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Just Listed: Refreshed Rowhouse in Graduate Hospital

For Sale/Rent

This handsome mansard-roofed house got a dignified makeover with a touch of cool and a dash of nature.

2244 Carpenter St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 | Photos: Drew Callahan via Tina Elmer, BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors, unless otherwise noted

How would you classify a house for sale that looks like this on the outside?

The listing agent calls it a “Federal-style” house, but that’s a misnomer. Mansard roofs are anything but Federal — in fact, they’re French, and they didn’t make their way across the Atlantic until after the Federal period.

They’re closely associated with the architectural style known as “Second Empire,” but structures bearing that label usually have stone facades, like City Hall does, and they’re usually monumental, like City Hall is. So we can scratch that too.

Many homes we call Victorian have mansard roofs, though. So perhaps we should call it that?

Maybe we should just call it “handsome” and be done with it.

Living room

Step inside and other adjectives come to mind: Stylish. Elegant. Refined. Cool.

And how about “woodsy”?

Side yard planter wall

“We designed this home with our love of the outdoors in mind,” owners Tina Elmer and Drew Braunstein tell prospective buyers in a letter. (Elmer, by the way, is a licensed Pennsylvania real estate agent. She isn’t marketing this home directly, but her team lead is.)

Those outdoorsy touches include the Brazilian ipe wood planter-box gallery you see through the sliding doors that lead from the kitchen to the side yard.

(You’ll also find a fountain in the side yard, and in the back yard, there’s room for more greenery and a place for your pooch to play. Gas hookups for a grill are also in place. Pro tip from a barbecue fiend: If you want real barbecue to go with your steaks and burgers, buy a dual-fuel gas/charcoal grill.)

Kitchen

The planter wall adds a touch of green and earth tones to the bright and cheerful kitchen, which boasts plenty of storage space and neotraditional design along with a colorful mosaic backsplash.

Dining area and kitchen

The kitchen, in turn, brings up the rear of the open main floor. Its other components are a dining area with a tasteful modern-traditional chandelier and a living area with built-in bookcases flanking the fireplace.

Master bedroom

You will find two bedrooms on each of the two upper floors.

Master bathroom

The master on the third floor has a stylish en-suite bathroom.

Reclaimed wood farmhouse-style vanities grace two of this house’s three bathrooms. The wet bar on the third floor also features shelves and a counter made of wood beams salvaged from this house’s reconstruction.

Roof deck

Roof deck at dusk | Photo: Tina Elmer

And speaking of wood, the ipe wood pergola and planter wall on the roof deck add charm to the space. You’ll also have a great view of the July 4th fireworks as well as the Center City skyline.

You can walk to Center City from here too. Ditto the employment centers in University City. And there’s more outdoors to love just down the block at Julian Abele Park, not to mention plenty of neighborhood shopping and dining options all around.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 4

BATHS: 2 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 2,300

SALE PRICE: $725,000

OTHER STUFF: Eight and a half years remain on this house for sale’s tax abatement.

2244 Carpenter St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 [Robin Gordon | Robin Gordon Team | BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors]

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/property/2019/02/11/house-for-sale-graduate-hospital-mansard/

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Saloons: Rise and Fall of the “Ladies’ Entrance”

Shackamaxon Street and E. Girard Avenue, April 15, 1901 (PhillyHistory.org)

“Sloughing against the bar with one foot on the rail would have been unthinkable behavior for most ‘decent’ women, let along spitting into the cuspidors or allowing their skirts to trail in the beer-soaked sawdust,” wrote Madelon Powers.

“For some women even entering a bar is a fearful prospect,” agreed Mary Jane Lupton in Feminist Studies. “They might get bothered or insulted or embarrassed. Part of this apprehension is based on a realistic appraisal of male behavior. Part has to do with the rather intimidating architecture of the neighborhood barroom, with its L-shaped front bar and its lineup of stools . . . The L provides a defensive line; to break into that, to disrupt the pattern, is to place oneself in a vulnerable position.”

Yet, Powers claimed, “saloongoers were not totally anti-woman . . .  Many bar songs and stories portrayed females as merciful and decent and were surprisingly sentimental about mothers, wives, and women friends. Moreover, male customers accepted and indeed welcomed a female presence in certain areas of the saloon under well-defined circumstances. Though bargoers jealously guarded their male prerogatives and commiserated over male-female conflicts, there is no indication that these men as a group reviled or hated the women in their lives. Sexists and chauvinists they were, but not complete misogynists.”

“The only circumstance in which respectable women might legitimately linger unescorted” in saloons would be “in order to consume the saloon’s famous free lunch.” To access to this lunch, “free with the purchase of a five-cent drink,” women would bypass “the male-dominated ‘barroom proper’” by entering a side door marked “ladies’ entrance.”

Shackamaxon Street and E. Girard Avenue, April 15, 1901 – Detail. (PhillyHistory.org)

This entrance, according to Powers, served a threefold purpose. “First, it permitted women to enter inconspicuously and minimize public scrutiny of their comings and goings… Second, women’s entry through the side door eliminated the necessity of their running the gauntlet through the establishment front room . . . undisputed male territory.  . . .  Finally, the side door afforded women quick and convenient access both to the far end of the bar, where they could purchase carry-out alcohol and to a second chamber known as the ‘back room,’ where they could feast on free lunches or attend social events hosted there.”

And so the “ladies’ entrance” to bars and saloons became universal protocol. Except for one notable case, the most traditional of saloons: McSorley’s Old Ale House in lower Manhattan. Philadelphia artist John Sloan, who moved to New York in 1904, famously and repeatedly painted scenes of its interior.

John McSorley “believed it impossible for men to drink with tranquility in the presence of women” though drinkers tolerated, and were even amused by, young boys running in and out of the back room, snatching “handfuls of cheese and slices of onion, before dashing out, “slamming the door.”  Where many saloons welcomed women, albeit with conditions and limitations, McSorley’s made its message clear with a sign: “NOTICE. NO BACK ROOM IN HERE FOR LADIES.”

McSorley’s motto? “Good ale, raw onions, and no ladies.” When a female entered, Joseph Mitchell told in The New Yorker, “Old John would hurry forward, make a bow, and say, ‘Madam, I’m sorry, but we don’t serve ladies.’ If a woman insisted, Old John would take her by the elbow, head her toward the door, and say, ‘Madam, please don’t provoke me. Make haste and get yourself off the premises, or I’ll be obliged to forget you’re a lady.’”

Sloan considered McSorley’s back room “like a sacristy,” a place where “old John McSorley would sit greeting old friends and philosophizing. Women were never served,” added Sloan, “indeed the dingy walls and woodwork looked as if women had set neither hand nor foot in the place.”

Shackamaxon Street and E. Girard Avenue, April 15, 1901 – Detail. (PhillyHistory.org)

Until June 25, 1970, that is, when, by court order, McSorley’s opened its doors to women. Shortly after Mayor John Lindsay signed the order, Lucy Komisar, a vice president of the National Organization for Women, approached “the old‐fashioned wooden doors” wearing, The New York Times felt compelled to inform its readers, “a purple jumpsuit, sandals and sunglasses.”

A waiter demanded Komisar produce her birth certificate.” The 28-year old Komisar offered her driver’s license. The waiter refused to accept the license as proof she was at least 18 (then the legal drinking age). Komisar attempted to push her way in. The two engaged in “a short wrestling match” before the manager allowed Komisar inside, “to a chorus of boos from some of the regular patrons.”

“Shortly afterward,” observed the Times reporter, “Miss Komisar was involved in an argument with “some young men who were drinking ale in their undershirts.” When “one tall, unidentified man showed her an obscene poem he had scrawled on a piece of paper, [Komisar] tried to snatch it out of his hand.”

“Why, you little ——–,” he shouted, dumping a stein of ale over her head.”

“’You can’t do that!’ she shrieked, lunging at him.” Again the manager intervened, escorting the protesting, undershirted poet to the sidewalk.

They’re really boorish, horrible men” commented Komisar, “drenched but smiling . . . as she sipped an ale at the bar.” They “have a lot of problems with their masculinity.”

Taking it all in nearby, “an old-timer in an open collar shirt shook his head sorrowfully. ‘That woman is trouble. All women are trouble. This is what happens when you let them in here.’”

Apparently, everyone had more work to do.

[Sources: Madelon Powers, Faces Along the Bar: Lore and Order in the Workingman’s Saloon, 1870-1920 (The University of Chicago Press, 1998); Mary Jane Lupton, “Ladies’ Entrance: Women and Bars,” Feminist Studies, Vol. 5, No. 3, (Autumn, 1979); Joseph Mitchell, “The Old House at Home,” The New Yorker, April 13, 1940; John Sloan, The Gist of Art (New York, American Artists Group, Inc. 1939); Grace Lichtenstein, “McSorley’s Admits. Women Under a New City Law, The New York Times, August 11, 1970.]

Source: https://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/index.php/2018/07/saloons-rise-and-fall-of-the-ladies-entrance/

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Drag Queen Storytime in Haverford Township Attracts National Opposition

Suburbs

Despite a petition with more than 17,000 signatures and a heated local commissioners meeting, the Pride Day event at the Haverford Township Free Library will go on as scheduled on Saturday.

The Haverford Township Free Library. Photo via Google Maps

Since its formation in 2015 by a San Francisco writer, Drag Queen Story Hour, in which drag performers do public readings of books with themes of inclusion and acceptance aimed at young audience, has become a phenomenon at libraries around the country — and a target for anti-LGTBQ protests.

Last year, for example, backlash ensued when Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum announced it would host an event called Drag Queen Storytime during its Pride Family Festival in June. “[I’m reading] this amazing pride book for children that covers everything from Dykes on Bikes to leather daddies,” Ian Morrison, a drag queen performing at the museum, told Philadelphia magazine at the time. “I get choked up when I look out and see these parents exposing their children to different lifestyles.”

In the end, that event went off without a hitch, but now the Haverford Township Free Library is facing similar criticism over its Drag Queen Storytime event scheduled for Saturday, June 15th. A part of the library’s “Pride Day” festivities, the one-hour all-ages event, hosted by drag performer Ms. Balena Canto, aims to “[entertain] children by teaching diversity, friendship and acceptance through reading children’s stories.”

The event has attracted the ire of national conservative groups, and a petition to cancel it has been signed by more than 17,000 people. On Tuesday night, more than 100 residents crowded a Haverford Township Board of Commissioners meeting to air their views, which ranged from claims that the event would “condon[e] hyper-sexual behavior in children” to citations of “scientific evidence” of the effects of exposing children to drag queens.

Haverford residents packed a Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday night.

“I am concerned that [Drag Queen Storytime] will force children into gender dysmorphia,” said Bill Williams, a resident of Haverford Township, during the meeting. “We must consider the long-term consequences.”

Williams, a physician, cited research from the American College of Pediatricians, which is listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as “a fringe anti-LGBT hate group that masquerades as the premier U.S. association of pediatricians to push anti-LGBT junk science, primarily via far-right conservative media and filing amicus briefs in cases related to gay adoption and marriage equality.”

“Drag Queen Storytime is pushing an agenda and stereotypes based on bad misogyny,” said another man, who identified himself as a 14-year resident of Haverford. “We need to set boundaries for our kids and protect them from what drag queens are really about — pornographic conduct, drug use, and alcoholism.”

But not all in the crowd were opposed to the event. Attendees wearing “I Support DQSH” stickers could be seen throughout the room.

Stickers worn during Haverford Township meeting.

“I’m thrilled to see something I don’t know much about,” one resident said in support of the event. “I don’t think the library would bring someone who would harm us. Drag queens have rights, too.”

According to the Haverford Township Free Library, last year’s inaugural storytime had more than 200 attendees and was one of its most popular events. “We had virtually no complaints either prior to the event or afterwards last year,” said Phil Goldsmith, the library’s board president, during the meeting. “I was blown away by the enthusiasm of the parents and the kids who attended.”

“I think a lot of the opposition comes from a place of ignorance,” said Matthew Maisano, the drag performer playing Ms. Balena Canto, to Philadelphia magazine. “People who don’t take the time to understand what Drag Queen Storytime really is about have the idea in their head that it’s a traditional club drag show that can have adult themes. It’s not. The main purpose of this is for kids to be exposed to a positive LGBTQ role model.”

After the public comment session, the Board of Commissioners informed the crowd that they aren’t authorized to tell library leadership what to do, and many of the members spoke in favor of the event continuing in the name of free speech and diversity.

“The library is open for business. I’m not suppressing anyone’s right to free speech,” said board president Andy Lewis.

After several additional affirmations, only one member out of the nine commissioners spoke out in disapproval.

“This isn’t about inclusion and acceptance, this is about our children,” said commissioner James McGarrity. “The library should not have this on Saturday.”

Board commissioner Daniel Siegel fired back: “A cross-dresser reading to our three-year-olds isn’t a threat to our society, but intolerance is.”

“The event will go on as scheduled,” a representative from the library told Philadelphia magazine following the meeting. “Some residents assumed that the Board of Commissioners would side with them and put pressure on the library’s board to reconsider, but they failed. I’m happy to see that love trumps hate during Pride month.”

“Luckily, for as much backlash as there may be, I am glad there is exponentially more support,” Maisano said after hearing of the Board of Commissioners’ support. “All in all I am very optimistic for the future of Drag Queen Storytime and other LGBTQ+ programming for our youth.”

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/06/14/haverford-township-drag-queen-storytime/

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Bridgid's, the Fairmount landmark, is now Paseo Tapas Bar

So this month, Vargas and his wife, Jennifer, have redone it as Paseo Tapas Bar (24th and Meredith Streets), lightly redecorating and opening the tapas bar that they have always talked about. They've gone the cozy-candle route, taking advantage of the fireplace. (The couple have opened and closed a series of restaurants, including Southern Belle in Jenkintown and Erdenheim and Leila's in Jenkintown. Their current other holdings are across the street from each other in Jenkintown — a brewpub with a microscopic one-half-barrel brewhouse called Leila's Liquid Project, at 307 York Rd., and Forcella, an 18-seat BYOB at 310 Old York Rd.)

Source: http://www2.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/bridgids-the-fairmount-landmark-is-now-paseo-tapas-bar-20181010.html

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Punishment for 'sanctuary cities' moves forward in PA legislature

HARRISBURG — A bill that targets Philadelphia and other Pennsylvania municipalities that refuse to detain undocumented immigrants without criminal warrants moved out of a state House committee Wednesday.

The bill to punish co-called “sanctuary cities” was passed by the Pa. Senate last year, and this approval sets it up for a House floor vote. However, what came out of the Judiciary Committee bears only a passing resemblance to the bill that entered it.

Originally, the bill by Allegheny County Republican Sen. Guy Reschenthaler proposed withholding all state grants from any sanctuary city, referred to in the legislation as a “municipality of refuge” that “permits, requires or requests” a person’s release in spite of a detainer request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Reschenthaler is running for Congress in the 14th District.)

Those detainers are written requests from ICE, as opposed to criminal warrants issued by a judge, and many municipalities in Pennsylvania currently refuse to enforce them, including Philadelphia.

In the House, an amendment from Rep. Ron Marsico (R-Lower Paxton) tossed Reschenthaler’s proposed grant-withholding punishment. Instead, the amended bill uses lawsuits as the threatening stick: If municipalities don’t comply with detainer requests and provide requested info to ICE, an “individual adversely affected” by the policies can sue.

The amended bill also preempts municipalities from passing local policies that contradict that mandate. Specifically, cities would not be allowed to prohibit law enforcement from:

Supplying “any information requested” by ICE or other federal agencies related to immigration status

Assisting or cooperating with ICE officers while enforcing immigration laws

Permitting ICE or other federal officers to enter a county correctional institution

Paradoxically, it’s actually the threat of lawsuits that have led many conservative communities in Pennsylvania not to comply with ICE detainer requests.

In 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that states and municipalities are not required to comply and could be sued for wrongfully imprisoning people. The case went to trial after a man born in New Jersey was held in Lehigh County’s prison for three days because of an ICE detainer.

A recent federal ruling in favor of Philadelphia’s detainer policy backed this up.

“The City’s position is completely justified under controlling court precedent,” Eastern District Judge Michael Baylson wrote in June. “If the City were to detain persons entitled to release based on immigration detainers, it would be exposing itself to many lawsuits and potentially substantial damages for violation of civil rights.”

The amended House bill does provide some support for municipalities if they’re sued for complying with its requirements. The state Attorney General’s office would be directed to defend municipalities sued for “good faith compliance” of detainer or information requests. The commonwealth, as opposed to the locality, would have to pay the bill for any settlements or judgments.

In its original form, SB 10 passed the Senate last year 37-12. Republicans were joined by Democrats Lisa Boscola, Andy Dinniman, and John Yudichak.

The amended bill passed Wednesday 19-5 with support from all Republicans present, including Philadelphia immigration hardliner Martina White.

“We’re trying to hold sanctuary cities accountable,” White said after the vote. She added that the amended bill shifts “some of the responsibilities” from municipalities to the state should a lawsuit arise. “Ideally the bill is going to help protect law-abiding citizens from those who are here illegally who are committing crimes in the community.”

Those in favor of stricter immigration enforcement, including Philadelphia’s own U.S. attorney, have pointed to the case of Juan Ramon Vasquez, an undocumented immigrant who was released from a city jail in 2014 in spite of an ICE detainer request and later raped a child. Vasquez’s case, however, is an extreme outlier, data obtained by Philly Mag showed.

Several Democrats also voted Wednesday to advance the bill. Rep. Tina Davis, who represents a part of Bucks County outside of Philly, said her yea vote indicated a willingness to have the bill debated on the House floor, although she doubted it would move forward.

Indeed, with just a handful of voting days left this session, the bill’s chances of getting to Gov. Tom Wolf seem slim. Because of Wednesday’s changes, the bill would have to return to the Senate after passing the House for a concurrence vote.

It’s also not clear if senators would support the changed bill. Aaron Bonnaure, chief of staff to Reschenthaler, said Wednesday afternoon the Republican “hasn’t had a chance to review the changes in detail, but he is thankful the chairman and committee members took up the issue of stopping sanctuary cities today.”

Source: https://billypenn.com/2018/10/11/punishment-for-sanctuary-cities-moves-forward-in-pa-legislature/

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Police Searching For 2 Suspects Who Allegedly Forced Man To Withdraw $500 From ATM, Stole His Car

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Police are asking for the public’s help locating two suspects who allegedly held up a man at gunpoint, forced him to withdraw money from an ATM and then stole his car. Police say the two suspects approached the 36-year-old victim on the 3200 block Amber Street around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 30.

Police describe the suspects as a Hispanic man and a Black man.

According to police, the Hispanic man forced the victim into his car at gunpoint.

The suspects then drove the victim to multiple locations where the victim was forced to withdraw $500 from an ATM.

The victim was then taken to another Wawa on Aramingo Avenue to withdraw more money, but the suspects drove off in the victim’s car, along with his iPhone 8 and MacBook Air computer, which were inside the vehicle.

Pa. High School Student Critically Injured, Teen Charged As Adult In Shooting Over Ounce Of Marijuana, Officials Say

The victim’s car was later found unattended at Emerald & Cambria Streets in East Kensington.

If you see these suspects, do not approach, contact 911 immediately.

Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/02/13/police-searching-for-2-suspects-who-allegedly-forced-man-to-withdraw-500-from-atm-stole-his-car/

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Bud & Marilyn’s Is Coming to Philadelphia International Airport

News

Safran Turney Hospitality will expand their Midwestern-style supper club to PHL later this year.

Bud & Marilyn’s at Philadelphia International Airport | Rendering by Rohe Creative

Restaurateurs Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran will open a second location of Bud & Marilyn’s, their Midwestern-style supper club, at Philadelphia International Airport. Turney made the announcement this afternoon on her personal social media.

The new Bud & Marilyn’s — the first expansion of any of the five Safran Turney restaurant concepts — will be a full-service restaurant with a large bar in addition to a menu of grab-and-go items for busy travelers.

According to an Instagram comment by Turney, it’ll be located in the connector between Terminal B and Terminal C. International travel catering and retail services company Areas partnered with Safran Turney on the project, and Rohe Creative is handling the design.

No timeline yet, but the restaurant is scheduled to open sometime this year.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/2019/02/15/bud-marilyns-philadelphia-international-airport/

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Living in Phoenixville: A Neighborhood Guide

Neighborhood Guide

A new, livelier community has risen from the ashes of this old steel mill town's past.

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For most of its history, Phoenixville’s fortunes relied on the Phoenix Iron Works steel mill at the town’s heart. That mill and most of its buildings are themselves history now, but the National Register-listed original foundry survives. It’s now a catering and function hall. | Photo: J. Clear via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0

Like the mythical bird that gives the town its name, Phoenixville has risen from the ashes of deindustrialization.

For most of its existence, the borough and the company that began life in 1790 as the Phoenix Iron Works and ended it in 1987 as Phoenix Steel Corporation rose and fell together. The decline of Pennsylvania’s steel industry did not spare the pioneering foundry and bridge-maker, and in 1984, the original mill in downtown Phoenixville shut its doors for good.

The original Phoenix Iron Works foundry has since been converted into an interpretive center and a catering facility. The repurposed facility serves as a symbol of how this gritty community reinvented itself and became a popular place to live, work and play for a new generation of residents, many of whom have probably never gotten their hands dirty in their entire lives.

Affordable, attractive houses, a lively Main Street that houses more brewpubs per capita than any other community in the state, and a year-round calendar of cultural events have all drawn visitors and residents alike to Phoenixville and environs over the last quarter century.

And some of the credit for this turnaround goes to a gelatinous creature from an alien planet that nearly ate the town alive in 1958.

Phoenixville Housing Prices at a Glance

Median single-family house value: $242,000

Median condo/co-op value: $183,000

Median monthly rent: N/A

What You Can Buy in Phoenixville

(including surrounding communities in zip code 19460)

Bright MLS image via Keller Williams Realty Group

“Vaux Hall,” 1776 Greek Revival Mansion Designed by Noted Architect John Haviland

1248 Pawlings Rd., Audubon | 7 beds, 4 full, 4 half baths, 11,377 square feet, $2,790,000

Bright MLS image via Keller Williams Realty Group

1980 Contemporary House Wrapped Around an 18th-Century Farmhouse

116 Oakwood Lane, Schuylkill Township | 5 beds, 3 full, 1 half baths, 6,400 square feet, $849,900

Bright MLS image via Century 21 Norris – Valley Forge

Victorian Duplex Near the Center of the Borough

201 Starr St. | 5 beds, 2 baths, 2,464 square feet, $425,000

Bright MLS image via Davison Realtors

New Construction Craftsman on North Side, Ready Spring 2019

515 Rhoades St. | 3 beds, 2 full, 1 half baths, 2,100 square feet, $389,000

Public Transportation in Phoenixville

SEPTA Bus Routes: Bus Route 99 connects Phoenixville with Norristown Transportation Center via the pharmaceutical companies outside Collegeville, the corporate center and exposition center in Oaks, the Valley Forge Corporate Center and the King of Prussia office park and mall. Bus Route 139 passes through the borough on its way from the King of Prussia mall to the shopping centers in Limerick, also passing through Valley Forge National Historical Park along the way.

Transit advocates in the community have been advocating for restoration of Regional Rail service to Phoenixville. Don’t hold your breath waiting for this to happen.

Food Shopping in Phoenixville

Supermarkets: Acme, 785 Starr St.; Giant, 700 Nutt Rd.; Redner’s Warehouse Markets, 202 Schuylkill Rd.

Specialty grocers: The Foodery, 325 Bridge St.; Foresta’s Country Meat Market, 1098 W. Bridge St.; Kimberton Whole Foods, 2140 Kimberton Rd., Kimberton; Latino Mini Market, 317 Bridge St.; Phoenixville House of Jerky, 10 S. Main St.

What a Real Estate Agent Says About Phoenixville

“The downtown has thrived and now is known for the most brewpubs per capita in the state. There are great food establishments, plenty of First Fridays to enjoy, and all kinds of street festivals, food truck events and one-of-a-kind events like Blobfest to enjoy. If you’d like to look inside some of the amazing homes here, we also offer the Phoenixville Candlelight Holiday Tour with homes decked for the holidays. 4th of July fireworks and the Firebird Festival are also things that make Phoenixville’s community come together.

“The Phoenixville area market is hot today. Prices range from around $150,000 for condos to McMansions in the millions of dollars. Homes can go as quickly as one day if they are in good shape with a good location and priced right. Sellers who bought their homes in the past have been very happy with their investment in this community.

“When Phoenixville was growing, we would get people coming here for the value. We were known as West Chester’s complement, but cheaper. Now that Phoenixville is getting pricey as well, the communities around it are benefiting from Phoenixville’s success. I feel Mount Clare and Spring City are the next two hot spots because of the similar style of homes, quiet communities, and proximity to the borough of Phoenixville.

“The diverse people of the town make it a wonderful place to live. work and play. We have a diverse amount of religious worship places as well as breweries and pizza joints! The other treasures of Phoenixville are our historical society and the Colonial Theater, both with long-running histories. We are still in the process of developing the remainder of the steel property, with more development on the way.

“I was born and raised in the borough and grew up in a seven-bedroom Victorian within walking distance to the downtown area. I have seen the changes as they have come. and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for Phoenixville.”

—Dan Phillips, Springer Realty Group

Photo: J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia

Local Color

The hub of Phoenixville’s performing-arts scene is the historic Colonial Theatre on Bridge Street in the heart of the borough. Built in 1903 as a vaudeville house, the theater has hosted plays, musical performances and silent and talking films over its century-plus history. It gained enduring fame in 1958 as the site of one of the climactic scenes in “The Blob,” a cult science-fiction horror classic that was filmed in and around Phoenixville and starred a young Steve McQueen.

Chester County’s last surviving classic movie theater was purchased in 1998 by the Association for the Colonial Theatre, which restored the theater’s faded glory and turned it into a performing arts center that has since expanded into a former bank next door. The highlight of its year-round schedule of programs and events is “Blobfest,” a weekend-long celebration of all things scary. Established in 1999, the festival has featured horror-film showings, including one of “The Blob”; a street fair; live music performances, and a Friday-night reenactment of the scene where everyone runs screaming out of the theater after the Blob starts oozing out of its projector.

They don’t brew beer at the Bistro on Bridge, but they serve plenty of it: it’s one of the pubs, restaurants and craft breweries located on the beeriest street in Pennsylvania. It’s also an example of creative adaptive reuse. | Photo: Sandy Smith

More Local Color

Whether it’s per capita or per square foot, as Joe Sixpack’s Philly Beer World claims, Phoenixville is the sudsiest community in the Commonwealth — and maybe even the country. The distance from Stable 12 Brewery (368 Bridge Street) to Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant (130 Bridge Street) is about 2,000 feet, and in that distance you will encounter four craft breweries, one brewery tap house, three wine tasting rooms, a craft distillery and at least two brewpubs. Another craft brewery is just off this crowded stretch on Main Street, and a sixth opened in the Westside shopping center on the borough’s west edge last year. This may be one reason so many people are buying houses in Phoenixville: after a pub crawl here, you will absolutely be in no shape to drive back home.

Joseph Scott McArdle with Leo Scoda, mayor of Phoenixville when the Townhomes at French Creek were built. | Photo courtesy Joseph Scott McArdle

Did You Know?

As the later additions to the historic Phoenix Iron Works foundry got torn down, people actually camped out to buy the houses that replaced them. Agent Joseph Scott McArdle of Keller Williams Realty pins a Sunday in March 2004 as the date that Phoenixville’s housing market really took off. A dozen intrepid buyers spent the preceding night camped out in 40-degree temperatures and light rain in order to get a good deal on the first units at the Townhomes at French Creek on Vanderslice Street. The first buyers saved $10,000 to $20,000 on the homes’ purchase prices, which ran from $169,900 to the upper $180,000s.

By the time the first houses went on sale just before noon Sunday, 50 people had lined up to buy. Those who did made out like bandits: the Phoenix Reporter & Item reported one year later that the value of the happy campers’ homes had risen by anywhere from $55,000 to $61,000 in the intervening year.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/property/2019/02/28/phoenixville-neighborhood-guide/

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12 Philly Restaurants With Great Natural Wine Lists

Drink

These bars and restaurants are leading the natural wine movement.

Vedge in Midtown Village, one of Philly’s restaurants with natural wine. Photograph by Jason Varney

Check out these cutting-edge menus for natural wine in Philly.

The Farm & Fisherman Tavern

Horsham and Cherry Hill When beloved Philly chef Josh Lawler booked it to the ’burbs, he traded up for a pair of standout wine lists. The bottles he sells are true gems; the nicely priced Green Valley valdiguié and bubbly Day Wines pét-nat — an easy-drinking red from Broc Cellars — are worth the trip. 575 Horsham Road, Horsham, and 1442 Marlton Pike East, Cherry Hill.

Vedge

Midtown Village The vegetable-forward plates here are complemented by a wine menu that has natural picks from far-off places — think orange wines from the Canary Islands and merlots from Australia. (The latter will make you rethink what you knew about the ubiquitous red.) Consider ordering a bottle of Ross & Bee Maloof Wines out of Oregon; it’s made by Vedge’s former beverage director. 1221 Locust Street.

A.Kitchen and A.Bar

Rittenhouse There are plenty of places to get great wine on the Square, but this duo were early natural-wine adapters. (The staff here knows its stuff, too, so this is the place to ask lots of questions.) Consider going to A.Kitchen on the first Wednesday of each month for the Cellar Raid; 300-plus bottles are half-price. 135 South 18th Street and 1737 Walnut Street.

Martha

Kensington While Martha is known as a humble neighborhood joint, the bold, broad by-the-glass lineup says otherwise. (In fact, owner Jon Medlinsky is very committed to serving only natural and mostly local.) The rotation changes often, so there are always things to explore, including pours from Las Jaras, a wine collaboration from Philadelphia-area native, noted natural-wine booster and Master of None star Eric Wareheim. 2113 East York Street.

Kensington Quarters

Fishtown Longtime devotees of natural practices will find a lot to love on the list at KQ, which is built around the offerings of importers who focus on natural, sustainable and biodynamic wines. The result: a bottle selection and tight, rotating by-the-glass list that explore themes like quaffable reds and grower champagnes. 1310 Frankford Avenue.

Fountain Porter

East Passyunk FP is known for its all-vinyl soundtrack, excellent beer list and $5 burger, but in the past few years, the chalkboard menu has quietly begun to include glasses of Austrian skin-contact wines, fizzy pét-nats, and new-school reds from California — burger-friendly, of course. 1601 South 10th Street.

Teresa’s Next Door

Wayne Main Line wine lists generally bank on bordeaux rather than cult-status bottles of blaufränkisch, but Teresa’s boasts page upon page of bottles rarely spotted in the Pennsylvania wine wilds. A petite bottle shop in the cafe next door offers the entire esoteric list to take home. 124 North Wayne Avenue.

Good King Tavern

Bella Vista Taking a cue from France’s affinity for laid-back drinking, this bistro offers a rotating selection by the glass or pichet — a shareable pitcher that’s 750 milliliters. (The wines are also cheekily categorized as “good,” “better” and “best.”) Looking to learn more? On Sundays, co-owner Chloe Grigri hosts “Keep Wine Weird,” for which she cracks open some of the wilder selections from the cellar. 614 South 7th Street.

Zahav

Society Hill Michael Solomonov’s commitment to all things Middle East doesn’t stop at the hot line. The wine list explores sustainable reds and whites from Tzora in the Judean Hills and Lebanon’s legendary Château Musar. 237 St. James Place.

Walnut Street Café

University City The list at this all-day cafe is overseen by sommelier Etinosa Emokpae. (See page 93.) While not entirely natural, the menu runs from familiar to rarefied, with fascinating bottles that the staff isn’t afraid to pop open and pour. (Think celebration-worthy sancerres and half-price champagne on Thursdays.) 2929 Walnut Street.

Hungry Pigeon

Queen Village No need to plow through pages of vintages at this beloved corner cafe. Instead, a concisely corralled wine menu allows for unintimidating exploration; pick any one of the under-$10 draft options (like a natural malbec from Argentina), because they’re all good. 743 South 4th Street.

The Love

Rittenhouse There’s a note on the front page of the list that reads, “These are the wines that we are excited about right now and that we know you will love.” Sommelier Alexandra Cherniavsky delivers, with a roundup of canned wines, older bottles, and a selection of Pennsylvania and New York offerings. 130 South 18th Street.

Published as “A List of Lists” in the April 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/2019/03/23/philadelphia-restaurants-with-natural-wine/

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Here’s all the tech involved as Penn Museum prepares to move its 25,000-pound Sphinx

Penn Museum has never undertaken anything like this, said Chief Building Engineer Brian Houghton as he stood on the wooden walkway above the Mosaic Courtyard.

The museum is moving its 3,000-year-old Sphinx of Ramses II — ancient Egypt’s third Pharaoh of the 19th dynasty — out of the Egypt (Sphinx) Gallery this week to its new permanent home in the Main Entrance Hall. The structure is the largest sphinx in the Western Hemisphere, at 25,000 pounds.

To make it happen, the museum had some construction to start: An L-shaped walkway about eight to 15 feet high and five feet wide was built in the courtyard to provide a route for the sphinx. Doorways and windows were removed to make an opening out of the Egypt (Sphinx) Gallery, onto the walkway and into the Main Entrance Hall, which opens on Nov. 16 after renovations.

About eight months ago, the museum decided to pursue moving the sphinx so it could be the centerpiece of the new entrance hall, Houghton said, and the project was approved two months later. Structural engineers determined the sphinx’s route and sections of the floor that needed to be redesigned to handle the sphinx’s weight.

On Monday, riggers used a gantry crane and chain falls to lift up the Sphinx from its platform and onto the floor. For the rigging and transport, the museum 3-D scanned the Sphinx to find out its height, weight, density and any cavities in the statue, Houghton said.

On Tuesday, the Sphinx was placed onto a scaffold with four air-powered dollies under each corner. Like a hoverboard, the Sphinx will float about three to four inches above the ground with the help of an air compressor generator pushing pressure into the dollies through four hoses.

An operator will control the generator while an eight-person crew tends to the hoses and pushes the Sphinx along until they make it into the Main Entrance Hall and chain the Sphinx up again to place it on the floor.

All this for a mere 250 feet of distance between the two spaces.

A view of the ramp where the sphinx will travel between its old and new home from above. (Courtesy photo)

Houghton said his main concern is avoiding any pinch points between the statue and the walkway’s railing where someone could get their fingers caught.

“This thing can move,” he said. “I mean, readily move. Somebody can put too much pressure on one side, the right side, or left side.”

The museum is using winch cables to help keep the statue straight, he added.

The move is open to the public, and up to 25 visitors can watch from the museum’s bridge overlooking the courtyard. There will also be time lapses of the move here and here.

The sphinx hasn’t been exposed to natural light since it was moved to the Egypt (Sphinx) Gallery in 1926. For about four hours, more or less, it will catch some Philadelphia sun on the way to its new home.

-30- Source: https://technical.ly/philly/2019/06/11/tech-involved-penn-museum-move-25000-pound-sphinx-ramses-ii/

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Lauren & Chris at Union Trust | Philadelphia, PA

Sandwiched between the entire country freezing over both last week and this week was this rare Saturday sun. It wasn’t warm, mind you. But it also wasn’t the ‘GET INSIDE RIGHT THIS SECOND’ type of cold that is currently blanketing the whole earth.

So we were quite excited to get out and shoot for Lauren and Chris again. Their friends and families were such a pleasure to spend a day with. It’s always such a good sign when the bridal party is calling us by name. It sounds silly, but knowing that people care enough to ask about us is such an indicator of who they (and the couple) are as people. That sums up Saturday pretty well. Wonderful people on a beautiful winter day. It doesn’t get better than that.

Notes: This winter wedding in Philadelphia was photographed by Amy & Tony Hoffer of Hoffer Photography. The bride and groom got ready at the Hotel Monaco Philadelphia, had their Catholic Church ceremony in Glenside, PA and their reception back in Philadelphia at Union Trust. The portraits were taken in Olde City Philadelphia around the 2nd Bank of the US. Other vendors from the wedding included our major BFFs Ashley and Abby from Philly Hair and Makeup Co… video by EAV Productions and music by Steve Croce of Silver Sound.

Source: https://hofferphotography.com/2019/01/30/lauren-chris-at-union-trust-philadelphia-pa/

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Tops Picks for Women's History Month Events in Philly

Feb. 28, 2019

Philadelphia has a variety of events both honoring the history of women, and celebrating their bright future. 

Below are our top picks for events to celebrate Women's History Month, courtesy of Uwishunu: 

1. International Womxn's Day at Asian Arts Initiative 

Taking place on Friday, march 8th from 6-11pm, this inclusive international women's day includes a reception with food from LALO Philly, Tarot readings creative writing activities, a queer dance social and more. Tickets for the event are $15-20- check it out! 

2. The Future is Female: A Dance Party at Ruba Club

Did someone say dance party? Happening Saturday March 9th at the Rhuba Club and starting at 10pm, jump into daylight savings by getting your groove on until the early hours of the morning- all with the help of an all female lineup helping to the keep the beats rockin'. With just a $13 cover, what's not to love? 

3. The Women’s Film Festival in Philadelphia

A 9 day festival that starts on Thursday, March 14th, the Women's Film Festival sets to show films made by women about women. The festival opens with the documentary "This Changes Everything", which examines the systemic gender bias and discrimination against women within the entertainment industry and outside of it. Happening at multiple locations across the city, visit thewomensfestival.org for more info. 

4. They Persisted: Three Centuries of Philadelphia's Courageous Women in Historic Philadelphia

Learn interesting and some surprising facts on Friday, March 22nd, starting at the Betsy Ross House, before taking a tour of the city's Historic District as you learn about some of the Philadelphia women who made history. 

5. Women in STEM Day at The Franklin Institute

Join the Franklin Institute on Saturday, March 23rd between 10-3 for interactive activities, talks and demonstrations that showcase female scientists and the potential opportunities for girls and women interested in a career in a STEM field. 

Source: https://www.phillyliving.com/blog/tops-picks-womens-history-month-events-philly/

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Doug Pederson on the Eagles’ quarterback situation, preparing for the Bears, and more

Head coach Doug Pederson is fresh off a big win, and a little luck, and the Eagles are now playoff bound. The players, staff, and front office have been celebrating ever since they learned their fate, and are back on their underdog business as they prepare to face the team that ultimately pushed them into the postseason.

Pederson spoke to the media on Victory Monday and named Nick Foles the starting quarterback against the Bears. He also talked about preparing for the Bears and a little bit about the Andy Reid coaching tree.

Here’s what the head coach had to say:

Quarterback situation

Nick Foles will be the starting quarterback for the Eagles on Sunday against the Bears, and Pederson said that Foles is feeling good. The team is doing a walk-thru on Wednesday, and they’ll have to evaluate whether they have to regulate him and his bruised ribs throughout the week.

He’s talked about his practice schedule a lot over the past few weeks and gives the guys a little more rest, especially this time of the season. Pederson noted that by taking mental reps during the walk-thru, the players who are trying to heal can still participate, versus live reps.

Pederson was then asked about Carson Wentz, and the head coach said that he doesn’t have any additional updates on the quarterback at this time. Later on he said that they weren’t expecting him to practice this week.

He also would only say that Foles is the quarterback for this week, and wouldn’t talk hypotheticals about who would start if they keep winning. Pederson said they would wait to see if they win and the re-evaluate next Monday.

When asked if all those things mean that Nate Sudfeld was the No. 2 QB for Sunday, Pederson said “as of right now”. The head coach also said he anticipates the same type of reps for both Sudfeld and Foles this week.

On preparing for the Bears

Pederson talked about a lot of lessons that they can take from their tough road game against the Rams a couple weeks ago, and apply them to Sunday’s matchup. He noted that going into a hostile environment to face a team that is good in all three phases will be a challenge.

He also noted that Chicago’s defense has really staked a claim, is creating turnovers and are really getting after the quarterback. But having to go into L.A. to face the Rams defense was a good learning experience.

Pederson was asked if they could draw from last season’s playoff run, and the head coach said there are certainly some similarities, but also some differences. The biggest difference he noted was that they have to go on the road for their first postseason game. He went on to say that having guys who have been through it, and who understand the urgency of the must-win situation, can definitely help.

Later on he noted that it’s helpful as they prepare for the game, that they know Chicago’s coaching staff, especially as a team the Eagles don’t play often. Pederson said that they did play them last year, and defensively it’s similar, and that they are familiar with Matt Nagy from their game against the Chiefs last season too.

On the Andy Reid coaching tree

Pederson said that Reid instills in his assistants that they need to have a drive in order to succeed and have a work ethic that leads to success. He went on to say that players and coaches need to spend time studying their opponents and one of the things Reid does well is to prepare his assistant’s to teach.

Injury Updates

Pederson said both Sidney Jones and Mike Wallace have a chance to play on Sunday, and that Wallace will probably continue individual drills this week and Jones is a little more day-to-day, but there’s hope — although it’s a long shot.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2018/12/31/18162927/philadelphia-eagles-doug-pederson-nick-foles-will-start-bears-updates-quotes-head-coach-news-updates

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A Main Line Brokerage Thrives for 40 Years by Going It Alone

Real Estate Biz

Every good real estate agent should know their community. By remaining independent, John Duffy says his real estate firm can go that one better: It's part of its community.

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John Duffy, founder and CEO of Duffy Real Estate, Inc. | Photos: Sandy Smith

The real estate industry these days is dominated by the large franchise operators who give individual agencies extra marketing muscle and the promise of greater reach.

That going-broad approach is one way to stay in business. But you can also do it by going deep as well. That deep familiarity with the communities where they operate keeps a number of brokerages here and elsewhere independent. Some, like Elfant Wissahickon in Northwest Philadelphia, dominate their territories the way the franchises dominate the larger environment.

Then there’s going real deep by becoming part of the community. That’s how John Duffy has managed to keep Duffy Real Estate in Narberth a going concern for 40 years now.

From Mom-and-Pop shop to 35-plus agents

Duffy started his firm in 1978 with just two people: himself and his wife. “My wife did the advertising then, and she still does the advertising now,” he says.

But now the firm consists of some 35 agents plus support staff operating out of two offices. And they all work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and old-fashioned loyalty.

“It’s my agents that make my company,” he says. “As proud as I am of my company, I’m more proud of my agents. They’re dedicated, they’re educated, they’re concerned about their clients, and they’re loyal to me. And I’m loyal to them. I’m fortunate to have my family in the business. But I’m even more fortunate to have my adopted family.”

Duffy exaggerates only slightly by using that term. “The first agent I hired was a neighbor who’s friends with my mom,” he says, “and she was with me for 32 years. And I have an agent now who’s been with me for 35 years. It’s like a big family.”

“Real estate is a community business”

It’s only fitting, then, that the firm was founded and remains based in Narberth, the Main Line borough that’s known for its family-friendly environment and strong community spirit. Duffy says that staying independent enables him to remain a vital part of that community.

“The reason I haven’t sold out or merged is because I like the community aspect of [the business],” he continues. “We give back to the community. The community’s loyal to us and we’re loyal back to them as far as supporting the library and theater groups and sports teams.

“I think it’s important. Real estate is so much a community business and a neighborhood business that you want to make sure that you’re local. A lot of the agents for the larger firms started out with a smaller firm that was bought out by the larger companies. So they still have some neighborhood ties, but the company itself doesn’t give back the way their previous company did, nor the way we give it back. I’m not degrading other companies by any means, but they’re just too big to be involved.”

Duffy Real Estate’s main office on Haverford Avenue in downtown Narberth. The firm also has an office in St. Davids.

Technology expands horizons…

The real estate business operates much differently now than it did in 1978, Duffy notes. One of the biggest differences is the result of technological change that makes it possible for both agencies and their customers to expand their field of vision.

“We opened that second office [in St. Davids] 25 years ago,” he says. “You had to have a presence there starting out, because if you weren’t in town, you couldn’t get a listing” from a seller there, he says. “We incorporated so we could go beyond Narberth or Bryn Mawr. Now with the Internet and the multiple listing service, we can basically go anywhere in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

…and gives buyers more power…

The Internet also makes it possible for buyers to drive the sales process more than they used to thanks to the search engines. In the old days, if you were looking for a house in some other community, your first stop would be to a local agent with access to the local multiple listing service.

“We used to have an MLS book every two weeks,” Duffy says. “And you were forbidden to give that out to anyone. That was our secret information. Then they gave it out to the Internet search engines.”

The move gave buyers more knowledge and thus more power in the search. But it hasn’t made agents unnecessary. In fact, Duffy says, the rise of the Internet has made cooperation between agents more important.

“If you have your home listed for sale,” he says, “the odds are an agent from another agency will be selling your house. Today, we’re marketing as much to other agents as we are to buyers.”

…but contracts quality of service

While that has made life better for the buyer, Duffy says that it’s also made things a little worse in that agents who represent buyers may not provide the level of service those buyers need. “They’re not as involved as they should be in monitoring what their buyers are looking for,” he says. “They should be doing more searching, and they certainly have more access to information than a potential buyer does.”

He also thinks that the rise of the large franchise operations means that the agents don’t get the guidance and backup they need either. “The larger these companies are, the less control they have” over the agents, he says. “The broker involvement is down, and the broker-owner involvement is very, very rare.

“I think it’s so important that if a buyer or a seller or one of my agents has a problem, they have the broker there” to help solve it, he says. And that’s another advantage to independence and local ownership: “If you have a real problem, you can go to the owner of our company. I don’t think Warren Buffett’s going to listen to your problem.”

His doubts about the benefits of search-driven transactions notwithstanding, Duffy has been no slouch in embracing new technology. Duffy Real Estate was an early adopter of virtual tours, and the company now offers clients the option of having virtual reality tours using 3-D helmets as well. In fact, he opines, “virtual tours are a thing of the past now.  For the buyers looking, [they were] too slow. Now they want everything right now. You load them up with 36 pictures and off they go.”

Sticklers for honest dealing

He also takes pride in the high standards his agents follow. “I get compliments all the time about my agents,” he says. “Many times, [other agents] will say, ‘I would rather do a transaction with one of your agents than somebody in my own office because I know that it’s going to be successful.”

Duffy’s children are waiting in the wings to carry on the family business, he says. “And they’re much more well-versed than I was when I was 30 years old.”

When Duffy started out in the business, there were many more well-known independent agencies than there are now. He rattled off some of the names that have been swallowed up by the giants: “Phil Fox sold out from Fox & Lazo. You had Charlie and Bob Roach, Emlen and Wheeler.”

Some advice for would-be independent brokers

Yet he didn’t think there was no room for someone with the right stuff to start their own independent brokerage even now. Here’s the advice he had for anyone considering taking that route: “Your reputation is first and foremost. We tell new agents coming in that it’s going to be a year and a half to two years before you can get up and running starting your own business. In most cases, they have to have at least three years’ experience so they will […] have a good reputation for honesty and ethical behavior.

“You will want to remain cooperative with the other offices and agents. You don’t want to get a reputation as somebody hiding or pocketing their listings or not treating the other agents fairly.

“All you have in this business is your name. And it’s important that you build that name all the way up.”

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/property/2018/10/24/duffy-real-estate-john-duffy-profile/

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Minnesota home explosion injures 1, displaces nearly a dozen residents

ST. PAUL, Minn. --

Authorities say a gas leak could be to blame for a house explosion that injured at least one person in St. Paul, but the investigation into the blast continues.

The explosion happened about 8:30 a.m. local time Friday, sending flames and debris into the air. One person was pulled from the wreckage. Deputy St. Paul Fire Chief Dave Berger said the man in his 60s was conscious when he was taken to a local hospital, but his condition was unknown. A dog and a cat were also rescued from nearby homes.

The owner of a nearby business was taken to the hospital as a precaution for displaying symptoms of shock, Berger said, though that man was not injured by the blast itself.

Following the explosion, debris was strewn about the intersection. Two neighboring houses and three storefronts were condemned by the city, displacing nearly a dozen people. Structural engineers are still assessing the condition of several other nearby buildings. Gas and electricity were turned off to the entire block.

Xcel Energy released the following statement in the aftermath of the explosion: "Our thoughts are with the residents affected by this incident. We are working with fire officials and emergency responders on the scene, and our emergency responders have completed safety checks of the area to confirm it is safe. We will coordinate with fire officials on the investigation into the cause of the incident. Protecting the safety of the public and of our employees is a core value and we take it very seriously."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: https://6abc.com/minn-home-explosion-sends-fireball-into-sky-injures-1/4748934/

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Ernest Owens Named Philadelphia Magazine’s Newest Writer at Large

City

Owens, an award-winning journalist and commentator, was most recently the editor of Philly Mag’s LGBTQ channel.

Ernest Owens has been named Philly Mag’s newest writer at large.

Award-winning journalist Ernest Owens has been named Philadelphia magazine’s newest writer at large, Philly Mag editor Tom McGrath announced on Monday.

Owens, 27, has covered Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community for the past three years as editor of G Philly, Philadelphia’s recently sunsetted LGBTQ channel. His work has been recognized with awards for investigative reporting, distinguished writing, and commentary from the National Association of Black Journalists, the James Aronson Awards for Social Justice Journalism, the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, and the City and Regional Magazine Association.

In 2018, he was a fellow at the Poynter/NABJ Digital Leadership Academy. Owens is the incoming vice president of print for the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and currently serves on the boards of the Pen and Pencil Club and Philadelphia Community Access Media.

Owens is the first LGBTQ writer of color to serve in a senior writing position in the magazine’s history. In addition to highly praised reporting and columns on race, politics, and sexuality in Philly Mag, Owens has also written for CNN, USA Today, NBC News, BET, and Vox. He begins his writer at large role at Philadelphia on January 1st.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2018/12/24/ernest-owens-writer-at-large/

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Corey Clement to Howie Roseman: We don’t need outside help at running back

Getty Images

The Eagles placed Jay Ajayi on injured reserve on Monday due to a torn ACL and it didn’t take long for speculation about trading for a running back to replace him on the roster to start up.

That wouldn’t be out of character for Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman. He traded for Ajayi during the 2017 season, but another member of the backfield said after Thursday’s win that he asked Roseman not to do the same this year.

Running back Corey Clement said that Roseman told him that he and the other backs need to provide a good reason not to look outside the organization.

“This game was definitely a test for us, to see do we need to get somebody,” Clement said, via Philly.com. “I talked to Howie [Roseman] before the game — you have to have confidence in our room … We don’t need to look on the outside, we know what we have on our team … I definitely told him that. He said, ‘Make me believe that we don’t need a back.'”

Clement ran 11 times for 43 yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for 26 yards in the 34-13 win over the Giants. Wendell Smallwood chipped in with 18 carries for 51 yards while Josh Adams only played on special teams. Darren Sproles is also on hand, although he’s been out with a hamstring injury.

Those efforts probably won’t rush Roseman into making a deal, but they also are unlikely to stop him from seeing what’s available. The Eagles will play twice more before the October 30 trade deadline.

Source: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/10/12/corey-clement-to-howie-roseman-we-dont-need-outside-help-at-running-back/