👷 City launches new effort to change Market East

🏗️ New Initiative Launches To Revitalize Market East

Mayor Parker announced the creation of the Market East Advisory Group, a public-private partnership, to plan a new direction for the struggling commercial corridor. The city has an open survey for community members to share what they’d like to see on Market Street. [CBS Philly]

• Related: The announcement comes after news of the Filbert Street bus terminal reopening next year, one of several ongoing improvement projects in Center City. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

🤖 Philly’s AI Future Is Already Here

The city has begun to embrace AI for functions like ticketing cars blocking bus zones to flying police drones. But how reliable is the technology and what further role will it play in our city’s governance? [🎧 City Cast Philly]

🏫 School District Community Demands More Transparency, Improved Policies

The School District of Philadelphia’s most recent board meeting was met with frustrated parents, students, and staff over the lack of librarians and speech therapists, falsified grades, and limited bathroom breaks allegedly resulting in some students wearing diapers. [WHYY]

🍽️ You Decide This Restaurant’s Menu

Recipe Philly is set to open next spring, but it wants you to think about its cuisine now. Channeling owner Ed Baumstein’s potluck experiences, the restaurant is holding a contest/reality show to determine its menu, incorporating recipes from Philly’s culinary community. The casting call is open through December. [Axios]

Crafting can be a good outlet to learn a new skill, reduce screentime, and improve your mental health. With winter just around the corner, picking up a new hobby is the perfect way to pass the time indoors. But if you don’t want to beat the winter blues by yourself, here are some local craft clubs, workshops, and social nights bringing Philly together stitch by stitch.

Cassie’s Craft Coven

Beginning as a Facebook group to connect Philadelphians to arts and fine crafts, the Craft Coven has since evolved to regularly hosting free and low-cost workshops. From poetry writing to open clay studios to casual “Gab and Glue” nights, the coven is helping others try a new craft (and maybe hex a nemesis along the way).

Craft Collective

Created as an intentional space bringing crafters of color together, Craft Collective hosts free scrapbooking, junk journaling, and collage events at various partner locations in the city. Workshops like acrylic bookmark-making and bag charm-making are paid events, with prices varying.

Dessert Before Dinner

If you’ve gone to Washington Square Park one Sunday afternoon to find it surprisingly packed, you may have run into Dessert Before Dinner’s Bring Your Own Craft event. The hobby meetup has expanded to a social club with regular programming including bouquet-making, combined yoga /clothing swaps, and of course, its craft cafes.

Free Library of Philadelphia

We’ve established that you can get more than just books at the Free Library, but the system also hosts a variety of craft activities as part of its daily programming. You can participate in the Guilt-Free Fiber Club at Northeast Regional Library, Crafternoons at Andorra Library, or Sew What? at the Parkway Central Library’s Arts Department. Find upcoming activities across its 54 branches on its events calendar.

Let Me Know Club

Try your hand at crocheting, printmaking, or vision boarding with the Let Me Know Club. Beyond crafts, the group also organizes volunteer opportunities, book clubs, and other hobbies. Read more about Let Me Know Club’s origins and offerings here.