This Week: April 11, 2024 | |
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Eclipse Day found us heading over to the Franklin Institute. (Follow the Science, right?)
What we expected was a group observation of the eclipse. What we in fact got was a festive celebration of the eclipse. There were thousands in attendance, from all walks of life, all there for one reason: to enjoy this very rare occasion together.
Logan Square was Eclipse Woodstock: Folks were standing, sitting in lawn chairs, even dancing (major props to whoever curated the playlist). And while the clouds may have darkened the eclipse a bit, they didn’t dampen the mood. And, most blessedly, it was zero percent political. Not a peep about the usual grievances.
Good, clean, innocent fun, in other words. Kinda miss that.
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Kimmel Family Fun Day Cancelled | |
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we unfortunately have no choice but to cancel CCRA’s Kimmel Family Fun Day, which was scheduled for the afternoon of April 14. For those who purchased a box lunch, please contact Travis Oliver at centercity@centercityresidents.org to obtain a refund. | |
Get a Free Ticket to the Upcoming House & Garden Tour Just by Volunteering | |
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Are you passionate about preserving history and promoting community involvement? If so, we need your help! After a six-year hiatus, our House and Garden Tour is back on June 2, and we're looking for dedicated volunteers to make this year's event the best yet.
The House and Garden Tour is a beloved tradition in our community. It showcases some of the area's most beautiful and historic homes and gardens. Visitors have a unique opportunity to explore our community's heritage and learn about the distinctive architecture and landscapes that make our town special. Plus, if you volunteer, you get a free ticket to the tour. Sign up here for a shift. Questions? Contact Travis.
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CCRA Gets it Done for Loading Zone Spaces on Spruce and Pine | |
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With a bit of nudging from CCRA, the City will now be installing “loading zone spaces” on both Spruce and Pine Streets between Broad and 22nd. Our goal is to solve the problems caused by people parking in the bike lane -- and the motor vehicle lanes -- on Pine and Spruce who have often done so because of a paucity of spaces available in the parking lane.
Hopefully debuting this summer, the plan calls for two loading spaces, totaling approximately 40 feet, at the beginning of each block. They will be available to residents, contractors, delivery people, and anyone else who needs a space, with a time limit of 30 minutes, from 8 am to 6 pm. The spaces revert to normal parking spaces after 6 pm, so that residents can use them for overnight parking spaces. For more detail, here is the City’s flyer.
This initiative started with a survey of members in CCRA This Week and was followed up by a letter written to the City expressing CCRA’s concerns and providing suggestions. Kudos to CCRA’s team – and Bill West in particular – for getting this done!
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Members Meet ‘n’ Greet Happy Hour @ The Franklin at Rittenhouse! | |
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As a big fat “Thank You!” for being members, please join fellow CCRA members for an over-the-top Meet-and-Greet Happy Hour at the new Franklin at Rittenhouse, a boutique hotel at 1715 Rittenhouse Square on the evening of Monday, May 6.
All our Meet and Greets are designed for our members to meet each other, but this one is going to be uber-urban. The hotel itself is way cool, and OMG the Art Deco bar! Named The Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company (after Prohibition’s biggest rum-running ring), it practically oozes the word speakeasy. (Yes, we want to THANK YOU.)
So here’s the deal: For only $15 you get to enjoy a welcome drink and delicious appetizers (cash bar, too) along with the festive company of other denizens of Center City. 5:30-7:30 pm. First 75 people, CCRA Members only.
Tickets are gonna fly off the shelves, so best to register here, NOW, if you want what’s good…. for you. See ya there!
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Save The Date, CCRA Annual Meeting | |
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CCRA Annual Meeting
Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 6 pm
Freire Charter School, 2027 Chestnut St
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CCRA MERCHANT PARTNER FEATURE | |
CCRA’s Merchant Partner program is a true Win-Win: It provides local businesses with complimentary advertising and exposure while giving CCRA members generous deals and discounts. This week we spotlight new Merchant Partner The Franklin at Rittenhouse! | |
Say Hello to the New Cool Kid in Town: The Franklin at Rittenhouse | |
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Have you heard? There is a new boutique beauty of a hotel located right in the heart of Center City! It’s The Franklin at Rittenhouse, and it’s a lavishly reimagined hideaway where details make all the difference.
Guests have their choice of numerous styles of rooms with all the desired amenities. And then there’s the Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company, which is not a fiduciary institution but which is, in fact, their Art Deco-inspired bar named after the largest rum-running ring in the country during Prohibition.
Pets are welcome, and needless to say you cannot beat the location, with high-end shopping on Rittenhouse Row, historic landmarks, exceptional art museums, and a vibrant cuisine scene.
So whether it’s a stay-cation for you or an unforgettable getaway for out-of-town family or friends, make your mark at the Franklin at Rittenhouse.
And for CCRA Members? 15% off the first night’s stay, or receive a VIP table for 2 at the Franklin Lounge and receive a 10% discount on the total bar tab for one evening.
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Time to Work Dem Glutes and Bike da Bridge | |
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Help our friends at The Bike Coalition kick off their 2024 Explore the Circuit ride series on National Celebrate Trails Day (Sat., 4/27). Ride over the Ben Franklin Bridge and join the festivities at Stockton Park Day. Before returning to the city, the group will ride along the Cooper River Trail. RSVP for the ride! Your reward will be food, pony rides, bike tune-ups, arts and crafts, yoga for all…and so much more. This 17-mile loop will give you some cardio gains and help…uh, condition your bottom for your saddle this biking season. Details here.
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Celebrate Earth Day by helping to green our neighborhood! Join the CCRA Green Tree Tenders to plant street trees on Saturday, April 20.
Volunteers will meet at the entrance to the community garden at 25th and Spruce at 9:30 am. No experience necessary. Email Susan with questions (Susan.v.kahn@gmail.com) or just sign up here: http://ccragreenplanting.phs.volunteerhub.com/
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Turn your Trash into Compost Gold | |
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On Tuesday, April 16, at the Philadelphia Horticultural Society Pop-Up Garden at 1438 South Street, learn how to turn your garbage into soil and fertilizer for your houseplants and garden. While you're there, play with earthworms and take home a sample of compost tea. Register for this event here.
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A Choice of Celebrations of the Earth | |
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Sunday, April 21, at Philadelphia Ethical Society: 11 am
Adults and children are invited to an Earth Day program at the Ethical Society.
From 11 am to 12 noon, the program for adults will feature music, reflections on nature, and insights about the Society’s summer Camp Linden program for children from underserved neighborhoods. A fun children's program will also be offered at the Ethical Society during this time.
At noon, it’s time to move to Rittenhouse Square for a fun nature group activity.
At 12:30 pm, return to the Ethical Society for demonstrations of fun learning activities in the Camp’s curriculum designed to inspire appreciation of the natural world, such as viewing a leaf through a digital microscope, shining a light on a solar-powered flying pig, or using a stick to lift denizens off our worm farm! There will also be an optional lunch inspired by Native American cuisine available for a nominal donation. Please email to reserve your spot: camplinden@phillyethics.org.
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Sunday, April 21, at Franklin Square: 1-4 pm
Earth Day is Monday, April 22. The official theme for 2024 is "Planet vs. Plastics." signifying the 380 million tons of plastic that are now produced every year; only 9 percent of plastic ever produced has been recycled.
On Sunday, April 21, from 1 to 4 pm, you are invited to the Climate Action Earth Day Block Party at Center City's Franklin Square Park. Come to learn, listen to music and speakers, enjoy free food and interactive activities for adults and kids. RSVP here.
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Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | |
Dine Out for a Good Cause | |
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On Thursday, April 25, Action Wellness is celebrating its 34th year of ‘Dine Out For Life.’ Dine at your favorite participating restaurant and help fight HIV while having a good meal. To see if one of your favorite restaurants is participating, visit here. A portion of the proceeds will go in support of people who have HIV/Aids and make sure no one faces it alone.
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Real Time Real Estate: This Month | |
Last month my partner (my mother Kathleen) and I shared about the “tiny house” Trinity-style home in our district. This month we thought it would be fun if we went in the opposite direction, and discussed the plethora of Grand and Historic homes for sale in Rittenhouse and Fitler Square neighborhoods. | |
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Currently, there are 13 unique residences over 4,000 sq ft for sale. Most feature historic facades, private elevators, rooftop decks, two-car heated garages, gorgeous stained glass, private gyms, 650+ bottle wine cellars and more! Some have alluring, lush outdoor gardens while others share exquisite custom wood libraries, grand great rooms, and exquisite primary suites with custom closets galore!
While a number are traditional in nature, others are contemporary and sleek! Price points vary, from $2M to a whopping $9.5 million! It appears that the spring market is delivering a nice variety of townhomes to be purchased, which is wonderful news for the esteemed buyer.
These homes offer a different feeling of luxe and are evocative of an opulent lifestyle. Additionally, the numbered streets, e.g. 21st, are also offering one or two prize homes for sale that share these very fine qualities and amenities. The row home residences have so much to offer!
Every year, CCRA hosts the annual House and Garden Tour so we can share with you what’s on the inside of the homes you pass by everyday. This year the tour is being held on Sunday, June 2, 2024 from 1-5 pm. Please join us so you too can marvel at these magical mini-mansions!
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Community News and Events | |
Treasure Hunt or Hunt for Treasures at the Art Museum | |
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The Philadelphia Show, known for its fabuloso quality and integrity, runs from 4/26 thru 4/28 outside the PMA and showcases an outstanding selection of collectible antiques, art, and design presented by over forty of America’s leading dealers. Listen to collection advice at educational dealer talks, show tours, or take part in a self-guided treasure hunt. Experience an amazing array of fine art, Americana, furniture, folk art, ceramics, porcelain, silver, jewelry, textiles, decorative arts, and get started on the thrill of the hunt here.
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Down in the Alley with Bill West | |
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CCRA Streets maven Bill West takes his wandering, critical eye to the subject of back alleys, and specifically the dumpsters that inhabit them. Take a lively dumpster dive here.
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Support our Merchant Partners: Music, Art, and New Places to Explore on a Spring Stroll | |
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Have you been in the beautiful environs of CCRA Merchant Partner’s Academy of Vocal Arts theater on the 1900 block of Spruce? If not, here’s an op to see this architectural gem; think fanciful carved flowers and leaves, leaded glass transoms, rare mahogany woodwork, and massive carved pilasters.
If you’ve seen it, you know it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville- a timeless classic, with catchy tunes and endless laughs that will leave you humming and giggling long after the curtains close. It’s considered one of the greatest masterpieces of comedy within music, and has been described as the opera buffa of all "opere buffe". After two hundred years, it remains a popular work.
Here’s your options:
- April 25, 2024 – Young Professionals Night (Includes an after-show meet and greet with the cast and light fare.)
- April 27, 30 & May 2, 2024 – AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater
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You can also support another of our MPs, Experience Empathy Through Art, along with other local artists, at The Plastic Club near 13th and Spruce. The exhibit, Works on Paper, runs through April 25th, and showcases all media on paper; ie, graphite, crayon, paint, printmaking, photography, collage, etc.
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Elephants and Donkeys at Dilworth | |
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Calling all reds and blues, and those in between, to put their political differences aside and partake as friends in Saturday’s Daybreaker Purple Tour, from 6-9 am, at City Hall’s Dilworth Park. Promoting unity under a purple banner, as the blues and reds mingle, the event will feature a silent disco party, yoga, and complimentary food and drinks. Click here for tickets.
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Yo Philly Urbanites! You’re invited to an exclusive open house at the Pyramid Club on Tuesday, April 30 at 5:30 pm. Get a chance to mingle with fellow city dwellers. Immerse yourself in the club’s panoramic views, schmooze with Philly’s finest, and enjoy complimentary beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and hors d’oeuvres. Whether you are new to the city or a long-time resident, this event is the perfect opportunity to see the cityscape and hobnob with Phily’s finest (us!). Space is limited…..RSVP here.
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Nothing Beats the Penn Relays | |
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There may be no more “pure” sporting event than track and field, and there’s no more iconic example of track-and-field than the Penn Relays, the world’s first, longest-running and most widely recognized annual relay meet.
It’s a three-day affair at venerable Franklin Field which typically draws up to 100,000 visitors to see some of the world’s most electrifying track and field athletes compete — and often begin Olympic careers. We’re talking sprints, middle-distance, long-distance, javelin, high jump, long jump, shot put…. It’s all there at the Penn Relays, and the details run here.
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Merchant Partners "Deals and Discounts" Program | |
Please support our local merchants and save money too. These local merchants will provide a deal or discount to any member who shows a current CCRA membership card and personal identification. | |
CCRA assumes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties, regarding any product and/or services sold by any Merchant Partner. | | | | |
