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After devastating fire, Eyes Gallery to reopen on South Street
Good news for fans of Eyes Gallery: the landmark South Street boutique is preparing to make a return.
- The 60-year-old shop specializing in Latin American folk art was badly damaged by the July fire that gutted Jim’s Steaks next door. Its new home will be just down the block.
Owner Julia Zagar is targeting a spring relaunch, she tells BP contributor Emily Neil — and there’s a holiday pop-up Saturday to help raise funds.
Humanoid alien robots star in 30th anniversary ‘stikman’ show
If you’ve ever spotted one of those alien robots embedded in a crosswalk or hanging on a street sign, this gallery show is for you.
- Known as a “stikman,” the humanoid figure has proliferated in various street art forms across North America since the 1990s, showing up everywhere from Philadelphia to New York to Toronto to Denver.
The artist behind the artwork has managed to stay anonymous, but he’s having a show this month at WP Gallery in Rittenhouse. Asha Prihar has a preview.
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
- The increased spread of COVID, RSV, and the flu is being dubbed the “tridemic” or “tripledemic” — and in North Philly, chronic disease and poverty have aggravated the crisis. [Yale Med/Inquirer$]
- After pushback over the Schuylkill Center’s plans to raise money by selling 24 acres known as the “Boy Scout Tract” to developers, an anonymous $3 million donation will preserve the land. [Grid/PhillyVoice]
- Today’s pre-K students were babies during COVID lockdowns, and for some, preschool is their first time leaving home. One Philly teacher shares how that’s changed her methods. [Chalkbeat]
- Housing construction permits in Philly soared in 2021 in advance of the 10-year tax abatement decrease, reaching a peak of over 25k units, more than 5x the prior year. They’re back down in 2022. [Inquirer$/WHYY’s PlanPhilly/@ryanlcooper]
- Three dozen new blue markers were just approved by the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, including one for Philadelphia jazz trumpet legend Lee Morgan. How many of these 12 markers have you seen around the city? [Capital-Star/Jazz Studies/BP 2017]
- What do Philly chefs eat in their downtime? Four local culinarians offer a peek inside their fridge. [Eater]
MAYOR WATCH
Philadelphia Police Academy Class 397 graduates after 9 months of training, with Mayor Kenney speaking at the Temple Performing Arts Center ceremony (10 a.m.). The 123rd Army-Navy Football Game takes place Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field, and the mayor attends the advance gala at the Pa. Convention Center (8 p.m.).
ON THE CALENDAR
?? BP Quizzo on the Schuylkill River! Join us at Padelphia, just over City Line Avenue across from Manayunk. We’ll have three rounds of local trivia, drinks, snacks, prizes — and a chance to find out more about the racket sport called Padel. Free RSVP here. (7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15)
? South Philly ‘cue house Mike’s BBQ hosts a tasting featuring Pa. spiritsmaker Resurgent Whiskey, with free samples, and to-go drinks and gift bottles available for purchase. (12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10)
? The Citizen presents “Truth and the Media,” a free panel discussion featuring journalism industry celebs like former NYT exec editor Jill Abramson, NYT Mag writer Emily Bazelon, and The 19th’s Errin Haines. (6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14)
