Spruce Hill Community Association Summer 2009 257 S. 45th St., Phila. PA 19104 www.sprucehillca.org 215-349-7825 Community Calendar Exhibit on Historic West Philly A very special exhibition titled and growth. Arts League Gallery This project, which includes web What : Steven Martin paintings “West Philadelphia: Building a Com- munity” is on display at the Arthur and video pieces, is co-sponsored by When: July 10- Aug. 9 the Arthur Ross Gallery, the Historical Where : 4226 Spruce Street Ross Gallery of the University of Society of Pennsylvania, and the Uni- Info: 215-382-7811 or Pennsylvania. www.ucartsleague.org The exhibit documents the versity of Pennsylvania’s archives and ooo neighborhood’s 19th-century architec- records center. Philly Orchestra Tickets tural and urban development while After the grand opening on July 7, What: Free Philadelphia Orchestra also highlighting today’s dynamic, a series of free public lectures will be tickets multicultural community. offered in September and October. A When: All concerts are at 8 pm. July The earliest works in the exhibition free Family Day will be held on Sept. 21, Hollywood Classics; July 23, include watercolors by self-taught 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with events Scheherazade and Other Tales; July for children. 24, All Gershwin; July 28, Verdi and Scottish immigrant, David J. Kennedy. He depicts West Philadelphia houses, What: Exhibit, “West Philadelphia: Rachmaninoff; July 29, Tchaikovsky Building a Community” with Fireworks; July 30, Herbie Han- institutions, and streets between When: July 7 – Oct. 11 cock and Lang Lang 1836-1898. His paintings are comple- Where: The Mann Center, 5201 Park- mented by city land maps, early pho- Where: Arthur Ross Gallery, 220 S. side Avenue tographs, and post cards that show 34th St. How: Send a self-addressed stamped the neighborhood’s rapid expansion Info: www.upenn.edu/ARG or 215- envelope to SHCA/Orchestra Tickets, 898-2083 257 S. 45th St. Philadelphia PA, 19104. Max of 2 tickets per concert. Info: www.philaorch.org (Or to buy extra tickets) ooo Cathedral Concerts What: Organ Concerts When : Each Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. from July 8-Aug. 12 Where : Philadelphia Episcopal Cathe- dral, 3723 Chestnut St. Info: 215-386-0234 or www.philadelphiacathedral.org ooo Paul Newman Movies What: Newman classics: Cat on a David J. Kennedy’s 1874 sketch of the cornerof Market St. and Darby Rd. Hot Tin Roof, Aug. 5; The Hustler, TreeVitalize Your Street Aug. 12; Hud, Aug. 19, The Sting, Aug. 26 In University City, West and Southwest Philadelphia, property owners may When : All screen- request new street, yard or public space trees provided by TreeVitalize. ings at 8 p.m. There is no charge, and the trees will be planted by community volunteers Where : Interna- organized by UC Green as early as Spring, 2010. tional House, 3701 Go to www.ucgreen.org and complete and submit the Property Owner’s Chestnut St. Request for a New Street Tree. You can also call (215) 573-4684 or email Info : 215-895-6546 or [email protected] to get a copy of the request form mailed to you. www.ihousephilly.org 73701 May Fair: Good Weather, Bad Financial Times Weather data have been kept A disappointment for this year’s department issued in January 2009. since 1869, and according to the folks fair had to do with what someone tact- The problem, of course, was that we who currently collect that information, fully described as a “new paradigm” didn’t know about them until too late. the first quarter of this year was the for food service. Too late, we learned We learned a lesson for the future. driest ever. They said we had an from city health officials that the days Thanks to everyone who made the enormous 19-inch rainfall deficit. of selling home-baked goods at a May Fair a success. Although we cer- That was hard to believe in the community fundraising event is a tainly didn’t raise as much money as days leading up to our 51 st Spruce Hill thing of the past; only commercially we hoped for -- the poor economy and Community baked goods can be sold. We had to the uncertainty it portends has hurt Association give away rather than sell the goodies fundraising of just about every non- May Fair. A that were graciously and generously profit entity – we have high hopes for regular mon- baked by our members -- and the the future. soon de- city’s Department of Public Health Enjoy a happy and healthy sum- scended on us, didn’t even like that idea. We were mer! with torrential President’s Corner also informed about “sneeze bars” Ed Halligan rains falling and various bureaucratic hoops that SHCA President every day for a week before the fair – made some of our food vendors back and rain predicted for the fair day. away. All these regulations are in a We took a gamble that we would 149-page publication that the health luck out and somehow, miraculously, we did. On Saturday, May 9 th , the sun was shining. People were able to get outdoors without getting soaked, to meet neighbors, hear live music and have a good time. The pollen count was high and a few sneezes were heard, but it was great to look over at the vendor tables, the book sale, and the association’s table where we of- fered free memberships for the bal- ance of this year. We hope that neighbors who accepted the member- ships will join us as dues-paying members next year. But I suspect the people who had the most fun at this year’s fair were the kids. Despite the economic down- turn, we decided to go all out for the youngsters. In addition to the usual games and face-painting, we brought back our friends from the Spiral Q Puppet Theatre, and our neighbor- hood juggler. The kids had a terrific time. $50-$99 Conrad and Lois Hamerman Thanks to May Fair Supporters: Michele Richman Leo Korein & Ann Ritter Up to $50 George & Phebe Shinn Fay and Gary Beauchamp Local 44 Robert & Dorothy Larson Hsuan and Pauline Yeh Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell Joseph and Vanessa Lowry Janet Finin Garden Court Plaza Linda and David Blythe Jackie McCrea, Brian Yachyshen Fran Byers Molly Sayvetz & Nick Sanders Linda Cook and Dylan Gusztav and Reiko Gaspar Heiner and Gisela Moehren Melvyn Freid Mr. & Mrs. Joseph S. Moloznik Dean and Nancy Khan Urban & Bye Realtor, attn. Arthur Stephen & Alyson Herman Elaine Nelson Ruth B. Mellman Bye Rose and Ed Halligan Patricia Pickup Page 2 Continued on page 4 Spotlight On… Demetri’s Pizzeria & Mediterranean Cuisine As I write this, I’m salivating. It’s porter Melissa Dribben recounted in Retirement? Fuhgeddabowdit. The Pavlovian. I’m thinking about the new her June 28 story in The Philadelphia restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch restaurant at 45 th and Chestnut. Inquirer, we wondered whether the and dinner, seven days a week, with Imagine chicken with artichokes dismal economy had taken a bite out take-out and delivery. (The menu has and capers in a white wine sauce over Demetri’s plans. (Full disclosure: I’m been pared down, however, from the angel hair pasta. Roasted lamb with an Inquirer reporter, but the story original 10 pages to six.) potatoes and a vegetable medley. wasn’t my doing.) Despite long hours, Demetri is Mussels, shrimp and scallops woven Anyway, good things are worth managing to spend a lot of time with with spinach over rice. waiting for. The grand opening was at his family: Michail is in the kitchen, Demetri's Pizzeria & Mediterra- the end of May. I, for one, have been while Michael’s wife Jasmine man- nean Cuisine also has the requisite cooking less ever since. ages the dining room staff. I haven’t cheesesteaks and pizzas, but this is Demetri, a former butcher, moved yet met Demetri’s wife, but I can not just another University City greasy to the U.S. from his native Greece in vouch for her homemade Greek de- spoon catering to the indiscriminate 1988. Over the past 25 years, he has serts, especially the baklava. taste buds of college kids. run seven pizzerias in the Philly area. By the way, Demetri actually spells We’re talking white tablecloths, Those, he told me, were “small pota- his name the conventional way — beige suede banquettes, wainscoting toes” compared to the new place. Dimitri. As Melissa’s story explained, and hardwood floors. And yet the He retired from the pizza biz in the city has so many places named prices are a bargain (entrees $11 to 2004, planning to relax with his family, Dimitri’s, he couldn’t get a business $18), especially considering the por- including two grandkids, at home in license until he came up with a unique tions are so huge you’ll leave with a Upper Darby. But Demetri is a can’t- sobriquet. doggy-bagged meal for the next day. sit-still type who needs little sleep. The restaurant’s official name also The building, which used to be a block-long disgrace, sat vacant for almost two years before Demetri bought it. He and his son Michail spent a year gutting it and transform- ing the prison-like gray exterior with white stucco, big windows, and bright blue awnings. Living a block away, I cheered them on. So did my neighbors. However, when the opening date kept getting pushed back – New Year’s became March which dragged on to Easter, then Mother’s Day – the cheering squad got worried.