Lehigh Valley Style February 2022

Read about the men who are shaping the Valley, pg. 34

THE 2022

OF THE YEAR

February 2022

Ellina Feiner, MD, Cardiology

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. One in five women die from heart disease in the U.S. each year.

That’s why it’s so important to get your heart checked. Turn to the most trusted heart care partner, Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute, for all matters of the heart.

Request an appointment today at lvhn.org/heartandvascular

it’s time

PLAY ONLINE

ANYWHERE, ANYTIME Visit our luxury resort for more playtime at PA’s loosest slots and more paytime at PA’s highest payouts. Or play online at WindCreekCasino.com or download our app.

Highfield Vistas

Nestled atop 2.6 acres this custom stone and stucco home offers a host of details, including a wraparound deck showcases long distance vistas and heavenly sunsets. Just minutes from the Promenade Shops, Rt 309 & I-78. 4 BRs, 3.5 baths. $795,000

Oberhuber Farm

Built in 1866 on nearly 3 acres, the stone farmhouse retains much of its charm while upgrades & additions make it perfectly suited for modern life. Located in Doylestown, close to commuter routes to Philly & NYC. 6 BRs, Guest Cottage. $1,250,000

Stone Pond

History abounds in this circa 1780s stone home originally owned by William Cook. With spectacular long distance views of the surrounding countryside, Stone Pond will capture your heart and imagination.

5 bedrooms, 6 full baths, 1 half bath. $850,000

1665 Wildberry

On nearly 3 acres in Lower Saucon Township, just 4 minutes from SVCC, this home’s timeless design offers a floor plan with extraordinary windows & spacious rooms with over 7000 sqft over 3 floors.

4 BRs, 4 full baths, 2 half baths. $1,650,000

Melrose Lane

Red oak hardwood flooring, spacious rooms, and extraordinary craftsmanship. This European-style home is in the planning stages. Myron Haydt Development, Inc. will work with homeowners to create their dream home. 4 BRs, 4.5 baths, $1,889,000

Spring Woods

Completely remodeled in 1996, this custom-built home is perfectly positioned to take advantage of its natural surroundings. With two parcels totaling just over 14 acres, Spring Woods is a private rural sanctuary.

6,121 square feet. $1,195,000

Freedom Way

Endless maintenance is a thing of the past at Traditions of America, Lehigh Valley's popular active over 55 community. An open floor plan boasts vinyl plank flooring, vaulted ceiling, and gourmet kitchen.

4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. $459,000

30 Acres in Bethlehem 7+ Acres in Quakertown

This wooded lot is unrestricted with no conservancy.

Septic testing is complete in an area off Church Rd for a private home site amidst mature woodlands.

Convenient location, easy access to SVCC, Rt 78, Allentown & Bethlehem. $350,000

Surrounded by preserved land this 7+ acre parcel offers the perfect opportunity to build your dream home in Upper Bucks Co. Conveniently located in Springfield Twp, it is within easy commuting distance to NJ, NY, Doylestown, and the Lehigh Valley. $245,000

CONTENTS

PHOTO BY ANDREW TOMASINO

February Get to know Style’s Influential Men of 2022, pg. 34

14 THIS MONTH’S PICKS

What We’re Loving Right Now

17 TRENDING NOW

News, Notes & Quotes

23 ASK THE EXPERT Living on Purpose

26 INSIGHT

Michael Freeman

34 LEHIGH VALLEY STYLE ’S INFLUENTIAL MEN OF THE YEAR 46 5 THINGS

Game Day Go-Tos

48 BEYOND THE MENU Chino’s Famous Jagerschnitzel, Chef Chino Navarrete

50 INSIDE DISH

Mister Lee’s Noodles

54 DINING GUIDE

Where to Go to Please Your Palate

COVER PHOTO

The 2022 Influential Men of the Year, photographed

by Andrew Tomasino.

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56 DRINK THIS The Arsonist

EDITOR’S LETTER

3 THINGS

our publisher, Pam Deller, is looking forward to this month! pdeller@lehighvalleystyle.com

Instagram saw it first! Follow @lvstylemag for all of our behind-the-scenes fun on set.

LEHIGH VALLEY STYLE ’S

23

Living with more purpose.

Influential Men of the Year There are so many national publications that print annual lists of influential men and women. I, for one, am always excited for Glamour magazine to unveil its Women of the Year! We’re celebrating these people nationally and, even, globally—why not celebrate them locally? So, for our annual men’s edition, we’re featuring some of the most influential men of the Lehigh Valley heading into 2022. On pg. 34, read about how Darin Barron, Jr., Javier Ávila, Eric Leadbetter, Andy Po and William Brown are shaping our community.

We hope their work moves you, but this edition’s inspiration doesn’t stop there.

On pg. 23, winemaker and podcaster Randy Detrick shares his advice for living life with purpose. Then, on pg. 26, artist Michael Freeman describes his journey as a painter who is both legally blind and partially color-blind.

And don’t miss our review of Mister Lee’s Noodles’ newest location in Southside Bethlehem. The menu promises panfried dumplings, cold ramen, hot ramen, sandwiches, salads and more. One way it differs from their Easton location? A full bar!

50

Hot & Spicy Ramen at Mister Lee’s!

Cheers,

KRISTEN WAGNER

kwagner@lehighvalleystyle.com lvstylekristen

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A cocktail with friends at Bar Bix.

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GRAND BRICK COLONIAL NORTH WHITEHALL TWP

SOPHISTICATION & STYLE UPPER SAUCON TWP

With panoramic views from every room, this stately brick home boasts nearly 6000 sq.ft. of living space to suit all your living & entertaining needs. Complete with pool, theatre, elevator and observatory.

6 bedrooms, 5 full/2 half baths. 4.5 acres. $1,349,000

Architecture reminiscent of the Champagne region of France, this Epernay condo offers an open floor plan and plenty of natural light.

Prepare a gourmet meal in the well-appointed kitchen. The Great Room & dining area offer a seamless flow to an outdoor patio.

5 bedroom, 3 full/1 half baths. $1,399,000

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BRICK VICTORIAN TOWNHOME HISTORIC BETHLEHEM

RUSTIC & CHARMING NOCKAMIXON TWP

This charming home features original hardwood floors, sky high windows, and custom cabinetry throughout. Complete with a stunning kitchen, formal living and dining rooms and sitting room overlooking the front garden. 4 bedrooms, 2 full/1 half baths. $599,000

Historic Bucks County home offers plenty of privacy and relaxation. Modern kitchen, theater room, exposed wood beams, cathedral ceilings & hardwood floors, this home exudes warmth & charm. 3 bedrooms, 3 full/1 half bath. 3.5 acres. $649,000

SO

LD

SO

The Valley’s Premier Real Estate Group

LD

Specializing in the Lehigh Valley’s luxury home market, The Rebecca Francis Team delivers expert guidance, professional marketing expertise, and unrivaled market knowledge of the region’s finest homes and neighborhoods. Recognized in the top 1% of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices agents nationwide... we are the Exceptional Choice for YOUR Exceptional Property.

Thinking about selling? Wondering which updates provide the greatest return on investment? Let us help you make the right decisions! Call today.

Rebecca L. Francis, Associate Broker, MBA Debra Protchko, REALTOR ® MBA George Heslin, REALTOR ® Elizabeth Bowers, REALTOR ® Shanna Sigmans, REALTOR ®

RENOVATED FARMHOUSE LOWER SAUCON TWP

RIVER VIEW RETREAT LEHIGH VALLEY

Beautifully renovated farmhouse located on 10.11 acres. Wide-plank floors, oversized window sills, and views of orchard add to the charm of this historic gem. Includes pond with stone retention wall and professional landscaping. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. $1,200,000

Stunning views of the Delaware River.

Easy commute to NYC & NJ. In-ground pool, tennis court, barn. Large building with 2nd floor loft for cars and yoga/art studio. 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 135 acres. $1,825,000

©BHH Affiliates, LLC. And independently operated subsidiary of HomeSerivces of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity. Information not verified or guaranteed. If your home is currently listed with a Broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.

2 North Main Street, Coopersburg 484.280.6212 direct • 610.282.4444 office RebeccaFrancisTeamInfo@gmail.com RebeccaFrancisLuxuryHomes.com

STAFF SPEAKS VOLUME 23, ISSUE 2

President/CEO Paul Prass

A favorite game of mine is...

Vice President/COO Lisa Prass Publisher Pamela Deller Editor-in-Chief Kristen Wagner

Choosing one favorite is too hard!

If we go by category, my favorite board game is Clue, favorite video game is Mario Kart, favorite computer game is the old-school RollerCoaster Tycoon and favorite card game is either Rummy or Joking Hazard.

I love to play Monopoly! Pro Tip: Purchase the Orange properties first because they have the highest probability of being landed on.

Art Director Taylor Van Kooten

I love some of the classics like Scrabble, Sorry!, The Game of Life and Pictionary!

Director of Creative Services Erica Montes Graphic Designer Thomas Körp Sales & Marketing Account Managers Denise Lichty, Kelsey Rodocker, Pam Taylor Marketing & Events Manager Kelli Hertzog Contributing Writers Alison Conklin, Carrie Havranek, Amy Unger, Daisy Willis Contributing Photographers Marco Calderon, Matthew Cannon, Alison Conklin, Andrew Tomasino Proofreader Lori McLaughlin Accounting Donna Bachman, Sarah Varano Circulation Manager Andrea Karges

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

My favorite game of all time is Balderdash. I’ve laughed until I’ve cried at that game. Nowadays, you’ll find me often in a heated game of Sequence.

©2022 3245 Freemansburg Ave., Palmer, PA 18045 Phone: 610.923.0384 Fax: 610.923.0390

In partnership with:

MAKING THE MAGAZINE

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Answer: E-S-S-A! ESSA Bank & Trust’s friendly and helpful team of business bankers delivers the convenient and affordable banking services you need to manage your day-to-day business finances.

BUSINESS DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS A variety of business checking and deposit accounts

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Editor-in-Chief We had the best time on set with the guys included in our Influential Men of the Year feature. The shoot took place on the stage of the Pennsylvania Playhouse, and photographer Andrew Tomasino absolutely killed it!

LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

9

• Dream • Research • Plan

BOOK & SAVE AT THE EXPO!

AAA Travel’s Expo is Your Destination for Your Return to Travel

FREE A D M IS S IO Ned–! no tic ke ts re qu ir

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27

ATTEND VACATION SEMINARS**

THEATER

#1

10:00 AM to 5: 0 0 P M WIND CREEK EVENT CENTER

7 7 Win d C reek B o ul ev a rd, Bethlehem

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC • MEET WITH TRAVEL VENDORS #2 BOOK WITH A TRAVEL ADVISOR & SAVE REGISTER TO WIN PRIZES • ATTEND VACATION SEMINARS

Monroe Room 10:30

Unforgettable Rail Journeys through the Canadian & U.S. Rockies, by Rocky Mountaineer

11:30

See All the Best of Alaska with Princess Cruises

12:30

The World of Viking, by Viking River & Ocean Cruises

1:30

We are Alaska, By Land, By Sea, By Experts, presented

by Holland America's ON STAGE ALASKA TEAM

2:30

The Galapagos Islands, the most Unique Destination in the World, by Celebrity Cruises

3:30

Royal Caribbean Cruising & a Perfect Day at CocoCay®

THEATER

• VISIT with travel experts including ocean & river cruises, air, rail & tour representatives, destination tourist bureaus, drive getaways, hotels & resorts.

• ATTEND vacation seminars** – 24 offered!

Domestic & International travel experts will take you around the world and across the country with information-packed presentations.

Bucks Room 10:30

Sandals & Beaches All-Inclusive Resorts

11:30

River Cruise & Train Journeys with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

12:30

Dream Cruises from a 7-Day to a 180-Day Around The World Cruise- Explore the world with Oceania Small Ship Luxurious Cruises

1:30

Seeing the USA & Canada with Insight Vacations

2:30

River Cruising around the World with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

3:30

Travel with AAA on a Group Tour with Rocky Mountaineer or AAA Member Choice Vacations

THEATER

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Berks Room 10:30

Dan's Camera City- Travel Photography Seminar

• SAVE TIME & MONEY – AAA Travel Advisors will be on-hand to provide valuable cost savings, knowledgeable advice & personalized service.

11:30

Cruise Norwegian Cruise Line's Unique 7-day Hawaii itinerary from Honolulu, or to the beautiful Caribbean, Bermuda & more from NY

12:30

Explore Europe and Beyond with Trafalgar

1:30

CIE Tours Ireland & Europe Specialists

• EXPERIENCE all the discounts, rewards, benefits & services available to AAA Members.

2:30

The Islands of the Bahamas

3:30

Lehigh Valley International Airport Update

• SHOP the Travel Store for all your travel essentials at special one-day-only prices.

THEATER

#4

• BOOK your trip at the EXPO & receive incredible exclusive deals!* * Show offers are restricted to new bookings only. ** Vacation Seminars are first come first served.

For up-to-date information on the Wind Creek Event Center’s COVID protocols visit https://windcreekeventcenter.com/venue/covid-19-protocols/

AAA Travel Advisors will be available at the EXPO to make reservations. BOOK at the EXPO for the best deals*!

Lehigh/Northampton Room 10:30

Hurtigruten Expeditions to Antarctica, Africa & more.

11:30

Small Group European Exploration Tours, never more than 24 passengers,

by AAA Member Choice Vacations

12:30

Where to Next? Mexico, Europe, Caribbean, U.S. Cruising, Hawaii, Caribbean, Tahiti & More,

by Pleasant Holidays/Journese

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American Queen Voyages with Pleasant Holidays

2:30

National Park Guided Tours,

by AAA Member Choice Vacations

3:30

Travel Insurance: Educate & Protect Yourself,

by Allianz Global Assistance

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Introducing Astound Broadband powered by RCN. INTRODUCING

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**A trademark of Ziff Davis, LLC. Used under license; Where Available. Reprinted with permission. ©2021 Ziff Davis, LLC. All Rights Reserved. ©2022 RCN Telecom Services (Lehigh) LLC. All rights reserved.

VALENTINE’S GIFT GUIDE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

We help your love blossom.

7525 Tilghman St | Allentown | 610.391.1999 2704 PA Rt 309 | Orefield | 610.395.5193 | RossPlantsAndFlowers.com craft flower shop | greenhouse | gift shop

Heart-Shaped

Valentine’s Day S T O P I N T O D AY A N D E N J OY A S P E C I A L G R A B -A N D - G O O F F E R

118 Northampton St., Easton 484.895.8002 • khanisas.com C L O S E D M O N –T U E S • W E D – S AT 1 2 P M – 8 P M • S U N 1 2 P M – 5 P M F ind our pudding at DELTA’S RESTAUR ANT • 1 9 Dennis S t., New Br unswick , N J

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Puddi Tin 3-Pang c ks

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HOW DO YOU SAY CARB LOADING IN ITALIAN?

Everyone’s watching their carbs. But if you’re craving handmade pasta with a delicious modern twist, we can help.

You’ll find plenty of pasta choices, along with gourmet pizzas and other Italian dishes, in an expansive menu. All impeccably served in an inviting, stunningly beautiful atmosphere. Melt. Italian cuisine, totally worth every carb. meltgrill.com 610-798-9000 A PAXOS RESTAURANT

THIS MONTH’S PICKS

Date Night

Desserts Valentine’s Day calls for a special date night out that ends with a deliciously decadent dessert. Here are a few that have caught our eye and are now on the permanent must-try list.

Experience a New Orleans delicacy without leaving the Valley. The Bayou’s beignets are as good as it gets. @datbayou

Treat yourself to a classic with a twist. Notch Modern Kitchen & Bar’s Thai Tea Brownie Sundae is made with a black tea brownie and Thai tea ice cream, spiced chocolate sauce and a fresh, seasonal fruit garnish. @notchmknb

Apollo Grill’s crème brûlée game is strong, with past variations including vanilla bean, hot chocolate, coconut, s’mores and beyond. @apollogrill

Craving churros?

Mesa Modern Mexican has you covered, and they’re served with some delicious dipping sauces! @mesamexican

Copperhead Grille’s funnel cake fried Oreos are as mouthwatering as they sound, complete with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and powdered sugar. @copperheadgrille

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

Fun fact: Youell’s Oyster House served more than six thousand slices of its blueberry carrot cake in 2021. That many diners cannot be wrong. @youellsoysterhouse

We make your dreams come true... one wedding at a time Accommodating up to 250 attendees, THE ASTER EVENT CENTER at HYATT PLACE HYATT HOUSE ALLENTOWN is the perfect venue for your big day.

NOW ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS— 2022 & 2023 DATES STILL AVAILABLE! Call today to speak with Christine about your special day:

610.387.1000 H YAT T P L A C E H YAT T H O U S E A L L E N T O W N 621 Grange Road, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18106 A S TERE VENTCENTER .COM

Go forth and live your dreams

At Magellan Financial, our goal is to help you achieve your goals with individualized,

thorough, thoughtful, risk-based strategies designed to support your greatest objectives —and provide you with the freedom to enjoy them.

Call today to begin: 610-437-5650 1605 N. Cedar Crest Blvd. Suite 111, Allentown learn more at

magellanlv.com

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN). Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (WFCS) and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC, separate registered broker-dealers and non-bank affliates of Wells Fargo & Company. WellsTrade brokerage accounts are offered through WFCS.

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SOFTER SURROUNDINGS FIN D TH E ON E STATEM ENT THAT DEFIN ES YOU R SIG NATU RE ST Y LE OR LE T OU R DESIG N ERS CRE ATE A SIG NATU RE LOOK FOR YOU.

BOOK YOUR COMPLIMENTARY DESIGN APPOINTMENT TODAY

ALLENTOWN 5064 HAMILTON BOULEVARD 610.395.4944 ©2022 Ethan Allen Global, Inc.

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

VEGAN BREAKFAST B’S BAGELS

madebylino.com/bs-bagels

Crustless keto cheesecake, anyone? Order it with fruit topping or a chocolate drizzle.

Photo by Alison Conklin

“[Melanie Lino] has been working with sourdough for some time now and started making sourdough bagels during the pandemic,” explains Becca Buhler, baker and Made

By Lino co-manager. “One day, I mentioned to her how I wished there was a place to get a bagel and vegan cream cheese, and that it was a small dream of mine to one day open a little vegan café. Mel offered to give me the space and support to start a pop-up and that’s how B’s Bagels was formed.” Buhler has been working in the food service industry for more than 15 years and says it feels incredible to use all of her skills to help a passionate person like Lino create something new and exciting. “The everything bagels and roasted garlic and chive cream ‘cheez’ are both very popular,” she says. “I’m looking forward to trying to create a vegan bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwich at some point. For me, it’s a fun challenge to create something vegan that anyone could enjoy. I hope to show people a different vegan perspective— not one that is superior or judgmental. One that is about good food, fresh ingredients and understanding for others.”

TRENDING NOW

*Please check each business’s website for information on current operating hours and procedures.

A Different Dessert KETO SWEETS

Following a sugar-free and low-carb diet themselves, Jennifer DeLuca and her daughter launched Keto Sweets in August 2020. “Currently, there aren’t many options in the Lehigh Valley for homemade sugar-free sweets,” says DeLuca. “When I meet a customer for the first time, they are so excited to have found me and thank me for doing this.” Keto Sweets offers sugar-free cheesecakes, doughnuts, cupcakes, scones, brownies, pies, cookies, chocolate-covered Oreos, chocolate-covered strawberries and sugar-free hot-cocoa bombs. Everything is baked fresh from scratch using almond flour, coconut flour and Swerve natural sweetener. “It has been an amazing journey,” says DeLuca. “I am honored and blessed to be able to provide these delicious sweets for people following keto, low-carb, sugar-free and gluten-free lifestyles.”

Easton | 973.517.6866 | shopketosweets.com

A ONE-STOP SALON BANKS BEAUTY BAR

Banks Beauty Bar is a Tim Burton-themed salon in Allentown. “I said if I ever opened a salon, it would be something that I’d identify with,” says owner and lead extension specialist Ashley Banks. “Many salons have the same aesthetic and they’re beautiful, but they aren’t me.” The space is cozy and welcoming, and guests feel at home from the moment they walk in. Banks’ favorite part? It’s a one-stop shop, offering a variety of services. “It makes it convenient for our salon guests to come in for hair services and then walk across the hall for their next appointment. We offer lash services, waxing, makeup, manicures and pedicures, natural hair care, locs, color, acrylic nail sets and, of course, hair extensions!”

909 N. Sherman St., Allentown | 267.354.0416 |

@_banksbeautybar_ LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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VOICES OF THE VALLEY

Chad Butters FOUNDER AND CEO OF EIGHT OAKS FARM DISTILLERY In 2012, Chad Butters was still serving on active duty in the Army when his wife, Jodi, was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. “As my wife was recovering from multiple surgeries, radiation

and chemo treatments, we decided that we wanted to make a list of all the things we thought we might want to pursue to make us exceptionally happy,” says Butters. They wanted to spend more time with family, start a business, work together every day and be home together every night, work in a field related to agriculture and have fun. “That was our list of things that would make us exceptionally happy,” he says. “There were no longer things like vacation houses, boats, motorcycles, etc. Jodi’s diagnosis had sharpened our clarity on what was truly important to us.”

Butters says that in order to act on that list, the first thing he needed to do was retire from the Army. They began to research businesses that would check off all of their boxes, along the way considering vegetable farming, a pick-yourown berry farm and even a winery. “It just didn’t seem like a good fit for us,” he says. “However, we thought instead of growing grapes and making wine, why don’t we grow grain and make whiskey?”

They started attending workshops and doing internships and, pretty quickly, sold their house, bought a farm and began working with friends and family to build their farm distillery. “At the end of the day, we were not passionate about distilling,” says Butters. “We were passionate about fulfilling the items on our list, and distilling is the vehicle that lets us do that. Now, we pour our hearts and souls into this business, and it has many challenges, but it has also led to exceptional happiness.”

As a farm distillery, Eight Oaks grows all of its own grains to make its spirits. “Agriculture was on our list. It was something we have always been interested in. It is important because it is authentic,” he says. “It harkens back to a different time when families grew and raised what they needed to support their family, their neighbors and their community.” At the end of the day, Butters says they simply want to earn a reputation as a business that truly cares about their community.

Watch the Unscripted with Russo podcast video with Chad Butters at lehighvalleystyle.com.

WHY HAVING A WOMEN’S HEART Alyssa’s story Thanks to the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) Cardio-Obstetrics Program, Alyssa Machain has three beautiful children – even in the face of a rare heart rhythm disorder. “There wasn’t second thought,” Alyssa says. “They’ve given me the greatest gift. Even besides giving me the gift of my children, they’ve given me the gift of peace of mind.”

Read her story: LVHN.org/alyssa.

Janice’s story Janice Stoudnour survived breast cancer and a heart attack in one year thanks to the cancer care and cardio-oncology programs at LVHN. “I can’t say enough good things about the care I’ve gotten at LVHN. I felt confident in my care knowing that my team of doctors were discussing my care and treatment with each other,” Stoudnour says.

Read her story: LVHN.org/janice.

NEW IN TOWN

THE CHEESE BALL COMPANY NORT PORT

Nort Port is named after owner and chief cheese baller Lauren Geldon’s dog, Norton. “I wanted a name that people could relate to cheese, but realized rather quickly that many of the names I thought of sounded rather ‘cheesy,’” she explains. “My dog Norton goes by many names, including Nort Port. When people think of the word ‘port,’ many people associate it with port wine cheese, hence the name and meaning of Nort Port, The Cheese Ball Company.” During the pandemic, Geldon honed in on her love of community, people, food and cheese. “Upon spending enjoyable moments at wineries and breweries, there was something that was always missing—food options,” she says. “It seemed simple: create a product that can meet the needs of local businesses and also meet the needs of their consumers.” Nort Port’s offerings include four flavors of gourmet prepackaged cheese balls that are paired with crackers and a spoon—two cheese balls that are offered all year round (The Mammoth and The Everythang) and two flavors that change with the season. Locals can enjoy Nort Port’s cheese balls at Black River Farms’ winery in Bethlehem and its wine bar located in the Trolley Barn Public Market in Quakertown, as well as at local events throughout the Lehigh Valley.

Allentown | 610.762.3395 | nortport.com

CARE PARTNER MATTERS HEART DISEASE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR WOMEN IN THE US That’s why Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute has the region’s most comprehensive heart care program for women. By assessing your risk early, we can develop a care plan that keeps your heart healthy at every age and stage of life.

ONLINE THIS MONTH

LVS Online Head to lehighvalleystyle.com to find out what’s happening each week in the Lehigh Valley!

Want to see your event included in the roundup? Email editor@ lehighvalleystyle.com. lehighvalleystyle.com

Win It Enter to win a one-hour axe-throwing session for four at Split Pine Axe Throwing, a $120 value. Visit lehighvalleystyle.com/ share-with-us to enter!

BE PART OF THE STORY! Do you want to nominate someone for Lehigh Valley Style’s Influential Women of the Year feature? Email editor@lehighvalleystyle.com!

DID YOU KNOW? You can view the entire issue for free online at lehighvalleystyle.com

Subscribe and listen to our editorin-chief’s new podcast, The LV Edit, to go behind the scenes at the magazine, hear conversations with contributors and celebrate life in the Lehigh Valley!

SCAN TO LISTEN CONNECT W I T H ST Y LE:

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

UNK

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Enjoy a full night out in one convenient location!

The Sweet Spot Bar & Grill features amazing bistro-style food, a full sports bar, state-of-the-art golf simulators, PLUS a wide range of games that are perfect for the entire family.

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YOUR TEAM, OUR SCREEN !

Book one of our 16-ft. screens to watch your favorite team TAKEOUT AVAILABLE TUES.–THURS., SUN. 11:00 A.M.–8:00 P.M. FRI. & SAT. 11:00 A.M.–10:00 P.M. // CLOSED MONDAY

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our far m. your gl a ss.

We don’t just ma ke whiskey, we ma ke a d if ference.™

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VOTED BEST LOCAL DISTILLERY IN 2019, 2020 & 2021 LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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MEN’S STYLE MARKET

EAT•PLAY•PARTY!

PRIVATE SCHOOLS & EDUCATION

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Saturday, March 19 Starting at 10 a.m.

• Safe, nurturing environment • Enthusiastic and caring teachers • Links to Learning curriculum • Ongoing parent communication

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

6 weeks – Pre-K 3355 High Point Blvd., Bethlehem 2201 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem 325 Lehigh Street, Catasauqua

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BY DAISY WILLIS

RANDY DETRICK

Owner, Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery thelivingonpurposepodcast. podbean.com

World Cup ski racer, former CEO of a successful medical supplies business and owner of Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery in Saylorsburg, Randy Detrick gives you the feeling that he hasn’t let a minute of his life go to waste. His motivational and inspirational messages can be heard on his Living On Purpose! podcast—here’s a taste.

ASK THE EXPERT

LIVING ON

Purpose

A REAL ONE

For the past three years, Detrick has been selling out his novel “Underground Experience” event at Blue Ridge, pairing wine not with nibbles but with food for thought. The uplifting presentation takes attendees on an emotional roller coaster to a soft landing, using a shared afternoon to make the message sink in. This inspired a podcast with the same heady impact.

Inspirational quotes are all around us, but what Detrick adds to his words of wisdom is humility. “I am transparent,” he says. “I let people see right through me, my worries, anxieties.” You won’t find an untouchable expert here.

Detrick knows that our shared humanity is what gives us strength to embrace our chance at a good life.

Make sure the events of the coming months and years are relevant to your deepest purpose.

LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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ASK THE EXPERT ADDING VALUE

So what’s the purpose he’s living by?

Detrick was introduced to the work of motivational figure John Maxwell by his mother (an inspirational figure in her own right) at the age of 12, and declared his mission to add value to others then and there. With this mindset, a struggling world is a world of opportunity.

“The darker it is around you,” Detrick says, “the brighter your light can shine.”

It can be hard to find a “why” for selfdevelopment when things are looking grim and a little hopeless, but with a purpose of helping others, the motivation to help yourself is baked in. “If you don’t have happiness and joy, you can’t give it. And as you light someone else’s candle, life gets brighter.”

It’s a feedback loop that keeps giving.

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The mission to add value to the world is helpfully vague because each of us has unique value to contribute. No one else has the same combination of dreams, interests and personality, and as kids, we’re encouraged to discover ours. “The world builds up the dreams of children,” Detrick says. “‘Are you going to be an astronaut, little man?’ But as we get older, insecurities are taken out on other people.

Dreams are torn down.”

The goal of life is to stay (or rediscover) the eight-year-old who didn’t know the definition of pessimism. When you embrace that your purpose is unique to you, your only true measuring stick is your own performance.

“When you compare yourself to others, the measuring stick is changing constantly,” Detrick says. “You never know whether you’re getting better.”

You might as well compare a chainsaw to a hammer.

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

Setting goals and discovering purpose seems like it leaves us open to the risk of failure. If we don’t set goals, we can never fail, right? This belief keeps people comfortable in a life playing it safe. But our fascination with sports, movies and even dating proves that we really crave the heightened emotion of the unexpected.

Detrick asks, “What’s one thing you’ve accomplished by playing it safe?”

As we give up on our passion and potential, those languishing dreams pile up as deep regrets. “Most people regret not doing something more than doing something,” Detrick says. “It’s an ugly sentence, but a lot of people live and die and never know why.”

No one can tell the future, so why wait and wonder while it washes over you? Let the events of the coming months and years be at least relevant to your deepest purpose.

Get the latest

MAKE IT PUBLIC

Once you’re ready to become owner and ally to your purpose, Detrick suggests you share your goals. Write down what you want to do, create an action plan and tell everyone what you’re doing with your life.

“Whenever you see them, they’ll ask, ‘How are you making out with those goals?’”

Detrick says. “It becomes a feedback loop.

Everywhere we look we see ourselves reflected back.”

Although we all share this world and the commonalities of the human experience, we’re also the creators of our own reality through the stories we tell ourselves and others about what’s happening.

“Mom would say,” Detrick recalls, “when something bad happens to you, think of it as something good, a gift to build character.”

That’s just a small example of how to tell stories of empowerment and positivity, defining a world in which you’re more devoted than discouraged.

“You’ve heard people say they’re late on their bills,” Detrick says, “but you never hear them say they’re late on their dreams.”

Don’t your dreams deserve at least the importance of the Xfinity bill?

LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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INSIGHT

BY AMY UNGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON

Michael Freeman ARTIST

Freeman is legally blind and partially color-blind; therefore, his paintings are meant to be a tactile experience.

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Spend some time in a typical art gallery and you’ll get a crash course on the rules: you can gaze, glance or gawk. If you need a better view, go ahead and stand close to the canvas, but not too close. Don’t you dare lay a finger on that Lichtenstein. And keep your paws off the Picasso. Failure to heed these mandates usually will earn you a stern rebuke from a security guard, or maybe even a quick escort to the nearest exit.

But the guidelines are a little different in the world of painter Michael Freeman. “You can touch the art,” he says. “I make it for all people to experience.”

Freeman is a relative newcomer to the local arts scene. He was raised in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and moved to the Lehigh Valley in 2002 at the age of 29. He settled first in Whitehall and later moved to the Easton area. Freeman says getting acclimated to the region took some time: “I’m mostly a Jersey boy. This area was really different for me. I missed the hustle and bustle for a while.” Freeman says he first picked up a paintbrush in 2019, inspired by his wife, Jannillia Freeman, and his daughter, Asia Morton, both of whom Michael describes as creative types. Jannillia, he says, is a DIYer who makes her own candles and T-shirts, while Asia

I tell everybody, touch my art. Experience it. It opens up the mind differently.

is an amateur photographer. “I felt left out,” he says. “I thought, ‘What could I do?’”

But Freeman, who is 49, had other reasons to seek out an artistic outlet. Freeman says he has long struggled with anxiety and depression brought on, in part, by a visual impairment that has impacted him since birth. Freeman is legally blind; he describes it as tunnel vision, meaning he has no peripheral vision. “I tell people, imagine being a horse with blinders.

That’s how my vision is,” he says.

In addition, Freeman is partially color-blind. He says he’s also been diagnosed as mentally challenged, and he’s a survivor of physical and sexual abuse from his childhood. Freeman says, beyond conquering his own self-doubt, he’s had to contend with more than a few naysayers over the years. “I was told in life, I can’t do this, I’m not going to be able to do that.” His earlier struggles may

not have been the things that defined him, but they certainly shaped the man he became, and the artist he’s still becoming. He wanted to try his hand at painting because he was seeking a new way to push his visual abilities. “I felt like painting would do that,” he says. He recalls the first time he put paint on canvas: “I dug down and I said, ‘Let’s see what happens.’”

It wasn’t long before Freeman abandoned the traditional brush-on-canvas technique in favor of pour-painting, which is exactly what it sounds like: paint is poured or dripped onto the surface either directly from the bottle or can, or by way of some other kind of tool or wand. It’s a style made famous by American artist Jackson Pollock, whom Freeman cites as one of his inspirations. And it’s easy to see Pollock’s influence in Freeman’s style. Although Freeman favors canvas sizes that are smaller,

his color choices are varied and vibrant. And texture, of course, is key. Freeman’s paintings are meant to be a tactile experience.

What does that mean for the viewer? In short, don’t be shy.

“I love to see people’s faces,” says Freeman. “I tell everybody, touch my art. Experience it. It opens up the mind differently.” He’s aware that the please-touchme approach wouldn’t fly in most conventional art galleries, and he’s OK with that. “I love opening up someone’s eyes to art in a different way,” he says.

Freeman sometimes ventures into mixed-media territory with the addition of items like rope, copper and beads to his canvasses. The process of taking a painting from start to finish is typically not a lengthy one for him, he says. He can have a painting finished in a matter of hours rather than days or weeks.

“It’s all feel,” he says. “Moving the canvas. Letting it flow.” He typically uses acrylic paint, but LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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INSIGHT

Transform your home.

he’s also employed house paint and even glowin-the-dark paint. His style is purely abstract, which he believes allows for greater exploration— both for himself, and for the viewer.

Last August, Freeman helmed his first solo show as an artist at the Hampton Inn in Lower Nazareth Township. “It was humbling but surreal,” he says. “I finally felt like I was comfortable and I wanted to show people what I was doing.” Since then, he’s shown his work as part of other local exhibitions and events, including Touchstone Theatre’s Festival UnBound, and Cocktails and Collecting at the Allentown Art Museum.

The collection he’s currently working on is a very personal one, as the title—The Art of Me— suggests. “I want people to get a feel for me as a person and as an artist,” Freeman says. He’s incorporating themes and colors that resonate with him and evoke his African American heritage and culture, although that sometimes can conjure up memories of a painful past.

“We all have a path we travel. I want to bring that to light,” Freeman says. “I just like putting it all on the canvas.”

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That’s What She Said

RAISING WOMEN’S VOICES, ONE STORY AT A TIME

SCAN TO VIEW FEATURED SPEAKERS AND PURCHASE TICKETS

That’s What She Said is a provocative, onenight-only live event featuring Lehigh Valley women sharing their unheard, remarkable personal stories in an intimate theatrical performance.

We are thrilled to welcome to the stage women with diverse stories as they brave the microphone to encourage others to live fearlessly and embrace who they are.

JOIN US: Friday, March 11, 2022 | 8:00–10:00 p.m.

Cedar Crest College – Samuels Theatre

Freeman hopes to one day have a studio of his own. His current work space is his garage, which he admits is less than ideal, especially during the cold winter months. He envisions a place in the area where he and fellow artists can work and sell their art, whatever it might be. (“No judgement. They can just be free to do whatever they want.”) He’s also very interested in collaborating with other creative minds.

Another recent project was a commission from mega Jimi Hendrix fan and former Lehigh Valley resident John Paul Marosy, who asked Freeman to make him four paintings that recall the spirit of the late rock star. Those paintings are being applied to Marosy’s car via vinyl wrap.

Freeman speaks with great passion about his art. But he’s even more passionate about trying to lead by example. “It’s important to let everyone know that people with a vision disability, or any disability, can hold down jobs, can do whatever they want to do. They just need more support, more encouragement,” he says.

He urges those who are suffering in silence with anxiety and depression to ask for help and dare to push the boundaries of their comfort zone.

“Don’t be afraid,” he says. “Step out. You never know what’s going to happen.” And above all, he emphasizes, never let anyone else define you.

“You don’t have to stay in what people say you are,” says Freeman. freemanpaintings.com

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PROFILES : CAUSES IN THE VALLEY

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A Pathway to Real, Sustainable Change Unlike the common perception of a homeless shelter, the Allentown Rescue Mission offers much more than just food and refuge for those in need. With a structured three-program approach, the Allentown Rescue Mission provides men looking for real, sustainable change with a pathway and means to achieve their goals. For over 120 years, the Allentown Rescue Mission has helped rescue, rehabilitate and restore the lives of homeless men. Even during the difficult times of the pandemic, the Allentown Rescue Mission remained open and welcomed men looking for help and change in their lives.

The Allentown Rescue Mission’s three distinct programs are designed to meet the needs of each individual at each step of their journey towards restoration. The Emergency Shelter is the first program for men in need of help. Here they are provided housing, meals, clothing, medical care and access to a wide variety of social service and support organizations.

Men who demonstrate a commitment to greater change in their lives enter into the Transformation Program, the second program. The program is designed to redirect the trajectory of the men’s lives through faith-based education and life skills classes. Men engage in Bible study, counseling and case management.

Additionally, the program strives to make each man more employable and workforce ready through a series of skill-building classes, such as job readiness and computer skills, personal finance, resume building and anger management. After completing the program, men often find employment in the private sector or are eligible for paid, supervised jobs on the Clean Team Workforce.

The Clean Team Workforce is a workforce development program and the third program at the Allentown Rescue Mission. Participants in the Clean Team Workforce program are paid above Pennsylvania state minimum wage and perform real work in the community while learning valuable life skills and workplace values. Interior demolition, light landscaping, property clean-outs, painting, event set-up and litter cleanup are a few examples of what the Clean Team Workforce is hired to do. By the time the men leave the Clean Team Workforce, they’ve typically saved enough money for an apartment, secured permanent employment and have been restored as productive members of the community.

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The Allentown Rescue Mission is almost exclusively non-government funded, relying on the support of individuals and local businesses. To make a monetary or in-kind donation or to learn more about the Allentown Rescue Mission and ways to help, visit allentownrescuemission.org. Follow the Allentown Rescue Mission on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Allentown Rescue Mission 355 Hamilton St., Allentown 610.740.5500 | allentownrescuemission.org

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES : CAUSES IN THE VALLEY

Embracing the Journey, Together The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley (PCFLV) is a local foundation helping local kids with cancer and their families. Some of the services and programs they provide include a college/ trade school scholarship; a bill-paying fund; distribution of gas, grocery, hospital cafeteria and E-ZPass gift cards; a week-long day camp, called Camp Smile; social events for kids and parents; support groups and so much more. Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group (LVRG) has been a sponsor of many of PCFLV’s fundraising events, including their annual Ready, Set, Gold 5K Walk, 8K Run and Kids’ Fun Run and Hearts of Gold Gala. LVRG’s local Red Robin restaurants in the Lehigh Valley also donate lunch on the third Wednesday of every month to the pediatric oncology/hematology clinic located at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital on Cedar Crest Boulevard. These meals are provided to families who are at the hospital for their child’s appointments and treatments. Having to worry about what to eat for lunch (and to pay for it) should be the last thing on a parent’s mind when their child is fighting to stay alive. “The ongoing support from Red Robin,” explains Tracy Stauffer, the marketing, community relations and development coordinator for PCFLV, “is simply amazing! It allows us to continue our mission to provide much-needed free programs and services to local kids with cancer, and their families.”

LVRG’s Red Robin Catering Program is also committed to raising awareness for PCFLV’s mission, to help raise vital funds for their wonderful programs. Red Robin guests can participate and support PCFLV when ordering Red Robin Catering for their next party, business meeting or event. “It’s simple. Just add any dessert tray option to your next Red Robin Catering order, and a portion of every Red Robin Catering dessert tray sold is donated back to PCFLV. And the funds stay right here in the Lehigh Valley, helping local children battling cancer,” comments Patricia Meyers, director of marketing for LVRG. Additional information about all the services and programs that PCFLV provides can be found on their website. To support Red Robin Catering’s “Sweet Cause,” place a Red Robin Catering order online or call 1.866.986.CATR, and don’t forget to add any dessert tray to support PCFLV.

Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group is proud to be a partner of the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley and join in their mission to embrace the pediatric cancer journey alongside children and their families, moving forward as a community with love, hope and smiles... all in the Lehigh Valley area.

Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley 2132 S. 12 th St. Suite 401, Allentown 484.221.9294 | pcflv.org LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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PROFILES : CAUSES IN THE VALLEY

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A Strong Foundation for a Bright Future Owning a stable home is more than just a roof over someone’s head.

Stable, affordable homes provide families with the security of knowing they have the tools necessary to establish their family’s future. Research has shown that reliable housing improves general personal health, increases children’s academic advancement and provides financial stability for families. All of this contributes to the building blocks of a strong foundation for a bright future.

Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley has been partnering with hardworking, low- to mid-income families since 1989, making sure to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Recently celebrating its 126th home dedication, Habitat Lehigh Valley (HLV) is instrumental in building affordable housing solutions in the local community. As a volunteer-based nonprofit, HLV truly believes that volunteering on the construction site or at the ReStore is an engaging and life-changing opportunity for the volunteer and for the families in need. When people donate new and gently-used items to the ReStore, they directly support HLV’s mission, and when Lehigh Valley women participate in events like She Nailed It! 2022, they are raising crucial funding for the homeownership program. Habitat Lehigh Valley builds local, serves local and loves local. It is a vibrant nonprofit serving Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton that says “no more” to inequitable, unaffordable and inaccessible housing.

JOIN US FOR “SHE NAILED IT!” 2022 Monday, May 9, 2022 at Morris J. Dimmick Park, Hellertown Tailgate starts at 1 p.m., competition begins at 4 p.m.

Learn more at habitatlv.org/events

Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley 245 N. Graham St., Allentown 610.776.7737 | habitatlv.org

Helping New Farmers Grow The Seed Farm is a program of Community Action Lehigh Valley and Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania.

Since 2010, The Seed Farm has worked to cultivate the next generation of farmers by providing training opportunities, access to land and equipment and business start-up assistance on a 42-acre site located in Emmaus. Aspiring farmers can launch their own sustainable farm businesses through the Farm Business Incubator or learn to farm through New Farmer Training. The Seed Farm provides access to land, infrastructure, equipment and mentoring in order to break down the barriers to farm entry. Throughout the year, experiential training is offered in skill and knowledge areas that are critical to new farmer success, such as equipment operation, food safety, planning and marketing. This growing season will be the largest yet, with nine farmers launching their businesses through the Farm Business Incubator.

In addition to programming, The Seed Farm’s annual Spring Plant Sale (May 7–8, 2022) and Farm to Fork fundraiser (June 26, 2022) are much-anticipated events that bring together foodies, farmers and gardeners in support of a shared goal: ensuring the future of agriculture.

The Seed Farm 5854 Vera Cruz Rd., Emmaus theseedfarm.org

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES : CAUSES IN THE VALLEY

Celebrating 55 Years of LifeChanging Services and Support Founded in 1967 by a group of local families seeking new opportunities for their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), The Arc of Lehigh and Northampton Counties works to support people with IDD to lead fulfilling, engaged, inclusive lives as active members of the Lehigh Valley community. These founding families advocated for inclusion, laying the cornerstone of The Arc’s Advocacy program, a core service of every chapter of The Arc across the United States.

As The Arc celebrates its 55th Anniversary, it proudly champions a life of inclusion, opportunity and equity for individuals with IDD through advocacy, education and supports. The Arc has grown to support 1,500 individuals and families annually across the Lehigh Valley and is committed to ensuring that all people with IDD are valued, respected and fully included members of the community. These values are embodied in its three programs: Advocacy, SPARC and Agency with Choice.

The Advocacy Program works to educate and empower individuals and families to navigate challenging issues, including the early intervention, education and adult systems and disability rights. Advocacy services are available for people with IDD of all ages and families via 1:1 Individual Advocacy, Resource Coordination and Webinar Trainings.

Resource Coordination and Webinar Trainings offer disability-related resource distribution, referrals and trainings to individuals, families and professionals that address pertinent, relevant topics for the disability community.

1:1 Advocacy connects individuals and families with knowledgeable Arc Advocates who provide individual guidance to address complex challenges while transferring self-advocacy skills to the individuals and families.

The SPARC Program provides waiver-funded and private-pay Community Participation Supports through their licensed, facility-based adult day program or community inclusion programming. During the pandemic remote services and in-home supports were also added. All SPARC services are based upon the needs and preferences of each individual.

The Agency with Choice Program provides waiver-funded, self-directed personal care services that allow an individual or surrogate decision-maker to select persons of their choice to support the individual within their own home and community.

The Arc’s Advocacy services are provided at no cost to the family, the public or the community and are funded through the generous contributions of its community partners and the fundraising efforts of the Development Department. To learn more or donate in support of The Arc’s Advocacy Program and 55th Anniversary, visit their website or follow The Arc on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

THE ARC’S 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW

111 1:1 Advocacy Cases

770 Training & Webinar Registrants

147 Resource Dissemination Inquiries Served

25 Participants in the SPARC Program

462 Individuals served via Agency with Choice

The Arc of Lehigh & Northampton Counties 2289 Avenue A, Bethlehem 610.849.8076 | arcoflehighnorthampton.org LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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LEHIGH VALLEY STYLE’S CO-FOUNDED OUT IN THE VALLEY

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OF THE YEAR

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BY AMY UNGER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW TOMASINO ON-SITE AT THE PENNSYLVANIA PL AYHOUSE

CREATED THE “WHAT’S YOUR STORY” PROJECT

Our first annual Influential Men of the Year celebrates five individuals who are shaping and moving our community forward through their work, their passions and their side hustles.

They’re producing expressive video series, starting conversations in oneman shows, hosting inclusive pop-up events, facilitating safe after-school programs and creating diverse work environments. And if you talk to them, you’ll realize that they’ve only just begun.

LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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PHOTOGRAPHER • DANCER • ARTIST

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It’s about giving people the opportunity to tell their stories from all backgrounds, all walks of life.

Photography has loomed large in the life of Darin Barron, Jr., for as long as he can remember. He recalls his father documenting their vacations together over the years. “We traveled the world,” Barron says. Dance has also been a mainstay in Barron’s day-to-day since childhood. “I used to watch Michael Jackson, Usher, Prince, and just try to mimic their moves,” he says.

And now Barron, a native of northern New Jersey who relocated to the Lehigh Valley in 2006, has found a way to marry the two, while also pursuing another passion: sharing the stories of the community he calls home.

“I’ve always been a people person,” he says.

Barron and a friend and fellow photographer, Anthony Marcano, came up with the idea for the “What’s Your Story” project while they were working together at Stitch Fix in Bethlehem. They saw it as a way to raise morale and give the staff an opportunity to get to know one another on a deeper level. Barron says the company was supportive of the idea, but COVID-19 derailed their initial plans.

Nevertheless, they persisted,

and began shooting the series on their own last year. Each installment is like a mini biography or documentary; a life story told in words, pictures and video. The series has featured Winston Alozie, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem, as well as local artists and entrepreneurs, like friend and fellow Influential Man of the Year featured here, Andy Po. “I just get so inspired by him,” Barron says.

But there were more stories to tell, the stories of the men and women for whom movement is a powerful means of expression and communication, and so the “My City” video series was born.

It’s a platform for dancers to showcase their signature moves within the community that has shaped them. Barron himself is the subject of the very first episode.

In the future, Barron, who now works with the Haydenfilms Institute in Breinigsville, hopes to expand both projects beyond the Lehigh Valley. “It’s about giving people the opportunity to tell their stories from all backgrounds, all walks of

LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ADVOCATE • REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL One of the hottest party spots in the Lehigh Valley doesn’t have a permanent address; it’s whatever place Out in the Valley has picked for its next pop-up event. The group formed last year to fill a void left by the closing of notable LGBTQ-friendly spots like the Stonewall and Candida’s, both in Allentown. “There was such a need for this,” says Eric Leadbetter, one of Out in the Valley’s founders.

Leadbetter was born and raised in Allentown. He worked in social services for 15 years before he realized he needed to make a change.

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“My head and my heart were like, this is not where you’re supposed to be,” he says.

He got his real estate license and hasn’t looked back.

Leadbetter now leads a team of 12 realtors at Iron Valley Real Estate, based in Bethlehem.

Besides his career, Leadbetter is also passionate about having a good time, and making sure those around him are having one too. “Trying to be as inclusive as possible is so important to us,” he says of Out in the Valley. The group staged its first event last summer at the

Downtown Allentown Market.

They were expecting a couple dozen people to turn out for the dance party, which also featured food, cocktails and drag performers. “That night, there were 130 people who showed up,” Leadbetter says.

They followed that up with Jack-Toberfest at Weyerbacher Brewing Company in Easton in October—another success. “It just kind of took off,” Leadbetter says.

As soon as one event is in the books, the organizers behind Out in the Valley are meeting to plan the next one, which is welcome news for

members of the local LGBTQ+ community who feel that they have to travel to New York City or Philadelphia to be seen and heard. “A lot of the bars are so accepting these days,” Leadbetter says.

“But sometimes you want to go to a place where you know all the people there identify with you.” That’s not to say those who don’t identify as LGBTQ+ will feel out of place; Leadbetter says everyone is welcome. The end goal is simply creating a safe space for anyone who wants to have a good time. “We’re so proud of it,” Leadbetter says.

Trying to be as inclusive as possible is so important to us.

ANDY PO

Do what big businesses and dot-coms can’t do... make an impact in the community.

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

ENTREPRENEUR • PHILANTHROPIST • SKATEBOARD ENTHUSIAST

Andy Po is very into skateboarding, which is exactly what you’d probably expect from a California transplant who’s owned a skateboarding shop on Bethlehem’s Southside for 20 years. But his love for the sport isn’t necessarily about his athletic aptitude, past or present (“I was never on track to go to the Olympics,” he says), or about making a buck at that skateboarding shop, Homebase, which was established in 2002, or at 2nd Base Vintage, a second location Po opened in Easton in 2015. For Po, the true payoff comes from the investment he’s making in the community around him.

Po moved with his family from San Diego to Bethlehem in the 1990s, when he was in high school. Among the changes to which he had to acclimate was the lack of a local skateboarding scene, and the feeling of belonging that went along with it. That was one of the reasons he launched “Push Ahead” several years ago.

It’s an after-school program in which Po and his staff bring their equipment and know-how to local elementary students in underserved districts.

“These are kids that might not have access to skateboards and skateboarding,” Po explains.

He’s not trying to find the next big thing in skating; he’s trying to empower young people in ways that will grow with them, regardless of whether they keep up with the sport after the program is over.

The Push Ahead mantra is “Be Safe, Be Cool and Be Yourself.”

“Every time they fall and get back up, they’re building selfconfidence,” Po says.

Those who do stick with skateboarding—and with Po—discover there’s a lot more to it than kickflips and ollies. Po hopes to expand Push Ahead to reach middle and high school students who are interested in some of the more peripheral opportunities the sport affords, such as photography, videography, design and entrepreneurship.

As a small-business owner for two decades, Po knows he’s beaten the odds, weathering an economic recession in 2008, an ongoing pandemic and the continuing encroachment of online retailers and big-box stores. “All we can do is dig into the community and do what big businesses and dotcoms can’t do, and that’s make an impact in the community,” says Po.

In Puerto Rico, I was in the majority. I didn’t know what it was like to be a minority.

Javier Ávila didn’t expect to see adulthood. “I always thought I was going to die young,” he says. He underwent open heart surgery as a child while still living in his native Puerto Rico. But, nearly four decades later, Ávila is most definitely still around. And the many people who have been impacted by his writing, teaching and performing would probably agree it’s a good thing he is. Ávila says that, because of his heart condition, his parents spoiled him and acquiesced when he wanted to watch HBO in the 1980s. That’s when he discovered stand-up comedians like George Carlin.

“I thought, what a great teacher,” Ávila says. “What a wonderful way to teach, through humor.” Ávila moved to the Lehigh Valley when he was 31. He began teaching English and creative writing classes at Northampton Community College. He’s the author of several lauded books of poetry and novels, and in 2015, he was named Pennsylvania’s Professor of the Year. More recently, he’s been making a name for himself as a performer. He launched his first one-man show,

JAVIER

ÁVILA

PROFESSOR • AUTHOR • PERFORMER

The Trouble with My Name, in 2016, and followed that up with The Perfect Latino in 2020. The shows, while different in their humor and approach, were both born out of Ávila’s challenges in trying to assimilate to his new life in the U.S. while also preserving his cultural heritage. “In Puerto Rico, I was in the majority. I didn’t know what it was like to be a minority,” he says. Both shows capitalize on Ávila’s strengths as a poet and professor to spark a frank conversation about race and diversity. The seed for The Trouble with My Name was planted by the frequent mispronunciations of his name that he encountered after moving to Pennsylvania;

The Perfect Latino details what he’s dubbed his “white-tino” lifestyle, as a Latino man with a white wife and a white son.

By the end of 2021, Ávila had staged nearly 300 performances of the shows at venues in several states. His audiences have been people of all ages and backgrounds— even middle school students.

“The one thing they all have in common is that they all love it,” Ávila says. He sees positive growth in the current state of race relations in the nation, although he hopes the fear of being targeted by a pervasive cancel culture doesn’t prevent people from asking questions about diversity and inclusion.

“That’s the way we don’t move forward,” says Ávila.

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CEO & FOUNDER • MENTOR • DEI ADVOCATE

William Brown is a man of many titles: CEO, founder, mentor, business owner and author are among them. Even touting just one of those titles would be sufficient for most, but the fact that Brown can claim so many of them seems especially exceptional, considering how his journey began many years ago in the Bronx. “I came up on the street life,” Brown says. “Dropped out of high school and did the street thing for a while.

Figured out quickly I didn’t want to do that.”

He later got his GED and a business degree, and his aspirations quickly picked up steam. Brown taught himself the ins and outs of how computers work, which later led to the creation of his own tech company. He also got involved in the real estate game—buying homes, fixing them up and reselling them. The first property he purchased was in Allentown.

In 2012, Brown founded his own staffing company, FIA NYC, based in Allentown, which is 100-percent minority owned. In addition to his role as CEO, Brown also serves as the director of equity, diversity and inclusion. He says FIA NYC takes a different approach to making sure potential

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employees and workplaces are a good fit, and to helping companies create a diverse and inclusive place of business.

“We look at the company’s ecosystem. It’s about changing the environment,” Brown says. He likens it to a tropical fish trying to survive in a cold climate. It’s not going to happen. In the same vein, expecting an employee to thrive in an inhospitable workplace probably won’t be successful, either.

Brown, who splits his time between Miami, Florida, and the Lehigh Valley, is also the founder of 11Thirty Entertainment, which represents Broadway performers, actors and models; he’s also a co-founder of Livv Younique, a full-service salon based in New York City.

In addition, Brown is the author of Harvest Time: What's That All About?, outlining the nine major principles that led him to success, and he serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley.

While his interests and business pursuits may seem disparate, there is a common theme: “I love finding people who have talent and energy and investing in them,” Brown says.

I love finding people who have talent and energy and investing in them.

5 THINGS

BY DAISY WILLIS

GAMEGo-Tos DAY Make plans for Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, February 13.

Whether you’re looking for a spot to enjoy this month’s Super Bowl, or somewhere to keep in mind for any season of sports, here are five you can count on.

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1. THE SWEET SPOT BAR AND GRILL 2805 LEHIGH ST., ALLENTOWN | 610.813.2536 | THESWEETSPOT.GOLF

High-tech golf simulators are the specialty of The Sweet Spot’s Topgolf Swing Suite, but it’s a sports paradise of all persuasions with 11 4K TVs and five 16-foot screens ready to display the NFL Sunday Ticket as well as ESPN+ and Paramount Plus—any game on any screen! Heavenly heaps of wings and all kinds of game-day food complement a full bar.

2. COPPERHEAD GRILLE 5737 ROUTE 378, BETHLEHEM | 610.282.4600 1731 AIRPORT RD., ALLENTOWN | 610.403.4600 COPPERHEADGRILLE.COM

Bedecked with televisions and a great atmosphere, this evolved sports bar is incredibly popular, probably because the menu ranges from elevated bar food to eclectic options. An array of draft beer and mixed drinks for those inclined makes everyone happy. Check out outdoor heated seating at the Center Valley location!

3

THE NEST . BAR & GRILL

601 E. 4TH ST., BETHLEHEM | 610.419.4330 THENESTBETHLEHEM.COM

With 20 TVs and a menu that balances classic with creative (the seared tuna nachos are something else), another option from the owner of Southside 313 opened in the summer of 2021. Yes, the name is a nod to the Eagles, but The Nest Bar & Grille has laid out the welcome mat for sports fans of every stripe to make this their comfortable, local hangout.

Listen to WDIY on your phone with our new app Enjoy live broadcasts and browse our digital archive wherever you go

NPR News Public Affairs A Diverse Mix of Music

4. PJ WHELIHAN’S

4595 BROADWAY, ALLENTOWN | 610.395.2532 3395 HIGH POINT BLVD., BETHLEHEM | 484.353.7200 PJSPUB.COM

With 11-plus signature sauces, PJ’s takes their wing game very seriously, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg where game-day fare is concerned. The original Allentown location offers a cozy pub setting notwithstanding high-definition TVs catching every play, while the Bethlehem iteration provides a more spacious, modern style.

5. PINTS AND PIES

2049 NORTHAMPTON ST., EASTON | 610.438.1456 PINTSANDPIESPUB.COM

This clean and comfortable neighborhood pub serves hearty upside-down pizza with sauce on top and scratch-made dough along with the classic wings and juicy sirloin cheesesteaks you’d expect. With over 100 beers from far and wide, it’s a good game-day option—especially if you like an active atmosphere!

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47

BEYOND THE MENU

TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

Chino’s Place is known for its elevated homestyle dishes like this one.

Chino’s Famous

Jagerschnitzel Chef Chino Navarrete

This hidden gem of a restaurant is not the only love of this chef’s life. Jennifer Devlin and Chino Navarrete have five sons, a few of whom you will probably see when you stop in to have the amazing Chicken and Waffle Tower or for Chino’s Fiesta Night, every Wednesday!

“He is the hardest worker I ever met,” Devlin says of her husband of 19 years, the chef and owner of Chino’s Place in Zionsville. Navarrete’s work ethic and passion for following his dreams has not only inspired his family but also everyone he shares his story with.

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Navarrete was born in Mexico but always had the dream of coming to America—and at 14 years old he did. He did not know any English at the time, but crossed paths with a woman who would spend an hour every day teaching him. At 18, he got a job as a dishwasher at Buckeye Tavern in Macungie. Navarrete was a hard worker, always showing initiative and the willingness to learn new things. The owner at the time gave him the opportunity to go to culinary school in New York City. Navarrete accepted and spent Monday through Friday at

school in the city and would come back to Pennsylvania to work on the weekends. His determination earned him the job of head chef at the Alburtis Tavern, but he always dreamed of having his own place.

Just like all of his goals and dreams, Navarrete made it happen in April of 2021 when he drove past the then-empty space and saw a “for rent” sign.

He pulled into the parking lot on a whim and found the owners of the property. He signed the lease the very next day. Together, Navarrete and Devlin worked on the space in hopes of creating an atmosphere that felt comfortable and inviting.

Nowadays, the popular restaurant has many regulars who come in weekly for Navarrete’s elevated homestyle dishes. He loves making people happy and does so with a delicious plate of comfort food and a smile when he walks around the tables to say hello to his guests. “I am so grateful to have created a life that allows me to cook with love and care and share it with our guests here.”

Here, he is sharing his very popular Jagerschnitzel recipe, which is a dish that can be found on the menu at Chino’s Place. The meal is warm and rich—tender pork loin breaded with a demiglace sauce with mushrooms and bacon, served with mashed potatoes. For the nights when you don’t feel like cooking, you can head over to Chino’s Place and know you can have a delicious meal there cooked with all the same care and love as home.

Chino’s Place 7567 Chestnut St. #3, Zionsville 610.702.4270 freddyandchinosplace.com

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

DRY MIX:

The process begins with pounding up your boneless pork loins into an even thickness of about a half inch to be ready and prepared in the dry mix.

2 ½ cups of flour 3 tsp. black pepper 3 tsp. garlic powder 3 tsp. onion powder A pinch of salt

EGG WASH & COATING: 3 eggs 4 oz. whole milk 3 cups Kikkoman panko bread crumbs

PORK & TOPPINGS: 10 oz. pounded pork loin 3–4 slices of bacon 3–4 mushrooms, chopped Demi-glace sauce mix Yukon gold mashed potatoes

Gather your dry ingredients and combine in a large bowl. Once your dry mix is ready, take your pounded loins and dip and coat each side in the dry mix. Repeat for all pieces of the pork.

Gather your wet ingredients— eggs and whole milk—and whisk them together in a medium bowl.

Once all the ingredients are combined, take your pork loins and dip in the egg wash mix. Repeat this

process for the remaining pork loins.

Once all of the pieces of pork have been dipped in the egg wash, take your panko bread crumbs and coat each side of the pork. This creates that golden-brown look when you put them into the skillet to heat up!

Add oil to a skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Sear the pork so you get a crispy golden-brown outside (about 2–3 minutes on each side for the pork or until your pork has reached the golden-brown look that we want!).

Repeat for the rest of your loins.

Set all of your pork aside and bring skillet to a low heat. Combine bacon, mushrooms and demi-glace

mix in the skillet to make that special brown gravy sauce to savor that delicious flavor. Bring sauce to a low boil and set aside.

To serve, place the Jagerschnitzel on a plate along with brown gravy tossed over the top of the pork loin.

To finish off the meal, place Yukon gold mashed potatoes on the side.

Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!

Tag @lvstylemag and #livelvstyle when you make it at home!

LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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INSIDE DISH

BY CARRIE HAVR ANEK | PHOTOGR APHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

Culinary (R)evolution

at Mister Lee’s

In Bethlehem, some similar items grace the menu, but it’s much more expansive than their location at the Easton Public Market.

The pandemic has had its way with all of us, in one way, shape or form—or many. We know Bolete, and we know Mister Lee’s in the Easton Public Market. What started as a farmto-table restaurant and a noodle shop, respectively, has attracted devotees whose ardor is as authentic as it is unparalleled.

And let’s not forget Silvershell, the fresh-fish counter with fantastic fish sandwiches you can eat right there and—shhhh— home to one of the best griddled burgers around.

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But now, with Mister Lee’s in Southside Bethlehem, husband-and-wife owners Lee Chizmar and Erin Shea have brought to Asian-food lovers another magical dining hybrid in a neighborhood they always wanted to be a part of. “It’s like Mister Lee’s and Bolete had a baby,” says Shea.

She could have added (but didn’t), however, that the pregnancy took a very long time to come to term (thanks, COVID). Mister Lee’s was supposed to open in May 2020.

But because Bolete had been undergoing renovations while Mister Lee’s was taking shape

in a very real way, Chizmar and Shea easily transitioned their staff from one restaurant to another. It’s a small blessing during a pandemic when finding solid, consistent staff has been very challenging for the restaurant industry. Operating more than one eatery with a team stretched thin is like playing with a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces are constantly changing shape or disappearing.

“We didn’t have to overextend current staff, just slid them into Mister Lee’s. For now,” says Shea.

She’s right to liken Mister Lee’s in Bethlehem to culinary offspring, insofar as it’s a full-

fledged restaurant with table service, a bar and full cocktail menu, and a much bigger menu than what can fit on a small chalkboard at the Easton Public Market location. But it’s also more than a logical expansion of what’s keeping noodlers happily slurping at the market.

In Bethlehem, some similar items grace the menu, but it’s much more expansive; the open kitchen literally mirrors that. Choose among appetizers, dumplings, salads, sandwiches and cold or hot ramen. You can make reservations and dine at communal tables in a very open dining room with pieces designed by Chaz Hampton, who also designed the

aesthetics at Easton Public Market. (There’s bar seating, too, reserved for walk-ins.)

The dishes possess thoughtful layers of surprising flavors, and demonstrate a lightning-strike precision of presentation, one that can only be borne out of knowing what you’re doing in the kitchen.

And then tweaking everything continuously, and finding new ways to express the inherent capabilities of each ingredient.

That sounds highfalutin, but we expect to be surprised by Chizmar’s food—which is a high bar to continue to set for both those in the kitchen and those who consume the creations in the execution of this Asian concept. More specifically, those

items are not just ramen, it’s not just Korean steamed buns, it’s not just generic dumplings with generic Asian-ness dressed around it.

Instead, it’s chicken dumplings with ginger, pickled pears, garlic, soy, shallot, cilantro and pistachio; the nut is the surprise wild card here. It’s the smoky-crispy-tangy-spicy takoyaki street dumplings that are Shea’s favorite, a dish so compelling I gave some to one of my sons, and he gobbled it up without knowing it was octopus (he trusts me, and I trust Mister Lee’s—that’s how you get kids to eat new things). And it’s also the extensive cold and hot ramen options, and the large, unwieldy and deeply satisfying Korean fried chicken sandwich, with togarishi potato chips that are so thin their salty goodness lands somewhere between gently shattering and dissolving in your mouth. And it’s the homemade noodle we haven’t

tasted yet, from a gorgeous piece of machinery they’ve given a name (like you do)—Yoshimi (after the Flaming Lips album bearing the same name).

We are lucky to be able to witness what feels like a nextlevel Asian dining experience.

Here’s the risky statement. If we assume authenticity in any given cuisine is an inherent genetic birthright of one’s race, religion or creed, Lee Chizmar really has no business cooking Asian food. But let’s be respectfully color-blind for a moment, and assume that something delicious can come from anyone, regardless of who they are. (Yes, this is kind of like Ratatouille, but go with me).

If we can agree that this is possible, and that it’s not disrespectful to the cuisine

Lee Chizmar LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

51

INSIDE DISH

It’s the evolution of my cooking.

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(or, in this case, cuisines) itself, we may be beyond such questions of cultural authenticity in the kitchen. After all, to put it a little more crassly, if New York City is full of non-Italians (not even Italian Americans) making some of the best pizza ever, who are we to quibble with a middle-aged white guy from Pennsylvania who just happens to be killing it with locally sourced but globally inspired Asian fare?

I asked Chizmar what it is about Asian food that has captivated him, and he says he hasn’t quite ever really been able to explain it—not to his own satisfaction, it seems. “It’s the

evolution of my cooking,” he says, but it’s also globalization of menus, the changing tastes of Americans and the availability of the ingredients that help transform a chef’s approach. It’s all that, but also inchoate things and even abstract things, too, that compel him.

“It’s a whole new color to work with, and after you’ve cooked for as long as I have, it gives you the ability to hone in a little bit more,” Chizmar says. And once the noodle machine is up and running, changing those up (mushroom noodles? beet noodles?) will bring the dishes to another level. Every ingredient that’s on the plate (or in a bowl) is there for a specific reason.

Even the ingredient’s placement is key, a way to guide your eye (and your chopsticks) toward the experience of the dish. Take, for example, the seafood ramen. It is inarguably the consummate dish of all the Bolete family establishments; you have local veggies in ramen that you might not see otherwise (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and greens galore), but also tempura veggies, smoked scallop rice ball,

tempura shrimp so sweet and fresh and, of course, a 60-minute egg. Everything rests over noodles and it’s all suspended in a lobster dashi broth. The seafood ramen has the artful presentation and local love shown at Bolete, the language of Asian food in the bowl, and years cooking fresh fish and seafood in Boston (to which Silvershell is an homage)—all in one. It’s also the ramen dish that keeps on giving; as you poke around with your chopsticks, more ingredients are unearthed. It’s impossible to be bored eating Chizmar’s food.

“Asian food feels a little bit more profound in terms of the flavors. They hit you, they’re more assertive,” Chizmar explains. The word “assertive” is carefully chosen and feels apt; the food he and his team have rendered here at Mister Lee’s wants you to know what it is, know what you’re tasting and understand that the interaction among all the elements of your palate are standing to attention to experience something novel, even among what’s familiar.

That’s what keeps diners coming back—and creating those experiences keeps chefs going.

At the end of the day, the food is spectacular (and we haven’t even touched the cocktail menu here). You don’t have to do a deep dive in your brain about it. But this particular eater and writer has concluded that those flavors really are that profound, if they can inspire such deep reflection.

Mister Lee's

Bethlehem

512 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem 610.900.4888 misterleesnoodles.com

Hours: Open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner; Wed. & Thurs.: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. & 5–9 p.m.; Fri.: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. & 5–9:30 p.m.; Sat.: noon–3 p.m. & 5–9:30 p.m.

Reservations: Definitely accepted; tables are for communal dining; all bar and counter spaces are for walk-ins.

Parking: Street parking is challenging (but not impossible) because of nearby construction; give yourself ample time to find a spot.

What to order: It’s hard to make a bad choice here; you just have to come back multiple times. You don’t want to miss the steamed buns. Of course, they’re making the dough in-house (and it’s the same dough they use for their Korean fried chicken sandwich, which may very well need to be deconstructed in order to successfully consume it). There are two types—curried goat, sourced from Kreeky Tree Farm, and mushroom, sourced from Primordia Mushroom Farm. In particular, Erin Shea loves the takoyaki, Japanese street dumplings. If you’re looking for some sweet heat, try the spicy beef salad, and definitely add noodles to the dish.

Have a seat at the bar and Stephen will take care of you with one of the many cocktails. The Southside Painkiller is tropical, with white rum, coconut milk and citrus flavors; Damson in Distress is a surprising combo of Damson plum gin, roasted grapefruit juice, honey syrup and UME liqueur. But do we need to go on about those? Funk Brewing does a special brew of rice lager just for Mister Lee’s, called Special Sauce, and there are plenty of other local beers, along with nonalcoholic drinks, reds, whites and rosés by the glass.

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53

DINING GUIDE

Enjoy a cocktail from Savory Grille in Macungie this month.

Photo by Alison Conklin

Style Award Winner

Live Entertainment

Gluten-Free Options

Outdoor Seating

Vegetarian Options

Entrée Price Range:

Wheelchair Accessible

$ under $15 $$ $15-$25 $$$ $25+

Serves Alcohol BYOB

*Highlighted entries are Lehigh Valley Style advertisers. Look for their ads in this edition!

*We recommend checking each individual restaurant’s website and/or social media to confirm whether it is open and accessible during these unprecedented times.

Berks 101 Doe Mountain Ln., Macungie, 610.641.7149, bcmountainresort.com

Wed.-Sat. 4:30-10pm Sunday 1-8pm Favorite Locally Sourced

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Casual fine dining with a creative gourmet flair. Madeline’s, where friends gather. Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.

$$$

Offering a sumptuous menu of contemporary Italian fare in its breathtaking 350-seat restaurant, with spacious and customizable rooms for private events. Lunch, dinner & late night.

NOTCH MODERN KITCHEN & BAR $$$ 5036 Hamilton Blvd., 610.351.8222, notchmknb.com

MCCOOLE’S AT THE HISTORIC RED LION INN $-$$$

2934 Seisholtzville Rd., Macungie, 610.845.2010, savorygrille.com

SAVORY GRILLE

Offering a dining room, martini lounge and bar in a beautifully restored inn from the 1700s. Monthly featured wines and brews from their own Red Lion Brewery. Also offering a complementary door-to-door and hotel shuttle service within a five-mile radius of the restaurant to bar and restaurant patrons, as well as private events at McCoole’s Arts & Events Place. Brunch, lunch & dinner.

Lehigh GIO ITALIAN GRILL

A culinary gem housed in the historic Seisholtzville Hotel, Savory Grille takes gives back to a time when fine dining was an experience to be savored. Dinner.

TOP CUT STEAKHOUSE

$$$

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.7100, topcutsteak.com

Classically inspired cocktails, exquisite wines and USDA prime steaks in a 1940s style rooftop atmosphere. Dinner & late night.

TORRE $$

6465 Village Ln., Macungie, 610.966.9446, gioitaliangrill.com

Gio Italian Grill offers old world charm with a progressive twist.

Centering around their woodstone open flame hearth, Gio uses only imported ingredients to produce mouth-watering flavors.

Take-out and private parties available. Lunch & dinner.

$$$

Enjoy pasture-to-plate dining at its best, with food that is locally sourced on their 150-acre farm. Dinner.

GRILLE 3501

$$$

$$

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.9399, torrerestaurant.com

2141 Packhouse Rd., Fogelsville, 610.285.2942, glasbern.com/dining.html

610.845.2010

$$$

MADELINE’S

1250 Turnstone Dr., Fogelsville, 484.277.2250, madelinesfogelsville.com

Modern American with an Asian Twist. Lunch & dinner.

GLASBERN INN

2934 Seisholtzville Rd. Macungie

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.798.9888, komerestaurant.com

A contemporary Japanese cuisine and hibachi. Extraordinary sushi, non-sushi dishes served in a contemporary, yet sensual atmosphere. Lunch & dinner.

Bucks 4 S. Main St., Quakertown, 215.538.1776, mccoolesredlioninn.com

SavoryGrille.com

KOMÉ FINE JAPANESE CUISINE AND HIBACHI $$

MELT

Features modern American cuisine, a full-service bar, scenic views and award-winning outdoor dining. Dinner & late night.

order from our curbside menu and shop our retail offerings at

7921 Main St., Fogelsville, 610.395.3999, hopslehighvalley.com

Historic pub serving up all American classics with weekly specials to make mouths water. Lunch, dinner & late night.

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.798.9000, meltgrill.com

THE GRILLE AT BEAR CREEK $$

Savory at Home

HOPS FOGELSVILLE $$

$$$

3501 Broadway, Allentown, 610.706.0100, grille3501.com

Upscale, yet unpretentious. Fine fusion cuisine. Extensive martini, wine and beer menus. Lunch & dinner.

Classic Mexican cuisine with a modern twist in a fun, familyfriendly atmosphere. Enjoy Happy Hour gathered around the three-story tequila tower. Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.

WHITE ORCHIDS THAI CUISINE

$$

The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, 610.841.7499, whiteorchidsthaicuisine.com

Authentic Thai cuisine in a contemporary and relaxed dining atmosphere. Signature seafood dishes, house specialties and classic Thai entrées. New bar and lounge area. Lunch & dinner.

Northampton A CA MIA

$$

4330 Lehigh Dr., Walnutport, 610.760.3207, acamiapa.com

Unique, homemade, Italian cuisine made with fresh flavorful ingredients; served in a family-friendly atmosphere. Lunch & dinner.

AMAN’S ARTISAN INDIAN CUISINE $$$ 336 Northampton St., Easton, 484.298.0400, amanseaston.com

Aman’s elevates Indian dining with an upscale ambiance and an award-winning menu to match. Lunch & dinner.

BLUE GRILLHOUSE & EVENT CENTER

$$$

4431 Easton Ave., Bethlehem, 610.691.8400, bluegrillhouse.com

From a party of four on the covered outdoor patio to a party of 400 in the newly renovated event center ballroom, blue delivers with prime steaks and seafood, a sprawling wine list and impeccable service. Brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.

$$

BRAVEHEART HIGHLAND PUB

430 Main St., Hellertown, 610.838.6555, bravehearthighlandpub.com

Authentic Scottish pub. Great atmosphere, food and beer. Lunch, dinner & late night.

BURGERS AND MORE BY EMERIL $$

77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, 877.726.3777, windcreekbethlehem.com

Chef Emeril Lagasse uses only the freshest and finest ingredients to create a mouth-watering burger customers will never forget.

Lunch & dinner.

DIMAIO’S ITALIAN RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA $$ 27 Main St. Shoppes at Hellertown, 610.838.8004, dimaios.net

Family owned since 1985. Serving southern Italian Cuisine.

Known for home-made bread, Chicken Francese, DiMaio’s Creamy Clam sauce and NY style pizza. Lunch & dinner.

$$$

EDGE RESTAURANT 74 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, 610.814.0100, edgerestaurant.net

An all-scratch kitchen “combined with a fun, relaxed atmosphere, you get edge.” Lunch, dinner & late night.

EMERIL’S CHOP HOUSE

$$$

77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, 877.726.3777, windcreekbethlehem.com

Indulge in a variety of irresistible dishes featuring tender steak cuts, mouth-watering prime rib and so much more. Dinner.

$$$

EDGE RESTAURANT 74 W. Broad St., Bethlehem, 610.814.0100, edgerestaurant.net

An all-scratch kitchen “combined with a fun, relaxed atmosphere, you get edge.” Lunch, dinner & late night.

GREEN VIDA CO.

$

1800 Sullivan Trl. Suite 330, Easton, greenvidacompany.com

Café and cold-pressed juice bar, using local and organic ingredients. Breakfast, brunch & lunch.

THE MARKET GOURMET EXPRESS

We’re all about the

Flavors

$

77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, 877.726.3777, windcreekbethlehem.com

All the classic favorites in one place. Nathan’s hot dogs, burgers, pizza, salad, sushi, ice cream and coffee. Lunch, dinner & late night.

M c CARTHY’S RED STAG PUB $$$ 534 Main St., Bethlehem, 610.861.7631, redstagpub.com

Experience the flavor of the Irish and British Isles! Over 200 scotch/whiskies, homemade breads and baked goods and from-scratch cooking! Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner & late night.

SOCIAL STILL

$$$

530 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, 610.625.4585, socialstill.com

Full plate American-fusion restaurant, craft distillery, craft beers, local wine and tasting room. Lunch & dinner.

STEELWORKS BUFFET & GRILL

$$

77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, 610.419.5555, steelworksbuffetandgrill.com

Experience a variety of fresh culinary dishes from around the world at Steelworks Buffet & Grill. Featuring live action cooking and a fully stocked bar, guests will enjoy a variety of fresh international culinary dishes at the all-you-can-eat buffet or choose their favorites from the a la carte menu, including artisan pizza, a pasta station, fresh-carved meats and more. Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

ZEST BAR+GRILLE

$$$

The Rooftop at 306 S. New St., Bethlehem, 610.419.4320, zestbethlehem.com

A culinary and social experience offering a progressive menu that highlights the best of New American cuisine. Lunch & dinner.

Vegan Food Never Tasted So Good 518 EAST 3RD ST., BETHLEHEM • 610.434.8800

THEHUMMUSHOUSE.COM

LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM : FEBRUARY 2022

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DRINK THIS

BY K RIS T EN WAGNER | PHOTOGR A PH Y BY M AT T HE W C A NNON

The Arsonist BAR BIX

Made with Luxardo cherry-infused rye, smoked orange bitters, cherry bitters and a touch of demerara syrup.

The Arsonist—a smoked old fashioned—is Bar Bix’s spin on a classic cocktail.

“It is smoked in front of guests using a SmokeTop and cherry wood chips,” says general manager Cassondra Ruta.

“The SmokeTop and cherry wood chips give it this campfire aroma and adds some nostalgia to the cocktail.”

It’s made with Luxardo cherry-infused rye, smoked orange bitters, cherry bitters and a touch of demerara syrup, and is served with a Luxardo cherry and orange peel.

The Arsonist is a staple on the cocktail menu and available for order year-round. “The vibe at Bar Bix is always intimate and relaxed no matter what the season is. It is a place where our community and neighbors gather to enjoy our cocktails and atmosphere,” says Ruta.

“Having drinks around the fire with friends sounds like the perfect winter night to us.”

130 N. 3rd St., Easton 484.544.4801 @barbix_at_townleyhouse

READY TO TRY IT? Tag @lvstylemag and #livelvstyle!

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FEBRUARY 2022 : LEHIGHVALLE YST YLE.COM

HOW DOES A FAMILY BUSINESS SCALE FOR GROWTH?

610.336.0514

They hire the Family Business Experts.

Take your family business to the next level with Compass Point.

Tom with the Kitchen Magic Family: Brett, Lotte, Renate & Cindy

Compass Point Consulting LLC

fambiz_matters

@compasspt

www.compasspt.com

compasspt.com/client-stories/kitchen-magic

Read About Their Growth Story! ValuePoints ROI 9X in 48 Months!

GROWING

Kitchen Magic President Brett Bacho with Compass Point Business Advisor Tom Garrity in the company’s Nazareth plant

St. Luke’s has been named an IBM Watson Health® 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital... for the 7th time!

“On behalf of St. Luke’s, I am proud to say this is affirmation of our commitment to excellence. Our attention to clinical outcomes, patient experience and cost efficiencies have made us the heart and vascular care leader in the region.”

– Raymond Durkin, MD, Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine

Raymond Durkin, MD Stephen Olenchock, DO Timothy Oskin, MD

Watson Health awards are based entirely on an independent, scientific review of objective data. Hospitals do not apply for selection and winners do not pay to market this honor.