Archive for the ‘Art Museum’ Category
Tuesday, February 19th, 2013
The 2013 Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts will take you on a month-long journey back and forth through time and space, culminating in a dazzling street fair and performance on April 27.
March 28 kicks off the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, a 31-day celebration of music, dance, theater, and exhibitions from across the street and across the globe. The first PIFA was attended by over 400,000 people and brought in millions in economic activity.
This year’s PIFA asks the question, If you could travel back in time, where would you go? The festival will include over 50 star-studded events, featuring local, national, and international artists remembering historical events starting with the Big Bang and ending with a mythical leap forward to the end of time. Travel back to Houdini’s last performance, the release of the first James Bond movie, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and more, all while enjoying music and art from around the world. Buy your tickets now for one of these exciting events at www.pifa.org.
Dance Space by Savion Glover
Saturday, March 30, 8:00pm
Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad Street
Celebrate the birth of the universe with a world premier tap performance by legendary dance prodigy, Savion Glover. Dance Space takes the audience on a journey through the stars with low lights, fiber optics, and environmental sounds. Tickets start at $35.
A Taste of History: An Evening with Chef Staib
Saturday, April 13, 8:00pm
Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad Street
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743. Chef Walter Staib will honor the 270th birthday of one of our founding fathers with A Taste of History, an evening of historical facts and food. Staib discusses some of the famous “founding foodies” and their favorite foods and drinks. Tickets start at $35. VIP tickets include premium orchestra seating and a post-show dessert reception.
Prima! Rufus! Judy!
Sunday, April 21, 8:00pm
Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad Street
Judy Garland’s 1961 Carnegie Hall performance is considered one of the greatest nights in showbiz history. Commemorate this magical night with performances by soloists Melody Moore and Kathryn Guthrie, and popular musician Rufus Wainright. First Moore and Guthrie tell the story of an aging opera singer’s attempt to regain her former glory. Then Rufus recreates some experts from Judy’s acclaimed performance. Tickets start at $30.
PIFA Street Fair
Saturday, April 27, 11am-8pm
Broad Street (Chestnut to Lombard)
The festival culminates in the spectacular PIFA Street Fair. Broad Street will be transformed into an extravaganza of magic and mystery, complete with food vendors, artisans, exhibitors, street performers, musicians, and more. This event is FREE to the public and fun for the whole family.
-Jen Heller Meservey
Tags: arts and culture, avenue of the arts, buying a home in philadelphia, living in philly, philadelphia international festival of the arts, philadelphia real estate
Posted in Art Museum | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 4th, 2012
Macy’s Christmas Light Show has been a Philadelphia holiday tradition since 1955. Photo: Macy’s.
There’s no better place to celebrate the Christmas season than Center City Philadelphia. This December, the area continues its long tradition of Christmas attractions that delight kids and adults alike. These fun and festive holiday celebrations are free to the public, and available anytime throughout the month of December. So bring the whole family to Center City this year to experience the sights and sounds of the holidays at one of these convenient locations.
Christmas Light Show, Dickens Village, and Holiday Windows
Macy’s, 1300 Market St.
Macy’s gets into the Christmas spirit with three popular holiday attractions. The Christmas Light Show is a tradition that goes back nearly 60 years. Over 100,000 LED lights shine, dazzle, and dance to holiday music and famous stories like “The Nutcracker,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “Frosty the Snowman.” The Magic Christmas Tree is decorated with over 34,000 synchronized lights that shine in front of the Wanamaker Organ as it plays along to your favorite holiday tunes. Shows run every hour on the hour, now through December 31.
On Macy’s third floor you can experience the Dickens Village, a meticulously detailed recreation of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.” The more than 6,000-square-foot display features more than 100 animatronic figures reenacting 26 of the story’s most beloved scenes, including Scrooge’s humbling visits from the three spirits. The Village runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through December 31.
In the 1870s, Macy’s was the first store to feature holiday windows to celebrate the season. The tradition has continued ever since with new stunning animated displays appearing every year. This year’s displays feature miniature versions of the Christmas Light Show and Dickens Village, as well as tributes to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. See the Macy’s holiday windows during store hours now through December 31.
Holiday Railroad
Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert streets
Have fun with the kids or relive your own childhood with Reading Terminal Market’s Holiday Railroad. This 500-square-foot model railroad display features more than a third of a mile of track and twelve working train lines. Miniature figures surround the track, depicting holiday scenes set in Center City, a Christmas Village, and a snow-covered countryside. You and your family can interact with the trains by pressing buttons to trigger lights and sounds, switch tracks, and move the figures. The Holiday Railroad runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. now through December 31.
Holiday Spectacular
Comcast Center, 17th Street & John F. Kennedy Blvd.
The Comcast Experience Video Wall at the Comcast Center is a unique larger-than-life screen which has been projecting the Holiday Spectacular in the building’s lobby for five years. This year’s show is the “Snowman Symphony,” and it features scenes from the Pennsylvania Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker,” a riveting sleigh ride through the Pennsylvania countryside, and a swing dance performance by Broadway stars. Kids receive a free “Snowman Symphony” temporary tattoo good for one treat at Termini Brothers Bakery or Di Bruno Bros. downstairs in The Market & Shops. The Holiday Spectacular runs every hour on the hour now through New Year’s Day.
December in Center City is filled with lights, laughter, and joy. Center City’s holiday attractions are a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays with the whole family. Take a break from holiday shopping and visit one of these free attractions before December is over.
-Jen Heller Meservey
Tags: Christmas attractions in Philadelphia, Christmas events in Philadelphia, Holiday attractions in Philadelphia, holiday events in Philadelphia
Posted in Art Museum, Center City, Points of Interest | No Comments »
Monday, November 5th, 2012
Thanks to a generous grant from PECO, Philly art lovers can get into the Barnes Foundation for free on the first Sunday of the month. Photo by Sandy Smith.
Now that the world’s greatest collection of Impressionist masterpieces is just a short bus ride away from the heart of Center City, why not take advantage of an opportunity to see it on someone else’s dime?
That dime belongs to PECO, which has generously funded the Barnes Foundation’s new Free First Sundays program. Each month on the Monday after the first Sunday, the Barnes starts taking reservations from people who would love to see the Barnes collection in its new home but can’t quite pop for the price of a ticket. Advance online reservations are required in order to gain admission to the Barnes collection on Free First Sundays, and there is a limit of two adult and two child tickets per reservation. Walkups on the first Sunday of the month can enter the building and view the special exhibitions galleries for free but cannot view the collection.
We salute PECO and the Barnes for extending the opportunity to experience this unique art collection to all Philadelphians.
-Sandy Smith
Tags: Art Museum Area, Philadelphia art museums, philadelphia real estate, philly real estate
Posted in Art Museum, Points of Interest | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 13th, 2012
The Philadelphia Neighborhoods project on Google Maps
In Philadelphia, neighborhoods matter. (Not that they don’t elsewhere.) They confer – or deny – status to residents and property, which is why (1) arguments over which blocks are in which neighborhoods can get heated (2) residents of neighborhoods as varied as Point Breeze and Southwark coined new names for their communities in the hopes of erasing perceived stigmas.
To help people sort things out, the Philadelphia Neighborhoods collaborative project launched on Google Maps seeks to delineate the boundaries of every Philadelphia neighborhood. Like a wiki, anyone can add to or edit it, which should ultimately make it a pretty accurate guide to what blocks belong where.
The project currently has two maps active. Users might want to use the second to mark subsidiary communities within larger neighborhoods, such as Spruce Hill in University City, the Devil’s Pocket in Southwest Center City or the Gayborhood (or Midtown Village) in Washington Square West. Just be prepared for others to challenge you once you define their boundaries.
Tags: buying a home in philadelphia, coldwell banker preferred, homes in philly, living in philly, noah ostroff, philadelphia real estate, Philly Living, real estate, Real Estate in Philadelphia
Posted in Art Museum, Articles, Bella Vista, Center City, Chestnut Hill, East Falls, Fairmount, Fishtown, Fitler Square, Graduate Hospital, Loft District, Logan Square, Neighborhood Pages, Northern Liberties, Old City, Pennsport, Philadelphia real estate, Point Breeze, Points of Interest, Queen Village, Rittenhouse Square, Roxborough, Society Hill, South Philly, University City, Washington Square West | No Comments »
Thursday, February 16th, 2012
Even though the real estate market has been tumultuous for many recently, Philadelphia somehow seems to be doing much better compared to most other parts of the country. The local market has some activity, as in housing is being purchased and seeing increases. Additionally, construction of new single-family homes continues to go up, especially in the suburbs.
One point of prosperity in the Philly real estate market lies in the increase in existing home sales into December. December 2011 took in about five more percent of existing sales than December 2010 did. Sales from the end of last year thus far have been positive. This is something the housing market needs momentously. Thus far in 2012, there hasn’t been a significant increase in homes purchased but there is certainly a growing interest in property expected to take place.
On the seller’s side, there is hope that rising apartment rental rates could drive some potential buyers back into the fold in 2012. The average rental rate for all Philadelphia apartments has gone up nearly eight percent in the last year alone. This equals an increase of nearly $80 in the past year alone. The thought is that those individuals or couples on the fence about renting and buying could take a more serious look at buying, especially with today’s mortgage rates.
Reports have shown that mortgage rates have been hitting record lows throughout the country, as well as here in Philadelphia, which is certainly inviting for potential buyers. Right now, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is coming with 4.007 APR. With mortgage rates being this low and rentals continuing to increase in price, there is hope that some buyers will begin to see the benefits of buying in early 2012.
Right now, Philadelphia’s top selling areas have remained the northwestern and western areas of Center City. However, other parts of Philadelphia have retained their value attracting buyers and keeping the market going.
Right now, the big issue the city faces is sale prices, specifically for sellers. It is important to note that even though sales prices have dropped in this area, they have not plummeted as much as other cities across the country.
Rittenhouse Square, in western Center City, continues to show strength
In the coming months, there is reason to be optimistic that these prices can get a small pickup. Median prices were down about six percent in December from the previous year, but this could have been expected. The months of November and December are generally regarded as slow months for real estate anyway, but the numbers shouldn’t have too heavy an impact on the rest of the first quarter of 2012.
A glance at the early trends in 2012 Philadelphia real estate is truly a mixed bag right now. Coming off the month of December is usually not pretty for any market; however, the Philly market has looked rather stable in the early part of the year. Regardless, it should remain to be seen if factors such as mortgage rates, rising rental rates and an increase in existing home sales can positively influence the market for both buyers and sellers throughout the first half of 2012.
–By Emma Crawford, special to PhillyLiving.com
Tags: coldwell banker preferred, noah ostroff, Philly Living, Philly Living Blog
Posted in Art Museum, Bella Vista, Buying a Home, Center City, Chestnut Hill, Conventional Loans, East Falls, Fairmount, FHA, Fishtown, Graduate Hospital, Loft District, Logan Square, Market stats, Mortgages, Neighborhood Pages, Northern Liberties, Old City, Pennsport, Philadelphia real estate, Point Breeze, Queen Village, Rentals, Rittenhouse Square, Roxborough, Selling your home, Society Hill, South Philly, Washington Square, Washington Square West | No Comments »
Friday, February 3rd, 2012
Besides brunch, that is.
There’s never a lack of good things to do on a weekend in Philadelphia. This weekend, of course, one of them is First Friday, the monthly gallery-hop/street fair that takes place all over Old City. But we’ve written about that before as well. So assuming that as Item One, here are four other events you might want to check out:
2. and 3. Get your groove on. Make tonight an all-night dance party! Start with this month’s Art After 5 event at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, featuring homeboy DJ Cosmo Baker. He may live in Brooklyn now, but he remains true to his Philly roots, spinning a mix of hip-hop, disco, funk, R&B and reggae. And when you need to take a break, there’s cocktails, light snacks and supper, and a stupendous collection of art all around you. Then head down to South Street for Sex Dwarf, Robert Drake’s long-running dance party featuring those choice New Wave hits that got you through the ’80s in one piece. (Missed that decade? All the more reason you should go.)
Art After 5: 5 to 8:45 p.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Free with Museum admission.
Sex Dwarf: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Fluid, 613 South 4th Street. Free before 10 p.m., $5 after 10.
4. C’mon over to the dark side. Bikinis, bikers and blackness are all on the bill of this month’s Secret Cinema program, which celebrates the outlaw biker ethos of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Opening the night is “Trailer Trash,” a collection of carefully selected trailers for some of the classics of the genre: “Wild In the Streets,” “Devil’s Angels,” “Mondo Teeno,” “You Only Live Twice” – wait, isn’t that James Bond? – and more. These set the stage for the evening’s feature, “The Black Angels” – Laurence Merrick’s 1970 mashup of the biker flick and the blaxploitation picture in which rival biker gangs make turf war and race war one and the same.
Secret Cinema: Saturday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. at International House, 3701 Chestnut Street. Tickets $9, students/seniors $7, International House members free.
5. Go for Baroque with Maniaci. Tempesta di Mare, Philadelphia’s baroque orchestra, goes cross-cultural this weekend with “Italians in Vienna,” a concert featuring works written by Italian composers imported to Vienna by the Hapsburg court. Joining the chamber players once again is tenor Michael Maniaci, hailed by the Toronto Globe and Mail as “one of the greatest singers of his generation,” who last performed with Tempesta di Mare in 2006. Pre-concert talks by Wendy Heller of Princeton University fill you in on the cultural ferment that made Vienna such a happening place in the Baroque era.
Tempesta di Mare: Saturday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. (talk at 7 p.m.) at Arch Street Friends Meeting, 320 Arch Street, and Sunday, Feb. 5, at 4 p.m. (talk at 3 p.m.) at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Avenue. Tickets $25 and $35, seniors $20, students $10, school-age children (grades 3-12) free.
–Sandy Smith
Tags: living in philly, philadelphia real estate, Philly Living, Philly Living Blog
Posted in Art Museum, Articles, Chestnut Hill, Queen Village | No Comments »
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
On the whole, it’s still a good time to buy if you are in the market for real estate in Philadelphia. But some market conditions are beginning to trend more favorably for sellers as well.
That’s our reading of the data in the latest Philly Living Market Action Report. Our quarterly guide to real estate market trends in Center City and surrounding Philadelphia neighborhoods offers grounds for cautious optimism in the months to come. While sales volume is down for the quarter relative to the previous year, it is up significantly from the previous month and quarter, running counter to the usual end-of-year downturn. The average selling price for homes in Center City and environs rose significantly from last quarter and one year ago, while the median selling price fell slightly in both cases. This suggests that buyers on the whole are still looking for value, even though a few opted for properties at the upper end of the scale.
In terms of prices, the highest prices continue to be commanded in the city’s two most desirable neighborhoods: Rittenhouse Square (19103) and Chestnut Hill (19118). Worth noting, however, is a continued, sustained upward trend in median selling prices in Southwest Center City and Point Breeze (19146), reflecting especially increased activity in the latter neighborhood.
Inventory continues to decline, offering the prospect of better prices for sellers in the months to come, but days on market rose slightly, suggesting buyers are still waiting sellers out. Sale price-to-list price ratio also dropped slightly from last year and last quarter but held steady from the previous month.
For full details on activity in Philadelphia’s neighborhood housing markets, request a copy of the latest Market Action Report at phillyliving.com/report.
Philadelphia street scene by Adam Jones, Ph.D., used under a Creative Commons license
Posted in Art Museum, Articles, Bella Vista, Buying a Home, Center City, Chestnut Hill, East Falls, Fairmount, Fishtown, Graduate Hospital, Loft District, Logan Square, Luxury Homes, Market stats, Northern Liberties, Old City, Pennsport, Philadelphia real estate, Point Breeze, Queen Village, Rittenhouse Square, Roxborough, Selling your home, Society Hill, South Philly, University City, Washington Square, Washington Square West | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
There are now 76 markets where the real estate picture is expected to look better in the months to come, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index, released Jan. 9. The Philadelphia real estate market is one of those 76.
The addition of 40 metro areas to the monthly list of improving markets suggests that the fitful housing market recovery is spreading beyond the smaller markets that were not as heavily affected by the bursting of the housing bubble in 2008. Last month, there were 41 cities on the list. (Five of those – Anchorage, Alaska; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Canton, Ohio; Scranton, Pa., and Charleston, W. Va. – dropped off the list.)
“While relatively small metropolitan areas continue to dominate the list of improving housing markets, it’s important to note that several major metros in diverse parts of the country have now joined the field as well – including such metros as Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Nashville and Philadelphia,”NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe said in a news release. “This is an encouraging sign that gradually strengthening economic conditions are starting to take hold across a broader swath of America.”
The NAHB and title insurer First American base the index on trends in three categories: employment growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation from Freddie Mac, and growth in single-family housing construction permits from the U.S. Census Bureau. A metro area that has had six consecutive months of growth from a prior trough in all three areas gets added to the index.
What does this mean for you, the Philadelphia home owner or buyer? If you are in the latter camp, we suggest you accelerate your house-hunting timetable if you can. While home price growth is forecast to be modest for the year ahead, prices are expected to rise, and that means that you are more likely to get the home you want at a great price now than later. If you are a home owner, talk with your Realtor about the ideal time to put your home on the market if you are still weighing your options. Our team of real estate experts can assist you in determining when and how to best take advantage of a rising market.
Tags: buying a home in philadelphia, center city real estate, coldwell banker preferred, living in philly, noah ostroff, philadelphia real estate
Posted in Art Museum, Articles, Bella Vista, Buying a Home, Center City, Chestnut Hill, East Falls, Fairmount, Fishtown, Graduate Hospital, Loft District, Logan Square, Market stats, Neighborhood Pages, Northern Liberties, Old City, Pennsport, Philadelphia real estate, Point Breeze, Queen Village, Rittenhouse Square, Roxborough, Selling your home, Society Hill, South Philly, University City, Washington Square, Washington Square West | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Location: 1801 Green Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Enrollment: 263 students in grades K-8 in 2011-12
Student-teacher ratio: 11.5 in 2010
Demographics: African-American, 79.1%; White, 1.9%; Asian, 0.8%; Latino, 13.3%; all others, 4.9%. 11% of Waring students have learning disabilities. 90.9% are economically disadvantaged, and 1.9% are learning English as a second language.
Attendance area: The roughly triangular attendance area for Waring takes in southeast Francisville, Franklin Town and the rapidly gentrifying eastern two-thirds of Fairmount. It is bounded on the east by Broad Street, on the northwest by Wylie Street, 19th Street, Fairmount Avenue, 21st Street, Green Street and 23rd Street, and on the southwest by the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Metrics:
Attendance rate (2010-11) 93.6%.
PSSA performance (2011, percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced):
| Subject | School | District | State |
| Math | 55.3% | 58.6% | 77.1% |
| Reading | 40.5% | 52.0% | 73.5% |
| Science | 25.0% | 34.8% | 60.9% |
| Writing | 22.5% | 51.2% | 75.0% |
Profile: Named for the Connecticut-born early 20th-century African-American artist who made Philadelphia her home for her entire career, Laura Wheeler Waring School has a teaching staff that has been dedicated to improving the performance of its students; in the mid-2000s, it received a Keystone Award, which recognizes significant improvement in a school’s performance, and was recognized as one of the 10 most improved schools in the state by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The school has a modern computer lab and two science labs, and major renovations in the latter half of the decade upgraded its library and common spaces. A partnership with the Walnut Street Theatre gave the school a new mini-theater in 2007 and funds an active drama club. Other extra-curricular activities include Homework Helpline, Sports Club, Chess Club, Student Council and a student newsletter.
Tags: 19130, art museum area schools, buying a home in philadelphia, education, Laura Wheeler Waring School, living in philly, philadelphia schools, schools in 19130, schools in philadelphia
Posted in Art Museum, Articles, Buying a Home, Center City, Fairmount, Neighborhood Pages, Philadelphia real estate, Schools | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011
Location: 2200 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Enrollment: 520 students in grades K-8 in 2011-12
Student-teacher ratio: 13.8 in 2010
Demographics: African-American, 47.1%; White, 33.5%; Asian, 7.5%; Latino, 4.2%; all others, 7.7%. 9.8% of Greenfield students are classified as gifted, and 16.5% have learning disabilities. 57.7% are economically disadvantaged, and 1.5% are learning English as a second language.
Attendance area: The Greenfield attendance area includes the residential portion of Logan Square, Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square and the northern part of the Graduate Hospital area (Southwest Center City). It is bounded on the north by the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, on the south by Bainbridge Street, on the east by Broad Street and on the west by the Schuylkill.
Metrics:
Attendance rate (2010) 94.5%.
PSSA performance (2011, percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced):
| Subject | School | District | State |
| Math | 71.6% | 58.6% | 77.1% |
| Reading | 67.9% | 52.0% | 73.5% |
| Science | 60.2% | 34.8% | 60.9% |
| Writing | 58.3% | 51.2% | 75.0% |
Profile: Named for a longtime Philadelphia real estate titan and champion of intergroup harmony, Albert M. Greenfield School prides itself on its ethnic and economic diversity and its academic excellence. The school consistently ranks among the better elementary schools in the city and well outperforms its demographically similar peers. The school is well equipped, with computer access in every classroom, two computer labs, two science labs and a state-of-the-art library. Greenfield students benefit from several curriculum reform programs, including Core Knowledge, Mathematics in Context, and Mathland, and go on to attend some of the city’s most academically rigorous and challenging high schools. Greenfield has an active and involved Home and School Association that works to incorporate the region’s artistic, cultural and historic resources into the school’s curriculum and activities. The school also provides a wealth of extra-curricular activities, including Scrabble Club, Homework Club, Science Club, Health Club, Art Club, Yoga Club, Spanish Club, String Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Newspaper, Yearbook, American Girl Club, Business Club, Student Council, Learning Club, Safety Patrol, Sports Club, Kickball, Chess Club and Math 24 Club.
Tags: 19103, 19130, 19146, Albert M. Greenfield School, buying a home in philadelphia, education, greenfield school, greenfield school district, living in philly, philadelphia real estate, philadelphia schools, schools in graduate hospital, schools in philadelphia, schools in rittenhouse square
Posted in Art Museum, Articles, Buying a Home, Center City, Graduate Hospital, Neighborhood Pages, Philadelphia real estate, Rittenhouse Square, Schools | No Comments »
