Media, PA March 2024

“ WHAT

FOUNDATION

The bones of a well-built 18th-century Georgian farmhouse provided the structure that became Hunting Hill Mansion. It stands today as a testament to careful craftsmanship and attention to detail.

A solid financial foundation is equally important.

MEMBERS WEALTH, LLC can help. Like master builders, our team of professionals in financial and estate planning, investment strategy, taxation, and law work together to craft a comprehensive wealth management solution designed to withstand the test of time.

Take advantage of our decades of experience in all aspects of financial planning all under one roof. As long-time Delaware County residents, we’re focused on helping our community’s individuals, families, and institutions thrive.

Let’s talk about your financial future.

to get started.

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WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

“ “

If you are looking for a Realtor with extensive knowledge of the real estate market and a stress ee experience (whether buying or selling ) Gar y Scheivert is the one! Gar y has listed and sold several properties for me and my family over the past several years. His professionalism and dedication to personal service is be yond measure. Gar y is a pleasure to work with.

- D. S antoleri, Glen Mills

Home Sweet Home

Home. So much contained in that little four-letter word. Home is our grounding. Our base. Our launchpad. It’s where we start and end each day. And while the particulars may look different for each of us, the meaning and value it holds for all of us is undeniable.

Author Wendy Wunder said, “The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.” As we think about home - we want to highlight ways that can make it even more special.

This month, we jump right in and explore outdoor spaces with inspiration that’s next level.  The team at DiSabatino landscaping shows us why outside is the new inside of living spaces.   From pools to outdoor kitchens, I can picture myself lounging with a Mai Tai by a pool.

Next, we explore just how color can truly influence our mood, health, and inner peace.  Local painter and connoisseur of color, Dan Morroni, explains the beneficial effects of selecting the right color for every room.  And we don’t mean beige.

When it comes to your home, the roof is often the most overlooked aspect, yet one of the most important.  Your roof can provide instant curb appeal or just disdain.   In a sea of “experts”, we’re happy to learn that Kevin O’Donnell is the 4th generation of his family’s business.  Celebrating 100 years; we’ll just do a micdrop on experience.

We feel like we’re the lucky ones as we learn more about the businesses and individuals that comprise this community and hope our small lens into their lives and work might guide you in your next home project.

As you flip through the pages of this issue, we hope you’ll feel encouraged and connected to the people around you - in our borough, township, neighborhood and most all of - your home.

Every month, we hear from readers who keep this magazine for longer than just the month labeled on the cover. They say they hold onto it for months as coffee table art or an accessory in their home. We feel proud to create a resource that is valued in our community and strive every month to deliver the value you expect. We appreciate letting us be a part of your home.

Happy March!

SCOTT DAVIDSON, PUBLISHER @MEDIACITYLIFESTYLE

March 2024

Scott Davidson | scott.davidson@citylifestyle.com EDITOR

Karin Davidson | karin.davidson@citylifestyle.com EDITORIAL

Karin Davidson, Cheyenne Forbes, Kari Tumminia

city scene

WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

1: Be The Joy Foundation founder, Brittany Joy Scharr and supporter Jake Kleinman Phillips of Touchpoint. bethejoyfoundation.org

2: Rivalry food truck. Not to worry...the food is piping hot. rivalryonstate.com 3: Iced coffee anyone? oceancitycoffee.com 4: Enjoying her ice throne is young princess “Stella”. Throne sponsored by Morris Brothers Investments. 5: The ever popular 320 Market Cafe with its iconic strawberry design. the320marketcafe.com 6: Lindsey, Mikayla, Madison Williams and Bob Bucke enjoying the Earth on State dragon sculpture. earthandstate.com 7: A beautiful sculpture of reflection for missed furry family members. petpassages.com Photography by Karin and Scott Davidson

This year, maybe you want to learn about...

8: Anna Faini checks out the well-known Iron Workers Bank ship design. iwsb.com 9: Another popular sculpture was the Bean Bag Wall Toss, which doubled as a posing station. visitmediapa.com 10: Elliot Seufert Hole-in-One! (True...we watched it!) Mini golf sponsored by Heiler Painting. heilerpainting.com 11: Popular Movie Princess joins Kala Pasciak for the Ice of State festivities. 12: Game on State featuring old school Ms. Pac-Man chomping away. gameonstate.com

13: Flanked by a small flock of penguins, classic Snoopy in his winter coat and hat. threepotatofour.com 14: Cammile Bandolato boarding the Media Trolley. Sponsored by the Media Business Authority. visitmediapa.com

Photography by Karin and Scott Davidson

business monthly

A ROUNDUP OF NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES

School of Rock Delco Performs First Concert Series

School of Rock Delco recently performed its first series of live concerts.  From kids to adults, the programs focus on live performance-based education and concerts. Designed to encourage learning in a supportive environment, students of all skill levels become more comfortable and engaged.  Performing to a packed house of family and friends, the first concerts were hosted by Media’s own Towne House and War3house 3 in Swarthmore.  schoolofrock.com

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The Great Media Comic Con Celebrates 2nd Year

The Great Media Comic Con is the biggest comic con based in DELCO! This annual event is entering its second year April 12th-14th and is bigger than ever, spanning three days! Boasting celebrity guests, movie screenings, vendors, photo ops, a costume contest, raffles, and much more! Expected attendance is 1500+ people.  Held at the Media Community Center with special opening night movie screening of Back to the Future at the Media Theatre. greatmediacomiccon.com

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Media-Upper Providence Free Library Announces New Native Seed Library

The Media-Upper Providence Free Library in partnership with Transition Town Media announces the opening of the new native seed library.  Functioning much like traditional libraries, seed libraries provide a platform for individuals to acquire seeds for free, return unused seeds, or donate seeds harvested from plants grown from the original seed. mediauplibrary.org

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Photography by School of Rock DELCO

Photography by Jayne Toohey

Photography by MediaUpper Providence Library

ARTICLE BY CHEYENNE FORBES PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DISABATINO LANDSCAPING

EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR PROJECT WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF

The time is close...a look out your back door window makes you smile: snow melting, grass and soil showing through, as little flower bulbs begin to peek out.

Spring is arriving!

It’ll be nice to be outside with family and friends on the patio. But wait! A long list starts forming; how are you going to make this backyard into more than just a patio?  It would be great if it was a relaxing, fun getaway, but where to start? Chris DiSabatino and the staff at DiSabatino Landscaping are more than happy to bring your vision of the perfect backyard oasis to life!

DiSabatino Landscaping has been in business for over 25 years in Delaware and Pennsylvania. The team’s core values have been their success for a long time - and it can be shortened into one acronym: “EQUIP.”

“EQUIP means Efficiency, Quality, United (united is our experience with the client, but also with our entire team), Integrity, and Passion,” Chris emphasized, mentioning that those are the five pillars of the company. “What that really means to the customer is it's an

CONTINUED >

Vince Esposito and Chris DiSabatino

Luxury entertaining

RELAX IN YOUR OWN PRIVATE SPACE

exceptional client experience all the way through that we provide.”

DiSabatino Landscaping is certainly EQUIPed to handle masonry, landscaping, hardscaping, custom pools, and so much more! The staff have worked with the company for decades, and hold years of experience under their belts. Chris himself got into landscaping well over 20 years ago.

“I started as a young boy working with my Italian grandfather in his garden and I was kind of like his little helper,” said Chris with a smile. He recalled helping his grandfather cut grass as he kept his quarter-acre vegetable garden manicured. When his grandfather passed away while Chris was 10 years old, he took on the upkeep of the outside of the home for his grandmother.

“She always made me feel good,” Chris started, “saying I was a hard worker, did a good job—the whole

disabatinoinc.com (302) 764-0408]

Small or large, there's room for your oasis

There's nothing like the soothing sounds of running water

nine—so kind of inspired me to then want to start doing it for other people.” And Chris did so, “By the time I was in high school, I was mowing like 80 yards a week, believe it or not, and once I grad-

and outdoor pavilions, which then evolved into building pools.

“Our company's turned into a place where somebody can come and have every aspect of their project taken care of,” said Chris, “from

ADD A SENSE OF TRANQUILITY TO YOUR BACKYARD

uated, I kind of had like a business going and I jumped all-in in January 1995. I got incorporated, started the company and quickly went from realizing that I wasn't that passionate about cutting grass.”  In 1998, he pivoted to hardscaping and outdoor living spaces.

In 2005, Chris met his business partner, Vince Esposito, a third-generation master stonemason, and started to offer wet-laid masonry: wet-laid stone and walls, flagstone, and terraces, to name a few. “We kind of evolved as a company and really started having full offerings between landscape and hardscape and masonry and then around 2015, we started getting into structures,” said Chris. Soon, they began building decks

the design to the whole implementation of the design.”

The company has serviced over 12,000 clients throughout the years while constantly innovating and improving their design ideas and even the materials they procure to recreate the vision the client sees. Whether it’s a small patio space in need of some renovation or a large pool with water features that adds a sense of tranquility to a backyard, DiSabatino Landscaping does it all! “We can give them a fresh look with their outdoor living space that makes it feel like they're at a cool resort,” said Chris, “somewhere that maybe the client has gone on vacation or something like that, to make them really feel like they can relax in their own space.”

ARTICLE BY CHEYENNE FORBES

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF

MORRONI CUSTOM

PAINTING

COLOR YOUR WORLD

Inspire Your Heart by Painting Your Walls

In works of art, the use of color can evoke different emotions personally. As Dan Morroni puts it, “Color is so intrinsic in the spectrum of humans without us actually realizing that.”

Color has an effect on our mood, and this channels through the clothes we wear, the items we purchase—even in the way we use colors throughout our homes.

Dan Morroni, owner of Morroni Custom Painting, uses color to help people create their perfect “sanctuary”, whether that be their home or business.

“When it comes to the sanctuary of somebody’s home, color will actually transmute emotions,” said Dan. “I’m trying to build a sanctuary… to where each room is specific for that emotion of what that person is trying to feel in each in every single room of their house.”

Updated Baby's Room Wallpaper

(Left to Right) Amber, Luna, and Dan Morroni

Painted entire exterior: aluminum siding, porch, doors, shutters, garage doors, and gutters

If you’re looking for peace and tranquility, shades of blue, as well as beige or ivory can bring forth that calming feeling. If you need something that feels energetic and bright, colors like orange or medium yellow might be what you’re looking for. Green is thought to relieve stress and support health. Brown evokes feelings of warmth and security. Dan is always ready to give advice if a customer isn’t sure what they’re looking for.

As people replace items or change things in their homes, it creates a sense of newness. The same can be said for changing the color of a room. “It alters your path. Emotions and memories that are with that room at that time in that color—and

then you change it to a completely different color and it’s just like, everything starts fresh,” Dan explained.  “It’s almost like a new chapter!”

When it comes to painting homes, Dan absolutely loves it. “It’s instantly gratifying for me to watch the transformation from one color to the new color,” he said. “I do like to know that I am providing a service that a customer is going to have in their home. I’m leaving at least a 10-year mark—or less, or more—on somebody’s life.”

morronicustompainting.com

Ceiling, trim, and walls

TRANSFORM YOUR LIVING SPACE INTO A

ZONE BLUE

What’s the secret to a happy, healthy, and long life? Believe it or not, it’s actually quite simple: There are no secret ingredients, no sizable expenditures, and absolutely zero manufactured elements of any kind. Dive in with us as we share insights from our interview with the internationally renowned Blue Zones Founder, National Geographic Explorer, and award-winning journalist who is revolutionizing the way Americans make choices that can lead to living your best life.

For over twenty years, Dan Buettner has been fully committed to studying the health and longevity of Americans as well as influencing the proper and attainable health-centric environments our communities should embody. What started with identifying five “blue zones” around the world where people are both living longer as well as enjoying a higher quality of life in their elder years has now also evolved into proactively creating eco-systems where our communities engage in setting the standard for clean health.

Buettner’s first cookbook, The Blue Zones Kitchen, is a fantastic resource featuring ingredients and cooking methods that can increase longevity, wellness, and mental health. The recipes also include lifestyle tips such as proper portion sizes and the best times to eat dinner. Plus, check out his additional seven books that dig deep into the exact foods you should eat to how your circle of friends and family can influence your quality of life.

Every time you go out to eat, you will consume an extra 300 calories that are laden with more sodium, sugar, and oil than eating at home. “Get your hands on a plant-based cookbook, pick a dozen recipes, and cook those with your family on Sundays. If you make the effort to cook it with your family, you will gain the skills and learn to make some good and whole food plant-based recipes.”

New York Times Best Selling Author and Netflix Producer, Dan Buettner, Inspires a Better Life Based on Research from the World’s Healthiest Cultures.

Tap into Dan’s wisdom that is creating a new category of places that are not merely the legacy of a healthy culture, but more consciously created by enlightened individuals that are intent on supercharging healthier communities!

Follow @DanBuettner and @BlueZones for full insights and visit BlueZones.com to shop exclusive products.

Pop Quiz: What is the average lifespan of a roof in America?

Pop Quiz: What is the average lifespan of a roof in America?

a) 20 years b) 30 years c) 12 years

“...Only 12 years,” according to Kevin O’Donnell, the owner and CEO of O’Donnell Roofing Co., “which is crazy because the products themselves are typically rated for, at the low end is 20, but typically 30 plus, yet the average is only 12 years.”

There are many reasons for this, Kevin explained, such as weather conditions and insurance claims. The biggest reason, however, is poor workmanship, which is why Kevin knows that hiring a company that has consistency and training is important.

Any roofing company should know that different types of roofs will have different warning signs to look out for. “[Roofs] require routine maintenance to keep drains clear of debris, like slate roofs that are meant to last 100 years and especially low slope roofs,” said Kevin. “...roof systems that are designed to last need routine care and routine maintenance by a professional to ensure you get the longevity.”

For example, if a tree breaks a piece of slate on a roof, the roof assembly is compromised in that specific area. Water can easily get in, and these are things that one may not see from the ground – even a professional! “If it's not addressed, water gets underneath the slate and can start to rot the wood,” said Kevin. “What would be, you know, a couple hundred dollar repair turns into thousands of dollars of repairs pretty quickly.”

This is especially true of older homes.

“By the time it surfaces on the inside of your house, it could have been going on for months, if not years, right? So, having that routine

inspection and maintenance prior by a professional is very important,” explained Kevin.

Kevin has been a roofer for over 20 years and has been on job sites since he was only 12 years old. As the name suggests, O’Donnell Roofing Co. is a family business that was established in 1924 and has seen 4 generations handle the business. As of 2017, Kevin stepped into a leadership role and began implementing great changes.

According to O’Donnell Roofing Co.’s website, Kevin began to apply the newest roof-related technology, and O’Donnell Roofing Co. became a certified and licensed installer of the top brands of exterior products. Kevin mentioned that he and the team at O’Donnell Roofing Co. are selective with the materials used for their clients’ homes.

“About 15 to 20 years ago, originally, for the last 100 years from the late 1800s, up through up till the year 2000, the underlayment that was used on all roof assemblies was felt paper. It's a black asphalt-impregnated felt,” Kevin explained. “That was the underlayment of choice performed for years that had some breathability to it, right? So, that means when you have heat loss in your house that goes up into your attic space.”

That heat, which has vapor attached to it, permeates through the underlayment and out onto the roof surface. According to Kevin, as the cost of oil raised the price of felt paper, a new synthetic underlayment was created around 20 years ago. These synthetic underlayments, however, do not have breathability to them.

As heat rises in one’s home, vapor is attached to that heat, meaning that the attic spaces need to be ventilated. With new construction, the

ventilation methods of today are more advanced than they were decades ago. The original roof systems slate and cedar were breathable roof systems. Asphalt shingles are not breathable. When one removes a critical component of the breathable underlayment and incorporates this new type of underlayment, any vapor that needs to escape is trapped inside the house, causing condensation, mold, and other issues.

“It's literally like putting a trash bag on top of your house,” Kevin explained.

Inspecting and fixing roofing is no easy task, but Kevin O’Donnell loves his job. “I'm pretty much obsessed with roofing,” said Kevin with a smile. He’s always liked roofing

growing up, and remembered being on the ground, cleaning up trash and watching the men on the roof work. “Of course, as a kid, you're like, ‘I want to be up there’.”

And now, Kevin is up there, inspecting and fixing roofs.

His in-depth knowledge of roofing, carpentry, and electrical allowed the company to broaden its service offerings, and expand the company to what it is today.

O’Donnell Roofing Co. has 3 locations: Havertown, Upper Darby, and Berwyn.

Here’s another pop quiz; when’s the last time you got your roof inspected by a professional?

ODonnellRoofingCo.com

Slate Roof

A REFRESHING, HEALTHY, DELICIOUS SHAKE MADE WITH ALL INGREDIENTS MIXED IN A BLENDER

Wild Blueberry Smoothie

I have this smoothie every morning. It’s a great start to my day.

Put ingredients in a blender in the order below:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 banana

• A handful of baby spinach (You won’t taste the spinach in the finished smoothie)

• Optional small handful baby kale

• Optional half a cucumber with skin off and no seeds

• Optional scoop of protein powder

• If you take supplements, you can open the powdered ones and add the powder

• ¼ chopped green apple

• 1.5 – 2 cups frozen wild blueberries

• 1 ½ - 2 c water or Vita Coco coconut water (it’s unflavored and adds electrolytes)

You can add organic frozen fruit, like strawberries, mangos, peaches, etc. but remember, it will make more smoothie

Blend until smooth. You may want to add more water/Vita Coco if the smoothie is too thick for your taste. It will take longer in the blender to get the

blueberries to be fully blended. You may want to add crushed ice but I find that the frozen fruit is enough.

Wild blueberries are smaller than regular blueberries and so offer a higher skin-to-pulp ratio which means less water, more antioxidant-rich pigments, more fiber, and 33% more brainhealth anthocyanins (responsible for the colors, red, purple, and blue and are also anti-cancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, as well as help prevent cardiovascular diseases.*)

This smoothie is very healthy, really tasty and slightly detoxing.

1 - wildblueberries.com

2 - Khoo HE, Azlan A, Tang ST, Lim SM. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food Nutr Res. 2017 Aug 13;61(1):1361779. doi: 10.1080/16546628.2017.1361779. PMID: 28970777; PMCID: PMC5613902.

Wild blueberries... means less water, more antioxidant-rich pigments, more fiber, and 33% more brain-health anthocyanins.

ARTICLE BY KARIN DAVIDSON

MARCH 2024

events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

MARCH 6TH

Helene Odea – The Budget Gourmet Cooking Demonstration

DIFABIO’S CULINARIA, 1243 N. PROVIDENCE RD., MEDIA, PA 19063

Local culinary expert Helene Odea demonstrates gourmet cooking on a budget at DiFabio’s Culinaria kitchen. Watch, sip, and learn. Complimentary wine served! Doors will open at 6:00 and the program will start at 6:15. You will receive a recipe so you can recreate this in the comfort of your home!  To register: difabiosevents.com

MARCH 6TH – 30TH

School of Rock

MEDIA THEATRE, 104 E. STATE ST., MEDIA, PA 19063

SCHOOL OF ROCK, a new-age story of Rock & Roll with music by Andrew Lloyd Weber. A charismatic & enthusiastic music teacher breathes new life into his young students’ lives when he convinces them to form a rock band. This story has young actors at the helm and is the perfect musical for all audiences. mediatheatre.org

MARCH 8TH – 23RD

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

PLAYERS CLUB OF SWARTHMORE, 614 FAIRVIEW RD, SWARTHMORE, PA 19081

Based on Charles Dickens’ final unfinished novel, this hilarious whodunit invites the audience to solve its mystery by choosing the identity of the murderer. The tale is presented as a show-within-a-show, as the Music Hall Royale – a delightfully loony Victorian theatre company – presents Dickens’ brooding mystery. For tickets: pcstheater.org

MARCH 10TH & 24TH

Sunday Afternoon Tea

THE GIFFORD-RISELY HOUSE, 430 N. MONROE ST., MEDIA, PA 19063

Discover a wonderfully delightful afternoon of tea. Classic homemade assorted teas, served with sandwiches, and sweets in an elegant Victorian-inspired atmosphere. The Gifford-Risley House is an 1877 gothic revival-chalet style bed and breakfast located in Media borough.  Reservations required. gifford-risleyhouse.com

MARCH 28TH – 30TH

The 2024 Media Film Festival

THE TOWNE HOUSE, 117 VETERANS SQUARE, MEDIA, PA 19063

The 18th Annual Media Film Festival showcases short films from our community and around the world. Join us in celebrating these outstanding films, made by passionate filmmakers for our enthusiastic audiences. This year’s event will be hosted at the Media Towne House.  mediaartscouncil.org

MARCH 31ST

Media VFW Sunday Breakfast Buffet

MEDIA VFW POST 3460, 11 HILLTOP AVE., MEDIA, PA 19063

The last Sunday of each month, the Media VFW hosts a breakfast buffet open to the public - featuring classic breakfast items like French toast, home fries, and made-to-order omelettes.  Support our vets and enjoy a hearty breakfast. Bring your family and friends. 8:00 till 11:00am. vfw3460.com

A LIFESTYLE You’ve Waited For!

Education, business meetings, maintaining a home, raising a family, making sacrifices…you spent a lifetime doing it all to get where you are today.

Now it’s time to think about your future!

With amenities and services that include weekly housekeeping, home maintenance, a dining plan that gives you access to four restaurants and a full-service bar, state-of-the-art fitness center, transportation, our Lifecare contract and so much more; Riddle Village may be the perfect fit for your next chapter in life.

You give us 60 days; we give you the future you deserve!

Reach out today to learn more about our apartment renovation program and how we can have you living your best life in just 60 days.