What is going on at Octo?! A new beer garden?!? SWEET!

 Morgan's Pier Announces Summer BBQ Chef Series

The hits keep on coming with Morgan's Pier, as today brings the exciting announcement that they'll be hosting a few famous local chefs to do a BBQ series this summer. Mike Solomonov (Zahav, Federal Donuts), Kevin Sbraga (Sbraga, Top Chef), and Terence Feury (Fork) are scheduled to each do a day of their own BBQ specialties on the pier. Little Baby's Ice Cream will have their trademark tricycle at the pier everyday, in addition to a free-standing hot dog stand. The tap list will feature 20 rotating drafts from regional breweries.
You can't have an Avram Hornik spot without live music, which they seem to have covered pretty well. R5 Productions' Sean Agnew is curating a free Saturday concert series, and each and every Sunday, the Sundae Open Air Party will make a home at Morgan's Pier. DJ Dave P is also setting up a lineup of international DJ acts that will make appearances throughout the summer. Looks like Morgan's Pier is shaping up as the place to be during the dog days of summer.

Dave Katz Releases Morgan's Pier Menu, Opening 5/25

In what's becoming an All-Star partnership on the waterfront, Chef David Katz of Mémé has paired up with Avram Hornik to develop the menu at the upcoming Morgan's Pier. Katz won't be working the line, but he's helping out Hornik with the development, as well as finding a full-time chef for the project.
"Avram's a friend, and he needed some help, so I stepped in," Katz told Eater. "He's a good guy, and the project is cool. But, I won't be on the line, I've got a restaurant to run."
Katz's menu is full of grill-ish foods, like burgers, tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, and popcorn shrimp. There's something for just about everyone, as Katz has numerous veggie options, too, like grilled fruit and corn, and fried Jersey tomatoes. The debut for the outdoor beer garden (and Katz's awesome menu) is next Friday, May 25th.

 Check out their menu HERE

Morgan's Pier is the name attached to Avram Hornik's new project on the waterfront. Replacing what was once Octo and previously Rock Lobster, Morgan's Pier is going for the beer garden vibe and backyard grilling style cooking. Hornik also told The Insider he's in talks with a "name-brand" chef to run the kitchen. Let's hope this concept sticks, as no previous owner has been able to bring in crowds to the surprisingly challenging location, even though the river provides a pretty backdrop to the space.
No timeline yet for the opening of Morgan's Pier, which is named for the first man to cross the Ben Franklin Bridge (George C. Morgan), which looms over the horizon above the bar.
Hornik has been on a roll of late, opening Philly's favorite new music venue, Union Transfer, and is the man behind the upcoming reboot of Ortlieb's in Northern Liberties.

Please call the Owner for showings

Some homeowners believe they can sell their home on their own.  While it's not impossible, it can be frustrating and time consuming for the homeowner and for any professional agent. The average person doesn't understand what is actually involved in a home sale or how they need to respond and react to potential Buyer's or their agents.

Some "savvy" FSBOs will spend money to have their home added to their local multiple listing service also called an MLS.  A listing service is a database that is used by professional agents to publish the clients homes and where agent look to find homes for their Buyer's.

Now, as many of my readers know there are LOTS of homes available and I spend many hours and countless weekends working for my Buyer's and showing them the best properties on the market.  Would you, as an agent, take any more time with this Seller?

For your reading pleasure, I submit to you...

"Please Call The Owner For Showing Instructions..."

On the MLS printout it reads, "Please call the owner for showing instructions."

A 13 year old boy answered.  I asked for X and this was his response...

"My dad went to get new tires on his car, do you want me to call him?"

Me: "I just want to show the house, so if that's what you need to do, yes."

13 year old: "The garage sales are going to be going all day, you're not calling about that are you?"

Me: "No, the house YOU are in is on the mkt and I'm a Realtor with a buyer who would like to show your home."

13 year old: "Oh, ha ha, sorry sir. I don't live here. Hold on..."

Some other lady "Hello, is this David?"

Me: "No, this is Greg Nino with RE/MAX. I have a buyer and would like to show your home."

Some other lady: "I am so sorry. I'm X's sister-in-law, we're in town visiting. Let me call X's wife on her cell, she's with her daughter at Party City. I'll see what's going on and make sure somebody calls you... EXCUSE ME..... LONG PAUSE........... OH, hold on. Did you say you were X's Realtor, like the Realtor for THIS house?

Me: "No, I'm GREG NINO I'm trying to show THAT house, I don't work for the seller."
Some other lady: "Oh, okay. I don't really understand.. LOL. I just want to help. YIKES. Let me call X's wife.


That was 1 hour ago.

Do you think this homeowner is saving any money by attempting to do things on their own? On the MLS it reads: "Seller ANXIOUS to look at ALL offers." There's also a btsa. Bonus to selling agent of $2,000.00. That's extra commission to the agent who brings the buyer. I wonder if they should have spent that money on something else.


Thanks to Chris Somers for sharing this with me.  Here is the original posting.

Get a closer look here

You may have noticed the new on-ramp to 95N that is taking shape.  Here is a quick look into what they are doing.

• Reconstruction and widening of Richmond Street on its existing alignment between Aramingo Avenue and Cumberland Street;
• Reconstruction and widening of Richmond Street on a new alignment shifted east between Cumberland and Ann streets;
• Replacement of two (2) Conrail bridges over Richmond Street near Lehigh Avenue with four (4) separate structures with new Conrail tracks;
• Reconstruction, a half-at-a-time, of the Girard Avenue bridge over the northbound Aramingo Avenue spur;
• Extensive utility relocations along Richmond Street and adjacent streets to the west;
• Intersection improvements along Richmond Street at Girard Avenue, Cumberland Street, Sereant Street, Huntingdon Street, Lehigh Avenue, Somerset Street, Cambria Street and Ann Street;
• Deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) devices -- dynamic message signs, mtraffic cameras, travel-time sensors, etc. along arterial rouites adjacent to I-95 between the Broad Street and Betsy Ross Bridge interchanges to assist PennDOT and the City during traffic management operations.

Read more


Think digging in the dirt is fun? Then you'll really get a kick out of The Aramingo Canal Archaeological Finds.  

Check out how local archaeologists are rediscovering the Aramingo Canal.  Here...

10 Decorating Tips for a Stress-Free Home

Do you like stress?  I don't like stress, it's stressful.  Here's a good reason to do some low-cost redecorating: The choices you make can result in enhanced mood, less stress, and better sleep. To turn your space into a healing haven, follow these easy 10 decorating tips for a stress-free home.

IN THE ENTRYWAY
1. Create a feel-good focal point. The first thing you see when you enter your home should be something you love, whether that's a piece of art, a vase of flowers, or a special souvenir, says Stephanie Roberts, author of Fast Feng Shui: 9 Simple Principles for Transforming Your Life by Energizing Your Home. "A beautiful first impression helps you relax from the get-go."

2. Organize daily debris. If you see old newspapers on the floor and bags of Goodwill donations waiting to be dropped off, you're going to think obligation, not relaxation. "Piles of stuff at your entryway send the message that there's more mess and chaos inside, and who wants to walk into that?" Roberts says. "Have a designated place for every item that enters and exits your house," recommends Paige Rien, an interior designer in New Jersey appearing on HGTV's Hidden Potential. She suggests placing a couple of chic containers near the front door, one for outgoing items and one for incoming things.

IN THE LIVING ROOM
3. Create space. "Our anxiety builds in small spaces if there's too much stuff," says Rien. To reduce the clutter and make the room feel larger, ask yourself if you really need all those end tables or picture frames, and cut anything deemed nonessential. Consider painting a table or bookshelf the same color (or a similar one) as the wall it's up against, so it "disappears" into it. Painting walls white or a light color will also make a smaller room feel more spacious.

4. Light up locations, not whole rooms. "Bright overhead light can make it difficult to wind down at the end of the day. Think about how a casino's lights keep you revved up," says Katherine Grace Morris, PhD, a psychologist in Maryland who specializes in making over people's home and work environments. Use spot lighting for areas where you need brightness, such as next to the sofa where you read, and put overhead lights on dimmers. Also, switch to full-spectrum bulbs, which mimic natural light better than standard ones do. "They cost a bit more, but they're worth it because they create a more soothing natural atmosphere," says Dr. Morris.

5. Create pedestrian-friendly paths. "If you can barely get into a chair without banging your leg on the coffee table, or if the path from the sofa to the door is cramped, rearrange your furniture," says Roberts. "Not being able to safely and easily move about produces anxiety--not to mention an easy way to trip or stub a toe."

6. Simplify your color scheme. Use restraint with patterns and loud colors. If you mix patterns, keep their color schemes similar, and if you like lots of colors, keep patterns to a minimum. "If you have too many bright colors or high-contrast patterns in a room, your eyes are going to be drawn all over the place, making it difficult to relax," says Dr. Morris. Simple designs and colors, on the other hand, are soothing. "The less-is-more rule applies to shelves and tabletops too," adds Rien. "Don't fill them just because they're there. Instead, display just a few pieces that are meaningful."

7. Bring the outdoors in. Being surrounded by natural elements encourages friendlier interactions with others, found a University of Rochester study. For a more peaceful home, bring in a couple of houseplants or hang a mirror across from your largest window to maximize outdoor vantage points. If your view includes more buildings than trees, hang landscape photographs on the walls, says Roberts. 

 Read more...

Fishtown: Chili Cook-off Quickly Becomes Neighborhood Favorite

Fishtown residents numbed their tongues this past weekend with spicy chili to benefit neighborhood organizations. The Second Annual Fishtown Neighbors Association Chili Cookoff at 2424 Studios on 2424 E. York St. brought local food and drink enthusiasts to enjoy some of the area’s best recipes. Entrants of 10 different Fishtown restaurants and 15 Fishtown residents put their Crock-Pots full of homemade chili to the taste test.

FNA President Jill Betters helped establish the cook-off to fill a “neighborhood programming gap between December and the spring schedule,” and the chili cook-off was the idea that won.

“We have residents contributing their recipes, as well as restaurants, and we have beer donated by local nano-brewies,” Betters said, “The whole neighborhood has been involved.”


A panel of celebrity judges consisting of Pennsylvania 175th District State Rep. Mike O’Brien, City Paper Meal Ticket writer Drew Lazor and former Philadelphia Magazine food critic Joy Manning were chosen to grade each chili dish. In addition, patrons voted in the “people’s choice” category and elected their favorite chili recipes.

Melissa Yerkov (left) is assisted by friend, and fellow journalist, Hayden Mitman (right), with dishing out her homemade chili.

“We were very successful last year, and I think it’s [an event] we will put on for quite a while,” Betters said. Residential entrants Melissa Yerkov and Hayden Mitman, under the moniker “Feed Your Mind,” were first-time competitors, but Yerkov was sure her grandmother’s chili recipe could compete with the best.

“My family members are huge football fans, and we’re always getting complements on our chili, so I’m happy to enter my grandmother, Clara’s recipe,” Yerkov said. The proceeds of the cook-off help underwrite the formation of the new Riverwards Crimewatch, helping with startup costs of the new organization that aims to create a safer neighborhood.


 There were some other bloggers at the event.  Here's what they has to say.

Housing Set for Spring Recovery as ‘Fear Factor’ Fades

Five years after the U.S. housing bust sent sales and prices plunging, the spring home-buying season is pointing to a long-awaited recovery.

Reduced prices, record-low mortgage rates, higher rents and an improving job market appear to be emboldening many would-be buyers. 

Open houses are drawing crowds. A wave of foreclosures is leading investors to grab bargain-priced homes.

And many people seem to have concluded that prices won't drop much further. In some areas, prices have begun to tick up. 

Read More... 

The Happy Rizzi House is rediculous...

The Happy Rizzi House is a famous tourist attraction in the German city of Braunschweig. It was created in 1999 by American artist James Rizzi. This bricks-and-mortar work of art took two years to complete. It opened in Braunschweig’s historical Magni quarter in 2001 and adds a new facet to the appeal of the town.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 If you ask me, it looks like a toddler designed it.