Do Something Different This New Years Eve; While Saving a Buck

Last week I began looking around online for New Years Eve parties in the city. Not soon after I realized ticket prices for bars sky rocketed since a year ago. Virtually every bar in the city, and some in the suburbs, require a ticket to celebrate the New Year. However, what use to be an option is now included in that ticket. Many bars and clubs now "include" a top-self open bar with their ticket, which in result makes the price way higher. The cheapest New Years Eve bar tickets are anywhere from $70 to $100. If you want to go VIP then be prepared to cough up an extra $50 to $100. Open bars are great, but if you try to drink your money's worth then you will be ringing in 2012 on a stretcher. Here are some alternative options for this New Years Eve in Philly:

Riverfront Fireworks: A Philadelphia classic. This year there are two shows; one at 6 pm and another at midnight. There are plenty of great spots along the Delaware, like Penn's Landing, to watch the sky light up. The fireworks are a party in itself as thousands gather to see them go boom boom boom, even brighter than the moon moon moon (yeah it's Katy Perry so what?).

Blue Cross RiverRink: The ice skating rink at Penn's Landing is open for most of the winter, but it is holding a special gathering for New Years celebrations. There is a party from 5 to 7 pm for the first fireworks show, which is more for families. Then there will be another party on the ice from 11 pm to 1 am.Tickets are $30 to skate and $20 for spectators. 

Battleship New Jersey: Another great spot to welcome 2012 while seeing the fireworks is across the river on board the Battleship New Jersey. They too will host two separate parties for both fireworks shows; starting at 4 and 10 pm. There will be prizes, music with food and drinks (including alcohol) available for purchase. Tickets are ONLY $8!

Helium Comedy Club: Helium, located at 20th and Sansom Streets, will also have two shows. Stand-up comedian Anthony Jeselnik will be performing. The first show begins at 8 pm with appetizers beginning at 6. Jeselnik will take the stage again at 10:30 with a desert buffet and midnight champagne toast after. Ticket prices for the earlier show are $38 and the later one is $59. Both New Years Eve tickets include a FREE ticket to a future show. 

SEPTA Ain't So Bad

Sure SEPTA's subways, trains, buses may not always be the cleanest nor on time, but this story is proof that they are not as lousy as some may think.

Newlyweds Beth and Scott Wimsley of Huntingdon Valley have SEPTA to thank for getting them to their wedding last weekend. No, they did not stand at a bus stop with 20 of their family and friends.

They were in a limo bus en route to the ceremony when it broke down and an array of men and women dressed to the nine's in tux's and gowns could be seen on the side of the Roosevelt Blvd. It seemed like there was no way to get everyone in the group to the wedding in time for the Wimsley's to tie the knot.

That was until, yes! SEPTA driver Jay Sowel showed up in his bus which looked more like a magic carpet  that day. He saw the unusual crowd of people standing along the Boulevard and stopped to see what was up. The wedding boarded the bus and as Sowel played wheel man for the grateful bunch, they broke out in a rendition of "Tiny Dancer."

At least for one day SEPTA wasn't just a transportation service, but a savior. Maybe the next time your train or bus is late, just think of his happy story.

Two Wheels Are Better Than Four

One of my excuses for the hiatus away from GNP is I recently moved to the Queen Village section of South Philly. So keep checking back for new posts sooner than every two months or so. Anyway, one of the first things I have noticed is the number of bikers in the city; especially in my neighborhood. By bikers I mean bicycles, those ones with the pedals. Of course now is the best time to bike around the city, but Philadelphia is the number one city for bike riding anytime of the year. One of the reasons is the numerous streets with designated bike lanes which take the annoyance away of having to dodge pedestrians on sidewalks. Whether it is commuting to work on bike or just cruising around, Philly is a bicycle riding city. 

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If you didn't know (like me until I started researching this), Philadelphia has its very own coalition for biking. It is called the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. Their main objective is to make Philadelphia even more bike friendly and get more people hoping on bicycles while ditching their cars. They basically deal with anything to do with biking in Philadelphia.

Here is a list of the top 5 places to bike around Philly and don't forget about the 5 worst locations to pedal around. If you would like to make your own route, here is a bicycle map of the city.

Teach Me How To...

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Here is a list that Philadelphia Weekly put together of classes and events for people to gain new skills and knowledge. With the working world more competitive than ever, it can only help to learn something new or simply find an activity to provide a release from the normal drag.

One that caught my eye was the Prison Break weekend at Eastern State Penitentiary. Another is Hive 76 who have an open house every Wednesday night. They are a club that teach's various things with computers and anything else a hacker dreams about.

The City's Latest to Make It Big, Goes Unnoticed

You would think if a person was to top Billboard's album chart, they wouldn't be able to walk five feet in their home town without someone coming up to them. That is not the case for Amos Lee. His fourth studio album Mission Bell debuted at #1 a few months back.

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The 33 year-old singer/songwriter grew up in South Philly and Kensington, before moving to Cherry Hill, New Jersey where he graduated from Cherry Hill High School East (as did I). After attending the University of South Carolina, Amos Lee returned home to Philadelphia. He began teaching second grade, but then decided on chasing a career in music. Lee began playing at small spots like the Tin Angel. There he began as a waiter and was given open slots to perform on stage. He eventually gained a following and signed with Blue Note records in 2005.

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A combination of folk and jazz, Amos Lee realizes his music does not appeal to the masses. Mission Bell is Lee's fourth studio album. However, that isn't the basis of his career. Lee continues to work hard because of the passion he has for music. Many celebrities call Philadelphia "home," but most have moved on to seek out greater fame and fortune. Then you look at Amos Lee, a home grown product that has accomplished so much for all the right reasons and continues to go unnoticed.

Amos Lee is currently on a country wide tour which includes a sold out show at Philadelphia's Marriam Theatre tomorrow (Tuesday 4/5).

Website Lets Citizens Follow the Growth of Philly

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A view from the Comcast Center as it was under construction

PlanPhilly is a website that lets Philadelphian's in on the future of the city. Run by PennPraxis of the University of Pennsylvania, PlanPhilly is a independent news source that has on staff former Inquirer writers and editors as well as citizen journalists. Originally developed in 2006 to cover the Delaware Riverfront project, the site is now updated daily with news and events from around the city. You can even maneuver around the site according to your neighborhood and various issues. PlanPhilly is a great way for Philadelphians to get educated and participate in important matters pertaining to the city.

Hello Twitter!

Good News Philly is the 269,834,799'th member of Twitter. So far it is a little strange only being able to type messages in 140 characters or less. Basically I will be posting updates on stories I am doing or planning, events in the city, pictures, and basically anything that stays true to good news and/or Philadelphia.

To follow just look to your right and click the logo...

Tweet Tweet

Curbside Eatery's Provide Great Food With a Side of Character

Scattered all around the city are lunch trucks of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Most of whom offer up some of the cities most exquisite eats. Philadelphia has a number of outstanding restaurants, but these four wheeled eateries show the true personality of the city. Most do not move from their street side homes and are outfitted with generators.

One of the many lunch trucks on the campus of Temple

While I will not be taking a first date to a lunch truck, many offer a menu that will not be found anywhere else. Numerous trucks have the standard cheesesteaks and soft pretzels. However, if you examine further you will find some rare bites. For example, on Temple University's campus is The Creperie. The crowd in front of the red, white, and blue (or I should say blue, white, and red) truck is staggering, but so I here is well worth the wait.

If you work or attend school in the city, give some different trucks a try. They are quick, cheap, and not your usual meal. 

Good News Philly Promo Video!

A little something I put together:

Proof That Chivalry Still Exists

A scenario that is often asked is if you found a bag of money on the street; what would you do? Most of us would like to believe that we would return it, but i'm sure a handful would pocket the money. John Kavanaugh of West Chester, who is homeless, was faced with this exact choice.

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The envelope contained $1,440 cash, belonging to Pottstown attorney Robert Stauffer. While walking from his car into the Chester County Recorder of Deeds, the money fell through Stauffer's hole in his coat, as well as his overcoat. The homeless Kavanaugh stepped on the snow covered envelope and didn't hesitate to turn it into police. Stauffer thought it might have been turned in to the address on the envelope, until he was relived to get a call from the police. The two men plan on meeting so Stauffer can give a reward for the humanity Kavanaugh has displayed.

Flyers Wives Annual Charity Carnival

The 34th annual Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival was held this past Sunday, February 27th. Every year the event seems to get bigger; which has raised a total of $23 million since its start in 1977. The money raised funds a number of different charities, including the Barry Ashbee Research Laboratories at Hahnemann University Hospital.

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This years Flyers Wives and girlfriends

This years carnival featured many opportunities for fun, all while helping out a great cause. Fans were treated with chances to meet current Flyers and Flyers alumni. Just some of the activities were take a shot on goal, dunk tank with a Flyer, and have your picture taken with the Stanley Cup. Also, auctions and sales were taking place for autographed jerseys, pucks, and other memorabilia.

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Barry Ashbee

One of the major influences of the carnival is former Flyers defenseman and assistant coach Barry Ashbee. He helped lead the Flyers to a Stanley Cup win in 1974 and his number 4 is retired by the franchise. A few months after the first Flyers Wives Carnival, Barry Ashbee passed away at the age of 38 from a form of leukemia. Ashbee continues to be a thriving force to keep this great event growing.

If you or someone you know is a Flyers fan; here are some auctions still taking place that benefit Flyers Charities.
Flyers Charities Auctions

Philadelphian is a Real Life Superhero

New York City is home to some of the most famous comic book superheros; Superman, Spider-man and so on. The latest hero to save the day in the Big Apple is a fellow Philadelphian.

Joseph Lozito helped New York police capture Maksim Gelman; who went on a spree of stabbings carjackings and hit-and-runs, killing four in a span of 28 hours. For whatever reason, Gelman went after 6 foot 1, 270 pound Lozito on a subway car under Time Square. Lozito fought off his attacker who then tried to reach the motorman, subdued him and NYPD took him into custody.

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Lozito in the hospital after the attack

Lozito is originally from Queens, but has been living in Philadelphia for almost a dozen years. Laid off from his job from Fleer trading-card company; which is why he took a job in Manhattan as a ticket taker at Lincoln Center. Him, his wife Andrea and their two sons reside in the Northeast.

Some news sources were reporting that Lozito is an expert mixed martial artiest, however he is just an everyday fan. Joseph buys Ultimate Fighting Championship on pay-per-view just like millions of others around the country. All of his watching off UFC paid off, because the move that brought down the suspect was a leg sweep which is common in mixed martial arts.

The 40 year old Lozito did endure some wounds from the attack. Gelman sliced him under his left eye, on his head, and left arm. Some of the scars may be permanent, but that does nothing to damper the feeling of getting to return home to his family.

Read the full article here and a see a video interview of Joseph Lozito

Local Take on the Revolution in Egypt

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Zayne Amer is a graduate of Central Bucks High School and Temple University. She is a native of Egypt with dual citizenship; who now works at American University in Cairo. This is her story as she participated in protests and then celebration.

Here is Zayne's Article

Your Chance to Decode da Vinci at the Franklin Institute

A new exhibit at the Franklin Institute opened up this weekend called Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop. The exhibit lets visitors dive into one of the most interesting minds the world has ever known. The display features many creations built by Leonardo experts from Milan. The pieces come from sketches and notes of da Vinci, which were not able to be built five centuries ago because they were so far ahead of the time. Many of his visions predicted modern technology; from flying machines to weapons of war and other mechanical creations. Now with the help of modern technology, it is if his sketches jumped off the page and into the 21st century. One of other features is a number of interactive touch screens which let you flip through the inventor/artist's codices. Another promise of the exhibit is to unveil new findings about one of da Vinci's most famous works; The Last Supper. Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop runs through May 22.

Click Here for a tour and ticket information. 

Reality Check: My Experience Volunteering At a Soup Kitchen

It is something I have always thought about doing, but that is all it was; a thought. With the brutal winter in full swing I finally figured it was time. So I started to Google soup kitchens in Philadelphia and I came across a list of 47 throughout the city. Some are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner while some serve one night a week. I chose to volunteer at Hillel on the campus of Penn. They offer a soup kitchen every Sunday night from 5:30 to 8 o'clock. No sign up is needed, just show up and help out.

During the subway ride over to Penn from Temple, I really did not know what to expect. The only visions I have are what I have seen in movies and television. When I got there, we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches using every slice of the five loafs of bread. We put them in sandwich bags for guests to take on their way out along with a banana and milk. After that we gathered in the dining area to receive our jobs. One person would handout utensils, re-fill cups, serve food, etc. The most important assignment was to simply sit down and have a casual conversation.

At 6 o'clock the guests were allowed in. They calmly filed in, took a seat at a table, and had their cups filled with hot tea. Me and the other volunteers stood in line with an empty plate in each hand. Each plate got a serving of pasta with vegetables, pasta with meat, two slices of bread, and two chocolate chip cookies. After everybody received a plate of  food I stood in the back of the room. As I closed my eyes for a few seconds, it sounded more like the college dining hall it was than a soup kitchen. Soft contemporary music was playing through an iPod dock, but what was more noticeable was the laughter. I opened my eyes to see smiles in between each bite of hot food. That's when it first hit me. These people, after everything they have and are still going through, at this moment in time are happy.

I saw an open chair a couple tables away and asked if I could take a seat. The table was occupied by three men and a woman who were chatting about the weather. I asked how the night was going and a few responded with; "good." At first, I thought it would be easy to just sit and have a talk like I do almost every day with people at school. This was different. Thoughts of what to say raced through my head. How was your weekend? No. Did you see this or this on TV? No. I was going through my potential conversation topics as if I were tip toeing across a minefield. Usually when I am in a nervous situation I instinctively take out my cell phone as if there is an app to tell me what to do. However, I stopped my hand from reaching into my pocket. After about a minute the man to my right asked about Penn and I responded that I go to Temple. He then went on to talk about the new legislation in Harrisburg which he knew way more about than me.

When 6:30 rolled around guests were allowed to come up and get seconds. A line quickly formed. With plenty of food left there was enough for not just seconds, but thirds, fourths, and  fifths. Understandably, some went back to their tables and slid the food into a container along side a bottle of tea. While others stacked a fresh plate on top of their full plate of food and put it in a plastic bag to take with them. Around 7:30 everybody was gone. All I could think about was to where?

I look back on this experience as both educational and emotional. I feel blessed for everything I have. While there are plenty of statistics and graphs about homeless people on the web, I chose not to post any. These people are not numbers or lines, thats just what they are; people.


Here is a list of some soup kitchens in Philadelphia. Your time is much more valuable than the spare change in your pocket.

Auto Show More About MPG's Than Horsepower

2011 Chevrolet Volt

The 2011 Philadelphia International Auto Show is now at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It kicked off Friday night with the Black Tie Tailgate. With over 700 cars you are sure to find your dream ride. The exhibits are full of high performance sports cars, but the talk of the event is the up and coming of electric cars. Vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, which can operate solely on electricity, are drawing just as much attention as the Porsche's and Lamborghini's. Almost every major car manufacturer was showing off their new green machines. The Auto Show is running from now through Sunday, February 6th.

Click Here for show hours, ticket information, and celebrity appearances.

Here are my favorites from this year's show:

New System for Philly Sports Fans to Get Cherished Beer at Games

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Everyone knows how Philadelphia sports fans love their beer at games, maybe a little too much. Well now GrinOn Industries has a new draft beer tap to eliminate lines and overly foamy beer. Check out the video below to see BottomsUP Beer at work.

Hometown Legend Leading the Fight to Rejuvenate Neighborhoods

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Kenny Gamble, songwriter and producer as a part of Gamble and Huff has 15 gold singles along with 22 gold albums, eight of which have gone platinum. That is just the beginning of the long list of accomplishments for this Philadelphia icon. Gamble's most impressive triumph might be his latest adventure. Gamble runs a community development corporation, Universal Companies, which has been working to rebuild his home neighborhood in South Philadelphia. Universal Companies has already improved education and housing in the area. The worn out sections of Point Breeze and Grays Ferry are the focus for Gamble's next project. With a one-year planning grant supplied by the U.S. Department of Education and more money supplied by the William Penn Foundation, Gamble hopes to lay out the "Pointgrays" plan to overhaul the neighborhood. They will then submit the plan to the Department of Education, as a part of its Promise Neighborhoods program, will award four of the 21 grantees another grant to take their plan into action. Gamble hopes to develop the community with education, affordable housing, jobs, businesses, and family services. This is just the start of Kenny Gamble's outline to make Philadelphia a better place to live.

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Point Breeze 

Music Helps to Heal Children

Based out of New York, Musicians On Call brings live music to bed ridden children in hospitals. With the help of WXPN-FM, Pennsylvania University's public radio station, they have been booking musicians to perform in medical facilities throughout the city since 2004.

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Much like the film based on a true story, Patch Adams, which featured Robin Williams (above) playing an industrious medical student who used comedy to help young ill patients, Musicians On Call has a very similar affect. Doctors state that their patients show improvement following the joy of the live performances. Visit Musicians On Call's website to see how to volunteer, donate, and other information.

Wawa Provides Warmth for the Winter

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In case you needed another reason to love Wawa, for the whole month of January Wawa is selling ANY size and flavor coffee for just $1. This deal offers just a little bright spot in an otherwise brutally cold and snowy winter season.

See Life Through the Bifocals

There are plenty of great tourist spots throughout the city. However, only one can put you in the middle of America's fight for independence. Lights of Liberty's Liberty 360 is a 3D spectacle that is led by Philadelphia's own Benjamin Franklin. The 15 minute show will take you through 18th century Philadelphia. The state of the art 360-degree theater is at the Historic Philadelphia Center in the PECO theater on a 50 foot long, 8 foot high screen. Liberty 360 runs year round with shows starting every 20 minutes.



Coming this spring/summer is another must see experience. A new addition to Lights of Liberty will take place at night outside of Independence Hall. Audience's will wear headsets as images up to 5 stories high are projected on to some of the city's most historic buildings to the tunes of the Philadelphia Orchestra and narrators. 

Over two centuries have passed since America's independence. It is great to see that with the rapid development of technology that Philadelphia is using it to bring us closer to the history which helped build the city and the country.