South Square Town Watch: CCRA Newsletter

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Celebration of Center City Living -||- One Step Forward on Notorious Blight -||- Rocky Ride -||- Save the Date

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CCRA News & Events

Don't Read This If You Already Have Purchased Tickets to CCRA's May 15 "School House Rock" Party, 6-80pm, AVA, 1920 Spruce St

For everyone else, what are you waiting for? Celebrate the joys of Center City Living with your friends and neighbors; honor our local Greenfield Elementary School and its Principal, Dan Lazar, our 2017 Lenora Berson Community Service Award winner; and help raise some money for CCRA at our beautiful neighborhood opera house and generous host, the Academy of Vocal Arts.

Complementing our Award winner, this year's theme is "School House Rock," and many of the decorations (e.g., notebooks, pencils, crayons, etc.), and part of the evening's proceeds, will be donated to the Greenfield School. There will be hors d'oeuvres and desserts (courtesy of Di Bruno Bros.), wine pourings (courtesy of Moore Brothers Wine Company), "Little Twelvetoes" sangria cocktail, live band performing classic rock favorites, as well as a silent and live auction (see list of items). Gold Level Sponsors: AT&T and Brandywine Realty Trust. Bronze Level Sponsors: Boyds Philadelphia, Clemens Construction Co., Firstrust Bank, and First Presbyterian Church. Tickets start at $75 per person ($40 for those under 40) and can be purchased online or by calling 215-546-6719.

One Step Forward on Notorious Blight in CCRAville

After a (multiply postponed) hearing where neighbors and former CCRA Exec. Dir. Steve Huntington testified candidly and forthrightly about the blighting impact of 325 S. 18th St. - a/k/a the decrepit hulk glowering down Delancey St. at 18th - on our neighborhood, Common Pleas Court appointed a conservator. Let's cross our fingers that this leads to the restoration of this derelict property to vibrancy. Thanks to Steve and the neighbors for all the time you've spent to relieve us of the worst example of blight in our neighborhood.

Yo! Adrian! Let's Ride! Rocky Ride, June 3, 10 AM at 21st & Shunk

A fun ride to support CCRA and the Bicycle Coalition, following 15 miles of Rocky's training run. Register Here for $35.

Save The Date

Meeting with New District Captain Ritchie

Thursday, May 25, 4pm

Police Headquarters, 401 N. 21st St

Dialogue and Cocktails with PA Rep. Brian Sims

Thursday, June 8, 6:30PM

Baril Restaurant, 267 S. 19th St

Sky High Block Party

Monday, June 19th, 6-8PM

Pyramid Club, 1725 Market St, 52nd Fl.

Neighborhood News & Events

Art Exhibition at the Naudain Street Art Collaborative, Sat, 5/6, 11-7pm, Ageless Gardens, 2503 Naudain St.

The Naudain Street Art Collaborative will hold an exhibition featuring two of its member artists, Emily Squires Levine and Karen Villarreal, as well as guest artist Annie Stone at Ageless Gardens Gallery. Karen Villarreal paints beautiful still lifes, landscapes, and seascapes in oils, watercolors, and pastels. Emily Squires Levine creates unique decorative objects in polymer clay. Annie Stone creates imaginative, colorful collages. This event is free and open to public. Refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact naudainartcollaborative@gmail.com.

Rittenhouse Flower Market, Sat & Sun, 5/6 and 5/7, 9am-2pm, Rittenhouse Square, 18th & Walnut St

The Rittenhouse Flower Market, this year sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, will be held on Saturday May 6 and Sunday May 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Annuals, herbs, vegetables, hanging baskets, succulents, cacti, ferns and begonias will be on sale. For more information, click here.

Astral Artists Presents "The Art Of The Quartet"

Sat, May 6, 7:30pm

Church of the Holy Trinity Ritt. Sq. 1904 Walnut St

Eunice Kim and Kristin Lee, violin; Maurycy Banaszek, viola; Christine Lamprea, cello; Henry Kramer, piano

CCRA Members use promo code "CCRA" to receive a discount. To purchase tickets, click here.

Overbrook Farms House Tour & Tea, Sun 5/7, 1-5pm

Tour starts at the Overbrook Train Station

$25-$30 advance, $35 onsite

Tickets can be purchased online at www.overbrookfarmsclub.org

215-879-4576 for info

Celebrate Gardens and Parks in May

National Public Gardens Day will be celebrated on Friday, May 12, followed by Love Your Park Week, from Saturday, May 13 to Sunday, May 21. The Fairmount Park Conservancy, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society have planned eight days of festivities, events, workshops, and activities all over the city. The Friends of Rittenhouse Square will participate with a park clean-up on Love Your Park Day, Saturday, May 13. Volunteers meet at 9:00 am in Rittenhouse Square to plant flowers, weed, rake leaves, and collect trash until noon. Contact love@friendsofrittenhouse.org or 267-586-5675 to volunteer in Rittenhouse Square. Groups are welcome! http://www.loveyourpark.org

Donate Jewelry to Ten Thousand Villages, 1122 Walnut St

Ten Thousand Villages is collecting jewelry to give as Mothers' Day gifts to women in Laurel House, a safe haven for abused women and children. You will get a coupon for 15% discount on your next purchase. Please bring jewelry donations by May 7.

Society Hill 39th Annual Open House & Garden Tour, Sun, 5/21, 1-5pm

Walk the same streets as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. All the houses' architectural and interior styles range from 18th and 19th century to most contemporary. Get decorating ideas for your home!

To purchase tickets, contact 215-629-1288, or email: mattdejulio@aol.com. For more information, click here. Day of Tour ticket purchase: Old Pine Community Center, 401 Lombard St.

Ticket holders enjoy a 15% discount for dinner after the tour at four area restaurants.

Tickets: $35/ticket in advance; $40 at door; Group rates over five available. Complimentary light refreshments; rest rooms available. Comfortable shoes recommended. Proceeds benefit Society Hill Civic Association.

Useful Links

CCRA Merchant Member Discount Program

Support our local merchants and save money too. These local merchants will provide a discount (described here) to any member who shows a current CCRA membership card and personal identification.

Rim's Dry Cleaners & Tailors,2203 South St. (215-546-1889)

Rittenhouse Hardware, 2001 Pine St. (215-735-6311)

Society Hill Dance Academy, 2nd & Pine (215-574-3754)

Suga Restaurant, 1720 Sansom St. (215-717-8968)

Ursula Hobson Fine Art Framing, 1528 Waverly St (215.546.7889)

Astral Artists - Use promo code "CCRA" to receive a $10 flat rate on all tickets to their concerts.

Baril, 267 S. 19th St (267 687-2608)

Dance Affiliates - Get $10 off Dance Performances with your CCRA Membership. Members use promo code SAVE10.

Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St, (uses separate card, see info here)

Dom's Shoe Repair, 203 S. 20th St (215-972-0098)

Eye Candy Vision, 218 S. 20th St (215-568-3937)

Home Helpers Philly, 1835 S. Broad St., Ste 2 (215-334-2600)