Jennifer LeBow

The Old Guard House Bought by the Union League

January 26, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow 1 Comment

The Old Guardhouse is now owned by the Union League — The Union League has bought the Old Guardhouse and will use it to host private events on the Main Line.

For over 200 years, The Old Guard House in Gladwyne has served as a waypoint for travelers and, more recently, fed and watered local residents–the general public at large. Not anymore. As of the beginning of 2017, it has been sold and taken over by the Union League of Philadelphia. As such, it is now only open to members and their guests and will be the venue for Union League functions on the Main Line. For people who are members, but don’t live in town, the new location is appealing. The previous owners felt it was fitting to turn the ownership over to an organization whose stewardship of the building’s history they could trust–the Union League was founded in 1862 during the Civil War as a patriotic society to support the Union and the policies of President Abraham Lincoln, its mission to honor our country’s leaders (both national and local). It is the oldest of the city unions and its members are proud of its history. From that perspective, its acquisition of another historic landmark seems appropriate.

Top 10 Pizza Places on the Main Line

January 24, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

philadelphia relocation pizza — A recent poll of Main Line residents produced this top 10 list of pizza places.

It seems like, no matter where you go, people have their favorite pizza places and the Main Line is no different. From deep dish to thin crust, you’re sure to find a recommendation below that suits your own individual “pizza style”. A recent poll resulted in the following top 10 list. If you don’t mind driving and parking in Philadelphia, there are many others to be found within the city limits, but the ones listed below are all on the Main Line. Try more than one!

Top 10 Pizza Places on the Main Line

Bala Pizza (Bala Cynwyd) https://www.balapizza.com/

Bella Italia Pizza (Ardmore) http://bellaitaliapizza.com/

Dakota Pizza Company (Wynnewood) http://www.dakotapizza.com/

Jules Thin Crust (Ardmore, Wayne) http://www.julesthincrust.com/menu

Narberth Pizza (Narberth) http://www.narberthpizza.com/

Pica’s Restaurant (Upper Darby) http://www.picas-restaurant.com/

Poppi’s Pizza (Wynnewood) http://poppispizza.com/

Sam’s Brick Oven Pizza (Ardmore) https://www.facebook.com/SamsRestaurantArdmore/

Snap Pizza (Ardmore, Exton) https://www.snapcustompizza.com/

The Couch Tomato (Manayunk, West Chester) http://thecouchtomato.com/

Five Below: A Philadelphia Phenomenon

January 23, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

philadelphia relocation local favorites — A store designed for pre-teen and teens (mostly) that offers what they want for under $5.

While this “everything in the place costs $5 or less” store has expanded to several states, it was the brainchild of an entrepreneur who started two other wildly successful ventures in the area (Encore Books and Zany Brainy). The current president and CEO used to run Walmart.com, so there’s definitely someone with some marketing and managing chops running the show. While you may have visited any number of discount stores, it’s the concept behind Five Below that makes it such a great store: the merchandise is specifically selected to appeal to tweens and teens trying to get the most out of their allowance money. Yes, that’s right. The items for sale are targeted to kids ten to twenty who may not have a lot of discretionary income, but would like to be able to come to a single location to find the items they are most likely to want, where nothing costs more than $5.00. Whether it’s gag gifts, school supplies, craft kits, joke books, tech accessories, t-shirts, make-up, room decor (think lava lamp) or something seasonal (like a headband with reindeer antlers), they know they can leave the store with a purchase. It’s a great place to take a kid for a “you did a great job, why don’t you pick out something for yourself” reward, or a “yeah, that trip to the dentist DID stink, but you were brave” treat or a “let’s just bring your cousins something small to thank them for having you” gift. If you’re new to the Main Line or Philadelphia area, you’ll find several locations nearby. My advice is to do a recon visit so you understand what all the hoopla is about. I would be willing to bet you walk out with something, too.

If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my blog page and search for posts using the relocation tag. Contact me to discuss your Philadelphia area relocation! jen@jenniferlebow.com/610 308-5973

The Piano Guys Play One Piano

January 21, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

With all of the electronic enhancement that is available and (in my very humble opinion) overused in music production, I am so impressed by the Piano Guys’ ability to be musically creative without relying on anything but a single instrument. When you think about how a piano is made, you realize that the keys are actually connecting to strings. So is a piano a stringed instrument? Well, yeah, in a way. And can’t you “thump” the wood that holds those strings taut? So now it can be in the percussion section, too, right? See an example of them here and let me know what you think. If you like Christmas music, their version of Angels We Have Heard on High is hard to beat.

Jen LeBow’s Dinner Biscuits

January 18, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

These are really good and there’s no yeast and no rise time required!

Jen LeBow’s Dinner Biscuits

This is a great, quick recipe for those nights when you decide at 5:00 pm that you want some biscuits with dinner–no yeast that has to rise, no refrigeration of dough required. You just mix up the few simple ingredients, roll out the dough (I don’t even bother with a rolling pin; I just flatten it with my hands) and grab a biscuit cutter and stamp these out. They bake in around 15 minutes and are very flakey and great with butter or jam.

Preheat to 400 degrees.

In food processor, combine:

2 cups flour

1 T sugar

2 t baking powder

¼ t salt

Cut in and mix til coarse crumbs form:

11 T butter

Add and combine:

½ cup buttermilk

Note: if you don’t want to buy buttermilk, just reduce the amount of milk by 1 ½ t (1/2 T) and replace that same amount of liquid with white vinegar. Voila: buttermilk!

Roll out dough to around ¼” thickness and use biscuit cutter (or just a sharp knife to shape biscuits). Place biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees around 12-14 minutes. Makes around 10, depending on size of biscuits.

Eat-in Kitchen Trends

January 14, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Rethinking the eat-in kitchen — See some creative ways of incorporating the kitchen island into your eat-in kitchen.

Unless space is in very high demand, you’d be hard pressed to find a kitchen being designed today that is not of the “eat-in” variety. For many families, the kitchen is the heart of the home and the stigma of eating in the kitchen as being too informal is long-gone. Of course, lots of people have a table and chairs in their kitchens, and plenty of people have some kind of counter that allows for stools , but there are some really creative, attractive ideas for eat-in kitchens that are a sort of crossbreed or hybrid of those two styles. See the gallery for some great inspiration…

How Facebook Can Make Your Move Easier

January 11, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

philadelphia main line relocation — How leveraging Facebook can help you find people, groups and resources in your new location and make your move easier.

Lo, those many years ago (pre-social media), if you were moving, your best bet to learn about your new area was to contact the Chamber of Commerce. They would send you a “Welcome Packet” with static information, provided from a very “P.C.” perspective–not necessarily all that helpful. Fast forward to today: Facebook can be one of your greatest friends.

Search Facebook for groups that have the town/region you’re moving to in the name. You can further narrow the search by putting in more specific modifiers like “babysitting” or “parents” or “foodies” or “transplants”.
Once you find a general or more focused group that seems like it might have people with similar lifestyles/concerns, join the group (often, you need to request permission). For example, one of the local groups serving my area is the Lower Merion Community Network page.
Announce yourself! Introduce yourself, explain where you’re moving from, what your family situation is (if you would like to share that) and ask advice about something you’d genuinely like to know about–e.g. “What pre-schools in the area accept kids in diapers?”, or “Can someone recommend a dentist with Saturday hours?” or “What is your favorite moderately priced B.Y.O.B. ?” People will respond and you can private message anyone you would like to establish more of a relationship with. You’d be amazed how useful candid information can be and these on-line connections often lead to real-life friendships, with locals as well as with other transplants.
Ask for links to other pertinent Facebook pages as well as other resources. The best references for resources are people who actually use them.
Use keyword searches on these pages. Most have a search function and you could, for example, look up “best playground” or “maternity clothes” to find postings that connect you to people who can help make your move and settling-in process easier.

The Revolving Door was Invented in Philadelphia

December 29, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Invention of the Revolving Door — Did you know the revolving door was invented in Philadelphia?

In the late 1880s, skyscrapers were becoming the most prevalent form of new non-residential construction. With so many people going in and out, though, drafts threatened the temperature control of those large buildings. A Philadelphian, Theolphilus van Kannel, tackled this issue along with his invention of the revolving door. Interestingly, the development of this staple of large buildings, was also spurred by a supposed dislike of chivalry. Stories indicate that van Kannel disliked vying for points on the social etiquette scoreboard by not only holding the door for other gentlemen, but for ladies as well. As a matter of fact, part of its allure for him was that, due to the need to put it in motion, he postulated that a man should actually precede a lady through a revolving door. (Interesting fact:At the Philadelphia airport, the large revolving doors that have sections big enough to accommodate luggage don’t require a push; they revolve continuously.)

When they were introduced, their advantages in both preventing heat loss from the building as well as enabling a person with packages not to need a free hand to open a door, were emphasized and appreciated. However, not everybody is a fan. After a Boston fire in 1942 that left many dead because a revolving door was the only exit available, most buildings have traditional hinged doors adjacent to their revolving ones. Interestingly, an MIT study showed that only about 25% of people use a revolving door when a hinged one is available. Some people cite a feeling of claustrophobia or the potential awkwardness of having to share a space within the door with a stranger.

In any case, the history of the revolving door’s creation reminds us that while necessity may be the mother of invention, it can be interesting to discover what some people deem necessary.

Jennifer LeBow

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