Tag: Revitalization

First Saturday!

I went to my first FIRST SATURDAY yesterday, and it was a lot of fun!

I was there in the morning with the kids in my Pottstown Influential Leaders of Tomorrow writing class. Check us out in a photo in today’s Mercury!

The music and entertainment was excellent, although I would have to say that my students and I probably had the most fun adding our own special touches to the painting of the ’48 Buick, which will eventually become a piece of sculpture somewhere in town.

Car Art!

I also went back in the afternoon with my mom after a delicious lunch at Churchill’s across the street. Already looking forward to the upcoming First Saturdays on June 5, August 7 and September 4!

Citizens for Pottstown’s Revitalization – Take 2

So I went to the CPR meeting last Friday night at the PAL building because the speaker was Dave Garner, former Borough Councilman, and the topic was the Urban Land Institute’s advisory report that was released in January (Pottstown, Pennsylvania: Transformation Strategies.) I’m a nerd when it comes to just about any kind of planning report, more so if it’s from ULI.

Garner made clear that the views presented were his own. He mainly encouraged broad participation in the redevelopment efforts, by citizens and groups well beyond the official partnership that has formed among the Borough, the School District, the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority and Pottstown Area Industrial Development Corporation, Inc. (PAID). He spoke of the need to establish a process by which decisions are made and to rigorously follow that process. Everyone should be challenged to do their homework, to know what’s going on, every step of the way. Then, when it comes time to actually make a decision, everyone should already be on board. Still, there must be a full & public discussion of the rationale behind anyone’s vote, for the record. But if the broader community has been doing their homework up until that point, they should already see/know/understand the direction that’s being taken.

There were some questions regarding where things stand now. A Memorandum of Understanding among the four principal partners was now with the School District. Some seemed impatient to not lose momentum while this agreement is ironed out and PAID hires a new executive director. Several comments were made to the effect that citizens can/should continue paying attention to, and participating in, various aspects of the revitalization efforts, yet it’s unclear what specific role could be played. Still a lot of “ironing out” to be done. I realize this post doesn’t get at the heart of the ULI report’s contents, but I’ll get to that in another post before too long — it’s all interesting, good stuff! And, bottom line, it’s not rocket science, i.e., its all quite do-able.

CPR reiterated its offer of Neighborhood Watch signs for anyone, anywhere in town, who wants to step up to be a Block Captain – a contact point for people in the neighborhood when issues arise. For that and to get on CPR’s email list, send an email to vivapottstown@hotmail.com.

There was a very good turnout for this meeting – maybe 30 people? – and they were from all areas of town. All Pottstown residents are invited and encouraged to attend CPR’s next meeting on Friday, May 21 at 7 pm at 146 King Street. The speaker will be Tom Carroll, president of Preservation Pottstown, an organization with a 6-pronged approach to its community development efforts.

Citizens for Pottstown’s Revitalization – Take 1

I was in town last weekend for several activities, and first on tap, after my grilled cheese & pie at The Very Best, was attending the monthly meeting of Citizens for Pottstown’s Revitalization, a relatively new grassroots coalition of borough residents. (You gotta love a URL like http://www.vivapottstown.com!) The group’s mission is to instill pride and empower residents to get involved and take positive actions in their neighborhoods and throughout town. The two leaders, Katy Jackson and Anna Johnson, have lined up a series of speakers for their meetings, which take place at the PAL building at 146 King Street on the 3rd Friday of the month, beginning at 7 p.m. and lasting about an hour.

I had met Katy a few weeks before (and Anna briefly), when Katy took me on a walking tour of her block in the vicinity of King, Washington, Chestnut, and Franklin Streets. It was one of those gorgeous, sunny, warm afternoons when everyone seemed happy just to be outside. So, there’s this sweet park at the corner of Washington and Chestnut that was just abuzz with activity. Plans are in the works for neighbors to (hopefully) plant some flowers in one area, and for art students from the high school to use a block wall at the back of the park as a kind of rotating exhibit space to showcase their work throughout the year.

I’m not sure how far along the residents are in working out this next concept, so I’ll just say this: there’s a chance there will be a space available in the neighborhood for a community garden. Community gardens are growing in popularity, especially in places where wholesome foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, are not available or are too expensive. Basically, a lot is divided up among interested residents and/or groups/clubs. Someone who knows something about gardening coordinates & teaches, so that participants end up with a steady flow of food and even flowers. Of course, donations of tools, plants, seeds, soil are sought to make it all happen.

Community gardens get people outside, get neighbors working together, provide better food at a lower price, raise awareness about nutrition and food production, and put an empty or nuisance lot to good use. That’s a lot of win-wins in there. So, if this happens, maybe it could be a kind of pilot project for other gardens around town.

But this wasn’t what this post was even supposed to be about! I’ll try again in the next one…

A few thoughts about pie…

You never know what you’re going to find in the incredible galaxy known as the World Wide Web. When I was looking for more info. on Company Cakes for the prior post, I came across this Mercury article from January about National Pie Day. I had never heard of National Pie Day or the American Pie Council, but I am completely on board. I occasionally daydream about how Pottstown might take advantage of its rich pie heritage, namely as the place where Mrs. Amanda Smith started her empire.

When I went away to college, and people asked ask where I was from, I’d say, “Pottstown, PA,” and they’d kind of give me a blank look. Then I’d add, “It’s where Mrs. Smith’s pies come from.” And they’d immediately perk up and get all excited and say, “Really? Cool!”

Pie is happiness. Pie is magic.

Apparently, the Great American Pie Festival is being held for the 9th year in a row in Celebration, Florida this coming weekend. They’ve got a lot of nerve — it should be held in Pottstown!

I gather there’s an Apple Pie Bake-Off at the Schuylkill River Festival. Are there contests for other kinds of pies, too – shoo-fly, funny cakes, and everything in between? In the Mercury article, Mark Neiman, an owner of Company Cakes says, “This was the pie capital of the world.” Can Pottstown rise to such prominence again? Could Pottstown be the epicenter of next year’s National Pie Day?

Just some pie-in-the-sky thoughts from a proud P-town girl…

Authentic Mexican cuisine now available at Juan Carlos

The last time I was in Boyer’s Shoe Store at the corner of High and Penn, I think I bought a pair of Earth shoes. Who’d have thought the former shoe store would make an ideal location for a restaurant? Ron Garza, chef/owner of Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine knew it as soon as he saw the interior’s stone walls, the brick-arched windows and the cobblestone road running up Penn Street.

“I wanted a place with a real urban feel, not a shopping center,” he said.

On a recent spring day, when Juan Carlos had only been open about a week, I stopped by and did a double-take inside. The decor is chic, yet the stone and brick, the walls painted terracotta, and the Spanish guitar music coming through the speakers made for a warm, inviting atmosphere. Now let’s talk about the food…

I’d had a late breakfast and only had room to sample a couple appetizers. Red & blue tortilla chips dipped in creamy guacamole (with just a hint of cilantro) were out of this world. It’s made fresh for each order and it shows. Then I tried a mini-chimichanga – chicken and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla, lightly fried and served with ranchero sauce. The chicken and cheese just melts in the mouth.

Chef Garza describes the menu as authentic Mexican, with a South American flair, that includes elements of modern Mexican cuisine. Mexico is a melting pot of numerous Latin American cultures, and Garza incorporates dishes and flavors from Brazil, Argentina and Cuba. And there’s something for every price range.

“We’re a casual, elegant restaurant. There are menu items for a casual night out or for a very special occasion.”

Juan Carlos is BYO, but offers one complimentary glass of sangria for guests who order any steak or fish entree for dinner on Tuesday through Saturday. They also provide margarita mixers for your favorite tequila.

By July, Garza plans to remove the display windows out front to make space for fair-weather outdoor dining, which will be a first for High Street. They’ve got a private party & meeting room downstairs, which is accessed by an original, Amish pegged wood staircase. The room has WiFi and a 12-foot ceiling and can seat 25-30 people. Check it out.

Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine, 235 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464; 484-624-4931; www.jcmexicanfood.com. Lunch:Tues-Sat 11:30am to 2:30pm; Dinner: Tues-Thur 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Fri and Sat. 5:00pm to 10:00pm; Closed Sundays and Mondays, except for private parties.

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