Around the Block: 12/2/2022

December 5, 2022 BY JEFF CITY BLOCK

Even more thankful, our new and current listings, and Philly happenings. What were you thankful for this year? I’d love to discuss. Please send me an email: [email protected]. This edition of Around the Block was originally published on Friday, 12/2/22.

12/2/2022

Relevant Commentary, all information Philly (real estate and otherwise), Open Houses, Listings, Happenings, and More — by Jeff “City” Block

Even More Thankful

In the last ATB, I mentioned how grateful I was for a lot of stuff. And I noted especially my wife Kristen and boys Ari & Ezra. Well, I then got to follow that up with my longest vacation since I became a Realtor 21 years ago—eight full days in the San Diego area with the four of us! It was an amazing, action-packed, wildlife-centric adventure.

Ok, it didn’t start with wildlife. Rather the fascinating, insane, really cool LEGOLAND® in Carlsbad, CA. Though we did see a rather colorful zebra, multiple dragons, and other animals made of 1,000s of Lego blocks. Some awesome rides and just a lot of stuff to see and do. We spent the night at the LEGOLAND Hotel (in a Ninjago-themed room, Ezra’s favorite). For anyone who has ever bought Legos, stayed overnight at any theme park ever, or just has kids in general, I am sure it would not come as a surprise that LEGOLAND is not cheap. But well worth it. Lego certainly knows how to give the kids what they want!

The next day was a full day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. This is an incredible place. In the Walkabout Australia section, you are fully immersed with the gray kangaroos and red-necked wallabies. The wallaby and her joey in the photo below were so cute. He was about five months and ready to leave his mom’s pouch. We saw him do just that, hop about for a bit, and then struggle to get back in, which he eventually did. We saw rhinos cuddling and Neville the six-month-old baby rhino with his mom. We learned that rhinos are born at about 150 lbs and gain around 100 lbs a month, so Neville is starting to get up there. But he is nothing compared to his mom. And speaking about his mother, she is pretty protective of her little 750 lb guy. This would seem obvious to me, but apparently it wasn’t to another rhino in the immense enclosure. He got a little rough with Neville and was quickly reminded that that was a terrible idea. Immediately backed off.

The next day was Dana Point in Southern Orange County for a tremendous dolphin and whale watching boat ride with Captain Dave’s. This was amazing. We saw a humpback whale (sensational) and a pod (100s and 100s) of dolphins swimming all around and under our boat (exhilarating). Captain Dave’s came through. This was an incredible 2½ hour tour.

Back down the coast to San Diego where many more adventures await… Several trips to see the seals, sea lions, and crashing waves, all real up-close in La Jolla—Seal Rock, La Jolla Cove, and the Children’s Pool. One seal at the Children’s Pool fashioned himself the Big Mahoff and held court for 100s of onlookers. He was hilarious. Then he went and took a nap on the sand.

In La Jolla Shores we visited the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Another incredible place. I am just so pumped about SD.

As an aside, anyone who knows me or reads the ATB understands I am a diehard Phillies fan. That is true. Through and through. But as a kid, my favorite non-Phillie was the late, great Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Moreover, I was always jealous of their awesome uniforms. The brown & gold was always my favorite as a kid (and as an adult), here worn by Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. (Maybe because I went to Friends Select? Not sure.) In any event, I could never actually place a SD hat on my head, but I wish that I could. I saw so many of them this past week. I represented with my City Edition 76ers hat, by the way.

Anyway, back to the trip…at Birch, some of the cool things we saw were an egg-yolk jellyfish, the world’s smallest breed of penguin, and sharks (both real and not-so-real).

We spent the last two days in Balboa Park. Saturday at the SD Zoo and Sunday at the museums. There was so much at the zoo. We got to see a cheetah run at top speed (70 mph), then get rewarded with a huge hunk of raw meat. Super up close, but behind a fence, obviously. We fed giraffes, petted a non-Lego zebra, and so much more.

We ended the trip at the Comic-Con Museum and the Air & Space Museum.

Then the red-eye back to PHL on Sunday night! All-in-all, the best, most exciting Thanksgiving ever. Oh yeah, we did eat Thanksgiving dinner, of course… at an Italian restaurant in the Gaslamp Quarter. What a trip.

And guess what… as always, I could not wait to get back home to the greatest city of all—The City of Brotherly Love.

Have a great weekend.

Warm regards,

Jeff

City Block Team’s Thanksgiving Weekend Recap and What We’re Thankful For

Pictured is Peter Sterling Watson’s nephew Henry making cranberry sauce.

This year Peter is grateful for his mother who he says is the strongest person he knows. “She never skips a beat with everything that has been thrown at us and she loves to keep traditions and family together.”

Pictured is Carrie Waterman and her family in front of her son’s favorite willow tree over at The Woodlands.

Carrie is thankful to live in such a beautiful city!

Jamie Foster is fortunate enough to get two Thanksgivings every year.

The first two pictures are from her more traditional get-together on Thursday at her boyfriend Sean’s parent’s house, and the last picture is from her family’s more casual, football-watching-get-together on Sunday.

Jamie is most thankful for family and friends, being healthy and happy, and especially Sean and Henry (her dog), who are both her best friends as well as family. Additionally, she is thankful that after a very long while, she is able to do what she loves for a living.

Lauren Morihara had an unconventional Thanksgiving where she and her kids took a day trip to Atlantic City and played in the ocean for the day (pictured above).

Lauren is grateful to have the ocean so accessible and to have these special memories with her babies.

Darlene Dolhun spent her Thanksgiving weekend decorating her home for the holidays. Pictured above are two of the four Christmas trees she put up this year.

Darlene is thankful for health, a rambunctious five-year-old, and the Gremlins film franchise.

Megan Hoey visited some of Center City’s winter attractions over the weekend including the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, Christmas Village, and the Wintergarden at Dilworth Park.

Megan is thankful for her health and her family and friends, especially her boyfriend Aaron who she is pictured with (in Dilworth Park) above.

Pictured is Greg Zarro’s family’s Thanksgiving turkey table centerpiece which has been in his family for around 50 years!

Greg is thankful for good health, happiness, and for the great people in his life, including his awesome family, work colleagues, and friends.

Melani Lamond is thankful for the opportunities she’s had for almost 39 years, so far, helping her neighbors and friends purchase and sell properties, mostly in West Philly but also in other parts of Philadelphia. She’s grateful to have stayed in touch and to celebrate her client’s accomplishments- families, careers, and house rehabs. Melani is also thankful that they’ve returned to her multiple times and have sent their relatives, friends, and colleagues to work with her as well.

Spotlight Property

MOYAMENSING

1933 S 6th Street

New Price

5 BD | 5 BA | 3,250 SF | Fully Finished Basement | Private Patio | Roof Deck | $599,000

This fantastic, 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom, three story home features a well-designed floor plan with bright, airy rooms, multiple outdoor spaces, tons of natural light and a fully finished basement.

Easy, stylish and convenient living. 10 year tax abatement pending. Steps away from Dickinson Square Park, Herman’s Coffee, Termini Bakery, Korshak Bagels, Bok Bar, The Dutch, Grindcore House, and all the great dining and shopping East Passyunk has to offer.

View full listing here

CBT November Closings

MOUNT AIRY

707-709 Saint Georges Road

3 BD | 3 BA | 2,968 SF | $1,000,000

RITTENHOUSE SQUARE

1734 Addison Street

3 BD | 2 BA | 1,816 SF | $685,000

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue #205

*Represented both Buyer and Seller

2 BD | 2 BA | 1,495 SF | $573,500

MOUNT AIRY

137 W Mount Pleasant Avenue

6 BD | 3.5 BA | 3,642 SF | $500,000

Here is a list of the 5 other properties the City Block Team sold in November:

Philly Fun This Week

A Holiday Market and Live Entertainment

For the first three Saturdays of December Cherry Street Pier hosts a pop-up holiday market featuring handmade goods from local crafters, artists, and makers.
Through December 17th you can catch a magical holiday performance from the Philly Pops at Verizon Hall. The show features all the classic holiday songs and is led by music director and principal conductor David Charles Abell. Performers include The Philadelphia Boys Choir, the POPS Festival Chorus, the St. Thomas Gospel Choir, and special guests Mandy Gonzalez and vocalist Jordan Donica.
Head to St. Stephen’s Theater to watch a new show called The Royale now through December 11th. This drama starring Philly actor and theater teacher Phillip Brown is inspired by the life of the first African American heavyweight world boxing champion Jack Johnson. Tickets range from $29-$39.
Watch 1812 Productions’ hilarious end-of-the-year news comedy show, This Is The Week That Is, from now until the end of the month. This hysterical show includes a cast of comedic professionals delivering improvised bits, musical parodies, and more. Catch it at the Plays & Players Theater with tickets going for $40-$45.

Photograph from uwishunu & content courtesy of uwishunu and thephiladelphiacitizen.org.

Featured Listings

WASH WEST

504 S 11th Street #36

BRAND NEW LISTING

2 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,166 SF | $385,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

632 S 51st Street

NEW LISTING

4 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,792 SF | $429,000

FAIRMOUNT-ART MUSEUM

2832 Ogden Street

NEW LISTING

4 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,920 SF | $655,000

SOCIETY HILL

300 Spruce Street

NEW LISTING

3 BD | 3 BA | 3,444 SF | $1,750,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

331 S 46th Street

NEW LISTING

6 BD | 4 BA | 5,195 SF | $1,150,000

SOCIETY HILL

504 S Hancock Street

BRAND NEW LISTING

2 BD | 1 BA | 802 SF | $360,000

MOYAMENSING

1933 S 6th Street

NEW PRICE

5 BD | 5 BA | 3,250 SF | $599,000

MOUNT AIRY

7111 Germantown Avenue

New Construction

$340,000 – $1,200,000

SOCIETY HILL

742 Lombard Street

3 BD | 2 BA | 1,446 SF | $725,000

NEWBOLD

1413 S Chadwick Street

3 BD | 3 BA | 2,340 SF | $520,000

ACADEMY GARDENS

3405 Primrose Road

NEW PRICE

3 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,224 SF | $285,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

4215 Regent Square

5 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,710 SF | $699,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

403 S 42nd Street

6 Units | 4,790 SF | $1,200,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

349 S 47th Street #A310

2 BD | 2 BA | 1,481 SF | $325,000

UNIVERSITY CITY

4614 Paschall Avenue

4 BD | 4.5 BA | 2,800 SF | $650,000

Know Someone Looking to Buy or Sell?

As always, please know that I’m humbled by and appreciative of your introductions and referrals. If you have a friend, colleague, or family member that is in need of Expert Real Estate Representation, please have them contact me.

Be assured, I will do my best to exceed their expectations! Thanks for taking the time to read this issue of Around the Block.

Some imagery in this e-newsletter was sourced via UWISHUNU, thephiladelphiacitizen.org, and Canva.

Office: 212-913-9058

Compass RE is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

Even More Thankful

City Block Team’s Thanksgiving Weekend Recap and What We’re Thankful For

Spotlight Property

1933 S 6th Street

CBT November Closings

Philly Fun This Week

Featured Listings

Moving? Discover the value of your home.