Happy Place
A couple weeks before Christmas, a big box of fun arrived in town, sans wrapping and ribbon. The PNP Family Play Center is just the answer for these very-cold-but-not-snowy-enough-to-be-enjoyable winter days. Located on North Union Avenue between the Save-A-Lot and Family Dollar, PNP is owned and operated by Norma Davis, who retired from Verizon and found herself with a lot of time on her hands. She had two grandsons, Philip and Prestin (the Ps in PNP; she's the N), so building and running a place to entertain them made sense. And locals seem to agree, since the Saturday we stopped in, the place was hopping!

The Play Center is ready to entertain your child either on a walk-in basis (admission fee for unlimited playtime varies from $5 to $15 depending on child's age, and parents are free) or as a party guest in one of several rooms and enclosed areas for birthday parties or other celebrations. Two-hour party prices depend on the number of guests and include everything from invitations, party bags, and balloons to food and a few tokens for each guest; extra food and character rental are available for an additional charge. (And a flyer available at the counter offers 25% off party extras; just pick it up and hand it to them!) The walk-in admission or party fee includes free access to several giant inflatable playthings (two slides, a baseball "batting cage," and an obstacle course race); an enclosed playground for toddlers; and Playstation 2, WII, and X-Box gaming areas. Tokens can be purchased for arcade games (which pay out tickets redeemable for small prizes), skeeball, and air hockey. Top all this off with a snack bar serving pizza, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, and drinks, plenty of seats for the grownups to relax, and nice clean bathrooms, and you have a perfect spot for your child to get his or her ya-yas out on a cold winter evening or weekend.

Norma is excited for you to get to know her new business, so she's offering a Discover Discount of two free tokens per family if you mention this piece. PNP opens every day at 11:00 am and is open till 8:00 pm Sunday to Thursday and till 9:00 pm Friday and Saturday. PNP Play Center, 53 N. Union Avenue, Lansdowne; 610-626-9PNP (9767); PNPplayhouse@verizon.net.

More Fun and Games
Next Saturday, January 31, The Garden Church is holding its first Games Day of 2009. (The great thing about winter Games Days is that the weather doesn't interfere -- they're inside.) All ages are invited to come and play a favorite old game or learn a new one, meet folks and socialize, and have a snack. (Little ones must be accompanied by an adult.) The friendly competition and fun will go from 11:30 am to 7:30 pm, with bragging rights won throughout the day. Admission is free but contributions are appreciated. The Garden Church is located at 82 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne; enter through the big red door of the Epworth Building, on Stratford Avenue, to the left of the sanctuary. For more information: 610-623-1645.

Art Words
Last week's City Paper had a cover story on Lansdowne's own T.C. Campuzano, son of borough luminaries Tony and Marie Campuzano. It's a good use of your time to follow the link and read the piece (and click on the Bonus Web Content box), but the gist is that T.C., a very much up-and-coming young artist, has a solo show at the Institute of Contemporary Art in West Philly. Many of these pieces incorporate notes and stories from his parents and friends, to fascinating ends. He is also part of a group show that opens today at the Fleisher-Ollman Gallery in Center City. With gallery shows like these, we'll probably never see T.C.'s work on the walls of the Regency Café or in the library showcases, but a few years ago T.C. was kind enough to contribute artwork to Seedlings, a publication of poetry and art by Lansdowne residents. Copies are still available and may turn out to be valuable if T.C. continues his already-impressive trajectory. "Touch Sensitive" through March 29 at the Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 S. 36th Street, Philadelphia, 215-898-7108; "Rich Text" through February 21 at the Fleisher-Ollman Gallery, 1616 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Suite 100, 215-545-7562.

In addition to the wonderful goings-on listed in the column at left, don't miss these upcoming events:

Bill Staines with guest Sean Hoots at the Lansdowne Folk Club
Thursday, January 22, 7:30 pm, $18
84 S. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne; 610-622-7250

Harmonious Wail at Concerts at the Beach House
Friday, January 23, 8:00 pm
$15 per person donation, BYOB, bring a snack or other food to share
Location to be announced; for reservations, bob@bobbeach.net or 610-626-0012

Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra Baroque Concert
Sunday, February 8, 3:00 pm, $5 to $15
Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, Upper Darby High School

View the complete listing of local events

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Send your upcoming events to events@lansdownesfuture.org to have them included in this space!