You’ll be hard pressed to find a larger selection of tequila in the Lehigh Valley. We feature names from Altos to Zarco and 78 others in between. All types of tequila are represented: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo and Mezcal. Each with its own unique flavor and individual character. All of them go perfectly with our impressive menu of modern Mexican cuisine. Please enjoy our expansive collection of fine tequila — just take your time.
torrerestaurant.com 610-841-9399
MAY 31 – JUNE 2, 2019
Wine gets better with age, and so does the Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Festival!
Friday, May 31
Opening Night Premier Party (Sponsors only) 6PM
Saturday, June 1 • 11AM
Foundry Meeting Room
Emeril Lagasse Cooking Demo
$75 Per Person
Saturday, June 1 & Sunday, June 2 • 1PM – 4PM
Sands Bethlehem Event Center
Grand Tasting • Wine Seminars • Cooking Demos Music by the Craig Thatcher Band
$ 85 Per Person ( $100 per person on day of event)
VIP Admission: Additional hour, Noon – 4PM, includes all of the above, plus, Champagne & Spirits
$100 per person ( $115 per person on day of event)
BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY! Visit lehighvalleyfoodandwine.com for details. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Call 610-332-6578 for more information.
SPONSORS
FOUNDING: Sands Bethlehem TITLE: Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Pennsylvania ENTERTAINMENT: BB&T GOURMET: Clemens Food Group
VINTAGE: CAPTRUST FEST KREWE: Fulton Financial Advisors, Lafayette Ambassador Bank UNDERWRITING: Adams Outdoor PLATINUM: Citro Digital, PPL DISPLAY: Alcom, Lindenmeyr Munroe GOLD: B. Braun Medical, Inc., Christmas City Printing, PSECU, Viamedia SILVER: Banko Beverage Co., Buzzi Unicem, Capital BlueCross, ESSA, Follett, Howard & Pam Foltz, Peter & Odete Kelly, Mortgage America, Origlio Beverage, Bruce ’77 & Judy Palmer, Bill & Denise Spence, SWIM USA, Victaulic CONTRIBUTING: Anthony Limousine, Breslin Ridyard Architects, Britech, Brown Daub, D’Huy Engineering, Bob & Pam Fehnel, HB Engineers, Highmark Blue Shield, Jerdon Construction, J.M. Uliana & Associates, Just Born, John & Jacqueline Kulick, MKSD, Lehigh Valley Style, Morningstar Senior Living, Network Magazine, Pocono ProFoods, The Restaurant Store, John & Chrissie Wagner, Ilene Wood FRIEND OF THE FESTIVAL: Agentis Kitchen & Bath, Barry Isett & Associates, Mark & Johanna Chehi, City Center Lehigh Valley, Creditsafe, Dr. Mark & Lin Erickson, John & Donna Eureyecko, Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Fader, Johnson Controls, Dr. Art Scott & Sue Kubik, Lehigh Valley Engineering, Michael Thomas Floral Design Studio, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A., PenTeleData, Special Risk Insurance, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Stroudsmoor Country Inn, Mike & Mickey Trageser, Vaughan Communications Group, Willis Towers Watson
New Listing: Secret Garden
Romantic layout effortlessly accommodates family fun and entertaining. Cathedral ceilings, 4.5 baths, custom built-ins and detailing, and a 2014 sunroom opens to gardens amidst stone walls and bluestone patios and pathways. $899,900
Elegant & Luxurious
This move-in ready 2009 home offers 3200+ sqft of living space in the East Penn school district. With an immaculate and open floor plan, stunning gourmet kitchen with stainless appliances & walk-in pantry, wood floors. 3 beds. $529,500
Walk to Golf Course
Embraced by 22 acres of meticulously tended grounds, Weyhill Circle is tucked away at the end of the road within walking distance of the Saucon Valley Country Club. Elevator accesses all three levels. 4 beds, 4.5 baths. $1,350,000
Development
New Listing: Historic Bethlehem
On a tree-lined street, the full brick Niskey house offers sophisticated city living. A wood-burning fireplace, builtin bookcases, and 10-foot ceilings accent living and dining areas on the main level. 5 beds, 2.5 baths. $399,000
Springfield Twp. Building Lot
Cooks Creek crosses this stunning 20 acre property. Mature hardwoods line the property offering privacy and seasonal views. Located across from Fuller Pursell Nature Preserve, and adjacent to 11 acres that are also available. $489,000
Timeless & Contemporary
One of the most noteworthy properties to come on the market in a generation. Amidst 13.7 acres with guest house and putting green. 6 fireplaces, historic Bethlehem brick, antique barn board walls. 5 BRs, 4.5 baths. $4,500,000
European Flair in Lehigh Valley
e covered entryway and wood door with beveled glass gives way to the finer finishings inside. Large first floor master, walk-in closet, and master bath with hydrotherapy jetted tub are luxurious additions. 4 beds, 3.5 baths. $575,000
11 Acres in Bucks County
Adjacent to Cooks Creek building lot, these properties offer a rare opportunity. With views of lush wooded mountains it is a spectacular homesite for a family compound. Just 10 minutes from NJ and 90 minutes from NYC. $379,000
Bethlehem Manor
An elegant retreat for modern families, this sun-dappled manor offers peace and privacy while still conveniently close to Bethlehem City. Large family room, dining room, office, utility, and mudroom. 4 beds, 3.5 baths. $785,000
Estate
Photo by Marco Calderon
of Crystal Spring Farm, shot by Marco Calderon,
Young and in the LV
Several months ago, we were pitched an idea by a local scholar and trailblazer (and Style reader!) to tell the story of young people moving to the Valley. The pitch actually came with two names attached to it—Michael and Margaret Renneisen, whom you can read about in this issue. You see, when the person who pitched the story to us met them, she was touched by the fact that they moved to the Valley to pursue their young careers as an immigration attorney (Michael) and a physician (Margaret). It reminded her of when she and her husband moved to the area (she’s now convinced that there’s no better place to live—mind you, this is coming from someone who travels the globe!).
Instantly, this struck us as a story we had to tell. It’s an opposing look at the exhausted narrative that young people don’t want to live in the Valley, that all young people are actually abandoning the Valley for big, bustling neighboring cities like Philly and New York. We wanted to tell the stories of the thriving young people who actually came to the region from somewhere else and chose to plant their roots here.
Meet three couples who did just that on pg. 92. Then find out why (we chatted with the local organizations that actually study this kind of thing and work to recruit professionals to the area). You never know, hearing an outsider’s perspective might make you appreciate the Valley in a whole new way!
On set with Alison Conklin at Casa Toro Mexican Grill, pg. 118.
HOME OF DISTINCTION, LOWER SAUCON TWP
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G orgeous S aucon Valley home on 2 5 beautif ully landsc aped acres featuring copious specimen tre es and an exquisite in - ground pool in a highly sought-af ter neighborhood . 5 bedrooms , 4 f ull/ 1 half bath $ 8 99,00 0
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14 5 acre U pper B ucks estate on a
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Immaculate, move -in ready home with ex tensive updates and upgrades deck , and gas-wired fi re pit on a nearly baths . $ 874 , 9 0 0
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REALTOR®, MBA
Luxury Sales Specialist
484.280.6212 m · 610.282.4444 o
Rebecca.Francis@foxroach com
RebeccaFrancisLuxuryHomes com
meet the staff
lehighvalleystyle.com
volume 20, issue 5
If I were to invent one product or service, it would be...
An elevated monorail to run alongside Route 22 and I-78 so we can go from one end of the Valley to the other without delays!
I have always thought about patenting grocery cart brakes, with a foot pedal, so the cart doesn’t roll away from you in the parking lot…speaking from experience with my baby rolling away with the cart.
I love to travel but sitting on a plane for hours next to a stranger that wants to take a nap on your shoulder is not ideal. That’s why I wish a teleportation device existed!
I always want things to be more convenient when I travel, from an app that would tell me the best food options in my airport terminal to the best spots to stop along the highway for food and such. I know there are versions of things like this, but I wish I could go into maps and search an exit number and find choices and gas prices.
PUBLISHER
Pamela K. Deller
EDITOR
Kristen Rinaldi
ART DIRECTOR
Elaine Wyborski
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Thomas Körp
ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES
Kellie Bartholomew, Denise Lichty, Ronell Martz, Pam Taylor
Matt Bishop, Marco Calderon, Alison Conklin, Shelbie Pletz, Andrew Tomasino
PROOFREADER Lori McLaughlin
A Kinko’s-style CNC fab lab with access to a database of OEM specs for OOP replacement parts.
Kelli Hertzog
Marketing & Events Manager
In
I love my king-size bed, but I sometimes wish it was bigger so I could fit even more pillows (yes I’m one of those people). So, an Empress-Size bed.
An "Anti App.” If your phone detects you are waiting in line, walking, reading a book, this app would force you to be a technology-detached human being. We would enjoy talking to each other again or crossing the street looking forward.
PRESIDENT/CEO: Paul Prass
VICE PRESIDENT/COO: Lisa Prass
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES: Erica Montes
WEB DESIGN SPECIALIST: Taylor Van Kooten
ACCOUNTING : Donna Bachman
CIRCULATION MANAGER : Andrea Karges
After seven years at the magazine—first as an intern and then as Style’s Marketing & Events Coordinator—you have accepted a new corporate position with Innovative Designs & Publishing, Style’s parent company, as Marketing & Events Manager. Tell us what that entails! A large part of my day is still being focused on Lehigh Valley Style, whether it be social media, planning our signature events or brainstorming new marketing initiatives; however, I’ve also transitioned into working across brands. That includes working with Susquehanna Style and Berks County Living publishers regarding their events or best practices that I’m helping put into place.
What has it been like working more closely with the other brands—Style’s sister publications—Berks County Living and Susquehanna Style?
Despite the fact that we’re all lifestyle publications, it’s been a real learning experience to see how each brand has its own voice, content focus and methodology. I enjoy assisting on launching events with the BCL brand as well
as bringing corporate standards into practice across all publications.
You’ll be spearheading an entire audience development campaign across all of the brands. Tell us about that and how it will ultimately benefit our readers!
I’m super excited about this, as email marketing is one of the top most effective methods of communication in the current landscape. LVS will be introducing newsletters in the latter half of 2019 that are specifically focused on the interests of our readers. Keep an eye on our website to sign up!
What are some other exciting projects on the horizon or goals you might have for the brands in 2019 and beyond?
I would love to work on some new social media strategies as well as optimizing the benefits of being a subscriber to all publications—this is, of course, in addition to creating some unique events!
There are several exciting events in store this summer. What can you share about those?
LVS has our annual Best of the Lehigh Valley coming up in July, Women of Style in August and we’re beginning fall in October with our Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival. BCL is introducing a Burgers & Beer event to their market in June.
What’s on your own personal list of must-attend events outside of the Valley this summer?
My personal list is being added to by the minute! POPSUGAR PlayGround in Manhattan is top on my list for June. I’m always up for food festivals, sponsored pop-ups, retail activations, workshops—trying to fill my planner with as many as I can!
The last time we spoke, in May 2016, you were obsessed with Zumba, boot camp workout classes and perfecting your summer wardrobe. Has that changed? Do you have anything new to add to the list? I’m equally as obsessed with Zumba and dearly missing my boot camp classes with my favorite trainer who relocated (shout out to Leslie!). I’m loving traveling and attending events and eating my way through a variety of different cities.
Will readers still be able to find you at Style happy hour? What’s your current drink order? Of course! Style girl for life. A nice refreshing glass of wine or sangria are my go-to’s.
START SOMETHING AMAZING WITH EXTRAORDINARY SAVINGS on big-time comfort, style, and quality for life on a smaller scale.
MARCUS SEATING
Quick Ship available fabric and leather nailhead trim and other options
Located at Stabler Athletic and Convocation Center to benefit St. Luke’s University Health Network | Photography by Vlad Image Studio
1. Daniel and Kimberly Held 2. Dave Gloss and Tony Cioffi 3. David Yanoshik and Mary Beth Golab 4. Emily McCauley and Elizabeth Pembleton 5. Dawn Olsen, Larry Goebel and Elizabeth Srock 6. Joe Maher, Christy Del Rio, Dylan Ciocca, Gregg Ciocca and Mike Jones 7. Kim and Dave Gilbert 8. Jen Janco, Jessica Haynos, Laurel Erickson-Parsons and Kira Bub 9. Sabina and Stephen Olenchock 10. Matthew Harris, Victor Schmidt, Larry Butkovich and Ed Gumina 11. Sara and Scott Dams 12. Todd Haldeman and Christine Gabel
has always been ours Congratulations to Glenn Baumer for being named to the 2019 Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list.
Merrill Lynch 600 Hamilton Street 11th Floor Allentown, PA 18101 fa.ml.com/baumer_group Helping you achieve your
Source: Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, February 2019. The ranking for this list by SHOOK Research is based on due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Forbes is a trademark of Forbes Media LLC. All rights reserved. Rankings and recognition from Forbes/ SHOOK Research are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Merrill Lynch Wealth Management makes available products and services offered by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, a registered broker-dealer and Member SIPC, and other subsidiaries of Bank of America Corporation.
Investment products: Are Not FDIC InsuredAre Not Bank GuaranteedMay Lose Value
The Bull Symbol and Merrill Lynch are trademarks of Bank of America Corporation.
1. Amani Fowlkes and Maggie Urban-Waala 2. Anne Fiore, and Jeff and Hester Bade 3. Elaine Zimmerman, Michelle Ingalls and Cynthia Nielsen 4. Cheryl and Jim Kusko 5. Dave and Diana Yeomans 6. Gail and Mark Fracas 7. Maureen and Joe Topper 8. Katie Wallace, Jeff Creighton and Katie Pressler 9. Maria Esposito and John Conklin 10. Paula Krajsa, and Joe and Laurie Fitzpatrick
Located at Historic Hotel Bethlehem to benefit Mary’s Shelter Cay Galgon Center | Photography by Vlad Image Studio
1. Ann Lalik and Sally Slifer Ryan 2. Ed Flowerdew and Lauren Sorrentino 3. Missy Kiel, Linda Comp-Noto, Heather Yee and Donna Eureyecko
Style Insider Happy Hour
Gail Hoover’s Charity
1. Anthony Santiago and Mariella Fuica 2. Chris Hnatow and Denise Holota 3. Lisa Deutsch and Heather Lindamann 4. Mike and Cheri Pagliaro
5. Gabby Caronia, and Susan and Gary Caronia 6. Rhiannon Bolash and Brandi Durbin 7. Lindsey Hutterer, Skylar Goldstein and Maria Guzman
Located at Grazie Brewhouse & Restaurant Photography by Vlad Image Studio
1. Carol Chadwick and Anthony Rivera 2. Dave McCormack and Dru Thomas 3. Rob and Beth Clausnitzer 4. Donald Flad and Tammy Santiago
5. Debbie Haffner 6. Mona DelSole, Lisa Brienza, Karen Ford and Connie Challingsworth 7. Sal Panto, Susan Wild, Larry Holmes and Gail Hoover
Located at the Sigal Museum to benefit City of Easton First Responders, C.A.R.T. and FACT Lehigh Valley | Photography by Sheri Bayne
10 THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH
MAY 7
Wine & Watercolor Workshop
Join Etsy bestseller, and Valley resident, Bruna Mebs for a creative class at Easton Wine Project. Tickets include a complimentary glass of wine, delicious snacks, all the materials and sketched artwork options ready to be painted. All levels are welcome!
$55 | 6:30–9 p.m.
Easton Wine Project 1247 Simon Blvd. Suite N103 Easton | 610.438.2533 brunamebs.com
MAY 3
Dorney Park Opening Day
Get the family together and enjoy all the thrills that Dorney Park has to offer. From coasters to bumper cars, there’s a ride for everyone. Don’t forget to look into season passes so you can enjoy the park whenever you want.
Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom | 4000 Dorney Park Rd. Allentown | 610.395.3724 | dorneypark.com
MAY 3–19
Fun Home
Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home is the coming-of-age story of author Alison Bechdel and her journey to write her own graphic autobiography. It’s told between her youth and present to fully capture her sense of identity as a lesbian and how it correlates with her father’s self-destruction as a closeted gay man.
$25–$34 | Times vary | 19th Street Theatre | 527 N. 19th St. Allentown | 610.432.8943 civictheatre.com
MAY 11
A Night with Vic DiBitetto
Heralded as one of the most sought-after comedians in the country, Vic DiBitetto is a comedic force. He currently stars in the nationally touring stand-up show The Three Tenors (Who Can’t Sing). There will be 200 VIP tickets for sale to meet DiBitetto after the show!
$32–$59 | 8 p.m.
State Theatre Center for the Arts 453 Northampton St., Easton 610.252.3132 | statetheatre.org
MAY 11
Ladies Champagne Brunch
Celebrate the ladies nearest and dearest to you with Green Pond Country Club’s day of fun. Enjoy a live fashion and comedy show, along with bubbly, food and door prizes. The first 100 to purchase their tickets will receive a swag bag filled with goodies from local Lehigh Valley businesses.
$45 | 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | Green Pond Country Club 3604 Farmersville Rd., Bethlehem | eventbrite.com
by Andrew
Photo
Tomasino
MAY 4
Beer: The Final Frontier
A Science Social Club event, The Final Frontier is sure to be a night out of this world! Visitors will receive eight four-ounce pours of beer from Weyerbacher Brewing, which can be enjoyed while learning all about space. Check out their Be the Astronaut exhibit and explore virtual reality, too. For an additional cost, there will be trivia for those who want to put their brain to the test! This event is for ages 21 and older only.
Online: $19.95; Door: $29.95 | 6–10 p.m. | Da Vinci Science Center 3145 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown | 484.664.1002 | davincisciencecenter.org
MAY 1–5
Pippin
Winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival, Pippin is the story of a boy’s journey from ordinary to extraordinary. Young Prince Pippin sets out on a voyage to find himself through love, battle, politics and more. Pippin finds the best things of life are the un-extraordinary moments in every day.
$29–$32 | Times vary | DeSales University | The Labuda Center for the Performing Arts | 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley | 610.282.3192 | desales.edu
MAY 11
Disney in Concert: A Dream Is a Wish
MAY 25–27
MAY 24–26
Mayfair at Cedar Crest
Get your craft on! This event features food and craft vendors, artists, music, kids’ activities and live performances. There will be free on-campus parking available.
Free | Fri.: 4-10 p.m.; Sat. & Sun.: Noon–10 p.m. | Cedar Crest College 100 College Dr., Allentown 610.740.3762 | cedarcrest.edu
The Great Pennsylvania Music & Arts Celebration
Enjoy more than 50 performances held at the historic Allentown Fairgrounds, featuring classic Pennsylvania music and so much more! Come out and bring the whole family to enjoy the rich history of PA on Memorial Day weekend.
All of the Disney favorites come to life at Miller Symphony Hall, with a night featuring songs from classics like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Cinderella, Frozen and more. The evening promises fun for the whole family.
$25–$72 | 7:30 p.m.
Miller Symphony Hall 23 N. 6th St., Allentown 610.432.6715 millersymphonyhall.org
stage
Young Playwrights’ Festival and Gala
MAY 18
BY DAISY WILLIS
Now in its 14th year, Touchstone Theatre’s Young Playwrights’ Lab continues to provide Lehigh Valley students with the opportunity to explore their creativity by crafting the blueprints for dramatic performances.
This year Touchstone’s Teaching Artists have partnered with 12 Valley schools throughout the year—the greatest number yet—from elementary through high school, to coach kids in playwriting.
Students submit one-act plays for consideration and those selected are produced by Touchstone in this month’s festival held at Zoellner Arts Center. “For some,” says Mary Wright, the program’s coordinator, “this is one of the few outlets they have for exploring their own creative voice.”
And what are these young voices saying? After 14 years of encouraging expression, trends are visible. Bullying and the earth’s sustainability are popular topics for the new generation. “Kids are concerned about deep problems,” Wright says.
The scripts often include sketches of costumes and set pieces, and every effort is made to complete the writer’s vision. “If the kid imagines this character in a spotlight, we make sure that character is in a spotlight.”
Anyone can audition for a role in one of the plays, and might find themselves portraying a cloud, a whale or a Vietnam veteran. All ages and walks of life come together in this festival to amplify the voices of the future.
“We all shortchange kids in general,” Wright says. It can shock them to see their own words performed on Zoellner’s beautiful stage, and an audience listening and wildly applauding their work. “It’s cool to see how parents look at their kids differently afterwards. Yeah, they’re young, but that doesn’t make them less important.”
Support this impactful program at the Young Playwrights’ Festival and Gala this month and see what kids are capable of!
Adults: $15; Students: $10; Gala: $75 | 7 p.m. Zoellner Arts Center | Baker Hall | 420 E. Packer Ave. Bethlehem | 610.867.1689 | touchstone.org
by
Photo
Kenek Photography
In the Country We Love
BY DIANE GUERRERO
Television actress, most notably known for her time on Orange Is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, Diane Guerrero depicts the day her parents were detained and deported while she was at school. Because Guerrero was born in the U.S., she was allowed to stay and, thanks to the kindness of family friends, had a place to call home. It’s an eye-opening story of one woman’s heartbreaking experience and the resilience she had, facing such a traumatic experience that is so relevant today.
American Like Me
BY AMERICA FERRERA
Actress America Ferrera invites 31 of her friends, peers and heroes to talk about their lives in America and how that intertwines with their cultures. Throughout the book, readers will hear from actors, comedians, athletes and politicians, as they share the impact of relating to more than one culture while living in America. From heartfelt to hilarious, American Like Me leaves readers considering their own relationships with the country.
Ready Player One: A Novel
BY ERNEST CLINE
It’s the year 2045 and reality has become an ugly place. As a way to escape the real world, teenager Wade Watts enters a virtual utopia known as OASIS, filled with puzzles based on the creator’s obsession with pop culture of decades past. Watts uses his time solving the puzzles hidden within the digital world, and when he finds the first clue, he is confronted by players who are willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. If Watts is to survive, he must win. Now a major motion picture, Ready Player One envelops readers in this virtual world, unable to leave before the very last page.
Ruby Dear music
BY DAISY WILLIS
Ruby Dear is loud and melodic, bursting with powerful vocals and compelling arrangement. It’s almost as if a fully formed rock band with an awesome original album just popped up like a mushroom in the grass, but its members have been honing their jams for years.
Lead singer Jenny Founds discovered bandmates Jon and Jesse Braun while singing for renowned Talking Heads cover band Start Making Sense. The Braun brothers’ musical resume includes touring internationally with surf-rock band Great White Caps and a decade with Start Making Sense. All three still focus the bulk of their attention on SMS concerts all over the country. This has allowed their side project Ruby Dear to play in Buffalo, Denver, St. Louis and the House of Blues in Chicago. Not bad for a band that’s been around about a year and a half.
Founds is prolific in whipping up unique music for Ruby Dear. “Our first year we had two hours of original material,” she says. “I write it acoustic and then bring it to the boys to adapt to rock setting.” It’s no wonder they’ve already released an eponymous album rich with rock that’s exploratory, sweeping and somehow nostalgic. Compared with the ’90s sound of Jeff Buckley, classic rock and even David Bowie, Ruby Dear combines the interests of its members into something as fresh as it is familiar.
The band’s name free-associates Founds’ favorite jazz song (“Ruby My Dear” by Thelonious Monk) with the birthstone she shares with the grandmother who inspired her to pursue music, and a song title from Talking Heads.
When they play locally, their home base is The Funhouse on Bethlehem’s south side. Check out their website for new singles, music videos and upcoming gigs.
Photo by Melanie Smith
The Baum School of Art: Annual Art Auction
MAY 18
On May 18, The Baum School of Art will hold its 34th annual art auction, which takes place the third Saturday in May every year. The auction will feature more than 300 pieces of art, ranging from bargain finds to fine pieces for the most serious of collectors. The event starts with a silent auction, featuring around 200 pieces, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Once the silent auction has closed, the live auction featuring another 100 or so pieces begins at 8 p.m. and will be called by auctioneer Boris Wainio. “Boris Wainio works his magic as an auctioneer, keeping everyone laughing, on the edge of their seats and, of course, encouraging bidding to win,” says Laurie Siegfried, the director of operations and marketing for The Baum School. The artistic styles will range from contemporary to traditional to abstract. “There really is something for everyone, both in taste and price range,” says Siegfried.
The event is free and features an open bar, but there is a buffet dinner for $50 in advance or $60 at the door. The food is courtesy of Catering by Karen Hunter. It is a lively, fast-paced night that usually averages 200 attendees. The auctions will benefit The Baum School as well as local artists in the Lehigh Valley.
The auction preview night will take place a few days prior, on Thursday, May 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Photo by Hub Wilson
Music by: Jeanine Tesori
Book and Lyrics by: Lisa Kron
Written by: Nick Payne
GOOD BEAUTÉ Be GOOD
During her previous work for large beauty corporations, Kimberly Hairston-Hicks noticed a need for products catered specifically to black women. Enter Good Beauté—a beauty company “founded by a black woman for black women”—which she launched online in October 2018. The first product that motivated her was sunscreen. There is a myth that people with darker skin tones do not need sunscreen, which is completely false. Everyone needs it, regardless of skin tone or how much they burn. And Hairston-Hicks explains that women with melanin-enriched skin types don’t necessarily gravitate towards using sunscreen due to the white cast it can give. So, she worked with a chemist she knew from her time in the industry, and they created an SPF that was made specifically for black women and wouldn’t give off that white cast when applied. “I always have to have my SPF 50. Not just when it’s sunny,” says Hairston-Hicks. “Every day.”
Customers can shop Good Beauté sunscreen online, along with their vitamin-rich cleanser and a serum that helps to lock in extra moisture. When it came to launching her own business, Hairston-Hicks says, “I didn’t allow fear to stop me from chasing my dreams.”
THE MIX BARTENDING SCHOOL Cocktails 101
Many know Joao DaCosta’s primary business, Lehigh Fine Foods, but he has a new endeavor: The Mix Bartending School in Emmaus. DaCosta wanted to combine his love of food with his passion for drinks, so when the Allentown Bartending School closed its doors, he seized the opportunity. The goal? “Connecting the world of specialty food with specialty beverages,” says DaCosta. Their professional bartending course consists of 40 hours and, upon completion, awards a diploma.
But The Mix is much more than just a bartending school. Patrons can take fundamental classes on wine, beer, coffee and tea; learn how to pair drinks with meals; and discover more about their favorite beverages. In February, The Mix hosted its first couples’ night, a two-hour course that covered the basics of bartending as well as tips for creating popular drinks, classic cocktails and favorite shots. In April, there was Brazilian Caipirinha Night! More of these will be scheduled throughout the year.
1325 Chestnut St. Suite 1B, Emmaus 484.232.8623 | themixbartendingschool.com
Photo by Andrew Tomasino
ROSS PLANTS & FLOWERS
A New Endeavor
Ross Plants and Flowers in Orefield has been in business since 1938, and now, it’s blossomed into a second location, of sorts, in Allentown. Monica Yurconic-Groff was brought into the world of plants thanks to her husband, Mike—a certified arborist who has spent his whole life working with plants—and she has learned to love it. But Yurconic-Groff says, “This location reflects more of me.”
The new location, formerly Paisley Peacock, which she is spearheading, features some parts of Ross Plants that the community knows and loves, but it has an added boutique element. YurconicGroff wanted to create a space that makes people feel good and that they want to come in and explore. It features candles, small plants, teas, lotions and even jewelry. The new shop is smaller than Ross Plants in Orefield and doesn’t have a greenhouse, which is one of the reasons she can have her candles and lotions sold. (The greenhouse made this impossible due to the heat.) Yurconic-Groff’s ultimate goal is to spread joy across the Valley through a positive shopping experience that will be complementary to what her husband is doing at Ross Plants.
It all started with a T-shirt. Mary Lou Straka read about volunteering for Musikfest on the bulletin board at her local church, where it noted that volunteers would receive a free T-shirt. The rest is history. Straka has been volunteering for more than 35 years and says, “Now I have more shirts than I know what to do with.” She volunteers at a variety of events throughout the year, such as PEEPSFEST, SangriaFest, Oktoberfest and, of course, the most popular Musikfest.
When she’s not busy volunteering, Straka says her favorite part of Musikfest is most certainly the food. “I love the music too; if you don’t like what’s playing then you move on to the next place,” she says. A special highlight of her time volunteering was when she got to dress up like a yellow crayon in the ’90s—Musikfest is known to battle August heat, so she loved walking around in costume because of the fan inside of it. But she always looks forward to seeing her fellow volunteer friends and loves the community spirit. It’s what keeps her coming back year after year. “That’s the best part, reconnecting with people,” she says.
When she isn’t volunteering with ArtsQuest, one can find Straka spending her Friday afternoons at the Miller-Keystone Blood Center, assisting in the canteen by providing drinks and snacks to those who have donated.
Science-Backed Success
To Ned and Carolyn Bolcar, Orangetheory is so much more than a workout— it’s camaraderie. With several successful locations in New Jersey, the couple was excited to open their first Pennsylvania branch in the Lehigh Valley, and decided on Allentown because of all the fit-minded people in the area.
Ned, a former NFL linebacker, believes in an emphasis on accountability: the “why.” Why are you working out? Is it for health concerns? Wanting to keep up with your young children? At Orangetheory, members are kept accountable for their overall health and their “why.” Their one-hour HIIT class incorporates cardio, indoor rowers, weight-training blocks and floor exercises. One way to stay accountable? Being consistent, even when on vacation. Fortunately, after joining, members can work out at most of the other Orangetheory locations for free.
At every Orangetheory, there are dedicated coaches who know each member’s goals and ensure that everyone is performing their best. “Whether it’s the first day or your 100th workout, they will be there to guide you,” says Ned. The OTbeat heart rate monitors allow members to see their personalized results in real time. But there is no pressure to outperform the class, as everyone is encouraged to work out at their own level. First-timers receive a free class and are recommended to bring water and a towel, and arrive 30 minutes early.
Pennsylvania’s 270+ wineries and more than a dozen wine trails mean that you have plenty of reasons to play hooky. So go ahead, unplug, unwind, and find a Riesling, rosé, or red blend with your name on it.
Discover the wineries and wine trails near you at PAWINELAND .com
Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drink specials, and don’t forget to have your photo taken for Style Scene. Follow along on Facebook for updates, drink specials and more event info.
Getting married in 2019?
Enter to win a styled bridal shower courtesy of Story By Design Events!
Enter to win Sorrelli’s Milana long-strand necklace, part of their newest collection, Polished Pearl, a $125 value.
Photo by Alison Conklin
Photo by Marco Calderon
Milana Long-Strand Necklace
and
Listen Weekdays at 9am, 12pm, 3pm & 6pm
The Pantone Color of the Year: Living Coral
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT BISHOP
The authority on color, Pantone describes Living Coral as vibrant, yet mellow— a coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge. Stock up on the color of the year at your favorite Valley stores.
Dual-ended lip brush, $14 taylormadecosmetics.com 10. Petite polish, $8 taylormadecosmetics.com
1. Vegan leather handbag, $45 Something Different Boutique
2. Chavez for Charity bracelet, $14.99 Something Different Boutique
3. BFF dish, $9.50 Something Different Boutique
4. Kacey Bright long pendant necklace, silver, Kendra Scott, $75 Something Different Boutique
5. Ballota ring in Mango Tango, $30, Sorrelli
6. Heavenly Hoop earring in Caribbean Coral, $38, Sorrelli
LILY OSWALD Chief Executive Officer
Sorrelli
Headquartered in Kutztown, Sorrelli’s founders (Lily Oswald’s parents) decided to bring the brand to Downtown Allentown. Read on to hear how they’re spreading sparkle in the Valley and beyond.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON
Sorrelli was one of the first retail stores to open at the beginning of Allentown’s revitalization. How have you seen the city grow and what’s it like to be at the heart of downtown?
On a daily basis, we are reminded how lucky we are to be here. It has been so great watching the city and downtown come alive again, and we are happy to be a part of that. Sorrelli has enjoyed watching the buildings, spaces, stores and businesses grow and thrive, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
Sorrelli is headquartered in Kutztown. Tell us the significance of being based there. Our founders (my parents), Lisa and Kermit Oswald, met at Kutztown University. After spending some time in New York City, they decided to return to Kutztown (where Kermit is from) to start their family and grow their brand. Looking back, it couldn’t have been better planned for a more central location—Sorrelli being headquartered in Kutztown allows us to spread the sparkle from Lehigh to Berks and everywhere in between.
How would you describe the style of jewelry made and sold by Sorrelli?
Sorrelli is a fashion jewelry brand that features crystal and semi-precious stones. We’re known for offering a lot of variety—variety of colors and shapes, variety of styles and occasions. We have something for everyone, whether your taste is a casual, everyday look or you love to wear sparkle for a night out. It is timeless, and thanks to our lifetime guarantee, you can wear our jewelry for many years to come.
We live in a world where everything is mass-produced and replicated. But each piece of Sorrelli jewelry is handcrafted and unique, with slight variations from one to the next. Explain why that is so important to the brand. People are unique and should be celebrated for their differences. Shouldn’t jewelry be the same? We don’t all look the same or dress the same, so our jewelry should be as unique as we are. Plus, today, when everything seems to be a throw-away purchase, our quality product and lifetime guarantee work towards changing that. Sorrelli is meant to be enjoyed for many years, even generations—our process and our quality make that possible.
Tell us about the materials used to make each piece of jewelry. There are all types of crystals and semi-precious stones that go into Sorrelli jewelry. We use a lot of crystals in a variety of sizes and colors. We also use components like semi-precious stones and cabochons. These variations of colors and stones make our jewelry unique. And, our styles are set in a jeweler’s metal, which is a brass base. We have three metal finishes—antique gold tone, antique silver tone and bright gold tone—because who doesn’t love options? The best part about our jewelry is the fact that it is made by hand—stones set, piece assembled. It is as special and unique as the person wearing it.
Who is Sorrelli’s customer?
She’s many women—and she does many things. But mostly, she wants to feel amazing when she gets dressed and she chooses our jewelry to do that. Whether she is wearing it every day or she wears it for special events and moments in her life, Sorrelli gives her confidence and that finishing touch that makes her feel put together.
What’s an item or style that continuously flies off the shelves at the store?
Well, we have a group of styles called Sorrelli Essentials and, as you can tell by the name, they are key to have in any jewelry box! They come in a variety of shapes and colors and are the perfect accessory for any day and any occasion. We have amazing stud earrings, as well as our Riveting Romance cuff bracelet, which is adjustable to fit almost anyone.
What’s new or on the horizon for Sorrelli?
We’re really excited about our new Polished Pearl collection! It is fresh for our brand—using pearls as the focus, and complementing them with crystal elements. While we all love to sparkle, we’re really excited about using a new element like pearls in our jewelry!
Any recommendations for a good gift for mom this Mother’s Day?
Definitely something from our new Polished Pearl collection! Our personal favorites are some of the long strand necklaces, which will be great layered on for the summer months, or our new slider toggle bracelets that adjust to the size of your wrists. Style and function all in one! Plus, the bright gold setting for this collection looks great on everyone.
645 W. Hamilton St., Suite 104 Allentown | 610.295.5995 sorrelli.com
A Matchmaker ’s Datin g Advice
BY DAISY WILLIS
In a world where we swipe hastily through our options in search of instant gratification, Suzanne Dante of The Love Brokers urges us to slow down and get a little more human about dating. Located in the Wilkes-Barre area, Dante’s affordable matchmaking service brings vetted clients together to find The One. Looking for long-term love? This advice is for you.
ask the expert
App Angst
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and disheartened by the modern dating world, you’re not alone. Many of Dante’s clients come to her burned-out by Match mishaps and Tinder randos.
Like much in this ultra-connected world, online dating provides almost too many options. “Your brain can get addicted constantly looking through these photos,” Dante says.
This cheap glut of potential partners can have the effect of devaluing the individual. Interactions lose their weight, common decency crumbles and some are quick to drop one date and move on to the next.
“There is success,” Dante says, “but the majority who come to see me have been traumatized by lack of respect. Game playing, ghosting, inaccurate photos. One time, a gentleman couldn’t make the date and he sent his friend.”
It’s perfectly fair to feel a little fed up.
Take It Seriously, But Not Too Seriously
No matter how you meet, be it online, through a matchmaker or at the annual Christmas tree lighting downtown, keep your first dates lighthearted. “Share experiences, get to know each other, see if there’s a connection,” Dante advises.
Leading off with your whole life story and a list of your perfect partner’s qualities puts a lot of pressure on a person. Can you make mistakes and laugh together? Can you learn to be yourself around this person? That’s good territory to explore early on. “There’s no need,” Dante insists, “for an interrogation.”
It’s a Date
The classic dinner date is a dud in Dante’s book. Sitting face-to-face too easily turns into an interview. Seeking organic interaction, she recommends dates based on shared interests: “If I have two that like the arts or history, I might recommend an art gallery.”
An activity like going to a park, grabbing ice cream and peoplewatching together on a bench, taking a yoga class, ziplining or perusing a used bookstore gives you something to talk about and clues to each other’s energy level, sophistication, sense of humor and other indications of compatibility. Stay away from loud environments where you can’t hear each other
Sitting and eating together isn’t entirely off the table. An appetizer and a glass of wine is a quick, noncommittal date idea that can turn into dinner if things go well.
Take It Slow
According to Dante, we write people off much too quickly, eager to plow on toward the shimmering
mirage of someone perfect in every way. “If there’s a possibility of attraction,” Dante says, “I recommend three or four dates before giving up.”
People fall in love at different rates and in different ways. We all contain unknowable mysteries. One person may have strong, obvious feelings and assume the other is barely interested, yet with patience, in Dante’s experience, some of these relationships have turned into marriages.
Take it easy, get to know each other, let things unfold. Relationships develop in their own time
Dating Don’ts
Sometimes you just know someone isn’t for you. If they aren’t emotionally available, if you can’t see yourself kissing them, if your goals aren’t in line, it’s probably going nowhere. Don’t force it.
“Know the difference,” Dante says, “between a playful sense of humor and someone demeaning you.” Casual negative comments can be the start of something toxic. Never accept a yo-yo diet of affection and insults.
Allowed enough time and imagination, an ideal fantasy image can take shape and lead to realworld disappointment, so don’t let too much time elapse before you meet in person. “There’s nothing like that face-to-face interaction,” Dante says. “The looks, actions, smell—so many things come in to play when you’re getting to know someone.”
Compatibility vs. Chemistry
The most befuddling factor when it comes to a new sweetheart: mistaking chemistry for compatibility. “All too often people jump into bed quicker than they used to, get a false sense of emotional connection and assume they’re exclusive, when they really don’t know that person,” Dante warns. “I see it really hurting people’s self-esteem and how they perceive relationships.”
With that delicious magnetism under your skin, you can spend time and energy trying to make something work that really isn’t a long-term match. “Months later you find out he wants you to pay for everything, he doesn’t work, he’s nothing like you.”
The best relationships start with friendship. It takes time, effort and patience to find a partnership that’s going to be true blue.
SUZANNE DANTE Founder/Matchmaker
Loca l Podcasts
BY DAISY WILLIS
Commuting, cleaning the house or forcing yourself on a run, podcasts are there to inform and entertain with unique perspectives and infinite topics. Here are just five of the Lehigh Valley’s many great podcasts to keep you company while you multitask.
1
Inside Outer Beauty
with Dixie Lincoln-Nichols insideouterbeauty.com/podcasts
Owner of I.O. Beauty Market in Allentown, Dixie Lincoln-Nichols’ podcast deals in “sustenance, recreation, purpose, relationships, finance, restorative practice and more,” a list that leans into her holistic take on wellness. By interviewing creatives and small business owners as well as delivering info on nutrition and health, Lincoln-Nichols explores how to live a beautiful life from the inside out.
2 Book Smart
with Emily Hammel-Shaver & Melissa Guller booksmartpodcast.com
Quakertown’s Emily Hammel-Shaver, the online dating guru behind Men Ask Em, teams up with Melissa Guller to review and reflect on books that offer perspectives and strategies for a better life. From personality types and habit-forming hacks to how to host more mindful gatherings, listeners can explore trending theories in personal development with two insightful, relatable hosts.
3
Ladies of the Elle Vee
with Veronica Taylor & Amy Unger veronicawithaglassofbubbly.com/podcast
Hosts Veronica Taylor and Amy Unger are the fun, informal interviewers of Lehigh Valley women with stories to tell. Talking local life, professional breakthroughs, health challenges and more, these chats are at times heavy, at times inspiring, but never too far from lighthearted laughter.
4 The Morning Call Podcast
with Kayla Dwyer mcall.com/podcast
True crime serials, public health crises and juicy scoops from history are just some of the topics explored in Kayla Dwyer’s podcast. Hear straight from the reporters and subjects of The Morning Call’s stories to get the in-depth understanding of an engaged Valley citizen.
5 Lehigh Valley with Love
with George Wacker & Tyler Rothrock lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com/podcast
If you want commentary and interviews on local figures, news and events, but also want to laugh-snort audibly, look no further. George Wacker and Tyler Rothrock provide the at-times rambling, random-anecdote-studded podcast steeped in all things Lehigh Valley. Ta-da! Your solitary commute has become a hangout with funny dudes.
AboveRising the rest
Adrian Shanker Founder & Executive Director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
BY AMY UNGER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW TOMASINO
Judging by the amount of time he invests in trying to make the Lehigh Valley a more enlightened and welcoming place for members of the LGBT community, you might think that Adrian Shanker grew up here—a man looking to leave his childhood home a little better than he found it. In fact, Shanker came of age more than 100 miles away, in Westchester County, New York. His decision to enroll at Allentown’s Muhlenberg College would prove to be a turning point for his life.
But first things first. Let’s just say he initially wasn’t exactly in awe of his new home away from home. “I remember riding my bike downtown, wondering where all of the young people were,” he says. Of course, that was back in 2004, years before the renaissance that transformed Allentown into a place where young people (or any people, really) would want to shop, dine and live. And so, with no crystal ball handy, Shanker says he had zero plans to stick around, “But then I realized there was a lot of potential here.” Fastforward to 2009, with his degree in political science and religious studies in hand. “I stayed after I graduated because I felt like some of the issues I cared most about, I could make a difference in the Lehigh Valley.”
One of his grandfathers was labor leader
Shanker describes himself as an organizer by birth and says he grew up with an activist family. “I was taught by my family that we have an obligation to work for justice, that we need to fight with our words and our intellect, not our fists,” he says. One of his grandfathers was labor leader Albert Shanker, the longtime head of both the United Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers. “As a kid, I’d frequently hear stories, like the one of him spending Christmas in jail because [New York] Mayor [John] Lindsay wanted to break up the teachers union strike,” he recalls. Albert Shanker died in 1997 and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom the following year. “I think if he were alive today, we would have spirited debates about issues I don’t agree with him on, but it is an understatement to say I’m inspired by him,” Shanker says. “My activism in many ways is because I learned the importance of it from him.”
Shanker says he’s been advocating for LGBT rights for more than a decade. In 2011, he was elected the first president of Equality Pennsylvania, which describes itself as the “commonwealth’s leading organization advancing equality and opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Pennsylvanians.” “It was a time when civil rights for [the LGBT community] looked very different,” he says.
Shanker held the post until 2013, when he departed to pursue an even bigger dream. “It
started with a vision—a compelling vision,” he says. That vision was to establish the region’s first community center for the LGBT population: a one-stop shop, of sorts, for needs ranging from health services to youth support to legal consultations. The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center opened its doors on Allentown’s West Maple Street in April of 2016. Media accounts from that day recall a standing-room-only crowd packed with local lawmakers, dignitaries and cheering supporters. Looking back, one might call the grand opening a proverbial “slam dunk,” although Shanker does admit to some trepidation along the way. “There were definitely times when I wondered if the community would come together to support this,” he says. But he needn’t have worried; Shanker says the center and its members have been buoyed by the resilience and goodwill of the community, time and time again. “The Lehigh Valley is a caring place,” he says. “I’m proud to be a voice for LGBT progress in this region, in the state.”
Indeed, the past few years have brought a number of wins on the local, state and federal level. Shanker can rattle off some of the biggest victories, such as same-sex marriage rights, conversion therapy bans in Bethlehem and Allentown, equal spousal benefits in Easton and Allentown and a pair of civil rights laws in Philadelphia. Still, there have been setbacks. “We’re well aware that there’s been a rise in hate in this country, especially since 2016,” says Shanker. In January of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed President Trump’s ban on transgender individuals from military service to take effect. Immediately, the Bradbury-Sullivan center sprang into action and organized a rally to show support for the trans community. “Within four hours, 60 people showed up,” Shanker says.
There are quieter moments, too, that affirm the importance of the work that Shanker and his colleagues are doing at the center. He recalls an encounter with a man who came to the center for HIV testing. The man expressed his deep appreciation for the center’s nonjudgmental approach, and offered Shanker money. After Shanker explained that the testing is free, the man insisted on paying anyway, to ensure that the programs remain available to everyone who needs them.
Not only is sustaining the current roster of services the goal, but Shanker says the hope is to keep adding new offerings to the list. “We’re always evaluating the needs of the LGBT community,” he explains. “It’s an ongoing process.” One such endeavor is a support group for LGBT individuals impacted by cancer. “That’s a first for this area,” says Shanker. But while the importance of providing potentially life-saving and life-changing health and support services can’t be overstated, Shanker says shining a spotlight
insight
on the arts is also a priority. Perhaps inspired by nearby neighbors like Miller Symphony Hall, the Allentown Art Museum and The Baum School of Art—“There’s great cultural programming [in Downtown Allentown],” Shanker says—the Bradbury-Sullivan center can boast of a full slate of happenings that celebrate LGBT artists, writers and filmmakers, such as its REEL Queer Film Series, and a book group that tackles queer memoirs, of which Shanker himself is a member.
“We know we have work to do before we can live in a world where we can live our lives and be our true selves.”
Ask Shanker to take stock of his life so far, and he’ll tell you that his greatest accomplishment has been opening the Bradbury-Sullivan center, and his proudest moment was speaking at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington in 2013, which commemorated Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. “The 1963 March on Washington was organized by a gay Pennsylvanian named Bayard Rustin who wasn’t allowed to speak at the march because he was gay,” explains Shanker, who was one of six LGBT speakers at the anniversary march. “It was a moment to pay homage not only to the entire movement for racial and economic justice of the past 50 years, but to specifically honor Rustin’s role in the original march 50 years later.”
If he was asked to pick a runner-up to either of those two major moments, Shanker has plenty to pick from: He was named Person of the Year by the Philadelphia Gay News in 2012 and 2018, and he has been honored by the Lehigh County Bar Association, Lehigh Valley Business and the Anne Frank Center USA (now the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect), among others. He also serves on the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs and the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority, which oversees many of the redevelopment projects in the city’s downtown. In other words, his resume is full; but in some ways, Shanker may be just getting started in his tireless advocacy for the LGBT community. “We know we have work to do before we can live in a world where we can live our lives and be our true selves,” he says.
“Change is possible. And I’m proud to be a part of this moment in time.”
The Lehigh Valley is a region on the rise
Steeped in history, strengthened by local industry, home to idyllic countrysides, vibrant communities and remarkable urban revitalizations—it’s no wonder that the Greater Lehigh Valley is one of the United States’ top regions for growth.
Even as we focus on the future, it’s worth remembering that this present success is largely due to the many businesses and entrepreneurs who already call the Lehigh Valley home.
Read on and help give them the recognition they deserve.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY QUEEN CITY STUDIO
THE FACE OF Great Hair Care ROOTED SALON
Owner Katelyn Quigney was destined for a career in the beauty industry; at an early age she begged her mom to take her to the salon. She worked as a stylist in the Valley for a decade, taking classes with top industry leaders and working to build a clientele, all in pursuit of a business of her own. In the spring of 2017 she realized that dream, opening Rooted Salon with husband Brandon. It was important to the Quigneys that Rooted be a place where everyone felt at home; no detail was overlooked to create the cozy space. Katelyn also took good care selecting team members for the salon. While each stylist’s career started in a different way, they share a desire to provide outstanding customer service. “Our goal is for each guest to feel 100 percent welcome in our space and love their hair,” says Katelyn.
And guests really do love their hair, voting Rooted “Best Salon” in Lehigh Valley Style’s 2018 Best Of competition. As Katelyn explains it: “We pay close attention to small details and we feel that makes all the difference.”
A comprehensive menu of hair services includes single process color, balayage, highlights, DevaCurl haircuts, pixie haircuts and men’s cuts, as well as keratin smoothing treatments, threading and waxing services. Team members are up on all the latest trends for spring 2019 and extensively trained in Wella Professionals, Rooted’s preferred color line. The salon’s hair care products from R & Co. and Unite are cruelty-free, vegan and contain no gluten, parabens or sulfates.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: DANICA HONER, LEA BISHOP, JORDAN SANDOVAL, ELAINE GIERING, BRANDON QUIGNEY, MR. IKE, KATELYN QUIGNEY, ALI ALCOTT, ALLIE HAAS, JUILA DICKENSON
Retirement is a numbers game, and what matters today is not at what age someone plans to retire, but at what income. In this time of uncertainty, the right asset and wealth management advisor can make a big difference between holding your breath, hoping everything will be all right and knowing the financial future is secure.
The skilled professionals at Magellan Financial know how to navigate to a comfortable and stress-free retirement. The investment planning process focuses on a client’s investment goals: What is the future they envision? Using thorough, thoughtful,
risk-based strategies designed to support a client’s objectives, a clear picture of the path to financial freedom emerges. It’s a highly individualized and conservative approach, without compromise to one’s current or future lifestyle, and without taking unnecessary investment risk.
With more than 100 years of combined experience, a collaborative environment and focus on defining and achieving their clients’ objectives, the Magellan team works every day to provide a different approach to wealth management.
by Colin Coleman Photography
Photo
Valley fashionistas know a great pair of eyeglasses when they see one. “You got those at Blink,” they’ll say to someone wearing beautiful frames.
Optometrist Dr. Suzanne Hauck conceived Blink Optical Boutique a dozen years ago. She was at a crossroads: nearing 40, with a newborn son, reduced hours on the job and a desire to strike out on her own. As she tells it: “My husband and I lived on Chew Street and would walk our dog on the weekend to get coffee from Hava Java on 19th Street. The space next door was vacant on one of those walks and the rest is history!”
Blink offers complete eye care, specialty contact lens fittings, refractive surgery recommendations with post-op care and several eye glass options for progressive bifocals and blue light protection. Husband Jody runs the onsite optical finishing lab to ensure quality products. Together they make it easy for clients to shop for high-fashion European designer eyewear without traveling to New York or Philadelphia.
Personalized Outpatient Rehab
It is music to the ears of Judy and Dennis Dougherty when someone describes a session at Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s as “the best physical therapy experience I ever had.” They’re the husband and wife team behind the success of the clinics, having operated a multi-office private practice before they merged their vision and entrepreneurial spirit with the nationally recognized St. Luke’s University Health Network.
That partnership today is the area’s leading outpatient rehab network. The Doughertys oversee a staff of 240 therapists in 48 locations throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley. “We recognize how important it is for health care to be convenient,” says Judy.
Dennis and Judy also know the importance of hiring therapists who share their love for the profession. The staff they’ve assembled— which includes 50 board-certified and 22 advanced-certified
therapists—are committed to what they do and passionate about providing the highest quality, evidence-based treatment.
The St. Luke’s team includes physical, occupational and speech therapists who treat conditions related to orthopedic and athletic injuries, spine care, neurological disorders, pediatrics, pelvic health conditions, lymphedema and cancer-related conditions. Audiologists evaluate and treat patients with hearing issues. Restoring someone’s activity to what it was prior to injury is what matters most.
Patients never fail to recommend St. Luke’s to anyone looking for physical therapy. Services are available without a prescription and most health insurances cover treatment without a referral. If not, St. Luke’s can get the process started so recovery can begin.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: GIOVANNI STRACCO, PT, DPT, CMP, OCS, ACCI; LAURA ROTHERMEL, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT; SUSAN REAGAN, PT, MS, CLT; DENNIS DOUGHERTY, PT, CEO; JUDY DOUGHERTY, PT, JD, COO; MATTHEW JOHNSON, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS
Personal Training FORWARD THINKING FITNESS
Evan Howard is a man on a mission: to elevate the standards of personal training in the Lehigh Valley. Frustrated with sales tactics and lack of science behind programs, he opened Forward Thinking Fitness (FTF) in 2016 to restore innovation and integrity in the local gym scene.
Howard calls it the “anti-franchise gym.” With no contracts, joining fees or cancellation fees, FTF stands out in the crowded field of gyms. “No salespeople; just the most caring professionals you will ever meet,” he says. “Instead of worrying about how many clients we have, our ‘A-Team’ focuses on helping people reach their goals by assessing, educating and creating sound programming.” Clients often say a trip to FTF is the best part their day. “Our clients have home, work and our community. It’s really something special.”
The FTF approach comes from Howard’s background in physical therapy, where movement is the foundation of everything. They are known for their small group personal training (1-4 clients), but team training (5+ clients), nutritional counseling and meal prep services assist in that vision.
THE FACE OF Flowers, Plants & Gifts ROSS PLANTS & FLOWERS
Ross Plants & Flowers has delighted customers with exquisite flowers and unique gifts for 13 years. Since the beginning, owner Monica Yurconic-Groff’s goal has been to provide an exceptional experience to all who walk through the door. “From the flower arrangements we create with the customer’s likes and dislikes in mind, to the guidance on the gift chosen for a special friend, we will make every customer’s experience one they will remember,” she says.
This year, Ross Plants & Flowers added a second location in Allentown (formerly the Paisley Peacock Floral Studio). Both shops offer handcrafted floral arrangements and plants for every season in addition to gifts with a garden or inspirational theme that are guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face. It’s a peaceful oasis where everyone wants to linger. “Customers love the feeling they get when they walk in: the smells, how beautiful everything looks,” says Yurconic-Groff. “The environment in the shops and the work we create are a testament to our belief system: Flowers are power.”
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: DR. NICOLE WILLIAMS, NANCY GAVLICK, CARL BOSCIA, DR. PATRICK CORPORA, RUTH ROHRER, ROBIN REESE, TRACY RUTH, SHELLY BOBYAK, DR. JOHN P. BOSCIA, DEANA HALEK, DR. LORI BARTHOLOMEW AND AUSTIN PETERS. MISSING FROM PHOTO IS ANNE WENTZELL.
Seeing Eye 2 Eye at 2020 DR. JOHN P. BOSCIA
“We listen... you’ll see!” These are words to live by at the office of Dr. John P. Boscia.
2020 Sullivan Trail in Forks Township has been the “perfect location” for Dr. Boscia and his friendly staff to deliver professional, state-of-the-art eye care to the community for over 30 years. “Treat our patients as you would like to be treated,” has been Dr. Boscia’s mantra since 1987.
Forks Optical, the onsite optical boutique, touts personalized service. Optician Robin Reese has helped her clients find that “wow factor” for 30 years! Robin, with fellow opticians Nancy Gavlick and Ruth Rohrer, expertly guides patients through the process of finding the perfect frame, complementing both form and function. Engineer Carl Boscia performs as bench optician, edging spectacles to exact specifications. Well trained in spectacle design and measurement, the staff recently received recognition for their expertise in progressive lens fittings.
Dr. Boscia, joined by Dr. Lori Bartholomew, Dr. Patrick Corpora and Dr. Nicole Williams, offers comprehensive eye examinations in a technologically advanced optometric setting. The practice is progressive and medically modeled, evaluating for ocular disease, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and macular degeneration. Optometric technician Austin Peters assists the doctors with sophisticated ocular photography. Specialty contact lens fittings, including bifocals and astigmatic contacts, are routinely fit and coordinated by contact lens technician Anne Wentzell.
Rounding out the office staff are special projects coordinator Shelly Bobyak, billing specialist Deana Halek and receptionist Tracy Ruth, who, after 15 years, is on a first-name basis with many patients.
THE FACE OF
Exquisite Events BELL GATE FARM
A labor of love and legacy: that’s what Bell Gate Farm represents to owner Stephanie Stevens. When she inherited the property from her parents, she felt strongly that the 233-acre farm in Coopersburg should be preserved and shared with generations to come.
“Bell Gate Farm was always filled with the sounds of laughter from friends and family throughout the years,” says Stevens. Today, it’s her time to shine. An experienced events producer, Stevens has transformed her childhood home into a splendid meeting and celebrations venue.
The rustic barn includes two state-of-the-art spaces. Outside, the landscaped grounds include fragrant gardens, a pond, waterfall and woods. “You can have a cocktail hour at the pool, move dinner to the barn, and it feels like you’ve changed venues completely,” she says.
Stevens’ only rule: just one event per day. That way, guests are assured of getting every nook and cranny of Bell Gate Farm—and Stevens’ wholehearted attention—for themselves.
THE FACE OF
The Ultimate Ownership Experience
DANIELS BMW / MINI OF ALLENTOWN
Daniels BMW is one of the premier BMW dealerships in the country. Family owned and operated for over 50 years, their goal is to provide a luxury experience to every visitor in a comfortable and welcoming environment, no matter what the reason for the visit.
The philosophy at Daniels BMW is straightforward: “We preach that a client of Daniels BMW/MINI of Allentown is a part of our family,” says general manager Christian Carlson. “Everyone is expected to provide best-in-class customer service, and we do this by adhering to our core values of trust, honesty, integrity and respect.”
Providing The Ultimate Ownership Experience for The Ultimate Driving Machine ® wins awards for the dealership. Daniels received BMW’s highest achievement award—the BMW Center
of Excellence Award—a dozen times, more than any other BMW dealership in the U.S. This year both BMW and MINI won the Dealer Rater Dealer of the Year for Pennsylvania; MINI won the national award in that category, too.
President and owner Gary Daniels credits his 115 dedicated and talented employees for the recognition. “Our customers repeatedly tell us that their ownership experience, both sales and service, is the best automotive experience they have ever had,” he says. Services include complimentary BMW and MINI loaner vehicles, plus complimentary pick up and delivery for a door-to-door experience. Daniels will also come to a customer’s home or workplace to perform basic services and recall work. And they are pet-friendly.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: ANDREW BALIK, PREOWNED SALES MANAGER; BRIAN AMILL, FINANCE MANAGER; GARY DANIELS, PRESIDENT/OWNER; JOSEPH GRAZER, BMW SALES MANAGER; KEITH RENTSCHLER, MINI SALES MANAGER; CHRISTIAN CARLSON, GENERAL MANAGER
CARS SHOWN: BMW I8 ROADSTER, MINI COUNTRYMAN ALL4
A trip to The Yuronic Agency is a Lehigh Valley ritual. It’s where everyone goes for their driver’s license photo, to transfer a title or to buy insurance. This year, the iconic agency celebrates 50 years in business.
In 1969, founder John Yurconic Sr. was an insurance adjuster with two small children and another on the way when, seeing the success of the agencies he supported, he decided to strike out on his own. Twenty years later he hired his son, John T. Yurconic,
to continue providing products and services to their growing customer base.
Today, the agency serves 10,000 clients in 12 locations across the Greater Lehigh Valley and beyond. It’s a one-stop shop for an insurance policy to cover almost anything, and it can all be done in person, on the phone or by email. Each year, more than 100,000 people take advantage of their vehicle registration and driver’s license services. No matter the need, The Yurconic Agency’s got it covered.
by
Photo
Nick Judy
THE FACE OF Medical Weight Loss PHYSICIANS WEIGHT CONTROL
Physicians Weight Control (PWC) is Pennsylvania’s leading medical weight loss practice. Founded in 1987 by Dr. William Strowhouer, PWC’s goal is to provide top quality medical weight loss at an affordable price. Creating diets based on their clients’ needs and expectations, PWC has helped people lose over one million total pounds in 31 years!
Dr. Strowhouer’s motto is simple: “The diet that is right for you is the one that you can live with.” As physicians, PWC can cater a diet to a specific medical history, such as diabetes. Prescription medication and lipotropic B12 shots are other weight-loss tools.
Adding the Strawberry Laser Lipo inch-loss system to their repertoire of services allows patients to lose inches and pounds simultaneously. The 20-minute, pain-free treatment targets individual fat cells and uses the body’s natural process (lipolysis) to break them down, leaving the area noticeably slimmer. PWC’s senior certified laser technician, Marissa Duignam, personally coaches every client, assuring they’re not only successful with their inch-loss treatments but come away with tips for an overall healthier lifestyle.
One-Stop Financial Planning
As life happens, financial choices change. That is why it’s good to have a team like Valley National Financial Advisors (VNFA) on one’s side. They have been helping sort out the complexities in their clients’ financial lives since 1985.
Founded with a vision to be a one-stop resource for clients’ financial needs, VNFA maintains its status as an independent and local firm with a mission to help clients make the right financial choices that will allow them to pursue and achieve their lifelong goals and dreams.
Financial planning involves more than saving for retirement. VNFA clients have the peace of mind that their advisory team is considering their full financial picture, including tax planning,
and
and
VNFA clients can rely on their financial advisor and his/her personal service team to be by their side through life’s twists and turns. “Relationships are the foundation of our work,” says Matt Petrozelli, CEO. “Our team has the experience and knowledge to help navigate complex financial situations, but what makes us unique is that we have personal connections with our clients and their families.”
services. And all of
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: MATT PETROZELLI, CEO; MICHAEL IPPOLITI, CFP
; FRANK STETTNER, CPA, CFP
; RYAN MULHEARN, CIMA
; JACKIE CORNELIUS, EA, CFP
; ROD YOUNG, CPA/PFS, CFP ® ; TIM ROOF, CFP ® ; JESSICA GOEDTEL, CFP ® ; MIKE WARCH; THOMAS RIDDLE, CPA, CFP ® ; JOE GOLDFEDER, CFP ® ; LAURIE SIEBERT, CPA, CFP ®, AEP ®
Experience. Trust. Results. For thousands of people who have relied on Dr. Manny Iyer and his expert staff over the past 25 years, these words say it all. Whether considering a minor cosmetic procedure like injectable fillers, UltraShape Power, VelaShape III, or more extensive procedures like breast augmentation, breast reconstruction, tummy tuck or a face lift, no one takes patients through the process with more understanding. As a board-certified
plastic surgeon, Dr. Iyer is also an expert in hand surgeries, including carpal tunnel and trigger finger.
Dr. Iyer is known for his unique approach and instinctive eye. His expertise in surgery is matched only by the caring professionalism of the Iyer Plastic Surgery staff. From the first contact to the final follow-up, the staff is completely dedicated to patient satisfaction and can answer any question with confidence and discretion.
THE FACE OF Academics, Values & Faith
ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER SCHOOL
St. Joseph the Worker School (SJTW) is an esteemed educational facility providing a quality education in a faith-filled environment. The school has welcomed children from a wide range of ethnicities, backgrounds, cultures and faiths since its doors opened in 1997.
Academics, values, faith and service are the focus at SJTW.
Students from early childhood and kindergarten through eighth grade are encouraged academically by wonderful educators and compassionate staff, and supported spiritually and emotionally by caring teachers and administrators who strive to see each child succeed. When teachers believe students can and will succeed, success is inevitable!
Parents are an integral part of that success; volunteering is encouraged, as is taking advantage of opportunities offered during the year to join their kids at school. All of the children of school leaders have attended or are currently attending SJTW. It’s very much a family-oriented facility.
An early childhood program includes several classes of preschool and prekindergarten (with half-day and full-day options) as well as junior kindergarten. Extended care is also available. Success starts here.
THE FACE OF Oral Surgery
ST. LUKE’S OMS
St. Luke’s OMS takes pride in giving patients their smiles back. With offices in five locations and the largest range of oral surgery services in the Lehigh Valley, they are able to reach anyone in need of oral surgery.
Dr. Wayne Saunders founded the practice in 2002 to offer high quality and affordable oral surgery care locally, and that oneman practice has since grown to 12 doctors. St. Luke’s OMS is especially proud to be the first and only oral surgery practice in the Lehigh Valley with three female oral surgeons.
Not only are St. Luke’s OMS doctors highly qualified, the entire experience is designed to be as convenient as possible for patients. Having multiple doctors and locations allows for flexibility
in scheduling and no one has to make a long-distance drive for treatment. Offices are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday appointments are available. St. Luke’s OMS always makes it a priority to be there for patients.
Services include dental implants, full mouth restoration including Trefoil and All-on-4 treatments, wisdom teeth removal, bone and gum grafting, TMJ, jaw surgery and sleep apnea. The doctors are also on staff and on call for facial trauma needs at St. Luke’s University Health Network.
Oral surgery can be daunting for patients. Knowing that, the St. Luke’s OMS doctors and staff do their best to provide a positive experience in a warm and welcoming environment.
PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: BRETT GELLER, DMD; VERONICA BARRETO, DMD; MIHAI RADULESCU, DMD; ASSABI ISAAC, DDS; WAYNE SAUNDERS, DMD; DANIEL LADER, DMD; MICHAEL FEDELE, DMD; RHONDA ROHLOFF, DMD; DOMINIC RACHIELE, DMD; KARL MALONEY, DMD; JOSEPH ARNONE, DMD
Elizabeth Snyder began her career as a sales agent for a very large health insurance company. Quickly disillusioned with their questionable ethics and tired of returning home too many nights in tears, she vowed to build her own business based on honesty and trustworthiness.
That business, Main Street Financial Partners, opened its doors in 2009, with the goal of becoming the foremost client-oriented senior insurance and financial services firm in Eastern Pennsylvania. Today, with over 10,000 clients, Snyder represents every major
insurance carrier, and Main Street Financial Partners is the number one agency specializing in Medicare, long-term health care, and life insurance products, while also offering financial planning and services from three of the country’s top Fortune 500 companies.
Snyder makes sure everyone walking through the door has a clear understanding of their choices and leaves with a product that best fits their situation and budget. She says: “We build personal relationships with each of our clients, believing they are more than just numbers to be archived away in filing cabinets.”
Rittenhouse Village is a godsend to many families. Its resort-style, personal care residences offer senior loved ones a graceful setting to get needed assistance with daily living activities. It’s a community where they can be healthier, safer—even happier.
“Everyone here shares a dedication to improving the lives of residents and their families in every way,” says Executive Director Doug Cressman. Rittenhouse Village invests in top-of-the-line technologies that increase everyone’s safety and security. They also take time to foster relationships with family members, who rest easier knowing their loved ones receive a higher level of support around the clock.
A full activities calendar provides opportunities for socialization and recreation. Chef-prepared meals in the Sensations dining room are healthy and delicious; the menu includes international cuisines and homemade favorites. The SHINE Memory Care program is a new initiative for residents challenged with dementia. Things are always evolving at Rittenhouse Village—even their aesthetic. The community just unveiled a complete designer remodel in March.
Compassionate
Gardner Law Office provides compassionate legal representation in the area of family law. Founded in 2005 by Linda Shay Gardner, Esq., the firm has grown to three lawyers and a staff of four who focus on custody, divorce, support obligations, adoption, estate planning and related issues.
The firm is known for its blend of professional services and humanity when representing clients. “Family matters are among the most sensitive in the judicial system, and clients need help in being guided through the system,” says Gardner. She and her
associates, Hilary Mack, Esq., and Mark Stanziola, Esq., are there to explain the proceedings and to prepare clients—most of whom have never been in court before—on what to expect when appearing in court or settling their cases.
The attorneys share their unique talents outside the office. Attorney Gardner has worked or advised on approximately 300 Hague Convention or other family abduction cases. Attorney Stanziola, a long-time LGBT activist, regularly offers his LGBT legal services to the community.
THE FACE OF Kindness
KHINEDER CREATIONS
Khineder Creations is a little shop in Emmaus with a big mission. Founder Khine Zaw hopes the handmade soaps, skin and hair-care products she sells will encourage more people to appreciate the benefits of chemical-free living and use organic and all-natural products.
But that’s only half the story. Zaw—a Burmese immigrant who worked as a humanitarian worker and researcher before coming to the U.S. five years ago—gives hope to local survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking by providing them with job
opportunities: training them how to make beauty products and then selling their handiwork in her store. “It is one of the company’s main purposes to make quality products that reflect the pride and joy of the moms and survivors,” she says.
Khineder’s formulations are based on traditional Burmese cooking recipes to heal skin. Customers feel the difference when using the healthier ingredients, and their glowing reviews reflect their healthy glowing complexions.
appoint
Anyone looking for a salon experience and not just an appointment is sure to find the personalized pampering they desire at Hello Beautiful Salon & Boutique. The goal of this welcoming salon is that every guest leaves feeling beautiful.
Owner Lindsey Titone grew up in the world of beauty, sweeping hair and washing perm rods in her neighbor’s salon. After 18 years in the industry, she opened Hello Beautiful in fall 2017. The Allentown salon has since become a popular destination for expert hair color, cutting and styling.
“From a gloss to enhance your natural color to more specialized color trends, we design the best road map for your color service,” says Titone. Not only do guests get the color they want, their hair’s integrity is maintained—the salon’s color line (Oligo Professional) and products (R & Co.) are tress-friendly. What’s more, stylist Kate is also a licensed barber and is on trend with all male hair styles. Guests can also shop the boutique for the perfect (and affordable) new outfit.
The Zealot Chef Restaurateur THE MINT GASTROPUB
“I chose the word ‘zealot’ because nobody believed I would ever make it,” says Domenico “Mimmo” Lombardo, restaurateur behind theMint Gastropub, which celebrates eight years in business. The naysayers said that using alternative ingredients was a mistake, that making frequent menu changes would cause him to fail. It was up to him and only him to believe in himself.
“Every day, week, month, year, I still fight against the norm, the monotone tide of complacency and acceptance.” Lombardo delights in shaking up the culinary status quo, deconstructing classic
household recipes and reassembling them using modern technique, technical know-how and a measure of whimsy. He bridges the gap between fine dining and a sports bar with a distinctively chill atmosphere and great music selection. Craft beers, esoteric wines and classic cocktails refreshed with new world applications all add to the experience.
Thanks to Lombardo, theMINT is always changing, always evolving. Customers never know what they’re going to get, but they know it’s going to be amazing.
THE FACE OF
THE FACE OF Cosmetic Dentistry KEYSTONE DENTISTRY
Dr. Fayez Baki gives his patients a reason to smile. He and his talented staff at Keystone Dentistry deliver world-class cosmetic dentistry right here in the Lehigh Valley. Services include smile makeovers utilizing porcelain veneers and crowns as well as teeth whitening, tooth-colored restorations and Invisalign.
The practice is state of the art. Dr. Baki is one of a few select dentists with advanced training in Digital Smile Design. “Designing a smile is part art and part science,” he explains. The science includes a detailed analysis of a patient’s facial features and then utilizes the latest technology to digitally balance and reposition the teeth. His artistic skills are implemented to design a smile that complements those facial features. Patients get to visualize and temporarily “wear” their new smile before any permanent modifications are made.
To achieve a very natural-looking result, Dr. Baki entrusts his dental ceramic artist to replicate with porcelain the finest nuances found in natural teeth. An on-site photography studio captures the entire process from start to finish.
“We do not just fix teeth,” he says. “We build a custom smile that restores balance and symmetry to the entire face.” A smile as unique as the person who wears it.
Helping patients look, function and feel their best is the goal at St. Luke’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Whether it’s restoring what injury or illness took away, correcting a birth defect or minimizing the effects of age, the skilled physicians and staff are committed to delivering the results their patients desire.
Once regarded as something only for the rich and famous, the stigma associated with plastic surgery has decreased as more people of all ages and backgrounds find the procedures attainable and desirable. “Chances are you have a friend or family member who had plastic or reconstructive surgery,” says practice administrator Crystal Corredera.
Reconstructive surgeries, often required after cancer or trauma, help to improve health and function. St. Luke’s cosmetic surgeries include breast enhancement, abdominoplasty and face and eye lifts. For those not ready for surgery, laser and non-invasive treatments performed by the medical aesthetician are available.
The connection between body image and self-esteem is well established, and St. Luke’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery aims to restore that sense of confidence in every patient.
Eat, drink, see a band, play a game, throw an axe, climb a rock wall: all this and more await fun-loving guests at GameChangerWorld.
The state-of-the-art entertainment complex opened in May 2017 on the site of the former Rascals in Allentown. Owner John D’Esposito hopes it will soon rival Dave and Busters. “We are taking entertainment and gaming into the future,” he says.
The 20,000-square-foot facility has something for all ages, including over 70 arcade games, mechanical bull, hatchet throwing (they supply the axes and a safe place to throw), bouncy houses,
half-court basketball and the three-story Mount Rockmore for climbing. Comfort foods such as burgers, wings, sandwiches, pizza and every kind of potato imaginable are featured at Taters Half Baked, the full-service restaurant.
D’Esposito, a former concert promoter who developed and signed acts including the Jonas Brothers and Dane Cook, lines up the live weekly entertainment with a focus on new and emerging artists. The facility is also available for private parties.
THE FACE OF Life Coaching CHRISTINE MEYER COACHING
Christine Meyer offers uniquely tailored, one-on-one coaching that empowers clients and shows them how to create a life, business, relationship—or anything that’s important to them—in a way they can enjoy, orchestrate and feel excited about.
Christine’s coaching addresses every aspect of one’s life. “I don’t follow a blueprint or process that tries to box your progress into a program. My work is collaborative and continually invites you to
take charge and ownership of your thoughts, emotions, choices, beliefs and outcomes,” she says.
The concepts and skills that Christine teaches are universal and consistent; therefore, through the process of coaching, clients learn to apply them in their lives. The thing she hears most from her clients is: “You’ve changed my life!”
THE
FACE OF
Latin-Inspired Foods
DON JUAN MEX GRILL
Juan and Melanie Martinez are living the American dream. In 2010 they decided to start a restaurant business, in the midst of the financial crisis. Juan explains: “We thought if we can make it work when the economy was bad, we might have a good opportunity to succeed long term.”
Something clicked, and what was one Don Juan Mex Grill in 2011 has increased to five locations across the Valley. Whether it’s Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday or any random day, a growing
number of hungry diners are searching for flavorful, Latin-inspired food, and Don Juan fills that need.
Arriving in the U.S. from the Dominican Republic at the tender age of 16, Juan’s Caribbean roots inspired his restaurants’ authentic cuisine. He credits his business success to the generosity of the American people for help in realizing a dream. In that spirit, Don Juan Mex Grill awards annual scholarships to outstanding high school students in the community. It’s his way of paying it forward.
Bethlehem Smiles’ name says it all. The dental practice of Drs. Michael J. Parsons and Jacquline Owens is a comfortable place to visit, where everyone is made to feel like part of the family. Word on the street is they’re the friendliest office in town—quite a compliment given how much people dislike trips to the dentist. Patients of all ages have enjoyed the services at Bethlehem Smiles for almost 40 years, from routine preventative care to full smile makeovers, with everything in between. Both dentists
are specialists in cosmetic restorations, such as veneers, implant crowns, Invisalign, ZOOM! whitening and porcelain crowns.
It’s no surprise that both Dr. Parsons and Dr. Owens are familyoriented people. Dr. Parsons lives in Bethlehem Township with his wife, Janet, and their two sons. Dr. Owens, her husband, Mike, and their two boys reside in Coopersburg. Both are active volunteers for the Lehigh Valley Dental Residency Program and spend their free time coaching their children’s sports teams.
Finding a great reproductive endocrinologist is the first step to beating infertility. Fortunately, those in the Lehigh Valley who struggle to become pregnant need look no further than Cedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown.
For over a decade, Reproductive Medicine Associates of Pennsylvania (RMAPA) has brought the latest research and patientcentered fertility care practices to the community. In that time, RMAPA has helped bring hundreds of babies to loving parents. It’s that record of success that has made RMAPA one of the largest and most experienced centers for infertility in the area.
Dr. Wendy J. Schillings and Dr. Ndeye-Aicha Gueye treat all their patients with compassion and invest in their care. Dr. Gueye recalls a recent visit by one couple who, having endured months and months of testing and treatment, finally saw their baby’s heart beating on the ultrasound. “It was a very exciting and emotional time and I could feel all of us exhale in the room.”
It’s moments like these that the team at RMAPA looks forward to the most.
The McLean Team of Steel Valley Investment Group of Raymond James takes pride in treating clients like family because they are family founded. Jim McLean began the team in 1982, partnering with daughter Kelly McLean Rindock in 2007. Client service associate Christy Lukity joined in 2011 and the newest member, financial advisor Melissa Galm, came on board two years ago.
It’s a tight-knit group whose shared goal is delivering the highest level of financial guidance and personal, attentive service. They do this not with just investment advice, but with a 360-degree look at a client’s life, goals, desires and the beliefs that guide their financial choices. “Financial decisions cannot be made in a vacuum,” says Kelly. “They need context, clarity and long-term perspective from someone who understands your unique situation.”
Team McLean specializes in working with small business owners and those preparing to retire. No matter the financial situation, clients are always made to feel comfortably at home.
Christina M. Lawrence, DMD, makes it her business to know every patient on a personal basis. This year she celebrates 20 years in the Lehigh Valley, where she brings small-town values to her busy dental practice. “I’ve always tried to keep things neighborly,” she says, “and provide excellent customer care in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.”
Dr. Lawrence and her team know all the state-of-the-art techniques and products, but never fail to educate patients on the basics of good oral hygiene. “I cannot stress enough the importance
of the mouth’s role in overall health,” she says. Forgetting to brush and floss leads to more than cavities: oral infections can have serious consequences, including cardiovascular disease, worsening of diabetes symptoms, preterm labor—even dementia. On the flip side, the mouth is the body’s early warning system: It’s where signs of systemic illnesses such as diabetes first appear. Dr. Lawrence is her patients’ ally in the defense of illness. And she will advise everyone to straighten up: Poor posture can lead to oral pain!
Photo courtesy of Christina M. Lawrence, DMD
FOOT DOCTOR, LLC
THE FACE OF Pain-Free Feet THAT
“Thank you for giving me my life back,” is something Dr. Michelle McCarroll hears a lot in her podiatry practice. Happy, healthy feet are essential to enjoying life to its fullest, but they’re too often neglected until something starts to hurt.
Dr. McCarroll chose podiatry because she can provide immediate pain relief to patients. No one has time to be off of their feet, which is why Dr. McCarroll works diligently to get her patients back to their daily activities. Patients never feel rushed because she takes the time to address every concern. Accordingly, the atmosphere in her Allentown office is warm and inviting.
That Foot Doctor offers custom orthotics, permanent correction of ingrown toenails, Vionic footwear and a nail fungus treatment program that works. Nonsurgical treatment options are available. Dr. McCarroll uses meticulous surgical techniques so that patients have little to no pain after undergoing foot surgery. Her genuine concern for patients is why many feel as though they just want to give her a hug!
1251 S. Cedar Crest Blvd.
Suite 301
Allentown
610.841.3535
thatfootdoctor.com
THE FACE OF
Quality Visual Content QUEEN CITY STUDIO
Andrew Tomasino has traveled the world in his work as a photographer and director, producing professional photo shoots and films for major brands in far-away locations including Europe, China, Dubai and Cuba. But after a decade of working for the world’s top photographers, he broke away to start his own business in the Lehigh Valley.
At his Queen City Studio in Allentown, Tomasino seeks to raise the bar in what businesses in the region can expect when it comes
to the quality of visual content in their marketing and advertising. From magazine covers to large commercial projects to headshots and video production, he approaches every assignment with the meticulous craftsmanship that has become his trademark. “At Queen City Studio, we embrace learning something new from our clients with every project,” Tomasino says. Clients, in turn, appreciate the amount of technical skill and care that goes into professional image making.
FACE OF
Anyone driving west on Old Route 22 to where a grand stone villa rises from a vineyard may think they’re in Tuscany. But this is Kutztown and the villa is Folino Estate Winery.
Seven years ago, Andrea and Marco Folino learned of a married couple that started their own winery, and decided to try it themselves. What they created was more than a winery; it was something completely new to the area—a destination for great wine and Italian-inspired food.
From a world-class tasting room to the from-scratch restaurant, Folino has an experience for everyone. Guests enjoy live music on
Sunday, romantic vineyard picnics, bocce ball, seasonal festivals, workshops, tours and the perfect backdrop to watch sunsets. The location is also ideal for weddings, showers or special events.
“We aim to create an unparalleled experience at Folino Estate and pride ourselves on being an escape from the stress of everyday life,” says Andrea. “We invite you to pull up a seat at our table, set your cares aside and make lasting memories with friends and family over a great bottle of wine.”
NEW LIFE in the Lehigh Valley
BY DAISY WILLIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON
Read Why 3 Young Couples Moved Here
Some have been paying attention, but for others, the Lehigh Valley’s comeback (from something like the washed-up, jilted ex of expired industries like Bethlehem Steel to a network of thriving, reinvented communities) hasn’t fully registered. Of course, the proximity to New York and Philadelphia is an obvious plus, but looking inward, years of hard work to build up the ABE area has borne nutritious fruit. Modern improvements dovetail with lovingly maintained or restored historical features and traditions, increasing demographic and social diversity invigorates the community and downtowns are balanced by beautiful park systems and easy access to Pennsylvania’s forested mountains and tree-lined rivers. Those outside the lovely Lehigh Valley hardly know it exists, while those inside might take it for granted. For a fresh perspective, these Valley transplants share their impressions since making the area their home.
Krishan & Manasa
Living in Washington, D.C., Krishan Thakker and Manasa Kamineni were confirmed city people before moving to the Lehigh Valley last year. When Krishan took a position in the legal department at Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. at the end of 2017, the couple began their search for their home in the Valley. Krishan looked forward to life with a definitive commute instead of the boundary-blurring, seven-minute walk to work, while Manasa, working from home for a start-up, had reservations about how much life would slow down.
“We didn’t know much about the area,” Manasa says, “but we fell in love with it.”
The history and architecture of historic Bethlehem, where the couple lives just a short walk from Main Street, charmed them right away. “It was the first neighborhood we stayed at,” Krishan says, “and I thought, this doesn’t feel suburban or rural. It’s like a neighborhood of New York or D.C.” It also reminds him, originally from London, of an English town, and provides the tastes of home at McCarthy’s Red Stag where British biscuits and beer are sold.
In the early days, when the two didn’t know anyone yet, the friendly owners of Tre Scalini took them in with warm hospitality and delicious pasta. Now the streets of Bethlehem are full of chance encounters with neighbors and business owners they know by name. Krishan and Manasa like to stock their bar with locally crafted beer and liquor from Bonn Place and Social Still, and pick up cheese at Kavva’s Polish Market, run by the same family that produced Krishan’s barber at Steel District.
Whether it’s flitting to Morocco over the holidays or to dance classes in the Dominican Republic, they love to travel spontaneously,
seeking out authentic experiences, and that’s balanced with a zest for more domestic activities like hosting a book club or taking piano lessons. As a home base, the Valley offers fun, comfort and an international airport that continues to add new routes!
The proximity of major metropolises is an obvious plus for Valley denizens, but Manasa and Krishan also love the access to Bethlehem’s neighboring cities. Their historic home was built in 1755, so their taste for industrial modern décor had to be tweaked. “We went to all the antique stores in Easton,” Manasa says, “because there are so many and they’re so good.” Easton’s vibrant downtown quickly became a favorite stomping ground.
The Lehigh Valley is also small enough to allow the average person a say in local civics. In D.C., unless you’re part of the political bubble, it’s next to impossible to feel involved. Here, Manasa joined a friend at a reelection campaign happy hour and met the mayor of Bethlehem. “In D.C., you just don’t have that kind of access. Here, certain things seem more conquerable, and I love that,” she says.
Their skeptical city friends have visited and become converts, calling the Valley a “hidden gem.” Whether it’s the mayhem of Musikfest, the storybook colors of fall or the snow globe quality of Christmastime, Bethlehem is beautiful, and always offering new things. On the agenda: hiking, learning to ski and exploring local theater.
Their young Siberian husky, Rex, also loves going on walks in historic Bethlehem, and has brought their family a sense of stability and responsibility to temper younger, more carefree days in D.C.
Their Wish List:
When it comes to young people enjoying and investing in the Lehigh Valley, the attitude is: the more the merrier. Clue them in and keep them coming.
Nic & Megan
Megan Braemore and Nic Fulton live in a brand-new apartment building in Downtown Allentown, in a high-ceilinged, window-walled space overlooking the busy office buildings of the city. Though Nic grew up in Allentown and Megan in Nazareth, the two haven’t lived here for the past 15 years, so the Lehigh Valley they returned to last year was almost unrecognizable.
Megan was a high-end wedding photographer in Boston, while Nic made his way to Southern California by way of a two-year stint in Thailand, teaching scuba diving. Visiting family for Christmas one year, the two linked up on Tinder and were amazed at how gratifying it was to have shared history. “You don’t meet people in San Diego who
know what the Great Allentown Fair is,” Nic says.
The two work from home:
Nic is North American Sales Director for a Swedish acoustical plaster company, while Megan is a doula and yoga instructor. She recently trained in myofascial release therapy, a kind of self-massage she can tutor clients in to help work out tight muscles. It feels amazing.
“My first job was at Easton Yoga when I was 15 years old,” Megan says. “I didn’t even know what an avocado was. I remember people being like, ‘Yoga? What are you doing? That must be a cult.’”
Now, the Valley offers activities like barre and Muay Thai, and is more than welcoming to yoga expertise or Nic’s specialties: samurai sword, jiu-jitsu and
aikido, which he offers lessons in locally. They came back to be close to family, but have found fertile ground to grow professionally.
Cost of living had been exorbitant in San Diego, and even though they loved scuba diving with sea lions and octopi and bopping down to Tijuana, they found clearer water in Bethlehem’s spring-fed Dutch Springs. “They have buses, boats, trains, planes; all sorts of things are sunken, and they’re all dive-friendly,” Nic says. “You can swim through a school bus.”
The lush green of summer in Pennsylvania was a welcome change from ocean and desert terrain. “It was almost overwhelming,” Nic says, “driving down 78 with green everywhere, assaulting you with its beauty.”
Socially, too, they say Allentown is refreshingly earnest. “Everyone’s excited to be here,” Megan says. In their parents’
generation, people seemed bent on leaving the city for a suburban lifestyle with the corporate homogeneity of the mall as their shopping hub. Now, many young people are more interested in supporting locally owned businesses they can walk to.
Organic everything feels like the default in California, and that’s tough for a foodie to leave behind for an area where that’s harder to find. Their freezer is stocked with grass-fed meats from Hershberger’s in Sellersville and their apartment building is served by Local Food Market LV, an enterprise delivering fare from local farms ordered online.
With restaurants like The Dime—“on the record, best cheeseburger in the Lehigh Valley,” says Megan—or Nic’s favorite menswear store, assembly88, Allentown is providing its people with the modern lifestyle that young professionals want, and keeping traditions like the Amish breakfast at the Farmers’ Market that takes Megan back to her childhood.
“We want to invest in Downtown Allentown,” Megan says. “People have taken so much initiative already—you just have to plug into it.”
Learn About
LINC
Moving to a new town is never easy, especially for someone with a family and its attendant needs. For those employed by LINC’s clients, though, there’s a welcome wagon to ease the transition. Started in May of 2015, Lehigh Valley Inter-Regional Networking & Connecting Consortium (LINC) steps in for businesses who’ve hired in from out of town and helps connect those hires with the resources to start building a life here.
More than half of LINC’s clients are moving here with a partner, and 25 percent of those partners are also looking for work, so the Partner Career Services program strives to make sure that partner can settle in,
too. With LINC’s help, these folks are finding jobs 39 percent faster than the national average. Social and professional networking is also facilitated through LINC, whether it be casual introductions or fun events.
From 38 clients in its first year, LINC grew to work with 128 in 2018, and doubled its stable of volunteer ambassadors from 10 or 15 to 30 people ready to show a new face or family the ropes.
From imparting the definition and function of a Wawa, to finding a language tutor, to pinpointing the best store for a certain ingredient, LINC takes the wide-eyed wandering out of relocation to make sure these much-needed skilled workers and their families feel good about coming to the Lehigh Valley—and staying.
484.719.0017 | linc-lv.com
Their Wish List:
Every downtown is a bit of a food desert, its denizens crying out for a grocery store. The ideal: hubs for local and organic groceries, like the long-awaited Bethlehem Food Co-Op.
Learn About the LVEDC
The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) is devoted to recruiting employers to the area as well as helping existing businesses grow. Their research tells a story of healthy expansion, and it’s fueling a new marketing campaign to help get the word out.
Only 18 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties grew in population since the 2010 census, and two of those 18 were Lehigh and Northampton counties. Lehigh County grew almost 5 percent in a seven-year period, making it the third fastest-growing in the state. It’s also third highest in net migration, a measure of how many people are moving in versus out.
In the last five years, 26,000 Valley jobs were added. Our most popular industries: health care, manufacturing, distribution and e-commerce. In a survey of more than 300 Valley employers last year, 89 percent told the LVEDC that they planned to hire in the next 12 months, and they’re counting on skilled workers to make their businesses successful. Even more than operating costs, this is the factor determining where companies choose to locate.
With that in mind, LVEDC tracks one age group in particular, the highly employable 18-to-34s that make up most of an active workforce. The Lehigh Valley trends young with around 30 percent in that age range, compared to Pennsylvania’s 22 percent average. That group has increased in the Lehigh Valley by 5.1 percent in the last five years, but LVEDC’s research shows that prime working-age people (21–49) from other places know almost nothing about the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area.
A new marketing campaign from LVEDC is targeting this obliviousness, sharing the stories of companies and residents of the Lehigh Valley far and wide to increase awareness of what it’s like to live and work here. “Made Possible in Lehigh Valley” uses data and analysis from both inside and outside the region to paint a clear and enticing picture of the opportunity and effort making the Lehigh Valley such a great place to live.
610.266.6775 | lehighvalley.org
Michael & Margaret
Michael and Margaret Renneisen were living in Margaret’s native northern Louisiana before moving to Allentown three years ago. For Michael, it was a return to his home state. He grew up in Media, just an hour and a half away, but whether from a Philly suburb or the Deep South, neither came in knowing much at all about the Lehigh Valley.
Shreveport, where Margaret had attended medical school while Michael worked as a lawyer, is a much hotter, flatter place, and the two were excited to be migrating north. Michael moved up ahead of Margaret and bought a house within sight of the Allentown Farmers’ Market, knowing his wife would approve of the well-maintained old brick house and its cozy radiators.
“When I arranged to meet the realtor over at the Farmers’ Market, I wasn’t expecting much,” Michael says. “I had been to a lot of farmers’ markets where it’s literally a truck or two, some tables and a couple heads of lettuce.”
Little did he know that the soft pretzels he’d loved growing up and had even shipped from Philadelphia to the pretzel desert of Louisiana were now right on his doorstep, along with a panoply of treats. “It reminds me of Reading Terminal Market. It’s great. They have every form of pretzel you can imagine, and I definitely take advantage of every one.”
Shreveport does boast an annual Mudbug Madness Festival celebrating the noble crayfish, but the Valley appears to bristle with festivals and events almost without pause. In their first year here, they tried to hit all the big festivals. “It was like being in heaven,” Michael says.
You’ve heard of “Southern hospitality”? Margaret had heard the opposite about cold Northerners reluctant to give one another so much as the time of day. “I was really shocked, when we moved here, how friendly people are. They’re just very welcoming, which was a nice and unexpected thing to run into.
“It’s nice to have access to music and be able to get out of the house, hang out somewhere with people to meet,” she adds. Her residency at Lehigh Valley Hospital will finally wrap up this summer, setting her free to relearn the art of leisure. “The last couple of years, I’ve had so little time to do anything besides work, it’s hard to remember what I like to do!”
Starting from scratch in a new place, Michael was enjoying so much immigration work at South Bethlehem’s Hispanic Center that he decided to open his own practice. Lehigh Immigration has been a terrific success since 2017, though the current administration continues to make Michael’s job harder. “Every month I’d say it can’t get any worse, and then it does.” But compared to the divisive nature of litigation, practicing immigration law is a much more rewarding side to be on.
Michael’s father called it, back when they were looking at houses together: “You know, you might want to settle down here.” Three years on and their family includes not only a small dog, Eden (fluffy, brazen and one-eyed), but an adventurous baby girl, Joanna. When Margaret’s schedule relaxes, a renaissance of exploration will begin for the whole family.
Their Wish List:
Why can’t we have a train that runs to New York City and Philadelphia? Oh, reasons? OK. But a train would be amazing!
“When I got my first computer, I was the kid that downloaded every virus and then tried to fix it.”
VAL AR Z UNIAN
DAVID BOUGARD
DAVID P U LSIFER
3 Local Entrepreneurial Endeavors and the behind them
By Amy Unger | Photography by Marco Calderon
They’re thinkers, dreamers and doers: local go-getters who saw a need and turned it into an opportunity for innovation. Now, meet some of the Lehigh Valley minds behind the latest and greatest products meant to inform and entertain.
UBMe BRAINS
An app designed to bring people together actually began as a tool to aid in the art of avoidance.
Creator Val Arzunian says the seed for UBMe was planted after he and his then-girlfriend decided to go their separate ways. “We kept running into each other,” he explains. “It was awkward. That’s what got me thinking it would be great if there was a piece of technology to tell me where people are.”
Rather than wait for the app stores to catch up, Arzunian got to work. “It was me at home in my room for about two and a half to three years building it,” he recalls.
Although Arzunian was starting from scratch, the New Jersey native had the drive, know-how and curiosity to make it happen. “When I got my first computer, I was the kid that downloaded every virus and then tried to fix it,” he says. In 2013, several years after he moved to the Lehigh Valley, he started the online marketing company Social Horizon, which he still operates today. Prior to that, he founded an online food delivery business (think Grubhub before there was Grubhub). Finally, UBMe launched in August of 2017. And, as Arzunian explains it, the finished
product ended up being much more than a means to bypass encounters with an ex.
“It’s an app that lets you see what’s happening around you, and connect with the people who are out there.” It’s also hyper-local, and, according to Arzunian, fills a void left by popular social media sites like Facebook.
“You see what’s happening globally, but you don’t know what’s happening around you,” he says. So how does it work? A user checks in at a local destination—anything from a bar to a sporting event to a college campus— and then can immediately join a live chat with others who are at the same place. They can also read reviews, find events and make connections with potential love interests by exchanging information through the app— meaning no more phone numbers scribbled down on cocktail napkins.
Businesses can use UBMe to connect with customers and interact with them in real time. The advantage for those businesses, Arzunian says, is that any particular post they make will be seen by all UBMe users
within a 15-mile radius, and not just by their followers. UBMe also offers dozens of local, exclusive deals on everything from a case of wine to a fitness class.
Although it’s based in South Bethlehem and prides itself on digging into the local flavor that separates one neighborhood from the next, the team behind UBMe, which also includes David Pulsifer, who joined the company as a co-founder in November of 2017, is looking at the bigger picture. “Our app is and can be used everywhere,” Arzunian says. UBMe has about 20,000 users; only about 2,000 of them are based in the Lehigh Valley. In the future, the company is looking to expand its foothold in Philadelphia and then move on to other cities: Pittsburgh, Boston and New York are all possibilities. Still, there’s no rush. The UBMe crew wants to take it slow and do it right, says Arzunian. “We try to build up one community at a time.”
UBMe has about 20,000 users... 2,000 of them are based in the Lehigh Valley.
Carenade Health
Jordan Kapper and his wife, Rebecca Bradford, are seeking to put the “care” back in health care.
They’re the founders of Carenade Health, an online marketplace for in-home health services. Kapper, an ER doctor for St. Luke’s Hospital, says he’ll often encounter elderly patients and caregivers who are either overwhelmed by the complexities of the choices they have to make, or have no backup plan, should they no longer be able to care for themselves or a loved one. “You bring it up, and people just gush,” he says. “It’s really hard navigating this industry.”
non-medical assistance to sorting through the intricacies of health insurance coverage. “We want to get them the best care and the most care [for their money],” Bradford says. And the website’s “share the care” feature allows users to crowdsource contributions to reduce financial hardship. “You can share grandma’s account with the rest of the family and friends, and everyone can chip in,” says Kapper.
“I understand what it’s like to have a family member be sick and need care. It’s really stressful and it’s hard.”
Carenade allows users to compare prices and read reviews all in one place in order to find the home health-care provider who best meets their needs. “We basically hold the family’s hand from start to finish,” says Bradford, former marketing director of At Home Certified Senior Healthcare. But it’s not just about comparison shopping Carenade also aims to educate users on everything from understanding the difference between medical and
Beyond the Carenade website, users also have the option of calling one of the company’s care coordinators, meaning, yes, it’s possible to speak to an actual human being—perhaps even Kapper and Bradford themselves, who sometimes work the phones, or even make house calls. “I love visiting our clients,” says Bradford. “I understand what it’s like to have a family member be sick and need care. It’s really stressful and it’s hard.”
Based in Bethlehem, Carenade launched in December of 2018, and, although the bulk of its clients are in the Lehigh Valley, it appears that word is spreading fast about its unique approach to tackling the challenges of finding home health care. “We’re growing
faster than we thought we’d be,” Kapper says. According to Bradford, they’ve received calls from information seekers around the country; if they get a call from a market they’re not familiar with, the Carenade team will be happy to put in the time and do the legwork. “It will save [the client] a great deal of headache,” she says. “No one else can find home care like we can,” Kapper adds. Both Bradford and Kapper speak with passion about their shared mission of transforming this one particular facet of the health care industry, and about their dedication to the cause and to each other.
Of Bradford, Kapper says: “She's always pushing me to the next level.” Jokes Bradford: “I tell [Kapper], he’s like the Elon Musk of the home health-care industry. If he has the ability to make great changes, that’s his goal here on earth.” An itch to help others is something Kapper says was imprinted on his brain back in medical school. “It’s not just health,” he says, “it’s health care. You have to get out there yourself and fight the fights, and change health care for the better yourself.”
“I tell [Kapper], he’s like the Elon Musk of the home health-care industry. If he has the ability to make great changes, that’s his goal here on earth.”
DR. JORDAN KAPPER
REBECCA BRADFORD
BRITTANY JONES
“Pretty much all of the cards are inspired by things we did with our friends.”
ALI LUDLOW
Whatever
Besties turned business partners Ali Ludlow and Brittany Jones are just what your next get-together needs. Their brainchild, “Whatever: A Party Game” is a little bit like truth or dare on steroids. Each game comes with a spinner and three decks of cards. Players are assigned either a challenge or a showdown; challenges must be completed solo, and showdowns pit players against each other. Those who opt out will be shamed with a penalty card.
A Party Game
Ready to get weird?
“We have the best time together and mesh really well.”
Prance around like a unicorn on steroids for 10 seconds.
The game’s tagline promises plenty of awkward situations and embarrassing confessions; it’s also a glimpse into the dynamic of its two creators. “I always like to say I’m the awkward one and Ali gets embarrassed by me,” says Jones. Indeed, their friendship bloomed in the universal setting for a plethora of cringe-worthy, pubescent experiences: middle school. As Jones recalls it, back in 2001, Ludlow got lost trying to find her home economics class at Orefield Middle School in the Parkland School District. By the time she found the classroom, “The only open chair was next to me,” Jones explains. Ludlow sat down, and the rest is history. “We’re just odd,” Ludlow adds.
Fast-forward through more than a decade of laughter and shenanigans, and, although they didn’t know it at the time, Ludlow and Jones were in the early stages of creating “Whatever.” “We’ve always played a version of this game,” Jones says. Initially it was just something fun to do with friends, until Jones’s mother, Tammy, cornered the two at a Christmas party and told them they should consider developing the game and putting it on the market. For her troubles, Tammy would be honored with her very own card: Tango with Tammy dictates that a player must grab the nearest mom (or friend who acts like a mom) and tango with them for 15 seconds.
Even outside the circle of maternal influence, finding fodder for the rest of the challenges and showdowns would prove to be a no-brainer for Jones and Ludlow. “Pretty much all of the cards are inspired by things we did with our friends,” Ludlow says. A few examples from the pile: prance around like a unicorn on steroids for 10 seconds, text three friends and tell them you’re pregnant or got someone else pregnant, and show the group the last thing you Googled. There were some
options that ended up on the discard pile, or, as Ludlow and Jones like to call it, the card graveyard. “Sometimes things in our head didn’t play out like we expected,” Jones says. She recalls testing out one potential physical challenge in which players were asked to put pillows under their shirts, and then slam into each other like sumo wrestlers. “Ali went flying across the yard, and the other guy didn’t even move,” she says with a laugh. Then came the task of getting the game ready for the mainstream. “For the first couple of months we worked on a lot of handmade versions,” Ludlow says. “They were awful. A lot of sparkle.” They brought a designer on board and launched a Kickstarter campaign in late 2017, which hit its funding goal in two weeks. Manufacturing got underway in March of 2018, and the very first editions of “Whatever” shipped a few months later. Since then, Ludlow, a nurse, and Jones, a realtor and property manager, have been marketing their creation online and at local events as their side hustle. They say sales on Amazon have been steadily increasing, and they’re hoping to get “Whatever” some shelf space at big-name brick-and-mortar stores soon. “It seems like people are really receptive to it,” Jones says.
forever
B y Carri e Havrane k | Photograp y b y Marc o Calderon
i f there are n o farms, there is no food.
It’s easy to forget that in our current world, which threatens to separate us from our food sources on a daily basis. Luckily, in the Lehigh Valley, we still have access to farm-fresh foods. Here are five farm stores worth pulling off the road for.
the Cows of Crystal Spring Farm
ary
Crystal Spring farm Crystal Spring farm
Operational since 1975, this family farm, now in its fourth generation, is known for its milk—and, of course, its ice cream. The creamery on site, which produces ice cream from scratch using milk and cream from its very own herd, will scoop you out some of its best sellers, such as chocolate, peanut butter and strawberry. Enjoy your ice cream outside on the patio from June to August. “Our outdoor seating area is always popular, unless it’s covered in snow,” says Audrey Marsteller, retail manager.
Though the farm itself is not open to the public, all of the farm store’s items give more than a snapshot of what happens at Crystal Spring on a daily basis. And that involves lots and lots of flavored milks—vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, orange, cherry and raspberry.
You can go home with Crystal Spring’s pasteurized whole milk, reduced fat, low fat, nonfat milk or half and half. It’s not uncommon to buy milk that was produced right that morning. But it’s not just dairy items that are the draw here. One can also go home with shoo-fly pie, homemade soup or salad, cakes and pies; and their deli offers choice cuts of beef raised right on the farm.
Lyon Creek Farm Market Lyon Creek Farm Market
In the western reaches of the Lehigh Valley, Lyon Creek feels like the quintessential roadside farm stand, the kind that Pennsylvania does so well. Four generations of farming, starting with Richard and Thelma Seidel in 1965, are going strong, run by brother and sister Brad and Kate Pollock and their mom, Lisa. The family farm is 10 acres and brings forth hay, corn, wheat, pumpkins, squash and lots of seasonal produce including tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, raspberries, potatoes, onions and so forth. They’re especially known for their specialty pumpkins and squash around the fall, and handmade wreaths for sale during the holidays.
This family-owned farm dates back to 1935 when Roy Klein and his wife, Ruth, moved to the area; now, their son, Layne, and his wife, Beth, currently run the farm with their children. The dairy store opened in 2004 and sells cheese, yogurt, yogurt smoothies, eggs, meat products and lots of raw milk. The big news, though, is that the store moved to a brand-new, larger location in 2016 and, along with it, opened up a creamery, funnily called
Happy Holstein Ice Cream— a little bovine humor. It’s the real deal, made with zero preservatives, and the flavors often rotate with the seasons. These days, it’s well known as being one of only a few places in the Lehigh Valley where you can buy raw milk—but you can also buy it on the farm, which is known for its very open, family-friendly approach. The animals roam—especially the peacocks—and there’s a great play area for kids, as well as a corn maze during the fall. The farm store is revered among locals and others who make a special trip to the northern part of Forks Township.
Layne
One of the unique aspects of Flint Hill Farm is the fact that it’s a working farm whose mission is a nonprofit educational outreach center. You can send your kids to camp here! You can ride horses. Sign up for a bread baking or cheesemaking class. Have a birthday party or other event here. Learn the art of blacksmithing. Heck, you can even come and stay overnight— Flint Hill participates in what’s referred to as agritourism, and has been since 2009. “People come here from all over the world. They want to see what America is really like,” says Kathleen Fields, owner and president—and farmer, let’s not forget—of Flint Hill.
Farm visits are part and parcel of a visit to the store, or vice versa—they don’t require reservations. Fields says it’s just appreciated if you buy something from the farm store (and why wouldn’t you?). One can buy raw Alpine goat and cow’s milk, yogurt, yogurt smoothies, butter, kefir, duck and chicken eggs and cheese made on the premises (the chèvre cheeses are incredibly good). You can also go home with some fresh vegetables in the summer and fall. Volunteers are always appreciated, too.
If you shop at farmers’ markets, it’s totally possible you’ve encountered baked goods and apples from Pappy’s Orchard and Bakery. Owned by Michael and Lisa Urffer, the family has been harvesting fruit for 35 years; the namesake, Pappy, refers to Michael’s father. (Michael himself now has grandchildren and he’s referred to as Papp. Variation on a theme.)
Pappy’s grows some 26 varieties of apples and makes 12 types of cider—the apples start in July and are typically available through November, says Lisa. (They sell hard cider using their very own apples, too.) But they also grow stone fruits, such as peaches, pears, plums, nectarines and apricots, along with blueberries, elderberries and persimmons. If that’s not enough, you can buy soup, meat pies and other savory elements—the chicken pies and chicken croquettes are especially popular, says Lisa. Road food experts named Pappy’s Jewish apple cake as one of the “500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late” in their book of the same name. And lucky for us, all we have to do is drive over there.
Fusion Fare and a Family Affair Blend Latin Flavors
at Cas a Toro
BY CARRIE HAVRANEK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN
PAELLA
Sautéed scallops, shrimp, tilapia, mussels, chicken and sliced chorizo with yellow rice and sweet peas. Served with toasted Cuban garlic bread and side salad.
JEFE TACOS
Pulled pork marinated in orange juice, pineapple juice, adobo and jalapeño. Topped with pickled red onion, queso fresco and cilantro in corn tortillas.
Casa Toro —house of the bull— calls itself a Mexican grill, but it’s really a bit of a misnomer. Sitting unsuspectingly in a strip mall off Route 309, this colorful restaurant isn’t really Mexican. Yes, you can find the usual suspects—tacos, enchiladas, salsa—along with the requisite ample and varied use of the avocado (including frying it—more on that later). And there are pastoral paintings of the countryside and all sorts of other visual signifiers of a Mexican restaurant. Oh, and Casa Toro serves margaritas, but not just any margarita. One Style staff member refers to these as “mind erasers,” a humorous description confirmed by Michele Dilger, general manager, when one drinks these in succession. So yes, it’s Mexican, but it’s much more than that. The best way to really describe what Casa Toro does is Latin fusion. Many of us are not familiar with that concept in Latin cuisine simply because it’s not as commonly represented in dining opportunities around here. For example,
we’re more apt to find Asian fusion restaurants, delineated as Chinese, Japanese and/or Thai on a menu. But when you think about it, it’s not a stretch, because most cuisines are an amalgam to begin with. “A ton of Latin cuisine has major influences from Africa and Asia,” says chef Dean Diaz-Albertini, 26.
Suffice to say there’s quite a bit of borrowing that goes on, but there are some surprises. The menu also borrows from American staples—there’s a whole section of hamburguesas (hamburgers)—albeit rendered with Caribbean, Mexican and straightforward “north of the border” toppings and accompaniment options. Casa Toro also offers a kids’ menu with both American and Mexican options. “We like to accommodate everyone. Sometimes you might be eating with someone who doesn’t want Mexican food,” says Dean. (This seems unfathomable to me, but it’s entirely possible; otherwise, why would they offer burgers?)
In January 2013, Dean’s parents, Gary and Therese Diaz-Albertini, bought the same-named successfully operating Mexican restaurant, one that had opened in August 2006.
Since then, the space has expanded—there’s a chill-out lounge space adjacent to the restaurant—and the menu, too, to include those fusion elements such as Cuban, Argentinian, Peruvian and so forth. Specials refresh every Thursday and often feature dishes from these cuisines. Everything is fresh and made from scratch—including all the sauces—
Dean grew up cooking with his grandmother (his dad’s Cuban mom), who affectionately dubbed him jefecito— little boss—when he was a kid.
by Dean, who oversees the kitchen at this location and their sister location in Doylestown. Despite the fact that he says he “grew up around food,” he didn’t intend to work in the kitchen. He started college for construction
management at Drexel, but food was always a draw; his parents bought the restaurant and “it got me out of trouble,” he says, with a chuckle.
Of course, that’s not the whole story. Many people know Cuban food through Cuban sandwiches or rice and bean dishes. Casa Toro offers its own spin on those flavors and dishes. For example, the Cuban Cheesesteak takes its accompaniment cues from a Cuban sandwich but swaps the ham for steak, along with melted cheese, grilled peppers, onion and hot peppers, and pressed on Cuban bread, served with yucca fritas and a side of cilantro-tinged mayo for dipping. Dean grew up cooking with his grandmother (his dad’s Cuban mom), who affectionately dubbed him jefecito —little boss—when he was a kid. The name inspires the dish he calls Jefe Tacos, which basically amounts to taco sliders, on the appetizer menu—pulled
Chef Dean Diaz-Albertini
TACOS AL PASTOR
Pork slowly cooked with achiote, peppers, pineapple, chipotle and spices. Topped with cilantro and onions on warm tortillas, with a spicy guacamole on the side. Served with traditional rice and black beans.
pork marinated in orange and pineapple juices, adobo and jalapeño. It’s topped with pickled red onion, queso fresco and cilantro, served in corn tortillas.
He learned a lot not only from her, but also from his mother’s mom, who has an Eastern European background, says Therese. “I learned how to distinguish different flavors, when to add fat or use citrus,” Dean explains. “His childhood fascination grew into an adult passion in culinary sciences. Now as executive director/ chef of the Casa Toro restaurants, he is putting to good use his experience and fond memories of spending time with his grandmothers,” says his mother, Therese.
“It’s like family here. I’ve been invited to weddings of people who had first dates here,” says Dilger.
expected, but avocados are tricky. Dean says, “They get moved around the kitchen a lot,” depending on the level of ripeness. The fried avocado is served with red sauce, pico de gallo and house-made corn chips. You can see how something of this ilk would garner a lot of attention. “It is one of our signatures,” says Dean. It is also a meal in and of itself.
FRIED ICE CREAM
Vanilla ice cream rolled in a mixture of corn flakes and cinnamon. Lightly fried and topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and honey. Served on a crispy flour tortilla bowl.
A lot of Cuban dishes, he explains, have that mojo marinade, which is a combination of orange, lime and lemon juices, and spices. “Cuban food is more spiced—seasoned—than Mexican food, with spices such as oregano and cumin,” he explains. For a prime example, check out Lechon Asado, a Cuban dish of 12-hour slow-roasted pork in a mojo marinade, served with white rice, red or black beans and either sweet fried maduros, yucca fritas or tostones. Another standout appetizer is the fried avocado. When asked of its origin, Dean says a customer who’d seen such a thing at a restaurant in Texas suggested it to them. Imagine a very firm avocado sliced in half, stuffed with seasoned ground beef and cheese and flash fried. You get a savory-creamy-crispy-crunchy combination that perhaps you never thought possible from an avocado. I commented on how many dishes require avocados, which is to be
Food is only part of the equation —you’ve got to have service that matches. The large number of regulars speaks to its appeal, and it helps, too, that the personnel has been consistent. Michele Dilger has worked there for 12 years, predating the current owners, and credits the “great staff,” too. (She started behind the bar.) “It’s like family here. I’ve been invited to weddings of people who had first dates here,” says Dilger.
The irony of the comment is not lost—it literally is family at Casa Toro. And with that comes the kind of bracing honesty among people who spend long periods of time together in situations that run the gamut of the human experience. “There’s a lot of trust here, which makes for a smoother working environment,” says Dilger.
Conversation turns to Dean’s dad, Gary. “If you give him three words, he’ll have your ear for an hour,” says Dean. “People say he looks like the guy from the Dos Equis commercials,” Dilger says, laughing. See what I mean?
Not accepted. One-hour callahead seating is available for parties of six or more (it puts your name on a waiting list).
What to Order
Those famous margaritas, without a doubt. The signature Casa Toro margarita, with Jose Cuervo Gold, triple sec and freshly squeezed lime juice, is most popular. The novelty item of fried avocado is worth a try—it sits on a bed of crispy tortilla chips along with a couple of sauces. Molcajete is popular, with either beef or chicken. Fish tacos are always a hit, and the seared mahi mahi mango entrée, which comes with a mango sauce and tropical salsa, is too.
Parking
An entire strip mall worth of it!
Payment
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
Special Events
There is always something going on at Casa Toro. Happy Hour takes place Monday to Saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and signature margaritas are all $6 each. Otherwise, every night offers a slightly different promotion; Monday nights, kids eat free, plus there’s trivia; Taco Tuesday means tacos are $2.50 a pop; Wednesday is mussels night—one and a half pounds for $16.95 with salad and garlic bread. “It goes until you quit,” says Dilger. Margaritas are also $6 on Wednesdays. There’s live music on Friday or Saturday nights. And last but not least, Cinco de Mayo celebrations start on May 1. “It gets crazy in here,” says Dilger. “Last year we made 68 gallons of our house-made margaritas.” Consider yourself fairly warned.
7001 Rte. 309, Coopersburg 610.282.8888
casatoromexgrill.com
dining guide
Lehigh
Aladdin Restaurant $$
651 Union Blvd., Allentown, 610.437.4023, aladdinlv.com
Family owned and operated for over 30 years. Serving a variety of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine from homemade grape leaves to delicious shish kabobs. Lunch & dinner.
Allentown Brew Works $$
812 W. Hamilton St., Allentown, 610.433.7777, thebrewworks.com
Award winning, environmentally friendly restaurant and brewery. Family owned and operated since 2007. Brunch, lunch, dinner
Bell Hall $
612 W. Hamilton Blvd., Allentown, 610.437.1825, bellhallallentown.com
Allentown hot spot featuring juicy burgers and Pennsylvania Lunch, dinner & late night.
Billy’s Downtown Diner $
840 Hamilton St., Allentown , 610.432.5484, billysdiner.com
Not your ordinary diner. Visit them for breakfast, lunch or something sweet. Breakfast & lunch.
Authentic Mexican restaurant with fresh food and very friendly ambiance and service with affordable prices. Lunch & dinner.
Foundation Tavern $$
1160 S. Krocks Rd., Wescosville, 610.391.0648, foundationtavern.com
Lunch, dinner & late night.
Gio Italian Grill $$
6465 Village Ln., Macungie, 610.966.9446, gioitaliangrill.com
Gio Italian Grill offers old world charm with a progressive twist. Centering around their woodstone open flame hearth, Gio uses only imported ingredients to produce mouth-watering flavors. Take-out and private parties available. Lunch & dinner.
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.798.9000, meltgrill.com
Offering a sumptuous menu of contemporary Italian fare in its breathtaking 350-seat restaurant, with spacious and customizable rooms for private events. Lunch, dinner & late night.
The Mint Gastropub $$
1223 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, 610.419.3810, bethlehemmint.com
An American Gastropub focused on reinventing the “Table” in Comfortable. Brunch, dinner & late night.
Great cuisine in a beautiful setting. Owner Blake Morgan serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to meet all dining needs. Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
My Tequila House $$ 1808 MacArthur Rd., Whitehall, 484.664.7109, mytequilahouse.com
Laid-back cantina providing down-home Mexican recipes, a large tequila list and lively happy hours. Lunch, dinner & late night.
Pocono Brewery Co. $$ 938 Lifestyle Center, Whitehall, 610.264.2194, poconobrewery.com
Authentic wood-fired pizza, imported meat and cheese boards, nachos, salads and craft beer. Lunch & dinner.
Ringers Roost $$ 1801 W. Liberty St., Allentown, 610.437.4941, ringersroost1801.com
Family-friendly restaurant. Lots of parking. Friendly faces. Excellent food, from seafood to cheesesteaks. Great beer selection. Lunch, dinner & late night.
A culinary gem housed in the historic Seisholtzville Hotel, Savory Grille takes gives back to a time when fine dining was an experience to be savored. Dinner.
Serving all your favorite American food in a family friendly atmosphere. Dinner & late night.
The Tavern on Liberty $
2246 W. Liberty St., Allentown, 484.221.8765, tavernonliberty.com
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of beer.” Check out other location in Reading called The Liberty Taproom. Open seven days a week. Lunch, dinner & late night.
Top Cut Steakhouse $$$
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.7100, topcutsteak.com
Classically inspired cocktails, exquisite wines and USDA prime steaks in a 1940s style rooftop atmosphere. Dinner & late night.
Torre $$
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.9399, torrerestaurant.com
Classic Mexican cuisine with a modern twist in a fun, familyfriendly atmosphere. Enjoy Happy Hour gathered around the three-story tequila tower. Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.
Upscale food in a fun, relaxed atmosphere with an extensive craft beer list. Brunch, dinner & late night.
Union and Finch $$
1528 W. Union St., Allentown, 610.432.1522, unionandfinch.com
A casual American bistro serving lunch and dinner six days a week and brunch on weekends Brunch, lunch & dinner.
White Orchids Thai Cuisine $$
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.7499, whiteorchidsthaicuisine.com
Authentic Thai cuisine in a contemporary and relaxed dining atmosphere. Signature seafood dishes, house specialties and classic Thai entrées. New bar and lounge area. Lunch & dinner.
From a party of four on the covered outdoor patio to a party of 400 in the newly renovated event center ballroom, blue delivers with prime steaks and seafood, a sprawling wine list and impeccable service. Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.
The Bookstore Speakeasy $$
336 Adams St. (near 4th St.), Bethlehem, 610.867.1100, bookstorespeakeasy.com
Step back in time at The Bookstore, a 1920’s speakeasy. Dinner & late night.
Homestyle Italian cuisine in an elegant atmosphere. On- and off-premises catering available. Lunch & dinner.
DiMaio’s Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria $$
27 Main St. Shoppes at Hellertown, 610.838.8004, dimaios.net
Family owned since 1985. Serving southern Italian Cuisine. Known for home-made bread, Chicken Francese, DiMaio’s Creamy Clam sauce and NY style pizza. Lunch & dinner.
Don Juan Mex Grill $
5540 Crawford Dr., Bethlehem
518 March St. Easton, 610.438.5661, donjuanmexgrill.com
Bringing Latin-inspired food to local communities. Lunch & dinner.
All the classic favorites in one place. Nathan’s hot dogs, burgers, pizza, salad, sushi, ice cream and coffee. Lunch, dinner & late night.
McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub $$$
534 Main St., Bethlehem, 610.861.7631, redstagpub.com
Experience the flavor of the Irish and British Isles! Over 200 scotch/whiskies, homemade breads and baked goods and from-scratch cooking! Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.
Retro dining—all day brunch—classic comfort food kicked up with regional and ethnic specialties. Breakfast, brunch & lunch.
Molinari’s $$
322 E. 3 rd St., Bethlehem, 610.625.9222, molinarimangia.com
Authentic Italian food—simple, fresh, flavorful. Indulge in freshly made pasta, pizza in the Neapolitan style, gelato and sorbetto made on premises, and Italian wines and craft beers. Dinner.
Ocean $$
235 Ferry St., Easton, 610.559.7211, ocean235.com
With an eclectic, diverse menu and a New York restaurant and lounge feel, Ocean is the place to experience before a State show or for a romantic dinner in Easton’s growing new restaurant scene. Dinner & late night.
Prime Steak House $$
325 Stoke Park Rd., Bethlehem, 610.882.4070, primestkhouse.com
Serving Premium Black Angus steaks, fresh seafood, chicken and pasta. Extended wine list Lunch & dinner.
dining guide
Rakkii Ramen $$
328 S. New St., Bethlehem, 610.419.8007, rakkiiramen.com
A modern restaurant serving traditional ramen and fusion side dishes. Lunch & dinner.
Rustic Italian featuring wood oven pizza, homemade pasta, alfresco dining. The enoteca boasts the Valley’s most extensive wine and beer list. Private wine cellar and live jazz every weekend. Brunch, lunch & dinner.
The Slate Pub $
509 E. Main St., Pen Argyl, 610.881.4700, slatepub.com
Casual pub dining offering something for everyone! Delicious cheesesteaks, “belly buster” sandwiches, salads, vegan choices and more. Enjoy daily food and drink specials, 15 draft beers, 8 TVs, Karaoke Thurs., live entertainment on Fri. and a DJ on Sat. nights. Lunch, dinner & late night.
Social Still $$$
530 E. 3 rd St., Bethlehem, 610.625.4585, socialstill.com
Full plate American-fusion restaurant, craft distillery, craft beers, local wine and tasting room. Dinner.
Experience a variety of fresh culinary dishes from around the world at Steelworks Buffet & Grill. Featuring live action cooking and a fully stocked bar, guests will enjoy a variety of fresh international culinary dishes at the all-you-can-eat buffet or choose their favorites from the a la carte menu, including artisan pizza, a pasta station, fresh-carved meats and more. Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
“Traditional Italian Taste, Modern Italian Flair” Family-owned and -operated in the Lehigh Valley for over 26 years. Take-out, dine-in, lounge and banquet facilities available. Lunch & dinner.
Stefano’s Sicilian Grille $$
5364 Nor Bath Blvd. (Rte. 329), Northampton, 610.262.8760, stefanossiciliangrille.com
Italian restaurant with a Sicilian flair. Family-oriented with a casual attitude. Lunch & dinner.
Tap Room at Hotel
Bethlehem $$
437 Main St., Bethlehem, 610.625.2226, hotelbethlehem.com
Offers award-winning musical brunch every Sunday with a splendid buffet array and much more! Breakfast, lunch, dinner & late night.
Twisted Olive $$$
51 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, 610.419.1200, twistedolivebethlehem.com
A casual, bistro-style restaurant with a world twist serving creative, casual cuisine, along with house-made infused cocktails. Lunch & dinner.
Upscale casual dining with the best view in the Lehigh Valley. Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.
ZEST bar+grille $$$
The Rooftop at 306 S. New St., Bethlehem, 610.419.4320, zestbethlehem.com
A culinary and social experience offering a progressive menu that highlights the best of New American cuisine. Lunch & dinner. Lehigh
Th e YoRoll
Yofresh Yogurt Café
BY KRISTEN RINALDI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHELBIE PLETZ PHOTOGRAPHY
SIMPLY SHORTCAKE
Originating in Thailand, and having become popular in California, Philadelphia and New York, the team at Yofresh Yogurt Café in Allentown decided they wanted to be the first to bring the rolled ice cream trend to the Valley. “One of our employees had made the trip to Philadelphia to try the newest craze of rolled ice cream. He loved it,” says Kelly Maderic, who owns the Yofresh in Allentown with her husband. “After hearing about it, we made the trip down to Philadelphia as well, on several occasions.”
“Making a YoRoll is like making homemade ice cream in about three minutes,” says Maderic. “The flavor is enhanced in this process without the need of churning.” Step one is selecting a base—these range from all-natural vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt and chocolate or vanilla custard to non-dairy coconut milk and a rotating frozen sorbet flavor. “A base is added to a cold pan, which is set at negative 17 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Maderic. Next, customers pick their mix—local favorites include Chocolate Obsession, Sweet S’mores, Cookies and Cream Dream and Banana Boogie. After that, just watch the magic, where the ingredients are spread out on the pan and rolled. Lastly, customers may choose their toppings (options include fresh fruit, candy and cookies) and their sauces (think Nutella, caramel, whipped cream, strawberry sauce and beyond).
Currently, customers can enjoy this trend treat on Friday and Saturday evenings, between 6 and 10:30 p.m., but Maderic says that with summer approaching, it may be available more frequently. “We will be offering new specials every week in the summer, using fresh seasonal ingredients,” she says. “There is a possibility we might allow customers to make their own YoRoll on the pan if they wish.”
