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ISSUE

57

MLMAINLINEINFORMED. SOPHISTICATED. RELEVANT.

THE STYLE ISSUE

FALL HOME AND FASHION PREVIEW

Handcrafted Jewelry’s Having a Moment

A DAY IN THE FASHIONABLE LIFE OF JEFFREY MEIER

AND

MEET THE TOMATO WHISPERER

PLUS

PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2015A SPECIAL SECTION

SERIOUS ABOUT

Sciencegeorgeschool.org

Boarding and Day Grades 9 to 12 | Newtown, Pennsylvania

GEORGE SCHOOLOPEN HOUSE

Sunday October 252:00 p.m.

Cover.ML.Aug15.indd 1 7/31/15 12:10 PM

The Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change!

OPENS SEPTEMBER 16TH

PENN’S LANDING PLAYHOUSE211 S. Columbus Blvd. & Walnut, Phila, PA

Box office: 855-448-7469 • Groups (12+): 888-264-1788 WWW.PLPLAYHOUSE.COM • TICKETS STARTING AT $45

See what millions worldwide have been laughing about for 14 years! Four women at a lingerie sale have nothing in common but a black lace bra AND memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more! The story unfolds through popular tunes from the

‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s cleverly rewritten to celebrate The Change!

MEN

LOVE IT

TOO!

Cover.BL.AugSept15.02.indd 2 7/30/15 1:11 PM

MERESTONE FARM:One of the most spectacularproperties currently listed in Bucks County.The early19th Century stone farmhouse has been sensitivelyrestored and reflects a high level of aesthetics andsophistication.The Main house is sited on 8 lush acresof mature and specimen plantings,a Zen garden,multiplestone patios, in-ground pool with architectural poolhouse and amazingly, all fronting on 1,100 acre lake.Evenmore spectacular with the addition of a convertedbarn guest house. $3,249,000

OLDWEAVERHOMESTEAD:The home offers aEuropean style kitchen with fireplace and glisteningwood floors. The large living room shares the samepolished flooring and period perfect walk-in stonefireplace.There is a quintessential Bucks County barnwith horse stalls and a greenhouse area for wintervegetables. In the rear of the property is a convertedbarn with a guest apartment and in-ground pool.

$1,229,000

DELLHAVEN: Enter through the gates and a longsinuous drive delivers you to the Manor Home sitedprivately on 24 pastoral acres and fronted by a dramaticspouting fountain. A stone façade paintedwhitewith twoimpressiveGreek columns and an elegant porte-cochèreadd a level of sophistication that sets the tone for theentire property. The nucleus of the home is an elaborateentertainment space.The spacious grounds are filledwithspecimen plants.Dependencies include garages for up to8 cars, a bank barn with an apartment, indoor andoutdoor pools and tennis court. $3,265,000

SPRING VALLEY FARM: This 2012 DesignerHouse is a remarkable example of creative andaesthetically pleasing transformation from a 19thCentury farmhouse to a homewith a beautiful fusion ofmodern amenities and period detail. Four Bedrooms,4.5 Baths, pool setting, 11+ acres and Barn. $1,695,000

VALLEY RUN:One of the finest properties everoffered inBucksCounty.Thepropertywent under 2 yearsof renovation to create this magnificent metamorphosis.Through theentrance gates,transversing thick green lawns,waterfalls and ponds and museum quality sculpture, youarrive toValley Run’s parking square.The barn houses aguest apartment.The secondguest househas 2 bedroomson its two levels.New heated pool and pool house, lookat this 24+ prime acreage and stream. $5,995,000

VALLEYRUN: The owner wanted to create an openspace for primary living. TheGreat Roomoffers polishedwood floors, 2-story fireplace, walls of glass, beautifulbookcases and exceptional millwork.On the way to thekitchen area is a wet bar and laundry room.The kitchen,with gleaming cabinetry,breakfast area and comfortablereading nook is the ideal area to spend a lazy afternoon.On the complete opposite end of the Great Room isthe master suite. All on 11 acres. $1,800,000

CROWHAVENFARM:A long,regal driveway,flankedby dual open fields,delivers you to the gates ofCrowhavenFarm on 5 plus acres and its abundant mature gardensprotected by deer fences. This 19th century Tinicumfarmhouse has been meticulously modernized andrestored by JarrettVaughanArtisan Builders.Wide plankpumpkin pine flooring, striking moldings and baseboards.Attention to details are evident throughout. Expansivechef’s kitchenwith state-of-the-art appliances. $1,150,000

AddisonWolfeReal Estate

A BOUTIQUE REAL ESTATE FIRMWITH GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

For property information contact Art Mazzei directly at (610) 428-4885550 Union Square, New Hope, PA • (215) 862-5500 • www.AddisonWolfe.com

CREEK HOUSE:This wonderful and unique homewas built over several generations,but has the vibe of amid-century modern within. The living room withpolished floors and woodburning fireplace is filled withlight and captures views of the manageable property.The kitchen is open to both the dining room and livingroom and has an interesting tile wall as a focal point.Down the hall is the first floor master suite with bath.The in-ground pool is perfect for laps or for weekendentertaining. $675,000

DEVONHOUSE: Set on 2 plus acres,this is a primeexample of a Bucks County farmhouse. This 5 bedroomhome has a sprawling floorplan with concentrated detailthroughout. The dentil moldings, wide baseboards,delicate spindles and wide plank flooring runthroughout. Finished basement with entertaining barand a brick fireplace. There is also an in-ground pool.

$1,195,000

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MA

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EAD

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Publisher Jim Bauer

Editor-in-Chief Scott Edwards

Design Cantor Design

Contributing Writers Kyle Bagenstose, Adam Junkins Mike Madaio, Rose Nyad Orrell

Laurie Palau, Todd Soura, Yelena Strokin

Contributing Photographers Josh DeHonney, Matthew J. Rhein Yelena Strokin

Bookkeeping Jana Dickstein

Director of Events Kate Frey & Special Projects

Director of Sales & Marketing Mike Boucher

Advertising Sales 610-417-9261 M7 Media Group

Sales Manager Ann Ferro Murray

Founder Andrew Cantor

BUCKS LIFE Magazine (ISSN 2154-4123) Vol. 7, No. 4, Issue 40. BUCKS LIFE Magazine is published bimonthly by Black Dog Media, Ltd., P.O. Box 682, New Hope, PA 18938; www.buckslifemag.com. ©2015 by Black Dog Media, Ltd. All rights reserved.

MAINLINE Magazine (ISSN 2154-4093) Vol. 10, No. 3, Issue 57. MAINLINE Magazine is published bimonthly by Black Dog Media, Ltd., P.O. Box 682, New Hope, PA 18938; www.mainlinemag.com. ©2015 by Black Dog Media, Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs, etc. if they are to be returned. Black Dog Media, Ltd. assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. All letters will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to Black Dog Media’s right to edit and comment editorially. All manuscripts, photos or material of any kind may be edited at the discretion of the editors. To be properly credited, all submissions must be accurately marked with the name, address and phone number of the contributor.

Postage paid at the New Hope, PA, Post Office.

POSTMASTER, send address changes to: Black Dog Media, Ltd. P.O. Box 682 New Hope, PA 18938 Subscription rate: $25 for 12 issues.

Masthead.BLML.AugSep15.04.indd 4 8/3/15 3:33 PM

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blackdogmedialtd.com6

The Tomato WhispererSome days, the best days, they’re all he eats. And that’s just nicking Tim Mountz’s obsession

Fall Preview Fresh looks—the freshest, in fact—to ease the transition to cooler days and longer nights

8 Publisher’s Letter10 Editor’s Letter

LIFE.

12 Growing Up on Center Stage A Main Line theater program is growing even

faster than its pint-size, aspiring actors

14 Organized Home Spare yourself from 10 months of headaches

with a few simple back-to-school maneuvers

16 Health + Fitness The only five pieces of equipment you need to

build a comprehensive home gym

AT LARGE.

18 Buying Time Christine Edmonds dares to dream big, but a few more days is all she really wants

23 An Embarrassment of Riches Handcrafted jewelry’s never been more accessible—or imaginative—than it is right now

26 CEO Gene Alligood is writing an even better second act to his career with a little help from his sons

EATS.

49 Home Cooking What to do with all those tomatoes? We’ve got just the recipe: simple prep, big flavor

50 Soul Food In her debut column, Rose Nyad Orrell explains why your healthy lifestyle is falling short

52 Side Order Two guys walk into a pub with a three-month- old. And, checking back with Deb Lutz and her pursuit of world domination by way of a burger

54 The Last Word This just in: The seed for a landmark piece of

legislation may be a man’s devotion to his dog

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20A Day in the Fashionable Life of Jeffrey MeierThe graphic designer-turned-gallery owner favors contemporary art and a classic wardrobe

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COVERS BUCKS LIFE: Jeffrey Meier, pictured at his Lambertville, NJ, gallery. Photo by Josh DeHonney (joshdehonney.com). See “A Day in the Life of Designer-Turned-Curator Jeffrey Meier,” page 24. MAINLINE: Hunter Bell Turner Dress, available at tish boutique, West Chester, tishstyle.com. Courtesy Hunter Bell. See “The Fall Style Portfolio,” page 20.

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Our parents’ generation spent their entire careers within a single industry, most of them devoted to the same company throughout. And when they hit 60, like clockwork, they bowed out, a hard-earned pension, more often than not, waiting to usher them into retirement. It was understood to be the epitome of a loyal relationship, but was it?

Today, almost every word in that paragraph reads like a dead language, including “loyal.” Talk of fleeing Corporate America is so commonplace it’s mundane. But even well away from the Fortune 500, people are splintering off every day and chasing down their ambitions, whether that means shifting fields or carving out a virgin niche all their own, often without financial incentive, not in the immediate future and especially not come retirement age—whatever that is anymore.

Still, starting from scratch at 58 seems ill-advised. Gene Alligood would probably agree. No, he’d definitely agree, because Gene, for almost all of his life—the first 58 years of it, to be exact—shared more in common with the group in the first paragraph than the one in the second. He worked in the HVAC industry for four decades. Held down a high-ranking position with a major energy company. But it didn’t give him a better vantage point of the company’s criminal bookkeeping. He learned he was out of a job when the rest of the world heard. Hard-working, loyal and unemployed at 58.

His youngest son, Jeff, a freshly minted college grad with an eye toward being an entrepreneur, saw opportunity, not disaster, with his dad’s news. (Clearly, Jeff falls in with the second paragraph.) Gene’s hand may have been forced, but he was in a prime position, as Jeff saw it. Nobody knew the industry—and where it was headed—better. And, yeah, all those touchstones Gene was told to rely on, healthcare, a retirement plan, were out the door. But a much more visceral one rushed in, with Jeff’s encouragement, to flood the void: possibility.

A business plan was erected upon the foundation of Gene’s experience and Jeff’s education. They were going to run toward the future, where there’s an increasingly pressing need to begin addressing our energy inefficiency. We’re leaking everywhere and throwing money we don’t have at it in the groundless hope it’ll go away on its own.

The response was so immediate and overwhelming, Gene’s oldest, Matt, left a coveted Wall Street job and entered the fold. (Second paragraph.)

Gene’s 60 now and too busy to contemplate retirement. A new world’s opened up to him anyway. He wouldn’t walk away from it even if he could. (See “All in the Family,” page 26.) “Going into business with your sons,” he says, “that’s a dad’s dream.”

Enjoy the issue,Jim BauerPublisher

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215.493.42261069 River Road

Washington Crossing, PA 18977www.seasonsgardencenter.com

EDIT

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When I sat down to write the profile of Christine Edmonds that appears on page 18, I sent my wife a text before I could type a word.

Me: If I have to write your obituary some day, I’ll never be able to do it.

Her: Let’s hope that day is a few decades away.Let’s hope.Christine lost her husband a little over three years ago. And even

now, it’s clear that she’s pushing down a deep, probably bottomless, sadness with every conscious thought.

She wrote me toward the end of winter. We featured her and her partners at Trove Décor, a masterfully curated vintage home shop in Newtown, a few years back. She shared the news of Kevin. He was 51, the center of his family’s universe and the kind of guy beyond it who people gravitated to and forever remained in his gravitational pull.

“He always said, ‘If you’re bored talking to somebody, you just aren’t asking the right questions,’ ” Christine said.

She’s leading a nonprofit in his honor, and she was looking for some advice on how to better generate publicity. That they raised a hundred grand last year with little more than word of mouth speaks to the void that’s felt when Kevin’s name comes up now.

He died of pancreatic cancer, a disease that wipes out nearly everyone it infects—including Kevin’s sister, Nora. She died less than three years prior to him. A big reason for that is because it usually goes undetected until the point of no return.

Early in the interview, Christine came around to my side of the table and began digging through a cardboard box behind me. A moment later, she surfaced with a type- and handwritten chronology of Kevin’s symptoms, treatments and tests until a mass on his pancreas finally grew large enough to be detected. It started with a simple stomachache on August 19, 2010. Over the next four months, the pain grew and spread and the tests became more probing, the diagnoses, more desperate: gall stones, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia. Christine scribbled in the margin: “11/15 ‘At least it’s not cancer.’ ”

That night, I stared at this sheet a long time. While Christine and her family were plummeting, I was starting the happiest stretch of my life so far. I proposed to my wife right around the day Kevin experienced his first symptom. As we gradually broke the news to friends and family over dinners and drinks and started planning our wedding, our honeymoon, our life together, Christine was rushing Kevin to the St. Mary ER in the middle of the night, fearing the end of theirs.

If it was any other time, I still would have felt for Christine, but probably not as strongly as I’ve come to. I didn’t know Kevin, and I barely knew Christine then, but I have a vivid memory of those months. Only now I’m realizing how narrow it is and how local my experience tends to be.

All my best,Scott EdwardsEditor-in-Chief

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Life

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INSIDE: 14 > Organized Home 16 > Health + Fitness

Growing Up on Center StageBobbi Wolf is still molding young minds, only now she’s doing it on her terms. Wolf was a teacher for two decades. Even more admirable than that? She founded a nonprofit theater arts program for kids, the Wolf Performing Arts Center (wolfperformingartscenter.org), with a small business loan. Ten years in, she’s relocating it from Wynnewood to the former St. Thomas of Villanova School in Bryn Mawr. At 9,600 square feet, twice the size of its original home, Wolf should finally have the space to match the demand.

Enrollment’s grown from a few dozen in year one to more than 500 kids. Five hundred-plus kids who, based solely on their interest, move around a lot, all the time. “Clearly, we’re filling a need,” Wolf says. “Theater is a great way for students to gain confidence.” But, “before we opened, there were no classes for theater here outside schools.”

Come September, when the center’s settled in, it’ll boast multiple re-hearsal rooms and a black-box theater, both of which are critical in keep-ing up with what’s become a bulging roster of camps, private lessons and productions—five are planned for the coming year alone. And, not to be glossed over, the center will be more accessible, with I-476 and the Villanova SEPTA station nearby. More opportunity for impressionable personalities to try a few protagonists on for size. —KYLE BAGENSTOSE

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Hardwood, Amish Crafted Lifestyle Furniture!

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Standard styles and custom design capabilities.

Route 100, Pottstown, PA610.970.4340

Furniture with a future.

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Dine-tatstethis.indd 49 5/15/15 3:24 PML.LifeIntroduction.BLML.AugSep15.05.indd 12 7/30/15 10:08 AM

Hardwood, Amish Crafted Lifestyle Furniture!

Experience the warmth and beauty of solid hardwood furniture for every room in your home!

Standard styles and custom design capabilities.

Route 100, Pottstown, PA610.970.4340

Furniture with a future.

www.alegacyfurniture.com

Dine-tatstethis.indd 49 5/15/15 3:24 PML.LifeIntroduction.BLML.AugSep15.05.indd 13 7/30/15 10:08 AM

blackdogmedialtd.comblackdogmedialtd.com14

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Back to School 101

Laurie Palau is the owner of the New Hope-based simply B organized (simplyborganized.com), a home and life organization service.

You’re forgiven for not noticing them here in the throes of camp season, or before you bolted out of town, but those blinking lights on the hori-zon, they belong to a school bus. Don’t tell the kids. Let them splash and run with abandon. Their day will come. But ours has arrived.

You’d think back-to-school prep would get easier in this digital age, but the backpacks only grow bigger and fuller as the school years pass. Be-fore their contents explode all over your kitchen table, establish an order while you’re easing them—trying to, at least—back into their routines.

Reload ‘Em. All those essentials—notebooks, pencils, folders—buy them now, and not just to cover their immediate needs; stock up for the entire school year. They’re never going to be cheaper. While you’re at it, try to anticipate their long-range needs—poster board, glue sticks, copy paper—and stockpile that stuff as well.

Hook ‘Em. The sight of backpacks hanging across kitchen chairs or slung onto counters gnaws at me until I finally detonate right around Thanksgiving break. Install hooks near whichever door they use most. It’s not foolproof, but shouting “Hang them on the hooks!” is a better

solution than shouting “Get them out of here!” And if it takes, it’ll spare you some headaches in the morning, too.

Corral ‘Em. Kids are no different from us. Designate a corner the home classroom and they’ll be that much more productive. Make sure it’s out of the way (read: no TV in sight) and quiet. There should also be plenty of room to stow textbooks and ongoing projects.

Free ‘Em. Nothing says all that storage needs to assume the form of fixed shelving or desk drawers. Get creative and construct an art caddy that’ll stash all their supplies. The easy portability may even encourage them to dip into it just for fun. Either way, it’ll allow you to tuck it wher-ever it’s convenient.

Excuse ‘Em. Kids are the world’s cutest kleptomaniacs. For no apparent reason, they’ll arrive home with someone else’s Minions lunchbox, jacket or pet turtle. Install a small basket right beneath the backpack hooks to keep them within easy reach when their rightful owners come calling. The faster you can get them in and out, the less explaining you’ll have to do.

Some simple planning now will spare you from 10 months of escalating aggravation.By Laurie Palau

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blackdogmedialtd.com blackdogmedialtd.com • ISSUE 40 15

My style is often associated with a “no rules” design style that sings a bit outside the box. In an active design business, style is always evolving and can’t be put into a box like glazed donuts or office supplies.

Design lovers with an eclectic sense of style are often the easiest to please. You will probably like at least one item from each of the various boutique design areas designed throughout my 10,000 square foot retail space. There you will find inspirational venues, drawing from eclectic, masculine, modern classic and organic chic-each area speaks to the overall look that will become your individual style to love!

Contrary to what you might assume, my Black-eyed Susan signature style (yes, that “no rules” one) is most reliant on editing skills. Designing for eclectic style spaces requires the ability to mix patterns with totally different vibes; the trick being to select perfect colors and patterns with the proper scale for relating fabrics. Eclecticism is all about individuality, casualness, and an un-matched look. It offers design lovers the perfect opportunity to go wild with saturated colors like citron or lipstick pink for accents in an otherwise neutral and conservative setting. By keeping your staple pieces textural and borderline neutral, patterns and colors can be added as taste and functionality needs change over the years.

Remember that modern classic pieces never go out of style. If you’re looking for an updated tradi-tional color scheme that’s neither boring and all beige nor bright and bold, stick with sandy tones and greiges for basic pieces ,then play with bold accents with strong contrast. When paired together, these colors can look masculine, feminine or gender-neutral depending on how they are mixed.

Hiring a professional will assure your end result is perfection. You will bring to life an original aesthetic that will become one part you and one part your prefered designer. Great design is a good partnership of ideas, resources and thought processes. Enjoy the ride!

Transforming a Static Space

Susan TaylorPrinciple Designer and OwnerBlack-eyed SusanBuckingham, Pa

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Build a Better Home Gym

Todd Soura is the owner of the Doylestown-based Action Personal Training (actionpersonaltraining.com).

I’ve followed an exercise regimen since I was in high school and dedi-cated my career to fitness, but I’m a stranger to membership gyms. From the beginning, I created one at home and never really strayed from it. Why would I? There’s no commute, no line, and I can use multiple pieces of equipment in a single superset without getting stared down.

If you have the space—I use our garage—don’t let the cost deter you. The foundation of an effective home gym is not a bunch of sophisticated machines. In fact, I can pare it down to five simple (and inexpensive) pieces of equipment.

Adjustable dumbbells. Gone are the days of a mammoth weight rack that eats up space and your checking account. The new generation is a single pair of dumbbells that can be adjusted to your desired weight. I use a set by PowerBlock (powerblock.com). You’ll never run out of exercises for them. And, from shoulder presses to the farmer’s walk, dumbbells will strengthen every inch of you.

Bench. Pay a little more for one that inclines. That’ll open you up to variations of the bench press and chest fly. A legs extension is worth the additional cost, too. With or without it, the bench is a vital piece of equip-ment for lower-body exercises. Think steps-ups and box jumps.

Kettlebell. The standard kettlebell swing is about as efficient an exer-cise as you’ll find. It’ll tax you aerobically and anaerobically. And that’s just the start of its appeal. The kettlebell’s endlessly versatile. Beyond the tens of movements designed for it, you can swap a kettlebell for a dumbbell in lots of exercises, like snatches and goblet squats. Power-Block makes an adjustable one of these, too.

Suspension straps. You’re probably familiar with the TRX kind (from $200), but there are plenty of cheaper options that are just as durable and effective. I use a set by Woss (woss.com) that ran me about 40 bucks. It anchors to a wall or a door and packs up easily, which makes it a perfect travel companion. But, again, its versatility is what makes the straps an essential piece of home-gym equipment. They’ll up the degree of difficulty of most bodyweight exercises and introduce you to a gruel-ing bunch of others.

Jump rope. It’s still one of the most effective cardio exercises around. I started jumping rope during the 30- to 60-second “breaks” between weightlifting sets to beef up the intensity. It’s also an integral part of my wake-up workouts. Try this one: three rounds of 20 pushups, 20 lunges, 20 crunches and 30 seconds of jumping rope.

I’m piecing together a modest gym in our garage—barbell, dumbbells, a jump rope, resistance bands, an adjustable kettlebell and a 36-inch box. (And a couple of space heaters in the winter.) About a year ago, I started gravitating to CrossFit-style workouts because they don’t require a lot of equipment. Not to mention, they’re challenging as hell. My latest addition, the Black Mountain Products Gym Rings (pictured; $35), has opened up a whole new batch of WOD’s for me, a blessing and a curse. Instability, I’m learning is the truest test of fitness. I managed to add 40 pounds to my clean-and jerks over the last few months. It’s rare that I bask in my progress, but fresh off of Grace (30 clean-and-jerks for time) one morning, I couldn’t help but let a smile slip between gasps for breath. That pride lasted barely five min-utes, because I whimpered and quivered through the next set: three—three—ring dips. It was a humbling moment. And one I’ve aimed to repeat during every workout since. —SCOTT EDWARDS

WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN

Forget the elliptical and the ridiculously expensive circuit trainer. All you need are these five versatile (and inexpensive) pieces of equipment. By Todd Soura

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22 blackdogmedialtd.com

I know Nolan.They made me fall in love with my house again.

Protecting Surfaces and Relationships Since 1979

NolanPainting.com | 610.449.8106Interiors | Exteriors | Color Consultations | Carpentry

PA Home Improvement Contractor #020814

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INSIDE: 20 > Trending 23 > Craftsmanship 24 > Stylist 26 > CEO

AT L

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E.Buying TimeFour months. That’s how much time elapsed from Kevin Edmonds’ first stomachache to his ultimate diagnosis: pancreatic cancer, stage four. From then, it was less than 16 months until his death, on April 10, 2012. He was 51, a husband and a dad of two teens.

As soon as the words were said, they knew what they meant. Kevin’s sister died from it just a couple years earlier. In fact, they suspected it might be pancreatic cancer. Tested again and again for it. But the results were negative. Until, one day, they weren’t.

It’s a disease that’s still considered to be “largely incurable,” ac-cording to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Only 20 percent sur-vive a year, six percent, five years, which the ACS attributes to the fact that a mere 20 percent of patients’ tumors are confined to the pancreas by the time they’re diagnosed. A tumor was detected on Kevin’s spine about three months in. His doctor knew it didn’t origi-nate there but couldn’t say where it had.

Christine, Kevin’s widow, is energetic and positive, talking always at a hurried pace, interrupting her own sentences. She sits in the din-ing room of her Newtown Borough home, their home, which looks straight out of Architectural Digest. (Christine’s a partner at Trove Décor, a vintage home shop in town.) It’s from here that she coor-dinates the nonprofit established in Kevin’s honor, A Love for Life

(aloveforlife.us). She’s apologizing for the mess of papers and loose ends blanketing the table. It’s an obvious metaphor for her inner tur-moil: Think of the table as Kevin and the papers as her life now. “I’m busy so that I can stay focused on something and not, you know—sadness comes to me when I’m not doing anything,” Christine says.

When Kevin died, Christine took the kids and went far away. Some friends, meanwhile, rallied and entered the Philadelphia In-ternational Dragon Boat Festival. It was as good an idea as any to keep Kevin’s adventurous spirit alive. Christine returned and watched that year from the banks of the Schuylkill. The next, she and her kids and a host of family joined in. Last year, with five boats entered, the festival was the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser. In March, A Love for Life donated $100,000 to the Abramson Can-cer Center at Penn—every dollar raised goes there—at least half of which came from dragon boat sponsorships.

Come October 3, at this year’s edition, A Love for Life will fill six boats and aim them toward $125,000 by year’s end. “We will try to give as much money as we can to the place that we think is most likely to find a cure,” Christine says. “I shouldn’t even say a cure because, basically, what I want is more time.”

—SCOTT EDWARDS

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Refined has come to mean simplified. We’re eating cleaner and living more efficiently.

This purification’s led to a reawakening of the senses. Indulgence, now, is biting into a

lush tomato just plucked from our backyard gardens. It’s dozing on cool, organic cotton

sheets as a gentle breeze pushes through an open window. And in rediscovering these

nuances, our worlds are drawing closer. Saturday-morning errand runs lead us, more

and more, to outdoor artisan markets instead of strip malls. Dinner parties are inspired

by the farm-to-table meals we’re being served at the ambitious but humble BYOBs that

are spreading throughout our neighborhoods. Intricate identities are being forged a few

blocks at a time all along the Main Line and the Delaware,

through Bucks County and central New Jersey.

Home + Table is your field guide to these fashionable new communities.

In print, in-depth features and honest photography will expose the character behind the

catalysts of this movement. Online, we’ll deliver the latest lifestyle trends and events with

a hyper-local sensitivity to ensure that you’ll know where to find your next favorite bite

and kitchen makeover inspiration. The new face of our region deserves an embedded,

thoughtful magazine to illustrate its maturation.

Home + Table is it.

A New Publication By

Same Regions. Same Great Audience. Greater Reach.

December 2015

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THE FALL STYLE PORTFOLIOFRESH LOOKS AND CREATURE COMFORTS TO EASE

THE TRANSITION TO COOLER DAYS AND LONGER NIGHTS.

Clockwise, from top left: Veronica Beard Black Classic Jacket with Camo Hoodie Dickey, $695, EAVES, Wayne, shopeaves.com; Hunter Bell Sadie Top, $345, tish boutique, West Chester, tishstyle.com; SW3 Bespoke Dakota Dress, $225 (available in September), smith & scott, Doylestown and Lambertville, NJ, smithandscott.com.

OPPOSITE PAGEClockwise, from top left: SW3 Bespoke Ashlyn Coat, $480 (available in October), smith & scott; Chain Reaction Jumpsuit, $180, No. 109, Kennett Square, one09shop.com; orla kiely Classic Multi Stem Zip Messenger, $158, BOTARI, Princeton, NJ, facebook.com/shopbotari; Topo Designs Puffer Vest, $115, and Daypack, $134, Iron & Resin Big Game Hat, $36, and Benchmark Shirt, $85, Craftsmanship USA, New-town, craftsmanshipusa.com; MZ Wallace Small Sutton, $215, BOTARI; Heart Racer L/S Silk Top, $190, and True Faith Shorts, $215, No. 109; Hunter Bell Ward Dress, $395, and Leather Leggings, $595, tish boutique.

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HOMEClockwise, from top left: Riado Classic Mogador Lantern (pictured with Park Avenue Candles Simulation Flameless Candles), $205 to $335, Valley Forge Flowers, Wayne, valleyforgeflowers.com; BIDKhome glass and aluminum votive stand, $385 to $550, Black-eyed Susan, Holicong, besusan.com; French leather club chair (circa 1930s) with doubled-riveted nailheads and a chocolate velvet seat (pair available), $3,850 (each), zinc home + garden, Lambertville, NJ, zinchome.com; landscape print on birch canvas (four feet by six feet), $4,800, DJW Home, Newtown, davidjwitchell.com; Dana Gibson custom linen and bedding ensemble, from $2,500, Black-eyed Susan; Europa Cloche, $120, and Trivet, $128, DJW Home.

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Clockwise, from top left: Tahitian pearls and a pavé diamond ball on an oxidized sterling silver link chain, Mina Danielle, $995, shopminadanielle.com; gold-plated Snake Ring, Diament Jewelry, $24, diamentjewelry.com; Sapphires in Shades of Fall Charlie Necklace, Sb Collections, $160, sbcollections.com; assorted vintage paper post earrings, joeyfivecents, $15 (each), joeyfivecents.com; sterling silver necklace with a bezel-set carnelian gemstone, Holly Mack Designs, $143, facebook.com/HollyMackDesigns.

AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES

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Thanks to a pool of astute designers that’s deepening by the day, handcrafted jewelry

has never been more accessible around here —or imaginative—than it is right now.

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Jeffrey Meier spent nearly two decades as a creative director at The Arnell Group, the definitive ad agency in New York for much of the nineties and early 2000s, where he handled high-profile accounts like Samsung, ALMAY, Martha Stewart and Jose Cuervo.

Burnout was inevitable. He retreated to the 19th-century Carversville farm-house that he owns with his partner of 11 years and his ex—a longer story than I can get into here. A few months removed from New York, Meier realized, after 25 years there, that he didn’t miss the lifestyle. “I had a taste of privacy and space and I actually started to feel creative again,” he says.

In the year-and-a-half since Meier opened his eponymous gallery in Lambertville, New Jersey, it’s become a bit of a groundbreaker. He fea-tures contemporary art by emerging artists from all over, which allows him to accomplish his two main objectives: to cut out the pretentious-ness and keep the art affordable.

Here, Meier describes a day in his new suburban life and, along the way, shares a few of his favorite things, from the disturbing portrait that holds down a prominent place in his home to the bodega where he feeds his insatiable appetite for Mexican.

“I’m usually awoken by one of our five dogs around seven,” Meier says. Once they’re fed, he heads straight out the door for an hour-long workout at New Hope Fitness, a routine he tries to stick to at least

three times a week. But, “if I start dawdling around the house at all, any thoughts of getting to the gym go right out the window. What I try to do is pack my gym bag and everything that I’m going to need for the day and leave it right by the door.” His gym bag essentials: (1) Dr. Bron-ner’s Peppermint Pure-Castile Liquid Soap, (2) Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer, (3) MALIN+GOETZ sage styling cream and HANRO of Switzerland briefs.

When he doesn’t hit the gym, Meier dedicates a half-hour, first thing, to Pinterest. “I feel like that starts my day in a very creative place.” If he’s not careful, he’s known to lose himself for hours at a time. As it is, Meier follows 400 others and pins to about 30 folders. All the artwork in his gal-lery goes up, too. So, yeah, it’s a guilty pleasure, but it’s also kinda work.

Meier’s ex spent a decade renovating their three-story farmhouse. Meier and his current partner live in a two-bedroom stone cottage on the property, which eases some of the awkwardness. There, he spreads his art collection liberally. “Wherever there’s an open space, you should have art—the bathrooms, the kitchen,” Meier says. There are some local landscapes, but it’s mostly contemporary, which he jux-taposes against antiques, including a number of old rugs in which red and blue feature prominently and, thus, dictate the palette, along with the neutral stone walls.

Meier’s favorite painting in the house exposes an edge. It’s a portrait of

A Day in the Life of Designer- Turned-Curator Jeffrey MeierThe Lambertville, NJ, gallery owner’s second act is the pursuit of happiness. By Scott Edwards

MEIER, PICTURED AMID HIS SUMMER EXHIBITION.

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a girl in a gingham dress he picked up in Berlin. “She looks like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. But she has a harelip.” Meier says he’s drawn to the unexpected contrast. His partner, however, can’t even glance at it.

Meier’s dressed in a baby blue oxford with gray, plaid trousers and sneakers for the interview. “At the end of the day, I like to be comfort-able.” He also favors timeless over trendy—a black IZOD polo with a pair of dark-wash Levi’s. His style icons are Steve McQueen, James Dean and the twentysomething Paul Newman. “I love that classic, clean style from the fifties,” he says. “I think that’s when men looked their best—clean-shaven, sort of raffish hair, graphic lines.”

He also confesses to a mild shoe addiction. His closet’s filled with Sper-ry canvas boat shoes, Church’s suede oxfords, well-worn Vans and a host of other sneakers. Meier’s go-to pair at the moment is a pair of (4) blue, red, purple and yellow Converse Chuck Taylor Basket Weave All Stars that he found in Los Angeles. “They’re very striking.”

When he’s not entertaining for lunch, Meier heads to the no-frills, Oaxacan bodega Tacos Cancun around the corner from the gallery, on Main Street, to indulge his fish taco craving. He developed his taste for authentic Mexican dishes working on Jose Cuervo’s international campaign for a decade. And tequila, naturally. “I just love a beautiful, chilled tequila served neat.”

For dinner, he favors (5) Hamilton’s Grill Room and the bar at An-

ton’s at the Swan, nearby, as much for their “strong sense of place” as what’s coming out of the kitchen. “When you’re there,” he says, “you know where you are, and you don’t feel like you could be in a lot of other places.”

At home, “I sort of force myself to cook whenever possible,” Meier says. “But I’m not that confident in the kitchen, so I stick very close to a recipe.” He finds salvation in the (6) Canal House cookbooks, by the Lambertville-based Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer. He’s drawn to the personal narrative and the seasonal, relatively easy-to-pull-off recipes. “They’re also a little bit looser, which is good for me.”

Meier and his partner host friends from New York most weekends, so you’ll find him at the Stockton Market, in Stockton, NJ, on Saturday mornings, loading up on pulled pork and roasted chickens, among a smattering of other goodies. Back home, he shreds the chickens, whips up some pico de gallo and guacamole from scratch and warms a bunch of tortillas. “It’s an easy way to feed a lot of people.”

Those friends have become a weekly reminder of just how good Meier has it now, clear on the other side of the world from the restless, relentless lifestyle in which he was entrenched up until a couple years ago. “They come out from the city, sleep all weekend and leave apolo-gizing. But that’s the best gift you can give anybody, to have a place where friends can come to rest.”

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CEO

At 58, Gene Alligood was in a comfortable place in his life. He knew his work inside and out. He’d been installing home and commercial HVAC systems for 40 years, after all. And there was plenty to look forward to, with retirement on the horizon. Not just yet, but he could start to see himself there.

But in a sucker-punch moment, the job security was gone. And the retirement fantasies, once the reality set in, followed close behind.

“I came downstairs and told my son, Jeff, ‘You won’t believe this, but our company just closed,’ ” Alligood says. More accurately, it was shut-down by the SEC, which had been investigating the Charlotte, North Carolina-based energy company. Alligood oversaw more than $100 mil-lion worth of contracts for a number of Fortune 500 energy service cor-porations, including Honeywell, Siemens and Johnson Controls. But he couldn’t have been more unaware of the alleged fraudulent bookkeep-ing if he was several states away. Which he was, actually. He lives in Newtown. “Jeff put his hands on my shoulders and said, ‘Dad, whatever you want to do, I’m all in.’ ”

It was a unique chemistry: the ultimate industry insider and the newly educated entrepreneur-in-the-waiting. Efficiency, Gene knew, is the fu-

ture of heating and cooling. They soon realized their niche: catching the rest of us up. Together, they developed a business, Alligood Energy (alligoodenergy.com), that would scan existing buildings, homes espe-cially, for shortcomings. Soon after, Gene’s other son, Matt, left a Wall Street job and entered the fold.

The need became obvious fast. These days, Jeff, 25, and Matt, 29, handle the residential work while dad covers the commercial side.

The signature service is a roughly $100, three-hour “home energy audit” that involves a “blower door test” and an infrared scan to de-tect gaps and drafts. The “blower door test,” Jeff says, “depressurizes the home and simulates a 25 m.p.h. wind.” Soul-sucking heat tends to exacerbate leaks, but the audit provides a tangible analysis of ex-actly how bad the situation is, and it continues the story all the way through what the monthly energy bills could look like if the leaks were plugged. After sealing up a 6,500-square foot home—Alligood Energy also does the plugging of the leaks—they dropped from $4,000 to $1,000, Gene says. The average, according to Alligood Energy, is about a 30 percent decrease.

Alligood Energy recently secured a contract to audit 119 homes in a private neighborhood in New Jersey. For Gene, now 60, it looks like retirement will have to hold for a while.

All in the FamilyDealt a potentially devastating blow late in his career, Gene Alligood, a guy with 40 years’

experience in his industry, turned to the freshest business minds he knew: his sons. By Kyle Bagenstose

ALLIGOOD WITH HIS SONS AND PARTNERS, MATT, LEFT, AND JEFF.

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Lookaway Golf ClubBuckingham, Pennsylvania

A Rees Jones Design

www.lookawaygc.com

The Only Club in Bucks County on Golf Digest’s ‘Best in State’ List.

1776 CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GROUP1776 Capital Management Group of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC believes your retirement years can be the best years of your life. But, making the most of your fi-nancial opportunities now takes careful planning and getting expert help in advance.

Why get a portfolio review? With the current rising interest rates trend, now’s the time to take advantage of receiving a portfolio review. 1776 Capital Management Group works for you by managing your portfolio using an array of sophisticated planning and investment tools with a team of financial and estate planning professionals. The Group aims to ensure your investments are positioned to counteract potentially higher rates and produce predictable cash flow, while eliminating unnecessary investment costs.

About 1776 Capital ManagementDan Levin, Executive Vice President/Wealth Management, is the co-founder of 1776 Capital Management Group. With roots starting in the Philadelphia region and strong ties to the community, the Group manages wealth and is solutions-oriented for the creation of tax efficient portfolios, holistic wealth planning, asset protec-tion strategies, and retirement planning. Dan is a proud supporter of the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Wissahickon High School Lacrosse, and A Women’s Place, and stays involved with his alma mater, University of Richmond, recently bringing on two summer interns, Thomas Monzo and Nellie Searle, current students at U of R.

Blue Bell: 215.619.3923 | Yardley: 267.685.4203 | Email: Dlevin@Janney.comVisit: www.1776cmg.com to find out more about the team.Janney Montgomery Scott LLC | Member: NYSE, FINRA, SIPC

CEO.BLML.AugSep15.05.indd 27 7/29/15 4:29 PM

blackdogmedialtd.com28

The Tax Man Cometh

Irvin W. Rosenzweig, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CRPS®, AEP®President

Rosenzweig & Associates Wealth Management Group, LLCWayne, PA 19087

610-627-5921866-231-3583 (Toll Free)

irosenzweig@rzwealth.com www.rzwealth.com

Barron’s Top 1000 Financial Advisors as listed in the February 18th, 2013 edition; “Securities offered through WFG Investments, Inc. member FINRA & SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Rosenzweig & Associates and WFG Advisors, LP. Rosenzweig & Associates is not affiliated with WFG or any of its subsidiaries.”

CEOFINANCE

Although we began this series with a focus on the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) which began in 2013 as a consequence of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the strategies we have written about will seek a positive im-pact in reducing income tax burdens in addition to the NIIT. In our first article, we focused on moves that could be made in 2015 that could still reduce taxes in 2014. If you were employed and were allowed a deduct-ible IRA or SEP‐IRA, or, for some business owners who had adopted a 401(k), profit sharing plan and/ or defined benefit plan prior to the end of 2014, the information we provided may have been especially meaningful. Subsequently, we discussed the benefits and tax‐advantages of saving for college through a state‐sponsored 529 Plan, these savings could be for anyone, family member, friend, etc. This was especially timely, since these plans were under review relative to revoking a number of the tax‐advan-tages they produce as a means of the federal government’s initiative to raise tax revenues. For now, there are no changes in the tax treatment of these plans, hopefully, increasing their attraction and assets.

Today, I want to switch to another topic and focus on those that are clos-ing in on their required mandatory distribution (RMD) of their retirement savings. Although we spoke of retirement savings in our first article, our perspective was relative to those still in the work force and on the contribu-tion and savings end of the spectrum. Today, we will be speaking to those nearing the magic age of 70 ½ or as this feature suggests the critical age of 69 ½. Although there may be opportunity to continue deferral of distribu-tions for those still employed and covered by a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) or government Thrift Savings Plan beyond the age of 70 ½; for the majority of retirees, their retirement savings are in an IRA and, therefore, governed by the mandatory distribution rules. Or, at least, that was the popular consen-sus, which I will address and somewhat dispel thanks to both recent legisla-tion and strategies that can be completed prior to age 70½.

Let’s begin by saying that the year in which you turn 69 ½, is actually more critical for instituting a number of strategies to defer or eliminate the required mandatory distribution, as follows:

1) If you are still working, this is the final year that a traditional IRA contribution may be made to reduce your ordinary incomes taxes for that contribution year.

2) Assuming you are still working and have a qualified retirement plan at work, such as a 401(k) or 403(b), you may roll your traditional IRA into that plan which may allow for continued deferrals of re-quired mandatory distributions while still working provided that you don’t own more than 5% of the business that sponsors the plan. * (*The plan must accept IRA rollovers, most but not all do. The plan must also permit the later commencement of RMD’s until the retire-ment of the participant even if beyond age 70 ½.)

3) Another method, which creates tax burden before it relieves it, is the conversion of traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA. Roth IRA’s have no minimum distribution requirements. However, the conversion

(***We are not in the business of giving tax advice. The information set forth herein was obtained from sources which we believe re-liable but we do not guarantee its accuracy. Please check with your tax advisor regarding your particular situation.***)

will be taxed as ordinary income in the year of distribution. The major impetus for converting to a Roth IRA is based on one or both of these assumptions: 1) longevity: conversion makes little sense if the owner does not live long enough to mitigate the initial tax bite. 2) the possibility of tax rates rising in subsequent distribution years means that accelerating the tax liability through a Roth conversion may make sense in the long run.

4) On July 1, 2014 the Treasury Department released final regulations for Qualifying Longevity Annuity Contracts (QLACs). Although the rules are somewhat complex, what makes this option compelling is that the value of a QLAC is excluded from your RMD calculation and distribu-tions from a QLAC don’t have to begin until you reach age 85! Regula-tions do limit the amount of money you can invest in a QLAC in two ways; 1) a percentage limit; and 2) an overall limit. Relative to these, you may not invest more than 25 percent of retirement account funds with a limit of $125,000 on total QLAC purchases. The limit needs no further explanation but the 25 percent is calculated in different ways for non-Roth IRA’s (including SEP and SIMPLE IRA’s) then it is for 401(k)’s and similar plans. For the specifics on these rules, I suggest you consult your tax advisor or look for Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2014-30 dated July 21, 2014 on the IRS.gov site. Also bear in mind that although QLAC regulations are in effect already, insurance carriers are just now beginning to launch products that will comply with the rules but these products are very scarce as of this writing. There are possible residual benefits to “carving out” a portion of your 401(k) plan or IRA and in-vesting it in a QLAC as follows:a) The length of retirement assets may be extended: by reducing the

RMD required on your entire retirement account by having the ability to place up to $125,000 into a QLAC which can earn and compound interest until a mandatory beginning distribution age of 85, the value of these assets have a much greater opportunity to increase.

b) The length of nonretirement assets may be extended: if the amount of RMD’s are reduced there may be a “ripple” effect in the reduction of adjusted gross income. This reduction may benefit allowable de-ductions, personal exemptions and reductions or elimination of the NIIT. It is also possible that reduced RMD’s may result in reduced taxation of Social Security benefits. This overall reduction in taxes may extend the life of your nonretirement assets.

c) Sustainable lifetime income: by shifting some assets to a QLAC which is a fixed income product, not subject to market risk and may be contractually guaranteed to pay for life, this portion of your retirement offers guaranteed predictability.

d) Providing a death benefit: a QLAC is permitted to have a return of premium feature, or death benefit. The legislation allows in-surance companies to provide for a lump sum death benefit. The “trick” would be in making sure that the insurance carrier you choose offers this benefit and that you elect the appropriate income choice for this feature.

Thank you for your continued interest and although taxes are a boring subject they are nonetheless a critical part of our lives so I am hopeful that this series will offer some value to you. See you in the next edition!

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Visit us online at www.sunnationalbankcenter.com to see all Upcoming Events!Check out the Toyota Showroom on the concourse of the Sun National Bank Center!

December 9 at 7pm

Daymond John: An Evening With The Shark

Nov. 29 at 1pm & 4pm

Disney Live!Three Classic Fairy Tales

November 23 at 7:30pm

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas

October 30-31

Capital City ClassicCollege Hockey Tournament

'Tis Herself... 1898

130 South State StreetNewtown, Pa 18940

215-968-8727 tisherself1898.vpweb.com

‘Tis is a style of living that reflects the grace and simplicity of another time, please take a moment and step into our world...

Find us on

Sunday

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A great place to meet friends, listen to music, eat and party!

Los Straitjackets Friday, August 7, 8pm

Chicago Tribute Band with Sounds of Society

Saturday, August 8, 8pm

KICK, The INXS Experience. INXS Tribute Band

Friday, August 21, 8pm

Citizens Band Radio Friday, August 28th, 8pm

An Evening with ACE FREHLEY Saturday, September 26, 2015

Christine Martucci

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Freedy Johnston and Jeffrey GainesWednesday, September 16, 2015

Hello I Must Be Going –

Phil Collins Tribute Band Friday, September 18th,

From Steely Dan, JON HERINGTON BAND plus

very special guests Stolen RhodesSaturday, September 19, 8pm

For further information please visit our website

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CEO_Irv.indd 29 7/29/15 4:02 PM

Every Thursday night until September 3rd, from 5pm to sundown Manayunk will play host to local food trucks, artists, and antique vendors popping up along Main Street. Visitors are encouraged to walk, shop and eat their way down Main Street. Manayunk restaurants will feature $5 appetizers and $5 cocktail options everyevery Thursday and Manayunk shops are open late. Join us this summer and stroll the street.

Stroll

Every thursday nightin manayunk!

Stroll The Streetfood trucks

artists + craftersantique vendorssidewalk sales

cocktails and appetizers7/16 7/23 7/30 8/68/13 8/20 8/27 9/3

$5

Streetthewalk, shop, and eat

URBAN EXPERIENCE, SMALL TOWN CHARM

M A N A Y U N K . C O M

MANAYUNK

STROLL THE STREETEVERY THURSDAY NIGHT THIS SUMMER

HIDDEN RIVER BLUES FESTIVALSATURDAY AUGUST 15TH

STREAT FOOD FESTIVALSTREAT FOOD FESTIVALSUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH

RESTAURANT WEEKSEPTEMBER 14TH - 25TH

SAVE THE DATE

MNYK pages.indd 30 7/31/15 8:17 AM

Every Thursday night until September 3rd, from 5pm to sundown Manayunk will play host to local food trucks, artists, and antique vendors popping up along Main Street. Visitors are encouraged to walk, shop and eat their way down Main Street. Manayunk restaurants will feature $5 appetizers and $5 cocktail options everyevery Thursday and Manayunk shops are open late. Join us this summer and stroll the street.

Stroll

Every thursday nightin manayunk!

Stroll The Streetfood trucks

artists + craftersantique vendorssidewalk sales

cocktails and appetizers7/16 7/23 7/30 8/68/13 8/20 8/27 9/3

$5

Streetthewalk, shop, and eat

URBAN EXPERIENCE, SMALL TOWN CHARM

M A N A Y U N K . C O M

MANAYUNK

STROLL THE STREETEVERY THURSDAY NIGHT THIS SUMMER

HIDDEN RIVER BLUES FESTIVALSATURDAY AUGUST 15TH

STREAT FOOD FESTIVALSTREAT FOOD FESTIVALSUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH

RESTAURANT WEEKSEPTEMBER 14TH - 25TH

SAVE THE DATE

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Away from the monuments, there’s no greater appreciation for the textured history of our region than there is among the elite private schools and colleges, most of which date back a century. On their

bucolic campuses, traditions that were forged generations ago are proudly upheld today. Perhaps the only greater force felt through

their hallowed halls: Innovation.

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601 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648609.882.7900, ext. 139 or 183

Notre Dame High School

Register online atwww.ndnj.org

Open HouseOctober 24, 2013

7 - 9 p.m.

Know that moment when intrigue turns into enlightenment.

Experience a dynamic community where learning is apassion and each day is infused with a spirit of joy.

The Hun School offers boarding and day studentsfrom all over the globe a rich multi-dimensionalexperience in one of the most academically-mindedcommunities in the world. We were built a centuryago on the founding principle that learning is a highlypersonal process, best nurtured through closerelationships between students and faculty. Academicgrowth is ignited through active hands-on learningwith gifted teachers, mentors, and peers.”

Explore the world and your place within it.

THE HUN SCHOOL OF PRINCETONServing grades 6 through 12 and post graduates

www.hunschool.org (609) 921-7600

JOYFUL LEARNING

Join us Sunday, October 6th for our Open House.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SERIOUS ABOUT

Sciencegeorgeschool.org

Boarding and Day Grades 9 to 12 | Newtown, Pennsylvania

GEORGE SCHOOLOPEN HOUSE

Sunday October 25 2:00 p.m.

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SERIOUS ABOUT

Sciencegeorgeschool.org

Boarding and Day Grades 9 to 12 | Newtown, Pennsylvania

GEORGE SCHOOLOPEN HOUSE

Sunday October 25 2:00 p.m.

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GEORGE SCHOOLOPEN HOUSE

Sunday October 25 2:00 p.m.

PMB 44601690 Newtown Langhorne RdNewtown, PA 18940-2414www.georgeschool.org

GEORGE SCHOOL

A Quaker, coeducational

boarding and day school

grades 9-12

With Quaker tradition

as its touchstone and

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE at its core,

George School seeks to

develop citizen scholars cheerfully

committed to openness

in the pursuit of truth, to service

and peace, and to the faithful

stewardship of the earth.

We want our students to treasure learning

for its own sake and to use it to benefit a

diverse world. Above all, we want them to

“let their lives speak.”

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While kids and parents alike eagerly await the fresh start of a new school year, the back-to-school season is not without its share of stressors for busy families. The start of school means new schedules, teachers, shoes, backpacks and friends; as well as new academic challenges.

Adding some fun and ex-citement to the newness can help smooth the way. For example, allowing kids to help choose their outfits for the first day of school can help diffuse that nervous anticipation. Similarly, the chance to put a fresh set of pens to use or show off a cool new notebook can provide a distraction from those first-day jitters.

If the shopping itself is adding stress to your household, ease the back-to-school burden on your family with these helpful tips to simplify shop-ping for the school year ahead.

Make note of your inventory. School lists often carry over each school year, so make sure you aren’t buying multiples of things you already own. Some supplies are more exciting when refreshed every year, but buying the same old boring ruler year after year is simply a waste of money.

Make a list with your children. Put everything you need on that list, and be clear that once the list is done, it’s done. Having everyone on the same page with a complete list helps ensure nothing vital is forgotten, and the list can serve as a handy tool to keep your budget in check. Get uber organized using vibrant Sarasa gel pens by Zebra to create lists col-or-coded by kid or category to make your shopping more manageable.

Begin shopping as early as possible. Hunt bargains before the tradi-tional back-to-school season to get the best deals. Not only will you save some cash, shopping before the rush will give you a wider selection to choose from, so you’re sure to find the items you need in the styles you (and your kids) want. Spreading the shopping over several weeks or months also allows you to distribute the expense across several pay periods, helping lessen the chance that you blow your monthly budget with one mega shopping excursion.

Be a savvy online shopper. Check out your favorite brands and retail-ers online, and sign up for their email alerts, so you’ll be in the know when the best deals hit. Many retailers now offer online-only specials, so watch ads closely to know when you’re better served making purchases in-store or online. Also keep an eye out for free or reduced shipping for extra savings that make it even cheaper than buying in person when you factor in the cost of gas. Remember that you can also rely on social media to follow back-to-school offers and hashtags.

Create a back-up bin at home. You may find that your kids consistently run out of certain items midyear. Devote a special area of your home to keep extras in stock, and take advantage of sales during back-to-school season or buy in bulk to get a better price.

Put quality ahead of price. While it’s tempting to go for cheap when your list is long, remember that sometimes quality buys actually save more in the long run. You can buy a ton of cheap pens that skip, or simply stop working. Or you can look at alternatives, such as Zebra’s

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Discover what makes us unique

All-SchoolOPEN HOUSE

October 181-3 pm

Lower School2-4 pm

Middle & Upper School

Lower School • Nursery - Grade 5 • 228 Old Gulph Road Wynnewood, PAMiddle & Upper School • Grades 6 - 12 • 1101 City Avenue friendscentral.org

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THE MISSION OF PRINCETON ACADEMYPrinceton Academy of the Sacred Heart, an independent Catholic K through grade 8 school for boys, is committed to academic excellence within the context of a faith-based community.

Our mission is to develop young men with active and creative minds, a sense of understanding and compas-sion for others, and the courage to act on their beliefs. We stress the total development of each child: spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical.

Princeton Academy’s philosophy is rooted in the 200-year tradition of the Society of the Sacred Heart, which educates children to become leaders of a just society by adhering to the following five goals:

• a personal and active faith in God• a deep respect for intellectual values• a social awareness that impels to action• the building of community as a Christian value• personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom

We’re coming to Bucks County!You are within reach of a life-changing educational experience for your son. Princ-eton Academy is providing bus service to Bucks County. There are still spaces available in some grade levels, and we continue to offer a generous need-based financial aid program.

Learn MoreVisit our website to learn more about Princeton Academy’s unique mis-sion, admission and financial aid procedures, and research on how boys learn: https://www.princetonacademy.org

Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart1128 Great RoadPrinceton, NJ 08540609-921-6499 or admissions@princetonacademy.org

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Z-Grip brand, which are affordable, quality pens that allow children to focus on writing, not on the pen. Known for delivering a smooth-flowing writing experience at a great value, a Z-Grip pen truly delivers for young learners.

Make your children shopping buddies. Involve your kids in the back-to-school shop- ping process by giving them a budget. Help them al-locate money for all the expenses, including clothing, school supplies, shoes and more. Use the opportunity to talk about how shopping smart for the necessities can leave room for some fun buys, too.

Reduce and reuse. Save plastic and money by encouraging kids to embrace reusable items, such as lunch bags in place of paper sacks and plastic containers instead of sandwich bags. If water bottles are allowed at school, look for a durable refillable option that can be used again and again.

Make the old new again. Turn barely used items into something new by decorating or adding stickers. Not only is this a fun activity that can help get the kids excited about and engaged in planning for the year ahead, it’s easy on the budget and eco-friendly. Keep leftover supplies on hand to revive the enthusiasm with fresh designs at the end of the quarter or semester.

Swap with other moms. Make back-to-school time more fun by host-ing a swap event with other moms for clothing, backpacks, shoes, etc. It seems that kids are forever trading with their friends, so embrace that mindset and see what exciting new treasures you can find for your kids to call their own.

Find your zen during back-to-school shopping at www.zebrapen.com/findzen.

Make It a Peaceful Shopping ExperienceThough back-to-school shopping can be fun, it can also be overwhelm-ing. These tricks may help you add some Zen to the experience, or at least cut some of the chaos.

Know yourself: Are you better at doing all of your shopping all at once, or would you rather make separate trips throughout a couple of weeks to ease the stress? There is no one “right” way to tackle back-to-school shopping; just go with what works best for you.

Create a democratic shopping experience: Instead of taking it upon yourself to get the supplies you think your kids need, turn it into a fun ex-perience for every-one to enjoy. Ask what your kids want and what colors they like. Encourage them to stimulate creativity with whimsical supplies, such as the fun and funky patterns of Cadoozles mechanical pencils.

Want your high school or college bound academians to have a little extra swag for school? Look for a few simple purchases that reflect their confidence, such as Zebra Steel pens, with a sleek design perfect for the advancing student. Ph

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NAZARETH ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS OPEN HOUSEVisit Nazareth Academy High School (Naz) as we host our Open House on Saturday, October 3, 2015 from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Prospective stu-dents and their families will have an opportunity to tour with current students, visit classrooms, meet with faculty, and attend a concert. Rep-resentatives will be available to answer admissions questions and accept registration for Naz’s 7th & 8th Grades Game Night, exclusively for 7th and 8th grade girls on Saturday, October 10th from 6:00 to 9:00pm, and the 8th Grade Entrance/Scholarship Exam held on Saturday, October 24th from 7:45am to 12:00pm.

Set on an educational campus that includes Holy Family University, Nazareth Academy Grade School and Alpha House Nursery and Pre-school, we are in the center of a flourishing academic environment un-like any other endeavor in our area. Nazareth Academy High School is a private, Catholic preparatory high school for girls in grades 9-12. A close knit community of young women, who have a 9:1 student faculty ratio, experience a strong academic curriculum with a variety of music, sports, and extra-curricular activities that enables our students to be well-round-ed women. Families choose Naz because it is family. Students can do well academically in most schools; however, Naz has that something extra that makes each day a special one. Each young woman is meant to be who she is, a person who is growing in the image and likeness of God. We do not have cookie cutters here. We want everyone to stand out for her own reasons! Naz because…it’s where you belong!

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Publication: Main Line Magazine

Size: Half-page horizontal, non bleed: 8.25 inches wide x 4.75 inches high

Color: CMYK

Date: July 2015

Agency: Karp Graphic Design 207.763.2999

Contact: Barbara Karp

Client: The Episcopal Academy 1785 Bishop White Drive Newtown Square, PA 19073-0379

Contact: Michele Godin 484.424.1478

To be, rather than to seem to be.We teach many lessons. But, for us, this is the most important one.

To be driven.

To be confident.

To be independent.The Episcopal AcademyIndependent | Pre-K through 12 Co-ed | Day School www.episcopalacademy.org

Open HouseSunday, October 25 1-3pm

Athletics Open House3-4pmRSVP: 855-354-7809

Grey Nun Academy Igniting a Passion for Learning Pre-K3—Grade 8

1750 Quarry Road, Yardley, PA 215-968-4151 www.GNAEDU.org

Call to schedule your tour

Please Join Us For a FALL OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, Oct. 19th 12-2 PM Wednesday, Oct. 22nd 9-11 AM Wednesday, Nov. 5th 9-11 AM

Sunday, Oct. 18th 12-2 PMWednesday, Oct. 21st 9-11 AMWednesday, Nov. 4th 9-11 AM

www.gnaedu.org

Grey Nun Academy

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Creating girls of character and confidence since 1933.

The premier private, Catholic, all-girls academy for girls in grades Kindergarten through 12.

Located in Ewing, New Jersey, minutes from Bucks County

Bussing from all Bucks County school districts

100% college placement & enrollment

Enriching arts program, quality extracurricular options and STEM education

Rolling, year-round admissions

Academically challenging and supportive atmosphere

Student to faculty ratio of 8:1

Academic and music scholarships and family tuition rates available

SAT scores average 200 points higher than local districts

Villa Victoria Academy is an independent, private, Catholic academy for girls in grades K through 12.

Villa Victoria Academy has provided the young women of Bucks County and central New Jersey area with high academic standards, an enriched arts curriculum, and a challenging, supportive, environment since 1933.

Come see why Villa girls thrive.

609-882-1700 ext. 20

cscordia@villavictoria.org

Facebook.com/VillaVictoriaAcademy

www.villavictoria.org

VILLA VICTORIA ACADEMY – CREATING STEM LEADERS OF TOMORROW, TODAY

Villa Victoria Academy has provided the young women of Bucks Coun-ty and central New Jer-sey area with a chal-lenging and supportive academic environment since 1933. Villa Victo-ria, long known for its arts education, chorus, theatre and musical productions, also boats a strong STEM educa-tion curriculum.

As an end-of-the-school-year project, middle school science instruc-tor, Jennifer Spivey, provided her students with an opportunity to build working catapults to demonstrate a physics lesson in real life. The girls worked with safety goggles, drills, and other tools to create their catapults.

Coincidentally, while this project was underway at Villa Victoria, #GirlsWithToys was trending on social media – where female STEM pro-fessionals posted on-the-job photos of them, their labs and supplies, in response to an astrophysicist’s NPR on-air comments that scientists are just “boys with toys.”

Villa Victoria starts STEM education early – Karla McBeth’s first grade

class observed live caterpillars as they cycled from chrysalis to butterfly, and created paintings made by guiding paint dipped marbles across the page using magnetic energy.

“We strive to have our girls receive a complete education that includes STEM and the fine and performing arts. In our classrooms, our students see the value of all disciplines, while their unique interests and skills are emphasized. We enrich the whole person.” says Christina Scordia, Director of Advancement.

That’s the beauty of an all-girls school, where the students are leaders in all areas. Villa Victoria is the premier private, Catholic, all-girls academy for girls in grades Kinder-garten through 12, located in Ewing, New Jersey, minutes from Bucks County, on the banks of the Delaware River. Bussing is available from all Bucks County school districts. Villa Victoria has rolling, year-round ad-missions, 100% college enrollment, and a student to faculty ratio of 8:1. Academic and music scholarships and family tuition rates are available.

We know learning to swim requires confidence, training, and, most of all, fun and encouragement. At Baldwin, students receive this and more beginning in Pre-Kindergarten as part of our dynamic physical education

curriculum. Our swimming instructors encourage students to play, to splash, to learn and to discover. Whether in the pool or in the classroom, The Baldwin School provides a nurturing environment for girls to grow. So even

though summer is coming to an end, the pool at Baldwin is always open.

Schedule your visit today:October 21, 9 a.m. – Lower School Tunic Tours

October 28, 6 p.m. – All School Open House | November 11, 9 a.m. – All School Open House

Register here: BaldwinSchool.org/openhouse

An Independent College Preparatory Day School for Girls Pre-K through 12

SWIMMING D O E S N ’ T W A I T F O R C A M P

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We know learning to swim requires confidence, training, and, most of all, fun and encouragement. At Baldwin, students receive this and more beginning in Pre-Kindergarten as part of our dynamic physical education

curriculum. Our swimming instructors encourage students to play, to splash, to learn and to discover. Whether in the pool or in the classroom, The Baldwin School provides a nurturing environment for girls to grow. So even

though summer is coming to an end, the pool at Baldwin is always open.

Schedule your visit today:October 21, 9 a.m. – Lower School Tunic Tours

October 28, 6 p.m. – All School Open House | November 11, 9 a.m. – All School Open House

Register here: BaldwinSchool.org/openhouse

An Independent College Preparatory Day School for Girls Pre-K through 12

SWIMMING D O E S N ’ T W A I T F O R C A M P

W H E R E

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HANDS ON minds on.

851 Buck Lane, Haverford, PA 19041 | Private Tours Also Available, Call: 610-642-2334

COME VISIT! OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2015 9:00 - 11:00am | Nursery School - Grade 8Register Online: www.FriendsHaverford.org

Intellectually

Powerful

FRIENDS SCHOOL HAVERFORD OFFERS A CURRICULUM THAT IS. . .Beautifully Designed

Exquisitely Implemented

FOURTH GRADE ECOLOGISTSanalyzing our campus wetland ecosystem

601 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648609.882.7900, ext. 139 or 183

Notre Dame High School

Visit us online atwww.ndnj.org

OPEN HOUSEOctober 22, 7 - 9 p.m.

Know that moment when hard work leads to rewards.

1450 Newtown - Langhorne RoadNewtown, PA

215.968.2225 www.NewtownFriends.org

A better place...A better place...

to create

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Academics aside, gearing up for college is a big job. Whether you’re headed to the dorms or sharing an apartment or house with friends, making your surroundings comfortable and functional will let you focus on your studies. From cozy bedding to help you catch your zzzz’s to the right technology for cramming to storage space that makes the most of your cramped quarters, show your smarts by deck-ing out your living space right so you can turn your attention to hitting the books and having some fun.

Clean Up and CustomizeNeed extra storage in addition to your current closet setup? The Closet Maximiz-er from ClosetMaid is a tool-free solu-tion that you can install in about 30 minutes. It features four shelves and an adjustable, double hang rod. Custom-ize your system with accessories like fabric bins and wire baskets. The best part — you can reuse the Closet Maximizer in a different room, or even take it with you if you move. Available exclusively at HomeDepot.com.

Sleep in StyleYour bed may be the last thing on your mind as you think of all the excitement that awaits, but getting plenty of sleep is key to your suc-cess in college. Amp the appeal of your dorm-

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NEWTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOLFounded in 1948, by the Newtown Friends Meeting, and still under its care, Newtown Friends School (NFS) is a pre-K through 8th grade coed day school in Newtown, Pennsylvania. The school combines an inno-vative and challenging academic program, a welcoming and nurturing community and a strong culture of Quaker values.

Dana H. Harrison, the head of school, notes that, “NFS provides a supportive and dynamic student-centered environment that fosters in-dependent and creative thinkers. The children acquire not only the skills needed to achieve long term academic success, but also the con-fidence and enthusiasm to keep learning, growing, thinking, express-ing themselves, imagining, caring, creating, exploring, and making a difference in the world.”

Some 250 students are enrolled at NFS. The school is a leader in outcomes-based education as demonstrated by the NFS students:

• Achieving high scores on educational advancement assessments• Achieving high acceptance rates to the most selective high schools

and universities in the country• Their service to their communities and the world• Career success later in lifeThese outcomes are achieved through the school’s 8 to 1 student-to-

faculty ratio, which gives teachers the opportunity to understand and care about each child as a person, not a test score. With an appreciation of each child’s unique capabilities, personality, passions and goals, the teachers of Newtown Friends School can focus on the areas that will benefit each child the most.

The school’s experienced faculty provides each child with high-quality teachers who will transfer insights about the child to teachers at the next grade. As technology has become a part of everyone’s daily life, the school

has integrated technology into the classroom, so it is part of how students learn, not a stand-alone subject.

As a Friends School, the students, faculty and staff thrive in an envi-ronment that emphasizes the importance of respect for the individual, integrity, equality, social justice, simplicity, peace, community, collabo-ration, teamwork, and environmental stewardship. The school believes that this allows students to become well-rounded individuals who “do well and do good” throughout their lives. The school embraces students from all religious backgrounds, races and nationalities, and believes that exposure to a wide variety of ideas and perspectives is critically important to each student’s development at Newtown Friends School.

1450 Newtown - Langhorne RoadNewtown, PA

215.968.2225 www.NewtownFriends.org

A better place...A better place...

to create

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Sunday, Oct. 18, 201512:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 31, 20158:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m

Mount Saint Joseph AcademyEducating founders since 1858

A College Preparatory Program for Young Women, Grades 9-12

Open House

Scholarship/Entrance Exam

120 W. Wissahickon Avenue, Flourtown, PA 19031(215) 233-9133 | admiss@msjacad.org | www.msjacad.org

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issue mattress with stylish and comfy bedding that reflects your person-ality. Look for quality threads you can snuggle into, and coordinate with funky pillows to make your bed a cozy place to sit and study by day. Shop for great deals at your local retailers or online.

Key Your Way to SuccessFrom tapping out notes in class to papers that keep you up all night to keeping in touch with family back home, your laptop is likely to be a constant companion. A mid-range CPU will give you the speed to keep up. When it comes to memory and hard drive storage, your major may dictate how much you need, especially if you work with large files on a regular basis. Remember to consider size and weight for portability, and invest in a model that can withstand some wear and tear. A sales associate at an electronics retailer can guide you to your perfect match.

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 20159th Grade Scholarship and Entrance Exam8:45 AM - 12 NoonUpper School Open House, 12:30 - 2 PM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015Open House Grades Pre-K - 12, 9 - 11 AM

NOVEMBER 10 - NOVEMBER 13Take-a-Look Days Grades Pre-K - 129 AM - 2 PM

Register online at www.cdssh.org

FALL ADMISSIONS EVENTS

Mary Lee FitzPatrick, Director of Admissions610 - 527 - 3915 x 214 mfitzpatrick@cdssh.org

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Discover the Action-Based Education at Westtown

With 215 years of experience, Westtown delivers a transformative college-prep education.

Highlights include:> Our Pre K-12 vision that emphasizes academic excellence, service,

reflection and action> Signature programs like The Action-Based Education and The Global

Leadership Initiative> Our diverse and welcoming student body and faculty> Our beloved and now optional boarding experience in the Upper School> Our new state-of-the-art Science Center> Championship athletics

expect a life-size education

For more information: admissions@westtown.edu or 610.399.7900

What if Monday

was herfavorite

day?

OPENHOUSES

Q RSVP at westtown.edu/ openhouse

Middle School | Gr. 6-8October 18th at 1:00pm Lower School | Pre K-5October 25th at 1:00pm

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opportunitiesPRINCETON DAY SCHOOL

of a lifetime. every day.

For more information, please call our Admission Office at 609-924-6700 x1200.650 Great Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08540

www.pds.org

Lower School [Grades PreK – 4]Wednesday, October 8, 9:00 a.m.Wednesday, November 12, 9:00 a.m.

Middle School [Grades 5 – 8]Tuesday, November 4, 9:00 a.m.

Upper School [Grades 9 – 12]Sunday, November 16, 2:00 p.m.

OpenHousedates

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Good Vision Helps Children Excel in SchoolWith children heading back to school soon, parents’ to-do lists keep getting longer – shopping for clothes, shoes and supplies, going to the doctor for yearly physicals or checkups, and making appointments at the dentist, among other things. What is easily forgotten or put off is a yearly eye exam.

According to a survey conducted by KRC Research on behalf of Think About Your Eyes, about 60 percent of parents do not consider eye exams as a necessary part of children’s health checkup schedule. However, skipping these exams means children run the risk of being unprepared for school with an undiagnosed vision problem or eye disease.

While a cough or hurt ankle might trigger you to take your child to the doctor without hesitation, eye problems are difficult to notice without pro-active measures. In fact, 84 percent of parents in the same survey admitted they wait for a child to complain of a vision issue before taking them in for an eye exam. Children, however, especially those who have had vision problems for an extended amount of time, aren’t always able to recognize the problem themselves.

Although some schools perform yearly vision screenings, it is important for parents to know that these tests only gauge a child’s ability to see at a distance. A full vision screening from an eye care professional is needed to evaluate how well a child’s eyes function and how well they focus on items closer to the face. With increased up-close reading, such as that required when using a computer, this information is becoming more critical.

The American Optometric Association estimates that as much as 80 per-cent of what children learn – reading, writing, computer work and day-to-day observation – happens through sight, so it’s more important now than ever to have children tested by an optometrist. According to the Ameri-can Optometric Association, by age six (before they start school), children

should receive at least three eye exams.If you find that your child does need glasses,

the experts at Essilor offer these tips for select-ing the right eyeglass lenses:

Bright reflections and glare can cause irri-tation, eye strain, discomfort and damage to your child’s eyes. In addition to the right pre-scription, it is important to purchase lenses that protect against these visual distractions. Lenses such as Crizal Kids UV lenses offer pro-tection from glare caused by sunlight, white-boards, fluorescent lights, computer screens and video games.

Skin isn’t the only part of the body that needs protection from the sun’s harsh UV rays. Choose lenses that shield the eye from UV exposure, in addition to taking other preventative measures against sun exposure.

Just like anything else you buy for your child, glasses need to stand up to the test of time. Sturdy frames are important, but the lenses inside your child’s frames are vulnerable and need protection as well. Lenses that are scratch and impact resistant will help ensure a clear line of sight. Some lenses for children, such as Crizal Kids UV No-Glare lenses, also help repel water and smudges, making it easier to weather ev-eryday wear and tear.

With the variety of options available, you can easily find the right lenses for your child’s vision needs. Visit www.Crizal.com to find an eye care professional and give your child a boost in the classroom this school year.

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AIM Academy is celebrat-

ing both its 10th Anniversary

Year and Pat Roberts and

Nancy Blair, the vision-

ary women who launched

this innovative school and

research institute in 2006.

AIM Academy is a grade 1-12

college preparatory school

that provides extraordinary

educational opportunities to

children with language-based

learning differences includ-

ing dyslexia, dysgraphia, and

dyscalculia. They also created

the AIM Institute for Learning

and Research, a global, multi-

disciplinary institute designed

to bring the latest research and educational training opportunities

to parents, teachers and professionals who work with children who

learn differently.

AIM has grown and prospered from humble beginnings as the

Academy In Manayunk to outstanding facilities with a turf field,

science labs, and a soon to be opened 23,000 square foot Commu-

nity Center in Conshohocken. Pat and Nancy are very excited to be

partnering with the School District of Philadelphia on a multiyear

K-3 literacy program. This has been a dream come true – dissemi-

nating the AIM Integrated Literacy Model to students throughout

Philadelphia.

At AIM Academy, Pat and Nancy reimagine the future of edu-

cation every day. They have created a learning environment where

highly engaged students think differently and learn fearlessly.

Innovative teaching is the foundational approach to maximizing

the talents and opportunities for the students. The Four Threads

for the Future model connects

students to future possibili-

ties through the convergence

of Arts and Design, Business

and Innovation, Science and

Engineering, and Global

Competency.

AIM Academy was created

with the belief that children

with language based learning

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The Tomato WhispererOf all the fruits of summer, the tomato may be the one I covet most. Lettuce, peppers and beans, wel-come sights as they are, come on so strong. Same with the berries. It can be smothering. But the to-mato plays hard to get. While I gather another arm-ful of cucumbers to haul back to the kitchen, the tomato, still Hulk-green after a summer’s worth of sunbathing, refuses to bend to my will. Until right about now. Even then, that first ripe tomato always feels like a surprise.

All of that comes from a couple of modest plants. Imagine the depth of Tim Mountz’s fixation. He’s growing over 400 kinds this summer. For the last eight years, Mountz and his wife, Amy Bloom, have been selling heirloom seeds, produce and, more re-cently, scratch-made sauces from that produce at a handful of markets and online as the Kennett Square-based brand Happy Cat Farm (store.happy catorganics.com). But, tomatoes, obviously, are his first love. Second. Second love. Amy, of course, is his first. Probably.

“The perfect day for me,” Mountz says with a light laugh, “is when I lay down in bed at night and realize that breakfast, lunch and dinner were tomatoes in the field. That’s it.

“I was working with Tim Stark out at Eckerton Hill Farm,” he says. “I had never bitten into a toma-to like an apple before. But one afternoon, I had a Jefferson Airplane-like, out-of-body experience. It might have been from sunstroke or something, but it was transcendent. From that point on, I started eating every tomato I could get my hands on.”

Whether cherry-picking from a farm stand or nursing them from your own backyard plot, heed Mountz’s advice on how to tell the time’s finally right: “A tomato has to have a little give, some movement to the flesh, so you know there’s juice in there. And full color. Unless it’s a green variety, it shouldn’t have any green. Lastly, fragrance: Much of the tomato’s aroma comes from the vine itself, but the fruit has a definite fragrance.” —MIKE MADAIO

For what to do with those lush prizes, look right.

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Summer’s Darling

Yelena Strokin is a Newtown-based food stylist and photographer and the founder of the blog melangery.com.

A tomato salad is the epitome of summertime eating: simple preparation, complex taste. That line savvy chefs deliver whenever prompted about letting quality ingredients express

themselves? It’s because seasonal fruits and veg at the height of their harvest, like tomatoes are right now, are akin to snowflakes—no two taste the same. All that nuance concentrated in just

a few bites is the essence of summer: potent humidity, dense soil, a simmering sun and a soul-affirming oomph as it all comes together on the back of your tongue. —SCOTT EDWARDS

Recipe by Yelena Strokin

Heirloom Tomato and Beet SaladServes two.

�3�sweet�heirloom�tomatoes�����(various�sizes�and�colors)1�small�red�onion,�thinly�sliced1-2�small�beets,�cooked,�peeled�and�sliced2�tbsps.�fetaFresh�basilFresh�mintOlive�oil�to�tasteLemon�juice�to�taste2�cloves�garlic�(optional)Sea�salt�to�tasteFreshly�ground�black�pepper�to�taste

Halve the small tomatoes and cut the large ones into thick slices. Then, layer them on a platter, mixing the different sizes and colors in a way that looks as good as it’ll taste.

Tuck in the beets and onion, then the basil and mint. Sprinkle the feta over the entire salad. Season with salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice, and serve immediately, preferably with a baguette to sop up that beautiful medley of juices that’ll be waiting at the bottom of the dish.

Denominação: Vinho Verde DOC

Tipo: Branco Seco

Ano: 2014Castas: Loureiro 50%, Arinto 40%, Trajadura 10%

Teor Alcoólico (%vol): 10,5Açucar Residual (g/dm3): 6Acidez Total (g/dm3): 6

Enólogos: Fernando Machado e Henrique Lopes

Uvas colhidas à mão e prensadas rapidamente sem oxidação.Uvas desengaçadas para obter os aromas mais frescos e �orais.Fermentação a baixas temperaturas.

Aspecto: Límpido e cristalino, com leves re�exos palha.Aroma: Notas �orais abundantes mas elegantes, acompanhadas de agradáveis e frescas sensações citrinas.Paladar: Estrutura complexa. Redondo e macio onde o �nal de boca é longo.Perfeito equilíbrio entre alcool e acidez.

Garrafa: Reno âmbar 750 mlEAN: 5603238133806Caixa: 6 garrafasMedidas: 220mmX150mmX340mmEAN: 3563238133807Palete: Europalete 100 caixasMedidas: 120cmX80cmX175cm

Peso: 730 kg

Peso: 7,30 kg

Este vinho verde harmoniza na perfeição com diversos pratos como por exemplo peixes, carnes de ave grelhadas comida Asiática ou uma salada fresca.É perfeito para um aperitivo de verão.Deve ser servido a uma temperatura entre os 10 a 12ºC.Deve ser consumido até 2 anos após a data de engarrafamento.

Peso: 1,21 kg

Quinta das Arcas4440-392 Sobrado - ValongoTel. +351 224 157 810 - 224 157 811 info@quintadasarcas.comwww.quintadasarcas.com

Conde�Villar�Branco�Vinho�Verde ($11, 750ml)

Maybe the most refreshing wine I’ve tasted. The nose is clean and mildly floral, the palate, light and crisp courtesy of a bit of efferves-cence, a razor-sharp acidity and undercurrents of fresh peach and Granny Smith apple. With a lightweight alcohol content (10.5 percent), drink it all day long—on a front porch, ideally.

On nights I want to treat my-self (this being one of them), I reach for a bottle of Don�Julio�1942�Tequila ($155, 750ml). Don’t waste it on a shot. Pour it over some ice, add a splash of lime juice and sit back and savor the ride. Aged in oak for a minimum of two-and-a-half years, the result is seriously smooth. It tastes more like a whiskey—without the burn—with sweet hits of vanilla, caramel and cinnamon.

ADAM JUNKINSPartner/SommelierSovana Bistro (Kennett Square)

What I’m Drinking Right Now

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Eating right all the time and working out five days a week is supposed to position you for a long, healthy life. Yet, there you are: stressed and stuck in a rut.

From my perspective as a certified holistic health practitioner, the con-cept of wellness has been rewritten to suit our goal-oriented nature. Eat this many calories, exert this much energy and none of the rest really matters. But it does. And so does our approach. Balance is key. There’s no one-size-fits-all regimen when it comes to achieving a sound mind and body, but there is a blueprint.

Back to basicsOver recent years, our diets have grown increasingly acidic. The most

common culprits: fried and processed foods, sugar, dairy, white flour, coffee and alcohol. What they do is trigger inflammation. When that hap-pens often enough, it’s no longer your body’s healing response but its natural state. And when you’re inflamed all the time, you open yourself up to a host of ailments. Tip your consumption back in favor of alkaline foodstuffs—veg; most fruit, including blueberries, dates and apples; and certain whole grains, like quinoa and amaranth—in the neighborhood of 80 percent and your body will regain its sensitivity.

In defense of bacteriaProbiotics are getting a lot of play these days, but they’re being sold as

a cure-all because it accommodates our pared-down version of wellness. In a healthy body, think of the intestines (a.k.a. the gut) as the engine and the probiotics, the fuel. They facilitate the growth of good bacteria, which primes the intestines to more easily breakdown and absorb food. And the more efficient the operation, the stronger the body’s immune system becomes. However, indulge too often in pizza, fried chicken and gelato and the intestines become gunked up with bad bacteria (yup, there are two kinds), which hampers digestion and weakens our im-munity. Simply countering that with the occasional Greek yogurt is like trying to cool off by standing in a puddle. Start by eating more alkaline foods, then begin incorporating live-cultured things, like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and fermented coconut water. With the foundation already in place, the good bacteria will be free to flourish.

Rose Nyad Orrell is a New Hope-based certified holistic health practitioner (rosenyad.com).

RULES TO LIVE BY3

Peek under the hoodOur bodies have the incredible ability to adapt—as long as we get out

of our own way. The point of the first two steps is lost if they feel like a chore. After all, true wellness, as it’s described by the World Health Or-ganization, is “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Read: This is always going to be a work in progress, but a sound mind will keep it feeling like this is the way it should be, rather than this is the way it has to be.

We tend to suppress our emotions so we can deal with them at a later time, when we’re better equipped. Which, of course, never happens. When it goes on long enough, this inner turmoil starts to manifest in physical symptoms. If you’ve been bothered by a persistent ache, or worse, consider what you’re harboring and start to work it out.

Sometimes the sources of our stress are obvious—a dead-end career, a neglected marriage—but no easier to deal with. Change can feel in-credibly daunting, but for the same reason we dread it—it’ll change the landscape of our lives—it’s also the single-most empowering act we’re capable of. And in order for this to have any permanence, bold moves are required.

Feeling good has a lot to do with what we eat. But it begins with forging the right mindset.By Rose Nyad Orrell

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A dad’s first mom-less outing with his newborn son goes almost according to plan. By Scott Edwards

Two guys walk into a pub with a three-month-old. Ba-da-bum.Seriously, though, the lunch was planned. As was bringing Oliver along. Still, when our

wives headed out for the Manayunk Arts Festival, it got real. Fast.We all looked a little on edge. This was going to be my buddy Adam’s first solo outing

with his son. He was confident, but untested. I warned him to not expect much in the way of help from me. Oliver’s expression seemed to indicate that he was willing to give us the benefit of the doubt, but we were on a short leash.

We booked a mid-afternoon reservation at Brittingham’s, in Lafayette Hill, hoping to slot in after the lunch crowd and, more critically, ahead of Oliver’s “witching hour,” which, I was told, would strike precisely at 4 p.m. The hostess cooed, then led us past a baby shower to a wide-open, lodge-style dining room. A massive indoor-outdoor bar populated by a few sunbathers anchored the far corner. A gentle wave of relief washed over me when I saw we had the place mostly to ourselves.

Keith Ramondi, the head bartender at Townsend, recently upgraded the cocktail menu, which now leans noticeably toward local spirits, like the Classic Smoked Manhattan with Rittenhouse Rye and The Bees Knees with Bluecoat American Dry Gin. But Adam passed in favor of keeping his wits about him. So I passed in favor of keeping up appearances. We’d indulge our stomachs instead.

Outside, it was a standard-issue humid, 85-degree June afternoon. Adam, naturally, dove into the potato chowder with cheddar and bacon. A cold melon soup with candied ginger, one of chef Joseph Frost’s summertime twists, made more sense to me. Neither of us regret-ted our decisions, and Oliver remained content, even as a handful of passersby stopped to peer into his stroller.

Again, Adam ordered as though unfazed by the blast furnace that waited for us out in the parking lot: the house burger piled with white cheddar, bacon and fried onions. Risking emasculation next to that, I went with the Mediterranean tuna sandwich—herb-marinated tuna, hard-boiled egg, olive tapenade—because it wouldn’t undo me under the broiling sun. Halfway through, Oliver’s first murmurs crept out. Adam held him in his lap to little effect. In hindsight, it was a false sense of security that led me to say, “Here. Let me take him so you can finish eating.” In mid-pass, my hands poised beneath his armpits, Oliver decided it was time to choke our leash. Adam pulled him back and hurried out of the room.

I eased back into my chair and finished my sandwich. And then his burger. When I found them out in the lobby, I said, “Where’ve you been?”

“We hung outside the baby shower until he calmed down,” Adam said. “I thought it was only right that she knew what she was in for.”

Brittingham’s, 640 East Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill; 484-344-5162; brittinghams.com.

LIFE IS GOODLast summer, Deb Lutz pried herself loose from a 20-year corporate career and opened the first local b.good in Marlton, New Jersey. The Boston-based chain is one of the catalysts of the new fast-food movement. Its menus are seasonal. And the veg and meats come from nearby farms. It’s the kind of place Lutz was looking for long before she felt the pull of independence. A Bryn Mawr mom of two, her teenage daughter was diagnosed as a baby with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a genetic disorder that leads to developmental delays and chronic overeating. Long before it was fashionable, Lutz was scrutinizing what she feeds her family. In June, she opened her second b.good (bgood.com), this one closer to home, in Wyn-newood. And she’s just getting started. —SE

Has it been a steep learning curve?DL Everything was new in the beginning, right down

to who to call when something breaks. And, believe me, a lot of things break in the first few months. But now with the second, I’m finding things much easier. It’s like, I’ve got this.

Getting a restaurant on its feet means a lot of long hours, so I’m sure you’ve been cherry-pick-ing from your own menu. What are your go-to’s?

Pretty much anything with avocado on it is what I gravitate toward, like the Spicy Avocado & Lime kale and quinoa bowl, or even a Cousin Oliver turkey burg-er (pictured) [lettuce, tomato, onion and housemade pickles] with a few slices of avocado. I’m also addicted to the Real Fries. One customer said they taste like a baked potato.

You were looking to reclaim your professional independence and, ideally, craft a new career that better aligned with your personal values. Are you there yet?

I’m getting there. I have a ton of independence and nice flexibility, so I can make things like my daughters’ events and doctors appointments. The hours are still a bit crazy, but it’s to be expected since we’re opening so quickly right now. As for aligning my values, what excites me is that I wake up every day knowing I have the opportunity to touch a few people in a positive way, either through serving them, employing them or partnering with other small business owners.

The plan was to open five of these altogether. Still on course?

Yes. In fact, when I see the customers’ reaction, I think we could open even more. But, one step at a time.

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Don Lemon would probably be the only taker for a book about Barack Obama’s relationship with his Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny. But Abraham Lincoln and his dog is a different story entirely. It’d be one of the last shuttered windows into the soul of maybe our most fearless president.

In April, Matthew Algeo delivered that book to the world. Abe & Fido: Lincoln’s Love of Animals and the Touching Story of his Favorite Canine Companion (Chicago Review Press) is an intimate look at Lincoln’s hu-manity and how it informed his politics.

Algeo, a Perkasie native and UPenn graduate, discovered Fido when he stumbled across a photo in the Lincoln Presidential Library in Spring-field, Illinois, while researching a book about Harry Truman. (This is his third book about a president.) We caught up with him just before he boarded a flight for Mozambique, where he’ll spend the next couple of years with his wife, a foreign service officer for the US State Department, and their 19-year-old cat. —SCOTT EDWARDS

You depict Lincoln not just as a doting dog owner but as a compassionate, empathetic lover of all animals, which was rare for the time.

It really was a much more adversarial relationship in the 1850s. Dogs were considered pests. They were expected to serve some kind of eco-nomic purpose. And that’s what makes Fido unusual. Lincoln adopted him around 1855. He was a stray, a mutt. And he was just a companion animal.

President’s Best FriendA photo that local-born author Matthew Algeo stumbled across became his key to unlocking our most humane—and melancholy—president.

Is there an episode that epitomizes Lincoln’s adoration?It came in 1860 when Lincoln and the family were moving to Wash-

ington after he was elected. He really thought Fido would be more comfortable staying back with friends in Springfield. And so that’s what they did; they left him behind with some neighbors who had two young sons about the same age as their own boys. It really was a pretty seam-less transition for Fido.

He left behind a long list of rules on how to treat him, too.Right. He was to be fed table scraps, allowed inside whenever he

wanted, even when his paws were muddy. Lincoln had a seven-foot-long horsehair sofa that he had specially made because he was so tall, and he gave it to this family, Fido’s favorite sofa, so he would have the same place to sleep every night.

Ultimately, you believe his humane treatment of animals early in his life was the seed from which his opposition to slavery grew.

Yeah, you know you have to be careful making these connections. I think Lincoln had an innate empathy for the downtrodden, for the dis-possessed, for the underdog, really. And this extended from his earliest encounters with animals and the way he treated animals. And then, I think, you see it really extend into his politics. And it’s not just slavery. It’s also his attitude toward frontier farmers, to anyone who was working hard to make a living.

Is there anything you can point to that would hint at that behavior?The death of his mother. [Lincoln was nine when his mother died in

1818.] A lot of biographers think it affected him in a way that gave him that sort of melancholy sheen.

Lincoln still managed to squeeze some other pets into the White House. Yeah. There were always cats around. There was a little black and

white dog who was also fed table scraps. The kids also had a couple goats that they used to walk around the White House grounds. One of them disappeared under mysterious circumstances. People think the gardener was tired of them eating all the flowers.

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