Around Phoenixville

I received the following in an email recently: In the last week, both the President of the United States (through Serve.gov) and the First Lady (at the White House Garden Harvest Party) have strongly encouraged community gardens as providers of fresh produce to neighbors in need and as engines of creating healthier communities. Besides planting her own organic garden at the White House, the First Lady has been advocating, when asked, for the preservation of specific community gardens throughout the United States. With this in mind, the folks at the Community Garden have started a petition that will be sent to Mrs. Obama in the hope that she may be able to step in and help to preserve the garden. If you're interested, here is what you need to do: Download the petition here Fill in the blanks and save the pdf as your_name .pdf Email it to Dorene at alliums@yahoo.com Please return the letter by July 21st. Some notes from the email: For maximum impact, each person in a family should f...

Twin Bays Cafe has recently been replaced by Becca's Restaurant . From their website: Becca’s is open beginning June 3rd for dinners Wednesday through Saturday starting at 5:30pm; for lunch on Saturday from 11:30am until 2:00pm; and for brunch on Sunday from 10:00am until 2:00pm. Becca's is located at 19 South Whitehorse Rd, Phoenixville, PA 19460. Thanks to forum members wealthfinder and kris10cap for the info!

What's the 422? has a good recap of this week's 422 Plan Open Houses. From their report: A preliminary plan from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission calls for extending SEPTA’s R6 regional train through this region, as well as improving the highway’s driveability. ... R6 extension Based on feedback from a pair of public meetings in February, public support for availing passenger rail service beyond Norristown was positive, said Jerry Coyne, manager of transportation studies for DVRPC. The current price tag is $500 million, according to figures presented Wednesday.

Those of you who may be looking for day trip ideas need look no further than the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire which is hosting events throughout the summer. Celtic Fling & Highland Games: June 26 & 27, 11 am - 10 pm Celtic Fling Friday Night concert: June 26 Backyard BBQ Bash: July 3 Backyard BBQ Bash: July 10 Backyard BBQ Bash: July 17 Backyard BBQ Bash: July 24 Easter Seals Summer in Paradise Benefit Concert: Saturday, July 18 Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire: Weekends + Labor Day Monday - August 6 - October 25, 11 am to 8 pm Friday Knights at the Improv: Fridays at 7 pm, August 14-September 11 View more details about each event Those of you who may be looking for day trip ideas need look no further than the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire which is hosting events throughout the summer. Celtic Fling & Highland Games: June 26 & 27, 11 am – 10 pm For one weekend in late June each year, Lancaster County’s Amish Country becomes the Celtic Capital of the United States as 1...

From the Borough website : ALERT!! Due to a recent water main break, the Borough Water Department is repairing a main water line TONIGHT June 25, 2009. Borough of Phoenixville water customers may experience extended periods of no water, or low pressure between the times of 9:00 PM and 4:00 AM. We apologize for any inconvenience during this time but the repair is essential to providing quality water service.

On Saturday, June 27th, Kimberton Waldorf School is hosting a benefit concert for their Middle School Atrium Restoration Fund. The concert begins at 7pm and features headliners The Llama Dalis . Tickets are $10 per person or $35 for the entire family. The Kimberton Waldorf School is located at 410 West Seven Stars Road, Phoenixville, PA. Click here for more information on the Atrium Restoration Fund .

On Thursday, June 25th, the Fenix will be hosting "Wines from Spain", hosted by Hudson Austin from Wine Merchant, Inc. The tasting starts at 7pm and features five Spanish wines and a selection of Tapas from The Fenix menu. Cost is $20 per person.

Several commentors in a previous post have mentioned the possible closing of 101 Bridge . Does anyone have any official info? Update 6/25/09: The 101 website indicates that it will be rebranded as a Baxter's .

On Saturday, June 20th, Phoenixillve's north side will play host to the Phoenixville Criterium bike race. The race features categories for everyone from beginning racers to seasoned professionals. Racing begins at 8 in the morning and runs until 4 in the afternoon, with the professional race set to take place promptly at 1. The race will also feature a free race for children between the ages of 2 and 10 at noon. Children must wear helmets. The race takes place in front of Franklin Commons on Franklin Ave, Fillmore Ave, South St. and Grant St. Please note that on June 20 these roads will be closed from 7 am to 5pm. The race was organized by Phoenixville High School junior Charles Hanlon. Click here to read more about the race .

On Sunday evenings from June 14th through July 19th, Reeves Park Bandshell will be hosting Church in the Park , "an outdoor, casual series of church services." Each week, starting at 6pm, Church in the Park will feature passionate music (from a live band), bible teaching, and an open forum for audience members to interact with the speaker. Church in the Park also offers free refreshments and a craft table for children. All are invited to attend! For more information, please visit www.thechurchinthepark.org .

The next Movie Night at Phoenixville Public Library is Thursday, July 9 at 7:00 PM. “Duel” (1971, rated PG, running time 90 min.) will be shown. Dennis Weaver stars in Steven Spielberg’s first notable film, a truly scary made-for-TV exercise in paranoia. A traveling businessman is menaced on the highway by a huge diesel truck. Although he can never see the psychopathic truck driver, he soon realizes that this guy is out to kill him. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Those who stay for an informal discussion following the screening may suggest a forthcoming movie. For more information, call 610-933-3013, Ext. 32. Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Avenue in Phoenixville.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) , in conjunction with PennDOT , SEPTA , and Montgomery, Chester, and Berks counties, is hosting two open houses to present findings of the US 422 Corridor Master Plan. This is an opportunity for the public to comment on preliminary recommendations, including smart growth initiatives and land use strategies; highway and transit improvements, including the R6 Extension; and an implementation plan. "Stations" with maps and renderings will be on display, and staff will be available to answer questions. For more information about the Master Plan visit www.422corridor.com . WHO: DVRPC, McCormick Taylor, PennDOT, SEPTA, the counties, and others Representatives from the US Route 422 Corridor Coalition Residents, community groups, stakeholders and local businesses WHEN & WHERE: Two open houses with identical agendas will be held between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. on the following dates and locations. An hour-long presentati...

Poetry readers are invited to join the new Poetry Book group to discuss Rainer Maria Rilke’s collection Book of Hours on Thursday, June 18th at 7 PM. The group will continue to meet the third Thursday of the month and is free, open to the public, and welcoming of all levels of poetry readers, from the novice to the expert as well as the "just curious". Wolfgang Books is located on the second floor at 237 Bridge Street in Phoenixville and on the web at http://www.wolfgangbooks.com/ .

Phoenixville’s Fourth of July celebration will feature a new race component with the addition of the Philadelphia Area Idiotarod. The Idiotarod is a take off on the 1,000 mile Iditarod dog sled race. The Idiotarod features shopping carts sometimes modified for the team. Four “idiot” team members are tied to the cart, run along side of the cart and a “musher” guides the cart from the back. The race will have no course. There will be a number of stations located through the south side where the teams will be required to check-in. There will be special judges located in the race area who may disqualify teams that do not maintain continual shopping cart connection throughout the race. The team that completes the course in the best time without being disqualified or missing a station is the winner. The original race was run in San Francisco in 1994 and races are run in New York, Phoenix, Seattle and Toronto. Read More! Phoenixville’s Fourth of July celebration will feature a new race ...

Received this from reader Victor: Join state Rep. Paul Drucker at his Green Energy Fair I will host a Green Energy Fair from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 18 at Franklin Commons Building, 400 Franklin Ave. in Phoenixville. Come out to learn about "green" building, how to reduce your energy costs and much more! Participants will include The Sierra Club, ESS Energy Products, Philadelphia Lighting Maintenance, Alternative Energy Inc., Green and Save, Prudential Realtors, Earth Rising Homes, Solardelphia, Earthmart, Yum & Bum Organic Baby Products, and many more! Please contact me with questions about my Green Energy Fair, or any state related matter.

Starting July 26th, board game fans will get to take on new opponents at the Phoenixville Public Library . It will be fun and games for adults at Phoenixville Public Library this summer. Adults 18 and over are invited to our free Open Gaming Nights on Thursdays July 16, July 23, August 20, and August 27 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. You can choose from our selection of board games or bring your own, and you can try out our new Wii gaming system. Bring a friend or make some new ones. Light snacks will be served. For more information, contact Mark Pinto at 610-933-3013 x32 or mpinto@ccls.org . Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Avenue in Phoenixville, PA.

Altair Cohousing, in conjunction with local nurses in the Phoenixville–Kimberton area of Chester County, presents a forum to explore community initiatives where elders and others dependent on care can live a meaningful life. Public Lecture: 8pm, Friday, July 10th "Exploring New Forms of Living in Old Age – A Cultural Task for our Community" - with Armgard Brunotte and Petra Wandelt from southern Germany. The phrase "a home for the meaningful ordering of life in old age" is not only a beautiful one, but it also presents a great challenge: to find meaning – and also hope. Armgard and Petra will introduce the current state of elder living and the cultural challenge it presents to our community. They will describe an assisted living community which they founded several years ago near Bodensee , Germany , for elder- and hospice-care using an innovative and successful financial model. This lecture is open to the public. Donations are welcome. Workshop: 8:30 am – 5 pm, ...

Word on the street (thanks Laura) is that the former Tyler James/Jesters location is now 'Bistro on Bridge'. The food is described as a mixture of Mediterranean and Italian although it reportedly leans more towards pub fare. Laura also tells me that the nightclub on the second floor will reopen on Friday night as Club 212. If anyone has stopped in, please let us know what you think.

The Summer Street Music Festival kicks off on Friday night along with the rest of the First Friday festivities. This year, the music festival will not only bring live music to the downtown area on Friday nights but also on Saturday afternoons. As in past years, music will start at 6pm on Friday nights with the main act taking the stage at 7:30. On Saturday's, the music will start at 2pm. For a list of performers, visit mainstreetphoenixville.org .

Steel City Coffee House will once again be presenting a Blob Ball, held immediately following the running out reenactment at the Colonial Theatre. The ball is on July 10th and starts at 9pm. Join us at Molly Maguires for the 2nd Annual Blob Ball, featuring the Rivers Rockabilly Trio. This event is the kick off party to the popular BlobFest Weekend at the Colonial Theatre. Dress up in your 50's best, join the running out reenactment at the Colonial Theatre and then run on over to Molly Maguires 3rd floor for an unforgetable 50's style party. Prizes will be awarded for best 50's outfit (male and female), best scary movie costume, best celebrity impersonator, and best dancers. Molly's will provide a thematic menu of delicious drinks. So put on your poodle skirts and saddle shoes (ladies) and get out your bowling shirt and penny loafers (gentleman)and celebrate all things 1950's with us. Tickets are available online at Steel City Coffee House , or in person at Steel ...

Steel City Coffee House announces that every First Friday (except June 12th) they will be offering $5 sandwiches from 5 PM- 9 PM. Any sandwich offered on the menu (ranging from $6.25-$8.95) will be only $5 during that time. Steel City also offers a childrens menu ranging from $2.99-$4.99. In addition, they will be offering a free concert on Friday, June 19th, featuring Ursa Major at 9:00 PM. Bring your family and enjoy a night out without damaging your wallet.

The BAYOU and the BBQ II Kimberton’s Station Bistro Stages Another Authentic Crawfish Boil on June 14, 2009 Craig and Nancy Miller know a good thing when they see it. 450 pounds of crawfish and scores of happy customers later, May 17th's Crawfish Boil at The Station Bistro was a lot of fun and a spicy success. So, while good crawfish are still available in season, the Millers are doing it again! Cajun in Kimberton! This time around, diners will have a choice of getting All-You-Can-Eat crawfish, savory jambalaya, cool, creamy coleslaw and a beverage for $33.95; OR a full helping of the Station Bistro's famous, smoked-on-site baby-back ribs, french fries, coleslaw, and a beverage for $27.95. There will be some Victory and Yuengling beers for tasting, but since the Station Bistro is a BYOB, Craig Miller suggests diners also bring a few good beers to pair with his down-home Cajun feast; ones that definitely can stand up to the bold flavors you'll taste.” Miller and wife Nancy h...

Activate Phoenixville Area is once again offering 'Pay-as-you-go' tai chi classes at Reeves Clark. Classes are $5 per person per class and are presented by White Eagle Martial Arts. THREE sessions to choose from: Saturdays (May 23 - July 25) 9:00-10:00 AM - Beginner or 10:00-11:00am - Intermediate or Wednesdays 6:00-7:00pm (May 20 - July 22) * new students will be accepted through the third class Location: Reeves Park - 2nd Ave. side between the baseball field & the bandshell. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes. Rain location:St. John's UCC - 315 Gay Street