Grab Your Coat and Bring Your Appetite
Cuz there's music (and food!) tonight, Thursday, January 28, at the Lansdowne Folk Club. Two guitar-slinging Philadelphia musicians — Stephen DiJoseph and Deirdre Flint — will be taking to the stage beginning at 7:30. Stephen's "poetic" folk-rock approach should set a nice counterpoint to Dierdre's comic songwriting sensibilities (to wit: works about the Failed Metric Coup of 1975 and horrendous bridesmaid dresses), so it looks like a lineup that will leave you both sighing and laughing. But come early because Mission Burrito has set up shop in the lower level cafe and will be serving quesadillas, homemade chili, and guacamole and chips along with Mexican sodas, starting at 6:30. MB, you've been missed! The Lansdowne Folk Club is in the Twentieth Century Club at 84 S. Lansdowne Avenue, and tickets are $18 at the door. (In March, the Folk Club is holding its annual Beef and Beer fundraiser, so clear your calendar for March 20.)

AAAA B-Ball
Most times, bright, overly warm gymnasiums don't hold much appeal for us. But in the depths of winter, crowding into in a loud gym and rooting for the local high school basketball teams does have its appeal. Admission is typically only a few dollars, and the Penn Wood Patriots give you plenty to shout about. After winning the Pennsylvania AAAA championship last year, the boys' varsity team is having another great season and is ranked third for 2009-2010. The schedule for upcoming games — both boys and girls and all teams — can be found here. (In case you're not a fan of this sport, know that basketball at this level is much more entertaining than college and pro ball, which is fluid and practiced but a little dull. Almost anything can happen in high school ball, and does. It's a kick to see live.)

Shhhhh, No Barking
During this rather hushed time of year, it's appropriate that one of the most active spots in town is also known to be one of the quietest — the library. The Lansdowne Public Library always seems to be ready to rise to the task of doing something interesting when the offerings get slim, such as designating February as Love Your Pet Month. The multitude of free activities planned around that theme include an informative meeting about low-cost spaying and neutering on February 4; a reading by CBS3 meteorologist and animal activist Carol Erickson from her book for children, Not a Used Dog, At All, on February 7; Friday evening screenings of 101 Dalmatians and Bambi on February 19 and 26, respectively; and an up-close-and-personal meeting with Ferret Man Dale Nupp and the pets that give him his nickname on February 28. (More details on all these events, including times, can be found here.) Plus, it's not too late for kids 12 and under to submit a one-page essay titled "Why I Love My Pet" to Rachee Fagg, the children's librarian at the Lansdowne Public Library. (The deadline is Friday, February 19, so there's even time to adopt a pet if your child doesn't already have one!) Prizes will be awarded, and the winning entry will be published in the Animal Friends of Lansdowne newsletter, since they are a big part of Love Your Pets Month.

In the midst of a month devoted mostly to critters, on Saturday, February 13 at 1 pm, the library will also be host to a hip-hop workshop, led by Brandon "Peace" Albright, the artistic director of IllStyle and Peace Productions. Don't miss out on this chance to improve your moves and up your cool quotient dramatically and for free. You have to register to get in, so call 610-623-0239 or send an email.

On the Horizon
Two (and a half) more events are coming up that may seem rather far off in the distance, but knowing about them now gives you more of a chance to plan for them. First is the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra's annual Valentine's Concert, taking place this year on VD proper and therefore a great opportunity to sit in the dark and hold hands with your special someone. The performance is at 3:00 pm on Sunday, February 14 (duh), at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center in the Upper Darby High School and includes works by, among others, Mendelssohn and Sibelius. Hearing Finlandia on a cold winter afternoon will warm you right up, guaranteed. First and a half: Don't forget to make your reservations for one of Sycamore's two Valentine's Day prix fixe dinner seatings (5 or 8 pm), featuring a special menu and live music by Minas. Call 484-461-2867 before they fill up, since then you'll actually have to leave town for supper. No way!

And, second: Do you like books, music, and movies? Who doesn't, right? How about an author reading with musical accompaniment in a small movie theater? Triple threat! In the grand tradition of "opening attractions," on Saturday, February 27, Cinema 16:9 moviegoers will be treated to a one-time-only reading by local author Sue Lange of material taken from her 2009 collection of critically praised sci-fi short stories, Uncategorized. Lange's reading will be preceded, followed, and sometimes accompanied by guitar and vocal music performed by Gary M. Celima. This unique event is sure to fill up, so, again, reservations are the way to go: 484-461-7676. Tickets are $20 for the author reading and music plus the movie (which is to be determined), $15 for just the reading and music, or $7 for the movie alone. All proceeds will benefit Cinema 16:9. (You can download "Jump," the lead story in Uncategorized, for free here.)

Softball — a Sure Sign of Spring
Young ladies between the ages of 4 through 18 are invited to sign up for Girls Softball with the Lansdowne Boys and Girls Club. Players of all skill levels and all communities are ecouraged to participate. Players will be placed on teams according to their ability to maximize their enjoyment and learning. Open registrations will be held tomorrow night, Friday, from 7 to 8 pm, and Saturday morning from 10 am to noon at the club headquarters, located at the northwest corner of Baltimore and Lansdowne avenues. Deadline for all registrations is February 13. For more information visit the Boys and Girls Club website or call 610-623-8031.

Stop the Presses
If you came to Earth Saturday at the Farmers Market last June, you probably met Barbara Silzle, Lansdowne's spitfire environmental voice on Borough Council. (Not that she has to spit a lot of fire to convince Council; they are earth-friendly.) Anyway, she recently clued us in to a way to reduce waste paper coming to your home, in this case those Redplum advertising circulars that are tossed into your driveway wrapped in a white plastic bag imprinted with logos from CVS, Walgreens, and Pathmark. Should you find that you don't read the ads but just toss them into the recycling bin, you can cut to the chase by calling and requesting that delivery be stopped. The number is 800-540-0810, and it's right on the bag in case you don't call as soon as you're done reading this. Barbara says it may take a few weeks for the cessation to kick in, but it should happen. Thanks, environmental lady!

The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation could use your elbow grease on Saturday, February 13, to reassemble seats and move stuff. They admit up front that it's dirty and cold work, but they're offering free coffee and a lot of thanks if you can do it. Let them know if you can help by emailing them or calling 610-622-1234, and then just meet them at the front door at 10 am. Dress warm and bring gloves, screwdrivers, or battery operated screwdrivers or drill drivers (no plug-ins, since there's no electricity in the theater).

The Lansdowne Historic Theater Corporation invites you to keep abreast of ongoing needs and developments by joining the Save The Lansdowne Theater fan page now on Facebook and Twitter. Did you grow up here? Then the My Hometown is Lansdowne PA Facebook fan page is just for you (and several hundred like you). Have you become a Facebook fan of Sycamore yet? What are you waiting for? And stay tuned for a Lansdowne Farmers Market Facebook fan page, coming soonish.

Movies at Cinema 16:9
January 28 to February 11, various times
The Horse Boy, A Town Called Panic, Terrible Tuesday features
35 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne

Stephen DiJoseph and Deirdre Flint at the Lansdowne Folk Club
Thursday, January 28; 7:30 pm; $15 or $18
Twentieth Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne

Minas in the Jazz Bridge Series
Wednesday, February 3, 7:30 pm; $5 to $10
Cheltenham Art Center, 439 Ashbourne Road, Cheltenham

John Kelly Green photography show opening at the River's Edge Gallery
Sunday, February 7, 1:00 to 3:00 pm; Free
Show runs till April 30, 1:00 to 3:00 pm daily
Bridgeton House, Upper Black Eddy

Minas at Picanha Brazilian Grill
Friday, February 12, 7:00 pm; $22 includes dinner; BYOB
Reservations recommended: 215-743-4647
6501 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia

Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center
Sunday, February 14, 3:00 pm; $5 to $15
Upper Darby High School, Lansdowne Avenue

Sue Lange reading and music at Cinema 16:9
Saturday, February 27, 7:00 pm; $15 or $20
Reservations recommended: 484-461-7676
35 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne

Do you have an event to announce?
Send your upcoming events to events@lansdownesfuture.org to have them included in this space!

View the complete listing of local events

Tonight at 7:00 pm is Life More Abundant's monthly vegetarian cooking class, which is free and led by Chef Johnetta Frasier. Quick, call Carl at 610-259-0101 to save a seat for yourself in the store at 25 N. Lansdowne Avenue.

In addition to a veritable fleet of vans and a snappy phone number (610-352-HEAT), Greydog Plumbing, Heating, & AC now has a storefront at 199 East Plumstead Avenue, Lansdowne, and a website. Owner Rick Grocott offers these money-saving tips for cold weather: (1) Keep your thermostat at 67 degrees and only go two degrees up or down if needed. (2) Change your filters. This important and inexpensive step will keep your furnace or AC unit working more efficiently. (3) Plug gaps and leaks. Blocking leaks around windows and doors is only part of the job. Feel around ductwork in the basement by hand, and use metal tape to seal any leaks.

Applications for the 2010 Market season will be going out soon. If you've inquired about or been considering applying for a booth at our Farmers Market to sell your homemade product, now is the time to speak up and let us know. Send an email requesting an application. We'll send you an application in the next few weeks, you'll complete it and return it, and if the Market needs your product and there's space, we'll go from there. We make no promises, but if you're interested, applying is the first step.