West Reading’s 19th Annual Art On The Avenue

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SAVE THE DATE:  SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2013 11:00 AM-6:00 PM (RAIN OR SHINE)

The West Reading Community Revitalization Foundation is proud to present the nineteenth annual Art on the Avenue.  The community’s premier family festival features fine arts and crafts made by local juried artists.  Each year thousands of people are drawn to Penn Avenue, West Reading as the event continues to grow.  Located in the Greater Reading hub for arts, culture, shopping, and dining, this event appeals to both novice buyers and experienced art patrons.  Additionally the venue features live music, street performers, local businesses, and specialty foods.

For more information visit www.ArtOnTheAvenue.wrcrf.org

West Reading Historic House Gets New Lease On Life

Just off Penn Avenue on West Reading’s South Seventh Avenue, the home of the late James M.K. Waldron sits inconspicuously atop a hill, the onset of rows of residences moving away from the main corridor.

The facade is freshly painted, and a new flight of concrete steps leads to a newly finished porch.

There’s nary a sign of the mysterious past of the home once occupied by Reading Public Museum‘s curator of fine arts.

No indication that until last summer it seemed to be frozen in time: back to 1974, when Waldron, a watercolor artist in his own right, died at age 64.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=473725

Sinking Spring Focuses On Revitalizing Downtown

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When a group set out to revitalize Sinking Spring’s downtown in 2008, it planned to start with the west side of town.

Then a developer shifted the focus to what’s now known as the Spring Market shopping center in the eastern section.

Now the group is trying to advance a plan for the central district, calling for a new mix of residential and commercial space south of Penn Avenue.

The revitalization group, known as BOSS 2020, for Borough of Sinking Spring 2020, met with an architectural firm and came up with the downtown plan.

Alcon of Sinking Spring contributed $8,000 to the effort.

Read more:   http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=431266

Creating Beauty In West Reading, One Tile At A Time

On the sidewalk along Penn Avenue in West Reading, Pam Roule glued down glass tiles under the late morning sun.

“It’s like a jigsaw puzzle,” the borough resident said as she placed the small pieces. “These are the clouds.”

Nearby, Mayor Shane J. Keller cut additional pieces of glass as the occasional West Reading Farmers Market patron stopped, groceries in hand, to view the progress on what eventually will be one of five mosaics on Chestnut Street near West Reading Elementary Center.

“The more you work with it, the more you learn,” said Roule, an artist with a studio on Playground Drive. “And it gets kind of addicting.”

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=422717

 

New Signs To Point Way To Reading’s Penn Corridor Attractions

Finding attractions along Penn Avenue and Penn Street will soon be a bit easier.

Representatives from the Penn Corridor Initiative on Tuesday shared with City Council plans to install way-finding signs along the corridor, pointing people in the direction of spots like the Reading Public Museum, Reading Hospital and the Sovereign Center.

“A lot of people coming into the city see the Miller Center right there and say ‘How do I get there?’ ” said John Weidenhammer, chairman of the initiative.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=412888

West Reading Baker Wins TV Food Network’s Cupcake Wars

Logo for Food Network (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last night, Ady Cakes, LLC of West Reading won the TV Food Network‘s Cupcake Wars!  Congratulations!

Here’s a little information about Ady Cakes from their website:

“We are a locally owned Custom Cake & Cupcake Shop situated in the heart of West Reading in business since 2007. We offer many elegant designs from which to choose, and we also specialize in working with you to create a completely new design with your own personality, ideas and flair.

We will guide you in selecting a cake that suits your personal style and budget and above all, we promise to deliver a fresh, delicious, cake that tastes as good as it looks. 

Our business is fully licensed by the State of Pennsylvania and a proud member of the International Cakes Exploration Societe (ICES). “

Ady Cakes, LLC is located at 631 Penn Avenue, West Reading, PA.  You can contact them the following ways:

Voice:  (610) 898-4064

Internet: Info@adycakes.com or Cakeorder@adycakes.com

Website: http://www.adycakes.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AdyCakesLLC

There are many pictures on the website and Facebook for your enjoyment!   The bakery hours and other information about ordering and payment are found on their website for your convenience!

Here is an article from today’s Reading Eagle:

Ady Abreu was hard at work in her West Reading bakery Monday morning, just hours after celebrating her “Cupcake Wars” victory at a party held in her honor at Viva Bistro & Tapas Lounge in Wyomissing.

Normally closed on Mondays, Ady’s Cakes opened during the afternoon with a special offering – a four-pack containing one cupcake of each flavor that she created for “Cupcake Wars,” a Food Network baking-competition show.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=384705

The Tavern On Penn Opens In Former Penn Cecil Hotel Location

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From a pizzeria in Rehrersburg to a corner tavern in Spring Township, Michelle Giorgio has made a big leap toward her dream.

Giorgio, who always wanted to own a restaurant along busy Route 422, is the proud owner of The Tavern on Penn, along with her husband, Joseph.

Housed in the former Penn Cecil Hotel in the West Lawn area, The Tavern on Penn opened for business Feb. 17.

The process started, however, in Rehrersburg in March 2011, when the Giorgios decided to sell their pizzeria.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=371745

West Reading: Keeping It Fresh On The Avenue

When West Reading’s state and community-funded Main Street Program on Penn Avenue reached maturity in 2005, a total of 66 businesses had been created in six years, along with more than 125 jobs.

Grant funding of $6 million from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development revitalized the streetscape with new facades, sidewalk and traffic-lane design, and pedestrian and street lighting.

What’s going on in West Reading to maintain and expand the cycle of growth on the hippest street in the county? Some businesses still flounder, while others take root and grow.

Read more: http://businessweekly.readingeagle.com/?p=1908