Have you traveled all the way to Northwood recently? Well, you should, because one of the best coffee shop in the City calls it home. Great Awakenings, located at 1466 East Cheltenham Ave, opened in October 2008 and has been serving great coffee and pastries ever since. Owners Bill and Lisa Rodebaugh are proud to call Frankford their home; Bill has lived in the Frankford area his whole life. And they see Great Awakenings as a way to be a positive part of the community they love. As Bill puts it, “We desire for Frankford to grow back into a hope-filled area of Philadelphia, a place where anyone would want to buy a home and raise their family.”

Their vision for Great Awakenings is simple: when Bill and Lisa opened shop, they wanted to create a comfortable space for customers that felt like “an extension of their living room.” And they succeeded! Their backroom just feels like home. We at the CDC often have meetings at Great Awakenings for this very reason – not to mention the best Chai and bagels around. (Try their cinnamon raisin bagels; we promise it can’t compare to any other you’ve tried!)

Bill and Lisa truly want their space to be a community one, and they’ve been great partners to all of the various community based Frankford organizations, including us at the CDC. They’ve held meetings, music nights, poetry readings, and more at Great Awakenings. Their cafe has even been an Election Day polling place. And they’re open to suggestions and ideas. You have a community meeting you need a space for? Looking for a performance space? Try Great Awakenings!

Great Awakenings is open Monday through Thursday from 6:00a to 8:00p, Friday from 6:00a to 9:00p, Saturday from 7:30a to 9:00p, and Sunday from 8:00a to 1:00p. You can reach them at 215.941.8807, or find them on the web at www.greatawakeningscafe.com.

Thanks to our friends at CitySpace, here are some transactions from January of this year in the 19124 zip code.

Frankford, as we all know, is much more than meets the eye. One of the many special shops right here in our business district is Gilbert’s Upholstery, 4529 Frankford Avenue. They not only reupholster furniture, but have a large collection of antiques and a warehouse full of sofas, chairs, and more right behind their shop.

Though the shop is currently run by Gil Pons and his brother, Rick, their father, Gilbert Pons Sr., started the business in 1970, a year after he moved to the United States from Santiago, Cuba. Gilbert was nine years old when his family moved to Philadelphia, and he and Rick would head to their dad’s shop after school each day to learn the family trade.

Gil and Rick took over the shop in 1982, and their father officially retired in 1998. Both brothers love the upholstery business for a variety of reasons. But, most importantly, satisfying their clients is what gets them out of bed each morning. They consider their store a specialty shop, and work to ensure they return each piece to their customers’ exact taste. Gil also enjoys the challenges involved in his work: each piece has its difficulties and surprises, and he loves working with his brother to figure out how to overcome those obstacles and give their clients the best possible product. Recently, Gil and Rick have become a part of the nation-wide “green” trend. For two years they have been using sustainable materials and practices, and they are even a distribution point for GRID Magazine, Philadelphia’s premier magazine dedicated to issues surrounding environmental sustainability.

That’s not all, either. Gil is working to take his store online! Friend him on his new facebook page – search for Gil’s Antiques – and visit www.gilbertsantiquegallery.com. You can always do things the old fashioned way and call the shop at 215.744.5385. Maybe one day they’ll be on twitter, too!

But don’t just follow Gilbert’s Upholstery online. Stop by the shop and meet Gil and Rick for yourselves. We know you’ll love their gallery of antiques as well as their workshop.

There is a good story on Hiddencity Philadelphia about the Globe Dye Works with an update of where they stand in the massive renovation and repurposing of the complex.  Take a look at this link.

There will be some events this year at the Globe that will be open to the public.  If you have the time, it is well worth a look at this hidden treasure in our midst.  Both sides of my family worked in the textiles mills in Frankford and the Globe is a significant part of that history.

Our local Brightside Academy, located at 1627-29 Meadow Street, hosted a “Meet Your Legislators” event on Friday, 1/13/12, to bring our local legislators, parents and students together. Part of the program included a photo display of students’ concerns about our community. The students had been given disposable cameras to capture and record what they would like to change about Frankford. Students also prepared questions to present to the legislators. As I looked at the photo display, there were pictures of littered streets and abandoned buildings. We, too, share these young citizens’ concerns. Parents gathered in the meeting room of Brightside Academy, munching on provided snacks, to await the arrival of the legislators.

This was our first visit to Brightside Academy and we were warmly greeted and impressed with the brightly painted and decorated classrooms. This Brightside Academy is one of 30 academies in the city according to Davida Garr, Community Affairs Specialist. Brightside Academy is a part of many of our city neighborhoods and are reaching out to connect with their families and support the local communities. Early education and care are provided for children aged 6 weeks – 12 years. Academies are open year-round from 6 AM until 6 PM (may vary slightly by location). Juana Ramos, Area Business Director, explained that Brightside Academy opened in 1999 at this location. The name “Academy” is very important to staff as they provide an educational environment, work to enhance their own qualifications through staff development and work to reach higher levels in the Keystone Stars program. Keystone Stars is a PA Early Learning initiative that gives accreditation to day-care centers based on the highest performance level they achieve – Star 1 through Star 4.

I had a chance to speak with parents who are unanimously very pleased with this facility. They feel staff are pleasant, there is a family atmosphere and they recommended them highly. One mother has had three children in Brightside Academy and the oldest is now 11. We visited a class where a student was celebrating an 8th birthday and cupcakes had been shared!

State Representative Tony Payton arrived, as did City Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez. Unfortunately, State Senator Christine Tartaglione had a previous commitment. Students welcomed them and introduced themselves asking questions about litter, jobs and money for education. These future voters did themselves well!

The Northeast EARN Center (located on Frankford Avenue) had representatives and a table of information at the event. This agency provides support for those transitioning from welfare to work in northeast Philadelphia. You must be referred to them by your caseworker if you are receiving assistance from the Department of Public Welfare. If you have any questions or think you might be eligible, talk to your caseworker.

For more information, visit their website at Brightside Academy or call 215.289.0641 or 877.868.2273. Kudos to all those involved in this event! Our Frankford community is the better for them!