Jennifer LeBow

Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun in Zadar, Croatia

July 31, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Zadar Croatia greeting to the sun, sea organ — Zadar waterfront’s Greeting to the Sun

While the city of Zadar is some 3,000 years old, most of it was destroyed during WWII. Much of the rebuilding was done at a time when concrete was the material of choice and function was the sole architectural goal. As a result, the city has a somewhat austere feeling. Perhaps to inject some whimsy into the somewhat stark landscape, architect Nikola Basic designed the sea organ. The design consists of a set of concrete steps that hide 35 organ pipes. As the waves move water through the pipes, holes in the steps broadcast the sound it creates. Like snowflakes, the exact amount/pressure/speed of the water in the 35 pipes is never exactly the same twice, so there is no predictability to the “music”.

The same architect designed the nearby Greeting to the Sun, which provides a visual experience to compliment the auditory one of the sea organ.

This 22-meter circular art installation on the ground by the water’s edge features three hundred multi-layered glass plates arranged that employ solar cells to absorb sunlight during the day. Once it gets dark, the glass plates use this stored solar energy to create a dazzling light display that mimics the sea organ’s sounds. This attraction is not only art; it also powers a portion of the waterfront at a great cost savings. Finally, the metal circle on the perimeter features the names of Zadar’s saints as well as important holidays and the position of the sun in relation to the equator so that it also functions as a calendar of sorts. Pretty cool, huh?

Selling Your House? Know Your Competition

July 30, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

main line home sales — Selling your house? Know your competition

When you list your house for sale, how do you (or your agent) determine value? One of the most informative data sets is what nearby properties in the same school district, in similar neighborhood, of comparable size and condition have sold for. It’s important to know what buyers actually paid for a house (as opposed to what a seller listed it at). However, it’s also vital to understand your competition. What do I mean? I mean which other houses are currently on the market that a prospective buyer might look at if he or she is looking at yours?

Your agent should not only tell you about, but take you to see these other properties. The way to make the most of being able to tour these other homes from the perspective of a buyer is to see it (and then, later, your own home) from the most objective viewpoint as possible. Note the positives and negatives (does it have a steeply sloped yard? is there highway noise? are the windows old? closets small? how’s the kitchen? what about the layout? nice private patio? attached garage?).

Ok. Now go back to your house. TRY to assess it using the same criteria. Do your best to ignore the sentimental value of your home and look at it through the eyes of a stranger who is looking at it with a critical eye–just like you did with those other houses for sale. Put aside special memories associated with particular spaces. Talk with your agent about your analysis and listen to what he or she tells you about the (general) public’s preferences–features of your house that are “quirky” even if they speak to your own idiosyncratic tastes may not be as appreciated by buyers. Now that you understand what else buyers are seeing that is similar to your house (as well as what kinds of other houses they are seeing in the price range you are considering), you are in a better position to put a price tag on your own house.

Jen LeBow’s Grilled Vegetables with Feta

July 28, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Grilled vegetables with EVOO, balsamic and feta — The feta and balsamic vinegar really boost the flavor of the veggies!

So, as recipes go, this one is very forgiving in that you can substitute the vegetables you use and you can change the seasonings to suit your taste. It hardly qualifies for a recipe at all, except for the few, but vital ingredients of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt, and the importance of the marinating.

Cut up any combination of the following vegetables:

Peppers, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots (very thinly sliced or they won’t be done when everything else is), eggplant, zucchini

Place them in a large mixing bowl or Ziploc bag(s). Add olive oil (about 3 T for a gallon-sized bag) and 1 1/2 T balsamic vinegar. Add 1 t kosher salt and mix well. You can add thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage or any other seasonings you wish.

LET SIT. The flavors won’t penetrate the veggies if you don’t. Half an hour will suffice, but longer is better. Mix once during the waiting period.

Preheat grill to low/medium. Try to spread out vegetables in a single layer in grilling basket or on grilling tray. Stir about every 7 minutes. In about 25 minutes, most veggies will be done; certain larger pieces and carrots may take a bit longer.

When you take them off the grill, sprinkle chopped feta on top. If you like, you can put the dish under the broiler for a minute to melt the cheese a bit.

Haas Estate Grounds to Open to the Public

July 27, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Haas Estate Public Gardens — Main Line Haas estate to become public gardens

Right across the street from the busy Villanova University campus is the 42-acre Haas estate, named Stoneleigh. Upon the death of its most recent owners, the heirs have decided that the grounds, which were lovingly planted and maintained (and frequently toured by selected invited visitors) will now become one of Lower Merion’s preserved estates and will be free to visitors. The Olmstead brothers (the sons of Frederick Law Olmstead, responsible for laying out New York’s Central Park) designed the gardens when the house was built by gas magnate Samuel Bodine in 1900. Otto Haas (of the chemical company Rohm and Haas) purchased it in 1964 and passed it on to his son, John, who, along with his wife, Chara continued their stewardship of the property, including placing a portion of the estate under a conservation easement. Their interest in philanthropy and environmental conservation led their children to suggest the plan to turn it over to the township. Before it opens to the public at the end of 2017, the swimming pool will be filled in and new plantings, in keeping with the Beaux-Arts style of the original garden, will be installed. The stately stone mansion will become the headquarters for a non-profit organization committed to preserving historic pipe organs, which were an interest of the family’s.

When you go, be sure to look for the tree with the family of bunnies carved into it–Haas means “hare” in Dutch and German, which is the family’s ancestry. It is visible from the County Line/Spring Mill intersection and was often the focal point of holidays (Easter, Halloween, etc.) as well as special events like ‘Nova graduation, when they would be costumed in caps and gowns. While I imagine many visitors will enjoy visiting Stoneleigh, I think that the location, adjacent to the university, is wonderful–I can easily envision stressed-out, financially-challenged students needing and then celebrating the opportunity to “get away from it all” (for free!) in a quiet, natural sanctuary designed for reflection and serenity.

Current Trends in Flooring

July 23, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

What's trending in flooring? — What’s trending in flooring?

I go in and out of a lot of houses and I notice when certain design features (finishes, accessories, even layout styles) are waning or gaining in popularity. Recently, new trends in floors seem to be all the rage. In what might have sounded like an oxymoron only a few years ago, “high end vinyl” is now a chic option. (Who’d have thought?) These low–maintenance floors are the most economical choice and tend to have long lives. They are now available in designs that often mimic natural stone, wood, ceramic and even porcelain. I’ve even seen some that are made to look like leather! Similarly, tile is now experiencing a similar trend–looking like other materials. You can choose ceramic tile that looks like natural stone or brick and porcelain tile that looks like wood (a very common choice in new construction bathrooms, for some reason). People are also demanding (and finding more) 16″ sized tiles. These are often laid on the diagonal, creating a more elegant look. Cork isn’t brand new, but, especially in kitchens, is gaining in popularity. It is more forgiving to tired backs and legs, as it has some “give” and is, therefore, kinder to dropped dishes. It is also an environmentally conscious choice as it is easily renewable. Finally, wood, more popular than ever, is showing up in gray and even darker tones and wide plank as well as reclaimed/distressed lumber are increasingly chosen by designers and home owners. Gone are the days when floors were just for walking on–now they are an expression of creativity and taste!

Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program

July 20, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

The Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia, begun in 1984 to combat graffiti, has since taken on a life of its own. Currently, there are over 3600 murals, some celebrating the history of Philadelphia, some focusing on local legends and heroes and others offering social commentary. While you’ve definitely seen various murals here and there around the city, in different styles with different themes, they are not created “willy-nilly”. To the contrary, the Mural Arts Program, the largest public art program in the US is a very deliberate organization with new (some temporary, some permanent) installations being considered and created on a continual basis. In addition, the program offers lots of opportunity for community involvement and specific events as well as “always available” ways for residents and visitors to experience these murals.

If you’d like to take a walking, trolley or train tour, see the schedule of the guided ones offered here. Would you like to participate in the creation of a mural ( a great way to make sure a visit to Philadelphia is well-remembered by your guest!)? See all the upcoming events you can attend or be involved with here. Programs and initiatives offered include Restored Spaces, which focuses on effecting positive neighborhood change through community-involved art and The Guild which offers a chance for incarcerated people to learn job skills while connecting with their communities and Arts and Artists Outdoors which supports awareness of the environment and how it is affected by and can be incorporated in outdoor art. Their website is very user-friendly and has a lot of useful information and food for thought. Visit it!

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

Jen LeBow’s Raspberry Muffin Recipe

June 26, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

The world's best raspberry muffins use yogurt as the secret ingredient! — Yogurt makes the best muffins!

Would you like to bake the best raspberry muffins you’ve ever eaten? What makes them so moist yet fluffy is the secret ingredient: yogurt. If you’ve even been to the supermarket, you probably know how many different kinds of yogurt there are, so we need to take a minute to talk about yogurt, to ensure your muffins are the best they can be!

I use full-fat plain yogurt (not Greek, which is too sour for these muffins), if I can find it. It’s hard to find full-fat; you can use low- or non-fat, but the muffins won’t be quite as substantial. You can also substitute vanilla yogurt, but reduce the sugar by a couple of tablespoons.

For this recipe, I use mini silicone muffin cups. They work much better than a regular metal muffin tin because, even if you can get them all out without decapitating several of them, who wants to clean a muffin pan? If you don’t have silicone muffin cups, you certainly can make these using traditional metal muffin pans with or without paper liners. One more thing: this is a “basic” muffin recipe which simply means that you can switch out the raspberries for another berry or for chocolate chips, or nuts—use your imagination.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. If you want regular size muffins, increase the oven temp to 425 degrees and they’ll probably need closer to 20 minutes. (Most muffin recipes instruct you to use lower temperatures. For a quick, great explanation of why a hotter oven makes better muffins, as well as a side by side photo that leaves no question about it, click here. )

In a standing mixer, cream 10 T unsalted butter and 1 cup (heavy) sugar. (Don’t give this step short shrift—really cream the 2 ingredients until the texture is uniform.)

Add in 2 eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 t baking soda

¼ t (heavy) salt

½ t cinnamon

Measure out 1 ½ cups plain yogurt.

Beat in 1/3 of the yogurt, then ½ of the dry mixture, repeating until all ingredients are JUST combined. You do NOT want to overbeat muffin batter; it will get tough.

With a wooden spoon (do not use mixer), add and gently stir just til evenly combined in batter:

1 ½ cups frozen raspberries (if you use fresh ones, they will make the muffins a little watery)

Scoop batter into muffin cups so they are just under ¾ full. Place muffin cups on cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. Allow them to cool at least 10 minutes and then gently remove the muffins from the cups (you will be amazed at how easily they come out!). Cool on a wire rack a couple of hours before sealing in an air-tight container.

Keep Your Home Safe While You’re Away

June 22, 2016 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Summer is lots of people’s favorite time of year–including burglars’. Not only do many people vacation in the summer, but due to warmer weather, they often accidentally leave a window open or unlocked. Here are a few tips on how to keep your home secure when you’re not there:

Stop the mail and newspaper delivery. Accumulating newspapers and mail spilling out of the mailbox are the very first things burglars look for.
Buy an inexpensive timer for your lights (indoor and outdoor) so it looks more like someone is home.
Consider leaving a radio or tv on for the same effect.
If possible, leave a car in the driveway and ask a a friend to just move it a little every few days.
Make sure you lawn will be mowed in your absence–unmowed lawns are another easy tip off you’re not there.
Make sure you’re not expecting any packages to be delivered while you’re away–if you are expecting a delivery, ask someone to pick it up for you.
Move (or entirely remove) that extra key that’s under the mat or in another obvious place. It IS a good idea for someone (relative, friend, neighbor) to have a key in case of emergency, but don’t make it easy for an unwanted guest to get in.
Resist the (foreign to me) urge to announce on social media where and when you will be away. Bad plan.
In addition to break ins, other safety precautions include unplugging any appliances you can and adusting your thermostat; you don’t want to waste energy (and money), but don’t turn the air off altogether as closed up houses that trap heat and humidity can lead to mildew and buckling of wood, etc.
Finally, if you want to take security and safety to the next level, beyond alarms, there are cameras and even more complete home security systems that monitor motion, sound and temperature changes and transmit the information in real time right to your cell phone.

Jennifer LeBow

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