About Philadelphia's University City

If you're a University City resident interesting in learning more about green roof installation, well, Saturday, May 15 is a golden day for you. Jordan Breuning, a green roof consultant, will present tomorrow at 10 am at the University City District Office with an official tour of green roofs at 11:15 am.You'll learn what a green roof actually looks like on the typical Philadelphia rowhome. To reserve your spot at one of these workshops, please rsvp at seth@universitycity.org or contact Seth Budick at 215-243-0555 by Friday, May 14.

Related: Tour the PECO Green Roof

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We have some nutritious news for residents of University City. In June and July, there will be a weekly farmers market every Friday from 12-2 pm at The Radian Building at 3925 Walnut St. University City District has partnered with The Food Trust, The Rotunda and Inland American Retail Management LLC, to bring fresh produce and live music from the West Philadelphia Orchestra and Unidos da Filadelfia to the block. The Radian is the perfect social space to pull this off at, because it has such great foot traffic and a variety of retailers set there. We look forward to checking it out in June. Just add it to our list of quick things to do out West.

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Related:

University City Express: A Short Stop Out West

A Cool University City Cafe with Live Music! Our Clients Rock, Literally!

Taking a break in University City? By trolley, train, bus, or car, University City is a lot closer than you think. Maximize your outing with these must-dos, all of which take up very little time and show off the quick fun that University City has to offer.

In need of a speedy lunch? The Blue Demon Express Lunch at Distrito will zip you through two courses for $15, beverage included. The colorful cantina from Jose Garces guarantees a prompt lunch service, so you can still fit some shrimp ceviche and carnitas tacos into your tight schedule. Vámonos!

Distrito Restaurant, 3945 Chestnut St

When is the last time you've played Skee-ball? It's been an exceedingly long time, but you can always find your childhood favorite at University Pinball, where you can roll a few games in minutes. Quick history fact? Skee-ball was actually invented in Philadelphia.

University Pinball, 4008 Spruce St

Stop by the Green Line Cafe for...an espresso! You don't have time for that leisurely coffee. The Green Line Cafe has three locations in University City, so chances are, you're only a few blocks away from one. You can also hit up the Hub Bub Truck, which pulls shots of Stumptown's Hairbender, for an immediate fix.

Green Line Cafe, 4239 Baltimore Avenue (check site for other locations)

Hub Bub Truck, 38th between Spruce and Locust

Hit up any of the food trucks if you are really short on time. They're quick, cheap, and delicious, and University City's food cart culture is one of the most diverse and largest offered in the country. You can find almost anything and there are plenty of benches and outdoor spaces where you can enjoy your food. From falafel carts to taco trucks to mobile creme brulee purveyors, the options are endless.

Food Truck Dining Guide

Wanna see something cool? The Institute of Contemporary Art is a smallish museum/gallery spot that always has contemporary art exhibits worth checking out from emerging artists. It's not very big, so you can go in and get a few minutes of inspiration without committing to a few hours.

ICA, 118 S. 36th St

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Related: A Cool University City Cafe with Live Music! Our Clients Rock, Literally!

University City is a section of West Philadelphia that is populated by noted universities such as Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania. Students and staff reside in this neighborhood, which has transformed to meet their needs with a variety of dining and entertainment options. The Bridge Cinema and its nearby restaurants offering Indian, Ethiopian, Thai, and Mexican cuisine, provide plenty of nightlife.

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University City is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Philadelphia. One reason is the concentration of great cafes and coffee shops that make it so easy to meet up with old friends over brunch, read a Sunday paper while sipping a cappuccino, or just grab a cup of joe on your way to catch the trolley. The community newspaper, The University City Review, recently published a nice summary of the neighborhood's various coffee shops and cafes which you can read here. I have to wonder if there's anywhere else in the world where you can find such a variety of cafes in such a small area. Within a 10x10 block area there are authentic Cuban, Ethiopian, Parisian, and Mediterranean options as well as independent and local, regional, and national chain coffee shops such as Satellite Cafe, Green Line Cafe, Metropolitan Bakery, and Saxby's respectively.

UCReview's article is a great resource for anyone who is new to the neighborhood, or long time residents who need a reminder of all that their community has to offer. This article should also be required reading for all new Penn and Drexel students to let them know that there's a whole world of cafe culture right in their backyard. No need to go to all the way to Paris to find a great place to work on that novel you're writing, just head over to Green Line Cafe or Kaffa Crossing and get to work. You may even catch me there working on my next blog entry.