It’s Back and Better: EAST PASSYUNK HOSTS NEW FLAVORS STREET FESTIVAL “Flavors on the Avenue” 2017

EAST PASSYUNK HOSTS NEW FLAVORS STREET FESTIVAL WITH 27 AWARD-WINNING RESTAURANTS, LIVE MUSIC, SIDEWALK SALES AND FREE FAMILY FUN

Philadelphia, PA – East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District presents Flavors on the Avenue: A Street Festival on Sunday, April 30, 2017, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. The brand-new street festival will feature five blocks of street food, seasonal sips, craft beer, live music, sidewalk sales and free family fun on five blocks – from Broad to Dickinson streets.  Twenty-seven award-winning restaurants and bars will bring their signature cuisine outside under the blue skies.  Craft beer and wine will pour from the festival beer tent – and select restaurants will also offer seasonal cocktails, beer and wines for the crowds.

East Passyunk Flavors on the Avenue is free to attend and open to all ages. Food will be specially priced between $3.00 and $6.00 (average) and be pay-as-you-go from individual restaurants. Craft beer at the EPABID tent will be $5.00 each, and wine will be $7.00 a glass.

For those seeking a more exclusive – and an even tastier experience – a limited number of VIP ticket books are available to benefit EPABID’s programs and services. Each book is $50 and includes a ticket for food at all 27 restaurants, plus two drinks from the beer tent, and complimentary valet parking. For more information and VIP tickets, visit: http://www.visiteastpassyunk.com

“Flavors is East Passyunk and Philadelphia’s premiere food festival, showcasing the talents of the best chefs and restaurants in the city,” said Executive Director Pam Zenzola. “This year, we are expanding the event. Come for the food and drink, then stay for the day – we have it all with food, drink, sidewalk seating, shopping, family activities and entertainment.”

East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia’s restaurant row, will feature something for every taste and palate – with sweet to savory, casual to fine dining, American to International. A record-setting 27 restaurants will offer signature dishes, off-menu specials and twists on street food.  Participating restaurants and eateries, along with their menus, are as follows:

Bing Bing Dim Sum: Pork Buns, Corn Rangoon
Birra: Pizza slices, plain and pepperoni
Brigantessa: Chorizo Cotto with whipped ricotta and peas
Cantina los Caballitos: Tacos al Pastor, Elote, Classic and Cucumber Margaritas
Chhaya: Fried chicken and waffles, Iced coffee
El Sarape: Tacos al Pastor, Pina Coladas
Fond: Salmon Tartare with sesame, nori and avocado
Izumi: Pork Gyoza
Laurel: Chocolate egg cream pudding pops
Le Virtu: Octopus and chick pea salad
Mamma Maria: Cheese ravioli
Marra’s: Mozzarella pizza
Noir: Arancini balls, watermelon salad
Noord: Bitterballen (Dutch meatballs with nutmeg and mustard)
Paradiso: Arancini Di Riso
Perla: Pork Belly, Adobo with garlic rice
Plenty Cafe: Choripan (Traditional South African sandwich with chorizo, chimichurri, and pickled red onion on a baguette)
POPE: Zucchini feta fritters, Cashew teriyaki
P’unk Burger: Pulled Portobello sandwiches, Caprese pesto burgers
Sate Kampar: Achat (carrots, cucumber, peanuts and chile sauce), Sago Gula Melaka (sago pearls, coconut cream, palm nectar) and Chicken Sate
Stargazy: Sausage Rolls, Potato Masala Rolls, Sticky Toffee Sundaes
Stateside: House-made steam buns with duck confit, peppadew and radicchio
Stogie Joe’s: Meatballs with Toasted Bread
Townsend: Roast pork sandwiches
Tre Scalini: Tripe in Umido
Vanilya Bakery: Buttercream cookies, Buttercream cupcakes
Will BYOB: Caramelized onion crepes, Banana and caramel crepes

Come thirsty for craft beer, wine and signature sips along East Passyunk. EPABID will present a beer tent featuring $5.00 drafts with selections from local brewer Yard’s Brewing Company. EPABID will also pour wine by the glass for $7.00, sponsored by Southern Wines and Spirits. Selections will include Chole Rose Sonoma, Chole Chardonnay Vintage, Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc Special Selection and Concannon Cabernet Sauvignon. Select restaurants will also serve seasonal refreshments along the strip – and in sidewalk café areas.

Along with ample food and drink, Flavors will offer free family friendly activities – including a music zone, art zone and activity zone (at the Singing Fountain). Lume Studios, East Passyunk’s new community art center, is teaming up with the neighborhood’s resident toy store, Tildie’s Toy Box, to create these distinct kid-friendly zones for families to enjoy. Look for them scattered throughout the festival, making the perfect pit stops as parents enjoy all of the sights, sounds, and tastes of the event. The Philadelphia Museum of Art will also be participating, and hosting an art show from noon to 4:00pm at The Gateway, at Broad Street and East Passyunk Avenue. Additionally, boutiques and businesses along East Passyunk will also host workshops, activities and family fun inside their spaces.

Over 80 of the region’s top makers and crafters will also line the streets. “East Passyunk wants to celebrate local talent, local makers, local artists,” added Zenzola. Local Passyunk gift boutique Nice Things Handmade will curate the makers and crafters that will offer home décor, paintings, candles, jewelry, pottery, furniture, soaps, artisan foods, handmade pet treats, fashion – and everything in between.

While East Passyunk has the top eats in the city – and a thriving makers’ scene – the Avenue also boasts some of the city’s hottest new retail and fashion boutiques. Look for sidewalk sales, spring fashions, gifts, greenery and more along the strip.

While you sip, shop and savor, look for live bands and entertainment to come alive throughout the festival.

For more information and directions, visit www.visiteastpassyunk.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @EPassyunkAve and on Instagram at @eastpassyunk, and use the hashtag #FlavorsOnAve before and during the event for a chance to win great prizes.

Flavors on the Avenue is presented by the East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District, with sponsors Acme Markets, Alphabet Academy, Bell Beverage, Constitution Health Center, Gold Medal Environmental, Lume, Nice Things Handmade, PARC, ParkOps, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Samuels and Son Seafood, South Philly Review, Tildie’s Toy Box, Yards Brewery and Yelp.

HISTORY OF FLAVORS

Flavors on the Avenue is inspired by East Passyunk’s former Flavors fundraiser held under a tent each year. After eleven years, many of which sold out, the event goes from under the tent and into the street. Capacity expands from 1,000 guests to thousands. The tent is gone and the event goes from a parking lot to five blocks. Instead of food and drink, the event now includes family activities, music and retail sidewalk sales.

“This year we wanted to go bigger and include more businesses and invite the entire community,” added Zenzola. “We sold out for nearly eleven years. We were limited in what we could do with size of the tent and scale of the activities. Now, we want to invite everyone to five blocks of the best food in the city. Come enjoy the day with us!”

ABOUT EAST PASSYUNK

East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District is home to 150 independently owned shops and markets that perfectly balances the best of the old and the new, mixing old world shopping, authentic Italian restaurants, world famous cheese steaks, with trend-setting boutiques, handmade arts and world-class cuisine.

Chef-driven restaurants have pushed this once-faded community into the national spotlight. East Passyunk Avenue boasts more than 35 eateries, from authentic traditional Italian restaurants to gastropubs, including ten of Philadelphia magazine’s Top 50 Restaurants.

Anchored by the beautifully restored Singing Fountain, a communal gathering place on Tasker Street, this store-lined commercial corridor hosts events of all shapes and sizes. Annual outdoor favorites include Flavors on the Avenue, the East Passyunk Car Show & Street Festival, Farmers’ Markets and East Passyunk Craft Beer Day.

It’s here, and last night it kicked off – the parties that will be occurring during the #DraftinPHL I hit up three so come along and see what’s shaking

I heard Philadelphia Eagles Jalen Mills was making an appearance at Macy’s so on my way to the first party I swung by. There was about 100 people in line
waiting to meet him and get a selfie. Great way to start off the NFL Draft in Philly celebrations.

The first party I hit up was the Commonwealth Proper and Lapstone & Hammer Suits & Sneakers Party at 1106 Chestnut Street

Craig Von Schroeder, principal of Commonwealth Proper (stylish, upscale tailor of men’s suits, dress shirts & jackets made to measure by appointment only) and former Eagles player Moise Fokou 

DJ Frosty

Jay Woloshin, Desiree Negron, James Griffin and Matthew Ford.
Then I headed to the 2nd party in Rittenhouse Square

The Philly Style Magazine Party at Scarpetta. The Spring issue features Eagles Players Rodney McLeod and Brent Celek, here with
PSM Publisher John Colabelli and Kristin Detterline, Editor

The party was poppin’ definitely the spot to be in Philly last week. Lots of Eagles players current and alumni, spotted in the crowd
Bart Blatstein, who is taking over AC, Tony Piazza, Uri Jacobsen, Jenn Frederick, Kristy Sevag, Drew Carballo, John Bolaris, Marisa Magnatta, and so many.

Quincy Harris and Lamont Brown

Big Rube

Selfie with Mike Jerrick

Dr. Jen Caudle, Greg Basille and Meisha Johnson

Jimmy Contreras and Fran Campbell

Brandon Brooks, Mina Say What, Marcus Smith and Sean Bell

They grew up in front of us on One Life To Live – Kristen Alderson and Eddie Alderson who have returned to
their hometown of Philadelphia to hang with family and see what’s next. Follow them on Twitter, and say hi.

Whitney Ullman – Go Whitney!!

Tom French and Molly Sullivan French tell me I took their very first photo as a couple, what an honor. I have a couple of
those under my belt now. Congrats you two, now married with baby.

Elizabeth and Todd Herremans
Friday Todd is having a party at Tavern on Broad

Headed over to the friends and family party for the presentation of Damari Savile, a corroboration by bespoke entrepreneurs
Jay Amin and Malcom Jenkins

Jay Amin, co-founder and president of Damari Savile and Amber Moyer

Malcolm Jenkins, co-founder of Damari Savile and Morissa Jenkins

Jay Amin, Aaron Grimes, CJ Smith, Brandon Graham and Mitz

Hacina Saadi and Ilaria Macchi

Malcom Jenkins, Chris Reid, Ted Reid, Sulaiman Rahman, Everette Sands and Love McCune

OK follow me on Instagram @PhillyChitChat for more adventures today

Happy Draft in Philly Day

Good Wednesday. Chatterblast hosted the 4th Annual Charity Flip Cup Tournament took place Friday night at Field House in Center City. Over 48 teams competed to become the champion with The Thots coming out on top. Proceeds from the event went to two organizations enriching the lives and hearts of people throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the MS Society and Stonewall Sports Philadelphia. Additional photos will be posted on Philly Metro later today, in the meantime enjoy this snapshots….until next year….

As you can see the event continues to grow year after year, next year we might have to close down the Parkway for the

V Flip Cup Tournament

What 676 Bridges Look Like Now, Parkway Developments, and New Business

I hope you’re having a great day. Recently I found myself at the formerly known as the Top of The Tower, now known as Sky Philadelphia. Sky Philadelphia has a popular weekend brunch, and on the 51st floor is the popular beer garden run by Brauhaus Schmitz called SkyGarten.

I noticed there were dozen or so stories of interest from this view, in and around the Parkway area

These three blocks of residential sum up the growth of Franklintown.
1900 Hamilton Street, the low rises with gray roofs facing us were built in the 90s,
then in the early 00s the Tivoli Condos were built I always felt sorry for Hamilton Court losing their view. Then in this decade The Granary Apartments were built, blocking their view of the City.
What 676 looked like before the replacement bridge project. Many of the openings are now capped as you will see.

Look how amazing the Vine Street Expressway looks now that the overpasses have been completed, or are
finishing up construction.

In front of the old family court house and the Library you can see the matching ovals which is the new Aviator Park, they’ll be new benches
as beautiful landscaped gardens. I bet the annual Book Festival will be that much better with these new parks. It’ll be interesting to see what
they’re going to do with the newly capped area (on left) across from the Franklin Institute. Maybe another green space.
Here’s one of the last bridges being replaced the 22nd street bridge, next to Park Town.

Here’s what the NFL Draft stage looked like last Monday. They’ve progressed much further in this are with
staging since then.

Another favorite mural bites the dust.

This one was on the side of the former Children’s Crisis Treatment Center at 17th and Callowhill.

Which has now been torn down to build a micro brewery and residential mix used according to OCF Realty
“According to public record, the City owns the property. But clearly a developer has purchased the property from the City. And wouldn’t you know it, at a PAID meeting about a year and a half ago, the City agreed that it would sell the property to Orens Brothers. At that meeting, the developers indicated that they had an LOI from Callowhill Craft Brewing for a microbrewery and possible restaurant, which would be a cool addition to the neighborhood.” (OCF)

The gray building in the center, is the new Dalian on the Parkway apartment building, the new Whole Foods is located on the first floor
as well as a CVS and a bank. The views from the apartment building are amazing, but for some reason they’ve been slow to move rentals. Personally I think they could have had more roof top access where the pool is located. Unfortunately the space is being used for a “green roof” which is nice, but you’re not allowed to walk on it.

In the foreground is the former Whole Foods building, which is now going to be a Target. I sure hope they are going to bring better quality merchandise than what they’re selling in Center City. Well at least they’ll have produce and other groceries for a reasonable price. You might still have to go to AC Moore for photo frames, which oddly the Target’s in Center City don’t carry.
Target, request is for an exception to allow a larger signage than  allowed. The zoning limitation allows for 16 square feet of free-standing signage; the request is  for an exception of up to 40 square feet. Though larger than allowed by zoning, the footprint of  the proposed signage is very similar to the existing sign by Whole Foods. The signage theme is  the signature and somewhat iconic red Target logo with illumination of the logo.

The Mormon Campus is nearly done. And it so gorgeous, what a really remarkable addition to Philadelphia.
The highrise on the right is The Alexander, a residential 32-story, 490,000 square-feet apartment building where Mormon’s and non-church members can live
as long as they abide by the rules of good living dictated by the Mormon faith of no drinking, no smoking, no cursing, or consumption of caffeine.
There’s also a 12,000 retail section on the first floor of the apartment building. Retail has to abide to all the same rules, except I hear if a restaurant takes a space, the eatery can have a liquor license, no coffee though. The mall, like the one they have in Salt Lake City, was developed by a partner developer is not affiliated with the Church, so some venues will be open Sundays and serve alcohol. It’s an interesting way they go around the rules of the church.

The residential tower was designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects in New York City, supported by BLT Architects in Philadelphia, the PRI spokesman said, and “inspired by Philadelphia’s strong tradition of brick-and-masonry Georgian and Federal architecture.”

All this development couldn’t have happened without the contributions of the Rendell, Street, Nutter and Kenny administrations.
We have become that first class 24/7 City that Paul Levy has talked about for the last two decades. Thanks.