Tag Archives: Doylestown

The All-Artisans Gift Guide

SCAVENGING

Everything’s produced locally, in small batches and sourced by our resident scavenger, Susan Forker, an artisan herself.

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year. The temperatures cool, the fires are stoked, and we reflect on giving. Buying handmade and local has always been an integral part of my gifting for many reasons, not in the least, the foothold it provides to the small businesses in our community.  Mostly, though, it’s an opportunity to support the artisans who create unique, thoughtfully made products that have a story behind them. Here’s what caught my eye this season.

Woven Tote/Caryall | arden + james | from $320
A technically skilled artisan with the keenest intuition, Bri Brant’s work draws its beauty from natural media and her deep respect for the environment. The leather in her handmade bags is produced locally at a historic tannery, one of only two in the country that employ an eco-friendly, vegetable tanning process. The other materials in this tote, a true keepsake, are treated with the same level of care, right down to the hand-hammered copper rivets.

Artisan Candles | Zoet Bathlatier | from $20 each
Beautifully packaged and made in small batches from 100-percent vegetable wax and pure essential oils, these candles will intoxicate your senses. With fragrances like Fir Needle & Clove, The Woods, Caramel & Woodfire, simply light one and you’re transported to another place. The stated desire is to provide a sense of renewal and wellbeing with each. Mission accomplished. And then some.

 

Daisy Necklace | earth and wears |  from $30 (each)
Lyn Carey recently celebrated the eighth anniversary of her Dallas, Pennsylvania, shop, earth and wears, and the ninth of her pottery and ceramic jewelry line, which goes by the same name. Finding inspiration in natural tones and textures, Lyn hand-forms and -glazes these stunning pendants, leaving the back untreated for diffusing essential oils. One drop lasts about eight hours.

 

 

Assorted pillows | Tamme Handmade | $20 (each)
Funky. Flirty. Retro-glam. Tamme McClelland’s eclectic line, Tamme Handmade, has a definite swagger. The images are printed directly onto the fabric with water-based, eco-friendly dye. These pillows are especially appropriate for the literature lover, the nautical enthusiast and the anglophile on your list. Frida Kahlo and Eleanor Roosevelt are her best-sellers. I’m partial to Charles Bukowski.

 

DIY Stitch Kit | Popped Stitches | $12
Popped Stitches is the brainchild of Melissa McCullough, who displays a wicked sense of humor in her original cross-stitch and embroidered creations. Much of her work references an affinity for pop culture, geekery and salty quips, like, “Don’t summon my inner bitch, she doesn’t play nice,” that are bound to make you laugh out loud then race to hang it. This stitch kit (available exclusively at Philadelphia Independents is the gift that keeps on giving—because the recipient is bound to brag about his/her ability (and neglect to mention the kit) to anyone who comes into contact with it.

 

Susan Forker is the owner and designer of the Doylestown-based joeyfivecents, a line of one-of-a-kind jewelry and accessories.

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6 Holiday Home Tours to Hit

FIELD GUIDE

For a couple precious weeks each year, we can enter the homes of complete (and, sometimes, not) strangers and gawk at their stuff. To ensure that you satisfy your curiosity, we offer a brief guide to the prime snooping—err, tours.

By Scott Edwards

‘Tis the season to scope out some of the most inspiring halls around us, public and private. And, of course, soak up some holiday vibes. But, let’s be honest, we drag the dog out for a walk out most nights as a convenient excuse to peer through our neighbors’ floor-to-ceiling windows. These are the couple of weeks of the year when we can drop the act and walk right in. What follows is a guide to the season’s most promising house tours. Rest assured that every property will be decked out. You’re probably more interested in what lies beneath the garland, though. As are we.

Newtown Historic Assoc. Holiday Open House Tour | December 3
Six homes and seven public buildings, all in Rockwell-ian Newtown Borough, comprise this year’s self-guided walking tour, which dates back to 1963 (when admission was a buck-fifty; it’s $30 now). You’ll find some of the most impressive examples of colonial-era architecture in Bucks County among this collection.
Chadds Ford Historical Society Candlelight Christmas Tour | Dec. 3
Several historic Chadds Ford and Pennsbury township properties will be decorated and awash in candlelight—or, rather, sunlight; the tour starts at 1 p.m.; but candles will be burning, or plugged in, at least—for the self-guided tour. This one’s most appropriate for the history savant. Most of the featured stops played a role in the 1777 Battle of Brandywine.

 

Chestnut Hill Community Assoc. Christmas-Holiday House Tour | Dec. 3
Navigate the five featured homes on your own, by car, or aboard one of the trolleys that’ll be tracing the route throughout the day.

 

 

 

Fonthill Holiday Lights Meander | Dec. 10
There’s only one stop on this tour, but it’s a doozy. In broad daylight on an average Tuesday, Henry Mercer’s personal castle in Doylestown, Fonthill Museum, is akin to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, if Wonka was a freak craftsman instead of a sugar fiend. Adorned with garland, candles and designer Christmas trees, it’s sensory overload.
Haverford Holiday House Tour | Dec. 11
Five homes, the oldest dating back to the 19th century. Expect lots of wide-plank floors, short doorframes and built-in shelving and cabinetry. In other words, the kind of authentic nuances that, despite our boundless innovation since their inception, have become impossible to replicate.

 

Pottsgrove Manor by Candlelight | Dec. 11
On the 12th day of Christmas, the English colonists got down with their God-fearing selves—indulgent dinners, lavish parties. So, here, actors will be recreating some of those scenes throughout the 264-year-old mansion of Pottstown’s founder. There will be something on all three floors—dancing in the parlor, cooking in the kitchen and, we’re expecting, a secret rendezvous in the servants’ quarters.

 

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My Essentials

TRENDING

What ESTATE Boutique owner Brittany McGinley will be wearing this fall.
Photography by Matthew J. Rhein

 

As a mother of twin two-year-old boys and the owner of an even younger clothing shop, Brittany McGinley lives by a code: efficiency. She even has a formula for her wardrobe: one part seasonal stuff + one part staples + one part statement pieces. The seasonal component keeps her on point with the trends. The statement component’s treated as an accent, which limits wear and tear on the clothing (and her wallet). And the staples act as the canvas for it all.

Aide from being pragmatic, McGinley also knows her textiles and tailoring. She opened ESTATE Boutique in January in the same Doylestown building where she worked as a teenager at Sew Smart Fabrics, becoming deeply familiar with the minutiae of fashion design. Her inventory reflects an insider’s knowledge of craftsmanship, veering between the icons—Helmut Lang, Diane von Furstenberg, J. Lindeberg—and the emerging talent—Ulla Johnson, Smythe, Spr Wmn, IRO. It’s a rare cross-section. But, then, one-stop shopping is the only kind that works for McGinley.

Here, she shares her fall essentials—because she already had them figured out in July.

Jewelry by kismet by milka + Ilsa
Loves Rick
Like a lot of women, I love to layer my jewelry, like, say, a higher-end necklace from kismet by milka with another by the small-batch, Bucks-based collection Ilsa Loves Rick.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer and Foundation
My ultimate drugstore makeup finds. Built-in
applicators plus sunscreen (with the foundation) for under 20 bucks.

The Crossings 2014 Sauvignon Blanc
I’m actually a New Zealand citizen. My dad’s a Kiwi. We spent three weeks touring the country by RV a few years ago, and The Crossings was one of my favorite vineyards we hit along the way.

botkier Crossbody + Torregrossa Ridge bags
For everyday use, the smaller Torregrossa bag is my go-to. When I need to be more pulled together, I coordinate the larger botkier bag with my outfit and use the Ridge as my wallet. Both are cross-body bags, which is critical when you’re constantly juggling two-year-olds.

Milly Italian Cady Trapunto Tie-Waist Trousers
The high-waist silhouette is going to explode this fall, which is great news because it’s not only flattering, it’s also a very comfortable fit.

 

Seda France Candles (Malaysian Bamboo and Japanese Quince)
+ Satya Sai Baba Incense (Nag Champa)
I need to be surrounded by candles or incense. Seda France candles burn for days on end.

 

 

Burning Torch Flight Jacket
I love anything that’s beautiful and functional, and this reversible jacket is that. The outer shell features this Japanese-inspired embroidery, while the inner shell’s clean olive satin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The clothing and accessories featured here are available at ESTATE Boutique.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Favorite Day-Drinking Spots

DRINK

Because the summer’s too fleeting to squander on work and socially acceptable drinking hours.

By Mike Madaio

Happy hour, pre-dinner apéritifs, post-dinner digestifs, a marathon pub crawl that lasts until last call (and then some). We don’t refer to any of those experiences as night drinking. Yet, we feel pressed to qualify any imbibing done before 5 p.m. (even though it’s always five o’clock somewhere) as day drinking, such is the stigma that stems from the “Mad Men” era, when the men drank themselves under the lunch table and the women, under the coffee table, neither supposedly the wiser. Clearly, we’re a much more restrained culture now.

Day drinking these days is more about taking advantage—of a rare couple of quiet hours among old friends, of a gentle breeze on a July afternoon, of a setting that’s far too cool for our likes come nightfall—than blacking out. (Though blacking out’s still on the table. We’re not Mormons.)

Summer itself is practically an open invitation to ditch the to-do list (and the kids) and rustle up a spur-of-the-moment BYO gathering by the pool, at the park or the beach. But there’s also something about sliding into a dimly lit booth on an ideal afternoon that feels deliciously rebellious. Neither way’s wrong. There are, after all, no rules for day drinking. Other than postpone the errands for another day altogether, not simply until later in the afternoon. That’s a viral video waiting to happen.

On that note, allow us to introduce you to a few of our favorite day-drinking spots.

Paramour (at the Wayne Hotel) | Wayne
When the sun’s shining bright and the humidity’s lightened up, the sidewalk seats along North Wayne Avenue are highly coveted, naturally. But the savviest among us know to seek out the 110-year-old Tudor Revival veranda, complete with ceiling fans and ample views of the surrounding gardens. Either way, order the Parisian Spritz, a light, bright sparkling wine cocktail spiked with a dollop of peach puree.

World of Beer | Exton
The franchise is comprised of 75 locations spread across 21 states, yet this one, which opened in May, is Pennsylvania’s first and only (because control states rarely get to have nice things). A thousand-square-foot patio holds more than enough table seating, as well as several outdoor sofas and a cornhole court. It’s what your backyard would look like if you had room for a thousand-square-foot deck, 60 rotating taps and a 600-bottle menu.

Martine’s RiverHouse | New Hope
People watching can be overstimulating. And sometimes—most of the time—the whole point of day drinking is to step out of your routine and dive headfirst into your company. On such occasions, there is no more tranquil setting (with a well-stocked bar and a well-versed bartender at your disposal) than the riverside deck at Martine’s. Main Street bustles on the other side of the restaurant, but it may as well be miles away.

Pag’s Wine Bar | Doylestown
Stuck home when, really, you should be using your vacation days more wisely? Head to Paganini. Between the deep (and reasonably priced) wine cellar, the small-plates menu and the just-out-of-the-way location, it’s an honest facsimile of a European square experience. Sip, nosh, repeat. No hurry.

Mas Mexicali Cantina | West Chester
If there was an official drink for day drinking, it’d have to be the margarita. Mas Mexicali obliges with 11 varieties. Paired with the rooftop deck, there may be no better place around here to watch a hazy sun set with a drink in hand (and a taco in the other).

Va La Vineyards | Avondale
Sidle up to the bar to try one (or four) of Anthony Vietri’s authentic, Italian-style field blends, each paired with a locally made artisanal cheese. From there, grab a bottle of your favorite and head for the deck out back, where it feels more like Tuscany than Chester County.

Tired Hands Fermentaria | Ardmore
The large picture windows (ideal people for watching), tall ceiling and the skylights make for one airy space. But unlike the saturated suckers walking by on the other side of those windows, you’re savoring your house-brewed session beer (a beer made for day drinking) and whiskey dills at a lovely 70 degrees with no hint of humidity.

X Marks the Spot
Legally, we can’t advise you to head for your secret-but-public spot with a bottle or a sixer in tow, but they’re the places that spring to mind first when you hear “day drinking,” are they not? No table, no chairs. Maybe a blanket. Definitely a spectacular view. We won’t tell if you won’t.

Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can’t Lose

SCAVENGING

The art of discovery at a flea market is more about an open mind and sentimentality than it is resale values.

By Susan Forker

 

Much of the allure of the flea market for me is the potential. I draw a lot of inspiration digging through the forgotten bits and bobs piled in dusty heaps and buried in bulging boxes. I never know what I’ll find, but I’ve come to trust that I’ll find something—materials and props for my jewelry, fuel for my imagination. Here’s a sampling of some of what’s made its way home with me recently.

 

A study in artificiality

I’ve made no secret of my adoration of vernacular or found photography. Lately, I’ve been drawn to old images of pairs of people. It’s something about the dynamic—the strained admiration between sisters, the hidden tension among lovers. The story simmering behind the façade’s been preserved as much as the hollow expressions. I culled this batch together from various fleas and shops. I love their awkwardness and symmetry. I may frame them together and display them as a collection.

 

Tokens of a not-so-distant past

Who didn’t collect these as a kid? The handle-and-crank flattening machines were once ubiquitous at every carnival and tourist attraction. You can still find them here and there, but they’re not the same, and the pennies are too shiny. But the patina and texture of these are perfect. Being a New Yorker at heart, the iconography doesn’t hurt, either.

 

The mannequin becomes the art

I can’t exactly qualify this dress form as a random find. I bought it off a maker friend who’s moving. I’d been looking for a mannequin like this for some time. It’s a 1963 Wolf dress form, the cage and rolling casters still intact. I’m planning to use it as a prop and product display, but she looks right at home near the French doors in my studio. So much so that I’m finding I treasure it more as an objet d’art than a utilitarian piece.

 

Take a seat (or two)

I was set up across the aisle at a recent show from a vintage dealer who was selling this chair set. It caught my eye immediately. I thought they were movie theater seats. Turns out, they were from a grange hall. And in need of some repair, which made them surprisingly affordable—and all the more charming. That they folded up and fit in my overcrowded car confirmed that we were meant to be together.

 

Susan Forker is the owner and designer of the Doylestown-based joeyfivecents, a line of one-of-a-kind jewelry and accessories.

Photography by Susan Forker

The Stuck-At-Home Workout

HEALTH & FITNESS

Winter’s going to derail your regimen, if it hasn’t already. This high-intensity circuit will keep you from losing a step (and your mind) before the roads clear.

By Todd Soura

If you’re not questioning why you live here, among the mountains of slush, the black ice, the frigid nights and the fleeting sunlight, you’re not human. And then, as if your seasonal affective disorder needed any more fuel, your workout regimen’s derailed by: a) snow b) ice c) cold d) all of the above. It was inevitable. The sooner you accept that and hatch a backup plan for the next time, the easier this next month or so is going to pass.

This high-intensity circuit is unfazed by winter’s cruelty. The next time you’re pinned at home, find a space that you can move around in comfortably. That’s all you need. The rest is on you.

You’ll be done in less than 30 minutes, but you’ll be spent afterwards. High-intensity intervals torch calories and keep on burning them for up to 24 hours after you finish. Over time, when combined with lower intensity weight training, they’ll stoke your resting metabolic rate so that you’ll be burning fat and toning muscle even while you’re binge-watching “Girls.” For our purposes here, they’re your cabin fever remedy.

Don’t rest between exercises or rounds unless you have to. Start with three rounds. Once you build up your stamina, go for five.

1) Jumping Rope: 30 to 45 seconds. If you don’t have a jump rope, or you don’t have enough room to swing one, pretending is enough. An added benefit: Jumping rope helps your lymph glands expel toxins, which is good for the immune system.

2) Burpees: 10 to 20 reps. (If burpees are too challenging, do 30 squats instead.) Start in a standing position, then lower into a squat. Put your hands on the floor, shoulder-with apart, and kick your feet back so that you’re in a push-up position. Do a push-up, then return to the squat position. Jump straight up. It should be one fluid motion.

3) Plank: 60 seconds. Get into a straight-arm plank position, then lower yourself onto your forearms. This interval’s going to serve as active rest.

4) Mountain Climbers: 30 to 45 seconds. Start in a push-up position. Keeping your upper-body totally still, bring your right knee to your right elbow. Return to the push-up position, then repeat on the left side. Rotate quickly.

5) Alternating Lunges: 15 to 30 reps. From a standing position, step forward with your right leg, then lower your left knee to just above the ground. Both legs should form a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position, then step forward with the left leg and repeat. That’s one rep.

6) Bicycle Crunches: 30 to 45 seconds. With your back flush against the ground, tuck your hands behind your head. Lift your legs off the floor and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Move your legs as though pedaling a bike—bring the right knee toward your chest and straighten your left leg, then vice versa. Simultaneously, crunch your upper body forward and bring your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Rotate quickly.

Todd Soura is the owner of the Doylestown-based Action Personal Training.