Thursday November 5, 2009
Between Election Day, the SEPTA strike and the World Series, it's been a crazy week here in Philadelphia. This weekend, do something fun:
All Weekend: The First Person Arts Festival
Celebrating "memoir and documentary art," the First Person Arts festival features films, talks, workshops and more (including karaoke!) through the weekend.
Friday: First Friday
Throw on a winter coat and brave the chill of November's First Friday. Go classic in Old City or check out the art openings, live music and more in Mt. Airy, the Frankford Avenue Arts Corridor, or Doylestown.
Saturday: Bacon, Sausage and Scrapple Making
From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, stop by the Howell Living History farm in Lambertville, NJ to "meet your meat" as farmers make popular pork products while you watch. For $2, children can also participate in a craft program and make soap on a rope.
Sunday: Watch the Eagles
The Phillies didn't win the World Series. Disappointing? Yeah. Oh, yes. But this Sunday, fill your mouth with the only two words that could possibly replace "Go Phillies" right now: Go Birds.
Tuesday November 3, 2009
If you're thinking of biking to work during the SEPTA strike, there are plenty of resources to help you travel on two wheels:
- The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is offering additional bike parking and a bicycle service station at City Hall that they promise will be set up this afternoon and continue through the duration of the strike.
- If you need a new bike or a tune-up for your existing cycle, here's a list of Philadelphia bike shops by neighborhood.
- The City of Philadelphia offers bike maps to help you plan your cycling commute. In addition to what you see on the maps, there are also bicycle lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets in Center City that were added earlier this fall.
If you are traveling to Philadelphia on Regional Rail and hope to use a bike once you arrive in the city, note that bikes are only allowed on Regional Rail trains during non-peak hours. The only exception is folding bicycles as long as they are folded and stowed in the train's luggage area. Read more about SEPTA's bicycle policy.
For more information on how to commute during the public transportation stoppage, check out the SEPTA Strikes page.
Image: Meg Favreau
Tuesday November 3, 2009
Governor Rendell was able to delay the SEPTA strike while the World Series was in town by ordering SEPTA management and union officials to stay at the bargaining table. Unfortunately, however, Rendell wasn't able to hold the strike off entirely: as of 3 a.m. this morning, members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 have walked off the job.
SEPTA has posted a guide to which services are and are not running during the strike.
For information on how to commute during the strike as well as a brief history of SEPTA work-stoppages, visit the SEPTA strikes page.
Monday November 2, 2009
Election Day is here again. On November 3, Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents will vote for a variety of public servants ranging from Philadelphia City Controller to Governor of New Jersey.
If you have recently moved or just registered to vote for the first time, follow these links to find your polling place:
Pennsylvania Polling Locations
New Jersey Polling Locations
Polls in Pennsylvania will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; polls in New Jersey will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Happy voting!