Manayunk.com Magazine: EcoArts Issue

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Manayunk.com Magazine is your quarterly guide to living, shopping, dining, and recreation in Manayunk. This issue focuses on the green efforts of the entire Manaunk community.

Transcript of Manayunk.com Magazine: EcoArts Issue

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Come Enjoy Our New Fall Menuat Winnie’s LeBus!

• Seasonal Local Organically Grown Menu• Pumpkin Infused Vodkas

• Hot Apple Cider

We look forward to having you join us!

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Manayunk.com Magazine Table of Contents

Merchant Eco Statements

Event Schedule

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Manayunk.com Magazine is published by the

Manayunk Development Corporation quarterly

Manayunk Development Corporation4312 Main Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127

215.482.9565

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: A look at Manayunk’s Sustainable Businesses

Feel Good About the Food:You Eat in Manayunk

A Hotbed for Healthful Practices

Manayunk:Manayunk’s Recycling Efforts

Going Green:

Advertising Sales Cammy Joseph 610.642.4301 ext.204 • [email protected]

Editorial Writer, Jon Campisi

Editor, Caitlin MaloneyCover Artwork, Kate Pechter

Special Thanks to Martha Vidauri

2011 ManayunkEco Arts Festival

brought to you by our lead sponsor

Eco Arts Issue

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11:00 AM Bike Powered Music: Verde Styles

12:00 PMNatural Beauty Seminar - Why and How to Go Green with Your Beauty Routine: Siobhan O’Conner, author of No More Dirty Looks and senior editor at Prevention Magazine

1:00 PM ECOCHAMPION AWARD AND UNLITTER US CAMPAIGN PRESENTATION• Come Clean Go Green Song: Tone Love• Eco Champion Award Presented; Filmmaker Josh Fox, producer of Gasland. Philadelphia Streets Department Commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson • UnLitter Us Philly Launch in Manayunk

3:00 PM Sustainability Seminar: City of Philadelphia

4:00 PM Learn How to Earn with Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Program: Denise Diorio McVeigh, Recycle Bank

5:00 PM Community Farming and You: Jason Ingle, Executive Director of Greener Partners

11:00 AMBike Powered Music: Verde Styles

12:00 PMEasy Sustainable Design Integration for a Healthier Home: Neil Young, sustainable design expert from Re:Vision Archi-tecture

1:00 PM Spit That Out: The Overly Informed Parents Guide to Raising Children in the Age of Environmental Guilt – Making green living more practical, manageable, and affordable: Paige Wolf, author

2:00 PM Create a Net Zero Energy Home: Hometown Green

3:00 PM The Importance of Sustainable Businesses: Sustainable Business Network

4:00 PM It’s Not Mean to be Green Reading – Great for children, educators, and families: Jamie Kleiman, author (A Bigger Boat Foundation)

Saturday September 24, 2011 Sunday September 25, 2011

JOIN LOCAL GREEN, ECO-CONSCIOUS ARTISTS, BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY & NON-PROFIT GROUPS,

FOR A CELEBRATION OF ARTISTIC, SUSTAINABLE AND LOCAL INITIATIVES.

For more details and a full schedule visit www.manayunk.com.

Manayunk Eco Arts Event Schedule

Saturday 11am-7pm & Sunday 11am-6pmBooths along Main Street from

Levering Street to Pennsdale Ave.

Wednesday September 21 6-9pmEAT ALONG THE STREET

Eco Arts Kick Off Manayunk Eco Arts Festival

Eco Educational Series

Located at Eco Experience Tent (Main & Cotton Street)

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he concept of sustainability is a varied one in today’s business climate. In Manayunk, some local shop owners are taking the concepts of recycling and reusing to a whole new level. Take Gary Mann Jewelers, a longstanding retail staple in the community. The husband-wife team of Gary

and Norma Mann are doing their part to ensure that nothing goes to waste at their business. At the jewelry store, located at 4349 Main St., the Mann’s offer customers a wide variety of options to choose from when it comes to repurposing cherished items. The business offers in-store credit or cash for old used jewelry pieces, which could in turn be used to purchase new items. The business owners also offer another service in the name of sustainability. Here, the Mann’s will take old jewelry with sentimental value, say, a grandmother’s wedding ring, and melt down the precious metal to be used in a new piece, perhaps a new wedding band. The concept is more akin to recycling, Norma said. And while it’s environmentally sound to reuse the product instead of getting rid of it, the service is also popular for its sentimental factors. “Everyone’s happy,” Norma said, “they

come out with something amazing.” Of course, perhaps the ultimate in repurposed goods are the very items that everyone dons each and every day. Clothing has long been the perfect item to recycle, and businesses in Manayunk have decided to join the new national trend and make this concept their niche. At Greene Street Consignment, for example, situated at 4313 Main St., store employees offer cash for clothes, which customers can use to buy a new item to welcome into their wardrobe. The store embraces the concept of sustainability, merging the idea right into its business model. There are also the businesses you might not necessarily think could make sustainability their mission, but are in fact doing just that. Art + Science, a local hair salon and spa, are innovators when it comes to green practices in the salon industry.According to owner Stephen Falvo, Art + Science has been green-minded since the very beginning. Even during the design and construction phase, Falvo was dedicated to sustainability, having put an emphasis on reusing and reclaiming anything that might have been left onsite during the store’s prior incarnation, that of a furniture business. In fact, Falvo was so green conscious, that he didn’t allow a trash dumpster on the premises during construction.

At Art + Science, clients can choose from several eco-friendly Aveda beauty products in the salon’s store.

Greene Street offers consigned clothing, shoes, and accessories perfect for the eco-friendly fashionista.

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Today, the business focuses on sustainability on a regular basis, using and selling products made from recycled goods, donating clipped hair to a business that makes mats that are in turn used to sop up oil spills, purchasing office supplies that are made from recycled materials and printing on recycled, double-sided paper. Even their energy is 100 percent wind powered. Falvo said he was one of the first local business owners to go to the Manayunk Development Corporation two years ago with the thought of doing something to raise awareness of what’s going on in the name of environmental friendliness. What came out of that process was what was then called the “Homegrown Festival.” That has grown into Manayunk’s now-annual EcoArts Fest. Even in two short years, Falvo said he believes more business owners are understanding the importance of “green” business practices. “I do believe that as a district, a lot of the businesses are becoming more aware,” he said. “I’ve seen a huge change. I’m finding out more and more businesses are going green.” One such business is The Spiral Bookcase, Manayunk’s only used bookstore. The store, which recently celebrated its year anniversary, specializes in secondhand books, “which goes along with the green initiative and sustainable living,” said owner Ann Tetreault. “When you purchase books here, you shrink your carbon footprint and conserve travel resources, reducing the impact on the environment and your wallet.”

Many of Main Street Market’s meats, cheeses, and breads come from local farms and bakeries.

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he Manayunk dining scene is much different today than it was a couple of decades ago. Aside from the new and varied restaurants opening along Main Street, the way restaurateurs operate in today’s market is a vast departure from just 10 years ago. Bruce Cooper is one such entrepreneur who has been able to change with the times, and this goes beyond bringing in dishes to cater to a new generation. When it comes to ordering his products, his

focus is now on sustainability and buying local.Instead of purchasing fruit, for instance, from growing fields on the West Coast, today, the owner of Jake’s Restaurant and Cooper’s Wine Bar, located at 4365 Main St., gets much of his produce nearby. The idea of buying local ingredients is two fold; it helps support area farms and vendors and it shows customers that quality products can indeed be obtained in Philly and the surrounding region. “It certainly has changed the way we buy things,” Cooper said of his restaurant’s dedication to sustainable living.

Local doesn’t just mean Philadelphia. Local, in Cooper’s case, also means regional. For example, Cooper’s gets much of their produce from a farm in the Lehigh Valley. The squash used in a new octopus dish and blackberries used on his well loved cheesecake both come from a Bucks County farmer as well. Cooper also purchases chickens from Lancaster County.“It’s pretty much fresh daily,” he said. Then there’s the cream used to make the ice cream at Jake’s, the baby greens and herbs that accompany dishes, and the pepperoni that tops the pizza pies – all from local sources. “We try to stay within a hundred miles as much as possible,” Cooper said of where his items are grown and produced. Even the beer served at Jake’s and Cooper’s is local, reflective of a growing trend toward microbrews and locally made hops. For Cooper, one of the reasons he puts so much emphasis on buying locally is that the product is often better. He doesn’t always buy local for the sake of buying local though, he’s a business owner, and often looks to keep costs down.

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This month’s chef spotlight features Bruce Cooper from Jake’s and Cooper’s Wine Bar.

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And it’s no surprise that local products are often more expensive. “Local products aren’t necessarily the cheapest,” he said. “Sometimes it’s much more expensive to buy local.” So why does he do it? “The quality is better, for starters,” Cooper said. Cooper seems to be reflective of the growing trend of Manayunk eateries that have turned their attention toward being sustainable. The Main Street Market is another business that prides itself on getting their meats, cheeses and other items from local sources. Take your pick at pork chops from Lancaster County or chicken from Lebanon County.

Many of the cheeses in their selection also come from Lehigh Valley, Trickling Springs Creamery, and Pequea Valley Farms.Whirled Peace, a new addition to Main Street, is also doing their part to contribute to sustainability. Their spoons, plastic smoothie containers and frozen yogurt bowls are all made from compostable and renewable resources. For Cooper, it’s been great to be able to both help out local farmers and give his customers a chance to taste Pennsylvania made products. It’s funny, Cooper said, but while buying local is all the rage today, such a notion might have gotten him laughed out of town when he first opened Jake’s back in 1987.

Sous Chef Drew Stark showing off three of Jake’s and Cooper’s sustainable menu items including Lancaster Tomato Salad, Solumeria Pepperoni Pizza, and Lancaster Farm Chicken.

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Jakes&

Cooper’sWine Bar

4365 Main StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19127

www.jakesrestaurant.comwww.copperswinebar.com

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Agiato Paninoteca & Enoteca | 4359 Main StreetAgiato Paninoteca & Enoteca offers a European menu that focuses on local artisan bread from Agiato Bread Company, and features local ingredients from Blue Moon Acres and Bell & Evans. www.agiatophila.com Art + Science Salon & Spa | 4259 Main StreetArt + Science is completely green, from design to completed construction. They have carpeting made from corn, use 100% wind power, have cabinetry made from green laminates or Chinese Rubberwood, and more. They also recycle everything they can and all menus and business cards are printed on 100% PCR paper with Soy Ink. www.artplusscience.com

The Attic | 4335 Main StreetTwelve million tons of textile waste is generated yearly in the U.S. The Attic is a Buy, Sell, Trade Clothing store that works to reduce this number and protect the environment by reusing and recycling clothing. The Attic strives to use energy efficient products and reuse as much as possible from energy efficient light bulbs to envelopes. www.atticclothes.com

Bourbon Blue | 2 Rector StreetBourbon Blue has made great strides to incorporate green initiatives into their business. Their kitchen fryer oil is recycled for eco friendly projects, their paper towels and napkins are made from recycled paper, they only use eco friendly & safe chemicals in the kitchen, and their power services utilizes wind energy. Bourbon Blue’s new wine list will also feature several organic wines. www.bourbonblue.com

BRR Architecture | 3 Rector Street, Suite 1BRR Architecture is Manayunk’s newest Architecture firm. BRR goes beyond quality and speed and strives to provide their clients with peace of mind on every project including sustainable design. www.brrarch.com

Bryn Mawr Running Company | 4320 Main StreetThe roots of Bryn Mawr Running Company date back to 1991 where one man shared a passion for running with the drive to promote healthy and active lifestyles. Today, BMRC stands as one of the most well known and respected stores in the country. Through their expertise and new locale in Manayunk, they have helped many locals take steps towards a healthier style of living. www.brynmawrrunningco.com

Green Guide to ManayunkLocal Sustainability Initiatives

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Cadence Cycling & Multi-Sport | 4323 Main Street Cadence Cycling and Multi-Sport Center is a hub for entry level and elite athletes looking for world-class coaching in cycling, triathlons and more. Besides selling merchandise, Cadence is known as an authoritative center for healthy living. www.cadencecycling.com

Chabaa Thai Bistro | 4371 Main Street Chabaa Thai has long been known as one of the most delicious Thai Restaurants in the area. What many don’t know is that Chef Moon has taken big strides to keep her Thai food rooted in Philadelphia by planting an herb and vegetable garden in her backyard. The fruits of her labor are then used in her restaurant’s kitchen. www.chabaathai.com

The Couch Tomato Cafe | 102 Rector StreetThe Couch Tomato Cafe remains a consistent and conscientious member of the Eco-environment in Manayunk. They have voluntarily participated in the Philadelphia recycling program, notably recycling over 15 cubic yards of cardboard a month in addition to numerous gallons of plastic and metal packaging. The Couch Tomato is also staunchly committed to nurturing the ecosystem that their fantastic customers live and play in. www.thecouchtomato.com

DIGS | 4319 Main StreetInspired by owner and award winning interior designer Patricia Gorman, DIGS is a high end consignment shop where you can find hand selected furniture, lighting, antiques, decorative accessories and gift items for the home. www.digsatpga.com

Dwelling Home | 4050 Main Street Dwelling houses beautiful furniture that balances innovation and sustainability. Their unique and luxurious pieces are known to be made from reclaimed Peroba wood from Brazil and environmen-tally safe harvested mahogany. www.dwellinghome.com

Gary Mann Jewelers | 4349 Main StreetA classic on Main Street for over 20 years, Gary Mann Jewelry houses an array of fresh styles - from delicate drop necklaces to statement-making earrings and dramatic right hand rings. Now you can feel better about your bling - Gary Mann Jewelers creates custom jewelry and will recycling existing gold, platinum, silver and gemstones into new jewelry. www.garymannjewelry.com

Gemelli | 4161 Main StreetManayunk’s newest restaurant, Gemelli on Main has cultivated a friendly neighborhood vibe through their food and service. The restaurant has made an effort to extend its friendly vibe to the environment by adding local produce to their Italian focused, french influenced cuisine! www.gemellionmain.com

Greene Street Consignment | 4313 Main StreetDid you know that donating or selling one item of your used clothing can cut your carbon footprint emissions by 27.1 pounds? Think of the inroads you can make in your overall energy use impact if you gave up shopping for new clothes and switched to vintage? Greene Street Consignment makes “green” shopping easy. www.greenstreetconsignment.com

Consignment Marketplace | 3901 Main StreetThe Home Consignment Market is the newest Manayunk retail store. The market sells consigned furniture, appliances, and decorative items which are all in excellent condition. www.consignmentmarketplace.net

HOTBOX Yoga | 4163 Main StreetHotbox is eco-friendly from the ground up. From the bamboo floors and energy efficient light bulbs to the cork countertop, they’ve utilized every renewable resource and energy saver when appropriate. To reduce on unnecessary waste, they refrain from selling water bottles and encourage their students to take advantage of their filtered water fountain. www.hotboxyoga.com

Jake’s & Cooper’s Wine Bar | 4365 Main StreetPracticing “green” methods of running a restaurant is all part of Jake’s & Cooper’s mission to leave a small carbon footprint on this Earth. Through recycling, purchasing from organic and/or self-sustaining farms and winery’s, and buying locally when possible, Jake’s & Cooper’s is consistently doing its part to be “green”. www.jakesrestuarant.com

Ligne Roset | 4131 Main StreetLigne Roset is dedicated to sustainability and eco design by way of “clean” manufacturing. Their furniture and upholstery does not emit gasses or create toxic waste and Ligne Roset products are engineered with components that facilitate breakdown and recycling. They are also committed to waste management as an integral part of an approach to sustainable development. www.rosetphilly.com

The Little Apple | 4353 Main StreetThe Little Apple Store is a marvelous startup in Manayunk where you’ll find new, vintage and repurposed home goods, unique gifts and cards. The owner, Molly, makes an effort to stock the store with affordable accents from local artists. www.thelittleapplestore.com

Main Street Market | 4345 Main Street Main Street Market offers local and organic produce to accompany grocery selections from local suppliers including Trickling Springs Creamery, Capogiro, Bobbi’s Hummus, and Mompops Gourmet Popsicles. Their butcher section features natural and local pork and poultry from Bell & Evans and Leidy’s and the deli counter offers natural and gluten free products from Boars Head. www.mainstreetmraketmanayunk.com

Main Street Music | 4444 Main StreetMain Street Music helps to keep old CDs, LPs & DVDs out of landfills; they buy all three used media types and give customers cash or in-store credit in exchange. www.mainstreetmusicpa.com

Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant | 4120 Main StreetManayunk Brewery and Restaurant recycles all of its spent grain (a by-product of the beer brewing process) at local area farms. Spent grain retains protein and fiber, which makes it a useful addition to livestock feed for animals – this same local livestock is then sourced for the restaurants’ famous burgers. www.manayunkbrewery.com

Green Guide to Manayunk

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Meze Cafe | 4311 Main StreetMeze Cafe serves the finest and freshest ingredients prepared with years of experience and understanding of food’s content and flavor. They use local ingredients including their lamb, which is fresh from Lancaster Farms. www.facebook.com/mezecafephiladelphia

Nicole Miller | 4249 Main StreetNicole Miller Philadelphia is going green, and not on the runway. Reusable bags, private label water bottles, LED bulbs, and reusable packing material, paper and office supplies, are a few of the things Nicole Miller Philadelphia has done to join the green movement. www.wix.com/nmphilly/nicole-miller-philadelphia

Orbit Art Gallery | 4203 Main StreetAlmost all of Orbit Art Gallery’s merchandise is made in the U.S. and at least 50% is made from within five miles of the gallery. Orbit Gallery also represents Resource Revival, a studio that takes unusable bike parts and repurposes them into everything from beautiful clocks to lamps. www.orbitartonline.wordpress.com

Philadelphia Vintage Photographs & Custom Framing | 4386 Main StreetFor the added special details for any space Philadelphia Vintage Photographs & Custom Framing finishes off the space with classic images of the Philadelphia area. www.phillyvintagephoto.com

RevivalSmith | 4233 Main StreetRevivalSmith is an eclectic boutique co-operative, featuring hand-picked rehabbed vintage pieces, antique furniture, home goods, up-cycled lighting, and handmade jewelry. Their motto: Vintage is the original green. www.revivalsmith.com

Re:Vision Architecture | 133 Grape StreetRe:Vision Architecture is a green and sustainable consulting practice that focuses on restoring the balance between natural and built environments through development. They specialize exclusively in green building projects and are a founding B-Corporation that has demonstrated social and environmental performance standards. www.revisionarch.com

RowZone Manayunk | 4401 Main StreetRowZone Manayunk is committed to promoting healthy living by encouraging patrons to bike to class and by using self sufficient rowing machines with rechargeable batteries. They also focus on reducing the use of paper by placing details about their classes, schedule, rates and other information online instead of printing – receipts and contracts are e-mailed to customers too. www.rowzone.com/manayunk

Senor Custom Clothiers | 4390 Main StreetSenor Custom Clothiers offers 100% cotton sport shirts hand-made right here in Philadelphia. They also feature all natural 100% organic bamboo sport coats. www.senorcustomshop.com

The Spiral Bookcase | 112 Cotton StreetBy reselling and repurposing used books, The Spiral Bookcase is utilizing existing resources and contributing to the green initiative. Additional merchandise in the store, including artwork and jewelry, is made by vendors who use eco-friendly practices and artisans who work with found objects and re-purposed items. www.thespiralbookcase.com

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Green Guide to Manayunk

Festival goers browse the selection of eco-friendly and sustainable art work at the 2010 Manayunk Eco Arts Festival.

Eco friendly baby clothing made with scrap fabric from local Philadelphia designers was a hit at last year’s festival.

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Sweat Fitness | 4151 Main StreetSweat Fitness is committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle for members of the Manayunk community through a state-of-the-art fitness center and classes such as Pilates and Power Yoga.www.sweatfitness.com

Sweet Elizabeth’s Cakes | 4409 Main StreetNew cupcake bakery Sweet Elizabeth’s Cakes is committed to baking with only the best ingredients available – and that starts locally! Their dairy products and eggs come from local, happy, rgb-free cows and chickens. www.sweetelizabethscakes.com

Three Potato Four | 376 Shurs Lane, Building AThree Potato Four was recently named “Best Eco-Friendly Home Decor” shop in Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly 2011. They give items a second chance by hunting and gath-ering antiques from around the U.S. and repurposing them for home décor. Their inventory ranges from industrial and primitive items to signage, advertising, oddities and folk art. www.threepotatofourshop.com

T.A.G. Denim | 4358 Main StreetTag is a fashion forward boutique for the chic with a broad se-lection of designer jeans. Tag is running a promotion during the EcoArts Festival in which you can bring in a pair of old jeans, and Tag will donate them to a local charity and give you $15 towards a new pair. www.tagdenim.com

Terrace Taproom | 3847 Terrace StreetNew to Manayunk, The Terrace Taproom puts the accent on great beers with an emphasis on many of Philadelphia’s award-winning craft brews. www.terracetaproom.com

Upscale Resale | 4255 Main StreetShops like Upscale Resale give customers the opportunity to buy, sell or trade their clothes – the perfect way to stay chic while reducing the 68 pounds of clothes Americans throw away each year.

Venice Lofts | 4601 Flat Rock RoadVenice Lofts apartments feature floor-to-wceiling windows to provide an abundance of natural light, dually zoned central air and heat, and top of the line energy efficient appliances to help reduce their footprint and energy use. www.veniceloftsapts.com

Venturi Scott Brown And Associates | 4236 Main StreetThis award winning green architecture firm is committed to using resources responsibly, integrating energy efficiency in their plan-ning and design, reducing pollution, and providing clients with healthy, sustainable buildings and sites. They are also a member of the United States Green Building Council. www.vsba.com

Green Guide to Manayunk

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Whirled Peace | 4321 Main StreetWhriled Peace makes a variety of delicious frozen yogurts that are healthy and eco-friendly without sacrificing quality and taste. Their plates and utensils are all 100% biodegradable and their products are made with organic and natural ingredients. www.manayunk.whirledpeacefroyo.com

Winnie’s Le Bus Manayunk | 4266 Main StreetWinnie’s Le Bus prides themselves on their local and fresh ingredients. The scrumptious bread that comes with your meal is from Agiato Bread Company right down the street, and their eclectic draft beer list always features local favorites such as Yards, Dogfish Head and Sly Fox. www.lebusmanayunk.com

Worn Yesterday | 4228 Main StreetWorn Yesterday features new and gently-used children’s and maternity clothing including brands like Baby Mini, Leggoons, and LeTop. Stop in to browse the selection or join the green movement by dropping off your consignment items. www.wornyesterday.com

We Congratulate the EcoArts Festival &the Manayunk Community for anothersuccessful year. Together we can keep

Manayunk a thriving, cultured& beautiful place to live,

visit and enjoy!

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Manayunk residents and visitors enjoy the attractions at the first ever Manayunk Eco Arts Festival last September.

Green Guide to Manayunk

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ecause of its convenient location along the Schuylkill River and expressway in Northwest Philadelphia, Manayunk is “everyone’s backyard.” Today, there are plenty of recreational amenities and local businesses right in this backyard that have turned this former mill town into a hotbed for healthful practices. If you’re into outdoor excursions, just look to the Schuylkill River for kayaking and the Manayunk Tow Path for running and biking.

For the fifth straight year in a row, a group called Hidden River Outfitters has teamed up with the local Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant to offer seasonal kayak tours along the Schuylkill. The guided, instructional tour will take you to various spots along the historic waterway, and end with a bite at the restaurant commonly known as “Brew Pub.” Jason Mifflin, owner and operator of Hidden River Outfitters, said he started the kayak tours about five years ago with the idea that it would open up locals to the endless possibilities along the sometimes ignored waterway.

“[I] was always around the Schuylkill River…and always appreciated it,” said Mifflin, a Roxborough native. Mifflin said his goal with the kayak tours is twofold; he aims to get people more connected to the Schuylkill River and help them lead healthier lives. “Through getting people more connected to the river they in turn then promote the river itself and feel more ownership over it and therefore will do more to help protect its quality and health,” Mifflin said. Mifflin, who said he’s always been into the outdoors from both a recreational and environmental standpoint, enjoys the fact that he can get in shape without going to the gym or engaging in other traditional modes of working out. Part of that is due to the local landscape. “[I was] getting exercise, I was doing something environmentally correct, not polluting the earth,” Mifflin said about riding his bike to work. “I was getting healthy exercise without even planning on exercising.” Then there’s Cadence Cycling, which has been located at 4323 Main St. for about eight years. Brady Gibney, general manager of retail operations at the shop, said the owners may have chosen Manayunk

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as a location for the store nearly a decade ago because of its centralized location, split between city and suburb. “It’s a main throughway for cyclists from the city out to the suburbs,” he said. “It made a lot of sense to put a shop here. Manayunk’s also kind of not exactly the city and it’s not exactly the suburbs.” Not only do they sell bikes and bike parts, they also offer educational programming, such as year-round classes on cycling. “Certainly I would say all bike shops kind of focus on the fitness of people,” Gibney said. “There is the fun aspect and the fitness aspect to our industry in general.” The business goes over particularly well with the younger generation that now calls Manayunk home, Gibney said. Some of them even take part in things like weekly group runs offered by the nearby Bryn Mawr Running Company, a retail store at the corner of Main and Cotton Streets that has called Manayunk home for more than a year now. If you’re into more traditional workouts, businesses such as RowZone, a rowing studio which utilizes rowing techniques to get people into shape, and Joltin’ Jabs, a boxing center run by former professional boxer Joey DeMalavez, are offering one-of-a-kind workouts to those who walk through their doors. John and Rute Belanger recently purchased RowZone, which has been operating at 4401 Main St. for the past couple of years. The husband-wife team not only operates their business locally, but they live in the community as well. And since many of their clients come from the area, the Belanger’s encourage the practice of walking or biking to work in the name of health mindedness. “It’s just a great community to be in,” Rute Belanger said of Manayunk, which she considers to be a leader in emerging health trends. “I love the neighborhood.” And that’s one nice thing about Manayunk; exercise can take place here without even consciously making an attempt. The community prides itself on alternative modes of transportation. Folks who live and work in Manayunk have ample opportunity to get to and from their destinations without a car, whether it be to work, to the local store or to see a movie at the local cinema. The possibilities are endless. Community leaders pride themselves on the fact that the neighborhood is convenient and accessible. Walkability has become a phrase synonymous with Manayunk. Soon, Manayunk will be even more accessible with the advent of a trail project which will connect Lower Merion

Township to Manayunk via the iconic Manayunk bridge. The Cynwyd Trail, as it is dubbed, is nearing completion on the suburban side of the Schuylkill River. When done, hopefully in mid-to-late September, the pathway will connect to Manayunk’s own Ivy Ridge Trail, a favorite among nature lovers on the city side. So head to Manayunk, because Jane Fonda, VHS tapes, and leotards are out, and as people look for healthy living and new forms of exercise, Manayunk is in.

RowZone encourages its members to live a healthy lifestyle and contribute to the green movement by biking or walking to class.

Residents enjoy walking, running, and biking on the Manayunk Tow Path, which is currently getting another facelift.

Riders from all over Philadelphia flock to Cadence for all of their bicycle needs before riding along the Manayunk Tow Path or Kelly Drive.

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ne of the goals of the Manayunk Development Corporation (MDC) and the Manayunk Special Services District is to keep the commercial corridor clean and safe for those who frequent the shopping and dining destination. The groups work to make sure trash doesn’t litter the business district and nearby side streets. But just keeping trash off of the streets is not always enough, as MDC’s Howard Moseley realized after assessing the group’s refuse

removal program. Moseley, a director at MDC, started to notice that some of the trash that had been making its way into the Allied Waste dumpsters wasn’t really trash at all. Instead, many of the discarded items lining the dumpsters were really recyclable materials. “A lot of materials that looked recyclable were going in there,” Moseley said. “At the same time we had a very huge monthly bill for the waste dumpster.”

“And we were filling the dumpster up twice a week,” Moseley said. Moseley estimated that around 75 percent of the trash making its way into MDC’s dumpsters was recyclable. Around this same time, MDC received notice that Allied Waste was going to start charging more when its contract with MDC was up, citing rising fuel costs, transportation and dumping fees. So, when MDC sat down at the table with representatives from Allied Waste to discuss ways of lowering trash pickup costs, (which they succeeded in doing), all parties decided they wanted to “try to do the right thing and put the 75 percent of recycling [found in the trash] in a recyclable container,” Moseley said. After obtaining the recycling dumpster, MDC started an education campaign, retraining its maintenance crew on how to identify recyclables versus actual refuse, and the results were noticeable immediately.

O

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The recycling dumpsters were getting filled more frequently than the traditional trash dumpsters. “We totally switched,” Moseley said. In fact, the trash dumpsters were only getting filled once every other week, a vast difference from the past. Today, trash is only picked up from the Manayunk business district twice a month, while recycling is picked up twice a week.

Where design comes to life ~ again!

Consignment

Marketplace

4001 Main StreetEast End of Manayunk

Philadelphia, PA 19127215.298.9534

www.consignmentmarketplace.net

Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Sun. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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SHOPS

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Big Belly solar powered trash and recycling collection stations line Main Street, making it easy for residents, visitors, and merchants to make the right choice.

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Eco artists from across the country came to Manayunk to display their trades along Main Street.

Visitors from all over the Delaware Valley region come to Manayunk for their many festivals.

Moseley sees MDC’s growing emphasis on commercial recycling as Manayunk doing its part in the grand scheme of things where environmental awareness is concerned. The business district’s placement of “Big Belly” solar powered trash and recycling cans, combined with the greater recycling push, underlines Manayunk’s efforts to offer a clean environment to both those who do business here and those who visit the commercial strip, Moseley said. The latest news on this front is that during the upcoming EcoArts

Fest, MDC will partner with UnLitter Us Philly to officially announce that Manayunk is a “litter free zone.” As part of that designation, MDC is expected to have more than 50 local businesses take a pledge to keep the district clean and safe. “It really is about a business community coming together and showing that we care about the environment and about how our district looks,” Moseley said. “We do it because we believe in it.”

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GOURMETP I Z Z A

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open daily11 a.m.

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The Café wil l also begin offering BEER this Fall!

Brought to you by the same owners as:

Located directly above The Couch Tomato Café

OPENING THIS FALL!