Jennifer LeBow

Top 10 B.Y.O.B. Restaurants on the Main Line

December 27, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

philadlephia main line relocation — Looking for a great B.Y.O.B.? Try one of these!

Top 10 B.Y.O.B. Restaurants on the Main Line

Due to the high price of Pennsylvania’s liquor licenses, a large number of our restaurants are B.Y.O. B. Based on a recent poll of locals, these are the top 10 favorites. If you don’t mind 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.

A La Maison (Ardmore) http://www.alamaisonbistro.com/

Alfredo (Berwyn) http://www.alfredobyo.com/#alfredobyo

Blackfish (Conshohocken) http://blackfishrestaurant.com/

Cottoletta (Belmont Hills/Bala Cynwyd) http://cotoletta.net/

Restaurant Cerise (Bryn Mawr) http://restaurantcerise.com/index.html

Nais Cuisine (Havertown) http://www.naiscuisinepa.com/

Pescatore (Bala Cynwyd) http://www.pescatorebyob.com/#about

Positano Ristorante & Bar (Ardmore) http://www.positanoristorante.com/

Restaurant Cerise (Bryn Mawr) http://restaurantcerise.com/index.html

Spring Mill Café (Conshohocken) http://www.springmill.com/

House Hunting: Time of Day and Year

December 27, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

When you look at a house, be aware of what time it is. For example, if it’s after work in November, chances are that it’s dark outside. That means you won’t have the opportunity to get a good feel for the outdoor spaces, privacy from neighbors, how the surrounding homes and properties are maintained, etc. Another time-sensitive consideration is traffic. Not only the regular morning and evening rush hour (and how those headlights might illuminate your living room or bedroom), but what if there is a school a quarter mile away? All that bus and pick-up/drop off traffic may effect your decision. Then there are seasonal concerns: in summer, when the leaves are all on the trees, you may not realize that for most of the year, the ugly water tower is very visible or that there is very little visual screening between neighbors. Don’t forget to consider snow removal as well–something more likely to come to mind if you’re seeing that house with the 600-ft long driveway when there’s snow on it than in April.

It’s not necessarily feasible to see a home you’re considering purchasing at different times of year, but I do think you should come at different times of day. I never recommend that anyone put an offer in on a house they’ve only seen once (except in very unusual circumstances), so if you’re going to take a second look, see if you can vary the time of day. Pay attention to where the sun is in the morning and afternoon, if that’s important to you. Decide if the street traffic is an issue. Remember, there are lots of things you can change about a given house, but some of the concerns I’ve mentioned are things you can’t change. That’s why I encourage you to spend a little extra time and pay a little closer attention to them.

How Student Debt Affects A Home Purchase

December 19, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

It’s not news that jobs are hard to come by, particularly for people without a college degree. It’s also not news that the cost of college has skyrocketed in the last decade. The combination of those factors translates to more people than ever going to college, but more people than ever needing student loans in order to attend. Currently, student debt in this country exceeds $1.2 trillion. This debt plays an important role in a mortgage company’s decision to lend money for a home purchase. First of all, if someone with a student loan has missed any monthly payments, it will negatively affect his or her credit score, which influences the rate the lender will offer. Second, if that student loan payment reduces the amount of money available for a down payment to less than 20% of the purchase price, there will be mortgage insurance on the mortgage loan, which means an even higher monthly payment.

While there are some loans available specifically to physicians how have lots of debt but are expected to start earning high incomes to offset that debt (these loans do NOT carry the mortgage insurance and have different guidelines), they are specific to doctors. While we may start to see other programs in the future that give more leeway to people in other, usually high-earning fields, right now, people with significant student debt may find themselves unable to qualify for a loan that enables them to buy a home in the price range they’ve identified. What is the result? We are seeing a lot more people continue to rent well into their thirties, as opposed to buying their first homes in their late twenties. How this trend will change the housing landscape remains to be seen, but the reality demands some kind of response in terms of how and where people live. Will more people rent out their homes instead of selling them? Will we see more apartments built? We have already seen more graduates returning to live with their extended families (parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.). I also wonder if there might be more of the small, pre-fab “pod”-type or “tiny” houses manufactured to meet the growing demand of more affordable housing.

Merion Cricket Club: History and Lore

December 14, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

The Merion Cricket Club is one of the most fabled golf courses in the country, and has boasting rights as having hosted more USGA championships than any other club. Founded in 1865, the current clubhouse (as well as the last four) was designed by revered Philadelphia architect, Frank Furness. While many clubs work hard to remain “modern” and keep up with expected updates, Merion’s focus is in a decidedly different direction: MCC prides itself on its history and traditions, many of which harken back to more genteel times and some of which are just plain quirky.

For example, the course, designed to be difficult with few flat landing areas, misaligned teeing grounds, “false front” grounds and high contrast sandy bunkers (very visually distracting) does not allow golf carts. Caddies carry the clubs and everybody walks. No yardage markers or electronic distance measuring devices are allowed either. These “nods” to earlier days (when there were no motorized carts or GPS navigation) are taken very seriously. Similarly, unlike almost all other courses, there are no flag markers; MCC uses wicker baskets. While a couple of different reasons for this choice have been suggested, the club does not acknowledge any single one and just continues the tradition. Additionally, there are rules regarding the gentlemanly nature of the game: there is a strict dress code not which not includes a firm “no hats indoors” policy. In the same vein, in order to prevent crowding (and flaring tempers), 18 holes must be played within a four hour time limit. For more about this historic Main Line golf club, click here.

Tropical Paradise Inside an Airship Hangar

December 12, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Tropical Paradise in an Airship Hangar — Just 30 miles from Berlin, you could enjoy a beach vacation in the middle of winter.

Yes, as strange as it sounds, in Bradenburg, Germany, in an enormous structure originally designed to house several airships, a Malaysian company has created a tropical paradise. In 2004, the hangar, with over 700,000 sq. ft. of floor space, was opened to the public. It remains a steady 78 degrees inside and offers visitors a Polynesian island experience. From the sandy beach bordering the Tropical Sea (three times the size of an Olympic pool) to the Lagoon (warmer with a current and some waterslides) to the four-storey high water slide tower (where you can go up to 40 mph!), there is a water option to fit everyone.

If you’re looking for more of a spa day, you can find that there, too. With seven different sauna attractions, hot tubs, steam baths and even a mud bath spa, you can treat yourself! If you’d like a little more activity, take a walk on the trail through the 100,000 sq. ft. rainforest, comprised of 600 different plant species which produce some of the heat required to keep the space warm. There are even flamingos and other animals that would normally be found in a rain forest habitat.

While you’re welcome to pack a picnic, you needn’t as there are several restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. Just like when you go to the beach here at home, it’s nice to have a spot to drop your stuff and retreat from the public eye. They’ve thought of that, too. Whether you’re looking for a home base during a day-long visit or you’d like to stay overnight, the number and types of accommodations \ is impressive. From tents (both in the rainforest and on the beach) to cabins, cabana, lodges and luxury rooms, you’re sure to find something that suits your needs at this incredible island adventure.

Rock Hill Rd. NOT to be Developed

December 7, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

After plenty of fanfare and publicity, it turns out that Brian O’Neill will NOT be developing the Rock Hill Rd. corridor. Previously, his company purchased an 8-acre parcel on the site of an old quarry which was to become the “Gateway to Lower Merion”. The original plan involved 330 living units in 4-story buildings. The project was highly anticipated (and led to the widening of Rock Hill Rd. to ease expected traffic woes) partially because Rock Hill Rd. is arguably the last vestige of the township’s industrial past. With old quarries and ruins of old mills (like the one that most recently was occupied by the Plant Outlet, it is not the most refined or picturesque street in the township. So the idea that it would be developed (complete with sidewalks and grassy areas) and act as a welcome point to people entering the township from the expressway exits on nearby Belmont Avenue was appealing to many local residents.

O’Neill is no stranger to developing large housing projects in the area; the Corinthian on Presidential Blvd. was one of his buildings as is the soon-to-be-finished Royal Athena by the river on Righters Ferry Rd. No statement was given as to why the project has been abandoned (and that parcel as well as another that O’Neill owns on Rock Hill being put up for sale). In the recent past, the company has concentrated on building treatment and mental health facilities, so there is a possibility that residential projects are no longer the focus, but nothing has been confirmed and that is just conjecture at this point. The failure of this development to come to fruition does not flatter the township, and local officials as well as residents are hoping that someone else adopts O’Neill’s plan or suggests another way to improve the Rock Hill Rd. corridor.

What to do with your house in a divorce

November 20, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Divorce: What to do with the house — When you are getting divorced, think about what to do with the house.

There are so many decisions to be made and things to consider during a divorce. Financially speaking, the house you own with you soon-to-be ex may be your biggest asset. One person may want to stay in the house and one may want to move out. But what if both want to stay? These are the first questions to address. Who will be financially responsible for the mortgage and upkeep moving forward? Should you sell it? Can one spouse buy out the other? You should definitely speak to your attorney about the pros and cons of all the options. While it may seem cut and dried, it’s not, necessarily.

Here are two example of creative solutions:

I knew a person who desperately wanted to stay in her home, but she couldn’t afford to buy out her ex-husband. They agreed that his name would come off the mortgage and the title (so that she owned it completely, but he had no financial obligation) AND that he would only pay child support and no alimony.
I knew another divorcing couple who thought it was important for the kids to not get shuttled back and forth between mom’s and dad’s homes, so they got a small one-bedroom apartment and the parents traded off –the kids stayed in the house and either dad was there with them and mom went to the apartment or vice versa.

So there are lots of different ways to handle the house and it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand the choices. For more details, see this article.

Miniature Hyper-Realistic Movie Sets

November 17, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

I am always impressed by miniatures. Whether they are tiny sculptures or wood carvings, I am awed by the artists’ skills in creating tiny representations that are often smaller than the fingers that created them. I recently read about a museum in France that displays miniature film sets. I don’t think they are scenes from actual films, (I couldn’t tell from the museum’s website) but they are incredibly realistic rooms or spaces complete with art on the walls, dishtowels left lying near sinks, etc. and all the size that could fit on a small table. I was impressed by the detail and just how real they look. If you’re interested, check it out.

Jennifer LeBow

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