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Main Line Area Wedding Venues

September 13, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Wonderful Main Line Wedding Venues — Looking for a wedding venue that’s not your typical country club?

If you are looking for a memorable, unique place to host your wedding/reception or another special event, you will be happy to hear that our area offers you several choices. We have several historic Main Line estates that are available for rent. If you would like to be on the water, try Andalusia on the Delaware River. Other estates, like The Merion Tribute House (Merion) and Appleford (Villanova) offer lovely grounds as well. To enjoy a beautiful greenhouse, Fairmount Park’s Horticultural H all might be more your style. If you prefer a church wedding, but would appreciate a historic venue like Philadelphia’s Christ Church built in 1695. Another Center City, but non-sectarian option is the beautiful beaux-arts building of the College of Physicians, which also houses the unusual (and somewhat macabre) Mutter Museum. Moshulu, the world’s largest four-masted sail boat is a lovely “floating restaurant” and with lights and decorations, a memorable choice. You could go “funky” at South Street’s Magic Gardens, a grotto of ceramic art and poetry. Did you know you can even get married at the Franklin Institute? Stotesbury Mansion, on Rittenhouse Square has long been the site of terrific parties; during Prohibition, its owner installed secret doors and a mirror maze to better conceal illicit reveling! If you want something a little less formal, consider the barn at Landis Valley Museum. For many more options, please click here and here.

Philly Free Streets 2017

September 13, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

philadelphia relocation home buying — Ride, walk but don’t drive on these Philadelphia streets on October 28!

After the strict traffic sanctions that Philadelphia mandated for 2015’s papal visit, the city discovered the “inconvenience” of closed streets had spawned an appreciation (among some) of the freedom to walk/run or bike vehicular-free roads. So, last year, the city declared one Saturday morning in October to be a traffic-free zone along a specified route. While 40,000 people enjoyed the ability to experience traffic-free streets, the overall feeling was that the route wasn’t diverse enough in the neighborhoods it encompassed. So, this year, on October 28, 8 am – 1 pm) the event is back, but with a different 7-mile route that traverses a wider array of neighborhoods. The idea is partly designed to allow “city folk” the chance to ride bikes or be otherwise physically active using the streets The real thrust, though addresses the fact that many Philadelphians have never set foot in an adjoining area and there are culture-rich enclaves all throughout the route–the hope is to introduce and connect people from the distinct neighborhoods.

Jen LeBow’s Gazpacho Recipe

August 31, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Looking for a robust gazpacho recipe that doesn’t taste like tomato soup?

Jen LeBow’s Gazpacho

Using a food processor, lightly puree and put into large bowl:

1 ½ medium cucumbers

2 red peppers

1-2 T onion, depending on taste

2 stalks celery

1 carrot

3 minced garlic cloves

Drain 3 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatos and pour the liquid into the large bowl.

Using a food processor, lightly puree and add to the bowl:

3 cans of drained tomatos

Add to the bowl and mix well:

¼ cup olive oil

3 T good quality balsamic vinegar

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Landscaping Trends

August 30, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

Backyard spaces are changing, reflecting environmental and lifestyle shifts.

Just as with home design and decorating trends, homes’ outdoor areas also go through style changes. Tastes evolve, different materials and techniques become available and, as a result, backyards are undergoing some changes (you can read more here). Currently, one concept that has been gaining popularity is planting indigenous plants. Previously, people often planted gardens based on which plants they liked, with little thought to how much environmental manipulation might be required to keep them alive. With increasing awareness of environmental issues (especially water conservation), people are moving toward planting things that are most likely to thrive in their existing habitats. This new sensitivity has even affected that most basic yard attribute: the green lawn. Similarly, there has been a shift in hardscaping materials to natural stone and other non-artificial surfaces. These spaces are also becoming less about impressing people with how beautifully manicured the grounds are and more about using the spaces. So play areas, comfortable seating, mixing old with new and creating a less formal space are becoming more prevalent as well.

What’s a Farm Stay?

August 27, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

How would you like to stay on a working farm for the weekend?

While vacationing on a working farm has been a fairly common event in Europe, Australia and New Zealand for quite some time, the concept is new to Americans. Designed for people who want to escape the city or suburbia and have a rural experience, the farm stay also puts people in touch with where their food comes from. A farm stay might also show someone how sheep are shorn and how wool is spun. Sometimes guests are encouraged to participate (want to collect eggs from underneath the hen? ride a tractor? feed the pigs?), while other times, the law of the land is “watch and learn”. Animals figure prominently in most farm stays and children tend to be satisfied customers of farm stay vacations. Breakfast is frequently provided and can be the stuff of legends. We are only about an hour and a half or so from several farm stay locations. If you think you or your family might be interested in planning a farm stay, click this link.

The Seller’s Disclosure

August 23, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

This document should be read carefully–and then taken with a grain of salt.

So you’re ready to put an offer on the house. Before you do, you will need to read and sign a long document called the Seller’s Disclosure (at least, you will if your purchase is in Pennsylvania). The purpose of the document is to inform the buyer of pertinent information that would affect your decision to buy or, at least, your choice of offer price. The disclosure includes questions about the age of the roof, heating and a/c systems, whether the water is public or on a well, whether any pets have lived in the property, if the basement gets wet, what additions or alterations have been made, etc. I have a few suggestions to buyers as far as reading the disclosure:

Read it carefully. If there is anything left blank or something you can’t read (sellers’ handwriting can be hard to decipher) or something you don’t understand, ask your agent for clarification.
In any areas where the seller indicates there has been a problem, have your agent confirm that the problem has been remediated.
Use this document to get an idea of costs you might incur soon after the purchase–for example, if the roof is 21 years old, or the hot water heater is 11 years old, you should be budgeting for replacement.
Be sure to give the inspector a copy so he can be certain to not miss possible red flags.
Beware. Sometimes, when people have lived in a home for a long time, they may honestly not remember every significant repair they made. Additionally, some sellers, unfortunately, are not entirely honest when filling out the disclosure. They worry that they will scare buyers away, so sometimes things are simply not mentioned. The reality is that, while the law says that the person filling it out cannot knowingly be dishonest, it’s very hard for a buyer to prove that a seller knew about something and purposely didn’t disclose it. If, after you’ve bought a home, you believe the seller committed fraud on the disclosure, you have to sue him and the onus is on you to prove he lied. It’s ugly, expensive and only sometimes successful. So, I just like to warn buyers that, while they definitely should read the disclosure carefully, they should also not necessarily believe that it is a totally complete, accurate accounting of the property’s condition.

Philadelphia is a “National Treasure”

August 19, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

relocating to philadelphia — The entire city of Philadelphia was recently declared a national treasure!

Just two years after Philadelphia was declared the first US World Heritage City, it has recently received a new designation bestowed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation: National Treasure. The purpose behind the label is to save historic buildings from demolition during a time where the city is seeing significant new construction. This move protects some of our period architecture from the result of the common cry “Out with the old, in with the new!”. The hope is that some of the old buildings which may no longer be used as they were originally can be repurposed (and maintained) for new uses. While the new status does not provide funding to save or refurbish these buildings, the hope is that it will increase awareness and eventually result in money being set aside for preservation.

Caesar Salad Dressing

July 30, 2017 by Jennifer LeBow Leave a Comment

This is arguably the best Caeasar dressing I’ve ever had.

It’s August and it’s hot. But you still have to eat. So….one of my “go-to” summer meals is chicken Caesar salad. I grill chicken outside so the oven isn’t on. Then I cut it up and throw it into Caesar salad. But what makes a Caesar great, next to one that’s just “eh”? The dressing, of course (there’s nothing else in the salad, other than romaine, croutons and parmesan cheese)! I make a creamy one that is always very well received.

Jen LeBow’s Ceasar Salad Dressing

Shake together well:

1/2 cup EVOO

3 T mayonnaise

¾ t Dijon mustard

½ t Worcestershire sauce

½ anchovy paste

1 garlic clove, partially smashed (with a toothpick in it so you can flavor the dressing, but remove the garlic later)—or you can mince the garlic and just add it to the rest of the ingredients.

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