May/June 2013 The Newsletter of The Society Hill Civic Association SOCIETYHILL Reporter www.societyhillcivic.org 35th Annual Society Hill House & Garden Tour ave you ever stifled an urge to sneak After the tour, enjoy dinner at one of four fine Ha peek through the open blinds of area restaurants that offer a 15 percent discount one of Society Hill’s lovely historic homes? exclusively for house tour ticket holders. They Has the sweet scent of magnolia wafting are: Bistro Romano, 120 Lombard Street; Bridget over a garden wall made you long for more? Foy’s, 200 South Street; Positano Coast, 112 Wal nut Street; and Chops Restaurant, 700 Walnut Street. Satisfy your curiosity on Sunday, May 19, when 10 private homes open their doors and Sponsored by the Society Hill Civic Association garden gates to the public for the 35th Annual (SHCA), proceeds are used for neighborhood Open House and Garden Tour from 1 to 5 p.m. improvement and beautification projects. For more tour information, go to our website: Each year, the Tour offers a new selection societyhillcivic.org and click on the link for of exceptional houses and gardens that range Society Hill Open House & Garden Tour. in style and décor from the 18th- and 19th- century periods to the most contemporary. Advance ticket purchases are encouraged. To purchase a ticket, to receive a brochure or Sunday, May 19 Tickets are now on sale for this enjoyable, to get more information, please contact SHCA The Society Hill Open self-guided excursion in one of our nation’s at 215-629-1288, or email [email protected]. House & Garden Tour most important neighborhoods. Imagine Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the benefits SHCA. Join Us! walking on the same brick sidewalks as tour at Old Pine Community Center, 401 Lom bard Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin! Street. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes! FIND YOUR FAVORITES COOKIES BY DESIGN Farmers’ Market 6th Season Kick-Off ood news! Headhouse Farmers’ Market is Gkicking off its 6th season on Sunday, May 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2nd and Lombard Streets. Opening Day brings back your favorite local Sunday, May 5 farmers and producers. In addition, White Autographed copies Dog’s Judy Wicks is signing her new book, of Judy Wick’s book Good Morning, Beautiful Business: will be available at the The Unexpected Journey of an Activist Headhouse Farmers’ Market Opening Day. Entrepreneur and Local Economy Pioneer. SHCA Board member George Kelley welcomes WEDNESDAY MARK YOUR CALENDAR Cookies by Design and Café Express to our neighborhood at the recent grand opening in May Society Hill Civic Association Meetings the Society Hill Towers shopping plaza. Owner Pennsylvania Hospital, 8th & Spruce Streets Fran Leone revealed that cookie bouquet arrange- ments, customized for almost any occasion, 6:00 p.m. Board of Directors Meeting are a new gifting genre. Left to right: SHCA’s 15 7:30 p.m. General Membership Meeting Martha Levine, Jay Hummel, Rosemary Malnuis, Check weekly SHCA email blasts for speaker and topic. SHCA’s George Kelley and owner Fran Leone. PAGE 2 SOCIETYHILL Reporter SOCIETYHILL Reporter Managing Editor Press Release Liaison Sandra Rothman c/o Matt DeJulio Columnists [email protected] Marilyn Appel Advertising Manager Jane Biberman Lenore Hardy Matt DeJulio [email protected] Martha Levine Submission Deadlines Jim Murphy Keri White July/August Issue Advertising: June 1 Contributors Editorial: June 3 Chuck Groshong Bonnie Halda Society Hill Danielle Keperling Civic Association Laurel Landau P. O. Box 63503 ww design group, llc Rosanne Loesch Philadelphia, PA 19147 Graphic Design tel: 215-629-1288 Judy Lamirand Website [email protected] Find past issues of the design / build / maintain Reporter with color photos view our 2013 portfolio at at www.societyhillcivic.org. mwdesigngroupllc.com Submissions 267.872.8814 We want to hear from you. Our goal is to print news of interest to Society Hillers — happenings in and around our community for residents, businesses and professionals. Direct your editorial submissions and/or queries to Sandra Rothman by phone at 717-715-5791 or email [email protected]. To publicize an event, submit all press releases directly. Materials must be submitted in writing — via mail or email — and must include the name of a contact person. Edited submissions will be considered for publication if the subject matter is community related and if space allows. Otherwise, upcoming events of interest may be listed in the Community Calendar. Letters to the Editor will be considered for publication only if signed and the writer provides contact information. In This Issue… Page 5 Page 18 Back by Popular Demand: Out and About: Washington Square Affair Spring Awakens Page 13 Page 21 Finding Bubba and Zayda Philly Food Lovers: in Unexpected Places Ralic’s on South Page 15 Page 25 This Old House: Can Painting On Our Shelf: Damage Your Home? Kids Hot for History Page 17 Page 34 Exploring the City: Nifty Neighbors: Welcome Park Michael Solomonov MAY / JUNE 2013 PAGE 3 WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 Annual Board of Directors Election he Society Hill Civic Association will Candidates: Northeast Quadrant T conduct its annual election of Board 2014 Lenore Hardy Directors at its May 15 General Membership President 2015 Heather Steiner Meeting. As you may know, each officer is Steven Weixler 2016 Lisa Unger elected for a one-year term and can serve Vice President Northwest Quadrant on the Board for as long as three consecutive Jim Moss 2014 Sissie Lipton years — if or when reelected. Society Hill’s Secretary 2015 Diane Rossheim four quadrant areas are each served by George Dowdall 2016 Amy DeMarco three Board representatives for three-year Southeast Quadrant terms each. Treasurer Marc Feldman 2014 Jane Ahn 2015 Laura Temple This is a working board. We are excited Directors-at-Large 2016 Jeff Berry to nominate these neighbors who have Bob Curley shown an interest in and enthusiasm for George Kelley Southwest Quadrant our historic community and are willing Martha Levine 2014 Francisco Carreno to labor on issues of quality of life and Kim Williams 2015 Marilyn Appel community service. 2016 Daniel Horowitz SHCA Committees ur all-volunteer committees Membership Trees/Tree Tending Oregularly undertake community Seeks to increase membership, Coordinates SHCA tree subsidy initiatives that affect the health both residential and business. program and helps maintain and well-being of our historic Membership income provides flowers around trees and in community. Residents are encour- the primary source of income hanging baskets. for most activities. aged to become a member of Washington Square Affair SHCA and join a committee with Nominating Coordinates the fund-raising goals that match their interests. Reviews the credentials of event in Washington Square Find a Block Coordinator candidates wishing to serve that provides resources for committee Disseminates important on the SHCA board, for improvements to the park. with goals that ultimate election by the information to everyone Washington Square match your general membership at on their block. Has periodic meetings interests, and the May annual meeting. Clean-Up Day with Independence National get involved! Coordinates twice-yearly Police Advisory Council Historical Park Service to see community clean-ups. Maintains a close liaison with that additional attention is paid local law enforcement. to beautification efforts. Fix the Brix Coordinates and supervises Reporter Welcome Basket brick repair subsidy program. Bi-monthly publication hand- Provides a friendly welcome to delivered to every resident. new homeowners in the form of a Graffiti Control Welcomes contributors and large basket of goods and services Keeps historic Franklin Lights editing expertise. donated by local businesses and and other public spaces free institutions. from blight. Safe and Sound Society Hill Deals with crime, pedestrian Zoning and Historic House and Garden Tour safety and quality-of-life-related Preservation Coordinates yearly house issues and seeks to communi- Monitors residential and and garden tour, the major cate our needs to the 6th Police commercial applications SHCA general fundraiser. District. for zoning variances and Legal reports to the Board on Social Events Provides guidance to the board issues that affect the integrity Coordinates social events of our neighborhood. on any and all legal matters. throughout the year. PAGE 4 SOCIETYHILL Reporter SATURDAY, MAY 11 Spring Clean-Up Day aturday morning, May 11, will be your ing your sidewalks on Friday night, May 10. S chance to break out the brooms and help Wherever posted, cars must be moved to the clean up our community. Visitors are coming opposite side of the street after 6 p.m. on Friday to our Open House Tour (see front page), and night, or they could be ticketed on Saturday we want our historic neighborhood to sparkle! morning beginning at 8 a.m. Sweep leaves and winter debris from sidewalks, Please note that to accommodate Saturday walkways and alleyways into the streets before synagogue services, the 300 - 500 blocks the city’s sweeper trucks arrive Saturday of both Spruce and Lombard Streets will be morning between 8 a.m. and noon. Remember swept by 8:30 a.m. — leaving the south side the sidewalks surrounding McCall and St. Peter’s of these streets available for congregants Schools, as well as Three Bears Park. to park their cars. Trash bags will be available — handed out All streets will be swept from Front to 8th by SHCA’s Clean-Up Day volunteers — at the and Walnut to Lombard Streets (not including S. 5th Street SuperFresh, from 8 a.m. until noon. Walnut Street). There will be no parking on either side of the 300 - 400 blocks of Front Street. Your bagged street leaves and litter should be This also applies to the 200 - 300 blocks of left by 1 p.m.