Eating Local - BYOBs are your best bet!

Nothing is better than grabbing your favorite wine and heading out to enjoy a scrumptious meal from any one of these wonderful BYOB restaurants.  The relaxed down home atmosphere, knowledgeable wait staff, and attention to locally grown and sourced food is the norm for these establishments.  No wonder there is a cult-like following to them.  Many chefs bring their family recipes to the table for all to enjoy.   I love the unique settings, train stations, converted homes, little storefronts on otherwise inconspicuous streets.  It is almost like a fantastic game of “hide and go seek” finding these gems.  Once you are there and the cork is popped prepare for a feast like no other, literally, they are one of kind and each has carved out it’s own niche in the foodie community.  The passion spills out onto the plate and your tastebuds travel to cuisine from regions around the globe.  Your dinner becomes a journey and destination all in one.  And the bonus is you didn’t even have to pull out your passport.  Go explore and enjoy these wonderful establishments and join the BYOB cult!

These are a few of my favorite ones…

This list is just scratching the surface…

Trax (Ambler)

Located in the previous Ambler Train Station.

The organic food is locally sourced resulting in a seasonal menu.

  Host to the Ambler Farmers Market and farm-to-table café, serving up breakfast during the farmers market.

Bocelli’s (Blue Bell)

Located at the previous Gwynedd Train Station.

Traditional Italian fare, the garlic lures you in and keeps you in a food trance during your meal.  Traditional Italian cuisine is consistently prepared. 

Arugala (Plymouth Meeting)

Sister to Arugala in Huntingdon Valley restaurant-located in

Cold Point Village.  Modern Italian simply prepared dishes influenced from the  Amalfi Coast.  Using grass fed beef, free ranged chicken, hand made pasta.  They specialize in table side fish presentation.

Tratorria Totaro (Conshohocken)

A very friendly family run restaurant specializing in gorgeous and savory Italian dishes. They host a Game Night preparing Venison, Quail, Wild Boar etc… creating a unique dining experience like no other in the area.

TreVi(Glenside)

Italian cuisine – all homemade, a great place to bring the whole family.  The pizza is the BEST in the area and many flock to TreVi’s doors time and time again for the perfect pizza pie.

Zakes (Ft. Washington)

American fusion cuisine, set in a restored roadhouse in the middle of Ft. Washington. Brunch seems to be one of the most popular meals at Zakes but they serve all meals.  Enjoy the beautifully prepared and presented meals – but you must leave room for dessert.  The bakery case is bursting with home made delights. 

Arpeggio (Spring House)

This neighborhood restaurant serves up Pizza and fabulous Mediterranean dishes out of the two wood burning ovens, one of kind in the area.

Creating unique dishes with this cooking method further enhancing the food's flavors.

Neighborhood Spotlight - Ambler, Pa.

The iconic Ambler Movie Theater

Another one of Montgomery County’s little gems sits along the banks of the Wissahickon, an old “picnic” destination for the city folks, back in the day.  The Wissahickon Train stop (now Ambler) opened in 1855, and when it did, a town was born.  Strolling along Butler Pike, Main Street, and a handful of other avenues a feeling of nostalgia comes over you.  Beautiful architectural buildings are still the focal points along the way.  The town is rich in the arts, the old Ambler Theater looks over the borough proudly and an active live theater (Act II) is just down the block.  In Ambler the cuisine is as diverse as it is divine.  It is literally a melting pot of fare, your tastebuds will never be bored in this town.  And the variety doesn’t end, BYOB’s are numerous, there is an upscale steakhouse, a critically acclaimed indian restaurant, authentic italian, a microbrewery, BBQ, mediterranean, mexican, and a wine bar, to name a few. See a full list of Ambler's dining.

Quite a few retailers are scattered among the salons, coffee and pastry shops.  The unified Ambler Main Street organizes many events through the year: Make it Thursdays (shops and restaurant stay open late), First Friday’s, Oktoberfest, Farmer’s Market, a bi-annual Restaurant Week, 1^st Annual Bike Race, Holiday and Halloween Parades and the list goes on.  I guess you could say there is something for everyone in Ambler.  A full list of Ambler's events can be seen on it's website.

Deck's Hardware on Main Street - Est. 1908

And the community spirit spreads beyond the main drag.  Ambler can boast that its' Wissahickon High School was just ranked 15^th in the state positioning itself above the famous Lower Merion School District in the affluent Main Line.  The passion for neighborhood and quality of life are reflected in the thriving academics.  Obviously the focus is on the next generation’s success which, in turn, will benefit Ambler. With all this success you would think the taxes would be high, but not the case. A proposal for building a new high school was declined a few years ago, furthering the "little town that could" attitude.  A down home approach to community, education, and lifestyle makes Ambler, Pa. a nice place to stop and stay. 

• More info on Ambler's Business District - http://amblermainstreet.org/
• Wissahickon School District - http://www.wsdweb.org/
• More about Ambler's community- including homes for sale http://www.classictowns.org/ambler/#business-economy
• And always stay up to date by liking them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ambler.main.street

HOME PROJECTS THAT REAP THE REWARDS

When you buy your home the last thing that you may think about is selling it, or maybe that is exactly what you are thinking?  Either way, projects that improve your home should also bring more value to your home.  There are many to add and many to avoid.  I would caution extravagant and lavish renovations, for example, sunrooms, home office remodel, or an expensive “dream” kitchen re-do, just will not reap the rewards you might be looking for.  Practical renovations make more sense for you and your potential buyer.   Functional and efficient details that enhance your home will produce more buyer interest and create a home that will sell faster. Most sound investments for maximum return are the ones that are moderate, using quality products, and not over the top upgrades.  Take a look at the graphic to see the winners in the ROI department.  You will enjoy these improvements now and definitely will be happy with the money that will come back to you when it is time to sell your home.

Color Trends 2016

Ok, this may sound crazy but just a few hours ago Benjamin Moore released their

2016 Color Of The Year and it is (drum roll)…

SIMPLY WHITE OC-117

Brilliant!

More than brilliant, universal, timeless, clean, crisp, defining, bright, uplifting, the list goes on.  White will never go out of style and it goes with anything, it is not gender specific,

 and has a cheerful quality that brightens up a darkened room. 

I love it!  

I recently was at the shore and remarked how

I wanted a house with all white walls…I could put anything on the floors and use color in the furnishings, art and accents with white being dominant, ahhhh!

White doesn’t distract from anything, it compliments everything.  

Have I convinced you to paint it all white yet? 

Simply White isn’t simple at all, it has a warmth,

 it allows architectural elements to be seen, and it soothes.

There is definitely a dreamy elegance to this color…and it is a color!

 In addition to the release of their color of the year, 
Benjamin Moore didn’t leave out all those who love a splash and dash of more. 

They introduced the color palette for 2016 that has a bunch of neutrals

and rich accent hues.

These 2016 colors will bring out the best in your home!

 Sherwin Williams has their own Color Forecast for 2016. Looking over both trends I noticed that there is a natural quality to the choices, this creates a familiar warmth throughout your home that “synthetic colors” can’t achieve.  When you compare the two palettes there are similarities, re-enforcing that the selected colors are great choices.  

You can't wrong using any of these!

For more information visit Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/benjamin-moore-color-trends-2016

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/architects-specifiers-designers/inspiration/color-forecast/2016-color-forecast/

Nook and Cranny, Nik and Nak, This and That - Antiquing in Glenside, Pa.

SAMPLINGS FROM ANTIQUING IN GLENSIDE, PA

Today, while strolling along Glenside Ave. and Keswick Village, I found treasures galore…people, places, and pieces.  Glenside Avenue has a wonderful collection of quaint Antique Shops clustered within walking distance which makes it easy to bop into each for a quick fix late in the week or weekend. CJ’s, The Nest, and Not Just Antiques Boutique were the three shops that I had the pleasure of conversing with each owner and getting to know their passions and niche in vintage resale.  They all coexist and promote each others’ strengths along the strip, creating a most pleasant place to peruse.  CJ’s has a utilitarian flare, with kitchen must haves, old fans, and a stunning typewriter, along side tables, chairs, old benches, cupboards etc…each item keeping it’s original integrity. The Nest was a "world of wonder" for me with its’ creative charm spilling over, the Halloween theme strongly influenced many of the clever displays, making me want to scoop up most collected and cultivated items.  Not to mention, I was invited to the owners, twice a year, Carriage House Sale which I wouldn't dream of missing.  The humorous and curious vignettes kept me looking all over this shop!  Mirrors, mirrors, and more mirrors, home decor, hats, jewelry, vintage clothing were abundant at Not Just Antiques Boutique. Everywhere I turned another collection popped out at me, this shop definitely provides. Hopping back in the car, I took a quick ride up to Ludwigs-and all I have to say is “Clocks.” There was an amazing collection of grandfather, mantel, and hanging clocks. Ludwigs is a large space divided into rooms where vast collections of old tools, kitchen wares and linens are neatly separated, making it a breeze for collectors to focus.  Back in the car—realizing that I was getting short on time, I drove down Easton Road to where it intersects with Keswick Avenue and the Keswick Village is nestled.  I chose two stores to explore and I was pleasantly surprised, Keane Vintage combines the old and the new – but really the old outshines the new!  The vast collections of bling - pins, earrings, bracelets were quite impressive and lured me in.  Vintage furs, hats, bags, and shoes have been carefully chosen to meet the standards of this discerning shop owner.  Complete collections flourish in Keane, making it a one stop shop. A couple store fronts down was Rustic and Refined, they had more furniture than smaller items which makes finding a great piece or two easy here. Scattered among the furniture were curios, special finds, and bits and pieces of jewelry, something for everyone. 

I am now out of time and wishing that I had carved out a whole day or  two to research these antiquing avenues.  I plan to return for Part Two with many more stores to visit.  When leaving, I felt a common thread woven through each establishment... pride in their community with many proprietors living in Glenside, Pa, as well.  I enjoyed each and everyone of these fascinating collectors and story tellers, I will be returning for more.

See you soon, Glenside!

A couple important things to note – Glenside has a “First Friday” with shops staying open late and presenting special offerings for shoppers the first Friday of every month.  

Keswick Village has their Fall Fest on October 10^th-12:00-6:00pm.  

The village of Keswick is currently undergoing a major reinvention with new establishments opening soon.

Check out the shops mentioned on Facebook

The Nest:

https://www.facebook.com/The-Nest-545800278776836/timeline/

CJ’s Vintage:

https://www.facebook.com/CJs-Vintage-731990653517192/timeline/

Not Just Antiques Boutique: https://www.facebook.com/NotJustAntiquesBoutique?fref=ts

Keane Vintage:

 https://www.facebook.com/Keane-Vintage-116764871694728/timeline/

Rustic and Refine:

https://www.facebook.com/Rustic-Refined-367592466676516/timeline/

More info. on Keswick Village - http://keswickvillage.org/