiral staircases. Expansive floor plans supplemented by ample closet space. Individual washer and dryer in each unit. Community Amenities: Convenient online resident services. Historic building. Package receiving services. Free Wi-Fi in most common areas. Smoke-free community. Preferred Employer Program. 24-hour maintenance. Pet-friendly apartments (restrictions apply). 24/7 lobby attendant. On-site management. Lobby featuring the work of local Philadelphia artists. Complimentary membership to the MetroFit basketball court and fitness center. Call Now: (215) 569-9625.

Chestnut Hill

$1,738 / 2br - 1015ft2 - Amazing 2 Bedroom Apartment in Chestnut Hill. Chestnut Hill Village. 7715 Crittenden St. This is a 2 Bedroom + 1 Den, 2 Bath, approximately 1015 Sq. Ft. Private Entry. SEPTA Train Station in Backyard. Patio/ Balcony Area. Pet Policy: Pets are residents, too! Two pets per apartment. Breed restrictions apply. No weight restrictions. Non-refundable pet fee of $250 per pet. Monthly pet rent of $30 or $40, depending on size. Call Now - (215) 608-1603 x 129 or text 129 to (215) 608-1603 to text our team.

Graduate Hospital

$945 / 3br - 2034ft2 - Welcome to 1922 Catharine Street, 3BR+2BA! Welcome to 1922 Catharine Street, located in the heart of Graduate Hospital! This combination of location and Old-World Townhome combined with a Modern Rehab can’t be beat! A custom wood front door and stained glass transom await you when coming home and lead you into an open and inviting first floor with 9ft ceilings and newly installed mocha flooring. As you progress towards the back of the house, you are greeted with counter seating opening into a large kitchen, featuring granite counters and Bosch appliances designed for entertaining, including a 5 burner stove, double oven, dishwasher, double-door refrigerator, 1 ft deep undermount sink and wine fridge. The back sliding doors open out onto your brick paved 10ft deep back patio with raised planters for a garden or landscaping. The path to the upper levels takes you up a custom floating staircase and a rising exposed brick wall. On the 2nd floor you’ll find 2 bedrooms, a full bathroom with a new double-vanity and shower fixtures, and a laundry closet. The stairs to the 3rd floor take you straight out to a private deck off of the master suite, which contains an en-suite full bath with a double-vanity, glass enclosed standing shower and walk-in closet off of the bathroom. This home also contains a fully finished basement, great for a play area or office and custom stair gates for children/pets. With a walkscore of 95 and transit score of 85, this home’s location encompasses all of the benefits of City living. A few short blocks away are the Chester A. Arthur Elementary School, Christian Street YMCA, City Fitness, several bike shares, the Marian Anderson Recreation Center (home of some of the best Little League Baseball on the East Coast), Sprouts, Target, and countless bars and restaurants! Amandalopez7714gmail.com.

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Vibrant luxury living

$1,242 / 1br - 610ft2 - Resident Concierge, Game Room, Parking Available. 5450 Wissahickon Avenue. The Avenue at East Falls brings vibrant luxury living to the city’s historic East Falls neighborhood. Steps from Fairmount Park and overlooking the Philadelphia skyline, our iconic 1950s-era residence is newly renovated, complete with a new swimming pool, our GOFit Fitness Center, and updated apartment interiors. Easy access to public transportation and minutes from Center City, the best of Philly is yours to enjoy. Property Amenities: Dry Cleaning. Outdoor Kitchen. GOChat BusinessCenter. 24/7 Go Fit Center Complimentary Classes. Community Kitchen. Private Study Room. Parking Available. Resident Concierge. Car Charging Station. Game Room. Swimming Pool. Fire Pit. Call Us Today! 215-709-6923.

University City

$1,442 / 1br - 750ft2 - Designer cabinets with granite countertops, Modern appliance package. 3514 Lancaster Avenue. WELCOME HOME TO THE OLD QUAKER BUILDING IN UNIVERSITY CITY. This is a 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, approximately 750 Sq. Ft. Our University City apartments for rent at The Old Quaker Building are rich in history and architectural design. This landmark served as a Quaker meetinghouse and offices for The Working Home for the Blind before being transformed into the current newly renovated studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom apartments for rent. Features: Modern appliance package. Individual washer and dryer in each unit. Ceramic tile floors and tub surrounds. Historic building. Individual climate control in each unit. Designer cabinets with granite countertops. Designer vanity with granite countertop. Expansive floor plans supplemented by ample closet space. Beautiful ceramic tile floors. Full-width mirrors with decorative lighting. High, lofty ceilings. Beautifully landscaped outdoor space. Breakfast bar and pass-through from kitchen to dining area. Sleek wood flooring. Community Amenities. Pet-friendly apartments (restrictions apply). Complimentary on-site fitness center. On-site management. Smoke free apartments. Convenient online resident services. Barbecue and picnic area. Additional storage on-site. Preferred Employer Program. Complimentary membership to the MetroFit basketball court and fitness center. Enterprise car share rental on site. On-site parking. Luxer One Package Lockers. 24-hour maintenance. Free Wi-Fi in most common areas. Call Now: (215) 642-8241.

Dynamic neighborhood

$2,183 / 1br - 677ft2 - Bicycle storage room, Private rooftop lounge, Marble countertops. TWO MONTH’S RENT FREE if moved in by 1/31 (14-19 month unfurnished leases). PHILADELPHIA’S BEST LUXURY 1 & 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS & SUITES. New and vibrant apartment rentals on Chestnut street in University City are here at 3737 Chestnut! Another luxury community by Korman Residential Properties. Experience the excitement of high-rise University City apartments, located in one of Philadelphia’s most dynamic neighborhoods! Enjoy stunning views of the city and river from our stylish, pet-friendly, modern rentals at 3737 Chestnut. Take a virtual tour on our website or contact us to schedule a video call tour. Kitchens with engineered hardwood flooring. Spacious walk-in closets. Wood cabinetry. Groundfloor retail, Hildebrandt Early Learning Center next door. Dramatic, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling picture windows. Billiards and game room. Secure underground parking available. Outdoor grilling area. Moveable kitchen islands. Bicycle storage room. Yoga studio. State-of-the art fitness center. Call: 215-622-9893.

Near public transportation

$1,675 / 2br - Lovely 2BD with Near Public Transportation Center City. 35 S. 13th St. 4th Floor. This beautiful 4th floor apartment has great views and plenty of natural light! Features include hardwood floors with wainscoting details, central a/c, gas fireplace, ceiling fans, and so much more. The living and kitchen are flow nicely, creating an open space. The kitchen has a full lineup of appliances including gas stove and dishwasher. The 2 bedrooms are nicely sized and separated by the bathroom. Laundry is in-unit for added convenience. Schedule your showing today! About The Neighborhood: Located in the heart of Center City, be near some of the best restaurants in town! Walkable to Sampan, McGillin’s Olde Ale House, Barbuzzo, Zavino, Hip City Veg, Double Knot, Graffiti Bar, El Vez, 1225Raw Sushi and Sake Bar, Porta, Green Eggs Cafe, and so much more! Be near plenty of public transportation routes as well. jg-realestate.com.

Across from park

$1,200 / 1br - *Apt.1Br. Sunny Private Deck Great location across from Park. 1112 Pine Street. Apt.1Br. Sunny Private Deck Great location across from Park. (A non-smoking Apt. and building.) Walking distance to the train Jefferson Hospital Wills eye Hospital Reading terminal market bus on the corner. Call and text 267-249-0491 and 215-317-5300.

Close to restaurants

$2,000 / 3br - 1566ft2 - Gorgeous Condo Unit for Rent in Center City. 1121 Hamilton St. Gorgeous 3 bedrooms, 2 &1/2 baths Bi- bevel-condo unit in the burgeoning Spring Arts Point neighborhood. Beautiful granite and stainless custom kitchen opens to the spacious living/dining area. Awesome countertop and cabinet. Stainless steel appliances. 9’ ceilings and large, plentiful windows, Hardwood floor throughout with one large bedroom, two nice sized of bedrooms and two full baths. Lovely Spring Arts Point condominium community. Less than 5 minutes to all major highways and so many premier restaurants and nightlife around the complex to choose from, as well as shopping, public transportation, access to Independence Mall, Penn’s Landing, the PA Convention Center and the Reading Terminal Market. Please contact Kin: 267-912-7888.

Affordable living

$1,169 / 1br - Affordable living! Wonderful floor plans for every budget! (Northeast Philadelphia). Let us show you our newest community, Algon Flats! Our brand-new garden-style community features modern design elements, all new kitchens and bathrooms, as well as spacious floor plans throughout the community. Algon Flats is centrally located in the Rhawnhurst neighborhood of the Northeast. We are just minutes away from Somerton, Mayfair, and other nearby neighborhoods. Our convenient location is near shopping and transportation, making your commute a breeze. Schedule an appointment to see all of the exciting updates firsthand at Algon Flats! Apartment Features: Air Conditioning. Garbage Disposal. Individual Climate Control. Wall-To-Wall Carpeting in the Bedroom. Hardwood floors in Majority of Apartment. Washer & Dryer In Apartment. Window Treatments. Electric Range. Frost Free Refrigerator. Cats Allowed. Controlled Access. Community Features. Courtyard. On-Site Parking Lot. Small Town Living. Beautifully Landscaped. Smoke-Free Community. 24 Hour Emergency Maintenance. Cable Ready. High-Speed Internet Access Available. Free Trash Collection. Our community includes studio, one bedroom, and twobedroom apartments, starting at $1029. Come in to see our beautiful community today. (215) 722-1175.

Design and style

$3,378 / 2br - 1247ft2 - Start your New Year off in a Beautiful 1 bed/1bath Luxury Apt! 300 Alexander Court. Discover the definition of exceptional living at The Alexander. Here, at our high-rise Philadelphia apartments, you will find the perfect blend of modern design and enduring style. The Alexander will feature luxurious homes with unique configurations and unmatched amenities, all in a smoke-free environment. Enjoy upscale urban living from the rooftop deck, the lavish courtyard or by simply letting our on-site concierge assist with making your everyday a little more extraordinary. Live in a walkable, pet-friendly residential neighborhood near museums and parks. Classic, warm, and inviting – find your future at The Alexander. Features: Wood-Like Flooring throughout apartment home. Stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops in Kitchens. Custom cabinetry in Kitchens. In-home washers and dryers. Spacious studio-, one-, two-, and three- bedroom apartment homes available. Walk-In Closets. Picturesque terraces and balconies in select apartments. Oversized windows for extra light. Views of Center City Philadelphia from select apartments. Open-concept floor plans. Community Amenities: Fitness Center with Cardio Equipment. Bike Storage with Mechanic Station. Refreshing, Spa-Inspired Indoor Pool. Valet Laundry Service Available. Roof Terrace with Observation Deck. 24-hour Concierge. Package Receiving. On-Site Underground Parking Garage. TV Lounge. Storage available. Public Art Landscaping. Penthouse and Townhomes available. Smoke Free Building. Lavish Community Clubroom with Demonstration Kitchen. Pet Friendly. Pet Grooming Station. Access controlled garage parking. On-Site Management. 2nd Floor landscaped terrace with BBQ Grilling Stations. Children’s Play Room. Call Now: (215) 596-4234 x 19 text 19 to (215) 596-4234 to text our team directly.

Utilities included

$2,000 / 2br - High Rise Condo Bldg in Center City w/ ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED. 1324 Locust St 1602. Located on the highest floor (16th) at The Arts Condominium building, a high-rise condo building in the heart of Center City, unit #1602 is a rarely offered large 2 bedroom w/additional large den, with ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED in the rent! Electricity, water, heat, and even Cable TV (channels 1-100 + Free HBO) are included. The only thing you would have to pay additional for is internet for the unit, although there is free wi-fi in the lobby of the building with computer/printer terminals and also a business center, fitness center and large laundry facilities on the lower level. A 24/7 front desk attendant and on-site management and maintenance staff complete the offered conveniences here. There are hardwood floors in the living room, entryway, kitchen and hallway, and then wall-to-wall carpeting in all three bedrooms and tiled baths. Open floor plan living and kitchen area make entertaining easy, especially with an additional L-shaped breakfast bar creating additional seating and prep space. Kitchen has granite countertops, stainless appliances, cherry cabinets and lots of storage space. Half bathroom is off of the main living space and then a full bathroom down the hall. About The Neighborhood: Centrally located just off Broad Street, and walkable to a long list of convenient and fun neighborhood favorites. The iconic Avenue of the Arts is home to big names like the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, Wilma Theater, University of the Arts, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, amazing eateries like City Diner, Sumo Sushi, Big Gay Ice Cream, Giorgio on Pine, Volvér, and hotspots such as Woody’s, Fox & Hound, Howl at the Moon, and MUCH more! jg-realestate.com.

Modern and hip

$1,730 / 1br - 930ft2 - FREE Echo Dot (Alexa) for All New Residents, On-site bike storage. If you’re looking for a modern and hip space to call home, then look no further than Apex Manayunk. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we feature modern 1, 2, and 3-bedroom loft style apartments and townhomes, many with dens. Our 2 and 3-bedroom townhomes have a fun and industrial feel. That’s because Apex Manayunk expertly blends three brand-new buildings with four historic textile mill structures to create one of the region’s most exciting luxury apartment communities. Upgraded One, Two and Three Bedroom Loft Style Apartment Homes and Townhomes, many with dens. Online Payments Available. Upgraded Hardwood Floors in all Foyers, Kitchens, Dining and Living Rooms. Upgraded Gourmet Kitchens with Stainless Steel Appliances, Granite Countertops and Breakfast Bar Seating. On-site bike storage. 9’ ceilings with large windowed walls featuring unobstructed views of the river, canal or courtyard. Huge walk-in closets with ample storage. FREE Echo Dot (Alexa) for All New Residents. Jogging trail right outside your door. Game Room with Billiards Table, Shuffleboard, and more. Call: (844) 876-7619.

Art Museum area

$975 / 1br - Studio in Fairmount Art Museum area. 709 N 24th Street. Fairmount studio right off Fairmount Avenue.......just a few blocks from Kelly Drive and with easy access to Center City, Fairmount Park, Whole Foods and all the amenities of Fairmount Avenue. Terrific location for getting your fresh air and exercise, too. Available December 19. $975./month including heat and water. 12 month lease. No smoking. No pets. Text 215-760-8772 to schedule a look.

Renovated features

$1,859 / 2br - 1124ft2 - Disability Access, Serene Wooded View, Car Wash Area. At Jefferson at Westtown, luxury takes on a whole new meaning. Each home within our community offers freshly renovated apartment features. Plus, our resortstyle amenities are sure to bring ease to your day-to-day life. Begin your next chapter here – contact us today! Disability Access. Private Patio or Balcony. Playground. Serene Wooded View. Valet Trash. Executive Business Center. Ceiling Fans. Air Conditioning. Wireless & High Speed Internet Access. Car Wash Area. Call: (610) 628-0305.

Updated home

$3,595 / 4br - 3800ft2 - Beautifully Updated 4BD Home w/ Garage Parking - SW Center City. 1914 Kimball St. Welcome to 1914 Kimball St! This beautiful updated 4 bedroom/3 bathroom home has off-street garage parking! The tiled entryway is on the first floor which has the garage and a full bathroom as well. Also on this floor is one bedroom and a back patio- perfect for the warmer months. There is a beautiful finished basement with a family room and another bedroom through french doors. Upstairs on the second floor you’ll find the large living area with built in shelves. Hardwood floors follow you throughout! The full kitchen has a full lineup of stainless steel appliances (including wine refrigerator) and has bar seating, marble counters, and pretty backsplash. Large dining area. The fourth bedroom with attached bathroom is also on this floor along with the roof deck with magnificent center city views. Schedule your showing today! About The Neighborhood: You’ll be close to public transportation, Wharton Square and Chew Playgrounds, and great local spots for drinking and dining like Good Morning Breakfast, 22nd Street Cafe, Fine Wine & Good Spirits, Philly Tacos, American Sardine Bar, Mattei Family Pizza, On Point Bistro, Burg’s Hideaway Lounge, The Tasty Toast, Point Breakfast, Honey’s Sit N’ Eat, Rival Bros Coffee Bar, The Sidecar, Philadelphia Bagels, Julian Abele Park, and much more! Jg-realestate.com.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | DECEMBER 24 - 31, 2020

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