Lehigh Valley Style March 2025 by Innovative Designs & Publishing, Inc.

LivableLUXURY

INSIDE A STUNNING UPPER SAUCON HOME

5 PLACES TO SCORE VINTAGE HOME DÉCOR

BETHLEHEM’S UNESCO WORLD

HERITAGE SITE

PICKLEBALL IS FOR ALL AGES

Interior designer Anthony Sierra styled this luxe but comfortable home, pg. 46

Spring Hill

Spring Hill is a rare and beautiful example of a barn renovation with re-imagined vaulted spaces blended with stunning new architectural details, repurposed barn beams, and antique wood. Main House: 5 En-Suite Bedrooms, 8 Full Baths; Guest Apartment: 1 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath. $4,500,000

Old World Villa

Renovated in 2021 and set on 3 private acres with views over pristine Cooks Creek, this stunning villa is a rare blend of 19th century touches & outstanding modern luxuries. The gorgeous pool, spa & terrace are spectacular vantage points for entertaining, with Cooks Creek providing an incomparable backdrop. Offered for $1,999,000

Foxfield

One of only a handful of Saucon Valley’s legacy properties, the house & grounds have been proudly cared for and recently updated. The commanding location presents a one-of-a-kind privacy that only time can provide. 4 beds, 3 full baths, heated inground pool. Offered for $4,250,000

Pine Run Farm

A verdant 2+ acre parcel in Bucks County is the setting for this stone home and Pennsylvania bank barn. One of the original settlements in Doylestown Township, Pine Run Farm has proudly stood since the early 1700s. 4 beds, 3 baths in the main house; finished barn offers 1.5 baths. Offered for $1,550,000

Kindred Knoll

Tutto Niente

Polished, with understated notes of elegant and luxurious, this custom crafted Tudor home & vineyard known as Tutto Niente is a master class in creating the perfect blend. A fully custom build, the home includes unique touches throughout as well as a stunning panoramic view over 55 acres of big sky & Pocono Mountains. Offered for $3,950,000

Augusta Manor

Brimming with natural light, Augusta Manor stands proudly in a picturesque neighborhood of custombuilt homes. Boasting 3,650 finished square feet over three floors, and set on almost 2 acres, this colonial offers a wide open rural feel with the finishings of an elegant home. Offered for $1,199,000

Firefly Meadow Hillside Cottage

Peaceful and picturesque, Firefly Meadow is a quintessential country paradise. Set on 1.35 acres in upper Bucks County, this idyllic farmette includes a main house, in-ground pool with hot tub, guest studio, and detached garage. The large backyard offers a view of Mill Trace Creek. $930,000

Open fields, mature trees, and long-distance views comprise an extraordinary 22-acre setting for this midcentury ranch. Peaceful and rural, the property stands in close proximity to commuter routes, the Delaware River, and everyday necessities. Offered for $850,000

Framed by a lush expanse of lawn, stately trees and colorful plantings, this charming country cottage stands on over a quarter acre in Durham Township. Built in 1910, the traditional floor plan is enhanced with hardwood floors, 9’ ceilings on the first floor, and a deep porch perfect for taking in sunset views. Offered for $415,000

Ready to plan your dream wedding? Our AAA Four Diamond resort offers the ultimate wedding experience, complete with lavish accommodations, a luxurious spa for pre-wedding pampering, gourmet cuisine, and a spectacular customizable ballroom. Keep the celebration going with exciting after-hours nightlife and entertainment.

To get started, please contact Jennifer Bender at (484) 777-7559 or Jennifer.bender@windcreek.com

Friday, May 2, 2025 5:30 PM TO 11 PM

St. Luke’s University Health Network’s 111 th Charity Ball will directly support our mission to care for the sick and injured, regardless of their ability to pay, improve our communities’ overall health, and educate our health care professionals.

– 7 pm

For more information and to purchase tickets: 484.526.9026 or Developmentevents@sluhn.org

Sponsorship Informa tion: sluhn.org/charityballsponsors

Time to Refresh

When the days start to get longer and I see buds on the trees and little plants poking out of the ground, it gives me so much energy. I want to clean all the things, reorganize and update—a fresh start is exactly what I need this time of year, and it carries me far. I’d be willing to bet that I’m not alone, and that’s why I think you’ll enjoy our spring home edition of Lehigh Valley Style. Now that the weather is starting to warm, getting out of the house is a lot more appealing, and you’ll love checking out the five vintage shops and flea markets on pg. 38—perfect for finding décor to give your living space a lift. And while you’re out and about, you might as

well work in a little exercise too, so check out some tips from St. Luke’s resident pickleball expert on pg. 23 and physical therapist Chloe Costigan on pg. 29.

If you’re looking to make big changes at home, don’t miss our feature on pg. 46 for some serious inspo. Designer Anthony Sierra walks us through a dazzling Upper Saucon home, where he worked closely with the homeowner for two years to select finishes and furnishings down to the smallest detail. You might even be inspired to pick out some new finishes for your own home, in which case you should check out Knobs ’n Knockers, featured on pg. 20.

ANGELA VENNEMANN editor@lehighvalleystyle.com

our publisher, Pam Deller, is looking forward to this month! pdeller@lehighvalleystyle.com

23 Trying my hand at pickleball.

Exploring vintage home décor.

Dining at Little Orchids, again!

BTS with designer Anthony Sierra

BTS with Historic Bethlehem's LoriAnn Wukitsch

BTS at our Upper Saucon home photo shoot

At Good Shepherd, we believe even the greatest challenges can be the building blocks of limitless possibilities. That’s why we’re committed to bringing patients the latest techniques and technologies, always accompanied by a generous dose of compassion and care. Because when you start with good, great is never far behind.

Join us June 7 for our annual Gala in the Garden. Details and sponsorship opportunities: goodshepherdrehab.org/gala

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 3

A large great room for entertaining.

An at-home gym and sauna!

A finished basement studio for crafting stained glass!

I would love a backyard oasis with an in-ground pool and outdoor cooking area so we can entertain friends and family!

My dream would be a huge wraparound porch! I’ve always loved the look and could just picture hanging out in the front in rocking chairs, lol. I’m an old soul for sure.

My dream home would be in a wild place … tucked at the edge of a forest on the shore of a river or lake, and the house would have an expansive deck as well as floor-to-ceiling windows so that I would be in the midst of nature every minute of every day.

A loft!

How about a home that cleans itself? Is that a thing yet? I'd take that over a fancy kitchen or finished basement.

Minimalist architecture is my favorite feature for a dream home.

A window seat with built-in bookshelves.

President/CEO Paul Prass

Vice President/COO Lisa Prass

Publisher Pamela Deller

Managing Editor Angela Vennemann

Digital Strategy Director Jason Chrin

Production Coordinator Eleanor Anderson

Graphic Designers

Eleanor Anderson, Thomas Körp, Elaine Wyborski

Marketing Advisors

Erika Berardinucci, Denise Lichty, Arielle Solliday, Pam Taylor

Contributing Writers

Susan Gottshall, Heather Mayer Irvine, Christine A. Krahling, Amy Unger, Daisy Willis

Contributing Photographers

Marco Calderon, Matthew Cannon, Alison Conklin

Proofreader Lori McLaughlin

Accounting

Jobelle Aleño, Donna Bachman, Kim Kressman

What would be one feature of your dream home?

A secret door that you open by pulling the right book!

All the hidden passages from Webster

An industrial dishwasher so dishes could be done in minutes!

A large wraparound porch where you could sit with those you love and enjoy the scenery.

I’ve always wanted a big mudroom, with a tiled floor, a place to sit and hang coats and an area to wash my dogs!

A full-wall, custom-made, built-in bookshelf that allows for plenty of light for my plants—and it's not cluttered!

A wet room.

A wraparound porch with a hanging bench swing. A place for lazy summer mornings and a good book.

MAKING THE MAGAZINE

SUSAN GOTTSHALL

Contributing Writer

I remember when there were virtually no ethnic restaurants in the Lehigh Valley. When Amigo Mio (sadly, now closed) first opened on Cleveland Street in Allentown in the early 1980s, there were lines out the door on weekends; it was such a novelty. It’s so gratifying, after decades, to see cultural food choices continue to expand across our region, so visiting restaurants like Little Orchids always makes me smile inside.

CHRISTINE A. KRAHLING

Contributing Writer

You never know someone's story until they tell it to you, and that was certainly the case with Andrea Moretti of The Mellow Kitchen. I was fascinated by his background and how his family history and worldwide travels influenced his culinary creations.

HEATHER MAYER IRVINE

Contributing Writer

Over the years and miles, Chloe Costigan has helped me move better and improve my running form. I'm excited that more of the Lehigh Valley will learn about her work across all types of patients, including those who are older but want to continue moving well.

Style Insider Happy Hour

Located at Historic Hotel Bethlehem

1 | Elaine and Leonard Luba 2 | Kasey Gaydos and Mattie Howard 3 | Kimberly Cramsey and Jamie Achberger 4 | Lucy Dadlani and Laura Gelmini

5 | Lisa Deutsch, Wendy Ruggiero, Bob Knauss, Krista Berardinelli, Richard Holzer and Franni Monari 6 | Moreen Wheatley and Anthony Sierra

Historic Bethlehem Holiday Dinner & Auction

1 |

and Nicole

2 | Ann and Dennis Benner 3 | Dale and Nancy Ahlum 4 | Ilene Wood and Ray Starner 5 | Jena Grisafi,

Adam

Bozick

Milly Dignetti,

Second Location

The Hive, a marketplace for all things locally handmade from clothing to personal care products, has seen so much success at their Nazareth location that they’ve recently opened a second storefront in Allentown. Check them out on the ArtsWalk! thehivelocal

EXPANDING

Angry Dumpling started in 2020 selling frozen authentic Chinese dumplings, but now they’ve opened a restaurant in Nazareth, serving up fresh dumplings that locals can’t get enough of. Try the Philly cheesesteak dumpling! angrydumpling

NOW AVAILABLE

Allentown’s own A-Treat has joined the seltzer game, now offering six flavors of seltzer with zero calories and no artificial sweeteners. Available in select stores and online! a-treat.com

LOVE YOUR LOCKS

Naturale Beauty on Main is now open in Easton, specializing in natural hair care. This Black-owned salon does it all, from locs and braids to weaves and alopecia care. naturalebeautyonmain

Now Open

Even though Pennsylvania doesn’t border an ocean, it sure tastes like it does. Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls opened in January at Promenade Saucon Valley, where you can find not only lobster rolls but shrimp salad, New England clam chowder, lobster mac and cheese and more! masonslobster.com/locations/saucon-valley

CONGRATS!

Marblehead Chowder House was recently named one of Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Restaurants for 2024! The Palmer Township mainstay was listed as the 10th best casual dining spot nationwide. marbleheadchowderhouse.com

VAULT BREWING COMPANY

NEW LOCATION

When Vault Brewing Company of Yardley decided they were ready to expand, they weren’t sure quite where to look. But when managing partner Scott Burney explored Easton, things started to line up. “Easton is already vibrant, but it seems the city is about to explode with a lot of new housing and events,” says Allyson Malandra, Vault’s director of marketing. “It had a lot of potential for us, and we are excited to be here.” Vault opened the doors of their Easton location in December with a warm welcome from the community, and while the beer will still be brewed exclusively in the Yardley location, customers can still indulge in menu items served only in Easton. Don’t miss the homemade focaccia with whipped ricotta cheese, pork belly poutine, tacos with homemade tortillas and the fish and chips with duck confit. Favorite beers available in Easton include Of Hops and Clouds (a hazy IPA), Dead Cat Bounce (a hazy double IPA) and Teller Pils (an American pilsner). Stay tuned for rotating seasonal brews!

225 Ferry St., Easton | 484.556.8600 vaultbrewingeaston.com

CAFÉ 23

JUST OPENED

LA MADAME BISCUIT BRICK AND MORTAR

Usually when you think of COVID’s effect on a business, it’s in a negative light. But not for Despina Giampilis, owner of La Madame Biscuit. What began as a simple request for fresh cookies from her three-year-old started a modest business in her home kitchen, selling to neighbors, friends and family, and eventually shipping around the country. But as the pandemic hit and the world shut down, Giampilis was surprised at what happened next. “Everyone was shipping ‘get well’ cookies, ‘miss you’ cookies, ‘can’t wait to see you again’ cookies,” she says. With Instagram advertising and word of mouth, La Madame Biscuit took off, and in late 2024 Giampilis finally opened a brick-and-mortar shop. These days, she offers nearly 20 varieties of cookies on a regular rotation, with her top sellers— Simply Chocolate Chip, Folie Funfetti, Salted Chocolate Toffee and PB Protein—always available. “Each flavor is created from a unique recipe,” Giampilis says. “We thrive on creating the most gourmet cookies.” La Madame Biscuit’s sweet treats—best enjoyed with a fresh coffee made in-store with a specialty house blend—are available to order in person, online for pickup or to be shipped anywhere in the US or Canada.

716 E. 4 th St., Bethlehem | lamadamebiscuit.com

Last summer, Rebekah Doyle of Café 23 was running pop-ups at Jay’s Local, and last fall saw her taking her food on the road with her Brunch Box trailer. Now, Café 23 has a permanent home in Emmaus, where Doyle is continuing her mission of serving delicious, health-conscious fare. “I enjoy reinventing traditional comfort foods into healthy, vibrant and beautifully presented meals,” she says. Locals have given her a warm welcome, snapping up old favorites like the Samson—bacon, egg and cheese on sourdough—and newer menu items like the Ezra, a grilled pesto chicken sandwich. Doyle says she loves that Café 23 has found its Emmaus home, noting that it has filled a void that the area was missing. “My loyal customers visit often to try new offerings and stay connected, while the locals have truly embraced the new space and its transformation,” she says. This spring, on top of her brick-and-mortar business, she’s planning to continue mobile catering in a larger food truck, and she’ll be available at festivals and private events. The secret to her success? “Trust the process, be patient and stay committed, because incredible things can happen when you pursue your purpose and passion.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAFE 23

STEELCORE ANNEX

EXPANDED SPACE

In 2015, Marisa Cerveris established SteelCore Studio, initially devoted to cross-training elite athletes and dancers through Pilates exercises. But with the growing popularity of Pilates among a broader audience, Cerveris moved her operations in 2022 to a studio on West Broad Street in Bethlehem—and quickly discovered that she still wasn’t able to meet demand. “We found ourselves busting at the seams,” Cerveris says. Now she has expanded into the space next door to her studio—the SteelCore Annex. There, she and her instructors can offer private, duet and trio training sessions while allowing the original studio space to continue to focus on group Pilates and barre classes as well as their apparel boutique. Cerveris is passionate about whole-body wellness, and one of her focuses is on helping clients through post-injury and post-surgery recovery, in tandem with medically supervised physical therapy. “We are working to develop programs to support such individuals to help them regain strength, flexibility and balance as they work with their current bodies,” she says. “Pilates is literally for every body when instructed well.”

432 W. Broad St., Bethlehem | 484.626.0210 | steelcorestudio.com

SPIRITUAL SKIN MED SPA

HOLISTIC SKIN CARE

When Jeannette Hernandez started having trouble with her skin, she didn’t want to just treat it—she wanted to understand it. That led to her becoming an esthetician in 2022, treating clients in a solo space. But, wanting access to stronger treatments and faster results for her clients, Hernandez took the leap into launching Spiritual Skin as a doctor-supervised medical spa. Partnering with esthetician Zulma Sorto-Flores, Hernandez says, “Clients appreciate the personalized care, the calming environment and the holistic approach we take toward both skin and overall wellness.” Spiritual Skin offers customized care based on each individual client’s specific needs such as acne, aging and pigmentation, and services include facials, chemical peels, microneedling and dermaplaning. The spa utilizes product lines like Circadia, which targets multiple skin concerns, and Face Reality, which focuses on treating acne. And what sets the spa apart is its approach to how their clients feel overall: “We prioritize not only the aesthetic aspects of beauty but also the mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of our clients,” Hernandez says.

6616 Ruppsville Rd., Allentown | 484.561.7938 | spiritualskinmedspa

CLOSET

BE PART OF THE STORY!

Is your home ready to be featured? Email photos to editor@lehighvalleystyle.com for consideration!

DID YOU KNOW?

You can view the entire issue for free online at lehighvalleystyle.com!

Win It

Enter to win a gift set from Spectracolor Coffee Roasters, including a gift card, two bags of beans, an iced coffee cup and an Origami latte cup, a $100 value! Head to lehighvalleystyle.com/ share-with-us to enter!

LVS Weddings

SUBMIT NOW!

Tying the knot in 2025? Submit your photos for a chance to be featured in our 2026 Weddings edition! Visit lehighvalleystyle.com/share-with-us

WANT TO KNOW WHERE OUR NEXT STYLE INSIDER HAPPY HOUR WILL BE?

Want info about upcoming Lehigh Valley Style events? Follow Lehigh Valley Style on Facebook and click on our Events tab!

CONNECT WITH STYLE :

GET THE GOODS

Knobs ’n Knockers

Making your house a home can often come down to the smallest details, and that’s where David and Kimberly O’Neill can help. The proprietors of Knobs ’n Knockers in Bethlehem share with us more about what their store offers and how they can guide you in making your home your own.

QTell us about how Knobs ’n Knockers came to Downtown Bethlehem!

Over the years we have had many customers from the Greater Lehigh Valley come and shop with us in our original Bucks County showroom, located in Peddler's Village. Several had suggested we should open a location in the Lehigh Valley. One was very persistent, visiting us every year for twelve years with an invitation to come to Bethlehem. With its beautiful architecture and engaging streetscape, Main Street in Bethlehem became a natural choice for us to present our collection of decorative hardware. In the summer of 2019 we opened up our Lehigh Valley showroom at 512 Main Street in Bethlehem.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON

What kinds of items can shoppers expect to find in store?

We offer cabinet hardware, doorknobs, entry sets, forged iron hardware for doors and gates, towel bars, a great assortment of hooks, weathervanes, mailboxes, address plaques and, of course, door knockers.

Is there anything customers might be surprised to come across?

In addition to our fine decorative hardware, we also feature an ever-changing assortment of curated gifts and home accessories. Kimberly is always looking for interesting products that you do not see elsewhere. As she says, “ If it's beautiful and functional, it belongs here.”

What are some of your best sellers?

In all of our product lines, we try to offer a “ Made in America” option. Whether it's cabinet hardware from Chautauqua, New York, to jar openers made nearby in Tamaqua, I am pleased to say that many of these products are, in fact, our best sellers.

What do you love about your Bethlehem location?

The people. The people in the Lehigh Valley, and those that visit us here, are warm and diverse. Individually and collectively, they represent the best of humanity.

What do you most want shoppers to know about your store?

We are available to assist you, from locating a missing pull from that special bureau handed down through your family to working with you in the selection of hardware for your bath or kitchen renovation, or an entire home

build. Additionally, we also own Bucks County Lock & Key, so we are prepared to help with any installation or rekeying needed to support your project.

What are you looking forward to in the future of your business?

Reinvigorating your experience. We are constantly on the lookout for new and interesting products to present to our customers. Each time you visit our showroom, we want you to experience it anew with eyes of wonder.

Anything else you’d like to note?

When shopping for cabinet hardware for a new kitchen or bath, may we suggest that you bring in a door or drawer with you? It is the job of the cabinet hardware to make your cabinets look their best. Having a drawer or door with you allows us to show you immediately how your selection will look on your cabinets. As we say here, “ It is the cabinets that select the hardware.” Come by and visit with us; we are all about hospitality and hardware.

512 Main St., Bethlehem 610.419.2548 | knobsnknockers.com

PICKLEBALL IS FOR ALL AGES

BY DAISY WILLIS | ILLUSTRATION BY GOOD STUDIO / ADOBE STOCK

Dr. John M. Hauth

SENIOR NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR FOR SPORTS MEDICINE RELATIONSHIPS mypickleballlv.com

The fastest-growing sport in America is accessible to all ages, easy to learn and addicting. St. Luke’s Dr. John M. Hauth, Senior Network Administrator for Sports Medicine Relationships, explains pickleball’s popularity and health benefits, especially for older folks looking to get or stay active.

A RECIPE FOR RECREATION

The game of pickleball was invented in the 1960s, but the number of players has ballooned in the past few years. “During and after the pandemic,” Hauth says, “people were looking for something.” While there were a couple million players before COVID, pickleball has now gathered more than 30 million nationwide and continues to grow. Taking up a quarter of the space that tennis does, a pickleball court can be set up in any driveway. Not only does the court size mean players don’t have to cover as much ground, but pickleball’s light Wiffle-style ball moves at a third of a tennis ball’s speed. Although skilled players can refine their game to the highest levels of competition, it’s quick to learn and start enjoying casually, socially or competitively.

“Even people new to racket or striking sports pick it up quickly and master the basics,” Hauth says. “It’s an easy game to learn and a hard game to master.”

The silver bullet for fitness is to find movement that you’ll do consistently, and a fun game with friends fits the bill. Combine exercise and laughter, and the mood boost has people hooked.

WHOLE-PERSON HEALTHY

Not only did the pandemic spur folks to go hobby hunting, many came out of lockdown with a renewed appreciation for the gift of gathering. “There’s a tremendous social component,” Hauth says. “It’s what draws many people to the game. People expect you to be there; they miss you when you’re not there on your regular Tuesday.” Players start to develop groups and go on to meet up outside pickleball and just plain become friends. Connections like this are great for our mental health and so important to maintain as we grow older and leave the built-in social networks we might have had at work.

Pickleball also provides great cardiovascular benefits, and the required strategic thinking, balance and hand-eye coordination all stimulate the brain’s neuroplasticity. If they feel inspired to improve their game, players can take part in Court Fit programs at St. Luke’s SportsPlex and add a strength-training component in classes designed to support the endurance, flexibility and mobility needed to play at their best. Pickleball has a way of getting people interested in moving, something their joints will thank them for in years to come!

THE REMEDY FOR RISK

With the explosion in pickleball popularity, there’s a correlating increase in pickleball injuries, but Hauth stresses that any activity comes with risk and pickleball really poses very little. “You’ll hear, ‘Everybody gets hurt playing pickleball,’” he says. “No, they don’t.” The benefit to so many people getting active and enjoying the sport far outweighs the danger of

injury, especially when we remember the importance of warming up and spend some time on outside conditioning to stay strong and spry.

Court shoes and comfortable clothes are all that’s needed to get started, along with a beginner set of paddles and balls that’s only about $40. “Instruction is really important,” Hauth says. “There are risks of falling, things to do and not to do that will prevent the majority of injuries.” At clubs like Pickleball Lehigh Valley at St. Luke’s SportsPlex, expert coaches provide a smooth and safe introduction to the sport with regular clinics and private lessons to teach new players how to move on the court. Supporting whole-body fitness with classes like strength training and a new yoga program now on the menu at SportsPlex is another way to further avoid getting hurt.

YOUR PICKLEBALL PALACE

Whether it’s for open play, private lessons or court rental, Pickleball Lehigh Valley is a tremendous pickleball resource. There are social spaces in the facility for friends to congregate, and a merch store includes all the equipment you could need to get started as well as the more high-performance paddles you might find yourself craving as your game improves. With 51 courts both indoors and out, they’re doing their best to accommodate the clamoring throngs of pickleballers. SportsPlex will also play host to the United Pickleball Association’s State Championship this year, so it’s a place to spectate on the best in the game.

Programming includes outreach to underserved communities to give young people the opportunity to get involved in sports, sharing access to healthy habits that will serve them through life. “Every day I see teenagers to octogenarians in the facility,” Hauth says. “They’ve found a connection; pickleball was the medium that created this opportunity for them so they’re staying healthy in many different ways. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

CORNWALL MANOR

Welcome to the New Nature of Senior Living

Countless opportunities for staying active, engaged and fulfilled are always available in the Cornwall Manor community!

If a natural, wooded setting with walking trails, maintenance-free living, excellent services and amenities, a variety of residential living options, educational and cultural opportunities and first-class medical facilities are on a “must have” list for a senior living community, it’s time to plan a visit to Cornwall Manor.

Cornwall Manor is a not-for-profit continuing care community located in historic Cornwall, Lebanon County, a short drive from the Lehigh Valley. Cornwall Manor has been providing a fulfilling lifestyle for individuals age 60-plus since 1949. The 190-acre campus houses beautiful historic buildings and a variety of homes and apartments offering a unique and comfortable lifestyle while providing an array of services, excellent amenities, exciting programs as well as continuing care for every resident.

Everyone owes themself a visit to Cornwall Manor to see what sets it apart! Contact Cornwall Manor today at 717.274.8092 or marketing@cornwallmanor.org

1 Boyd St., Cornwall 717.274.8092 | 800.222.2476 cornwallmanor.org

SOUTH MOUNTAIN MEMORY CARE

“Where Our Family Cares For Your Family”

South Mountain Memory Care, located in Emmaus, specializes in caring for those experiencing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. SMMC’s Small House model has been found to be the most successful environment in providing a sense of home and connectedness for aging seniors. The intimate design and layout of South Mountain minimizes overstimulation while promoting safety and security. Spacious private bedrooms featuring en suite bathrooms, nutritious meals and engaging activities programming provide the perfect atmosphere for loved ones to thrive.

SMMC strives to allow every resident to remain as independent as possible while emphasizing safety. Their focus is to enrich their residents’ lives by bringing new initiatives to their day-to-day routine while maintaining tasks they find comfort in.

South Mountain Memory Care delivers the peace of mind families deserve.

MORAVIAN VILLAGE

2025: The Year of YOU

Family. Home. Career. Community. These are four primary “categories of caring” which are leading priorities for adults. But glaringly absent is one essential which makes all the others possible: self-care.

Driven daily to care for spouses, children, households and jobs, most individuals often drain the tank, leaving little to energize their own inner journeys—both emotionally and spiritually.

It’s not wrong. But it is a common reality for many baby boomers. Moravian Village understands that most in that generation have spent four or more decades living for others. The 2025: Year of YOU initiative celebrates the unique journey and personalized growth of each resident.

Providing the pathways, programs and partnerships which enable each individual’s own unique emotional and spiritual wellness experience is an abiding priority at Moravian Village of Bethlehem.

Exceptional futures are now forming in 2025: The Year of YOU at Moravian Village of Bethlehem. More information is available at moravianvillage.com

Moravian Village of Bethlehem is celebrating The Year of YOU! Their premier Continuing Care Retirement Community empowers residents to embrace wellness and individual passions through engaging programs and supportive lifestyle options that honor each unique journey.

526 Wood St., Bethlehem | 610.625.4885 | moravianvillage.com

PATHSTONES BY PHOEBE

Keep Leading Life By Planning Ahead

Pathstones by Phoebe is a membership-based program that helps active older adults age in place. They do this by financially protecting seniors’ hard-earned assets and partnering in navigating the complex health care system.

Active older adults join Pathstones when they are in good health and do not need any long-term care services. As life changes, Pathstones’ personcentered wellness assessments and responsive care coordination provide support and comfort.

Financial services include paying for care in-home or in a retirement community, like long-term care insurance with fewer restrictions on coverage and no payment wait periods. Care services include in-home care coordination, annual health and wellness assessments, quarterly check-ins and a personal emergency alert system. Members also have exclusive access to social and educational events, lifestyle concierge services and personalized guidance from senior care experts. Pathstones offers peace of mind to seniors, their families and their caregivers.

Providing trusted legal counsel to the Greater Lehigh Valley since 1976

As the days get longer and the flowers begin to bloom, spring is the perfect time for a fresh start. It’s not just about cleaning out closets or organizing your home—it’s also a great opportunity to revisit and plan for the future with your estate planning.

Life is dynamic. Changes in family structure, financial circumstances, and tax laws may significantly impact the effectiveness of your estate plan.

Here are just a few reasons it’s important to ensure your estate planning documents are up to date:

1. Ensuring Financial Wellness For Your Family’s Future: An updated estate plan ensures your assets are distributed according to your desires, providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

2. Navigating Life’s Transitions: Whether it’s welcoming a new child, getting married, divorced, or acquiring new assets, an updated plan ensures your estate plan reflects your current circumstances.

3. Minimizing Tax Burdens: Recent legislative changes may impact your tax liabilities. An experienced estate planning attorney can help you navigate these complexities and minimize your tax burden.

4. Protecting Your Legacy: A well-crafted estate plan can help you protect your legacy and provide valuable peace of mind to your loved ones. These plans ensure that your wishes are honored when you’re no longer able to voice them.

At Gross McGinley, we understand the importance of comprehensive estate planning. Our experienced attorneys can guide you through the process of reviewing and updating your estate plan to ensure it aligns with your current goals and objectives. Contact one of our experienced estate planning attorneys today to schedule a meeting to review your estate plan.

From the desk of,

R. Nicholas Nanovic

Chair – Wills, Trusts & Estates Practice Group Gross McGinley LLP

Phone: (610) 820-5450

Email: NNanovic@GrossMcGinley.com

Chloe Costigan

OF MOBILITY-DOC

BY HEATHER MAYER IRVINE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON

Chloe Costigan, DPT, co-owner of Bethlehem-based MobilityDoc, always wanted to have a career in which she helped people. When she was in high school, Costigan saw a physical therapist to help treat a running injury. It was at that moment she knew she would become a physical therapist—she would help others continue to stay active, and help them prevent and recover from injury as they got older.

QHow did you find yourself working as a physical therapist with Mobility-Doc?

When I was in school, I was more interested in neuro rehabilitation— working with patients who suffered brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and strokes. I never went into the physical therapy field to work with runners just because I was a runner. By luck, I started going to different outpatient sites that focused on treating orthopedic injuries. I found that there was so much potential in terms of helping people continue to stay active so they don’t have to stop doing the things they love. That was the really big thing, that people would hear “You’re in your 50s, you shouldn’t be doing X.” No, actually you can still do all of those things.

[My husband] John [Giacalone Jr.] had started a physical therapy practice in the Lehigh Valley and then essentially recruited me. He was already treating high-level gymnasts and other athletes and was really interested in this population that was underserved. We wanted to help people be the best they can be, not just “good enough.”

What is your philosophy when it comes to physical therapy? How might this be different from a more traditional physical therapy setting?

We’re most interested in understanding the problem that an individual has. We take all of the great foundations of physical therapy—your mechanics, anatomy, how all of these should work— and then we look at a person and say, “Here’s what’s ideal and here’s what’s going on with you, specifically. How do we bridge that gap?”

Our patients aren’t just diagnosis codes. Someone doesn’t just have gluteal tendinitis. This person is a mom of three, a runner, she developed this pain and has a history of this. Then the treatment becomes all about you. That means taking those factors into consideration when developing a treatment plan. We try to get you as close to an ideal mover while still being realistic about other demands on your life, knowing that things will change.

The other part of our philosophy is not being satisfied with the status quo. As active people ourselves, we like to operate at a higher level, and we think

other people deserve that, too. It’s not about age, or gender, or whatever it is that makes you more or less capable of doing something. It’s about asking how we can make sure we’re optimizing your function.

Let’s talk about mobility, strength, stability and flexibility as people age. What happens to these things as we get older?

Age isn’t a marker. It’s really about whether you’ve challenged that flexibility or strength. If it’s been years and you haven’t done anything, it doesn’t matter whether you’re 35 or 75. There are age-related changes that happen from your 30s on. For example, your muscles don’t recover as effectively. And with age, it’s more likely you have cumulative traumas or issues—one thing isn’t quite right and it never fully heals, and your muscle or joint function isn’t fully restored. That’s why it’s so important to fully restore your function after an injury; if you don’t, you’re compromising your foundation. Then you’re more likely to develop compensations. Then those compensations develop into other injuries and pains.

Go prepared

You can improve mobility, strength, stability and flexibility until the day you die. It’s harder as you get older because the body becomes less efficient at repairing itself—which is when you see those improvements—and you have less testosterone, but the ability to grow muscle fibers doesn’t stop.

The thing I see most frequently with aging is that people become less mobile and then they lose strength. That’s because immobility [for example, years of sitting at a desk] creates friction in the body, and it’s hard to produce enough force in your muscles to overcome that friction. When people lose mobility they think they’re not as strong because there is so much resistance in their body. For example, if you try to run your fastest mile wearing a snowsuit, of course you can’t run as fast.

Why are strength, mobility, stability and flexibility important as we age?

You need to be able to interact in your environment. People who have mobility issues, maybe decreased range of motion, not only will have a hard time going up and down the stairs, but it becomes a safety issue. Another thing that people might not think about is if you move around less, in the winter, you’re more likely to contract pneumonia. Or, your GI tract won’t work the way it’s supposed to because you need movement for GI motility [movement of food through the GI tract].

And then there’s the social aspect. If you’re sequestered to your chair, there’s a higher incidence of depression. You need a sense of purpose—to see your friends, volunteer, whatever it might be. You need to be able to move to do that.

How often do people need to engage in these activities to see the benefits?

It depends on what their goals are. But it’s certainly true that once a week is insufficient. Typically, we recommend these exercises about three times a week. That’s what’s going to make the biggest difference. For example, a runner never does just one run per week. She’ll do a long run, a shorter run and some speedwork.

I do the bare minimum and then ramp it up when I’m kind of hurt. That’s human nature. When the door is knocking we pay attention to it. I have patients who say, “Well, I didn’t really keep up with my exercises.” I get it. Me too. This has made me a better physical therapist because I experience it myself. I’m not going to do all of these exercises unless my foot starts hurting. This is why a bare-minimum program is important—you have somewhere to start.

What do you say to prospective older clients?

You can always improve your strength, mobility, stability and flexibility. We may not know the ceiling, but you can improve where you are. I want to let people know that aging isn’t getting cemented; our bodies can adapt as long as we’re applying the appropriate stimulation for adaptation.

A lot of times, people think aging is permanent, but the body doesn’t work that way. It’s much more fluid than we think. Maybe that comes from my own desire, never wanting to accept that something has to be permanent. But maybe you just have to tweak this one little thing; we can do all of the same things [as when we were younger], they just might look a little different.

I also caution people not to accept that age is a reason for why something is. I’ve treated older patients and 23-year-old patients for the same issue. Approach the problem as you would if you were 25 years old, meaning you believe you can get better, and let the physical therapist or medical professional tell you it’s related to age. For example, you may have some degeneration in your hip so your body isn’t moving well. Let’s teach it to move well. Age might make a problem more complicated, but it’s not the problem.

Visit the Mobility-Doc YouTube channel for exercises and clinical education, including “What is arthritis?” and “Understanding low back pain.”

1114 W. Broad St., Bethlehem | 610.726.1569 mobility-doc.com | youtube.com/@MobilityDoc

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for individuals facing financial hardship.

As your local Certified Senior Advisors in the Lehigh Valley and Upper Bucks, we specialize in guiding families to find the right care option and solution for a senior loved one. Our services encompass advocacy, consultation, and education to ensure a smooth transition into Independent Living and Assisted Living, In-Home Care and Memory Care.

CarePatrol provides this service at NO COST to families we assist.

ArtsQuest has its eye on the future with a brand-new, state-of-the-art Cultural Center slated to be built in 2025 in addition to the renovation of the historic Turn & Grind Shop, located next to the Bethlehem Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus. The Cultural Center will serve as a visible and creative gateway to Bethlehem’s SouthSide; provide much needed space, new programs and advanced technology that will double the number of students and families ArtsQuest currently serves; implement new partnerships as a Communications Career Pathway Program with the BASD; and further foster economic development and tourism across the Lehigh Valley, which will improve property values and further civic pride. The Turn & Grind Shop will allow ArtsQuest to significantly expand its private event space to further accommodate corporate events, weddings, proms and additional functions. Its beautiful and historical location and structure will significantly further travel and tourism

Our trusted experts are here to help find the Right Care Option

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

Dr. Shoenberger’s Home Visits

Douglas Shoenberger, MD,

Haven House is committed to empowering individuals to overcome barriers in their lives and provide them with support and an opportunity to reach their full potential. To support Haven House, or to learn more about their different programs, visit haven-house.com.

the public around mental health to foster a stigma-

resume poverty simulations, grow group therapy options and host a gala-type event, in order to reach new and different audiences regarding community mental health. Please follow them on Facebook or subscribe to their newsletter to avoid missing any of

Members of the Haven House leadership team

ArtsQuest is a nonprofit with a mission of providing access to the arts for all. Its programs reach more than 1.9 million people annually. Fundraising events, sponsors and community partners allow ArtsQuest to provide over half of its programming free to the public with scholarships available

At Fellowship Community, every resident is unique, and so is the way they choose to spend their time. Discover a vibrant, independent living experience tailored just for you on our beautiful campus.

Mission-focused, ArtsQuest has its eye on the future with a brand-new, state-of-the-art Cultural Center slated to be built in 2025 in addition to the renovation of the historic Turn & Grind Shop, located next to the Bethlehem Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus. The Cultural Center will serve as a visible and creative gateway to Bethlehem’s SouthSide; provide much needed space, new programs economic development and tourism across the Lehigh Valley, which will improve property values and further civic pride. The Turn & Grind Shop will allow ArtsQuest to significantly expand its private event space to further accommodate corporate events, weddings, proms and additional functions. Its beautiful and historical location and structure will significantly further travel and tourism to the Lehigh Valley.

Join a community of loving friends and enjoy endless opportunities to embrace the carefree lifestyle you’ve earned and deserve. Make the most of every day—your best life starts here!

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

Members of the Haven House leadership team

The need for community-based mental health services from organizations like Haven House has grown post-pandemic. Looking in from the outside, one wouldn’t know that over 70 staff members are working to keep seven distinct programs and countless partnerships running to support around 3,000 individuals in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Haven House continually searches for new opportunities to expand and improve access to services to fulfill their mission. In addition, Haven House takes every opportunity to further educate the public around mental health to foster a stigmafree environment. This year, Haven House plans to resume poverty simulations, grow group therapy options and host a gala-type event, in order to reach new and different audiences regarding community mental health. Please follow them on Facebook or subscribe to their newsletter to avoid missing any of

610.433.6181 haven-house.com

Garett Vassel FOUNDER, OPTIMA DURANT GROUP

BY AMY UNGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

Garett Vassel knew he was looking at something special when he first laid eyes on the three-story, nineteenth-century brick building at the corner of Northampton Street and Larry Holmes Drive in Easton. “I knew this was what I wanted to do,” he says. “I wanted to be part of this building. I hadn’t even stepped foot inside.”

At the time, Vassel was a 32-year-old real estate developer from New York City with a new company—Optima Durant Group— and a hunger to dig into his first major project. A friend from Columbia Business School who was also working in real estate development had been exploring properties in the Bethlehem area and put the Lehigh Valley on Vassel’s radar.

It was very personal in the sense that I said I was going to do something, and I was determined to do it no matter what it took to do it.

Vassel bought the building in 2018. Six years later, in January of 2024, he was surrounded by Easton leaders, lawmakers and dignitaries for the official grand opening of The Commodore, a seven-story, mixed-use building with more than three dozen luxury apartments sandwiched between an upscale rooftop restaurant and specialty retail stores on the ground level. “It was very personal in the sense that I said I was going to do something, and I was determined to do it no matter what it took to do it,” says Vassel, recalling the moment.

That’s the abridged version of the story about the young man with a fresh vision for an old building. But, take the long way from point A to point B and you’ll discover a lot more twists and turns in the rise of The Commodore, one of the redevelopment projects that has helped to transform Easton’s waterfront area into a place worth the trip across the Free Bridge.

Vassel may have been in the minority when he saw great potential in what was then known as the Kaplan building, the longtime home of the Kaplan Awning business on the ground level, with living space on the upper floors. The original building went up in 1880, with an addition tacked on in 1946. “It was wildly dilapidated,” Vassel says. The residential quarters had been largely vacant for decades.

And yet, the building’s architectural flourishes spoke to him. Vassel grew up on Long Island’s North Shore, an area known as the Gold Coast for its many lavish estates tied to the wealthiest families of the early twentieth century: think Astor, Vanderbilt and Morgan. Early on, Vassel was gifted an architectural design book that featured pictures of those homes in their glory days; he’d pick out a property he wanted to see, then ask his mother to drive him there after school. “I would sit there in the back seat, and I would try to draw it,” says Vassel. “If I couldn’t do that then I would get tracing paper and I would trace over the picture. I was just fascinated that something could be so ornate and beautiful.”

Vassel studied business and communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia Business School; in pursuit of that degree he took classes at London Business School and Beijing’s Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. He worked

in various facets of investment banking, private equity and real estate development before founding Optima Durant Group in 2017. (The name, by the way, means “the best endures” in Latin, and is the motto of the Green Vale School in Old Brookville, New York, which Vassel attended as a child.)

When he began looking around for a property to acquire in the Lehigh Valley, he was immediately drawn to Easton: “It was really captivating, I guess you would say. There’s an energy. It felt like something great was happening.” He became more resolute in his decision when he began to meet—and was welcomed by—community members and local leaders.

The first hurdle Vassel encountered in his planned redevelopment of the Kaplan building was simply trying to buy the place. When he showed up to tour the property for the first time, he was told it was already under contract. Vassel insisted on taking the tour anyway, and said he was undeterred by the workload that awaited the future developer, whoever he or she might be: “I was wildly encouraged by the opportunity. I was very moved by it.”

He then wrote what he described as a “very nice note” to the Kaplan family, who were in the process of relocating their awning business to another part of the city. That note apparently left an impression. When the first deal fell through, they reached out to Vassel. “And the rest, as they say, is history,” he says.

Little did he know what history would have in store.

Vassel planned to preserve and restore the original 1880 building; the addition built in 1946 couldn’t be saved. But, before any wrecking balls could be raised, the crippling COVID-19 pandemic that sparked supply chain disruptions around the world reared its head. The Commodore, like many development projects, was not immune to those difficulties. “It just felt like a perfect storm,” Vassel says. “It was one challenge after the next.”

Demolition finally began in May of 2021, and construction on the new, seven-story addition, adjacent to the 1880 building, got underway that following July. But then a key steel contractor went bankrupt. Construction fell behind schedule. The project’s price tag—along with inflation— kept inching up. Vassel’s plate seemed to grow a little more crowded with each passing day. “I was not part of a big team, I didn’t have a massive company or set of resources,” he says. “It was really just me.”

And so that company—and perhaps personal—motto (“the best endures”) truly came into play. “I’m as positive and optimistic of a person as it comes,” Vassel says. “I had no choice but to be positive and keep chipping away and finding solutions every day. It was a great, great challenge.”

Those many trials no doubt made the official ribbon-cutting on January 31, 2024, that much sweeter. Hundreds turned out for the event, during which Vassel was

commended for his tenacity by Easton Mayor Sal Panto. Former Easton Mayor Phil Mitman presented him with an Entrepreneurial Spirit Award from the Easton Area Land Developers.

The Commodore’s first residential tenants had moved in a few months prior to the ceremony, during the fall of 2023. Thyme Rooftop Grille, offering modern cuisine and handcrafted cocktails alongside stunning views of the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers, opened its doors in December of that year. The restaurant is run by the Trapani family, who also own South Whitehall Township’s Grille 3501 and Bethlehem’s ZEST Bar & Grille.

The retail spaces on the ground floor have been scooped up by Agamon Bakery and Cafe, Clever Girl Winery, Boxology Fitness & Recovery and IRIYA Wellness & Aesthetics. While the businesses are accessible to the public, Vassel says he also considers them to be part of a larger ecosystem for the people who call The Commodore home: “We didn’t just rush to put the first lease in that we could. We have really been thoughtful to use a lot of the spaces as commercial tenants that really serve as professionally run amenities for the building.”

Vassel lives in Manhattan with his wife, Ashley Vassel, and two children, Sloan and Grey. At the time of this interview in November of 2024, he was on the hunt for his next big project. Investing in another Lehigh Valley property is a definite possibility. “I’m excited for what can be,” he says.

Vintage Décor

BY DAISY WILLIS | PHOTO BY ZINOVSKAYA / ADOBE STOCK

The character and comfort of a few vintage pieces could be just what your space needs to tie it all together. Whether you’re looking to purchase or just love to peruse, these antique spots curate the best of our ancestors’ objects for another chance to be cherished.

1. WEIL ANTIQUE CENTER

2200 31 st St. SW, Allentown weilantiquecenter.com

Walking among the treasures of 150+ dealers showing their wares at Weil Antique Center, your imagination is liable to redecorate your home a hundred times over as the sight of lamps, clocks and decades of décor dazzles from all sides. There’s a lot of light and wide aisles to facilitate foraging.

2. RENNINGER’S MARKET

740 Noble St., Kutztown renningers.net

The trek to the Kutztown area is well worth it to explore Renninger’s eclectic assortment. This place shines on the weekends when the farmers’ market, antiques vendors and outdoor flea market are all in full swing. From treats to treasures, you’ll be in heaven. Their triannual Antique Extravaganza next hits on April 25-26.

3. SLATINGTON MARKETPLACE

8281 Route 873, Slatington theslatingtonmarketplace.com

Assign yourself several hours to explore the ins and outs of this epic emporium. The Slatington Marketplace encompasses more than 250,000 square feet of floor space with every nook and cranny displaying every type of antique you can imagine. The attached farmers’ market and food court means you can recharge and get back into the fray midway through your picking.

4. ZIONSVILLE ANTIQUE MALL

7567 Chestnut St., Zionsville zionsvilleantiques.com

Booth after booth is crammed with rustic primitives, antique toys, oddities, bits and bobs from the last century and beyond. Zero in on trinkets or take a wide view for statement wall art; the array is quite sweeping. The comfort food restaurant next door, Chino’s Place, is known for an impressive plate of jägerschnitzel.

5. COTTAGE ANTIQUES & CRAFTS

4636 Broadway, Allentown cottageantiquesandcrafts.com

Tucked away in the corner of the Tilghman Square Shopping Center is a collection of vintage vendors offering furniture, old tools and collectibles alongside a selection of crafter’s creations. A monthly silent auction gives visitors the opportunity to walk away with some very good deals.

MILLCREEK LANDSCAPE DESIGN, LLC

Millcreek Landscape Design, LLC, a custom landscape design and installation firm, has been creating beautiful outdoor living spaces in and around the Lehigh Valley since 2006. What sets them apart from the myriad of other landscape companies is their ability to not only design but also install every facet of hardscaping and construction on a project. They have a unique approach of crafting designs that complement each home’s features and architecture while paying special attention to detail, no matter how big or small the project. The increasingly popular outdoor pavilion with fireplace has become one of their most requested features to include in a design. Custom swimming pools as well as accent boulders and boulder retaining walls are among a few of their specialties. The possibilities are limitless, and with Millcreek, customers know they will have a timeless space they can enjoy for years to come.

Each project begins with a personal consultation with one of Millcreek’s designers, the owner, Russ Schulley, being one of them. The initial meeting at a customer’s home is a joint effort: discussing ideas, addressing concerns and getting a basic understanding of the overall vision for the space. The designer remains a part of the process, seeing the project through to completion. In fact, the entire company takes pride in working closely with their customers to ensure that every aspect of the job exceeds expectations. They also offer full maintenance services once the project is complete to ensure the space continues to look and function at its best.

Emphasizing care and creativity every step of the way, from concept through construction, Millcreek Landscape Design has the skills, services and expertise that homeowners need to make the most of their property.

SWINE DESIGN

Ashley Hayes, founder of award-winning interior design firm Swine Design, has a passion for creating personalized interiors. She has made it Swine Design’s mission to help busy families and professionals navigate the design process with ease.

Swine Design prioritizes clear communication and collaboration throughout the design process, ensuring client satisfaction from concept to completion. “We believe your home should be more than just a beautifully designed space—it should be a true reflection of you,” says Hayes.

Whether embarking on a renovation or building a new home, Swine Design guides clients through every step, making the process stress-free and enjoyable. With a focus on bold, personalized designs that blend beauty and function, Swine Design creates spaces that truly feel like home.

The goal is simple: to create spaces that are beautiful, functional and uniquely personal.

PPL ELECTRIC UTILITIES NEW HOMES PROGRAM

Planning to purchase a new home? Consider a local, energy-efficient home builder.

When planning to purchase or build a new home, consider building one that’s more energy efficient. Unlike typical homes, energy-efficient homes use high-quality materials and techniques to ensure superior performance and lower monthly energy costs.

PPL Electric Utilities collaborates with local builders through its New Homes Program to build homes rated by the Home Energy Rated System (HERS) and achieve high energy efficiency performance using established, reliable building techniques. From more airtight construction to advanced heating and cooling systems, energyefficient homes offer reduced energy costs, increased comfort and peace of mind.

Build a high-performance home today!

LOVE YOUR ROOM Award-Winning Interior Design Firm

Love Your Room designs spaces that bring beauty and well-being into every home they work on.

Love Your Room (LYR) is recognized for creating one-of-a-kind modern home transformations. Whether it’s assisting with a home to be built, a full home renovation or a smaller remodel, homeowners benefit from hiring their friendly experienced team. Their designs are layered in warmth and personality. Their team can handle all the moving parts of the project down to the final details. LYR is the best choice for hard-working homeowners looking for a well-executed end result with quality craftsmanship.

Founded in 2006, LYR provides hands-on customized environments perfectly tailored to each client’s needs. Their design studio is connected with a wide network of skilled artisans and vendors. With an office in the Lehigh Valley, they work with clients throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

Contact Love Your Room today to book a consult and discuss the next project!

610.387.6002 loveyourroom.com

JARRETT DESIGN

Custom Kitchens, Baths & Cabinets

Jarrett Design creates bespoke kitchens and cabinetry for homeowners who appreciate long-standing craftsmanship, function-driven design, timeless finishes and uncompromising precision. Their expert team ensures a seamless, stress-free experience throughout a remodel or new construction project.

Jarrett Design is a full-service residential design and project management firm expertly guiding their clients through every stage of the remodeling or new construction process. Their vetted contractors and allied vendors are top-notch. Jarrett Design offers a curated collection of quality materials including the finest cabinetry, lighting, tile, hardware, countertops and other specialty items. Their boutique studio in Emmaus warmly welcomes all who enter. Their team enjoys collaborating with architects, builders and interior designers. Jarrett Design proudly services the Lehigh Valley, Main Line Philadelphia and Bucks County, along with New Jersey and anywhere their clients take them.

Request an estimate: 610.865.3988 billstofanak.com

Mission-focused, ArtsQuest has its eye on the future with a brand-new, state-of-the-art Cultural Center slated to be built in 2025 in addition to the renovation of the historic Turn & Grind Shop, located next to the Bethlehem Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus. The Cultural Center will serve as a visible and creative gateway to Bethlehem’s SouthSide; provide much needed space, new programs and advanced technology that will double the number of students and families ArtsQuest currently serves; implement new partnerships as a Communications Career Pathway Program with the BASD; and further foster economic development and tourism across the Lehigh Valley, which will improve property values and further civic pride. The Turn & Grind Shop will allow ArtsQuest to significantly expand its private event space to further accommodate corporate events, weddings, proms and additional functions. Its beautiful and historical location and structure will significantly further travel and tourism to the Lehigh Valley.

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

Just like your favorite pair of pants, your cozy couch or your morning coffee, we ensure that you are always comfortable, no matter the season. For all your HVAC needs, you have friends at Comfort Generation.

Members of the Haven House leadership team

Mission-focused, ArtsQuest has its eye on the future with a brand-new, state-of-the-art Cultural Center slated to be built in 2025 in addition to the renovation of the historic Turn & Grind Shop, located next to the Bethlehem Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus. The Cultural Center will serve as a visible and creative gateway to Bethlehem’s SouthSide; provide much needed space, new programs and advanced technology that will double the number of students and families ArtsQuest currently serves; implement new partnerships as a Communications Career Pathway Program with the BASD; and further foster economic development and tourism across the Lehigh Valley, which will improve property values and further civic pride. The Turn & Grind Shop will allow ArtsQuest to significantly expand its private event space to further accommodate corporate events, weddings, proms and additional functions. Its beautiful and historical location and structure will significantly further travel and tourism to the Lehigh Valley.

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

1411 Union Blvd. Allentown 610.433.6181 haven-house.com

Members of the Haven House leadership team

Liv ab le LUXURY

INTERIOR DESIGNER ANTHONY SIERRA MADE THIS

UPPER SAUCON HOUSE A HOME

BY ANGELA VENNEMANN

If you were building and decorating a house and you could fill it with anything you wanted, what kind of space would you design for yourself? For an Upper Saucon family, the answer is one where you’re not afraid to sit anywhere. One where you’re as comfortable hosting a fancy holiday party as you are hosting your child’s sports teammates. One that is full of quality craftsmanship and décor but still feels like home. Striking the right tone here seems difficult, but interior designer Anthony Sierra met the challenge handily. When describing the vibe the homeowners were hoping to achieve, Sierra can’t nail down just one feeling. “Comfort, inviting, elegant, chic, elevated even without anything in it,” he says. Somehow, he was able to hit the mark every time.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON

Working closely with the homeowners for the better part of two years, he curated a luxe space that still feels comfortable and intimate, perfect for a vibrant young family. The key to his process? “I try to design around something timeless. I never design around trends,” Sierra says. “I want this to be once and done.”

The 2020 home by Erwin Forrest Builders features myriad custom elements, including the arched front doorway by Historic Doors and the dramatic curved main staircase by DiBello’s Metal Design. Inside the front door and at the foot of the stairs, you’re greeted by a broad

the STUDY

vaulted foyer flanked by an upholstered bench and a sideboard festooned with a large vase of forsythia blooms. A glance to the right invites you into the study, replete with carpentry details like a coffered ceiling and builtin storage, all drenched in Sherwin-Williams’ In the Navy. Books and accent pieces fill every cubby of the shelving behind the desk, creating interest and offering a glimpse into the homeowners’ personalities. The oak floor by Olde Tyme Hardwood Floors is inlaid with a dark border filled with a herringbone pattern, and gold details finish the space, from the lighting to the massive art piece that adds

the STAIRCASE

the KITCHEN

accents and a quartz waterfall island with black cabinetry and seating for six—perfect for a quick bite or a chat over dinner prep. A large black range hood covers the Wolf range, and tucked behind the kitchen is a butler’s pantry featuring lighted glassware display cabinets and a leather swinging door connecting to the dining room.

dimension. “It looks like you can see through the art to the wall, adding more depth,” Sierra says. An impressive space, to be sure, but still completely functional as a home office.

The foyer opens up into a large, open living area that Sierra describes as “a powerful space” filled with height, details and texture. Earthy tones and warm lighting abound, instantly creating a sense of comfort. Sierra calls this his favorite room in the house and says, “The scale of the space is so grand, but so cozy at the same time.”

The walls are covered with a warm taupe grasscloth, and the space features furniture and accessories from CR Laine, Hickory White and JohnRichard. Sierra notes that the homeowners requested pieces that were “sleek but simple.”

A sitting area with upholstered club chairs and a sofa leads into the two-toned kitchen by Laslo Custom Kitchens, boasting white inset upper and lower cabinets with black

The dining room is half of the larger space just beyond the kitchen, with the other half a comfortable living room, and both of them sharing broad, nearly floor-to-ceiling arched windows and a 14-foot lighted tray ceiling. “The accent cove lighting adds another layer of depth,” Sierra says. The long dining table, with room for 10, could just as easily host a formal dinner party as it could a taco Tuesday with the kids. Next to the dining room, an overstuffed sectional sofa facing a TV nook makes for a cozy after-dinner retreat. Dramatic light fixtures from Cooper Electric accent the space, controlled by state-ofthe-art switches from Lutron.

At the rear of the home is a four-seasons room, set off from the rest of the living space by a black framed glass partition fabricated by Manhattan Steel Doors. Surrounded on three sides by glass NanaWalls that fully open in nice weather, this space brings the outdoors in with views of the wooded backyard, including a huge willow tree—a big selling point when the homeowners were first interested in the property. A sitting area in front of a fireplace and a round dining table that seats six allow the owners to enjoy nature year-round.

A hallway to the right of the four-seasons room leads past an exposed brick wall toward

the rear open-tread stairs, also fabricated by DiBello’s Metal Design and stretching from the basement all the way to the second floor. White and gold wallpaper from Thibaut covers the entire height of the stairwell walls, and all the way at the bottom is the entrance to the basement living area.

“The whole basement is a lounge vibe,” says Sierra.

A blue velvet armchair from Theodore Alexander surrounded by dozens of goldframed hexagonal mirrors offers a glam glimpse of the potential party just ahead.

A corridor leads to a secluded conversation nook with four club chairs, a large art piece and a built-in floorto-ceiling shelf filled with fun accessories and personal photographs. To the left, the area opens up into a spacious yet intimate lounge, the focus of which is a large, L-shaped zebrawood bar by Laslo Custom Kitchens. There’s plenty of room to sit—11 leather tufted wingback stools line the fully stocked bar, and a large TV is at the ready for whatever viewing goes with your drink of choice.

Across from the bar stretches a 15-foot tan leather sofa, flanked by two swivel chairs from Hancock and Moore, upholstered in navy leather and blue flamestitched fabric. In the wall just above the sofa is a long, illuminated niche housing a gold sculpture that, while at first glance looks like branches, upon closer inspection is revealed to be tiny people performing gymnastic stunts. The remainder of the wall is a statement itself—horizontal fluted plaster by A.G. Artisan, inspired by the walls of a bar in Atlanta once visited by the homeowners.

the REAR HALLWAY

the BASEMENT

Under the front stairs lives a last-minute addition during construction—a wine cellar that houses an impressive collection behind full-length glass doors, with the plaster accent walls continuing inside and an ornately framed doorbell outside that reads “appuyez pour du champagne ”—press for some champagne.

Though livable luxury is the name of the game throughout the entire home, there is still a place for fun and whimsy—

notably in the bathrooms. The powder room on the main floor features a vibrant wallpaper patterned with large pelicans, while the basement bathroom showcases some monkey business—wallpaper featuring primates getting into trouble with vodka, cigarettes and errant undergarments.

Sierra notes that he and the homeowners were “totally in sync” with each other throughout the design process.

“The great thing about working with [the homeowner] is she

knows exactly what she likes,” he says, which allowed him to make deliberate choices that matched the homeowners’ style. And outside of one bench, they agreed with all of his choices throughout the home.

Sierra embarked on this project while working at GailGray Home Furnishings and Design, and his work with the homeowners continues today under his own banner, Anthony Sierra Designs. He installs seasonal décor in and around the home throughout the year

and still offers the occasional design update. “We’re still tweaking things here and there,” Sierra says, noting that he just ordered some new wallpaper.

With every piece of furniture, every stitch of fabric, every accessory, it’s evident how much thought went into creating a living space that works for this family while setting a luxe standard. Sierra sums up his efforts on this project with one thought: “This is very much a home.”

Mission-focused, ArtsQuest has its eye on the future with a brand-new, state-of-the-art Cultural Center slated to be built in 2025 in addition to the renovation of the historic Turn & Grind Shop, located next to the Bethlehem Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus. The Cultural Center will serve as a visible and creative gateway to Bethlehem’s SouthSide; provide much needed space, new programs and advanced technology that will double the number of students and families ArtsQuest currently serves; implement new partnerships as a Communications Career Pathway Program with the BASD; and further foster economic development and tourism across the Lehigh Valley, which will improve property values and further civic pride. The Turn & Grind Shop will allow ArtsQuest to significantly expand its private event space to further accommodate corporate events, weddings, proms and additional functions. Its beautiful and historical location and structure will significantly further travel and tourism to the Lehigh Valley.

the public with scholarships available for individuals facing financial hardship.

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

outside, one wouldn’t know that over 70 staff members are working to keep seven distinct programs and countless partnerships running to support around 3,000 individuals in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Haven House continually searches for new opportunities to expand and improve access to services to fulfill their mission. In addition, Haven House takes every opportunity to further educate the public around mental health to foster a stigmafree environment. This year, Haven House plans to resume poverty simulations, grow group therapy options and host a gala-type event, in order to reach new and different audiences regarding community mental health. Please follow them on Facebook or subscribe to their newsletter to avoid missing any of their exciting updates.

Members of the Haven House leadership team

ArtsQuest

all.

programs

Mission-focused, ArtsQuest has its eye on the future with a brand-new, state-of-the-art Cultural Center slated to be built in 2025 in addition to the renovation of the historic Turn & Grind Shop, located next to the Bethlehem Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus. The Cultural Center will serve as a visible and creative gateway to Bethlehem’s SouthSide; provide much needed space, new programs and advanced technology that will double the number of students and families ArtsQuest currently serves; implement new partnerships as a Communications Career Pathway Program with the BASD; and further foster economic development and tourism across the Lehigh Valley, which will improve property values and further civic pride. The Turn & Grind Shop will allow ArtsQuest to significantly expand its private event space to further accommodate corporate events, weddings, proms and additional functions. Its beautiful and historical location and structure will significantly further travel and tourism to the Lehigh Valley.

1.9

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

Members of the Haven House leadership team

1411 Union Blvd. Allentown 610.433.6181 haven-house.com

is a nonprofit with a mission of providing access to the arts for

Its

reach more than

million people annually. Fundraising events, sponsors and community partners allow ArtsQuest to provide over half of its programming free to the public with scholarships available for individuals facing financial hardship.

WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION A

Bethlehem’s Moravian Settlement Becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site

By Amy Unger | Portrait by Marco Calderon

Additional photography provided by Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites

There’s a lot to like about Bethlehem. You don’t have to tell that to the people who live there. With all variety of “fests,” Christmas vibes right out of a Hallmark movie, a charming Main Street and a giant hulk of a steel mill repurposed into a thriving arts campus at their disposal, they already know their city is kind of a big deal. But now, following a master class in stamina and tenacity from some historyminded folks, and a denouement that played out thousands of miles away, the rest of the world knows it, too.

It was very early in the morning on July 26, 2024, but LoriAnn Wukitsch and Lindsey Jancay were wide awake. Wukitsch, the president and CEO of Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, and Jancay, vice president and managing director of the same organization, were monitoring a livestream of a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India. They were no doubt joined in their vigil by many other colleagues, city leaders and community members anxiously awaiting word on whether this would be the moment Bethlehem’s Moravian Church settlements would be officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

They got their answer around 2 a.m. It was a yes.

“I think I shouted so loud that my neighbor probably heard me,” says Wukitsch. Jancay adds:

“It was such a meaningful moment. I often say, when you work in the museum field, receiving a text or a phone call at two o’clock in the morning is usually not a good thing, but in this case it was an incredibly celebratory moment.”

With the go-ahead from the 21-nation body, Bethlehem became the 26th World Heritage Site in the United States, and the third in Pennsylvania. The classification covers a 10-acre site in historic Bethlehem comprising nine structures, four ruins and God’s Acre

LoriAnn Wukitsch

cemetery. The settlements in the Christmas City join Moravian sites in Gracehill, Northern Ireland; Herrnhut, Germany; and Christiansfeld, Denmark (which was previously inscribed in 2015) as a single World Heritage Site.

The formal inscription ceremony less than three months later brought together guests and dignitaries from around the world for worship, fellowship and tours of the very places now deemed international treasures.

The World Heritage Committee and List, part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), were established in 1972 to identify and protect the world’s most significant cultural and natural sites. As of 2024, there were 1,223 sites in 168 countries on the list.

Bethlehem’s inclusion elevated it to an elite status shared by landmarks like the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. “It means that by visiting these spaces, by learning about the people who lived and worked here, we can learn more about ourselves no matter where we come from, and that it can benefit our understanding of the world and how we see it,” Jancay says.

And getting on that list is no easy—or brief—feat. “What I like to say is, it was easier to birth a baby and have the baby graduate from college than it was to get this inscription,” Wukitsch says, laughing.

The campaign to get on the World Heritage List began in earnest in 2002, when Christiansfeld, Denmark, invited Bethlehem to join with representatives from other historic Moravian Church settlements to seek the designation. Both Wukitsch

and Jancay name past Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites President Charlene Donchez Mowers as a significant torchbearer for the project in the years that followed. “It’s really a challenge to keep people’s interest and have them believe that this is going to become a reality,” Wukitsch says. “I credit Charlene for never losing sight of that.”

In 2012, Historic Moravian Bethlehem was designated a National Historic Landmark District. Then, in 2017, the district was added to the U.S. World Heritage “Tentative” List as a potential extension to the 2015 inscription of the Moravian Church Settlement of Christiansfeld. That same year, then Mayor Robert Donchez formed a commission to further the initiative. The application process also required a lengthy dossier, a 300-page tome penned by Donchez Mowers, a World Heritage consultant and two Moravian University faculty members.

Wukitsch, who served as vice president and managing director of Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites starting in

2010, was named president and CEO in 2022 and helped get the project over the finish line.

“I never thought that it was not going to happen, it was just a matter of when,” she says. “And the not knowing when and that long process, that’s what was a little bit unnerving. Twenty-two years in this day and age seems like an eternity when you’re talking to your donors and the community.”

The case could be made for tracing the origins of the mission to achieve World Heritage status all the way back to 1741, when the Moravians first arrived in the place they would christen Bethlehem. The Moravians were known for their excellent craftsmanship and community-building skills. According to Historic Bethlehem, within two years of their arrival, the Moravians built a saw mill, grist mill, soap mill, oil mill, blacksmith shop, tannery and wash houses.

By 1747, they had established 35 crafts, trades and industries, including a butchery, a bakery and a linen bleachery, as well as clockmaking, weaving, carpentry and masonry. Their

1761

1762 waterworks became the first pumped municipal water system in America. The sturdy, stone buildings where they lived, learned and worshipped were built to last. And because of that care and consideration, many did.

Of course, time and the elements will take a toll on even the most expertly crafted structures. Many years after Bethlehem was no longer a Moravian-majority city, and many years before a World Heritage designation was on local historians’ wish lists, early preservationists would need to step in to save some structures from being bulldozed. “A lot of individuals saw the need to carry us through to today,” says Jancay.

Two examples stand out. In 1968, two Bethlehem women, Christine Sims and Frances Martin, saved the 1810 Goundie House on Main Street from demolition by refusing to yield to demolition crews.

Prior to that, Ralph Schwarz, a World War II vet and former Bethlehem Steel employee, led the preservation efforts of the Colonial Industrial Quarter, which had become an automobile salvage yard after the Luckenbach Mill closed in the late 1940s. He’s credited with helping propel Bethlehem toward a designation as Pennsylvania’s first Historic District in 1961.

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites will honor his contributions with the Ralph G. Schwarz Center for Colonial Industries inside the Grist Miller’s House, one of the earliest private Moravian family homes in Bethlehem. The building is at the tail end of a lengthy renovation project, with a new capital campaign underway. Previously, it had been propped up by steel beams for two decades. “I think it’s a wonderful tribute

to the community after this inscription that we’ll be able to open that up,” says Wukitsch.

According to Jancay, as soon as the World Heritage Site vote became official, they saw an uptick in visitors: “By midAugust we were open seven days a week with offerings. We wanted to make sure we were available to people who were coming to Bethlehem to learn more about the early Moravians.” And those visitors have been coming from farther away, including a couple from Scotland who stopped in Bethlehem before heading to Ohio’s Newark Earthworks, the 25th World Heritage listing in the United States. It’s a trend Wukitsch is confident will continue as they continue to market new experiences, including a one-hour tour that focuses specifically on the Bethlehem sites included in the designation. And the Lehigh Valley’s proximity to New York and Philadelphia can only help. “We’re right in the line of traffic,” she says.

Jancay first discovered Moravian Bethlehem when she was about eight years old. “I remember seeing these beautiful old stone buildings,” she recalls. “I was already a historically inclined kid, and I was just taken with it. I wanted to get inside, I wanted to learn more about the Moravians.”

Inspiring that same kind of reaction in future visitors is paramount, because, even though the work of achieving World Heritage status is done, the work of preservation has no expiration date. Whether these buildings that were put up with care hundreds of years ago will still be sparking admiration hundreds of years from now is in the hands of the generations to come. “We hope to find the future caretakers of these sites by educating them,” says Wukitsch

BEEF STRACCETTI WITH Chef Andrea Moretti

BY CHRISTINE A. KRAHLING | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

Andrea Moretti’s fondest food-related memory is crystal clear: “I’m in the kitchen at my grandmother’s house, and there was a special and very old book placed neatly on a shelf, where my nonna would write down her recipes. Sometimes they were learned from her mother-in-law, who had a small restaurant in Rome, and sometimes they were copied from a magazine or inspired by something she could have snatched quickly during her visit to the local grocery market. As a child, I remember I could open [the book] sitting on her legs and read the notes she had in there.

I could feel the love she put in that simple book.” Moretti’s voice is full of pride when he adds, “The most important thing is that today that book is mine.”

Moretti—who continued to read cookbooks as a hobby throughout his childhood—was born in Rome and has lived all over the world, including Hong Kong, Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro. His father worked for the Italian airline Alitalia, affording Andrea and his family the opportunity to travel extensively, at least during school breaks. “I can still remember the noodle

soup I had on an improvised— and quite unstable!—wooden canoe, during our visit to a floating market in North Thailand,” he says.

Moretti owned and operated a small, fresh pasta factory in Estonia before selling it and emigrating to Easton in 2016 to be closer to his family. He graduated from the culinary program at Northampton Community College and worked at a few area restaurants postgraduation before opening The Mellow Kitchen in Forks Township in early 2024. While most of The Mellow Kitchen’s recipes are part of his Italian heritage, Moretti offers dishes

with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences as well. He prides himself on creating nourishing meals that are made with care, encompass diverse flavors and can hardly be found elsewhere. Moretti’s philosophy is a simple one: “Always be humble in life as well as in the kitchen.”

The Mellow Kitchen offers home meal delivery, catering services and a private chef experience called “Eat, Pray, Love: A Classic Italian Dinner with Friends and Family,” which is prepared and served in clients’ homes.

themellowkitchen.net

BEEF STRACCETTI WITH

ARUGULA, GRANA PADANO AND LEMON VINAIGRETTE OVER ROASTED POTATOES

Recipe serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 lb. baby potatoes

4 oz. arugula

1 lb. ribeye steak, thinly sliced

1 tsp. chopped oregano

1 tsp. chopped dry thyme

2 oz. and an “extra splash” extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Juice of one lemon

2 oz. Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 420°F.

Prep: wash and dry the potatoes, cut them into 1-to3-inch chunks and place into a mixing bowl. Wash and dry the arugula. Slice the ribeye into thin strips.

Season the potatoes with oregano, thyme, salt and pepper, and a splash of EVOO; place on a baking sheet. Roast potatoes for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Do not touch or mix the potatoes during cooking time; just let them roast. When finished roasting, set aside.

Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a glass container or cruet. Add olive oil and

salt and pepper to taste, and shake to create a vinaigrette. Add an additional splash of olive oil to a frying pan to prep for cooking the meat. (To cook 8 oz. of meat, 1 1/2 tbsp. of oil should be enough.)

Slice cheese into strips using a cheese grater on the thick/ shredding side; the cheese strips should look just like the strips of meat.

Cook meat in frying pan until all residual liquid has evaporated; add salt and pepper to taste. (The minimum internal temperature for beef steaks is 145°F.) After cooking, the steak should rest for at least three minutes.

Add half of the arugula, half of the cheese and half of the vinaigrette to a bowl; mix with your hands or tongs. Season the rest of the arugula with the remaining vinaigrette.

Serve in either a large soup bowl or standard entrée plate with potatoes on the bottom, followed by all of the meat and then the arugula-cheesevinaigrette mixture. Top with the remaining arugula and cheese.

Little Orchids Kitchen & Bar

BIG FLAVOR IN A SMALL CORNER OF A QUAKERTOWN SHOPPING CENTER

BY SUSAN GOTTSHALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

It isn’t every day you find a restaurant in a shopping center, rife with big-box stores and chain retailers, that qualifies as a culinary gem. That makes Little Orchids Kitchen & Bar—tucked among a strip of commercial enterprises from Planet Fitness to Best Buy in Quakertown’s Richland Marketplace— an exciting discovery.

The restaurant, which opened at the end of November, is the latest venture of the Virojanapa family, who launched White Orchids at Promenade Saucon Valley in 2007, and Notch in Lower Macungie Township in 2019. As the name might suggest, Little Orchids is a smaller offspring of the Promenade enterprise.

The cuisine here is mostly Thai like its parent, says Jeff Virojanapa, who comes by Thai food naturally. His parents were born in Thailand, so, although he was born in the United States and has lived in the Lehigh Valley since the age of two, he ate authentic Thai food at home throughout his childhood. Restaurant experience gained in side jobs during engineering school paid off when he left an engineering career to join his parents in establishing White Orchids, following his father’s longtime dream of owning his own business.

So locally owned Little Orchids, which features fresh food that’s scratch-made, follows a star that is not part of a big-box constellation. Dishes are bright with bold flavor and so appetizingly presented you can eat them with your eyes. An out-of-the-ordinary drink here, from the restaurant’s creative bar program, offers a welcome respite from the outside hustle of shoppers and an often-chaotic parking lot.

There’s an immediate sense of comfort and calm at Little

Orchids—not to be taken lightly, given its location in a bustling center of commerce. The former kickboxing studio has been totally renovated, with muted shades of blue predominating—from the walls to banquettes and chairs as well. Asian appointments underscore the restaurant’s roots: wall décor, for example, features carved wooden Thai musicians and an elephant. A striking Thai glass-andteak table with an elaborate hand-carved nature scene that Virojanapa remembers from his childhood welcomes guests at the entry.

While the cuisine at Little Orchids is inspired by its parent, the food here has a character all its own. The smaller menu was developed to offer more shareable dishes: starters and appetizers make up half of the offerings. A few Asian fusion dishes that originated at Notch are available, and several dishes showcase other styles of Asian food: consider the bibimbap rice bowl with its roots in Korean cuisine; the chicken katsu sando, a handheld hailing from Japanese fare; and the crispy sweet potato wontons, inspired by Chinese dumplings. The Spanish dish paella also makes an appearance as a seafood combination seasoned with Thai flavors such as nam prik pao.

A few dishes from the White Orchids and Notch menus appear at Little Orchids in deconstructed form: for example, White Orchids’ pineapple fried rice features shrimp and chicken among other ingredients; Little Orchids’ version deletes the shrimp and chicken, but offers the option to add the proteins, if desired.

Options to customize dishes are available across the menu.

Along with a choice of proteins to add to entrees, several starters—edamame, shishito peppers, Notch confit chicken wings and crispy popcorn shrimp—can be ordered with sauce based on individual preference: honey sriracha, Thai sweet chili, White Orchids red curry or “Bobby’s BBQ Secret Sauce.”

Starters, while big on flavor, also provide a bonanza of textures. Sweet potato wontons with chili aioli and pomegranate syrup, crisped outside and creamy inside, get crunchier with houseroasted and seasoned peanuts. Similarly, sweet corn fritters are chewy inside and crispy outside; mango-plum chutney boosts the flavor complexity.

“Traditional Thai Money Bags” filled with minced chicken, shrimp and mixed vegetables give new definition to crisp, and Thai sriracha dipping sauce ups the ante of flavor explosively. Edamame contributes soybeans’

toothsome texture to the array of starters; Thai sweet chili sauce adds addictive notes of sweet heat.

Talk about texture—chicken katsu bao buns may just have a monopoly on the concept. Super-crispy chicken gets added crunch from its pickled cabbage and jalapeño topping. Served in the ultimate counterpoint of pillowy steamed bao buns, with katsu barbecue sauce, this starter ignites taste buds for sure.

Main dishes continue the taste and texture themes.

Tender sesame scallops, with their crisped golden-brown crust, get a nutty flavor boost from sesame seeds, not to mention the balancing flavors of coconut fried rice, pineapple, green apples and sesame agrodolce. The fruit and seeds ensure textural foil to the ohso-tender bivalves.

Grilled, skewered chicken, infused with soy curry marinade, is drizzled with Thai peanut sauce—a brilliant and satisfying play of flavors in Little Orchids’ chicken satay.

The partnership of flavor and texture in the pineapple fried rice is, indeed, a beautiful thing. Stir-fried jasmine rice gets fruity contrast from fresh pineapple and raisins and crunchy contrast from cashews. The sweet notes balance the light curry powder’s touch of heat.

Savory red curry, silky in its coconut milk base, is jewel-like in color and rich with spice. The addition of tofu, which absorbs the electric flavor of this dish, intensifies the taste.

A favorite of mine, as well as Virojanapa, is pad gra prow. Many people think of pad thai as the dish of Thailand, says Virojanapa, but it’s really pad gra prow: stir-fried holy basil, minced chicken, yellow onions, broccoli and red peppers, topped with a fried egg, and

served with rice. When the yolk breaks, all of these elements meld in rich, luscious creaminess. For lack of a better technical term, this dish is just plain yummy.

Pad gra prow inspired one of Little Orchids’ specialties: Thai basil cheesesteak. The ingredients of this dish— minced chicken, onion, bell peppers and Thai basil—are translated into their allAmerican sandwich, with the addition of smoked Gouda and garlic, on a house roll. What a tasty transformation of an American standard.

The bar program is as approachable as the food menu. Five white wines and four reds are available by the glass and the bottle. About a half dozen selected bottled beers are featured, along with the same number of beers on draft.

Specialty cocktails include “Thai Basilrita” with Libélula tequila, Cointreau, lemon juice, simple syrup and muddled basil. The drink, slightly sweet, yields light savory notes of the fresh herb.

The restaurant’s version of an old-fashioned features

Private Barrel Elijah Craig bourbon, demerara sugar, orange bitters and Angostura bitters—plus an option for customization. What oldfashioned flavor profile do you prefer: orange, cherry, smoky or vanilla?

Little Orchids’ interpretation of the traditional whiskey sour is lip-smacking good. The usual notes of caramel and fresh citrus make the drink refreshing; the flavors linger, and hearts parade around the perimeter of the glass atop a layer of frothy white foam.

From the Spirit-Free Specialties section of the beverage menu, the mango pineapple boba refresher

easily fulfills its promise: this just-sweet-enough drink refreshes like a cool tropical wind. The drink’s sunny orange hue is enhanced by a big, fat pink straw and pineapple frond garnish that add visual appeal and an element of fun.

When White Orchids opened, Virojanapa and his parents did the cooking. Now each restaurant in their group has its own kitchen staff, but his parents, who are semi-retired, still make many of the restaurants’ sauces, and his mother makes desserts. Restaurant

Group Chef Nicolas Rouzier and Restaurant Group Sous Chef Bobby Keong work with all restaurants, while Justin Acevedo, sous chef, is in charge of Little Orchids’ kitchen on a daily basis.

Clearly, the restaurants’ kitchen staffing showcases one of Virojanapa’s reasons for launching Little Orchids: he wanted to open up more growth opportunities for longtime White Orchids and Notch employees. But he also seeks the challenge of trying new things and wants to keep the company’s business exciting and fun.

Ultimately, though, from a micro perspective, Virojanapa says he set out to create a warm and welcoming restaurant that offers delicious food and a great experience with an everyday vibe. Little Orchids certainly checks all those boxes. “Come here straight from the gym or for a nice business lunch,” he says; “It’s an every-occasion kind of place.”

From my perspective, the quality of the Little Orchids experience makes this a no-occasion kind of place— there’s no occasion needed to dine here. The food alone is reason enough.

Little Orchids Kitchen & Bar

640 N. West End Blvd., Quakertown 267.999.1026 | littleorchidsknb.com

HOURS

Daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Cost: Starters: $8–$14 Mains: $13–$25

Parking: Ample parking available Reservations: Not necessary but always recommended

WHAT TO ORDER

Chicken katsu bao bun for its big-ticket flavor in a petite package. Sesame scallops: special occasion flair at an everyday value price. With fruit and nuts, vegetables and egg, pineapple fried rice is a one-dish wonder. And, for goodness’ sake, the Thai take on our AllAmerican sandwich: Thai basil cheesesteak. If anything should inspire FOMO—this is it.

THE REMEDY

BY ANGELA VENNEMANN PHOTOGRAPHY

Nearly eighteen years ago, Bolete came onto the Lehigh Valley food scene and has remained a fine-dining mainstay ever since, with guests continually packing the dining room of the restaurant, a converted stagecoach inn dating to 1790. And while the restaurant is well known for its farm-to-table fare, receiving award nominations from the prestigious James Beard Foundation in 2015 and 2019, its bar program deserves attention, too.

This is where Stephen Pekarik comes in. As the beverage director of Bolete and its sister properties, Mister Lee’s Noodles and B-Side Bottle and Larder, he selects wines and crafts cocktails meant to enhance the dining experience, though they can certainly stand on their own. And there is no cocktail more popular than one that has been on Bolete’s menu since opening day—The Remedy.

Served in a chilled coupe glass with a pulverized ginger rim, The Remedy combines three ounces of bourbon (“I love High West Bourbon,” Pekarik says) with a cayenne-and-fresh-ginger syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Pekarik calls it a slightly spicy riff on a whiskey sour, and notes that the cocktail is “extremely balanced with a slight spice, warming backbone and a wonderfully bright finish.” Though Bolete’s cocktail menu changes about as often as its food menu, depending on what’s seasonally available, The Remedy remains a staple and is available year-round.

“One of the things guests love about The Remedy is its consistency and stunningly balanced nature,” Pekarik says. It’s a good thing, too, since the goal of Bolete owners Lee Chizmar and Erin Shea was to offer a “workhorse” cocktail that would pair well with any dish on a menu that constantly rotates. Pekarik highly recommends enjoying The Remedy with Chef Lee’s Tavern Burger topped with a mushroom marmalade. And for an Asian twist on the cocktail, check out The Elixer at Mister Lee’s Noodles in Bethlehem.

BOLETE

BY MATTHEW CANNON

Former CEO Bill Donovan and current CEO Ryan

Lehigh