Sustainable Butchery in Fishtown: Preview of B-Side Social Club at the Greensgrow Community Kitchen

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The Greensgrow Community Kitchen at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church recently held an event titled, “Whole Animal Butchering with Bryan Mayer and Michael Pasquarello.” The event was not only educational, but presented some of the ideas behind an exciting new culinary project in Fishtown called B-Side Social Club.

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No one has arrived yet at St. Michael’s Church, but several rows of chairs have been set up for an audience. A long metal table is positioned before them. A man with a blue apron, tattoos on his arms, and a knife holder hanging by a chain around his waist comes out of the kitchen carrying something with heft, and slams it down on the table. The half pig carcass stretches nearly over the entire surface. The meat settles and becomes flat as he inspects it. He takes out a knife and sharpening stick from the holder on his waist. As he sweeps the knife across the steel, there’s a look of calm concentration on his face.

DSC_0070.1This man is Bryan Mayer, former head butcher at Fleisher’s Grass-Fed and Organic Meats in New York, and previously an Indie-rock musician. He is one of two people hosting the whole animal butchering survey, an event that quickly sold out. Joining Bryan is Michael Pasquarello, owner of a series of restaurants in the Spring Garden neighborhood, including Bufad, Café Lift, and Prohibition Taproom. I had heard that these two were collaborating on a new project in Fishtown called B-Side Social Club, which was going to be a butcher shop, a restaurant, or combination of the two. But details were to be revealed later in the event.

People trickle in, take their seats, and soon all the chairs are full. As an introduction, Bryan goes over his variety of knives and their functions. There’s the scabbard, the boning knife, the flex knife, and skinner knife. Each requires a specific handling and type of precision. The pig comes from Wyebrook, a 400-acre farm about an hour outside of the city, known for its sustainable practices. Both Michael and Bryan are strong adherents of sustainable farming, a concept that will play a major role in their future Fishtown venue.

Before beginning, Bryan states to the audience, “There is an art to all this,” and sharpens his knife for the last few times.

First he removes the kidney and lard, mentioning that the kidney can be used for sausages and pâté, and the lard for pie crust. “Pigs are 100% usable,” he says. “There are industries built up around the usage of extra parts that don’t go into a butcher case. Companies pick up the kidneys, skin, glands, and put them in shampoo, lipstick, crayons, beer, candles, everything. It’s virtually impossible if you’re alive in today’s day and age to be a vegetarian.” Several groans arise from the crowd.

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The first major cut he focuses on is the tenderloin. He works carefully like a surgeon, separating muscle and bone. He demonstrates the principles of “seam” cutting as he follows the line of the muscle and begins to remove what resembles a tenderloin. Seam cutting is a European method used for charcuterie, preservation, and curing. This contrasts with the American “box” procedure, which cuts across the animal and gives less attention to the muscle structure. Bryan likes to employ a hybrid style, separating the animal with the box method, then seaming out the various parts.

As Bryan moves to the flank, shoulder, and belly, he reveals an expert knowledge of the animal’s anatomy, knowing exactly where and how to cut. He explains the culinary possibilities for each part, and the necessity of forethought in apportioning whole animals for a menu. It’s easy for a restaurant to call up a meat purveyor and order a box of ready-to-go porkchops. But that’s not the case when working with whole, sustainably raised animals. Bryan brings up the example of St. Louis ribs, which are big and meaty, but take away belly meat that can be used for bacon or porkchops. For a butcher, the animal’s body is a system with limited materials, and it is his job to make the right choices and economize efficiently. “I never toss things out,” he says.

Bryan sharpens his knives again and continues to cut, encountering redness in the meat. “That’s not supermarket pork. Factory fed pork is bland and pinkish, the ‘other white meat’,” a reference to the old ad slogan. “Real pork has a deep, dark red color.” This comment brought up a major issue of discussion in the demonstration: the influence of marketing and media on the customer’s perception of meat products. “Lots of things have been vilified, including fats and nitrates, but there’s not a lot of science behind it. Somebody writes something on a blog and it takes a life of its own before anyone can do any sort of testing. It’s just peoples’ emotional responses, and rightfully so. It’s very hard to know who to trust with our food and where it comes from.”

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Bryan finishes with the belly, and holds it up for everyone to see. People whip out their iPhones and snap picture after picture. The demonstration lasts two hours, and he completes four primal cuts of the pig: the loin, shoulder, belly, and ham. To finish, he does long, clean cuts underneath the ribs, and pulls them off the belly. The pig has been completely deconstructed.

At this time, Bradford, Greensgrow’s kitchen supervisor and the organizer of the event, says that it’s time to wrap up. At 2:00 there’s a birthday party for an eight-year old girl. Pink balloons, colorful pointy hats, and a Hello Kitty birthday cake are being placed on a table not far from the pig parts. Cleaning needs to commence quickly before they arrive.

Bradford mentions a few of the upcoming events at the Community Kitchen. On April 27th, Chef Carolyn Angle from Standard Tap will be presenting a workshop on ceviche and escabeche. If you come to any of the exciting events at the Kitchen, and see someone taking lots of photographs, that’ll be me.

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Part of the purpose of the butchering survey was to begin raising awareness about a new project in Fishtown, B-Side Social club. This creation represents some innovative ideas. It will be more than just a restaurant.

Bradford gives the floor to Bryan and Michael to answer questions, and they reveal that the full name of the venue will be, “B-Side Social Club: Butchery and Beer,” and that it will be right next to Bottle Bar East on Frankford Avenue.

This is going to be a multifaceted operation with a unique approach. Michael explains, “We’re going to have a butcher shop, run by Bryan, smack dab in the center of a restaurant. The philosophy behind this project centers around sustainable farming. We believe that when animals eat what they’re supposed to eat, and live the way they’re supposed to live, they’ll taste the way they’re supposed to taste, and the product will be 100% better. We’ll also have a lofted area with an educational facility. We want to continue down this path, teach more about whole animal butchery, and hopefully have other types of classes as well.”

DSC_0174 2.1Thanks to Michael’s network of restaurants, no leftovers from the butchershop will go to waste. Some may go to the burger grind at Prohibition Taproom, or the sausage for pizza at Bufad. This is a smart, logical system that will help eliminate concern for profitability, and allow the sustainable butchery concept to flourish.

Bryan breaks down the benefits in simple terms: “When you work with whole animals, there’s lots of trim afterwards. What do you do with it? You can cook it, right? We buy whole animals, cut them up, and sell them to you to buy more whole animals, and I cook a menu based on what’s left over. The more animals I buy, the better the farmer is. The better the farmer is, the better everything is. It’s a really simple model. The Europeans have been doing it forever. Dario Cecchini in Tuscany has three restaurants that all circle around his butcher shop. We’ll be focusing on the question, ‘How do we use this animal to its fullest?’, be it sold out of the case, or sold on a plate for you to eat.”

Sustainable butchery is not only simple, but creates more humanity in the meat industry. Animals are treated well, and relationships build between people—between the farmer and butcher, and the butcher and his customers. B-Side Social Club is part of a food movement meant to benefit the local economy, and it is being reinforced by the increasing number of like-minded businesses in Philadelphia that practice sustainability. “We all have to find ways to work together to make sure these ideas grow,” Bryan says at the end. “No man is an island, entire of itself.” Sustainable butchery is a progressive idea that will help change the food industry, and one of the seeds is being planted right here in Fishtown.

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© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2013. All rights reserved.

Rossi Brothers Cabinet Makers: Victor Rossi

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The desk in Victor Rossi’s office is laden with diagrams and drawings of furniture design, heavily annotated with notes. Above this disarray is a row of antique clocks Victor likes to fix, and a reproduction of Peter Paul Rubens’ “Prometheus Bound.” The wall opposite his desk is an extensive library of art books on different eras and crafts: Bernini, Art Deco, Bugatti. The collection is rich in variety. What’s apparent from Victor’s office is his overall appreciation for craftsmanship, and his deep knowledge of design. Victor has dedicated his life to his skill, and is able to reproduce any style of furniture with impeccable detail. A ceiling high bookcase from Victorian England, a French Empire style armchair fit for Napoleon Bonaparte—if it existed at some point in history, Victor will know how to make it.

Outside of the office is the warehouse. It’s an immense space, occupied by different projects throughout. Everyone is measuring, drilling, and sanding, and there’s the fresh smell of wood being cut. Victor bought this building in Kensington at 1805 North Howard Street 17 years ago. Before that, Rossi Brothers started out in 1956 as a little shop on the 500 block of Fitzwater Street. Victor’s father studied design after the war, and was trained as a finish carpenter. He specialized in built-in work, just like Victor does today, and went into business with his brother Anthony, a cabinetmaker.

Victor is a Philadelphia native, and is well-acquainted with his city’s history. He has seen a lot of things change, but his business has kept its traditions. Despite the increasing role of computerized design in the field of cabinetmaking, Victor’s style of work is still very much hands-on. He is known for being thorough and careful. He is a craftsman who never trades expediency for meticulousness, and never rushes his work. Through this steadfast approach, he aims for perfect execution of each project that comes his way.

How does your business approach furniture design?   We build here the same way I was taught by my father, using handed down, time-tested, traditional methods. For example, we don’t use any computerized machinery. The drawings are done by hand, the carvings are done by hand, and we measure space ourselves. We still make everything here—moldings, boxes, drawers, doors. We don’t buy parts, even though that seems to be what most businesses are doing these days. That’s not the way I was taught, and I don’t like to cut corners like that. If someone wants a door, I don’t call up and find out where to order it. I take the time to make it.

Does working mostly by hand produce a better quality product?   When you’re working on something by hand and putting it together manually, you’re paying attention to the details. You’re figuring out the function of each piece like a puzzle, and your mind is active. A machine compensates for itself, and takes the thinking out of the process. Following instructions from a printed piece of paper will tell you where everything goes, and you don’t really have to pay attention to what you’re doing. It’s like when you start using a calculator, you get lazy. I’ve found times when I was a little tired, and I started using the calculator for the simplest problems. As long as the mind’s active, especially for a skilled cabinetmaker, the job will be a better job in the end. Some people don’t understand the difference between a product that was made by hand, and a product made with help of a machine. They look the same to them. Machines miss the sharp, crisp details only capable with human hands.

Can you recall the first moment you realized your passion for woodwork?   I can remember that. After I graduated high school in ‘71, jobs were few and far between. But I knew I wanted to work with my hands, so I came home to work with my father as an apprentice. I had never had any drafting experience or went to trade school, but the first time I saw a set of prints rolled out before me, I understood them, and I knew I could read them. I don’t know why that was, but after studying these drawings I easily figured them out. I remember we once did a big built-in project, maybe 14 feet long or so, and I just liked the feeling of standing back and seeing something bigger than myself that I had built. At that point, I knew I wasn’t going to stay an apprentice, and that I was going to become a cabinetmaker. When I saw this project go from paper to 3D, when I saw it all come together, I knew that that’s what I wanted to do. From that point on I excelled, and learned fast.

Do you consider woodwork an art form?   That’s a good question. I’ve never considered it “art”. Cabinetmaking is a level of skill, a trade, and a craft. It’s not art in the sense that it’s functional. Art, in my opinion, is something that someone appreciates just for what it is, but it serves no real purpose. You don’t need a painting. You don’t need a sculpture. You just admire it, and you admire the skill of the artist, the concept, or just the sheer beauty. I like the ancient Roman word, “artisan”. Artisans were artists, but they also produced things that were necessary, functional, and which could also be admired. Roman plumbers were considered artisans. It took a high degree of skill, especially back then. It didn’t necessarily have to be beautiful, but it had to work. So there’re artisans and then there’re artists. Artists are also different from craftsmen because their work tells a story and incites emotion. The work of Bernini, one of my favorite artists, makes my hair stand up. But what he did was for the sole purpose of telling a story.

What is the most unusual request you’ve had from a customer?   Someone once asked us to make wooden toilet seats. We were doing a big job in their house with mahogany paneling, and they wanted mahogany toilet seats specifically. We used polyurethane waterproof finish to prevent any serious splinters. That was a strange request.

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How have you seen Kensington change over time?   It’s a good area to come back alive again. Fishtown and Kensington never really went bad, in that they didn’t deteriorate like other parts of Philadelphia. They stayed working class neighborhoods. Girard and Frankford Avenues were nice avenues at one time, and they’re becoming nice avenues now. Years and years ago this neighborhood was all working class people, and there were all these factories. My mother worked in the knitting factories here until 1960, and was part of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. People would come home from work, pick up their kids after school, and get ice cream. Front Street and Kensington Avenue were jumping. It was thriving just before the war. Then in the 50’s businesses started moving out, and the neighborhood changed. The industry couldn’t keep up with new regulations. The steel industry in Pennsylvania left because of the pollution, and the cost it would take to get their factories up-to-date. So we ended up having a lot of dilapidated, backwards factories here. Manufacturers left, and the economy slowly went down. Things like that happened in this country at the time. When I bought this building 17 years ago, Kensington wasn’t as nice as it is now. There wasn’t a nice coffee shop on the corner or a high school. All that’s changed, and I like the way everything’s headed.


For more information visit the Rossi Brothers website.

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© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2013. All rights reserved.

Kensington Community Food Co-op: Peter Frank

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I’ve become used to the inconsistencies of supermarket produce. I’ll put tasteless tomatoes in a salad, or peal a sour orange, and hardly notice it anymore. I just accept it as good enough. Occasionally, I’ll go out of my way to a food co-op, or venture to a local farmers’ market, and remember what real food tastes like. Biting into a ripe, natural tomato from Greensgrow gives the palate a vital reawakening.

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Wouldn’t it be great if there were more places that offered fresh, organic food in Kensington? Lena Helen, who is now President of the Kensington Community Food Co-op, DSC_0260asked the same question a few years ago. The idea for a local food co-op came up at an East Kensington Neighbors Association meeting, and was met with instant approval. Since then, KCFC has gone through tremendous growth. The organization recently reached a milestone of 300 members, and is now on the verge of establishing a grocery store.

Lena has been one of many people essential to KCFC’s progress, along with Vice President Peter Frank. Peter is a major proponent of the co-op movement, and has become involved in several local and nationwide initiatives. He currently serves as Advocacy Coordinator for passing the National Cooperative Development Act, a bill that would provide funds to develop co-ops in low-income communities. He believes cooperatives create more democratic participation, encourage volunteerism, and help people realize the value of community-based organizations. In our interview, Peter discusses some of the history and philosophy behind co-ops, and how he came to understand their potential to bring people together.

DSC_0221How did you become interested in food co-ops?   After college I moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where I had an important experience with a nearby co-op. I only lived there for one year, and at the beginning I didn’t think I was going to meet many people or have much engagement with the community. But I lived two blocks from the People’s Food Co-op, and shopped there every single day. I got to know a lot of people—fellow shoppers, cashiers, neighbors. It was a great social experience that led me to view co-ops not only as a business, but as a type of community center. Everyone shops for groceries, no doubt about that. You might as well have the place where you shop be this wonderful, community experience. I did a lot of cooking that year, and ate incredibly well.

What led you to become involved in the Kensington Community Food Co-op?   After Ann Arbor, my wife and I moved here to Philadelphia and discovered KCFC. When you first move to a new neighborhood you always ask, “Where the heck am I going to buy my groceries?” Besides Greensgrow, I wasn’t satisfied with what was here, and I saw that the area had a real need for quality groceries. As soon as I stepped into KCFC, I began to understand all the opportunities both locally and nationally for cooperatives. I got exposure to the different conferences and organizations that exist to support them, like the National Cooperative Business Association, and the Keystone Development Center here in Pennsylvania.

How has your work expanded beyond KCFC?   I had originally started my own business after college, doing consulting work for endangered species managements. Now I’m connecting my old career of consulting with my new passion, food co-ops. I’ve applied my experience in planning and operations to KCFC, and have made it my work to help the local co-op network become stronger. There’re a lot of start-ups besides us: South Philly Food Co-op, the Doylestown Food Co-op, the Ambler, Bethlehem, and Manayunk-Roxborough Co-ops. The Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance is an organization I help found with Bob Noble, a long time board member at Weavers Way, and a few people from the Energy Co-op. We haven’t incorporated yet, but our vision is to provide support services for existing co-ops, technical assistance to start-ups, and to encourage more awareness of the co-op model throughout the city and region.

Why is the co-op movement gaining so much momentum in Philadelphia?   Philadelphia has a long history of cooperatives. Ben Franklin started the first official co-op in America in the form a fire insurance company. Insurance mutuals are considered cooperatives because they operate democratically—one member, one vote. That’s the basic principle of co-ops—shared ownership and democratic governance. Throughout history, there have always been these waves of cooperative developments responding to national crises, where people look inward to each other for answers. The Swarthmore Food Co-op, the 3rd oldest in the nation, came out of the Great Depression. Weavers Way and Mariposa were established in the 70’s during the Vietnam War. Then there’s what we have now. There are currently more start-ups trying to develop than there are existing co-ops. I would say that that’s in direct response to the economic crisis. I think it’s also due to a health crisis. The lack of access to healthy food is causing huge problems with obesity and diabetes. This has made people more concerned about environmental issues, buying organic, and supporting the local economy. So there’s a nexus of all these issues coming together, and people see the co-op model as a solution.

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Kensington Community Food Co-op hosting a happy hour event at East Girard Gastropub, featuring an oyster demo.

Other than having access to local, natural foods, what are the advantages of being a member of an organization like the Kensington Community Food Co-op?   The experience I described in Ann Arbor is already in progress here. Co-op members get to know each other at meetings, happy hours, and different events. We’ve made all sorts of amazing connections, and these relationships wouldn’t have happened without the co-op bringing everyone together. To me that’s one of the best things a co-op offers the community—an opportunity for people to interact with each other. People have become friends, and are now working together towards something meaningful and positive. Thanks to this attitude, the Kensington Community Food Co-op continues to evolve, always with the vision that we’re going to have this grocery store. Now we’re so much closer than we’ve ever been, and it’s really exciting.

A German beer and food tasting at Frankford Hall, with KCFC members and prospective members.

A German beer and food tasting at Frankford Hall, with KCFC members and prospective members.

How will Kensington benefit from having a co-op?   We want our area to develop economically, and to make it a better place to live. Co-ops are anchor businesses—wherever we end up there’s going to be growth around us. People will move in next door and open their own businesses, and that’s a wonderful thing. This type of expansion is happening right now in Kensington, and it’s unique because there aren’t a lot of big chains moving in. Instead we have an influx of interesting and creative entrepreneurs. What makes me so excited as a resident is the idea of being able to get all my amenities right here, just walking down the street. I already have my coffee shop, my bar, and my clothing store. Now I want my groceries.

Visit www.kcfc.coop for more information.

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© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2013. All rights reserved.

DiPinto Guitars: Chris DiPinto

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Music became electric in the 1960’s, and so did the guitar. Kids across America were trading in their acoustics for something more modern and exotic. The irony was that they were learning how to play on Japanese guitars. Brands such as the once infamous Teisco (Tokyo Electric Instrument and Sound Company) were prevalent because they were cheaply made and easily affordable. As a result they had a reputation for being inferior in quality. Today, these guitars are valued as collector’s items due to the nostalgia attached to them, and because of their distinctive look. They are ornate with excessive switches and knobs, oddly shaped, and flamboyant in appearance. The “pawn shop” look of these eccentric instruments from another time became the inspiration for guitar designer Chris DiPinto.

“I thought they were from another planet!” he said in our interview. Growing up in the early 80’s, Chris was heavily into Black Sabbath, and dubbed himself a “metalhead”. Despite the generational gap, DiPinto recognized the potential of retro guitar designs—and he was one of the first. After seeing an article on Mosrite he became interested in surf rock guitars, and aspired to recreate the boldness and flare of designs from the 1960’s. DiPinto’s ingenuity brought these designs back into fashion, and made them applicable to new styles of music. Now, his guitars are appreciated by a breadth of musicians who play jazz fusion, indie rock, surf, and more.

The charm of a DiPinto Guitar is that it appeals to everyone. If you are part of a generation that grew up in the 60’s, it looks like your first guitar. If you are part of a younger generation, the elaborate and dazzling design is like nothing you’ve seen before. Behind this unique instrument is a tremendous amount of work and creativity, and the story of Chris DiPinto.

How did your interest in guitars evolve into a profession?   I started playing guitar in fifth grade, which is pretty early. I was teaching my friends how to play, and I was altering my own guitars as well as theirs. The thing was I played left-handed, and I couldn’t find a lot of left-handed guitars. I also got into 60’s surf guitars, and it was even more rare to find a lefty in that style. So I decided to make my own. My dad had a hardwood floor in his kitchen, and there were all these extra oak floorboards I used to help make my first guitar. I also used some materials from Home Depot and RadioShack, and a few parts from old, cheap guitars. People loved it when I played it live on stage, and I got requests to make more. That was all I ever wanted to do—to make guitars and own a guitar factory. So I designed three models: the Galaxie, the Mach IV, and the Belvedere. I still sell those same three models today.

How would you describe the aesthetic and look of your guitars?   We’re trying to make wild guitars that look like they’re from a pawn shop. When I grew up there were certain guitars that appealed to kids who were just learning how to play. They were cheap, funky Japanese guitars from the 60’s that weren’t available unless you went to a pawn shop. My idea was to take these neat, crazy guitars and make them playable, on stage and with any type of music. If you wanted a more “professional” guitar then you’d end up playing a Fender or a Gibson, which are more standard and conservative. The Japanese designers were wild and over the top, and I’ve tried to come close to what they were doing. Today, when everything looks like an IKEA couch, this type of guitar definitely stands out.

How did people first receive your unique style of guitars?   If you look around you’ll see a lot of retro guitars these days. Back in ’95 I was one of the only ones making them. I was at the NAMM Show, which is a huge trade show for musical instruments, and people would come to my booth and laugh…in front of me! Eventually everyone started to come around. Now almost every company has a sparkling guitar, or a guitar with a racing stripe on it. It was a good feeling to know that I was one of the first few people designing guitars like that at the time.

Who are some notable musicians that play your guitars?   One of the first bands I made instruments for was Los Straightjackets. They’re easily the best surf band today, and they tour all over the world. They used to play on Conan O’Brien’s show, and Conan wanted one of my guitars too. I’ve made guitars for a lot of musicians—David Bowie, Jack White from the White Stripes, Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick, Dick Dale, who was one of the first surf guitarists. I’ve also worked with a lot of local people, like Kurt Vile. He’s a young musician from Philly who’s getting really big right now. When Kurt was a teenager he used to come into my shop. It’s great to see someone young and talented like him taking off.

                                  How has DiPinto Guitars become involved in the community?   We’ve helped organizations like Rock to the Future and School of Rock, and donate guitars to local schools. We work with the Philadelphia Brotherhood Rescue Mission next door, helping people suffering from addiction get back on their feet. They do a lot of music over there, so we donate to them and fix their instruments. We also offer lessons, partly as a service to the community. I’ve taught autistic kids, kids with different learning disabilities, Vietnam vets. A lot of these students have been deemed “unteachable”, but they’ve learned how to play with me. It’s all about patience.

How has Fishtown grown since your business moved here?   My company has moved several times, and we finally ended up here in Fishtown. We’ve watched this area get crazy with awesome restaurants and nightlife. All these great clubs have opened up around us: Johnny Brenda’s, The M Room, Kung Fu Necktie, The Fire. There’re so many artists and musicians around, and so many different things to do. There’s still room for a lot to happen here, and it’ll be fun when it all comes together. Fishtown is big, and it’s getting bigger.

DiPinto Guitars is located at 407 East Girard Avenue.                                                         For more information visit www.dipintoguitars.com.

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© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2013. All rights reserved.

Ed’s Barber Shoppe: Ed Torres

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There are several reasons you go to a barbershop. Maybe you want a new look, or just the same old style you’ve had for years. Bottom line, your hair is getting shaggy and you want to look fresh and clean again. There’s also something else you get in going to a barbershop—the experience. It’s a chance to relax and enjoy some camaraderie, a welcome break in your daily routine. This is the type of environment offered at Ed’s Barber Shoppe. It’s a true neighborhood business, owned by a local who knows how to make his clients feel comfortable.

Cutting hair is a craft like any other. It requires technique, attention to detail, and creativity. Owner Ed Torres and his associate, Brandon Michael Heary, take pride in the refinement and style that go into their work. Most importantly, they know how to listen to their customers. Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s an old school pompadour, a simple trim, or a hairstyle that is unique to you, they do the job you want and do it well. For these barbers, it’s all about making people look and feel good everyday.

Every haircut from Ed Torres       is a great deal—25 years of experience for only $13. From our interview, it’s obvious that Ed has a sense of tradition when it comes to being a barber. He’s also aware of how barbershops can fill a social niche in the community. Moreover, Ed runs a successful shop because he’s down-to-earth and treats clients with respect.

What motivated you to open your own barbershop?  My uncle was a barber for many years, and seeing him working is what got me started. From the age of 12, I would play around inside his shop, and prior to his passing in ’99 I spent a lot of time there. Once I graduated high school I got my barber’s license. I worked for a friend of mine in the Northeast for about 11 years before opening up my own place. I had several different shops throughout Philly and Pennsylvania, and eventually came back here. This is home to me. I grew up in Northern Liberties, and I feel comfortable in this area. There’re a lot of guys I went to grade school and high school with around here.

What are your roles and responsibilities at the shop?  To provide a good service to my customers. They are number one. I try to understand what they need and give it to them exactly how they want it. The key to this is listening. You have to be a great listener to be a barber. At the same time you have to become a therapist for whoever sits in your chair, and give good advice. I know I can give good advice because I’ve been through a lot in the past, and because I’ve been cutting hair for 25 years. I want this place to be like home—very relaxed, very comfortable. I want the guys to be able to feel free to speak, not only to me, but to the other clients in here as well. It’s going to be four years since we’ve opened, and that’s exactly where we’re at right now. As the owner, another one of my responsibilities is to pass on my knowledge and skills to someone who’s willing to go as far as I’ve gone in this field. My co-worker, Brandon Michael Heary, has worked here for the past year, and he’s picked up a lot.

How do you and Brandon collaborate to make this a successful business?  Brandon is a lot younger than I am, but we have great communication and a great connection. He knows what I’m going to say even before I say it, and he knows where we need to be with the business. We don’t relate to each other as boss-employee, but as friends and family. It’s been like that since day one, which is hard to come by.

There’s an interesting arrangement of items on the counter at your work station. Can you talk about this?  It’s keeping true to my heritage. My family is from a small town in Puerto Rico, Lares. It carries its own flag, apart from the national flag. Don Q is a type of rum produced in Puerto Rico, which is making its way to the U.S. The lion is my zodiac sign, and has many other meanings in my life. There’s a lion on my business card, and a tattoo of one on my back. The tattoo has been there for 17 years, and it’ll stay there forever. In the future we’ll be adding the lion design to the front of our shop.

What is the basis behind the shop’s motto, “Old School Style, Expert Modern Cuts?”                  Old school style is what my uncle taught me—pompadours, Ivy League cuts, all the older styles. That’s what I grew up watching and learning how to do. I picked up the modern styles—the fades, the blow outs—and combine them with the old. I’ll do pompadours with the blow out. It’s great to mix an old style with a new look—that’s what we do here.                                                                                                                                                                                         What is the most unusual request you’ve had for a haircut?  We had a guy come in and ask for a pepperoni pizza design on the back of his head. He’s the guy that owns Pizza Brain, Brian Dwyer. So far he’s been the only client that has really caught me off guard.

What is your impression of Fishtown?  It’s changed a lot, and I like the direction it’s headed. Growing up I wasn’t allowed to pass 2nd Street and come into Fishtown, and now here I am owning a business in Fishtown. It’s come a long way and I’m enjoying it. I hate to describe it with the cliché of “melting pot”, but that’s exactly what it is—so many different nationalities come in through our doors. That’s what I wanted when I opened up. I wanted everyone to be comfortable with each other, and it’s been working out.

Be sure to stop by Ed’s Barber Shoppe at 600 East Girard Avenue.                          Visit the website at www.edsbarbershoppe.com.                                                                    To see all articles go to www.fishtownspotlights.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2012. All rights reserved.

Artist, David Ohlerking

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Every artist has his source of inspiration. Cezanne was drawn to the French countryside. Picasso painted the beautiful women he fell in love with. Local artist David Ohlerking’s muse is the city of Philadelphia.

If you live in Fishtown or Kensington you’ve probably seen David Ohlerking painting on the street. If you’ve seen David, you’ve seen his car, or rather his studio. All of his supplies are right in the trunk, including several jars of paint. As he travels throughout Philadelphia to paint different parts of the city, David attracts many curious spectators. He even lets a few of them try out his paintbrushes. However, only the most gifted and natural artists among them get the chance to participate—little kids. David offers his Ford Crown Victoria as a free-range canvas to young creative spirits. As a result it has become a work of art in itself. Layered with colorful brushstrokes and splashes of paint, the car is a traveling exhibition for everyone to see and enjoy.

Like the children he lets paint his car, Ohlerking embraces the power of spontaneity in his work. His style is energetic, fluid, and full of movement, giving a vibrant personality to the city. Buildings and streets take on a new life, and seem ready to leap off the canvas. In our interview you’ll get an insight into the philosophy and process behind David’s paintings, and why he is one of the most original artists in Philadelphia.

What are some important events in your life?  I grew up traveling a lot with my family. We spent time in the Philippines, where my dad was a missionary, and in Belgium, which is full of art history. I loved the icons in the Russian Orthodox churches there. I studied art and philosophy in college, but dropped out and became a musician for ten years. Then I got a job as a receptionist, and studied art history while on the computer. I sent my paintings to Alex Kanevsky, an artist from PAFA, and he offered to critique them. He told me what was working and what wasn’t. I took everything he said like it was the Bible. At the time I had a little gallery in Austin, Texas, but eventually moved here to Philadelphia. I love the town and I’m happy here.

What was the transition like from music to art?  I’ve always felt that art was a little part of the world I could take charge of. In a band you’re dependent on a bass player or a drummer, which can screw things up. With art it’s just you and the painting. It’s your space, your speed. If I have a painting I don’t like, I don’t work on it or go back to it. There’re no hurt feelings. I made a lot of mistakes in the music business, and I learned from those mistakes in becoming an artist. I realized how important it is to include as many people as you can in what you’re doing. Don’t try to keep everything to yourself, and don’t try to control the goodness that’s coming to you. Let it out.

What is your method and approach to painting?         My trunk is my studio. It’s full of jars of paint, and they don’t dry up because I paint almost everyday. I usually drive around until I find a street I like, then bust out the easel and set up. I paint directly, all in one take. There’s not a lot of pondering. I don’t try to get it right, I get into the painting and let it happen. When I paint buildings it’s not about architectural rendering. It’s about how something seems to me at that moment and my reactions to it. I used to be very careful in my work and would follow certain rules, but now I paint loosely. My teacher, Alex Kanevsky, has paintings that look tight and neat from far away, but if you get up close they’re messy. A bunch of dumb brushstrokes can add up to a smart painting.

How did your car evolve into a work of art?  I was painting a church on Thompson Street, and there were a bunch of crazy little kids who wanted to help me paint. I’ll usually let kids help me to a certain point, because the way I paint looks like a kid anyways. But this time it got out of hand. I had paint all over my back bumper, so I asked if they just wanted to paint the car. Man, they were all over it! They painted every part they could get to. At first I only let kids at the church paint the car, but now everyone gets to paint it. The only rule is that they can’t be in junior high yet. It’s awesome having a weird car. People wave and give me thumbs up all day long. It makes kids so happy.

Why do you restrict the age of who gets to paint your car?  Little kids paint better than we do. They do things you shouldn’t do as an artist, and it looks cool. Four year olds are the most magical artists. They have a love for paint and the activity of paint. They exist exactly in that moment when the paintbrush hits the car. Artists can get into abusive relationships with paint where they try to rough it up. Little kids are the opposite because they take so much joy in it. My teacher always talks about the importance of a beginner’s mind. When I’m painting I try to be like a little kid, and I want my arm to feel as joyful as a little kid’s.

What do you enjoy about being an artist in Fishtown?  The neighborhood matches me personally. I like that they’re trying to make this place friendly to art. When I was in Austin, I would paint on the street with Chris Chappell, my friend and fellow artist, and people would stop and wonder what we were doing. In Philadelphia painting on the street is nothing. There’re tons of artists here. It’s funny, I just drove across the U.S. and back, through Las Vegas and all these cool places, and I was so happy to get back here. It’s a beautiful town with a lot of history, mixed up with different cultural groups: Ukrainian, Irish, Puerto Rican. I like to talk to the guys who’ve been here a while, who know what Fishtown was like a long time ago. I’m an interloper here, so it’s fun to have people let me in their world like that.

Visit http://davidohlerking.com/ to see more of David’s work.

To see more interviews go to www.fishtownspotlights.com.                                       Like on Facebook   facebook.com/fishtownspotlights                                    Follow on Twitter   twitter.com/fishtownspots

© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2012. All rights reserved.

Amrita Yoga and Wellness: Heather Rice

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Amrita Yoga and Wellness is located at 1204 Frankford Avenue, and is owned by lead yoga teacher and massage therapist Heather Rice. There is always something interesting going on at Amrita – workshops led by nationally known teachers, African dance sessions, Buddhist meditation classes, and of course all types of yoga. Everything the studio offers is geared toward the same goal: holistic improvement of mental and physical well-being.

The growing richness of Amrita’s services gives people in the area a unique opportunity to focus on their overall health. Yoga classes are calibrated to the students’ level of experience. All levels from beginner to advanced are made to feel comfortable. The yoga teachers, nutritional counselors and massage therapists take an individualized approach, making their practices amenable to everyone’s needs.

During our interview Heather mentioned that the staff at Amrita has been living and practicing what they teach for a long time. “You can’t teach what you don’t know,” she said. These are words spoken from experience, from someone who knows the importance of making holistic living a reality for herself and for her students.

How did you become interested in yoga?  My first introduction to yoga was a text called the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. On a whim I picked it up one day at Border’s my freshman year in college. The Yoga Sutras goes into the ethics, morals and restraints of yoga. At the time I was going to school for marine biology, but took a break and went to massage school. My intention was to have massage pay for tuition when I went back to school, but I loved it so much that I stayed with it. I’ve been teaching yoga since 2003 and I’ve been an active massage therapist since 1998. I’ve been into holistic health and wellness since I can remember, and that’s mostly what I’ve done in my professional life.

How did Amrita start and why did you choose Fishtown as the studio’s location?  I had always wanted my own studio, and got the opportunity to move to Fishtown and open up my own business. I had previously lived in Portland, Oregon, which is saturated with different health and wellness centers. As much as Portland was congruent with my lifestyle, I felt like Philadelphia needed yoga more, especially the Fishtown area. There are a lot of studios downtown, but traveling there can inhibit people. It’s much easier to incorporate healthy living into your life when it’s easily accessible. I had lived here in the past and really liked the neighborhood. The culture is very diverse. It was important to offer something that would bring more people in and show them what Fishtown was all about. It not only benefited us, it benefited the community and surrounding businesses.

What are the different services and facilities offered at Amrita?           We teach all styles of yoga, including Iyengar, Ying, and Tantra Classical Hatha. We also have Hot Flow, Vinyasa Flow, and Core. There’s prenatal yoga, aerial yoga, yoga for back care, something to offer everyone. In addition there are massage therapy services and holistic nutritional counseling. Soon we will be offering a steam room, a sauna, and a juice bar.

Does Amrita have any special events?  Once a month we have West African dance on Friday night with live drumming. It’s a great way to move your body, dance and get stress out. We always have workshops too. We just had a teacher from New York, Joe Somodi, discuss building resiliency on and off the mat, and how aspects of yoga can translate into everyday life. Another great teacher is coming to the studio in December to talk about philosophy and the Bhagavad Gita, a very important Hindu text, and the Yoga Sutras.  In the Spring             Max Strom is going to have a session here on the transformative power of breath work.

How can yoga help our society?  I feel like a lot of the West has embraced yoga only as a workout to get a “yoga butt”. We need to look a little more deeply into how this system can heal us. You can look at yoga physically, energetically, and even emotionally. Still, the simplest thing is body movement. We are an extremely sedentary society. Many of us sit at a desk all day, drive to and from work, and sit on the couch when we get home. We become used to positions that aren’t designed for movement, which results in physical pain. Yoga awakens and opens the body, reuniting parts of our physical awareness. Moving into different positions not only strengthens the matrix of the bones and the muscle fibers, but also sharpens the mind, forcing us to create new ways of communicating with the body. We don’t realize the lack of basic types of movement in our everyday lives. One of my teachers, Dharma Mittra, said that all the fancy poses are not important compared to the basics. If you know how to breathe properly or twist your body correctly, that’s all you need. The simple things are the most powerful.

Click on the video below to see Heather’s demonstration of the Crow Pose.

How much of yoga is a science?  A lot! People have been working with energy channels and body movement for a very long time. Five thousand years ago it was known that the bow pose helps balance the digestive system, heals the lower back, and cleanses and tonifies the lungs. That knowledge alone shows a great amount of scientific background. Yoga has a sister science called Ayurveda, which is the oldest medical system in the world. It’s the origin of many different practices including surgery, acupuncture, and herbalism.

What is the significance of the name “Amrita”?  Amrita means the nectar of life in Sanskrit. It was the nectar that the Gods drank in the ancient Hindu texts to become immortal. People can incorporate yoga, meditation, massage therapy, and nutrition into their lives to live the fullest, longest life possible. You won’t become immortal, but you can revitalize the body’s innate healing ability, allowing yourself to live with vibrancy and peacefulness.

For more information visit http://www.amritayogawellness.com/

To see more interviews go to www.fishtownspotlights.com.                                       Like on Facebook   facebook.com/fishtownspotlights                                    Follow on Twitter   twitter.com/fishtownspots

© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2012. All rights reserved.

Soup Kitchen Cafe: Ben Bigler

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The next feature of Fishtown Spotlights is Soup Kitchen Cafe, located at 2146 East Susquehanna Avenue. This restaurant has become an essential addition to the neighborhood in the last few years. People appreciate the consistently high quality food, friendly staff, and comfortable interior.

Soup Kitchen offers an interesting variety of soups, like Parsnip Parmesan, Watermelon Gazpacho, and Shakshuka, a stew with poached eggs in a tomato chili sauce. Comfort food, gourmet, and cafe fare are all part of the restaurant’s unique sensibility. At the top of the menu you’ll see the words, “Seriously Good Food”, which is no joke. The folks at Soup Kitchen put care and attention into every dish.

Ben Bigler is the owner and creator of Soup Kitchen Cafe. As an entrepreneur he has found creative new ways to make his restaurant a Fishtown favorite. In our interview he talks about his decision to get into the food business, influences on the menu, and special events that keep customers coming back.

What is your background previous to being a restaurant owner?  I went to school to be an attorney. I worked as a corporate tax attorney for about five years and just got burned out. I ended up being at home for about a year, trying to figure out what I wanted to do, and every night I’d spend a lot of time cooking. It got to the point where I decided that’s what I wanted to pursue. For the most part I like being a restaurant owner better than a tax attorney.

What was the transition like from tax attorney to restaurant owner?      I can get pretty focused on things. I either do things all the way or don’t. I’m not good at moderation. The first year we were open it was just me working here. I worked from six thirty in the morning until nine at night. I was used to working long hours as an attorney, so it didn’t bother me. I thought running a restaurant would require less hours. Of course I eventually realized it doesn’t. In a way it’s more. But for the most part it’s more rewarding. I love when people say they like my food. Sometimes after working a lot I spend a couple hours here during lunch and hear people compliment the food. That keeps me going. I like to make people happy.

What influenced the menu choices?  The ideas have to start from somewhere. At the beginning there was a lot of influence from different sources on the internet. I love this website, Serious Eats, which has a “Sandwich a Day” feature. They write about different sandwiches across the country. I use a lot of that as inspiration. They have great recipes too. Bon Appetit and Food & Wine have great ideas in them as well. When I was home I learned several techniques I could apply to soup, vegetables, and meat. I prepared a lot of soups for some reason. I made them for my fiancée because she ate lunch at work. I like soup because it offers endless combinations.

Do you plan on making any future additions to your menu?  We’re currently applying for a liquor license. Our hours at night might expand because that’s when people tend to drink. We’re looking to mostly focus on craft beers. We’re also going to do a small selection of wines, maybe six or seven we find interesting. I have a couple friends that are into wine. I love it, but I can’t say that I’m well versed in it. My friends are, and they’ve introduced me to some wines that I would love to share. In terms of liquor we may have two to three specialty cocktails available, like Bloody Marys on Saturdays.

Is there anything unusual about Soup Kitchen?  It’s kind of funny that we have a walk-in closet for a kitchen. We get a lot of jokes made about that. Also there’s a guy, Steve, who sells us pickles from Zayda’s. He sells to a lot of people around here. The pickles are awesome. He’s a comedian too, and he comes in here and does a comedy sketch sometimes.

What is something unique that Soup Kitchen offers the community?  We enjoy doing big smoker events. We’ll roast a bunch of different meats and make our own bacon. On First Fridays we usually serve tacos. We’re big fans of Mexican food. Our soup especially has a lot of Mexican influence. We also have live music or a DJ on First Fridays. We’ve had some really great local bands play, like Delco Nightingale, a rockabilly outfit. They’re phenomenal. Ricky Radio was also great. We feature new artwork every month, which my fiancée handles. She has an Arts Administration degree and works at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. She has a couple friends she went to school with who send some really good artists our way.

How does your restaurant fit into Fishtown?  There’s a lot of young people here that are interested in good food, or food that’s not a hoagie with thawed meat in it. It’s just something a little different. If they’re artists they might not have a ton of money. Generally we’re just trying to offer homemade food at an affordable price. When I was here for the first year by myself, I’d sit behind the counter all the time. I watched the neighborhood change. There have been a lot of positive influences in the area. We’ve gotten to know it, and it’s really nice to see it growing.

To see the menu visit www.soupkitchencafe.com

To see more interviews go to www.fishtownspotlights.com.                                       Like on Facebook   facebook.com/fishtownspotlights                                    Follow on Twitter   twitter.com/fishtownspots

© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2012. All rights reserved.

Greensgrow Farms: Nathan Hasler-Brooks

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The first feature of Fishtown Spotlights will be Greensgrow Farms, located at 2501 East Cumberland Street. Greensgrow sells locally grown food and has a wealth of resources for gardening. It’s also known for engaging the community through various programs.

Greensgrow is more than a local food market. It offers cooking classes, helps aspiring businesses, and uses creative solutions for sustainable living. The staff is always working on a new project, and continues to spread the benefits of urban agriculture. With an expanding range of new ideas and services, Greensgrow just keeps growing.

Greensgrow also has some great produce at its farm stand. There is a big difference between food from a supermarket and food from a local source. You’ll taste this difference after making a salad with their fresh arugula, or biting into one of their ripe figs. One of the main people responsible for growing and harvesting these foods is Nathan Hasler-Brooks, the head farmer at Greensgrow, whom I had a chance to interview.

What is your involvement at Greensgrow? My title is head farmer. I’m proud to say I’m the only farmer here. Greensgrow does a lot of different things, but I’m in charge of growing food. My responsibility is farming in the city, which looks a lot different than it does on a larger scale outside of the city. Another part of my job is coordinating volunteers. About once a month I give tours for summer camps or elementary schools. Other than that, thankfully, I just get to farm. I like my job.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             What is your background previous to working at Greensgrow?                   I grew up around farms in southern Indiana, but never had an interest in farming. I went to college in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and studied sociology. After I graduated college I got a job doing social work here in the city for about three and a half years. I worked with children and their parents and foster parents. I started thinking about farming and reading Wendell Berry. When people ask me why I farm, that’s usually my short answer: Wendell Berry. Anyway, I was working with kids who weren’t eating well, having potato chips and juice boxes for breakfast. I owned a home in Old Kensington, and the community garden there was the first I ever tended. They were growing all these things I had never seen before. It was fun to watch everything grow and share the harvest with others. I did that for a couple years as I was doing social work. Then I found a farm that was looking to hire someone as an apprentice. I ended up working at Hillside Farm in Media, Pennsylvania. That was my first foray into farming. I had been a member of the Greensgrow CSA many years ago and knew about some of the cool stuff they did. I became interested in working in the city. It was neat to come back to what originally got me into farming, which was small urban agriculture, tucking vegetables in every corner, growing things anywhere you can. I was very excited to start at Greensgrow.

What do you enjoy about farming?                                                                           I like hard work. I never have a hard time sleeping. I lay down and fall asleep immediately. It feels really good to be outside and sweat, and know that you’ve worked hard. The part I love most is growing food. You plant the seed, water the seed, and hopefully the sun shines on it, but it seems like there’s some magic that’s got to happen for it to all come together, for you to get something that you can eat. I always get excited when I see my seeds coming up and they grow into big plants. Farming seems like a practical skill to learn, to be able to know how to grow food for yourself. I’m excited to be continually learning that skill. We have a farmer’s market right here on site, and that’s where we sell most of the stuff I grow. It’s so much fun to hand somebody a bag of salad greens you just grew 15 feet away, and know that they’re going to go home and share it with their family. Feeding people is the really fun part of farming.

What are some opportunities that Greensgrow offers other than its market and nursery?                                                                                                   We have a certified commercial kitchen at St. Michael’s Church at the corner of Trenton and Cumberland. The church had a dilapidated kitchen, and we approached them about sharing the space. We paid for the renovations and brought it up to code. It’s a value to the community and to the city because it helps food vendors who want to make a product. We rent it out to people who want to start a local food-based business. We do that with a number of vendors, like Yumtown and Local 215. We also hold classes there. Anybody can sign up to attend a class on pickling or sauerkraut making. Earlier in the year we had jam and jelly making. We do those about once a month.                                                                                                                                       What is something about Greensgrow that people might not know?       We’ve got a pig here named Milkshake. During tours I’m asked how the pig got his name. There’s a rap song, “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.” I guess he’s named after that, even though he’s a male pig. We also have a duck now. I don’t know the duck’s name. I think it’s Peking.

For more information visit www.greensgrow.org

To see more interviews go to www.fishtownspotlights.com.                                       Like on Facebook   facebook.com/fishtownspotlights                                    Follow on Twitter   twitter.com/fishtownspots

© Steven Sparber and Fishtown Spotlights, 2012. All rights reserved.