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Real Estate Team
KitAnsteyRealEstateTeam.com Kit Anstey
610.836.2348 Kit@AnsteyTeam.com
Specializing in residential real estate throughout the area. Condos, investment properties, single homes, new construction, short and long term rentals.
represention for sellers and buyers!
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610.430.3001
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Brian's roots are tied to the borough of West Chester. He’s a qualified, certified agent, specifically trained in relocation, an Accredited Buyer Representative, Graduate Real Estate Institute and former Rookie of the Year who attended West Chester University. He’s been an important part of the team, receiving top sales honors from Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach Realtors as being among the top 100 agents nationwide. As a buyer's agent, Brian gives total 610.513.1765 commitment to finding your dream Brian@AnsteyTeam.com house, whether a first-time buyer or a multi-million dollar deal. As a Seller's agent, Brian's business plan includes a detailed advertising campaign, both in print, online and via social media, ensuring sellers receive the highest price in the shortest amount of time. If you are looking for the ultimate professional to represent you in Chester or Delaware Counties, contact Brian.
Brian Nelson
610.430.3001 email: info@AnsteyTeam.com 610.431.1100 KitAnsteyRealEstateTeam.com JUNE 2014 THEWCPRESS.COM 3
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A P S Z SINCE 1948
BEVERAGE A West Chester Tradition Locally owned and operated since 1948, Spaz Beverage has been providing Chester and Delaware Counties with a great selection of imported, specialty and domestic beer. We also offer a variety of soda, mixers, spring water, mineral water and non-alcoholic beer.
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The
Press PUBLISHER Dan Mathers dan@thewcpress.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Nick Vecchio nick@thewcpress.com EDITOR Jack Lindeman jack@mathersproductions.com COPY EDITOR Kehan DeSousa kdesousa@thewcpress.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nazarena Luzzi Castro nazluzzidesign.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jesse Piersol jpiersol@thewcpress.com Kate Chadwick kchadwick@thewcpress.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Luke O’Brien snappedstudio.com Niki Rutkowski
Summer means happy times and good sunshine. –Brian Wilson COLUMNISTS Becca Boyd bboyd@thewcpress.com Debbie DeSantis ddesantis@thewcpress.com Brad Liermann bliermann@thewcpress.com Jennifer Ozgur jozgur@thewcpress.com DJ Romeo romeo@thewcpress.com Published By... Mathers Productions 13 South Church Street West Chester, PA 19382 mathersproductions.com 610-344-3463
The WC Press is a monthly magazine distributed free of charge to more than 250 businesses. For a free digital subscription, visit thewcpress.com. For more information about specific distribution locations, visit thewcpress.com/distribution.
Worth
Noting
Our no-nonsense table of contents
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WC BY THE NUMBERS What our readers are planning for this summer
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IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES Behind the scenes with West Chester Parks & Rec
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SUMMER FUN GUIDE The definitive guide to summer in West Chester
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A RIVER RUNS ADJACENT Northbrook Canoe Company showcases the Brandywine
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OWNERS OF THE MONTH Glenn and Kristin D’Ascenzo talk authentic Italien gelato
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LOCAL TALENT John Suplee opens his new gallery on Church Street
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BARTENDER OF THE MONTH Talking about Doc’s Shore Shack with Nicole Covici
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WHAT’S YOUR STORY The excitement, tears and laughter of West Chester Story Slam
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Fromthe
Editor
I want to be there. I want to go back down and lie beside the sea there, with a tin cup for a chalice.
Sometimes this column gets filled with the kind of fluff that I know readers want to hear—something about how important the theme is and how it’s close to my heart. I’m not gonna do that this month. The truth is, I have a love affair with Cape May, and I do anything I can to spend time with her each summer. Our affair dates back to the summer I was sixteen and Nana let me stay at the family beach house. I got a job bussing tables at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House in the mornings and spent afternoons lounging on the beach, pretending I could surf, claiming I wasn’t paddling out because the waves weren’t any good. Like most liberal arts majors, I landed an unpaid internship. Exit Zero Publishing, a Cape May staple, was kind enough to hire me over the phone after I had a conversation with their advertising manager about how fondly he looked back on his time at Penn State and how happy he was to hear PSU was also my alma mater. Turns out, nepotism isn’t always such a bad thing. Exit Zero later offered me my first job out of college. I moved there in May, had the summer of my life, and while my complexion doesn’t allow for tanning, that didn’t stop me from trying. Although summer was great, it’s hard to overstate just how depressing a town, whose population billows to 50,000 in August, becomes when there are only 1,000 people left in February. Street lights flash yellow, restaurants close, and that girl who didn’t look so attractive in July suddenly has a beautiful smile. I lasted two winters before moving back here to West Chester. Still, bad winters weren’t enough to shake my indefatigable attraction to the southernmost town in New Jersey. I spent more weekends there last year than I spent here. I’d sneak out of the office at four on Thursdays and beat the traffic down NJ55 to my personal slice of heaven. This summer I plan to do the same. If you’re reading this column and thinking I’m a hypocrite for putting out a magazine about how awesome West Chester is, yet sneaking out of town every chance I get to see my girlfriend in Jersey, you’re only partly right; if it weren’t for how awesome the events are in West Chester from May through September, I’d be at the beach all summer... not just most weekends. The fact I’m here at all is due, in large part, to the awesome work done by West Chester Parks and Recreation, who you can learn more about on page 13. Department director Keith Kurkowski deserves recognition for organizing and overseeing the festivals and events that make West Chester a place worth being in the summer, despite the total lack of sand and sea. Sure, West Chester doesn’t have that beachy appeal, but she and I have been going steady for most of my life. My love for Cape May endures—the draw of salt air, warm sun and overpriced drinks full of muddled mint always pulls me back. Yet I feel every year West Chester adds another worthy reason for me to forego that Thursday night drive, another weekend I’d rather spend here than sipping mojitos in my personal paradise. The truth is, that’s the highest praise I could ever give any town.
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IT’S ALL FUN & GAMES From Swingin’ Summer Thursdays to Turks Head and the Restaurant Festival, West Chester Parks and Recreation works hard to ensure your summer fun.
If you didn’t know any better,
you might think that working for the West Chester Parks and Recreation Department involves sitting around all day, thinking of fun things for the people of the borough to do. And, in a way, you’d be right — except for that “sitting around” part. As Parks and Rec director Keith Kurowksi told us: “It’s kind of funny when you find yourself hauling equipment around at an event — hopefully it’s a warm, sunny day, and you’re sweating and you’ve got your ID around your neck and an event shirt on and you’re busting your butt — and someone comes up to you and says, ‘Do you know who’s running this thing?’” The short answer to that question is: Keith and his staff at the West Chester Parks and Recreation Department are running this thing. They run lots of things, all year round, to keep West Chester citizens enjoying themselves, right here in our own beautiful backyard.
“THE CHALLENGE WITH THIS JOB IS TO CHANGE THINGS UP — KEEP THINGS FRESH”
And they’ve got it down to a science. Keith celebrates his 10-year anniversary with the department this month, a tenure that started with the summer camp program in June of 2004. He’s been serving as director of Parks and Recreation since June 2009, and oversees a staff of two full-time employees, two part-time employees, and roughly 30 seasonal summer staff. While the Parks and Rec Department sponsors events all year round, summer is when things kick into high gear. “It’s almost half and half, when you look at the year,” Keith told us. “We’re heavy on events from May to September and heavy on planning September to May.” And while summer is the busiest season, the busiest single event is the Chester County Restaurant Festival in September. “Without question, our most labor-intensive day of the year,” Keith says. Indeed. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the one-day event, which will feature between 65-75 vendors, three stages with live music, and bring approximately 35,000 people into downtown West Chester for the day — a very, very busy day. Then again, the summer events lineup is good practice for the Restaurant Festival. The Parks and Recreation Department also sponsors Swingin’
story by Kate Chadwick
THE GRANDDADDY OF SUMMER EVENTS, OF COURSE, IS THE TURKS HEAD MUSIC FESTIVAL Summer Thursdays, scheduled for the first Thursday evening of every month in the summer. The free event takes place from 6:30 - 9:30 pm, and features food and live family-friendly entertainment in a two-block downtown radius. “It’s West Chester’s version of a summer concert series,” Keith says. “We feature all kinds of music, and it’s a great way to get 3,000 people into town, hopefully to boost local businesses.” And speaking of fun summer evenings, the Vintage Garage Sale event has also really taken off. Scheduled for the first Friday nights of May, June, August, September and October, it features vendors and music plus food and wine tastings in area parking garages. “That’s been a hit,” Keith tells us. “The challenge with this job is to change things up — keep things fresh — and this event has done so.” The granddaddy of summer events, of course, is the Turks Head Festival, planned for Sunday, July 20, from
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noon - 8pm in Everhart Park. Now in its 32nd year, the festival is specifically designed to showcase area musical acts of every genre. While the Restaurant Festival is the most labor-intensive single day for Keith and crew, Turks Head involves more initial strategizing. “Turks Head is a year-round planning event,” Keith says. “In fact, we have a meeting right after the event to discuss changes for the following year. We have ‘listening’ meetings, in which we review the bands and the acts that have submitted press kits to play the event.” This is no small feat, given that the department receives between 7590 press kits each year for Turks Head, and are then tasked with whittling the acts down to the eleven bands that will play the day of the festival, along with a twelfth, up-and-coming band to kick things off. “I have to give a shout-out to the Music Review Committee and the time and effort they put in for this event,” Keith says. “There is so much that goes into planning an event of this size and scope that it would take me forever to describe all the details. But when all is said and done, and the event is here, it makes it all worthwhile to see all the folks come out and enjoy the music and support the event. All of our events have a theme, and Turks Head is obviously all about the music. We try to keep the line-up fresh from year to year, and to keep the acts diverse to attract a wide array of people.” To that end, no bands are considered for the festival line-up unless it’s been at least three years since their last appearance. And every musical genre is showcased at
the festival, Keith points out. “This way, people who aren’t going to be there for the entire eight hours can plan when they’re going to come based on what kind of music they want to hear.” And do Keith and his staff get to actually enjoy the festival they’ve worked so hard to bring to the masses? “We do get a little time to enjoy the event, but for the most part we’re just going around making sure everyone else is having a good time,” Keith says. “If there’s a particular act that one of us wants to check out, we stop and take in the sounds, but sooner or later your phone is screaming, and something else needs to be attended to. The good part is that it’s in a ten-acre park, and no matter where you are, you can hear the music.” All of this, of course, is in addition to the traditional Parks and Rec business
family-friendly attraction features lifesized Tonka trucks for the kids (big and small) to check out, and only costs $2 — and that’s per carload of visitors. “Sometimes the borough will get a bad rap for different things, like parking, just as an example,” Keith says. “But we work with so many different groups and organizations with a common goal in mind: to make West Chester a great place to live in and to visit. To be able to attend a fun, free festival right outside your door is one of the things that makes that possible. And our job is to make that happen.” Visit www.west-chester.com/recreation to plan your summer event calendar, or call 610-436-9010 for more information.
“ALL OF OUR EVENTS HAVE A THEME, AND TURKS HEAD IS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC. WE TRY TO KEEP THE LINE-UP FRESH FROM YEAR TO YEAR, AND TO KEEP THE ACTS DIVERSE TO ATTRACT A WIDE ARRAY OF PEOPLE” of maintaining the borough’s parks and keeping all the equipment updated. Oh, and running an outstanding summer camp program for the past ten years. “Our summer camp is great, and really popular. The programs are broken down into two age groups (5-10 and 11-14), it’s eight weeks long, and it’s a full day program,” Keith says. “We have people coming from Coatesville, Downingtown and Exton to enroll their kids in this program — that’s how good it is.” (Reporter’s note: as someone who has been researching summer camps lately, this one is stellar: comprehensive, with working-parent-friendly hours, and surprisingly affordable.) Speaking of affordable, the only Parks and Recreation departmentsponsored event that has a price tag is Touch Truck Day, which takes place on the third Sunday in August. This
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your world cup headquarters
All Games Live
Big Screen Coverage Begins June 12 $4
$3 18 W Gay St | West Chester, PA 19380 | (610) 431-0770
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The word being used these days is “stayCation.” Honestly, it sounds like a heavy-handed rebranding of “not being able to do anything fun”-- sort of a fun name for a lame idea. But as it turns out, this summer the West Chester staycation can blow that weekend at the shore out of the water. Seriously, I’m not pulling your leg. When we started to compile a list of fun things to do in West Chester this summer, we figured we might find a few things to keep you busy. Then the list grew. And grew. And grew. The following directory gives you 50 festivals, markets, block parties and other uniquely local activities that will make the beach seem like... well, a giant pile of sand. No matter your age or interests, it will be impossible not to find yourself wildly excited by the opportunities in West Chester this summer. So say “goodbye” to the traffic on the expressway and “hello” to wine-slushies; “see ya later” sand in your shorts, “how you doin” summer concerts.
One-Time Events June 1 Super Sunday
From 11am–5pm, Gay Street will be transformed into a bustling hub of excitement. Jugglers, clowns, carnival games, amusement rides and a magician will be on hand to entertain. Even Dora the Explorer and Clifford the Big Red Dog are stopping by. Adults will find an antique car show, craft and artisan booths, food vendors, and plenty of live music.
Ongoing activities
June 6 Dub C 4-Miler
On this exciting Friday night, be sure to line the streets and witness a four-mile run, a two-mile walk, and several children’s races, all benefiting the Chester County Down Syndrome and the Parkinson Council. The main race starts at 7pm in front of Kildare’s Irish Pub. Consult the Chester County Running Store’s summer schedule for other downtown races. 24 S. High Street | 610-696-0115 | dubc4miler.com
June 7 Up On The Roof
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June 15 FatherFest at the American Helicopter Museum
Year round, the American Helicopter Museum invites the public to enjoy their collection of old and modern helicopters. As a special treat this summer, the museum will be hosting FatherFest from 10am – 2pm. Celebrate Father’s Day with an antique motorcycle and car show. If you treat your dad to a helicopter ride, the gesture may just win you favorite kid status. 1220 American Boulevard | 610-436-9600 | americanhelicopter.museum
June 17 Culinary Nuts & Bolts Cooking Class
This class is designed specifically for young adults looking for kitchen survival skills and a few “slam dunk” recipes that are delicious and easy to prepare without breaking the bank. Chef Anne will take participants through kitchen essentials and will work hands-on with participants to prepare some basic recipes every home chef should have in their back pocket. Participants will work in the kitchen, then sit down to enjoy a meal together at the end of the class. Ages 16+, $65 per person, space is limited. Chefanti | 211 E Market St | 610-429-0467 | chefanti.com
Recurring Events
Unless you’re afraid of heights, this fundraiser is the place to be. From 7–11pm, guests socialize under the stars while enjoying food from Limoncello, desserts from Yori’s and D’Ascenzo’s, live music, and a complimentary bar. The event will take place at the Chestnut Street Parking Garage, and all proceeds go towards the beautification of downtown West Chester. 14 E. Chestnut Street | downtownwestchester.com
June 14 Annual Brandywine Food and Wine Festival
The Brandywine Valley Association is hosting this wonderful summer festival again. As usual, there will be wine, food, crafts and music. From noon to 6pm enjoy one of the area’s largest parks, live music, local wine from vineyards like Kreutz Creek, and food from local vendors. Bring a blanket and make a day of it while working on your tan. 1760 Unionville-Wawaset Road | brandywinewatershed.org
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June 21 East Goshen Community Day
Celebrate Community Day from 5pm to dark. Enjoy live music, moon bounces, laser tag, and pony rides. Stick around for a fireworks spectacular at dark. The event promises lots of fun, and even some surprises, so you don’t want to miss out on this one. 1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | eastgoshen.org
June 27 BVA Dead Fest
Hosted by the Brandywine Valley Association, come enjoy a night of Grateful Dead Music performed by the area’s best musicians and experience the music of the Grateful Dead the way it was meant to be enjoyed: outdoors in a beautiful park. Tickets are available for $10 in advance or $20 at the event. 1760 Unionville-Wawaset Road | brandywinewatershed.org
June 28 Color Run 5k
Experience endless joy and color at East Goshen Park as you are showered with powder (non-toxic, biodegradable dyed cornstarch) along the route! All proceeds from this event benefit the Youth Mentoring Partnership (YMP) and its Friend Fitness Program. The race starts at 10am. 1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | eastgoshen.org
July 4, 5 and 6 Brandywine Valley Wine Trail Big Bang BBQ
Spend your Fourth of July Weekend with great BBQ and wine outings at the wineries of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail. Six family-owned and operated regional wineries of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail will be offering a variety of wines, food, picnicking, and music to celebrate Independence Weekend. No tickets required to attend.
July 14 – 17 High School Entrepreneurial Academy
Academy participants form teams and learn how to take a product from concept to SOLD! The program concludes at the East Goshen Farmer’s Market as each team pitches their product to market patrons. Immaculata University is the official program partner and will be onsite leading business modules and providing advisors to each team. Note: registration is capped at 24, please register early. Ages: 14–18. 1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | eastgoshen.org
July 19 Commonwealth Classic Theatre at West Goshen Community Park
The Commonwealth Classic Theatre has graced us with two dates on this summer’s Free Theatre in the Park series. If you missed last week’s show, they’ve brought Twelfth Night back to town. One of Shakespeare’s best comedies (for a synopsis see our July 12th listing), come see why every summer his plays are still put on throughout the world, 500 years after he wrote them. commonwealthclassictheatre.org
July 19 Chester County Concert Band
Why not come out and enjoy an evening in the park, all while listening to an 80-piece concert band? The Chester County Concert Band is a large community band consisting mostly of local musicians. Listen and watch this classical community band shred on some of the all-time greatest orchestra classics like Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries. Check out the Chester County Concert Band’s website for a sneak peek. 1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | cccband.org
610-444-3842|bvwinetrail.com
July 12 AIR Music Festival Presented by the Friends of East Goshen
Come out from 1-5pm and enjoy a day of great live music, including Greg Harr, The Jason Ager Trio and The Nodd! Food vendors will be on site so you can enjoy live music while eating some tasty treats! A free concert with great bands and great food in a great park; you can’t miss this. 1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | eastgoshen.org
July 12 Commonwealth Classic Theatre at Everhart Park
All the world’s a stage, but the players of the Commonwealth Classic Theatre have chosen West Chester’s Everhart Park to perform their Shakespeare extravaganza. This year’s show, Twelfth Night, is one of the Bard’s best comedies. A story of love and loss with heart and soul… and loads of laughter full of mistaken identities, star-crossed (and crossdressing) lovers, unruly family members, a servant with delusions of grandeur and a mischief-making musical fool. The show starts at 7pm. If you can’t make it that night, see our listing for their July 19th show at West Goshen Community Park. commonwealthclassictheatre.org
July 20 Turks Head Music Festival
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The past 30 years have seen West Chester’s music scene flourish with the help of the Turks Head Music Festival. Now celebrating its 31st year, the festival continues to support local artists by providing the West Chester community with a day of fun in Everhart Park. Throughout the day, 12 bands will be performing on two different stages. Additionally, more than 70 artists will be peddling unique arts and crafts, and local vendors will be selling food to sustain the crowd throughout the day. The festival will take place from 11am–8pm, and the rain date is July 27. 100 S. Brandywine Street | turksheadfestival.com
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August 2 Iron Hill Twilight Criterium
August 17 Touch a Truck Day
Hundreds of cyclists (amateurs and professionals alike) will flock to West Chester to take part in the area’s most exciting bike race: The Iron Hill Twilight Criterium. Watch these iron men and women complete a 32-mile course through downtown West Chester. A kids’ race will take place on Market and Walnut Streets at 5pm. Then, the Amateur Men’s Criterium (6pm), the Pro-Am Women’s Criterium (6:45pm), and the Pro Men’s Criterium (7:45pm), will start and finish at the corner of Gay and High Streets. You will not want to miss this adrenaline rush.
For kids, there’s little that captures the imagination like firetrucks. Bring your kids to the Government Service Complex from 12–4pm, and they’ll find dozens of trucks and other magical vehicles to marvel at.
119 N. High Street | 610-696-4046 | ironhilltwilightcriterium.com
1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | eastgoshen.org
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601 Westtown Road | 610-436-9010 | west-chester.com/recreation.php
August 29 End-of-Summer Celebration
The summer may be ending, but the fun is just beginning! From 6:30-8:30pm The Blue Sky Band will perform and the East Goshen park will be filled with food and fun.
One-Time Events Ongoing activities
August 2 West Market Street Block Party
While the cyclists are gearing up for their races, you can head over to Market Street (between Church and Darlington Streets) for the Market Street Block Party. The festivities will begin at 4pm, and West Chester’s local businesses have so much in store: kids can decorate the sidewalk with chalk masterpieces, get their faces painted, and explore Criterium’s Kids’ Zone. Bungee jumping, a BMX stunt team, live music, and great food will also be provided, making July 7 one of the most exciting days of the summer! West Market Street | | 610-696-4046 | ironhilltwilightcriterium.com
August 16 Park After Dark Movie
East Goshen Park is offering its first Park After Dark Movie on August 16 at 8pm, and its first showing will be Frozen! The number #1 animated film of all time comes to the park amphitheater, so bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the movie on the big screen under the stars! Movie begins around 9pm. 1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | eastgoshen.org
Recurring Events Summer Concert Series at Marshall Square Park
Head out to Marshall Square Park for a three-part concert series presented by the Friends of West Chester Parks & Recreation. Mark your calendars for June 19th, July 17th, and August 21st. The shows start at 6:30pm. Throw your picnic blanket down early to ensure a good spot.
Swingin’ Summer Thursdays
Every first Thursday the streets of downtown West Chester will be swingin’ with the sounds of live music (and all kinds of other awesome things to do). Each Thursday boasts a different musical theme and will feature two live bands. June 5 is blues night, July 10 is Americana night, August 7 is jazz night, and September 4th is rock n’ roll/funk night. Food and artisan booths will also be selling their goods. Every Swingin’ Summer Thursday runs from 6:30–9:30pm.
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211 E Market St 610.429.0467
WE PUT YOU ON THE MAP WEST CHESTER’S LANDLORD Limoncello Ristorante • The WC Press • Subway Yori’s Bakery • The Note • Kooma Viet • The Social Lounge Culinary Deliveries • Ram’s Head Bar & Grill • Saladworks Pietro’s Prime Pisano & Sons Shoe Repair • I Pasta Senator Dinniman • Salon Chemistry • Mercado’s • Nonna’s Doc Magrogan’s • Optimal Massage • Cozy Hookah Café William Shehwen Law Offices • Big Mike’s Barber Shop Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union • High Roller Tattoo Giuseppe Cabinets • Mainline Men’s • X-treme Ink Chester County Intermediate Unit • D’Ascenzo Gelato The Pita Pit • The Olive Branch • Blaze Salon • Balance Hair Spa Vitesse Sports • Moonflower • Zazen Nail Spa The Lunch Box• Jazmine Thai• Elwyn School
121 E GAY ST 610.696.0953 ZUKINREALTYINC.COM 24
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www.chefanti.com
Busy Week Ahead? Let Chefanti do the cooking! Fresh, healthy, order-ahead, family-style meals available for take-out or delivered. Order online for one night or a whole week!
Take Chefanti to the Beach! Prepared meal packages now available for your weekends at the shore!
“Grab & Go” Lunch Available M-F, 11:30am-2pm
Kreutz Creek Vineyards Summer Evening Concert Series
Starting June 28, every Saturday throughout the summer from 6-9pm, come out to the vineyard at Kreutz Creek for live music and everyone’s favorite: wine slushies. Yes, that’s right, we said wine slushies. Every week has a different theme, from jazz, to rock ’n’ roll, to Jimmy Buffet covers. Food trucks promise to deliver delicious local food, and with everything else being offered, you can’t go wrong. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at the event. 44 E. Gay Street | 610-436-5006 | kreutzcreekvineyards.com
First Fridays
First Fridays: you know them, you love them, and you’ve got to see what they have in store for you this summer. Stay out late and enjoy special offers from your favorite stores. First Fridays will take place on June 6, July 4th, and August 1. Participating stores include: The 5 Senses, A Taste of Olive, Artifact, Bella & Betty, BIG Diamond Importers and Fine Jewelry, BLINK, Chester County Running Store, Fairman’s, Feminique, G & G Cigars, Green Eyed Lady, Halladay Florist, Jane Chalfant, KALY, Kiki Boutique, Kreutz Creek Winery, Malena’s, Moonflower, nich, OBVI, Painted Plate, Penwick Design, Piper’s Way Celtic Imports, Ruby Slippers, Second Reading Book Store, Sterling Optical, Sunset Hill Jewelers, Taylor’s Music Store, Timeless Dwellings, and Tish Boutique.
West Chester Grower’s Market
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The Grower’s Market will continue to be held on Saturdays from 9am–1pm throughout the summer. Head down to the corner of N. Church and W. Chestnut Streets to pick up plenty of freshly grown produce as well as other locally made goods. Corner of N. Church Street and W. Chestnut Street westchestergrowersmarket.com
Tish Boutique
If you love First Fridays, be sure to check out “Shop & Sip Sundays” at Tish Boutique. Every Sunday from 12-4pm, you can have a mimosa as you peruse the store’s offerings and look for cute summer styles. 138 E. Gay Street | 610-692-7500 | tishstyle.com
Artisan Exchange
While you’re out and about on Saturday, check out the indoor Artisan Exchange. From 10am–2pm you can browse the goods and make purchases from more than 40 local artisans, farmers, chefs and bakers, partake in hands-on demonstrations, and listen to live music. 208 Carter Drive, 610-719-0282 artisanexchangewcpa.com
East Goshen Farmer’s Market
Vintage Garage Sale
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West Chester Parks and Recreation is giving you yet another reason to go out on First Fridays. The borough’s latest addition, The Vintage Garage Sale, will take place in the Chestnut Street Parking Garage from 4–9pm on the first Fridays of May, June, August and September. Sift through antiques, up-cycled furniture, vintage clothing, and much more. Not content to stop there, the event will feature wine tastings, live music, and food-truck favorites Ka’Chi and Dia Doce. 14 E. Chestnut Street | avintagegaragesale.com
If you’re crazy for markets, West Chester’s got your back. In addition to the Grower’s Market and Artisan Exchange, you can also stop by the East Goshen Farmer’s Market on Thursdays at 3:30pm for even more local, unique and delicious foods. Oh, and it’s good for the planet! 1580 Paoli Pike | eastgoshenfarmersmarket.org
Pre-School Entertainment
Every Tuesday in July, bring your little ones to Ira Hicks Pavilion in East Goshen Park for a series of performances targeted just for their inquiring minds. “Mad Science-The ABC’s of Science” is on July 9, “The Magic of Kelly and Kyle” is on July 16, “What Knott Farm Animals” is on July 23, and a surprise show is on July 30. All shows begin at 11am. 1580 Paoli Pike | 610-692-7171 | eastgoshen.org
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© Silhouette / valid until 09. 2013
STERLING OPTICAL
40 E. Gay Street • West Chester, PA 19380
610-692-9289
www.silhouette.com | design and quality made in Austria
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Cruise Nights at the Faulkner Dealership
Faulkner’s Cruise Nights have been lighting up West Chester for 18 years. June 13 is “Spring Cruise Night,” July 11 is “PA State Police Camp Cadet Night,” August 8 is “Hot Summer Nights,” and September 12 is the “Season Finale.” From 6-9pm, you can marvel at antique, classic, and custom cars while enjoying a DJ and trying to win various door prizes and giveaways. Don’t forget a food donation for Faulkner’s food bank.
One-Time Events
705 Autopark Boulevard | 610-436-5600 | faulknerauto.com
West Goshen Summer Concert Series
›
The West Goshen Community Park will be the site of six concerts this summer: Makin’ Music on June 22, The Greaseband on June 29, Love’s Magic on July 13th, Cafe con Pan on July 27, The Big Big Jazz Band on August 10, and Blackthorn on August 25th. Bring a dry-good donation for the West Chester Food Cupboard. All concerts begin at 6:30pm. Fern Hill Road and N. Five Points Road | wgoshen.org
Ongoing activities The Painted Plate
At the Painted Plate, you can choose from dozens of premade pottery pieces and paint them however you please. Get half-off your studio fee with specials throughout the summer: every Thursday is Ladies’ Night, and every alternating Saturday is Date Night. Bring your kids on the last Saturday of every month for Family Night with free pizza and soda!
West Chester Railroad
All aboard the West Chester Railroad: this 90-minute train ride runs from Market Street to Glen Mills’ Victorian station, and is an ideal way to soak in Chester County’s magnificent scenery. Summer Picnic Specials will be offered every Sunday at 12pm Visit their website or call them for more information. 230 E. Market Street | 610-430-2233 | westchesterrr.net
Waterview Swim Club
Join the club at Waterview this summer for access to a refreshing, Olympic-sized pool, shuffleboard courts, a playground, a picnic area, and much more. The club is open every day from 12–8pm so if you must lounge around reading a trashy romance novel, you might as well do it at Waterview.
104 W. Market Street | 610-738-0603 | paintedplatepottery.com
2 Waterview Road | 1-302-798-5144 | progressivepool.com/waterview
Chester County Historical Society
Summer Classes at WCU
Recurring Events
Are you a history buff? If not, you’re probably not even sticking around to the end of this sentence. If you are, then the Chester County Historical Society has several exhibits to make you swoon. “Chester County Clothing of the 1800s” will run until the end of August and gives visitors a sneakpeek into the lives of local men and women and their clothing in the 1800s. Permanent exhibits include “Chester County: A View of the Past,” and “Decorative Arts: Chester County Craftsmanship.”
Spend your summer like a Ram! Sign up for classes at West Chester University, and finally cross French off your bucket list. The second summer session runs from June 30 to August 2, and the post-session runs from August 4 to 22. 700 S. High Street | 610-436-1000 | wcupa.edu
Highland Orchards
225 N. High Street | 610-692-4800 | chestercohistorical.org
All summer long at Highland Orchards, strawberries, cherries, peaches and countless other ripe summer fruits are just a pluck away from making their debut on your kitchen table. Kids will also enjoy the orchard’s playground, animals, and hayrides.
Chester County Art Association
1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road | 610-269-3494 highlandorchards.net
The Chester County Art Association is really an underappreciated gem in this community, and you should take advantage of it this summer. A number of different exhibitions will show, and they even offer a summer art camp for children! Check back throughout the summer to find out about more exhibits and openings.
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100 N. Bradford Avenue | 610-696-5600 | chestercountyarts.org
Art Classes at Chester County Art Association
If the exhibits at the Chester County Art Association have your inner Picasso yearning to break loose, sign up for art classes. Try your hand at sculpture, painting, jewelry making, and much more. Consult the CCAA’s website for class schedules and more information. 100 N. Bradford Avenue | 610-696-5600 | chestercountyarts.org
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Brandywine Picnic Park
Brandywine Picnic Park offers tubing, paddle-boats, amusement rides, rock climbing, and more on select days. Be sure to check their website for public admission dates and admission prices. 690 S. Creek Road | 610-793-3198 | picnic.com
Tee It Up Golf
Whether you’re into real golf or the mini variety, you’ll find Tee It Up Golf a great place to practice your swing. You can even step into their unique 35-Course Simulator to get tips on your game and experience some of the greatest greens in the world.
Baldwin’s Book Barn
A visit to Baldwin’s Book Barn is like a step back in time. The barn, built in 1822, is itself a testament to America’s rich history and houses hundreds of thousands of rare, used, and leatherbound books. Stop in and start your search for that precious gem you’ve been looking for. Then take a seat in the barn, or outside on its scenic grounds, and dive right in to a piece of history. 865 Lenape Road | 610-696-0816 | bookbarn.com
21 Hagerty Boulevard | 610-429-0800 | teeitupgolfpa.com
Chester County SPCA
Summer is the perfect time to get to know a new pet. If you adopt a pet from the Chester County SPCA, you could be outside playing with it rather than watching that depressing Sarah McLachlan commercial. Win-win. 1212 Phoenixville Pike | 610-692-6113 | ccspca.org
Hiking at Stroud Preserve
Congratulations! You’ve adopted your dog, now you’ve got to take him some place fun. Head over to Stroud Preserve and hike over nine miles of exciting, unpaved trails. Chester County will never seem more beautiful than when you’re enjoying it with your best friend. N. Creek Road | 3/10 of a mile south of Route 162 | 610-344-3443
Carousel Ballroom
Put on your dancing shoes and waltz over to Carousel Ballroom. Latin and ballroom dance lessons are offered to dancers of all abilities. Dance parties, a Carousel favorite, are hosted on weekends. You can bring a friend or come alone. Enjoy appetizers, desserts, and great company as you dance the night away. 319 Westtown Road | Suite P, 610-701-0600 | carouselballroom.com
eat. drink. Om…
“The tiny yoga studio with the big heart” always has room for more yoga lovers. This summer, whether you’re a beginner or an old pro, eat. drink. Om… has a packed schedule of classes that are sure to enrich your life with peace and flexibility. Sign up for classes on their website. 124 E. Gay Street | 484-356-8655 | eatdrinkom.com
Ice Cream
Between Kiwi, Rita’s, and Dairy Queen, your cone will never be empty this summer. And don’t forget D’Ascenzo’s Gelato. Their inventive, house-made flavors are constantly changing. The WCU Wednesday special at D’Ascenzo’s is continuing all summer, so students have no reason to leave the borough. Show your Ram Card and get $1 off every Wednesday.
West Chester Public Library
Northbrook Canoe Company
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There’s never a shortage of things to do at the library this summer. Every Saturday at 10am, kids can battle it out at Chess Club. Every second Monday at 6:30pm is Lego Club for kids 8+, and every fourth Monday is Junior Lego Club for kids 5-7. June 14, at 10 AM the library’s summer reading program, “Fizz! Boom! Read!” begins with balloons, crafts, games, tattoos, music, science demonstrations and more!
You’ve done your summer reading and now you want to get your Huck Finn on. There’s no need to travel all the way to the Mississippi—West Chester’s own Brandywine River offers plenty of adventures. The Northbrook Canoe Company, which has been open since 1977, allows customers to canoe, kayak, and tube down the Brandywine all throughout the summer. Make a day out of it and enjoy lunch at the Picnic Grove. You can bring your own food or visit the Food Shack for barbeque.
415 N. Church Street | 610-696-1721 | wcpubliclibrary.org
1810 Beagle Road | 610-793-2279 | northbrookcanoe.com
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Home
Becca Boyd has a passion for good food
Beccanomics
On the eve of our fine town’s May First Friday, my small family went for a post-dinner gelato walk. We couldn’t help but notice that the borough was absolutely buzzing. Though this epically terrible winter turned us into a bunch of Debbie Downers, each shiny, warm afternoon serves to reinstate our geniality. If anything, the silver lining of way too much snow is a unique gratitude for the climbing temperatures. This is going to be a great summer. The two recipes I’m sharing today will keep your kitchen time short, providing a no-bake sweet treat and a pasta salad that works equally well for lunch and dinner. Now, get out and enjoy these glorious days before the real heat arrives. S’mores Rice Krispie Treats Makes 25 bars 3 tbsp. butter, 1 (10 oz) bag mini marshmallows, 6 c. puffed rice cereal, 1 c. melted bittersweet chips, 1 package Graham crackers, 2 c. marshmallow fluff 1. In a saucepan, melt mini marshmallows and butter together, stirring frequently until smooth. Add cereal and stir to coat; reduce heat to lowest setting. 2. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick spray and press half of mixture into bottom of pan with wet hands. Melt chocolate in a glass mixing bowl in the microwave. 3. Drizzle cereal with melted chocolate. Place fluff in the bowl that melted chocolate was scraped out of and microwave for 30 seconds. Scrape half of the fluff onto the chocolate in the pan and spread to evenly cover surface. 4. Cover fluff with graham crackers, breaking squares to fit. Scrape remaining fluff evenly onto graham crackers. 5. Top with remaining rice krispie mixture (that you had left over low heat on the stove). Press down with wet hands. Chill at least 25 minutes before cutting into squares. May be kept at room temperature in air-tight container at least two days. Zucchini and Tuna Pasta Salad with Spinach Pesto Serves 4-6 1/2 lb. penne, 3 c. packed fresh baby spinach, 1/2 c. packed fresh basil leaves, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, juice of 1 large lemon, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 11 oz. light tuna, 3 sliced scallions, 1 finely diced zucchini, 1 can drained white beans, 1/4 c. chopped roasted almonds 1. Bring a large saucepan or pot to boil over high heat. Add 1 tsp. salt. Add pasta and cook as package directs. Drain and rise with cold water. 2. Meanwhile pulse spinach and basil in food processor until decreased in volume. Add garlic, salt and cheese and pulse until finely chopped. 3. Combine lemon juice and olive oil and add in through the chute while the machine is running. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once, about 30 seconds. 4. Combine cooked pasta, zucchini, tuna and scallions in a large mixing bowl. Add pesto to bowl and mix to combine. 5. Add beans and almonds and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate, covered, up to three days. bboyd@thewcpress.com
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One bite and you’re hooked
ramsheadbarandgrill.com 40 East Market Street 484-631-0241
It’s hard to beat our California BLT with tots and an IPA 32
THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
JUNE 2014 THEWCPRESS.COM
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Great Food, Great Drinks
& Daily Specials 15 S HIGH ST 610.696.1400 BARNABYSWESTCHESTER.COM
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Trips range from one hour all the way up to six and a half hours. If you’d prefer not to get wet (although you might, which often surprises people), you can reserve one of Northbrook’s 160 canoes. Then, head out with your family or romantic partner, and your dog (yes, pets are allowed on canoe trips). For anyone interested in a little more splash action, Northbrook’s collection of 400 tubes offers a way to stay cool during the dog days of summer. When you get back from the water, you’ll be ready to visit the brand-new snack bar, which offers packaged snacks and drinks. Across the parking lot, the Food Shack serves up hot dogs, hamburgers, or whatever goes on a grill on a reservation-only basis. You’re always welcome to bring your own sustenance as well, as long as it fits in a small cooler and doesn’t include any alcohol. I ask Zeke about the personality of the Brandywine. “She,” he says without hesitation, casting me a sidelong glance. “She can be unpredictable and feisty. She can raise her head and be nasty. But then she can be laid back and
beautiful, too.” There’s something magical about being on the Brandywine River, as she meanders underneath the lush green canopy of summertime. My dad used to bring me out to Northbrook when I was about 10 years old. I doubt I fully appreciated the subtleties of how the sunlight glanced off the droplets of water as they rolled down my paddle. I did, however, know how awesome it was to jump into one of the deep, dark pools that swirled beside our canoe. My dad isn’t around anymore, but the Brandywine still winds through a changing world, the same way it did when I was a kid. After 37 years, Zeke is still bemused when local residents find out about Northbrook for the first time. “I tell them we’re one of the best kept secrets in the world.” And that is what it feels like; even with its growing popularity, when Northbrook brings you out onto the Brandywine it’s like they are letting you and your family in on their little secret. You can’t help but feel connected to this small piece of paradise that runs right next to our little town.
“There’s something magical about being on the BrandywinE, as she meanders underneath the lush green canopy of summertime.”
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Owner(s) of the
Month
PHOTO & INTERVIEW Luke O'Brien
D’Ascenzo’s Gelato brings the famous dessert from Rome to downtown West Chester For Glenn and Kristin D’Ascenzo, gelato is more than just a dessert—it’s a labor of love. As Glenn was whipping up some new flavors in the back, I got a chance to sit down with Kristin and get the full scoop on what goes into D’Ascenzo’s gelato. When did you and Glenn start this business? We started as a business in 2004,
mostly in farmer’s markets. We also did mobile events which included wine festivals and food festivals across five states. When did you come to West Chester?
We opened this downtown location in April of 2011. Once we opened here, we didn’t have to do the mobile events and the farmer’s markets. Those were fun, but it is nice to be settled into one location.
What made you choose West Chester? It is a wonderful, charming town that is very alive, particularly in the summer! I love the history of the town and the people here are wonderful. We always thought our product would be a good fit here because of the amount of restaurants and outdoor seating you can find throughout town. Has it proved to be a good fit? A very good fit. Business has improved every year since we opened, so we definitely feel like the town is embracing us. We’re constantly humbled because our customers will compare our gelato to what they’ve had in Italy. We feel very fortunate to have such great customers that appreciate what we do. How did you guys decide to get into gelato in the first place? We met as flight
attendants years ago. On our first trip to Rome, we had a taste of the real thing and we said to ourselves, “What is this wonderful concoction?” That was in 1999, and a few years later we got our business plan together and incorporated in 2004. What is the process of making gelato like? Glenn makes the gelato. It is a very
labor-intensive process but Glenn refers to it as a labor of love. He is very into his ingredients and very particular about his fi-
nal product. If it’s not up to his standards, it will not make it into the case. He searches all over for just the right ingredients and it’s very apparent that it is his passion. What are some of your most popular flavors? We always have 24 flavors available
and we’re constantly rotating in new ones. Our most popular flavor is always caramel sea salt. Also, the classic Italian flavors like dark hazelnut and pistachio are constantly sought after. But, we always have something new and exciting for you to try. What are some different flavors that you are excited about for this summer? Glenn
has done some wild stuff. He’s done rose petal, lavender honey, strawberry balsamic mascarpone, goat cheese and honey, Philly cheesecake, and the list goes on. He has a really good idea of how the flavors work together, so he is able to get very creative. Do you make everything in shop? We do. All our gelato and our waffle cones are made on site. Are you looking forward to the summer?
We are! This is our season! We’re just so excited to keep growing and coming up with new flavors. We have tables set up outside so people can enjoy the gelato, the weather and the beautiful town of West Chester.
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Your childhood dreams can come true...
GREYSTONE HALL Creating memories for years to come
© John Shetron
© Michael Brun
Engaged couples and their families are welcome to visit us at our weekly open house Wednesday from 6:00 pm through 8:00 pm GREYSTONEHALL.COM Info@Greystonehall.com 610-696-1272 1034 Phoenixville Pk
All Baking Done on Premises 15 N Church St 610-344-9674
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Tell Me something
Good
Kate Chadwick takes a moment to spotlight a local citizen for doing something swell
Who he is: Tom Chambers
What he does: Borough resident and former mayor Tom Chambers has been volunteering—in the emergency room, no less—at Chester County Hospital for the past seven years.
610.314.4300
make your appointment at: balancehairspa.com
Why he’s on this page: If you want to feel like a bit of a slouch, a quick perusal of Tom Chambers’ resumé might do the trick: B.S. Degree in Social Studies with a Political Science major, three years of active duty as a commissioned officer in U.S. Marine Corps, nearly 40 years of corporate management experience in the private sector, 30 years in public service as elected Mayor of West Chester (12 years); elected Borough Councilman (8 years); appointed Civil Service Commissioner (6 years); and appointed member and chair of the Human Relations Commission (3 years); founder and co-chair of the West Chester Drug Task Force, Operation Town Watch, and Conflict and Resolution Team. With a CV that impressive, Tom could easily be spending his retirement years as a paid consultant for any number of businesses. Yet he chooses to spend a large chunk of his free time as a volunteer in what is arguably the most stressful part of the hospital in which he was born. Fetching blankets, holding hands, moving equipment and belongings to rooms, sitting with patients and/ or their families during some fraught and frightening moments – this is how Tom Chambers spends his free time. “When I inquired about volunteering at CCH, one of the options was in the ER,” Tom told us. “I knew immediately that this was where I wanted to volunteer, because it would be very busy and I’d be able to directly assist the ER staff and comfort the patients.” What he likes about West Chester: “The short answer is ‘everything,’” Tom told us. “I was born and raised in West Chester, as were my parents and grandparents. I went to school here, married a West Chester girl, and spent most of my adult life living here. It’s a community I truly feel an integral part of, and being able to represent and serve my hometown as mayor was an honor and a privilege. West Chester is a great community filled with great people.” What we like about him: He never hesitates to help. Kathy Stocker, the volunteer coordinator at the hospital, told us “Tom is my go-to. Whatever I need, wherever it is, he’s always right there. I know I can always count on him.” Moral of the story: Helping others is truly its own reward. “My seven years of experience in the emergency room has been exactly what I wanted,” Tom told us. “There’s a great sense of satisfaction I get in helping others at such a stressful time. I like being able to lessen the load of the busy ER doctors, nurses and techs, freeing them up to do their important work. It’s been a totally rewarding experience for me, and I hope that I can continue on in the ER for many more years.”
150 E. Gay Street, West Chester
new $85 for clients
Keratin Express Blowout (normally $150 alone or $100 with service) mention ad for discount, expires 6/30/14
If you’d like to volunteer at Chester County Hospital, contact Volunteer Services at 610-431-5191, or visit cchosp.com.
kchadwick@thewcpress.com
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Excite all of your senses
at West Chester’s most alternative & unique boutique! A vast array of “one-of-a-kind” products, including...
Hip Clothing • Bags & Accessories • Jewelry Galore • Incense/Oils/Candles • Tapestries/Blankets • Eclectic home/Dorm décor • Hemp products • Grateful Dead, Bob Marley & ‘60s Memorabilia • Tie Dyes & Cool T-shirts • Hand-blown glass & local artwork • Tobacco accessories • Groovy Gifts Gift Certificates Available
130 W. Gay Street 610-431-6607 www.moonflowershop.com A portion of our proceeds go to environmental and pro-peace charities! All major credit cards accepted. Open 7 Days A Week
10% off purchase with student ID! SINCE 1992
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Local
Talent
PHOTO & INTERVIEW Luke O'Brien
John Suplee brings a history of artistic excellence to his new Gallery on Church Street. When did you start painting? I started way back at age seven. I had a neighbor who happened to be a painter and he put oil paints in my hands. When I reached college I switched over to acrylics and now use them exclusively. Are you from West Chester? Yes. I was born here. I lived peripherally just outside the town just about all my life. Having gone to school in upstate New York, I was up there for long enough and learned so much in my time there that I feel like a native to Clinton, NY. How do you categorize your artwork?
I like to quote what the Philadelphia critic Victoria O’Donahue said about my work,
calling it “easy-going realism.” I like that phrase because a lot of realism gets so tight that it becomes almost annoying. I like to make an image that will have at least some intellectual subtext to it—a little something for your brain to chew on. What type of social commentary do you hope your art achieves? As I men-
tioned before, it is “easy going,” so I never want to impose my ideas, simply offer them to the viewer. I deal a lot with the sort of tug-of-war between man-made objects and nature. For example, I have a painting of some sunflowers growing around a stop sign. Have you always painted like this, or, has it evolved over the years? No, not al-
ways! Before I really found my voice, I was using the acrylics in a very aggressive and free style. I was very much on the edge of abstraction. Then around 1990, I began calming down with thinking about it too much; I guess that’s when I found my voice. What do you think brought that change about? It really just came from life experi-
ences. I became very attached to localities and I get disturbed when those types of things would change. I’m not sure if you’re familiar but there is a proposal to knock
down some trees on The Barclay Grounds. I just did a big painting of those grounds to show how beautiful they are because to knock those down would be a shame. What is your process like? For me, when approaching a painting I think about two things. One, what does something actually look like. The other thing is thinking about what to do with it to make a picture out of it. So, what is your involvement in the new Church St. Gallery?
Carol, my wife, was excited to start a gallery; she had recently retired from a 35 year career in technology but has always had an artistic soul. The gallery is much more of an art venture than a business one. I am helping Carol create a gallery that really focuses on the work of one person for a whole month. But none of this could happen without Carol’s energy; it’s very exciting for both of us. What will we be seeing there in June?
Our next show will feature a lady named Emmy Krick who we have known for many years. She does very energized water media pictures with floral motifs but in a very serious way. We are really excited to present her and encourage anyone to stop in just to look and appreciate the art.
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Classes at... Peter’s Salon & European Spa 1009 West Chester Pike Bring this ad to your first class and it’s FREE carolt.zumba@gmail.com 610-436-6464
CarolThiel.Zumba.Com Contact Carol for Current Hours 42
THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Children in
Tow
Jennifer Ozgur is a mother, wife and teacher who still finds time to get out and about with her family
As I approach my 21st summer living in West Chester, it comforts me to know that this town anchored me as I drifted through different stages in my life. I moved here in the winter of ’94. There was an ice storm the first week of the semester. As I slipped around the icy bricks of the aptly coined “WET Chester,” I wondered if I had made a mistake. But then summer came, and I discovered the allure of the town. Compared to my former rural university, this town was cosmopolitan! News stations frequented the courthouse steps on the corner of High and Market. Public transportation drove through instead of horses and buggies. It was a delightful change from my previous experiences. For the next several years, I spent every summer working and playing hard. I rented a room on South Walnut Street and maintained two jobs—answering phones by day, as was the rite of passage of many a student, and cocktail waitressing by night. I walked everywhere. I saved money by eating shift meals. I earned enough for rent in the first week of the month and was able to party for the rest of it and still pay my own tuition bills. I had spread my wings and flown into the sun. But soon enough, I got burned. Thus began a few summers of trying to recoup my losses. I refer to them as the Sod Years. I landscaped and painted. I did menial jobs for home owners, longing for the day I could own my own home instead of living out of milk crates and sleeping on a futon. I recall borrowing quarters to use a payphone to check my messages, hoping another job came through. I survived on all the contacts I had made. The close-knit community sustained me. Eventually, I built myself back up. I got my degree and landed my first professional job, which developed into my career. I joined the ranks of homeowners at the start of the housing bubble—lenders liked my steady income. The skills I learned in previous summers allowed me to grow quickly. I was back on top. I learned from my previous mistakes and enjoyed West Chester in a wiser, more moderate way. I traded all-nighters and clubbing for Gallery Walks and fine dining. But one thing was missing: a family. I’m now a mom and have fewer summer days in town. When I do, it’s usually with a stroller. Happy hour is now a chance to enjoy a coffee as long as my son is content with his fruit snacks. As I walk down the same bricks I did decades ago, I recall past summer days and nights with a sigh. I struggle to empathize with the coeds that pass me by with their unfettered freedom; so distant are those memories of carefree young adulthood. The same West Chester summer that offers them adventure has provided stability in my ever-changing world. I am filled with awe as I appreciate the richness of the town of my past, present and future summers. jozgur@thewcpress.com
JUNE 2014 THEWCPRESS.COM
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Now opeN!
kooma eXpress Modern Asian Cuisine &
50+ Imported & Domestic Beers To-Go
151 W Gay St | 484.9475410 www.koomarestaurants.com
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Monday-Friday: 11:30am-10pm Friday & Saturday: 11:30am-2am Sunday: 12:00pm-8:00pm
THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
The Real (estate)
Deal
Entrepreneur and Realtor Brad Liermann keeps tabs on development here in the borough
It’s finally happening. Too often the question can be overheard asked by passersby as they leave Starbucks or Iron Hill, “How could that building possibly be empty in this town?” In the early months of 2009, Sprazzo Gelato closed up shop and one of the four corners of Gay and High Streets became vacant. It has stayed that way since, but now, more than five years later, an agreement of sale is in place and the most visible vacant property in a Chester County downtown will no longer be the subject of such dismay. Gregory Cucchi has been the owner of the property since June of 2007 via an entity created to hold the property named 27 Romeo, LP. The address listed for the partnership in Penn Valley appears to be nothing more than an address for mail to eternally remain unread; no one responds to inquiries. Mr. Cucchi is instead reportedly holed up in California, apparently caring little for our small corner of the world or the way its main intersection has been left wanting. Vacant properties always need more attention than they receive, and this one has been no different. Broken panes of glass are a consistent sight, and the snow that wreaked havoc on our region this winter was often left untouched. On Saint Patrick’s Day this year, stones from the façade came crashing down to the sidewalk, one of the town’s busiest corners on one of the town's busiest nights. After that incident, it didn’t take long for the borough and the property owner next door to turn up the pressure on Cucchi. It worked. The month of May brought repairs to the stone work, mandated by the borough and the agreement of sale that is now in place. Of course none of this matters until that agreement results in a settlement between the two parties. Until then, it’s only speculation, but it’s quite possible that Kevin Carton of Olce Pizza Grille is the purchaser and will be bringing his Skippackbased pizza joint to West Chester. Olce Pizza Grille defines itself as an “artisanal pizza joint; pizzas made with local and seasonal ingredients,” and Philadelphia Magazine has previously named it one of the top 50 pizza places in the Philadelphia area. While another pizza shop isn’t necessarily the most needed product in the borough with as many as eleven shops already in operation, the most important aspect of the deal is all four corners of West Chester becoming occupied once again. This borough is quickly transforming in front of us. Soon the Sprazzo sign vainly espousing the store as a gelato and espresso bar will go and pizzas will begin to leave out the front door. Change can be difficult for many, but there are few that would argue how well West Chester has changed over the past twenty years. With this main intersection primed for renewal, and construction booming all around us, the outlook for this town couldn't be brighter. bliermann@TheWCPress.com
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Bartender of the
Month
PHOTO & INTERVIEW Luke O’Brien
Nicole Covici is no stranger to summer fun. She clues us in on how you can “find your beach” in West Chester this summer. Nicole Covici, a New Jersey native and recent WCU graduate brings her nutrition degree and fun personality to Doc Magrogan's. I sat down with her for a quick conversation on how Doc's provides two of her favorite things: healthy food and great drinks. So, where are you from originally? I'm from another little college town in South Jersey, called Glassboro. Do you have a Jersey beach of choice?
I do! We live about an hour from the beaches and my family has always been partial to Brigantine. We used to have a house there and we spent a lot of time there in the summers.
So how did you end up in West Chester? A few years ago I changed my major
to nutrition and West Chester was one of the schools that I found that offered it. This is actually my fourth school in my college career—I started out as an art major at a couple schools, and then I studied health and exercise science at Rowan University and then came to West Chester for the degree in nutrition. I'm going to graduate this spring. What are your plans for after graduation? I actually just started managing
here. And while I love bartending, I'm excited to pursue this opportunity. How long have you been working at Doc Magrogan's? I have been here for
about seven months, and I really love it. The food, the staff, the environment—it’s all a really good fit for me. Will you incorporate any of your nutrition studies into what you do here at Doc’s? Yes. Currently, I am doing a lot
on my own. I run my own food blog at planteatersplate.blogspot.com, and I run some personal training-type stuff where I help people find diets and workouts that fit their lifestyle. I hope to eventually incorporate this work with one of our other
DMG groups called Harvest. Harvest is a farm-to-table restaurant, and I’m a big advocate of sourcing food locally and healthily. How do you rank the food here at Doc's? It’s phenomenal. We have a sec-
tion on the menu called Simply Grilled, which is our healthy section. With that stuff, you are in control of how everything is prepared and it comes with really great side options. Even outside of that section, everything we do is fresh and prepared correctly. So, what does Doc’s have in store for the summer? We are just about to add
some new drinks to our menu and we really want to get creative with it. We will continue doing fishbowls and we’re going to come up with new recipes for those as well. I am really excited about our “Shore Shack.” It’s our fully functioning outdoor bar. We have six taps in place, a soda gun, an ice well, and we just hooked up a computer out there so this summer that will be in full effect. It’s a really cool spot where you can be in West Chester but feel like you’re at a bar at the beach. We are planning on having a launch party to make people aware of it because it’s gonna be a great spot for the summer of 2014!
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AMY TUCKER PHOTOGRAPHY
Faunbrook B&B
An 1860s grand manor estate on the south side of West Chester
Weddings d shoWers d rehearsal dinners guest stays d events d 2 to 100 guests 699 West Rosedale Avenue • West Chester, PA 19382 610-436-5788 • 800-505-3233 • www.faunbrook.com
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Going to the
Dogs
Certified dog trainer and behavior specialist Debbie DeSantis shares some helpful hints
Debbie DeSantis, CPDT-KA, is a certified dog trainer and behavior specialist as well as the owner of Going to the Dogs Obedience. She’s trained nationally-ranked obedience, rally, agility and therapy dogs. What’s one of the first lessons you’ll want to teach a new puppy or dog? Housebreaking, of course. It’s important to feed and schedule potty breaks at regular intervals. Young puppies have very little bladder control. Feed her only at mealtimes. Don’t leave food down or you won’t be able to estimate when she’ll have go to the bathroom. Take her out after she eats, drinks, plays, sleeps, chews and after any excitement. You’ll also learn your puppy’s or dog’s cues (like sniffing the ground) when she has to go. When the pup is first learning, take her out the same route, out the same door, to her potty area—one not used by unvaccinated dogs. As an added bonus, she should learn to go to that door to let you know when she needs to potty. Don’t play with the pup at this time. Use a command, such as “go potty.” Praise and reward immediately after she finishes going, and if you catch her having an accident, interrupt her by sharply saying “eh-eh.” Then take her to her potty area and praise immediately after she finishes. The pup can’t have too much freedom too soon, or she’ll have accidents out of sight. Use some sort of safe confinement like a crate for your pup when you can’t observe her. It should be just big enough for the pup to stand up, lie down, and turn around comfortably. You can buy wire crates with a divider that can be moved to accommodate the adult dog. It’s important that you don’t just place the pup in a yard and assume that she went to the bathroom. You need to be there to reward and ensure that she pottied. If you have a very small dog and want her to go to the bathroom inside the house in one location, you can do so. People who are in high-rise apartments, who don’t otherwise have quick access to the outside, or who are gone long hours often choose this option. Potty pads can be used, and you take the pup there as you would outside. This can be hard to train because a pup must differentiate where it's acceptable to potty inside and where it's not—consistency is the key. You can also housebreak an adult dog by using the above rules. With an adult dog, you might have to overcome past bad habits or just give a refresher course, but she will also have better bladder control than a young puppy has. You can teach an old dog new tricks! One last word of advice: if your dog or puppy is not housebroken and you’ve been consistent in your training, please take her to the veterinarian. She may have a urinary tract infection or other physical problem. DDeSantis@TheWCPress.com
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Wanted: Chili Cookoff Teams THINK YOU HAVE A $1,000 WINNING RECIPE?
Prove it! Register your team to compete on October 12th and be a part of chili making history. SIGN YOUR TEAM UP BEFORE JULY 1ST and receive all the early bird perks like a free tent package plus a 100% refund of your entry fee once you have competed in the event.
WANT EVEN MORE BENEFITS?
Check out our sponsorship packages which, in addition to your team entry, include great exposure opportunities for your business or organization.
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OCTOBER 12, 2014
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
We don’t just need people making darn good chili, we need sponsors and vendors too. Be a part of this fun-filled day by going to the website below, or calling 610-633-5444 for more information.
www.WestChesterChiliCookoff.com
YOUR STORY? LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING FUNNY, INSPIRING, EXCITING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING THIS SUMMER? CHECK OUT THE WEST CHESTER STORY SLAM. oanne tells the story of how her prized Ralph Lauren bath towel got involved in a mob hit. Luke recalls finding what he thought was an abandoned motorized wheelchair when he was a teenager, taking the chair, and then returning it weeks later, only to be hailed as a hero. And Eli tells the tale of a condor, “hired” by Eli’s ad agency to circle gracefully overhead, instead plummeting 300 feet to its death. These are all stories from West Chester Story Slam Story slams are live storytelling competitions that have been exploding across the country. They may vary slightly in their rules, but basically, a story slam consists of a person standing in front of an audience and telling a story. In the summer of 2011, I saw a poster advertising West Chester Story Slam in the Starbucks on Gay Street. I was intrigued. I had heard of story slams but had never been to one. I asked my friend Pat to come with me. He had never been to one either, but that didn’t stop him from telling a story about whether he believed his father was, in fact, his biological father. The theme was “It’s All Relative.” Pat won the slam that night and I was hooked. Jim Breslin, the founder of West Chester Story Slam, is a man who loves stories—writing them and telling them. He held the first West Chester Story
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THE WC PRESS | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
what someone is going to talk about. I’m awed by the courage of people revealing themselves to strangers. I’ve heard people tell stories about coming to terms with being gay, finding love after a divorce, and confronting a man with a gun. For a few hours I lose my cynical nature. I’ve cheered with the crowd listening to Marty recall how he finagled his way as an extra onto the movie Witness when it was filming at 30th Street Station, and Tim explaining how he was inspired to finish his first marathon running behind a man with only one leg who was beating him. This past February, a storyteller stumbled and lost her place in her story. She wanted to stop and sit down. The crowd of people at Side Bar wouldn’t let her. “Keep going!” they yelled. “You’re doing fine.” She went on. I Slam in his living room in 2009 and twenty-two people showed don’t remember what her story was about, only the crowd urging up. It has since grown dramatically. West Chester Story Slam, held her not to quit. Luanne Sims, a woman in her early forties, won 2013’s Grand the second Tuesday of the month, has regularly sold out crowds at Side Bar & Restaurant on Gay Street. And this past November Slam with her story of inadvertently abandoning her coworkers over 250 people attended the annual West Chester Grand Slam, at a company-wide meeting for her job selling adult diapers. “You a storytelling competition that includes the previous months’ win- know how now everyone is doing triathlons and mud-runs. Story Slam is going to be the next big thing. In a year, everyone will be ners, held at the Chester County Historical Society. I knew I wanted to tell a story but couldn’t think of one until the going to story slams everywhere,” she says. Luanne is not far off. theme was announced for February 14, 2012—“Fiction Romance.” Jim is also the founder of Delco Story Slam held monthly at Burlap My goal was simple— not to embarrass myself. When my name and Bean in Newtown Square and regularly fields requests from was called I stepped up to the mic in front of more than seventy restaurant owners who want him to host slams at their place. He’s toyed with the idea of expanding into people and told my story of being a Lancaster and Wilmington. For Jim, a teenager in the 80s and of one incredWEST CHESTER STORY story slam is not unlike reading a collecible night at Studio 54 in New York of short stories. There are always meeting Academy Award-winning SLAM DRAWS A REMARKABLY tion a few that are truly memorable. “The actor Timothy Hutton. I was nervous. I had rehearsed the DIVERSE CROWD, WITH PEOPLE energy in the room is magical at times, hearing the audience laugh or gasping story a few times during my drive IN THEIR TWENTIES THROUGH with tension. We have nearly seventy over but it came out differently when people in a bar, listening to someone I told it to the crowd. Early on I got SEVENTIES ATTENDING AND sharing a personal story, it’s a colleca few laughs so I began interacting PARTICIPATING. tive experience, a connection between more with the audience. They made storytellers and the audience,” he says. my story better. Within minutes, I felt like I was telling my story to a bunch of friends. I had never done “I’m humbled by the sense of community that has sprouted up at anything like this before. Even in high school plays I was usually the story slams.” Like anything else I’ve become obsessed with, I try to convert consigned to the chorus, out of the spotlight. But this was different. Being up there, my life felt suddenly interesting. I felt inter- my friends. I invite them to the slam. They’re curious. They come esting. The audience, the venue, the supportive atmosphere—all to check it out, to see what I’m talking about, maybe to shut me up. But once they’re there, they'ret hooked, like the rest of us. conspired to make me a better version of myself.myself. Amazingly, I won the slam that night and I keep going back During the summer, West Chester Story Slam will be take place on whenever I can. Sometimes I tell a story if I’ve got one, but I also June 10th, July 8th and August 12th at Side Bar & Restaurant on love just to listen. On any given night at the slam, about a quarGay Street. For more information visit www.wcstoryslam.com. ter of the people who tell stories never planned on telling one. What usually happens is after a few drinks, while listening to is a freelance writer living in other storytellers, they feel compelled to tell a story of their own. West Chester. You can follow her on her blog The storyteller recalls a moment or incident from his or her life, www.greetingsfrominsanity.com. something that might have been in the storyteller’s mind for years, maybe told before only to close friends, now begging for a larger audience. The stories are often hilarious, melancholy, intimate, or frightening, maybe uplifting, but they are always personal. West Chester Story Slam draws a remarkably diverse crowd, with people in their twenties through seventies attending and participating. I’ve made friends there, as part of the group that comes regularly. We are storytelling friends who greet each other on Tuesday evenings with a smile or a hug and always with the same question: do you have a story for tonight? There’s always an excitement at the slam, an anticipation of
“I’M AWED BY THE OF PEOPLE REVEALING THEMSELVES TO STRANGERS.”
“STORY SLAM IS GOING TO BE THE
.”
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Summer
Songs
DJ Romeo gives you 25 must-have songs to download for Summer 2014
There's always a song that defines summer. That song you hear during every drive to the beach, every time you throw the radio on at a BBQ, and every time the DJ wants you to flood the dancefloor. Despite the fact that whenever it plays you hear a group of those girls scream, "this is my song!" you inevitably start bobbing your head, maybe singing along. I'm sure you can think of a few, and when you listen to them—no matter the season—you're transported back to those long summer days and warm nights. We guarantee at least one of these will be that song for summer 2014, so listen up, and then tell all your friends you heard it before it got huge. djromeo@thewcpress.com | www.soundcloud.com/d-j-romeo
Calvin Harris - "Summer" Neon Trees - "Sleeping With a Friend" Sam Smith - "When It’s Alright (Tomcraft Remix)" Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea - "Problem" Tiesto ft. Matthew Koma - "Wasted" Nico & Vinz - "Am I Wrong" Mr. Probz - "Waves (Robin Schulz Edit)" Klingande - "Jubel" Katy Tiz - "The Big Bang" MAGIC! - "Rude" Kiesza - "Hideaway" Jason Derulo ft. Snoop Dogg - "Wiggle" Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne - "Rather Be" Disclosure ft. Sam Smith - "Latch" Chromeo - "Jealous" Coldplay - "A Sky Full of Stars" Vance Joy - "Riptide" M. Jackson & J. Timberlake - "Love Never Felt So Good" Kongos - "Come With Me Now" Katy Perry - "Birthday" Zedd ft. Matthew Koma & Miriam Bryant - "Find You" Phantogram - "Fall in Love" Rita Ora - "I Will Never Let You Down" Sigma - "Nobody to Love" Betty Who - "Heartbreak Dream"
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