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Vintage taste, R aRe talent Todd Yoggy Shapes Rich Interiors and the Community He Loves By David Higgins

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Bus Your Own in Wellsboro A Tale of Two Houses in Knoxville Old Barns and New Bonds in the FLX

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Volume 21 Issue 1

16 Rocking and Rolling

Vintage Taste, Rare Talent

By Carolyn Straniere

Jamie Morral gussies up designer buses in Wellsboro.

By David Higgins

Todd Yoggy shapes rich interiors and the community he loves.

22 When Two

Become One

By Karey Solomon

Dave Ewell revives two FLX wedding & event venues.

6 A Tale of Two Houses

28 Mangia Bene! By Don Knaus

Vincenzo’s Pizza has been helping Elmira eat well since 1999.

By Gayle Morrow

The “bookends” of the Knoxville Library and Museum.

30 Field Notes

By David Nowacoski Some like it hot.

34 Back of the Mountain

By Bernadette Chiaramonte

Swatch This!

The past lights the way.

By Lilace Mellin Guignard Elusive Beauty Designs captures imaginations in Wellsboro.

Cover photo by Molly Cagwin, including Heron Print wallpaper by Gucci and suit by Thom Browne. This page (top) Interior of Todd Yoggy’s home, including Heron Print wallpaper by Gucci, courtesy Todd Yoggy; (middle) Knoxville Library by Gayle Morrow; (bottom) Adrienne Schloegel courtesy Adrienne Schloegel.

20 3

m o u n ta i n h o m e m ag . co m Editors & Publishers Teresa Banik Capuzzo Michael Capuzzo Associate Editor & Publisher Lilace Mellin Guignard Associate Publisher George Bochetto, Esq. Art Director Wade Spencer Managing Editor Gayle Morrow S a l e s R ep r e s e n t a t i v e s Megan Gallant, Shelley Shank Circulation Director Michael Banik Accounting Amy Packard Cover Design Wade Spencer Contributing Writers David Higgins, Don Knaus, David Nowacosk, Carolyn Straniere, Karey Solomon C o n t r i b u t i n g P h o t o g r ap h e r s Molly Cagwin, Bernadette Chiaramonte, Don Knaus

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Vintage Taste, Rare Talent Todd Yoggy Shapes Rich Interiors and the Community He Loves By David Higgins

Sharp Frame of Mind Todd Yoggy has a knack for combining objects—repeating shapes, colors, and textures in pleasing ways that never become overwhelming or predictable, such as in his Los Angeles Loft (inset) and Westbourne in Richmond.

See Talent on page 8

(2) Courtesy Todd Yoggy

ow did a kid from Big Flats end up in a bidding war at Sotheby’s London with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Rod Stewart? Here’s how. Todd Yoggy by profession is an interior designer. He has lived on both coasts and in Florida, in historic mansions and in a sleek city apartment. He has toured markets and museums all across the US and Europe, gleaning inspiration and shopping for rare antiques. He has mingled with some big names, both in society—the Material Girl (Madonna) and Lady Marmalade (Patti Labelle), among others—and in the design world—Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Isaac Mizrahi...and of course, Elmira’s own Tommy Hilfiger. Not bad for a kid from the Horseheads High School class of 1982.

Talent continued from page 7

Todd’s local roots run deep; his paternal grandparents were from Wellsboro, and that’s where his mom and dad, Roberta and Gary, met. Wellsboro, with its leafy streets and quaint gaslights, remains one of Todd’s all-time favorite places. “I like to bring guests to Wellsboro if I get a chance,” he says. “It’s such an ideal little town.” The Yoggys (the surname is Swiss) raised Todd and his sisters, Beth and Kristin, in Mapleshade Acres, a small development just west of the Elmira Corning Regional Airport. Though Big Flats is hardly the Bright Lights, it was a good place to grow up, and it still is today. Todd credits his parents for his love of history, his flair for presentation, his people skills, and his appreciation for fine craft. Gary was a professor of history at Corning Community College who also wrote two books on Hollywood westerns and acted in area theater. Many locals still remember his Golden Age of Radio shows, live re-creations of favorites like The Lone Ranger, Fibber McGee, and The Shadow. And to many, he was the voice of Christmas. “Gary’s all-day Christmas radio broadcasts were a holiday tradition,” recalls Frank Acomb, now a broadcaster for WYDC. “For a lot of us growing up then, he really was Santa.” Roberta gave Todd a love for curated spaces and quality materials. She worked at Locally Grown various times at three local curio shops—her Todd Yoggy grew up in Big own Robin’s Nest boutique, the Christmas Flats where his father, Gary Shop at the mall, and Big Flats’ antique em(top), taught him to appreciate porium, Oldies But Goodies, which is still oldies in all forms; over the there on Route 352. years Todd has had many Todd went to local schools. He played mentors, especially his friends trumpet in the band and performed in plays AJ Fratarcangelo (center) and and musicals. He had the life of an ordinary Tommy Hilfiger. kid, and still loves Eldridge Park, the Pioneers baseball team, and King Kone. By the time he realized he had an innate skill as an interior designer, he had taken a handful of college courses but knew that the craft was best learned hands-on. So he left home to seek his fame and fortune. And found it in Richmond, Vero Beach, Gem Island, San Francisco Bay, Montana’s ski country, and the City of Angels. Those are just a few of his project sites.

(3) Courtesy Todd Yoggy

How Does This Work?

So, what does an interior designer do? It’s complicated. Very complicated. There’s consultation. Research. Budgeting. Site analysis. Codes and red tape (there’s always lots of red tape). Durability, accessibility, sustainability. Measurement (lots of measurement). Brainstorming and concept development. Mood boards. Materials. Timelines. Mock-ups. Furniture. Site visits. Shopping (the fun part). Pet-proofing (dogs and cats are easy; small kids, not so much). The unveiling. Finally, post-project evaluation. And all of this technical expertise must go with first-rate personal communication skills. Todd credits a lot of his success to invaluable advice from friends and mentors. One is Garren (who goes by one name), who grew up working-class in Niagara Falls, New York, but through vision and talent became hairstylist to people like Farrah Fawcett (for her Andy Warhol portrait), Brooke Shields (for her Calvin Klein ads), and Audrey Hepburn and Madonna (for their Vani-

ty Fair covers). Through Garren, Todd was able to network with a fascinating group of people who saw his lookbook, or portfolio, and liked his ideas. “One person introduces you to another,” says Todd, “and that’s how you build a career, one relationship at a time.” Another longtime mentor is Corning native AJ Fratarcangelo, also a hairstylist, who has built a satisfying and successful career in Corning. He’s also known for his charity work. “One of the best things I learned from AJ is the importance of giving back to the community,” says Todd. “The starting point is being interested in other people and what they have to say. If you can establish and maintain relationships, it will open doors you never knew were there. Even a small thing like sending a holiday card. Everybody can appreciate a simple gesture, regardless of their degree of success.” A major break that helped start Todd’s career was the commission to decorate the 1929 Strathmont mansion, a superb French Normandy-style estate in West Elmira, where he began to build up a reservoir of good will and word-of-mouth regard. Cru-

cially, his designs caught the eye of a certain Mr. Hilfiger. And that’s how Todd met Tommy. “I gave [him] a private tour, and we hung out a bit over a few drinks. He said, ‘I’d love to see what you do,’” Todd told WETM in an interview. Tommy invited Todd to his office in New York, where “I pitched his first home collection to him— sheets, bedding, and things like that. The company wasn’t ready for that just yet, but it was a really great learning process for me, as a young person just starting out, having that opportunity to sit with Tommy and his team.” To this day, the two native sons, so similar in interests and in their love for Elmira, maintain a firm friendship; they have collaborated many times on commercial and charity projects alike. And Betsy, Tommy’s sister, is a dear friend. Todd’s design philosophy has a few key elements. Adaptive reuse, which is transforming and reclaiming old spaces and vintage things, giving them new life. Then, cultivate a light touch in order to “complement, not jeopardize, the architecture.” Adopt a classic aesthetic. Inspired by Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, Todd says,

“They are to me the quintessential American designers. They inspired my ability to understand layering and collecting.” And, receptivity. He’ll work on any project from big to small, and all he requests is that clients don’t take shortcuts, dither, or parcel out their vision. Heading South Todd took a gamble when he moved to Richmond, Virginia, in 1992. He soon integrated himself into the community by the simple yet rewarding expedient of charity work. By mingling, meeting, and pitching in, he became a familiar face at fundraisers for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the symphony, the science museum, and the ballet. Richmond is full of gorgeous old properties, and Todd found himself eyeing a columned and porticoed mansion named Westbourne, a 1919 Georgian Revival. A previous owner was Pulitzer-winning Civil War historian Douglas Southall Freeman. “As a history teacher, my Dad really loved that!” says Todd, laughing. Previous See Talent on page 10

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The Art of Juxtaposition

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Todd hams it up during a photo shoot at his Elmira house (left) showcasing jacket and pants by Thom Browne, boots by Hunter, and his own sense of humor; the parlor of Westbourne in Richmond shows how he layers elements for effect. Talent continued from page 9

guests at the house had included Robert Frost, Winston Churchill, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. But Westbourne had languished under careless ownership until Todd purchased it at a discount and made it a personal restoration project, his labor of love. He filled the house with tasteful elegance and it became a showcase of his talents. To celebrate its completion, Todd created an innovative charity event, a Summer Lawn Whites party at Westbourne on the Fourth of July in 1999. Picture croquet, cocktails, striped tents, toddlers underfoot in floppy sun hats, and elegant living inspired by ghosts from another age. It was a smashing success. By giving back, he had made a name for himself in the Richmond community, and that directly led to some important professional advances. Not long after, Todd earned his biggest interior design project of them all: decorating brand-new Dover Hall, a magnificent Tudor-style mansion just west of Richmond. It took six years. “I feel like I got a PhD working on this house,” Todd told Virginia Living. Given 10

enlightened owners and a kingly budget, Todd and his partner, David Crow, produced a magnum opus that draws raves to this day. “Each room had a color scheme—everything was embroidered and custom-designed for the house,” recalls Todd. His design choices included an enormous sandstone mantel sourced from a Scottish estate, a portrait of Lady Henrietta Spencer, a distant forebear of Princess Diana, a Victorian elk horn chandelier so large a wall had to be cut open to install it, a painting of the Adoration of the Magi that is possibly identical to the Rubens owned by the Louvre, 100 solid bronze doorknobs salvaged from a hotel in New York, and a rare Brunswick Monarch billiards table (Todd was previously outbid for similar tables by Arnold, Sly, and Rod at Sotheby’s). All were artfully harmonized with myriad other elements peculiar and particular to each room. “When you work on that scale it is mind-boggling,” says Todd. “The owners had a tremendous amount of trust in us.” Fifteen years later, Dover Hall is now open to the public as a stunning setting for unfor-

gettable experiences. Condé Nast named it as the number one venue in North America for weddings, parties, and celebrations. Another prestigious commission was the Rice House, once described as Richmond’s mid-century masterpiece. It was designed in 1962 by the great architect Richard Neutra, who had once appeared on the cover of Time magazine. The house sits on its own island, perched cliffside on a picturesque bend in the James River. By 2019, it belonged to a nonprofit, and it was in slow decline. That’s when Todd learned through contacts at the Science Museum of Virginia that it might just be for sale, but only to a tasteful buyer who was willing to respect Neutra’s vision and see the necessary renovation all the way through. Todd approached his friends and clients, David and Christy Cottrell, ardent preservationists, who then purchased the house. Todd helped them recruit a “dream team” of workmen and rehabilitators. The result was an eclectic, period-correct tour-de-force with some striking elements, including a Sputnik chandelier that once lit up the Kennedy Center, goatSee Talent on page 12

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hair stools purchased at auction in Copenhagen, and some Vienna Way chairs designed by an LA-based architecture firm specifically for Neutra designs. Through a friend in Corning, Kitty Erlacher, Todd even tracked down a 1957 five-piece place setting of Steuben glass stemware for ten. (He tries to use some Steuben crystal from Corning on every project. “It’s like a little signature for me,” says Todd, loyal to his roots.) The Rice House has won seven awards for historical preservation and design. Todd ultimately did nine jobs for the Cottrells, including an actual lighthouse, built as a weekend getaway. It overlooks the small harbor in Urbanna, a colonial town on the Rappahannock known for its Oyster Festival. “It was the most fun and one of the most beautiful homes I have worked on,” says Todd. The Cottrells wanted a nautical theme to the décor, so Todd began with their own collection of antiques and augmented it with finds like canvas fabrics, fish nets and floats, and a collection of carved model boats. Topping it all is an actual working harbor light, repurposed from a port in Australia. One of his more unusual commissions was to refurbish a classic deadrise. That’s not a typo—a deadrise is a type of small working boat distinct to the Chesapeake Bay. The Cottrells, who bought it from an oysterman in 2002, gave him “free rein and all the time I needed, to refurbish it from A to Z. I really enjoyed that project.” It’s pure Americana, with sea-blue and white Sunbrella cushions by Ralph Lauren and much gleaming chrome and lacquered paint. When it was finished, David and Christy (and their Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Charlie) took Todd on a shakedown cruise along the inlets and harbors of the Bay with a picnic basket and some good bottles of wine (and some dog treats, too). Not a bad way to earn a living!

ELMIRA

Courtesy Todd Yoggy

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Talking Tuft Todd restored the Neutra House—now the Rice House—to its mid century glory, winning awards along the way. Home Again, Home Again Todd lived in Richmond for twenty-three years. In 2010, he relocated for career reasons to Los Angeles and gained some prestigious West Coast commissions. But by 2017, his parents were having some age-related problems, so Todd came home again, for the best possible reason—family. Dad Gary is now in assisted living in Horseheads, where he still enjoys old-time radio. Mom Roberta is in her own home in Big Flats. Todd and his sisters care for their parents lovingly. He also dotes on two little munchkins—his greatniece and great-nephew. During a visit home in early 2017, Todd noticed that an intriguing property in residential West Elmira, one he’d admired even as a kid, was for sale at a bargain price. He scooped it up, and it became yet another Todd Yoggy passion project. “I remember driving by this house and I was always curious about it,” he told reporter Elizabeth Worthington while conducting a home tour. “It needed a lot of TLC, but it just seemed to be a worthy home to save.” Today, there’s classic statuary and a roaring fireplace in the cozy library. His jaunty personal office is wallpapered with interwoven newsprint strips from the New York Times. The living room has a vaulted, half-timbered ceiling, and it’s full of vintage chairs and couches. A revolving gallery nearby features his stunning collection of black-and-white photography by the likes of Bruce Weber, Berenice Abbott, and Herb Ritts. It’s home, and it’s right here in Elmira. Despite exchanging LA for Elmira, Todd is as busy as ever. He’s currently decorating a new contemporary home in Wellsboro for Kate Black, whom he met through AJ. See Talent on page 32

bringing history alive. Take a walk through time and discover treasures from the past through interpretive exhibitions, education programs, and publications that tell the county’s history.

On Display-”Mark Twain’s Elmira” Focuses on the People and Places the Author Knew During His Time in Elmira. Open Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 415 E. Water St., Elmira, NY 14901 • (607) 734-4167 www.ChemungValleyMuseum.org 13

Courtesy Knoxville Library

Joined in Masonry The Brewster House (left) and Glover House in Knoxville, both donated to the public library, were connected through efforts of volunteers and a donation from the Deerfield Charitable Trust so folks can move from the museum to the library without putting on a coat. Planning and construction took a couple of years, and an open house was held in February 2025 to celebrate the project’s completion.

A Tale of Two Houses

The “Bookends” of the Knoxville Library and Museum By Gayle Morrow

ooks come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, as do the libraries that house them. Think the little, street-side, take-a-book/leave-a-book stands that have popped up all over the place during the past few years, then consider the grandeur of the twin marble lions (their names are Patience and Fortitude, and they’re over 100 years old) serving as sentinels at the steps of the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. The Knoxville Public Library at 112 East Main Street doesn’t have a pair of lions, but it does have a pair of houses—the Glover House and the Brewster House. They each have their own kind of grandeur, and they were always neighbors, but became physically connected just a couple of years ago. They have a combined age of about three centuries, and are themselves literally full of history. Hilma Cooper remembers both houses from her girlhood in Knoxville. The Glover House belonged to her Uncle Ed and Aunt

Jane Glover; Uncle Ed was an attorney, a Civil War enthusiast, and author of local history, and Aunt Jane was a librarian for the Knoxville Public Library and “quite a talented chef,” Hilma says. Abbie Billings Brewster, a widow for most of her adult life, owned the Brewster House next door. “I knew her as a child,” Hilma says. “She was kind of a fixture in the town.” Eugene Seelye, a Knoxville historian and author, describes Abbie Billings Brewster as “a very prim and proper lady” who always wore a hat and gloves. Her elegant home had a ballroom on the third floor (more on that later). Ron Meinstereifel is the historian and museum coordinator for the extensive and eclectic collection of mostly Knoxville-related artifacts and memorabilia that have found a home in the Glover House. “The neatest thing about the town is that the people preserved things,” Ron says. A houseful of things. There’s a train room with a model of the borough when it boast-

ed two trains and two train stations, a textile room, a military room, an education room, a geneology room, a music room—you get the idea. A retired psychologist who says he “needed something to do,” Ron has been spending his days unpacking boxes, making discoveries, and sharing what he’s learned about Knoxville’s history. The Glover House was built in the mid-1820s, and was known in its early years as the Alba House, after the original owner and builder Aaron Alba. It’s a structural marvel, with the original pine beams and sections of the stone foundation remaining—and doing their jobs—in the cellar. The walls supporting the well-crafted rooms are still straight and sturdy. Alba family members lived there until 1886, when the home was sold to Hiram P. Gilbert and his wife, Carrie Bell Billings Gilbert, who was a granddaughter of Silas Billings, one of Knoxville’s earliest businessmen. Abbie Billings Brewster was also a granddaughter of Silas Billings. In 1898, ownership of the

home passed to Carrie Gilbert’s mother, Helena S. Billings. She died ten years later, and the house went to her daughter, Jessie K. Beach, and then to her daughter, Ruth Gee, who would have been Silas Billings’ great, great, granddaughter. Uncle Ed (1908-1996) and Aunt Jane Glover (1916-2009), as they were known to Hilma and her cousin, Brian Edgcomb (who passed away in April 2025), bought the home in the 1940s. The house was willed to Hilma and Brian, eventually donated by them to the library, and later became the museum. The Brewster House has been home to the library since 1957. The library was founded in 1921, and its original home was on the second floor of the town hall on Case Street. In 1947, Mrs. Ethel Ashton provided the means for the library to purchase and renovate the Episcopal Chapel on Main Street for its use. Mrs. Ashton died in 1955 and, via her bequest, the library was able to purchase the Brewster House from Ernest Billings Brewster, Jr., grandson of Horace and Abbie Brewster. Horace Brewster was a successful hotelier in San Diego. Eugene, the Knoxville historian who now lives in Wellsboro, writes that Horace and Abbie were married in Elmira in 1890 at her parents’ home. They went to California to live, but eventually returned to Knoxville. Horace built the Queen Anne-style house in 1910; its grand interior included a graceful staircase, carved newel posts with rose-shaded gaslights (they’ve since been electrified), pocket doors, turret room, chandeliers, and a third-floor ballroom. That ballroom space, complete with tables, tablecloths, and seating that hearkens back to an earlier century, is now available to rent—maybe for a shower or a tea, or some other small get-together. The adjoining turret room, accessible through a hobbit-sized passage, has a view of Main Street. It’s a cozy spot where it’s easy to envision curling up with a good book. Hilma says she remembers when she first saw the room it had college banners in it, so maybe there were some other activities going on there, too. Improvements and renovations were made to the library about thirteen years ago. Then, after the Glover estate was settled and the house came into the library’s possession, the project to connect the two homes was conceived. As part of the Glover’s commitment to their community, the estate had established the Deerfield Charitable Trust (deerfieldcharitabletrust.com) in 2010. Through that entity the money was made available for the project, which included, in addition to connecting the homes, adding a children’s library/play area, a mezzanine overlooking that section (a great place to sit and read), creation of the museum in the Glover House, and infrastructure improvements. “Everyone is really excited about the space,” says Erin Cook, library director, of the new children’s area. “A big part of libraries is community.” “I’m delighted with the way it’s being used now,” says Hilma, adding that it’s still possible to be in the home that was her uncle and aunt’s “and see how it used to be.” Cheryl Edgcomb, Brian’s wife, has, since her husband’s death, found herself in possession of an abundance of family and community history. She laughs when she tells Ron that “this is all documents and things I’ll be donating to you.” He’s looking forward to it.

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Move that Bus

Jamie Morral went from touring on buses to leasing buses, and is now building new buses to sell that his wife, Jenn, helps design. Nix Coach Interiors is named after their daughter, Nixon.

Rocking and Rolling

Jamie Morral Gussies Up Designer Buses in Wellsboro By Carolyn Straniere

“I

f someone would have told me years ago that this is what I would be doing, I would have told them they were crazy,” chuckles Jamie Morral, owner of JGM Coach, a private bus-leasing company located in Wellsboro, where he grew up. “It’s just progressed over the years to what it is now.” What ‘it’ is is a thriving entertainment transportation business, designed to be a house on wheels for bands and sporting teams who are on the road for weeks at a time. “This isn’t something I had thought of doing until a guy from Nashville put the idea in my head,” Jamie says. But first, let’s put the brakes on and go back to the late 1980s and early ’90s, where Jamie’s story starts. “I’ve always loved music,” Jamie says. “I played bass in a band in high school with my brother Jeff and some friends. After high school, we sort of went our separate ways for a while. We got back together around 1992 and formed Backstreet Law.” Throughout the ’90s, they toured up

and down the East Coast and the Midwest, performing in festivals, outdoor concerts, and opening for big-name artists in New York City. Their mode of transportation at the time was a Winnebago. “We got tired of old RVs and vans, so I started looking at some touring buses,” Jamie continues. He purchased a 1978 Silver Eagle bus—it had once belonged to Tanya Tucker—for his band to use while touring. “I loved that Silver Eagle,” he adds. Sometime around 2002, Jamie shifted gears and bought a seated bus, modifying it for touring. What’s a seated bus? “It’s exactly what it sounds like—a bus with seats. For instance, school buses, public transportation, and charter buses are all seated buses. Then there are the touring buses, which is what my company is all about,” Jamie explains. He soon purchased four other Silver Eagle buses. “I renovated them, and then sold them. I was flipping buses,” he says with a smile. Backstreet Law was still touring and performing when a man from a Nashville bus

company noticed Jamie’s business of bus flipping. He approached Jamie about leasing the buses instead of purchasing them. “I hadn’t thought of leasing out my buses up to that point. I was just fixing up old buses and selling them for a profit,” he says. Jamie bought a 1997 Prevost XL and a 1998 Prevost XL for the sole purpose of leasing them to that company. “Prevost’s main focus is on entertainer buses, though they also do custom builds for motor homes. They’re top of the line for this industry.” Within a few months of subleasing to the Nashville bus company, JGM Coach hit a pothole when the business deal went south. Jamie brought the two buses back to Wellsboro for a fresh start. “I had two hefty bus payments with no money coming in,” he recalls. A conversation with a friend sparked an idea: if Jamie could book the band at various venues, why couldn’t he do the same for buses? “I called management companies and bands to see if I could lease them out, at least bring in a little See Rocking on page 18

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money to help pay for them,” Jamie says. Both buses leased quickly, and JGM Coach (jgmcoach.com) was officially launched in 2003. “My niche is rock bands that lease for forty, sixty, ninety days or more at a clip,” Jamie states, adding that he doesn’t do short term leases like bachelorette parties. Over time, the company purchased a few more buses, renovating them as needed. “I’ve had bands like Styx, Nickelback, and Foreigner, even Snoop Dog, lease my buses.” A couple of years ago, a Prevost representative, frustrated with the lack of people who knew how to build buses, reached out to JGM Coach hoping they would accept their proposal: build the bus from the ground up so they could be sold on the retail market. “The rep talked me into it,” Jamie says laughing, then adds, “It’s an expensive venture for sure. When I purchase a new bus, it’s literally a shell. The only thing in it is the driver’s seat.” This new avenue created Nix Coach Interiors, a division of JGM Coach, to design the luxury buses. Jamie’s wife, Jenn, is involved with the designing aspect of Nix Coach Interiors, which is named after their daughter, Nixon. “You don’t realize all that goes into this,” says Jamie. “We need electrical, plumbing, lumber and other materials, AC and heating units, everything as if you’re building a house. That bus is a mini house on wheels, only this ‘house’ usually has twelve bunks, which is the industry standard.” Jamie reached out to Bill Chambers, a contractor who has done multiple projects with him over the years, to be the lead guy for the interior work. Together with two others, they turn the shell into a livable habitat. It takes on average three months from start to finish with another week or so to tweak the little things. Jenn’s love of design shines through as she selects the perfect combination of colors, finishes, and other touches, creating a beautiful space for those who are on the road. “We want them to feel as if they’re sitting in their living room and not on a bus,” Jenn says. Once those completed buses roll out of the shop, there’s still work to be done. While there’s a separate crew who maintain the fleet, including Jamie’s brother Jeff, it’s the drivers who are tasked with the day to day responsibilities out on the road. “Besides driving [there are federally regulated hours they are permitted to be behind the wheel], their duties include cleaning the coach, washing the bus, getting water for the toilets and showers, changing the linens, and making sure all systems are properly working. They’re paid well for all they do,” Jamie says. Today, JGM Coach has grown to a fleet of fifteen buses (they all have names!), with nine employees in the office and shop, twenty-five drivers from all over the United States, plus Nix Coach Interiors division. Jamie reflects on the curves in the road that led him here. “To think this journey started thirty-something years ago when I was a musician in a band traversing the land in an old RV, to owning a fleet of luxury entertainment buses. What a long, strange trip it’s been.”

Born in the Bronx, Carolyn Straniere grew up in northern New Jersey and has called Wellsboro home for over twenty-eight years. She enjoys spending time with her eleven grandchildren and traveling whenever she can. Carolyn lives with her four-legged wild child, Jersey, and dreams of living on the beach in Italy in her old age.

Courtesy Elusive Beauty Designs

Tile Me a Story

In her office on Wellsboro’s Main Street, Adrienne Schloegel (right) helps Samantha Cloete choose just the right touches and shows her how they will look in her new kitchen.

Swatch This!

Elusive Beauty Designs Captures Imaginations in Wellsboro By Lilace Mellin Guignard

modest sign for Elusive Beauty Designs hangs above a door in Wellsboro’s downtown, a door tucked between the Main Street Olive Oil Co. and Hanna’s Nail Spa. It leads to a portal of possibilities. That is, the tall staircase leads up to 73-2B where Adrienne Schloegel makes interior and exterior design dreams a reality. Open the door and step into a large studio space full of light, white walls with some exposed brick, a shelf of sample books, and a computer station. At the end of the long room a large modern wooden table sits in front of tall windows. On the right wall is a flat screen where Adrienne projects her renderings when she’s meeting with clients. “Through 3D renderings with colors,” Adrienne says, “clients can see what it will look like, so there’s no guessing.” She can switch up colors and materials with a few clicks. This is really important, she explains, because tile and flooring costs a lot so “getting those choices right matters.” Adrienne grew up outside of Philly but has been in the area since 2002. She received a degree in art history with a minor 20

in studio art from what was then Mansfield University. She and her husband, Douglas, bought a home in Gaines requiring a gut renovation, and they did a lot of the work themselves. She says her husband is very handy. Then they bought a second house they ripped down to the studs, and then a third remodel…and she knew she’d found work she loved. During covid she completed a degree in interior design while homeschooling three kids, including a toddler. She started working remotely for a luxury designer in Austin, Texas. While still collaborating with designers on projects all over the country, Adrienne opened an office in Gaines. Working with designers in other areas has taught her a lot. “The architecture in Scottsdale [Arizona] is dramatically different from that in Seattle,” says Adrienne, who enjoys learning about regional differences in building designs. And she’s open to combining styles in new ways, such as Gothic Victorian when a client requested it. In October 2024, Adrienne moved her

office to Wellsboro to be more centrally located and to have more space in which to meet with clients. Their kids are now eight, fourteen, and sixteen so she can be farther from where they live in Gaines. She has lots of clients in the Williamsport area, more and more in Wellsboro, and has done projects in Corning, Coudersport, Cogan Station, Mansfield, Osceola, and Lewisburg. Many of these were kitchens and bathrooms. She has added additions to log cabins, and worked with cabin dwellers to keep the log feel but make the interiors not so overwhelmingly wood. Lately she is doing more interior design for custom new-build projects. “I emphasize the importance of designing the interior and exterior together, so the home feels cohesive, intentional, and well thought through from the start,” she says. She’s recently begun to get into light commercial. Sweetspire Coffee & Bakery in Williamsport used her to help plan the space and for interior and exterior finishes. She also worked on the first location for Wellsboro’s Arise Cafe when it was on

Route 6. “The commercial world allows me to be more creative,” says Adrienne. “You can go all out because it’s for lots of people to enjoy, not just you in your home.” She’s noticed people are leaning into color more in their homes. “I value collaboration in my work so much. I always ask my clients for their tastes and ask the contractors their opinions,” she adds. “This way we really come up with some unique designs.” In a Montoursville home where they tore out the wall between the kitchen and dining room, Adrienne added a sixteen-foot marble island with under counter lighting. There is also a wine niche in one wall, five-by-four feet and six inches deep, with racks for bottles and lighting to show off the labels. The Cloetes from South Africa contacted Adrienne when they bought a house on Pearl Street before they moved to Wellsboro. They had seen her website at elusivebeautydesigns.com, and for a year they worked together virtually, juggling the time difference. “We knew we needed direction and help,” says Samantha, whose husband, Uys, has opened ECU Pro, which repairs automotive software. “She was just so lovely straightaway.” The couple knew they wanted to expand their kitchen and to vault the ceiling, and soon decided to add a master suite to the house and to renovate the other bathrooms and the fireplace room. Adrienne came up with a design based on what they wanted, and she “knocked it out of the park. The renderings look just like what’s been produced,” Sam says. “Our bathroom is picture-perfect, exactly what I envisioned.” Getting clarity on your budget up front and planning the whole project ahead, which speeds up the process, are the main benefits of consulting a designer, Adrienne says. “Contractors like that I can take the lead and give a conceptual design for them to quote,” she adds. Her web of contractors allows her to find the best one for each type of job, and clients don’t have to leave messages and hope to get called back. Once the contractor is chosen, “I become the client advocate,” she explains. “At the same time, I understand the contractor’s challenges.” For instance, like with many old houses, the Cloetes’ house wasn’t always square. Adrienne has other challenges that designers in other parts of the world don’t have. Mostly in urban and suburban areas, the designers she’s collaborated with have large showrooms close by. Out here, Adrienne does a lot of driving. “That’s what makes it more valuable for the client,” she explains. “I’ve become the expert on where to find the best and different resources.” One of the advantages of being in this area are the skilled tradesmen she has access to, like her Amish cabinet makers. “You can’t beat their craftsmanship and dedication.” Adrienne prefers the first visit with a client to be on site, if possible, so she can do a LiDAR (infrared) scan from which she creates her 3D models. Then she’ll write up a proposal. Recently, Adrienne hired an assistant designer, Madison Burd. With that help, Adrienne can now branch into offering consultation services on smaller projects. To discuss a possible project, call her office at (570) 439-6919. Adrienne says, “I want everyone to get exactly what they want for their budget. I want them to have a good experience.”

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(2) Courtesy Venue Noir/Inn at Waneta

Twice the Fun

Near Lamoka Lake, Dave Ewell renovated two barns, which he painted black and calls Venue Noir (left), and restored a defunct waterfront restaurant, which became the Inn at Waneta, creating unique venues for special events.

When Two Become One

Dave Ewell Revives Two FLX Wedding & Event Venues By Karey Solomon

wenty-three might be Dave Ewell’s lucky number. A Michael Jordan fan, with a serious collection of Air Jordans to prove it, he bought two properties in 2023—one on, and one just off Schuyler County Road 23—then turned them into elegant, yet very different, event venues. Locally known as Mud Lake Road, County Road 23 is a well-traveled thoroughfare heading west from Watkins Glen, taking drivers between scenic farms as it crests the ridge between Seneca and Keuka Lakes. Two smaller, not-very-deep lakes close to Hammondsport, Waneta (to the north) and Lamoka (to the south), linked to each other by a canal, are home to summer cottages and year-round residents, and much enjoyed by fishermen. A man of few words but energetic action, Dave saw the undeveloped potential in the properties and their scenic settings. It’s something he’s done many times before, turning

homes in New York and Maryland in need of TLC into luxury rental properties, which can be seen on the website he uses to promote them (luxehomeandleisure.com) along with more about the two local venues he has available for weddings, parties, and gatherings. Two years ago, what is now Venue Noir, at 1187 County Road 23, was an eleven-acre property on the west slope of Sugar Hill with two rustic barns, one with a jerry-rigged outdoor shower, a pond, some fruit trees, and a lot of overgrown brush. Yet Dave, a native New Yorker who also owns a landscaping business in Maryland, saw its potential and began renovating both the property and the barns. He raised the roof, making the smaller of the two a three-story house with room for up to eight guests. He thoroughly renovated it, adding the plumbing, heating, and well-appointed bathrooms and kitchen previously absent. The outside, like the exterior of

the large-ish barn, is a deep black. It boasts a generously-sized patio, private deck, hot tub, fire pit, seating, and barbecue. It can be used for bridal preparations and can accommodate up to eight overnight guests. Like his other rental properties, it features an open floor plan, white walls, linen and upholstery, art, and a lot of beautifully finished wood to create an atmosphere of casual, rustic luxury. Dave is a design anthologist, choosing furnishings from Facebook Marketplace, which favor spare, clean lines and a modern vibe. He also seems to have a sixth sense for knowing when a venerable building is being gutted or demolished, showing up to buy antique fixtures and architectural gems, often already knowing exactly how he’ll use them. He recently added a black, wrought iron fence to the Venue Noir frontage, deciding when he found it that it would add an additional touch of noir. See Two Become One on page 24

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Two Become One continued from page 22

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Across a small parking area is the larger barn, now refurbished as a two-story event space for up to seventy-five guests. Painted white inside, it’s got unexpectedly elegant touches like antique light fixtures from a now-demolished hotel mixed with new chandeliers locally crafted of woven grapevines. Inside and out are seating areas with spectacular views over the valley to Lamoka Lake a few miles away. Dave thought a vineyard would be pretty to gaze at and symbolic of the area, so, against all advice, he planted an acre and a half of Marquette grapes, a cold-weather tolerant red hybrid bred in Minnesota, hoping they’d be pretty, even if not productive. They turned out to be both. He’s recently taken possession of his unlikely first vintage, a medium-bodied red created by J.R. Dill he’s calling “Reserve 23.” Future guests will be gifted a bottle with their stay. Dave plans to further develop the property to accommodate more people with glamping facilities. He’s currently collecting vintage Airstream campers to refurbish for this purpose. The event space has broad patios, one with a pond view, the other with a sweeping valley, vineyard, and lake view, and a legion of Adirondack-style chairs Dave designed and had built. Venue Noir is intended to be a blank canvas for party planners to decorate in their preferred style. Chairs, tables, and tablecloths are provided, as are heaters to extend the season. There is neither kitchen nor plumbing in the event barn, so everything from catering to porta-potties is brought in by outside vendors or provided by those who rent the place. Planning a wedding for her son Marshall and his fiancée Izabella, Sara Matwiejow found Venue Noir a good choice. “If you’re looking for a quaint spot with a view, then it’s a pretty lovely little spot,” she says. Marshall and Izabella had a private wedding ceremony last August near the vineyard, then welcomed about 120 guests a little later with hors d’oevres, followed by a catered buffet. Guests sat at tables inside and outside the building—being able to have the outside space made the venue able to accommodate a larger number of people. They put the DJ upstairs, freeing the entire downstairs area for guests. The weather cooperated with a lovely breeze, Sara says, and “It honestly worked out much better than I thought. You can create any sort of atmosphere you want. They allowed us to arrange everything the way we wanted it. People want to have a lovely wedding, but it can be hard to find a place that’s cute and affordable.” “People love the warm wood of the barn, the cozy lighting, and the open layout. It gives the space a relaxed but elevated feel that works for a lot of different styles,” says Shannon Benjamin, who serves as event manager for both spaces. Available for rent from late April through October, it’s in the price range of $4,000 to $6,000 per event depending on length of stay and the calendar. During the non-wedding season, the house at Venue Noir may be booked via their website, on Airbnb, and on VRBO. During the time Venue Noir was being rebuilt and refurbished, another opportunity arose, one Dave had been looking at for the decades his parents summered at a cottage on nearby Lamoka Lake. Four miles west, just off County Road 23 at 4015 Waneta Lake Road, Dundee, what is now the Inn at Waneta had been for ages a bar and gathering place. Many local cottagers regularly boated there for an afternoon or evening. When the long-time owners retired, it went through a succession of other owners before Dave decided to buy it. See Two Become One on page 26

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Two Become One continued from page 24

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“I knew I wasn’t going to open it as a restaurant,” he says, citing the previously unprofitable ones. What, then? Needing less work than Venue Noir, the updated Inn at Waneta opened as an event space first. Able to accommodate up to 130 guests year-round for weddings, parties, and meetings, it has a large well-equipped kitchen, a bar, and a main room with sweeping views of Waneta Lake and the surrounding hills (luxehomeandleisure.com/ the-inn-at-waneta; like Venue Noir it’s also on Facebook). Dave added his signature touches of comfortable furniture and open spaces, using a floorplan that flows from one room to another, with clusters of seating within the public areas to allow smaller groups of people a chance to converse. It’s a versatile space. The spacious bar area flows into an even larger dining room. With floor-to-ceiling windows, it’s an elegant room that can also lend itself to more casual occasions. Last year, it was booked for a concert featuring Rochester-born country musician Claudia Hoyser, who performed for a sold-out crowd. Dave says her manager called the Inn “a great listening space.” Alexis Nowicki had her bridal shower for forty guests at the Inn last June, and enjoyed planning the event with Shannon. “It was simple,” Alexis says. “She made everything easy and got back to us quickly with questions we had. We had family prepare the meals, and we could store stuff and extra food. We did a flower bouquet bar on the back deck [facing the lake], and we had a farmer’s market set up where you got a little basket and could grab fresh fruit. It was nice that we had the kitchen area for prep.” The inn’s second floor was remodeled into three studio apartments facing the lake, also available via the website, Airbnb, and VRBO. When the facility is booked for a special occasion, like a wedding, the newlyweds and a few other guests can stay over. A handful of vintage Airstream campers parked nearby testify to Dave’s plan to expand accommodations here as well. Other family members are also in on this endeavor. Dave’s mother, Judy, and sister Nikki recently launched a “general store” in a corner of the inn that once served as kitchen storage. Called Be Well, a play on the Ewell family name, it showcases other family talents like produce from their father’s garden, eclectic treasures Nikki made or discovered in far-flung areas of the world, and Judy’s plush knitted blankets as well as a selection of her baking, including what Nikki describes as “the best cinnamon buns in the world!” The store is open during some special events and as a pop-up during the winter, with expanded hours during warmer weather. Dave spends a fair amount of time commuting between his Maryland home and landscape business and Upstate New York to visit his family, event venues, and rental properties. Good thing he’s got those Air Jordans to put wings on his feet!

Karey Solomon is the author of a poetry chapbook, Voices Like the Sound of Water, a book on frugal living (now out of print), and more than thirty-six needlework books. Her work has also appeared in several fiction and nonfiction anthologies.

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Get Sauced

Dom Sidari lavishly sprinkles cheese on top of Vincenzo’s Calabrian marinara, one of many elements that make their New York-style pizza so well loved.

Mangia Bene!

Vincenzo’s Pizza Has Been Helping Elmira Eat Well Since 1999 By Don Knaus

n Valentine’s Day 1965, a plane from Italy, holding four-year-old Vincenzo Sidari, his father, and his sister, landed in the promised land—America. In 1943, Vincenzo’s father, Salvatore, had been a small boy in Italy among excited adults joyfully shouting, “The Americans are coming!” American soldiers meant freedom. Ever since that day, Salvatore Sidari knew that he would one day live in the United States. Sal (as he was called) was a trained tailor and quickly found work in America altering “off the rack” men’s clothing at Mr. Panosian’s. He added an after-hours shop in his home where he created tailor-made suits for local businessmen. He was old-school, always wearing a suit to work and, like in the old country, never cooking. Vincenzo says, “Mama taught us all—me, Dom, our sister, Carmela—how to cook Italian food.” His brother Dom adds, “If you’ve helped with the typical Italian Sunday dinner with five or six entrees, you can do pizza.” Turns out that’s exactly what the brothers did.

When Vincenzo first went to work, he found employment as the manager of Picnic Pizza in the Arnot Mall. Once a space opened near Mr. Panosian’s Famous Shoes on Langdon Plaza, he grabbed the chance and opened Vincenzo’s Pizza in 1999. Dominic, seven years his junior and the only “born in the USA” child, co-manages Vincenzo’s Pizza. Vincenzo’s Pizza specializes in Neapolitan pizza also known as New York-style pizza. The pies are thin crust placed in the oven just long enough to crisp the bottom while leaving the top soft and inviting. The dough is sauced with a recipe of homemade Calabrian marinara. Name your toppings. Pepperoni and cheese are standard, but specialties could include meatballs, or Italian sausage, or peppers, or onions, or…you name it. Add-ons include ham, chicken, anchovies, olives, mushrooms, eggplant, and more. Their Specialty Pizzas have catchy names like Caesar’s, Capone’s, the Godfather, Soprano, and the Sinatra, just begging you to taste. The brothers keep slices available for

light eaters, which can be served after a quick warm-up in the oven. Whole pizzas take just a few minutes allowing customers to sit and chat with fellow pizza gourmands. Start with garlic knots, French fries, or wings. If not in the mood for pizza (gasp) there are lots of calzones to choose from, including a spinach and broccoli one. Ziti, rigatoni, and spaghetti are offered, along with cold and hot hoagies. Just want to hit and run? Orders are always possible by phone (607) 732-3647 or order online at vincenzospizzaelmira.com. Then stop by 303 W. Main (Langdon Plaza) and pick up pizza delight.

Retired teacher, principal, coach, and life-long sportsman Don Knaus is an award-winning outdoor writer and author of Of Woods and Wild Things, a collection of short stories on hunting, fishing, and the outdoors.

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Field Notes

Some Like It Hot By David Nowacoski

got myself a sauna! It wasn’t an impulse purchase. I mean, we researched brands and types for almost two years. But this winter we did it. We bought a sauna. If you aren’t familiar with a sauna, it is basically a human sized crock pot where you voluntarily partially cook yourself. Or that’s the basic premise at least. But I guess that is the benefit. Slow roasting oneself is apparently very healthy for you. The Mayo Clinic writes, “sauna bathing may be linked to several health benefits, which include reduction in the risk of vascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and neurocognitive diseases; nonvascular conditions such as pulmonary diseases; mortality; as well as amelioration of conditions such as arthritis, headache, and flu.” I don’t claim to understand all of that, but when I picked out “reduce mortality” that sounded like a good idea. While we rationalized it as doing something healthy for ourselves, in all honesty it was a winter decision made when being toasty warm seemed like an awfully attractive way to spend the evening.

We started sweating immediately. And we hadn’t even got it out of the box yet! It was heavy with lots of wires and parts and things. When the instructions come in a book you know you are in trouble. But, three days later, we switched it on for the first time. Man, it is nice on a cold night. We put on some jazz music, select the color of the “mood lighting,” and just zen out for a half hour or so. Then things get more interesting. As the temperature climbs through 120 degrees those cute little drops of sweat on your forehead start their way down your face. You begin to realize, “Hey, it’s pretty hot in here.” At 130 degrees those sweat beads band together into a trickle that keep reappearing even though you just toweled them off. It becomes a bit annoying that every movement sends a shower of sweat in whichever direction you gestured. At 140 degrees you start thinking, “So, this is how it ends.” You’ve given up wiping the torrent of water coming out of your pores. All your towels are soaked, and you just try not to move and moisten yet another area with your bodily fluids.

When we get in we set the timer for an hour, but something happens in that heat because those last five minutes seem to take a few hours by themselves. When the clock goes to zero all the heaters turn off and you can immediately sense the relief. A quick dash across the hall and we jump right into a shower to rinse all those toxins off. I will say, that feeling you get when you dry off is amazing. Like everything is rejuvenated. You know what tastes great after a sauna? Ice cream. “Hey, Siri, give me a list of articles that say ice cream is healthy.”

David Nowacoski grew up on a farm in East Smithfield and lives just down the road a bit from it still, where he runs WindStone Landing Farms and Delivered Fresh (deliveredfresh. store) with his wife (and high school sweetheart), Marla. He made his kids pick rocks from the garden and believes that sometimes a simple life is a more wise way to go.

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Talent continued from page 13

“It’s one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve recently had the opportunity to work on,” he says. “Kate wasn’t afraid to go for unusual finishes throughout the house, which was a pleasure for me to seek out.” Highlights include wall murals in the master bedroom bedecked with ginkgo trees and birds, deep brown herringbone floors throughout, a sofa by A. Rudin upholstered in a warm burnt red on a Swedish flat-weave carpet, a deep black stone from Spain with white veining for the entry floor, and a snug library with ceiling-tofloor bookcases and windows, and wallcovering made from recycled bottles by Holly Hunt. Todd is well-known for his community spirit, inspired by AJ’s advice. Among other endeavors, he was formerly on the board of the Arnot Art Museum, one of Elmira’s artistic treasures. He successfully initiated and supervised the restoration of the red brick museum’s four iconic, 180-year-old wooden columns (see our January 2025 cover story). They were reinstalled (with ceremony) in September. The board’s current concern is upgrading handicapped accessibility—made more personal to Todd by his parents’ mobility issues. That phase is well underway. “I really recommend that [younger people] get involved with some kind of public service like the museum,” he says. “It’s a fun way to meet a lot of like-minded people from this area.” Though he’s a realist, Todd maintains a glass-half-full attitude toward downtown Elmira. He cites the booming success of his lifelong friend Charlie Hunter’s Rye Bar gastropub and adjacent coffee shop, The Garage, which is an urban planner’s dream come true. It’s the kind of rootsy small business with a devoted customer base that can anchor a neighborhood’s revitalization and resurgence. Todd helped decorate the properties, which include some cozy B&B rooms above the bar. “The Clemens Center, the Arnot Museum, the Arnot Carriage House…we’ve got a great legacy, and we need to recognize that,” he says. It’s too soon to tell, but the proposed Arnot Carriage House Inn at 254 Baldwin Street offers the tantalizing prospect of hosting both the revolving Tommy Hilfiger Archives and twelve boutique hotel rooms, plus an outdoor patio and glass conservatory. Stay tuned. So what’s next for Todd Yoggy? He’s quite busy for now, saying, “I’ll work till I’m eighty-two if people will have me. But pie-in-thesky, I think I’d like to write a book on Christmas trees, or maybe décor for holiday entertaining. That would be a nice, fun legacy.” Every year he has a fourteen-foot tree in his living room, bedecked and bespangled with forty years’ worth of heirloom ornaments. “I’m a total traditionalist when it comes to Christmas,” he admits. Easy to say when your Dad is Santa! If the book project does happen, a corny, yet fitting, epigraph might come from a fortune cookie verse, of all things. Todd posted it on social media a few years back. The little strip of paper reads: Doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is happiness. And below the photo, Todd posted: “My fortune cookie nailed it!”

David Higgins is from the small town of Deposit, New York. He retired in 2021 from Corning Community College, where he taught art for thirty years.

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The Past Lights the Way By Bernadette Chiaramonte

n this particularly snowy evening, I retrieved my lantern and drove to the Pine Creek Rail Trail. I carefully positioned the lantern on freshly fallen snow on the bridge of the Rail Trail, and I could almost hear the sound of an approaching train. The falling snowflakes caught the light, imbuing the entire scene with a magical sparkle. Mountain Home congratulates Bernadette on winning judges’ choice Best in Show in the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation’s "On the Trail" photo contest. Bernadette says she's always been intrigued by the lanterns once used by the railroads, which inspired this photo. All award winners will have their photos displayed in the East Wing Rotunda in the state capital in July 2026.

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