Looking for something to do in the Philadelphia area this spring? Spring and summer make Philadelphia come alive so make sure to check out some of these local events.
Ninth Street Italian Market Festival
Visit America’s oldest continuously operating open air market on the weekend it truly comes to life. Bring your appetite and take in the multitude of sensory delight as 9th Street is closed off for the entire weekend and you can dine alfresco to take in the sights and sounds. See stands offering fresh peppers and sausage, snack on roast pork sandwiches, famous mango roses, endless pastries and more.
If you’re in the mood for a walk, stroll down blocks of marketplace where merchants offer snacks made especially for the festival, musicians make their rounds and the area’s top chefs give live cooking demonstrations to show off the best they’ve got.
Brandywine River Blues Festival
Looking for something to do on Memorial Day weekend? Consider heading down to the gorgeous Brandywine Valley for their annual festival celebrating great music and great wine. You can bring your own picnic or eat at Chester County’s Chaddsford Winery.
There are two live blues bands playing each day, and admission to the festival gets you two concerts, wine tasting, and a souvenir wine glass. Take a tour of the wine making and barrel aging cellars or just sit back and have a picnic at this lively festival. Keep in mind, kids aren’t recommended at the River Blues Festival, and pets aren’t allowed.
Frida Kahlo Exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
In its only East coast stop, the Frida Kahlo exhibit is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until May 18th. The exhibit, put together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Kahlo’s birth, features over 40 of her works in the first major exhibit of its kind in the US in over 15 years.
Drink in the beauty of this iconic Mexican artist’s take on love, Mexican life, and family. Kahlo was known for her small and personal Surrealist paintings that burst with color, symbolism, and raw passion.
If you don’t have the Benz yet and you want to get one in time to cruise Philly in the spring, stop by your local Philadelphia Mercedes Benz dealers, your Fort Washington PA Mercedes dealers or you Wilmington DE Mercedes Benz dealers to get set up with the ride of your life and cruise around town in style.
If you’ve lived in Philadelphia for any length of time, you’ve likely heard of famed identity thief Jocelyn Kirsch. She hasn’t been around since December, when police arrested her and her boyfriend in the area. But sources have told a Daily News reporter of a recent sighting of her in Baltimore earlier this month, and it’s likely that she came back to Philadelphia from there.
Because of the couple’s history of breaking the law, police and others have referred to Kirsch and her boyfriend Edward Anderton as Bonnie and Clyde. Although their crimes don’t involve murdering people, the two have still been very busy stealing people’s identities, making terrorist threats and committing other illegal acts.
Since she got out on bail, though, Kirsch has been living in northern California, according to reporter Regina Medina. Kirsch is a good-looking brunette with big doe eyes and other features that attract many men. That’s probably why she’s able to gain people’s trust and steal their identities. Until someone spotted her in Baltimore, she was reportedly working at a Starbucks in Napa, California. As an added twist, the Federal Trade Commission reported that Napa had the highest rate of identity theft complaints in the entire country.
Things began making sense to Philadelphia police shortly before her arrest in December 2007. They went to her last recorded local address to find that she had moved. But she left behind many of her belongings, including a book on the coffee table entitled, The Art of Cheating: A Nasty Little Book for Tricky Little Schemers and Their Hapless Victims. Kirsch and her boyfriend allegedly used the book to defraud credit card companies, local businesses and even their neighbors. As a result, they enjoyed a lavish lifestyle typically reserved for the most affluent business people.
But these two aren’t your average hooligans simply hoping to steal people’s money. Kirsch attended Drexel University and was also a member of the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority. Her boyfriend graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2005 and worked as an analyst for Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds, a high-profile company in the area. Both of them sampled some of the best things in life with other people’s money. Reports indicate they traveled from Hawaii to Paris and other exotic parts of the world.
Travel wasn’t the only benefit Kirsch enjoyed. Sources say her large closet was so full of designer items that nothing else would even fit in there. The couple furnished their $3,000-a-month apartment with the latest electronics, upscale furniture and other expensive goods. Unfortunately, neither Kirsch nor Anderton had any feasible means of support. Police also found fake ID cards and equipment typically used to make those cards.
So if you’re in the Philadelphia area, hold onto your wallets, shred your sensitive documents and hide your new or used Mercedes-Benz. Bonnie and Clyde are back in town and there’s not much chance that they’ve changed their ways.
When you think of San Francisco, you immediately think of the Golden Gate Bridge. Similarly, the Brooklyn Bridge is synonymous with New York City. But how many people actually know about the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia?
Here are some facts about this famous structure that connects Philadelphia to New Jersey and other parts of the East Coast.
- The original name for the bridge was the Delaware River Bridge because it spans that body of water, and the Delaware River Port Authority owns the structure.
- Ralph Modjeski, a Polish-born engineer, helped design the Benjamin Franklin Bridge with Leon Moisseiff, a design engineer, and supervising architect Paul Philippe Cret.
- At its completion time, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge was the world’s longest suspension bridge. It held that honor until 1929, when builders completed the Ambassador Bridge from the United States to Canada.
- The bridge has pedestrian walkways on both sides for those who want to walk the distance between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey. There is a separation between the walkways and the vehicle traffic, and only one side is open at a time. Walkway hours are between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
- There are seven lanes for vehicular traffic.
- Tolls for passenger cars going across the bridge are $3, but only motorists travelling from Camden to Philadelphia pay them.
- The Benjamin Franklin Bridge is only one of four bridges connecting Philadelphia to southern New Jersey. The three other bridges are the Betsy Ross Bridge, the Walt Whitman Bridge, and the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge.
- In 2006, director Ryan Oczkowski conducted a production of Godspell at Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theater. The setting was underneath the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
- At first, there were plans to include a trolley line over the bridge. But those plans fell through when engineers used a different type of track on each side of the bridge. The two tracks could not meet in the middle, and the line remained unfinished. Each of the two stone houses still contains a “phantom railway station” that would have served the trolley line.
- The total length of the bridge is 9,573 feet, or nearly two miles. It sits 135 feet above the Delaware River.
- Construction began on the bridge on January 6, 1922. The opening date for the Benjamin Franklin Bridge was July 1, 1926.
- In 1992, officials closed the bridge for three days when the steeple from Philad elphia’s St. Augustine church blew off and landed on the structure. A December windstorm was the culprit, but the incident did not injure anybody.
- Lights illuminate the bridge at night, and its cables resemble piano keys as they light up in succession. The lights were an addition made to the bridge for its Bicentennial anniversary.
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge is one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable structures and the best way to enjoy it is to drive across it at night in your Mercedes-Benz Car.
Don’t leave Philadelphia without experiencing this man-made achievement.
The story of Buddy Holly has intrigued the world for decades, and now fans old and new can experience a musical event dedicated to the music legend himself. From March 5th through 30th, the Media theatre in Media, Pennsylvania will be showing Buddy, a celebration of the life of the legendary singer and songwriter.
Sponsored in part by Mercedes Benz of West Chester, the musical event showcases the history of the modern legend. Buddy Holly’s story is one of American lore. His rapid ascension to stardom in 1957 was like nothing the world had ever seen. His tragic death in a plane crash only two years later -- following a promise to his pregnant wife that he wouldn’t fly -- devastated the public, but his story lives on.
The beginning of Buddy’s story is the stuff that dreams are made of. Formerly a country and western singer, Buddy and two friends started The Crickets and began their careers in Lubbock, Texas. Their start with record label Decca Records, the band signed up with record producer Norman Petty. Just a few hours after their first meeting they began recording what would go on to become Holly’s biggest hit, “That’ll Be The Day.” The song shot up the charts and within two weeks it was at number one.
No stranger to moving quickly, Buddy Holly proposed to the woman who would become his wife after only five hours of courtship. She soon became pregnant, and stayed home to hear stories of Buddy’s travels across America, feeding the hunger for rock and roll. On February 3rd, 1959, Buddy and J.P. Richardson -- or the “Big Bopper” -- and the 17-year-old Ritchie Valens boarded a plane that went on to crash into a field. American music history refers to this sad day as “the day the music died.”
"The Buddy Holly Story is a celebration of a legend and catches that unique mixture of innocence, determination, humour and charm that was Buddy Holly and wraps it all into a package that truly deserves the billing."
The energetic cast, headlined by Bennett Dunn playing Holly, will capture everyone in the theatre.
Tickets are still available for the show, which runs until Sunday, March 30th. Click here to order online now.
Do you get excited every time you hear the phrase, “Luke, I am your father” in a deep, breathy tone? Do you know the events that caused a young boy to turn into the beast that is Darth Vader? If so, you’re undoubtedly going to enjoy the new Star Wars exhibit coming to the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia. This traveling exhibit will be in the City of Brotherly Love until May 4, so you have plenty of time to visit it as many times as you’ve seen the six installments of the Star Wars series.
The official name of the exhibit is Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. And just like its name, the exhibit features a combination of displays that test the limits of science and imagination. Think of how exciting it would be to see Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder from the first Star Wars movie (which is actually the fourth episode in the series). Other than that, there are more than 100 other exhibits you’ll enjoy.
But wait! There’s more!
In addition to numerous displays, there are more than 20 exhibits that offer visitors the opportunity to interact. You can play the role of one of your favorite characters, whether it’s Hans Solo, C-3PO, or even Princess Leia. Sit in the driver’s seat of the Millennium Falcon and tour the galaxies while dodging comets, planets, and stars. Or see what it’s like to be in the body of a gold-plated, wise-cracking robot partnered with a smaller robot that only speaks in squeaks and beeps.
The exhibit also focuses on the possibility of making the science in Star Wars a reality today (or at least in the near future). Can you imagine your children being able to ride a hovercraft to school each day? Or learning about space exploration in school by actually going into space? With the technology used in the Star Wars movies, it could be a real possibility in your child’s lifetime.
If you want to visit the Philadelphia area so you can take part in fighting storm troopers and experience a “galaxy far, far away,” there are ten hotels in the area that are offering exclusive packages for fans. The Star Wars VIP Hotel Package includes a VIP pass, tickets to the exhibition that you can use any day of the week, and other features that only true fans will enjoy.
While you’re in the neighborhood, you can visit one of our 3 Philadelphia-area Mercedes-Benz dealerships and see the future of technology and luxury in the autos market. Our Product Specialists are ready to take you for a test drive so you can experience the smooth ride, true elegance, and special features that only a Mercedes provides. These cars may not take you through galaxies to fight cosmic invaders, but they are close to the next best thing. See what you’ve been missing and get behind the wheel today!
Big TV fans may have caught a few episodes of A&E’s new reality television series Parking Wars. This show follows the employees of the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) on their day-to-day jobs in hopes of humanizing the workers. They're currently made out to be monsters - many of the area residents view the employees this way.
By showing the PPA process used to write tickets, the series sheds a light on the institution and highlights many times when the employees show compassion to some Philadelphians. But more importantly, the show brings awareness to the fact that drivers need to follow the rules in order to avoid consequences.
Here are some of what you should expect if you fail to comply with the parking laws throughout the city.
Tickets
This is the most common problem drivers face on Parking Wars. The PPA generally gives out tickets for a variety of offenses, including an expired meter, double parking and parking in front of a fire hydrant. Parking in a handicapped space is also a major offense and results in a $300 ticket for the offender. Other parking offenses that result in a ticket include taking up two spaces in a crowded parking lot and stealing a parking space that another person shoveled out. Fines vary, but there is a $23 increase for people who refuse to take their ticket and require the PPA to mail it to them.
Impound Lot
A large portion of the program takes place at the PPA’s impound lot. This is where the cars get towed when drivers commit more serious parking offenses. When a car is parked in a “Tow Zone,” it is susceptible to being towed away to the impound lot if a parking attendant happens across the vehicle. Cars that are towed away are typically interrupting the flow of traffic or creating a hazardous condition for other drivers. Car owners must present proper paperwork (license, registration and proof of insurance) to have their vehicles released from the lot. They must also pay all fines and penalties accumulated on the vehicle before the owners can drive their cars home home.
Boots
“The Boot” is reserved for cars that have at least three unpaid registered parking tickets. The PPA sends several notices to the owner before putting the car on “The Boot List.” Boot crews patrol different parts of the city looking for vehicles on the list. Once they put the boot on a car, it cannot be removed until the owner has paid the fines and penalties - along with a $100 boot fee.
While many Philadelphians hate the PPA, Parking Wars demonstrates that drivers need only follow the rules to avoid any tickets or penalties. The show also explains several regulations to viewers so they have a better understanding of how to avoid tickets and penalties. For new Philadelphia residents or long-time residents who don’t normally pay attention to the law, Parking Wars serves a public service by bringing awareness to increase the safety and flow of this major metropolitan city.
It doesn’t matter if you just drove your vehicle straight from the nearest Mercedes-Benz dealer or if it’s an old clunker, the PPA employees don’t show favoritism. They do what is in their power to keep the traffic safe and flowing smoothly.
The Northern Liberties area of Philadelphia continues to provide fun and excitement for its nearby residents. A while ago, a new Foodery opened on the corner of Poplar and Second Streets. And even more recently in July 2006, the North Bowl facility opened just a few doors away.
Philadelphia residents will like the North Bowl because it includes more than 21,000 square feet of space with more than 15 bowling lanes. That means less waiting on those nights when everybody has the same idea to go bowling! But that’s not the only thing this renovated mechanic’s garage offers to avid bowlers and those just looking for a night of fun. The North Bowl facility also has two full bars where you can get your favorite adult drink.
Or you can choose to visit the upstairs lounge and enjoy the comfort of plush Italian sofas, an arcade, and even a couple of pool tables when you feel like taking a break from the noise of knocking the pins down. Visitors can even get a bit to eat or simply use the lounge as a place to enjoy the company of friends. And with the glassed-in area, you can even look over all the fun going on among the bowlers without the racket.
The bowling alley floor isn’t without its own charm, either. Bowlers enjoy the retro furnishings that take you back to the 1950s every time you throw the colored ball down the lane. Pictures from bowling movies like The Big Lebowski hang on the walls, while the bars are decorated with stained wood. You’ll also notice a friendly staff that is always willing to make your bowling experience as fun and exciting as it can be.
With all of its features and unique opportunities for fun, North Bowl is the ideal place for your next big event in the Philadelphia area. Whether you want to throw a party for all of your employees, a birthday celebration for a friend, or a graduation get-together for that special nephew, North Bowl can accommodate large groups of up to 300 people who have varied interests. The facility is open throughout the week from 5:00 PM until 2:00 AM, and on the weekends from 11:00 AM until 2:00 AM. If you visit once, you’ll want to make it a weekly tradition for sure.
On the way to the North Bowl alleys, make a stop at one of our 3 Philadelphia-area Mercedes-Benz retail centers in West Chester, PA; Wilmington, DE; or Fort Washington, PA and see the finest vehicles Philadelphia has to offer. With the exquisite technology and unmatched luxury, it’s impossible to get a “gutter ball” when you’re sitting behind the wheel of a new or certified Benz. In fact, you’ll feel like you’re bowling all strikes every time you get an admiring glance from the driver next to you at the red light. Give one a try today!
St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays of the year. With green beer flowing, leprechauns leaping and shamrocks hidden around every corner, people enjoy celebrating this March holiday. Unfortunately, though, some people celebrate without a plan to stay safe. That can lead to accidents on the road or other problems after leaving the Irish pubs. Here are some ways to help you stay safe and enjoy the celebrations without worrying about the aftermath of your actions.
Appoint a Designated Driver
This almost goes without saying, but you might be surprised how many people neglect to have a designated driver on a night when everybody else is drinking. If you have a friend that doesn’t drink, there shouldn’t be a problem finding somebody to fill the position. If all of your friends like to drink, you may have a problem. If that’s the case, try bargaining. For instance, the group of friends could offer to take the designated driver out for a night on the town the next weekend to make up for a sober evening. Just remember to have a designated driver for that night out as well!
Give Away Your Keys
After assigning a designated driver and once you're headed out to celebrate, the next step is giving them your car keys BEFORE you start drinking. Alcohol has a way of making some people confrontational and argumentative. Instead of waiting until the end of the night and arguing to convince somebody that you're sober enough to drive, just shed yourself of your keys before the evening even begins.
Carry Cab Fare
When you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with just one or two other people, it’s not fun if one-half or one-third of the group needs to be the sober driver. Set aside enough money so that you can call a cab for all of you to get home safely at the end of the night. Keep the money apart from your drinking money so you don’t accidentally spend the taxi money on drinks.
Ask Ahead of Time
Your loved ones want to keep you safe. Before you go out for a raucous St. Patrick’s Day celebration, ask your parents or friends who are staying in for the night if they’d be willing to pick you up if you become intoxicated. They might be inconvenienced, but most of them would be willing to do this favor if it means keeping you alive.
Travel with a group
People are always looking to take advantage of others. When you’re drunk, some people will take the opportunity to scam you out of your money or, worse yet for women, out of your clothes! Prevent a bad event from happening by going to the bars and parties with a few friends you trust well. It’s not enough to just meet at the place. Drive together to stay safer so no one leaves alone – or in bad company. Remember – there’s safety in numbers.
There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy all the festivities that come with St. Patrick’s Day. It’s meant to be a time to have fun. If you’re feeling the “luck of the Irish” around that time, you can enjoy the day even more if you visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealer and get behind the wheel of a green car. A celebration doesn’t get much more festive than that!
It happens every four years, and this year is one of them. On February 29, it will be time to celebrate Leap Year Day once again. This long-standing tradition has been going on for centuries and still carries a feeling of mystery every time the day approaches. Those who were born on Leap Year Day still debate which day to commemorate their birthday. If you’ve never really given this Leap Year phenomenon a second thought, here are some facts that might help you appreciate the day (and year) even more.
Leap Year Day Babies Possess Odd Talents
One theory that accompanies Leap Year is that babies born on February 29 (called “Leaplings”) have special talents and charms. Unfortunately, the only time these talents are actually “usable” are on their birthday, meaning the one day out of every four years. Babies have a one in 1,506 chance to be born on February 29. There are also a Worldwide Leap Year Birthday Club and a Worldwide Leap Year Festival as well.
Leap Year Day Babies Have No Golden Birthday
A “Golden Birthday” refers to when your age and the date of your birthday match up. For instance, if you were born on September 15, your “Golden Birthday” would be when you turned 15 on September 15. Leap Year Day babies, however, would need to live to be 116 to celebrate their 29th birthday on February 29.
You’re in Great Company
If you were born on February 29, you have something in common with some very famous people. Possibly the most famous of these people is Superman. According to his creator, Superman was born on February 29. His 50th birthday occurred during a Leap Year, though. If you do the math, it doesn’t work out. He would either turn 48 or 52 during a Leap Year unless he was born in 1784.
Sadie Hawkin’s Day
If you have a teenage daughter, you’ve probably heard of the Sadie Hawkins Dance at a school. The tradition started hundreds of years ago when people considered Leap Year Day to be the only acceptable day in which women could make marriage proposals to men. Today, however, Sadie Hawkins refers to girls asking guys of their choice to a dance. Some schools do this dance only during Leap Years, but others celebrate it every February.
Julius Caesar did it Differently
During the days of Julius Caesar, February had 30 days. Instead of adding an extra day every four years, Caesar just skipped February 30 three out of every four years. It’s a subtle difference, but it seems far off from the method we use today!
Caesar Augustus Shortened the Month
Thanks to Caesar Augustus, February is the anomaly as the month with fewer days than any other month on the calendar. He corrected an error in counting Leap Years. He took February 30 and added it to the newly-named August (the month named after him) so it could have 31 days. That gave February 29 days during Leap Years.
One great thing about Leap Year is that it gives you one extra day during the year to test drive one or several of the fine luxury automobiles found at one of our Philadelphia Mercedes-Benz retail centers. But, of course, any day of the year is a great day to experience the luxury and comfort of a Benz automobile.
Please enjoy the coupon below at our Mercedes-Benz of West Chester, PA location to receive a free PA state inspection when you have your PA Emissions inspection performed in our state-of-the-art Service Center. You may also visit the Service Specials page on our website for other exclusive offers.
Do you get a little excited when you hear somebody mention your hometown on television? Living in Philadelphia, this doesn’t happen as often as it does in other places. But it might happen more than you know. Philadelphia and the surrounding area have played a pivotal role in many sitcoms and dramas on television. It may have even been the setting for one of your favorite shows and you didn’t even know it. Here are some of the popular (and not so popular) programs in which the “City of Brotherly Love” has played a part.
American Bandstand
This iconic TV program was hosted for several decades by the immortal Dick Clark. It showcased the latest hits in pop music and local teens dancing to those hits. Each week, a popular act from the era would come on the show and lip-sync their latest hit. American Bandstand started out as a local Philadelphia show. It made its debut on WFIL-TV in 1952 and some of the biggest names in music graced the stages, ranging from Patsy Cline to Aerosmith and hundreds more in between.
American Dreams
Remember this short-lived drama that lasted from 2002-2005? The show was a fictional drama that had American Bandstand as a centerpiece to the daily lives and families of the characters. American Dreams focused on the Pryor family during the 1960s in middle-class Philadelphia. It took on tough topics like the Vietnam War, teen pregnancy and others. Popular actors and musicians played the part of iconic music stars performing on American Bandstand each week.
The Class
This 19-episode sitcom focused around a group of former classmates in their late 20s and living in Philadelphia. The characters attended third grade together, but had no connections to each other until a classmate gathers them all for a party. From there, they reunite and form lifelong friendships, each with their unique dynamics and situations. The Class only lasted for one season (2005-2006) before being cancelled.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Although the setting for the show doesn’t take place in Philadelphia, the main character (Will Smith) hails from the western part of Philadelphia. He was sent to live with his upper-class relatives in a mansion in Bel-Air where lifestyles collide. The characters mention “Philly” numerous times and it’s even mentioned in the opening theme song. This popular sitcom lasted from 1990 to 1996 on NBC and you can find it in syndication on several different channels.
Parking Wars
This show is set to premier in January 2008. It’s a reality-based show that follows workers from the Philadelphia Parking Authority around as they perform their normal duties. While it may not sound exciting, watching the reaction of the ticket recipients is often amusing if not downright hilarious. Check your local listings for this A&E Television program. Maybe if this show is a success, they’ll base a reality show on a local Philadelphia Mercedes-Benz dealer. Wouldn’t that be interesting?
Hearing your hometown mentioned on a nationwide television show instills a sense of pride to some viewers. Having an entire show dedicated to your city is even better. Philadelphia residents have many things to be proud of and these TV shows just add to that list.
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