Hey, remember last time, when we sent out Discover Lansdowne and then it started to snow yet again and 90% of the stuff promoted in it got cancelled like 5 minutes after the newsletter went out, so we had to send a follow-up saying, basically, never mind all that stuff, this part of the planet is shut down. That was funny, wasn't it? Yep, sooooo very funny. Good times. Yeah. Heh.

Big stuff to promote this week, people. Really big stuff. Hold on to your hats, mark your calendar, and get ready for quite a spring in 'Downe Town. (We're trying out Lansdowne's new nickname [new as in made up 5 seconds ago] for the first time here — "'Downe Town" — whatcha think? Catchy and just what Lansdowne needs to be distinguished once and for all from Lansdale? Clever enough to make Swarthmore wish it was Swarthdowne so they could have used it? Dumb as all get out and let's just pretend it never happened? Let us know.)

Wait No Longer
That mighty roar you heard run through 'Downe Town last week was the announcement of the first public event to take place at the Lansdowne Theater in more than 20 years. Yowza! In the off chance you haven't heard, here's the deal: Next month, on Saturday, April 17 (not April 22), the a capella men's group Straight No Chaser will perform inside the building in a fundraiser to benefit the future restoration of the historic theater, which closed its doors after a fire in 1987. The twist is that the building is (as you'll realize if you've been reading carefully) in pre-restoration condition, meaning it's pretty rough inside. Rustic even. Think outdoor concert minus the outdoors. Nonetheless, it's a grand space with a jaw-droppingly beautiful ceiling and, for this event, assigned seats. It's important to remember, though, that this is not just a concert to raise money for the theater and for locals to get a chance to see its interior and feel its potential. Rather, it's a concert by a nationally recognized group that has appeared on TV and radio, that had a #1 iTunes album, and that routinely sells out venues. Announcements have gone out to the group's fan base, to the promoter's list, and to Ticketmaster advertising lists, and the tickets are selling briskly. To strangers. All this is to say, we want this thing to feel local and be local, which means local folks need to get your seats before they're all gone. Don't wait. Tickets can be purchased at the Regency Café or Cinema 16:9, and range in price from $30 to $80, or you can get them via Ticketmaster. Doors open at 2:00 pm on April 17, and the show's at 3:00. The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation is very excited about this event, naturally, and their only potential for disappointment would be to look out onto an audience composed mostly of people they've never seen before. They want to see us.

Beef and Beer and Beach
There's another big fundraiser coming up in another of 'Downe Town's fabulous old structures (yep, we're going to keep using 'Downe Town until you make us stop). The Lansdowne Folk Club is in its 17th year of bringing interesting and eclectic and sometimes even folky music to Lansdowne. Celebrate that longevity and help them raise some bucks to keep going by attending the Beef and Beer benefit concert event planned for next Saturday, March 20, and featuring LFC favorites Harmonious Wail, Phil Minissale with Bob Beach, and Aimless Pursuit, plus oodles of food and drink and opportunities to win stuff. We hate to continually nag our readers to "buy tickets early! don't wait!," but we're forced to do it again here. Apparently walk-ins were abundant last year and led to shortages, and the Club is committed to avoiding that this year. As you can imagine, they really need a good idea of how many people to expect so there's enough goodies for everyone. If you plan to attend this event, which is always a good to great time, pretty please call (610-622-7250 or 610-626-0012) or email them now to make your reservation and be counted. Tickets are $25 at the moment or $28 at the door (but we're encouraging them to raise that to $280 to get you procrastinators in gear), and the 7:30 show is, as always, at the beautiful Twentieth Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Avenue.

The Continued Thrill of Victory
The Penn Wood Patriots boys varsity basketball team won the PIAA AAAA District 1 championship in overtime last Friday, a feat they last accomplished in 1992. Fans were white-knuckled but exhilarated, and the team was launched into the State Championship series for the second year in a row (recall that they won the title in '09). Their first game in that series is against Penn Manor this Saturday, March 13, at 3:30 pm at Norristown High School. This success is good for more than town pride and the players' egos; it can affect their futures.

Austen Awesomeness
Oh ladies, what a treat is brewing at the Lansdowne Public Library! Through a grant from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and in conjunction with the Delaware County Library System, the library is about to launch a 4-month program on the life and work of Jane Austen. Led by Widener University's Janine Utell, PhD, the Awesome Jane Austen series will focus on four Austen novels — Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma. (Can you bear it!) The first discussion will be held Tuesday, March 23, at 12:30 pm (What? That's midday! Who picked these times?!) and will look at Mansfield Park. Registration is required, and free books will be available to the first 10 people who register by calling 610-891-8622. So, if you're an Austen fan or an Austen fan wannabe or Austen curious or just have some time (in the middle of a workday; sob), by all means do this. You will be the better for it.

Hour of Darkness
What does Lansdowne have in common with the Las Vegas Strip, the Eiffel Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Great Pyramids of Giza? Well, besides the obvious similarities (global hotspot, crawling with celebrities, lack of Indian food), our little town will also be flipping off the lights for one hour on Saturday evening, March 27th at 8:30 pm. Earth Hour is a global effort to make a unified statement about our concern for climate change by doing something quite simple — just turning off the lights, TVs, computers, and other energy eaters for a while. (No need to crawl around and unplug your fridge to prove your commitment, however; this is a pleasant demonstration, not Survivor.) Tell your neighbors and try to get your whole block to participate. Power down and then go outside for a walk. If you want to feel the energy of a group while you reduce your energy consumption, an organized walk will be departing from the Lansdowne Avenue parking lot at 8:30 for a leisurely and environmentally conscious stroll through our pleasant borough. But maybe leave the iPod and cell phone at home (and off), K? For more information, email eborgman@aol.com or call 610-715-6803.

Wasting Away
Yesterday, praises be, was the first official yard waste pickup of the spring season. That's what all those sticks and barrels of brown stuff set out at the curb were celebrating (except that extra large pile along Bryn Mawr; that's a tree that fell two weeks ago). We're fortunate here in 'Downe Town to have twice-weekly house-side (as opposed to dragging your cans to the curb) trash pickup, single-stream recycling, and now twice-monthly removal of the detritus that Mother Nature leaves behind after her late nights out and grumpy rampages. If you received a 2010 recycling magnet, the yard waste and leaf collection dates are indicated there. (If not, you can get a magnet on the second floor of Borough Hall or check the borough website.) Because this stuff goes to an organic composting site, be sure not to include any plastic. If your neighbors seem unaware of the yard waste pickup program (ie, keep setting leaves and twigs and clippings out for the trash), be a friend to the planet and tell them about it. This is a little town, and we should be able to spread the word pretty easily if we try.

The applications for vendors for 2010 are in, discussed, and soon to be acted on. Look for plenty of returning favorites, several new faces, and lots of events. Our first special event is at the second Market, Earth Saturday, to be held on June 5. We're going to have another perennial plant exchange this year because it was such a bit hit last year, so bear that in mind as you start working in your garden. Divide your sprawlers and redundants and save a piece for trading. Later in the season we're planning on exchanges of large plastic toys (Kidcentric Day) and of winter coats and houseplants (Fall Festival). If you can think of something good to trade on Dog Day (besides the pooches themselves), we're open to ideas.

Are you a fan of the Farmers Market on Facebook yet? No, you say? What if we told you that's where we're going to introduce the new vendors first? (Hey, Facebook is 24/7 and this newsletter is only every other week right now.) The fan page at FB is also a great place for you to make suggestions and for us to solicit input. So consider joining up over there and we'll get the dialogue going.

Movies at Cinema 16:9
March 11 to 25, 2:00, 7:00, and 9:00 pm daily
A Serious Man, Mine, Terrible Tuesday features
35 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne

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

Storm Warning film sponsored by No Place for Hate
Friday, March 19, 7:00 pm; Free
Lansdowne Public Library, 55 S. Lansdowne Avenue

Angela Easterling at Concerts at the Beach House
Thursday, April 8, 7:30 pm; $15; BYOB
For reservations, bob@bobbeach.net or 610-626-0012

Spring Egg Hunt sponsored by the Recreation and Park Board and the Boys and Girls Club
Sunday, March 28, 1:00 pm; for children under 12; Free
Hoffman Park, Scottdale Road, Lansdowne

Minas at Picanha Brazilian Grill
Friday, April 16, 7:00 pm; $22
6501 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia

Keep Lansdowne Beautiful Day, a cleanup
Saturday, April 17, 9:30 am to 1:00 pm
(Rain date: Sunday, April 18)
Borough Hall Green, Lansdowne and Baltimore Avenues

Lansdowne Arts and Crafts Show
Saturday May 1, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; Free
(Rain date: Sunday, May 2)
Lansdowne Avenue parking lot

Red, White and Bluesy II Spring Social to benefit the Union Athletic Association
Saturday, May 1, 7:00 pm; $30
Call 610-284-0543 or 610-284-1433 for reservations
Twentieth Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Avenue

Townwide Yard Sale
Saturday, May 8
'Downe Town!

Annual Hoagie Sale by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Lansdowne Fire Company
Saturday, May 8, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Call 610-622-1995 or 610-485-4526 to order
Lansdowne Fire Company, N. Highland Avenue

Independence Day Parade and Fireworks sponsored by the Union Athletic Association
Saturday, July 3, starting at 9:00 am
Call 610-284-1433 to volunteer or suggest a theme

View the complete listing of local events

They're trying something new over at Cinema 16:9 — actually reserving rental films for folks in the order they requested them. What a novel idea. It involves Film Qs and Wishlists and emails and a little fairy dust, and the goal is to shorten your wait for the most popular titles and to reduce dumb luck's role in the equation. The plan was laid out in 16:9's latest email and we don't see the details on the website, but if you ask, they'll be more than glad to explain how it works and get you in the program. Cinema 16:9, the best little movie house in 'Downe Town, is at 35 N. Lansdowne Avenue; 484-461-7676.

At last, snowdrops (from last season's perennial exchange!) have replaced snowflakes, snowdrifts, and snow mounds on West Greenwood Avenue.