Summer 2017

Our HOT SPOT picks for the top of your TO-DO List

What I did on my

Philly Staycation

July | August | September 2017 vol 36_issue 46_2017 gohomephilly.com $4.99 US

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VOLUME _36 ISSUE 46_ 2017 gohomephilly.com

Insidethis issue

July | August | September 2017

12_ BLUE SAPPHIRE 2017 Announcing this year’s award recipients RowHome Remembers Ed McBride

27_ SALUTE TO SERVICE Connor Barwin is ready to Make the World Better

by Bryan Culver

44_ HOT SPOTS What I did on my Philly Staycation Our Hot Spot picks for the top of your to-do list

49_ MENU La Colombe brews an empire in Philadelphia

by Matt Kelchner

73

63_ MUSIC AND ARTS Local Band Spotlight: Vita and the Woolf

SPORTS

73_ SPORTS Christian Carto: A Real Knockout

by Stephen Pagano

63

82_ WRITERS BLOCK Summer reading with authors Lisa Scottoline, Elizabeth LaBan, Stewart Raffill & Adriana Trigiani

89_ SCHOOL YARD Visit the NeumannGoretti Prayer Grotto all summer long

lly i h P

82

writers block

2

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

27

SALUTE TO SERVICE

MUSIC & ARTS

49 MENU

gohomephilly.com

Rowhouse half page ad for Mary_Layout 1 6/2/17 1:59 PM Page 1

PRHSPOTLIGHT

a new Montessori Preschool

2611 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Grows in South Philly

Montessori Preschool

W

Open September 2017

hat do the founders of Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Wikipedia, as well as chef Julia Child, rapper Sean Combs and Princes William and Harry have in common? They are all products of Montessori-based early education.

One such preschool, the Children’s House of Philadelphia, is opening in September on Broad Street just above Oregon Avenue. After executive director, Mary D’Anella, helped engineer the successful turnaround of the H.R. Edmunds public elementary school into the Philadelphia Charter School for the Arts and Sciences, a String Theory School, her next challenge came naturally: provide quality early-education to the city’s children.

“My experience at Arts and Sciences reinforced my belief that preschool children need to be more than just ‘occupied,’ D’Anella says. “They need quality programs that spur creativity and a love for learning that can shape their educational success for years to come.”

Why Montessori? According to D’Anella, whose own children are the products of Montessori early education, the main draw was the system’s basic tenet: True education must involve a natural unfolding of the young child’s innate talents and interests.

In the Montessori tradition, the new school requires certified Montessori teachers and stresses: x❙❚ Developmentally appropriate education x❙❚ Active, independent hands-on learning x❙❚ Use of speciallydeveloped Montessori materials x❙❚ A clean and orderly environment

The Children’s House of Philadelphia also offers: x❙❚ B eautiful, sunlit classrooms x❙❚ C onvenient location x❙❚ H ighly educated staff x❙❚ E xperienced assistants

And, most of all, a comfortable and caring environment.

american montessori society

Summer Sessions Available Now Full Day Programs, Before and After School Care

phillychildrenshouse.com • 215.570.0757

| rowhome magazine | 3

July / August / September 2017

VOLUME _36 ISSUE 46_ 2017 gohomephilly.com

regulars

MENU

6_ FROM THE PUBLISHERS RowHome is Painting With a Twist to help Spread the Whiz! photo by Phil Kramer

56_ BRIDES GUIDE The Down Town Club: A Parisian Flair

by Joe Volpe & Cescaphe Event Group

14_ NEIGHBORHOOD NOIR June 1947. Rose & Joe McBride with sons Ed & baby Joe on his Christening Day.

Philadelphia’s Benj Pasek and songwriting partner Justin Paul help Dear Evan Hansen take home six Tony Awards.

by Marialena Rago

Hangin’ out with the RowHome Softball team

22_ WINE KNOW

79_ GREEN SPACE Natural remedies keep pests away!

by Kerri-Lee Mayland

50_ MENU Spotlight on Kay Kay’s Cakes, T&N Homemade Kitchen & Chick’s

50

64_ THEATRE GEEK

16_ HANGIN’ OUT

Top Picks for Summer 2017

by Vincent R. Novello Jr.

July | August | September 2017

79

GREEN SPACE

56

brides guide

96_ PRESSED Everybody Cut Footloose!

by Dorette Rota Jackson

on the cover

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| What I did on my Philly Staycation!

Photo by Spencer Starnes

Beer gardens and pop up parks top our list of Summer Hot Spots for 2017. Head to the waterfront for SugarHouse Casino’s newest addition to outdoor entertainment – Fishtown Hops – a beer garden with great food, live music and dazzling views of the Delaware River. Take a sip from their unique selection of beers including Philly’s Winner, a signature Yards brew created exclusively for Fishtown Hops. More details on pages 25 and 44!

Back row (l to r): Wendy Hamilton, GM; Linda Powers, VP of Marketing; Patricia Tuck, VP of Human Resources; Bryan Meloy, Director of Food & Beverage Front row (l to r): Evan Davis, Senior Counsel; Randi Talley, VP of Operations; Erin Deal, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage

4

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

44 gohomephilly.com

Tony “Papa Luke” Lucidonio Founder, 1992

39 East Oregon Avenue Philadelphia, PA 215.551.5725 Get the real taste of South Philly online:

www.TonyLukes.com

Thank you to the following members of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network for participating in this creative effort.

Christian Carto, Pro Boxer

The Honorable Vincent Melchiorre

Jade Rota, Philadelphia RowHome Magazine

Frank Carto, Team Carto

Michael Neill, Director of Training, IBEW Local 98

Mark Squilla, City Councilman

Vincent A. DeFino, Esq. / DeFino Law Associates

Paige Neill

Lou Galdo, Owner of Galdo’s Catering & Entertainment

Dan Olivieri, Owner of Olivieri Jewelers

Nick “Luke” Lucidonio, Owner of Tony Luke’s

Mark Rago, Owner and Funeral Director of Monti-Rago Funeral Home

Juliette Olivieri

Joe Volpe, Owner and CEO of Cescaphe Event Group Frank E. Olivieri, Owner of Pat’s King of Steaks Mr. & Mrs. Frank Olivieri Sr. Nancy Schure, Spread the Whiz Foundation

Special thanks to Painting With a Twist | 629 E. Passyunk Avenue | 215.809.3868

6

| rowhome magazine | January / February / March 2017

gohomephilly.com

These masterful paintings – Van Gogh’s Mountain Sunset – will be available to the highest bidders at our annual Affair to Remember / Blue Sapphire Awards Dinner on November 2 at Vie. Proceeds will benefit Frank E. Olivieri’s Spread the Whiz Foundation designed to educate, inform and demonstrate healthy eating habits and nutrition in schools and to school aged children through artistic and cooking expressions. Visit SpreadtheWhiz.org

Dorette & Dawn River to River.

One Neighborhood.

Dorette help Spread & Dawn the

Whiz! photo by Phil Kramer

Philly

(Front row) Dan Olivieri, Lou Galdo, Frank E. Olivieri, Paige Neill (Standing) Mark Rago, Jade Rota, Vincent DeFino, Dorette, Nicky Luke, Mark Squilla, Dawn, Joe Volpe, Mike Neill

January

/ February / March 2017 | rowhome magazine | 7

2017.01.05 appzdepot - ROW HOME - 3.5x9.75 advert.pdf

1

1/6/17

8:44 AM

VOLUME_36 ISSUE 46 July

| August | September 2017

GOHOMEPHILLY.COM

President | Publisher Dorette Rota Jackson

Vice President | Publisher Dawn Rhoades

Editor Dorette Rota Jackson

Vice President Marketing & Promotions Dawn Rhoades

Creative Director | production Omar Rubio

Contributors Mark Casasanto David Cava Frank DePasquale Jr., Esq Dr. Richard Dittrich Larry Gallone Brett Jackson Maria Merlino Dr. James Moylan John Nacchio

C

M

Y

CM

Vincent R. Novello, Jr. Michael Rhoades Marialena Rago Leo Rossi Jade Rota Anthony Santini John Stabeno Robert “Woody” Woodard

MY

Marketing & Editorial Assistant

CY

Brenda Hillegas

CMY

Green space Editor Kerri-Lee Mayland

K

THE BRIDES GUIDE Joseph Volpe

COPY COORDINATOR / THE MENU Maria Merlino

Marketing Communications Coordinator Carol Vassallo

Photographers Phil Kramer Andrew Andreozzi Maria Merlino

Account Manager Theresa Palestino

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Mike Rhoades

Published by

Philadelphia RowHome Inc. P.O. Box 54786 Philadelphia, PA 19148 Phone – 215.462.9777 | Fax – 215.462.9770 www.gohomephilly.com | www.gohomephillyblog.com

Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Magazine and its contents are copyrighted.

Content printed in the magazine may not be reproduced or reprinted, in whole or in part, by any other party without the expressed written consent of Philadelphia RowHome Magazine. 2017 Philadelphia RowHome Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the USA. Published by Philadelphia RowHome Inc.

8

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

THEMAILBOX July | August | September 2017

PeterBUILT Construction LLC

From planning to completion.

All your contracting needs begin here.

Licensed & Insured

215-399-7732

a i h P l e d a l i h P Rowhome Magazine embers of the

promotes the m

Network ses.

PRh Business es your local busin Please suppor t

ember of the To become a m work PRH Business Net or Dawn Contact Dorette or at 215.462.9777 lly.com hi ep m info@goho IP Subscriber, To become a V 5.462.9777 call Carol at 21 mephilly.com or log onto goho

RiveR to RiveR. d. one neighboRhoo 10

email your letters to: info@gohomephilly.com

Dorette & Dawn:

You guys do such a great job with this magazine to let people know who still lives here and who moved away. What we are all about. And I thank you for all you do.

Ed McBride

Dear Mark

[Casasanto, “On the Corner”]: Your article in the [Spring issue] about Sunday gravy brought tears to my eyes and flooded my mind with memories of my childhood. You are a gifted writer, photographer, coach. So blessed to call you friend. Thank you for you!

Gina Naseef

Dorette and Dawn:

What can I say? Well, a lot! You are the kindest and sweetest women I’ve ever met.

The magazine is so awesome, so family oriented, geared to our South Philly natives. I’m so proud of your talent and hard work. I wish you lots of luck and success.

Rita Trombetta

Dear PRH:

Our entire family has loved Philadelphia RowHome Magazine since day one. Dedicated, local and an important part of our culture.

Perry de Marco, Jr.

To the beautiful bevy of besties at Philadelphia RowHome:

Where do I begin? How do I start to thank you? You always go over, above and beyond your call of duty. One of the things that I will miss is knowing that you always have my back. God bless you all for your wondrous deeds.

Catherine Bonaviticola (Little Beth Boutique)

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

PRHPETS

Let me tell you a story

Philly

Sandy Sandy In memory of

by Elaine Flacco

about a lovely lady. Her name was Sandy Sandy. My friend Diane found her on the Black Horse Pike. On the Sunday of Hurricane Sandy, in October 2012, I answered Diane’s desperate plea for someone to give this gal a forever home. Me, in my infinite wisdom, said bring her here. I had no idea what Boo, Luca Brasi or Squeaky would think (oh, and my husband Donnie, because he was at work).

Sandy walked into our yard (and fell onto the pool cover) and into our hearts that Sunday. She was a battered and over-bred hunting dog who was discarded after giving birth to her last litter. She was partially deaf and blind and given six months to live by my vet.

Based on Sandy’s actions, we always felt she lived outdoors. She hated the rain, snow and heat. She preferred a heated or cooled home. Well, Sandy Sandy (because she was deaf, you had to say her name several times) lived a happy life with us for 4 1/2

years. She never stayed outside and always had a blanket, sofa and good food. She actually outlived BooBuddy and Luca Brasi. She was cranky old Squeaky’s sleeping buddy on Dominick’s bed. Bear was her seeing-eye dog and Clyde was her cat/dog pal along with Bonnie and Magic.

Sandy was a stinky old Beagle who could be found sleeping on the couch most of the time. I guess she was making up for all those terrible years sleeping outside. Sandy had some issues but was the most lovable gal.

With broken hearts, we made Sandy run to the Rainbow Bridge to find Luca Brasi and BooBuddy. She was so sick and we couldn’t make her suffer.

I hope Sandy Sandy knew how much she was loved and will be missed.

Please visit my friends at the Animal Adoption Center, 501 N. Berlin Road, Lindenwold NJ if you want to provide a loving home for a pet who is waiting for you.

Deli l Catering l Gift Baskets

215.463.9666 | 215.463.4975 Fax Give us a call because we do it all j Full-Service Deli j Homemade Daily Specials j Soup j Signature Salads j Hot & Cold Sandwiches j Free Delivery! j Corporate & Private Catering j Event Planning

Gourmet Gift Baskets & Specialty Italian Foods Shipped Anywhere!

| rowhome magazine | 11

July / August / September 2017

As part of its annual “Salute to Service” Program, Philadelphia RowHome Magazine (PRH) will present its 2017 Blue Sapphire Award to individuals whose “selfless dedication to the City of Philadelphia has left an indelible mark on the culture and traditions of our neighborhoods for future generations to enjoy.”

The following individuals have been named

Philadelphia RowHome Magazine’s

2017 Blue Sapphire Award Recipients

The Phillie Phanatic

Edward J. McBride

Harry Kalas Memorial Sports Award

Service to Community Award

Dei Lynam Media Award Sportscaster

Chubby Checker

Dee Dee Sharp

Lifetime Music Achievement Award

Lifetime Music Achievement Award

Anthony Messina & Frank Sangiuliano Local Business

Success Story Award

Pastificio Homemade Pasta Co.

Anything is possible if you believe in yourself

Nicholas Cirillo

Kristina Leuzzi

Gabrielle Delisi

Maureen Fiocca

Marialena Rago

Drummer String Theory Schools

Singer (Merion Mercy Academy) Bloomsburg University

Singer Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP)

Basketball Arcadia University

Writer Hofstra University

Scott Perry Varsity Baseball Preparatory Charter High School

An Affair to Remember

The annual PRH Black Tie Business Networking Gala will be held at Cescaphe Event Group’s

Vie

| 600 N. Broad Street | Philadelphia, PA 19123 | November 2nd, 2017

Guests will meet on the Red Carpet at 6 pm for an elaborate cocktail reception followed by a five-course dinner. Entertainment provided by guest band The Business.

Tickets are $150. Tables of 10 are $1,500 and include sponsorship.

Individual sponsorships available. Contact Carol at 215.462.9777 or info@gohomephilly.com Congratulatory Program Booklet. Contact Carol at 215.462.9777 or info@gohomephilly.com

RowHome Remembers

Edward J. McBride 2017 Blue Sapphire Award

Service to Community November 24,1937 - June 5, 2017 Dawn and I met Ed McBride when we launched our first issue back in 2004. Around the same time we met so many of our friends and neighbors along Second Street.

He was everyone’s ally. He was everyone’s advocate.

And he was a man of honor and integrity when it came to his family, friends, neighbors and colleagues.

If something had to be done in the neighborhood, Ed was the first to arrive and the last to leave. Fundraisers, monuments, dedications, celebrations. Ed McBride was the familiar face in every crowd.

He was a man who loved traditions. He shared his memories of growing up on the same block as his beloved wife Eleanor. Of his time in the military.

His children and grandchildren. Trips to Ireland, confirmations, commendations and appreciation for all things Philadelphia. Its schools, its churches, its families, its children.

For the past 50-plus years, Edward J. McBride was the one and only president of the Edward O’Malley (EOM) Athletic Association in Pennsport.

Ask any of the thousands of kids who played sports at EOM how important that center is to the com-

munity – to the city – and you can write a book. And every chapter includes the name Ed McBride.

And while you’re at it, talk to his colleagues at the Irish Society, the Millay Club, the Neumann-Goretti Board of Directors, Pennsport Civic Association, Quaker City String Band, Whitman Council, IBEW Local 98, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Talk to anyone, anywhere in the city of Philadelphia about Ed McBride and the story will be the same. He was beloved by everyone whose lives he touched. Including ours. That is the reason he was chosen to receive RowHome Magazine’s 2017 Blue Sapphire Award for Service to Community. An honor he looked forward to accepting on November 2, 2017. “I am so proud. I can’t believe this. Thank you so much for thinking of me. I have attended so many events but this one’s for me. I can’t wait to see everyone there.”

Well, we will all be there, Ed McBride. Our hearts are broken but our spirits are united. Thank you for serving our community. Thank you for loving our City and its people. And thank you for leaving us with a legacy of love that we will remember every time we think of you. prh

Dorette & Dawn

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Denise house. ay shore M e. e n p to a n o orth C udre M 1963. N ore & A n a V o c Broc

1969. 824 Winton Stre et. Angela her Confirm Foschini on ation Day w ith brothers Gene Foschi Jerry and ni and cous in Rosemar y Baccara.

1967. Floren ce Retallick with grandd Dorette, Daw aughters n, Patty, Rita & Terri Ret allick.

June

the e day of the sam n e k a lo T s . lie ss ard Stern the Phil my ith How rch and w a e ss S e r n re ta no , Jim he Busi nce on S Dan Va , ra n a e 1993. T so a p p zz ck a o .

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sitting 1970. Ralph Pearce hop Bis at th boo ne in a pho ool.

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1947 on his . Rose & J oe M Chris cBrid tenin the d e wit g Day ay be h son . Big f ore a s Ed grew broth n d is w & bab up to er Ed e y Joe a b r e in broke from one o g a c ast. B the fa his ar f the baske aby b mous m team rothe tball Neum with r Joe starte Joe R ann 1 rs an ussell 965 c ds , Fran ity ch ampio tars k Gil len & nship Mich ael B arret t

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1927. 1900 S. Ise minger Street. Ra lph & Anna Laino on their wedding da y.

VOLUME _36 ISSUE 46_ 2017 gohomephilly.com

July | August | September 2017

1.

ictor & Linda Baldi are V hangin’ out at the Festival at 9th Street Italian Market.

2.

oriah Kelley hangs out with M Philly hip-hop artist Chill Moody to celebrate the release of his nicethings IPA at Dock Street Brewery.

3.

1

HANGIN’OUT

2

4.

Hole-in-One for Mike A Rhoades at Bella Vista Golf Course on his first time golfing.

Hangin’ out with Joe Saxon, Harry Alessi & Mike Saxon.

5.

oni & Mima Rizzi are hangin’ T out with Flyers legends Bernie Parent & Joe Watson.

6.

renda is hangin’ out with B Alex, Shelley & Melissa at the “All Star” Craft Beer and Wine Festival at Citizens Bank Park.

7.

ark Casasanto is hangin’ M out with Sopranos star Joe Gannascoli & the guys from The Twin Shoppe, Freddy, Anthony & Sammy.

3 8.

9.

4

renda & Kait are hangin’ out B at The Buzz: A Craft Coffee, Beer & Spirits Festival.

Photo by Stephen Lyford

angin’ out with Robert H Raucci and the Class of ’78 Epiphany of Our Lord Grade School Reunion. lass of 1974 reunites with C Texan John DeRose. Hangin’ out with Carol Palazzo, Denise LaRosa, Debbie Matisse & Janet Ricci Tomasco.

10. A ndrea Mascitti & friends are hangin’ out with Tiffany at her 10 years cancer free party!

11. H angin’ out with Rose Zavasky for her 65th birthday at the Sugarhouse Casino.

12. D orette & Dawn are hangin’ out with Pasquale Scioli at Galdo’s.

13. M ayor Jim Kenney is hangin’ out with Eli P. Zebooker (104)

& Barnetta Williams (109) as he hosts and honors the City’s Centenarians at the 17th annual celebration. Photo by Ricky Fitchett for the City Of Philadelphia/Office of the City Representative.

14. H angin’ out with the NG Saints baseball team after winning the Catholic League title, defeating Archbishop Wood 6-4.

15. H angin’ out at the Italian Market Festival with Jerry Blavat, Mark Casasanto & King Arthur on the main stage.

16. H angin’ Out with the RowHome Softball team (9-1), Capitolo Sunday Co-Ed League, as they head to the playoffs! Torianne Rota, Kyle Stester, Chelsie DeSouza, Jade Rota, Johnny Rodriguez, Nikol Bent, Vinny Riso, Rachael Fuller, Mike Connelly, Nick Grosso, Anthony Grosso, Joe Perri, Anthony Warkala, Matt Riso, Candace Brennan, John Locascio, Mark Riso. (Not pictured: Giancarlo Cambria, Fallon Link) 17. C hristina Melchiorre with her parents Joanna & Judge Vince Melchiorre on graduation day from Cabrini.

18. D onna Diorio & Kathleen Rego Dych are hangin’ out at the Camden Aquarium.

19. H angin’ out at the 9th Street Italian Festival with the Grosso and Piccoli crew.

20. G ina Rizzi is hangin’ out with Flyers legend Dave “the Hammer” Schultz.

21. L ivia Cristella is hangin’ out at the racetrack with Dr. Lawrence Rebecchi.

22. M aria Rinaldi, Louie Gentile & Denise Larosa are hangin’ out at the Patio Bar, Deerfield Beach, Florida.

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| rowhome magazine | 17

Row Home Remembers PRH Life

RowHome Reader Memoirs

Growing up on Clarion Street

by Eleanor Casciato photos courtesy of the Casciato family

Yes. I am a row home girl myself who just happens to now be 88 years old. My husband Gus recently passed away at the age of 90 and as a result, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on our years together. One of the special things we always shared was our deep love and appreciation for South Philadelphia, where we were both born and raised.

M

y parents were Italian immigrants. They raised nine children in our row home on Clarion Street. I was child #8 and the youngest girl. I remember how much my mother loved being in America and being an American. It meant so much to her.

My mother was a wonderful cook and she taught us all of her recipes. She cooked meals from scratch every day with fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. You could

tell what day of the week it was by the meal she prepared that day. Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday were pasta days.

Monday, we had soup. Wednesday was the day to have our greens – spinach,

18

escarole, cabbage. Friday, we had fish.

Saturday nights, we had scufrete (which is lungs, heart and liver). I always loved how my mother’s meals would bring all of us together – especially on holidays.

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

There was always so much food.

Back then, we had stores on every corner – no big markets like today. We had individual butcher, bakery and pastry shops. They also had live poultry and fresh fish. My mother would shop on 9th Street. We would go with her and see all the fruits and vegetables. You could get everything you needed for just a quarter.

Remember the hucksters who would come down the South Philly streets with their pushcarts selling different items? Some would have tomatoes or bananas or fish. There were raggohomephilly.com

land – what we referred to as the Lakes. Today, that area is called Packer Park. On Holy Thursday, we would walk from church to church – at least three of them or more, but you had to walk not drive.

I went to Bok Vocational High School and studied to become a hairstylist. In my senior year, when it was time for the prom, there were no boys our age around because they had all been drafted and were off in World War II. I ended up going to the prom with a boy from the neighborhood who was younger.

I married a boy from around the corner in January of 1950. His name was Gaetano Casciato and he lived on Reed Street. His nickname to everyone was Gus. He had a long career as a Philadelphia hotel doorman, first at the Sheraton Hotel and then later at the Warwick Hotel. His heart never left South Philly, even though I moved him out to the suburbs and then eventually even farther to “farm country.”

The first home Gus and I bought was at 1800 Dover St. It was a brand-new development at the time. They were row homes with their own grass lawns. In 1954, we moved out of South Philly to Cheltenham. Then in 1974, we moved all the way out to Lansdale, PA, where I still reside.

Having a career was always very important to me. I opened my first beauty salon on the corner of Broad and Reed Streets and called it Eleanor’s. I’m pretty sure it is a parking lot now. I went on to have two other beauty salons that I co-owned with my lifelong South Philadelphia girlfriends as partners, Marie Crimi Mills and Marie Sarracco Forte. The first was called Marie’s on West Oak Lane and the second was called Lady Beautique in Chestnut Hill.

Later in my career, I became a cosmetology teacher.

My husband and I had three children together, all grown now. My oldest son Joseph is a world traveler. He graduated from Villanova University and now has a job that takes him on sales trips to Europe and China on a regular basis. He and his wife Alix have three children of their own – all college graduates and starting on their careers. My eldest grandson Colin is in law school in New Orleans.

My second oldest grandson Evan just moved to Santa Barbara, California. My eldest granddaughter Nora just started a new job in New York City.

My daughter Jayne lives with me and has been a blessing. She has spent a large part of her life taking care of my husband and me. Gus, unfortunately, suffered with a serious illness and Jayne became our primary health caregiver.

My third child Perry went to Syracuse University to study communications and now works here in the city for CBS3. He and his wife Susan have a daughter Ali who will be graduating high school this year and heading to West Chester University in the fall. She is a wonderful athlete and will be playing on their field hockey team.

Perry is actually named for my maiden name, which was Perri. I had three brothers but none of them had children. It was important to me that my family’s name would continue into the next generation.

I love remembering all of the old stories and customs of life in South Philadelphia. Thank you for this chance to share my memories with you. I still make a pretty mean meatball, so if you ever need a good meatball recipe, just let me know! prh

LIFE

men selling rags and others selling gevella water (bleach) for the laundry.

We played in the streets in those days. That was our playground. There were no cars for us taking up space. Our families were all too poor to afford them. We played games in those streets all summer long. When it was time to come home, our fathers would whistle and we would all promptly go inside.

At night, all the families would come out on the front steps to talk to one another. That all stopped when air conditioners were installed.

On Saturdays, we would all clean our houses. Everyone cleaned their windows, shook out their rugs and shined their copper bells and doorknobs. The marble steps were scrubbed, too. It was actually fun for all of us to work together on those chores.

On Sundays, we all went to church. Our parish was St. Rita’s. When we walked home from church and turned onto Clarion Street, all of the windows of the row homes would be open and you could smell the fresh gravy being cooked in all of the kitchens. We all called it gravy – not sauce. Our big meal on Sunday was served early, around 1 pm or so. We always had pasta, meatballs, roasted chicken and potatoes, and salad. And, by the way, the salad was served last – not first.

How about the grapes? All the neighbors made their own wines. My father was especially proud of the wine he made. He would buy boxes of grapes and have them delivered. We had boxes on top of boxes in our basement. The kids were not allowed to drink the wine but on Sundays, my mother would give us all a little bit mixed with ginger ale.

Today, people call that a wine cooler.

We never ate dinner without my father sitting at the head of the table. And we always all ate together. Pop would be the first to eat and mom would be the last. My father demanded silence at the dinner table and all nine of us kids obeyed. He wanted to listen to the Italian hour on the radio with Carlo Buti singing and he did not want us disturbing the music.

We needed coal for our heat in those days. A truck would come and make deliveries. They would put a ton of it in your house’s coal bin, which was in the basement. Every week, we would have to empty the heater of all of the ash and put out the baskets.

One of my older sisters, Rita, had rheumatic fever. She would suffer from attacks during the spring and she would have to stay in bed for months.

When May would come, our family would make the St. Rita novena for her. We did this every year for nine days and then on the ninth day, we would receive roses. I would bring one home to my sister.

As a family, we would take day trips to Atlantic City. To get there, we would take the Trolley from 13th Street down Market Street to the dock where we would then take the ferry over to the Camden side. Then we would all board the train to Atlantic City. We would stay on the beach by Convention Hall. It seemed like we would see all of South Philly on that beach. I always loved those trips.

I remember walking everywhere in South Philly.

We walked into town to the famous department stores like Frank & Seder, Gimbel’s and Lit Brothers. We walked down Broad Street to League Is-

July / August / September 2017

| rowhome magazine | 19

Searching for a local doctor?

Start here PRH Life

Your health is their primary focus

I

by Bryan Culver photo by Mark Louis Photography

n this age of social media, you can Google everything from fancy foods to fishing rods but when it comes to finding the right physicians, nothing compares to familiarity. In a city steeped in tradition, the family doctor is a mainstay for generations of family members. Primary Care Physicians build relationships with patients and are a key component to personalized healthcare. If you are in search of a qualified professional with a keen eye on your wellbeing, skip the express line.

To help you with your search, Philadelphia RowHome Magazine is spotlighting some of the private practice physicians who have been caring for our community for generations.

Physician Peter Honig, DO Q: Where is your practice located?

How long have you been there?

A: While I do not live in South Philly anymore, my practice has been based in South Philadelphia since 1987. My office is located at 1805 S. Broad Street, just one block from the East Passyunk Avenue business district.

I love the location because

20

it attracts a blend of many different people from a variety of cultures and professions. I also have a fantastic nurse practitioner named Leah Gallagher who has been with me for several years. She has a degree in functional medicine, which is a mix between conventional medicine and preventive and naturopathic medicine.

We also take care of patients at Methodist Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital and the nursing home at St. Monica Manor, where I serve as the medical director.

Q: Who inspired you to become a doctor? Give us a bit of background

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

on your specialty and education.

A: I have a Master’s Degree in Marine Biology, however, I’ve always been a people person so I decided to become a physician like my father, who was a Psychiatrist. I am board-certified in both family medicine and palliative care.

Q: How many generations of families do your patients represent?

A: I have many families in my practice where I have been taking care of my patients’ grandparents as well as their children. That’s what happens when you’ve been in practice for as long as I have.

To ensure that everyone is comfortable in my care, members of my staff are fluent in Italian and Spanish.

Q: What are some of the benefits of regularly visiting a family physician?

A: It is so important to have

a primary care physician that believes in preventative healthcare like myself.

I want to assure my patients that our office will take care of all their needs.

Q: Do you have any recommendations for individuals looking for a primary care physician or specialist?

A: We all practice telemedicine for patients that have a difficult time getting to and from our office due to illness or to review test results.

We will always attend to our patients’ care and make it as convenient as possible to ensure that their medical needs are addressed. It is our job to make sure they understand the importance of scheduling inoffice visits on a regular basis.

Contact Information Peter Honig, DO 1805 S. Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.467.7666

gohomephilly.com

July / August / September 2017

| rowhome magazine | 21

Wine Know

by Vincent R. Novello Jr.

Spring intotheWinemaking Savor Flavor PRH Life

W

ine of any type is not a thirst quencher. This being said, wine is certainly a pallet refresher. You can savor your wine to the fullest by taking the time to allow your taste buds to enjoy all the complexities different wines have to offer.

Whether it is white, red, rose, sweet or dry, they all have a variety of highlights to enjoy. Just by giving wine a chance, you will recognize that some wines have an herbal presence as well as a chocolate or fruity background. Some even have a tobacco bouquet that is easily noticed. By taking your time and savoring the flavor, you will recognize and enjoy these defining characteristics.

Some brands* to remember that are always a great price and can accommodate any occasion are Josh, Sterling, J-Lohr, Zacagnini and Bogle.

Wine

Recommendations ❚❙❘ White Wines Ghione Ca’DeLion Nonno Mario Moscato Canelli (great with fresh fruit) $13 *Sterling Vineyards ~ Chardonnay $19 Joel Gott ~ Sauvignon Blanc $12

Any of these wines would make the perfect gift for any occasion. ❚❙❘ Red Wines Pinot Society ~ Pinot Noir $14 La Basardia ~ Tempranillo Syrah $10 Toad Hallow Vineyards Pinot Noir Goldies Vineyard $13

…and remember “Never save your good wine for tomorrow!”

For more information contact Vincent Novello Vinoinfo824@aol.com

Bogle Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon $13 *Josh Cellars Legacy $14

Vincent Novello has been making his own wine since 1997 and has competed in and judged the annual Vendemmia. His 2008 Brunello took first and second place in the competition. Today, Novello serves as the Vendemmia’s contest director.

22

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

Row Home Remembers PRH Life

P

hiladelphia and the surrounding area have many sites, venues and interesting locales for entertainment, family gatherings and cultural experience. Many of the new sites are mentioned in this issue. However, there are many others that are gone but not forgotten. They provided us “older kids” with childhood memories that have lasted a lifetime.

Clementon & Willow Grove Parks

Were you fortunate enough to experience the once-a-year school picnic at Clementon or Willow Grove Park? Did your family pack coolers and picnic baskets and set up camp under one of the pavilions clearly marked with your school’s name? Did you barbecue at one of the permanent grills located on the outskirts of the pavilion? Did your family bring their own grill, charcoal, lighter fluid and aluminum foil? “Life was a lark, at Willow Grove Park!”

The Good Ship Lollipop

Are you old enough to remember a family boat trip on the Good Ship Lollipop - a sweet trip to a candy shop? It was docked at one of the piers on Delaware Avenue and cruised around Soupy Island and back in about an hour.

Keeping with the aquatic theme, South Philadelphia had its own adventure aquarium called The Aquarama Aquarium Theater of the Sea – more commonly known as “Aquarama.” It was located on Broad Street between Packer Avenue and Hartranft Street and admission was a very family-friendly $2 for adults and $1 for children.

Bambi Cleaners & The Broadway Did you spend your Saturday afternoons at the Broadway Movie Theater on Broad & Snyder courtesy of free tickets from Bambi Cleaners? Did you prefer movies al fresco? In that case, you and your family (or your date) may have taken in a flick at the 61st Street Drive-In at 61st & Passyunk or the South Philadelphia Drive-In on Broad between Hartranft and Pattison.

Maybe your memory stretches back a little further to watching classics at theaters like the

Gone

but not

forgotten

Earle or the Mastbaum that also hosted live shows with full orchestras playing swing music.

Bowling?

You could show off your athletic skills by bowling a few games at Oregon Lanes at 24th & Oregon or, many years before that, at Park Lanes on 3000 S. Broad Street.

Hungry?

If so, you may have hopped on a trolley to Center City to visit the automat at Horn & Hardart’s on 12th & Market. You could select a sandwich, a piece of pie or your favorite entrée from behind a glass door that looked a lot like a microwave oven only smaller. Once you placed the correct change in the slot, the door opened so you could fetch your tasty selection. Maybe you preferred an even quicker bite to eat without going all the way in town.

How about a hot dog from Levis Hot Dogs at 6th & Lombard?

Gino Giant

If you were a teenager in the late ’50s/early ’60s, you were more likely satisfying your appetite at popular hangouts like the Dugout across from South Philadelphia High School where you could also jam to the music on jukeboxes located right at your table. Pull up to the Hot Shoppes at 69th & Market where the food was served on trays that attached to your car window like you see on re-runs of Happy Days. Or maybe you just preferred a burger and fries from The Steer Inn or a “Gino Giant” from Gino’s.

Red Hot Dollars

The kids from Annunciation Parish have fond memories of hanging out at the Twin Shop and Annie George’s Candy Store

by Tony Santini

HAPPY

unless it was a holiday like the Fourth of July where they would catch the fireworks show at Capitolo Playground or Columbus Day at Columbus Square.

WINDOWS

Yon Teens

If dancing was your thing, then, in the words of local DJ Jerry Blavat, ‘Yon teenagers gather round; to that sound that I’m putting down’ and they did. On Friday Nights, Jerry’s very first dance was at the Dixon House at 20th & Mifflin where admission was 25 cents. On Saturday nights, you headed to Chez Vous on 69th Street and Sunday afternoons, the Wagner Ballroom at Broad & Stenton Avenue was the place to be. When Summer rolled around, you were either dancing at the Starlight Ballroom on the Wildwood Boardwalk at Oak Avenue during the week or at the Chez Disco Club in Atlantic City on the weekend. If you weren’t down the shore, you probably met your friends under the pavilion at Bellmawr Lake. If the opening riff of the Rolling Stones song, “I can’t get no satisfaction” doesn’t get you thinking about dancing at Steel Pier in Atlantic City and Ed Hurst’s live broadcast of the Steel Pier Show, you are way too young to be reading this story.

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Swimmies

Riding bikes down Suicide Hill; jumping off the rocks into Devil’s Pond; Boys Day or Girls Day at Mifflin or Vare Pools are phrases that provoke memories of other Philly summer spots from back in the day. Then again, one of the best hot spots in Philly was the street where you lived when that one neighbor who had a fire hydrant (a.k.a. fireplug) wrench turned the hydrant on so that you and your friends could all cool off under the spray of the shower. prh July / August / September 2017

“Trigiani is a comedy writer with a heart of gold.”

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| rowhome magazine | 23

PRHon the corner

SugarHouse sweetens the summer pot with ON THE CORNER with Mark Casasanto

Mavericks the

F

ull disclosure. I was always more of a cold weather guy. When it comes to going goofy over the things that make others gaga, let’s just say I’ve had to learn to live and love what most consider the joys of summer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about the shore just like the next guy and if there’s a pool involved, hell yeah... I’m belly flopping like a wayward flounder.

Honestly, though, I would much rather sit on a deck in the cool of an evening with a hoodie, cigar, a glass of wine and a hardback book. Hell, I’ve even added golf to the weekly “it’s summer dude, you’re supposed to be out doing this” repertoire. Because you know, it’s all about the relaxation. Ahem... Let me clear my throat. Anyway, that’s what it has come down to, at least for this pirate who’s just a touch past 50.

One thing I have always liked about Philadelphia is the availability of live music. DJs, please forgive me.

I admire, applaud and appreciate your talents but you’re not the magnet that will pull me from one establishment to the other. Live music, however, will. Now, listen, I’m well past the

24

club-hopping days. I didn’t enjoy that scene when I was supposed to so it’s damn sure not going to happen now.

But give me a good solid band with actual instruments and I’m all over that like a Krass Brothers suit. While the wealth of talented local bands have always been the stalwarts of the

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

club circuit from here to the shore, there are now major performance venues dotting the map for anyone in search of national touring acts.

The Mann Music Center and the BB&T Pavilion in Camden are still great places to see a show.

In fact, my son and I thoroughly enjoyed a Train concert on the other side of the river to kick-start our summer. But the hassle and cost of getting to/from in reasonable amounts of time can all but ruin the experience of a great night out.

And then... I caught a glimpse of a billboard while on the Walt Whitman Bridge that simply read The Mavericks at The Event Center at SugarHouse Casino.

The Mavericks have been around since the early ‘90s. Their music?

Three syllable word beginning with E... Eclectic! They are an amazingly talented group of seasoned musicians that effortlessly blend country and rockabilly then surround it with a Latin influence.

Think of the old Hank Williams song “Jambalaya” pumped up on

steroids. There you have it. A virtual house party that literally explodes before you with spontaneous dancing, hand clapping, foot stomping and singing way above the music.

My girlfriend and I arrived about 90 minutes prior to showtime after a 10-minute drive from her house.

That’s right, TEN flipping minutes!

I zipped into a free parking space, we had a couple of drinks at the bar, gambled a bit - some cashing, mostly trashing, but hey, it is a casino after all and it is called gambling - then we went up the escalators to the casino’s gorgeous event space. The two of us plus 998 perfect strangers singing and dancing until near exhaustion. Talk about a night to remember - wowzers!

Funny, when the casino talk in Philly emanated way back in the day, the ring-a-ding-ding of the casino floor is not what piqued my interest. That savory evening earlier this summer with my favorite band tearing it up just a guitar pick away. Yep! That’s exactly what I had in mind! prh

gohomephilly.com

PRHOn the Waterfront

Time flies when you’re

having fun!

by Wendy Hamilton SugarHouse Casino General Manager

I

t’s hard to believe it’s been a little more than a year since the ribbon cutting of SugarHouse’s $164 million expansion. Guests have experienced the best in steaks at the award-winning Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House, pulsepounding shows at The Event Center and Philly’s favorite foods in The Marketplace including Geno’s Steaks, Tacconelli’s

Pizzeria and Saxbys Coffee.

We’re now thrilled to debut Fishtown Hops, an all-new, uniquely fashioned urban beer garden. It’s a lush and cozy sanctuary along the Delaware River with local brews and craft cocktails. The river view, free parking and first-class menu make this a win-win-win – and everyone knows Philly Loves a Winner!

(More on Fishtown Hops on pg. 44)

Fishtown Hops

offers an original menu designed to complement your favorite beer.

Candied Bacon –

smoked bacon marinated in bourbon & caramelized in brown sugar

Original Philly Cheesesteak Rolls – delicious & perfect for sharing

Shrimp & Chicken Tacos –

Cajun garlic shrimp or jerk chicken

SugarHouse Casino Event Center

A packed house continues to be the norm in The Event Center with The Mavericks as the latest sellout performance. We’ll continue to mix it up and guests can look forward to the following this summer: July 21:

Golden Boys

– Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Bobby Rydell

August 5:

Kellie Pickler – American Idol alum and country music star

August 26:

September 16:

– a John Denver tribute, featuring Rick Schuler

and country star

Rocky Scotty McCreery Mountain High – American Idol Experience® season 10 winner

A summer show, coupled with your favorite beverage at Fishtown Hops is definitely a winning combination at SugarHouse Casino! prh

Paul Stolfo, Director • Marianne Stolfo, Director

The Tradition Continues the Fourth Generation

The Stolfo

Funeral Home Where Everyone is Treated Like Family 2536 So. Broad Street • Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.334.7376 July / August / September 2017

| rowhome magazine | 25

Connor Barwin

by Bryan Culver

Make the World Better

A

photos courtesy of MTWB Foundation n NFL linebacker, dilapidated playground equipment, the city’s hippest indie rock outfit - on paper at least - these individual parts don’t exactly feel like they form a cohesive whole. But then again, Connor Barwin isn’t exactly your typical NFL linebacker. When he’s not busy blitzing quarterbacks, you’ll spot him surveying the local music scene.

Through the connections he’s built within his professional and social circles – along with an eagerness to give back to

the community – he’s formed a charity with a uniquely wide appeal.

Barwin founded Make The World Better (MTWB) in 2013 shortly after signing with the Eagles. “At that point, I knew I would be in Philly for a while and knew right away I wanted to get involved with community work,” he tells us.

The genesis behind MTWB came during Barwin’s routine bike rides to and from Lincoln Financial when he often passed Ralph Brooks Park at 20th and Tasker. It was clear to him that this popular park had not seen any capital improvements in many years.

“I saw the condition of the park and knew the kids deserved a better play area. From there, I worked with the Eagles Youth Partnership, which connected me with the Parks & Recreation Department,” he explains.

26

“Through this exchange, I also met Jeffrey Tubbs at Urban Roots, Jahmall Crandall from I.AM.SP, Councilman Kenyatta Johnson and State Rep. Jordan Harris, all of whom worked together on the revitalization process for Ralph Brooks Park.”

Barwin chose the name Make The World Better for his organization because it is a compelling and inspiring message. It also comprised the initials of his parents. “The name inspires us to ask ourselves, how can we make our communities and our neighborhoods better?”

In 2015, MTWB broke ground on its first project – completing Ralph Brooks Park at the end of that summer at a cost of about $550,000. The following summer, they saw the first phase of construction completed for Smith Playground at 24th and Jackson.

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

Construction is slated for completion this fall. Barwin says the playground will include new turf fields, green stormwater infrastructure, fitness stations, walking trail and other general site amenities. In the meantime, MTWB also is working on the Waterloo Playground Project in Philly’s West Kensington neighborhood.

For these three parks, MTWB has been able to raise close to $1 million through a combination of an annual benefit concert, Barwin’s personal match, as well as grants and corporate funding. Barwin now is gearing up for the MTWB’s 4th annual benefit show.

If you agree that Philly’s youngsters deserve access to a neighborhood playground and that a spectacular outdoor concert is the ideal way to spend the last official evening of summer 2017, then mark your calendar for September 21st. Philly’s resident soft rock maestros The War on Drugs will headline the show, kicking off an extensive world tour to promote the release of their third album, A Deeper Understanding (August 25th). The show will take place at the recently renovated Dell Music Center, ushering in a new area for the vintage

open-air amphitheater located in scenic East Fairmount Park.

“Beyond the concert itself, we will have a pre-concert VIP Meet & Greet consisting of some mingling time with current Philadelphia Eagles,” Barwin adds. Food for the VIP event will be courtesy of celebrity chef Marc Vetri.

Tickets will be sold separately for this portion of the event.

Eagles fanatics surely recognize Barwin. The former defensive end played four seasons in Philly before shipping off last year to join the newly-minted LA Rams. Yet, in many ways, his heart will always remain in Philly.

“We are eager to respond to and help fulfill Mayor Jim Kenney’s initiative, Rebuild Philadelphia, and hope that our involvement will expand beyond one park a year,” Barwin says. “I’m committed to Philadelphia [and] all of our efforts are concentrated in Philadelphia right now. We would love to expand in the future and we are open to different cities when the time is appropriate.”

If you are interested in learning more about the organization be sure to visit their website at www. mtwb.org. prh gohomephilly.com

W E L C O M E T O P H I L LY ’ S N E W

BEER GARDEN Fishtown Hops is an experience complete with a delicious food menu, craft beers, cocktails, games, live entertainment and more.

Join us for happy hour, a bite to eat with a view, or a fun night out catching up with friends.

Located on the river at SugarHouse Casino where parking is always free.

Persons under 21 are not permitted inside the casino.

FISHTOWNHOPS.COM POWE R E D BY

FREE SELF-PARKING ON DELAWARE AVE. 1 MILE NORTH OF THE BEN FRANKLIN BRIDGE

Kal Rudman

by Maria Merlino

In a class by himself

T

here is a Latin phrase that comes to mind when describing philanthropist Kal Rudman.

Sui generis. It means unique. In a class by itself.

“I’ve never been lucky or believe in coincidences. It’s not in my vocabulary. But impossible things keep happening,” he starts out when asked about his life’s work.

“I do know for sure that God, Moses and the Holy

Trinity gave me a territory – like a corporation – and wherever I go, I sign autographs. Nobody since Benjamin Franklin has done the range.”

People have been after him to write a book. To pen his life story.

It would be encyclopedic. Which is probably one of the top reasons Rudman, 87, was just selected among 1.5 million people to be spotlighted in the renowned publication Who’s Who in the World.

His list of accomplishments is as eclectic as the man himself.

Publisher of music industry magazines, WWF TV commentator, Philadelphia Walk of Fame star, Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame inductee and Person of the Year, Top 40 DJ on WCAM Camden, Today Show

28

music correspondent and music expert for The Merv Griffin Show.

Kal made his millions on his supernatural ability to predict who or what would make it in the business, primarily by predicting what records would become hits.

Among others, he put the muscle behind Bruce Springsteen’s career, advising him how to write hit songs. “I was about 95 percent right. I’m human,” he grins.

His hero is Simon Guggenheim, a late 19th century Philadelphia businessman and philanthropist. “As soon as he had money, he gave it away.” Rudman has donated to numerous organizations throughout his lifetime. He and his wife of 59 years, Lucille, created the Kal and

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

Lucille Rudman Foundation, which focuses much of its attention on education and public safety.

“Sister Paula [Beierschmitt, IHM], the artist, needed a security door for her Sacred Arts Academy and I bought it for her,” he reminds me. He’s helped dogs and horses and also acquired them for many police departments. He’s donated equipment, both hardware and software. He donates scholarships and pays for tuitions. When a monument is needed, Kal pitches in. He was named Honorary Philadelphia Fire Commissioner and Honorary Deputy Police Commissioner. He has a plaque on the Walk of Fame and countless trophies and gold records. Drexel, Temple, Holy Family College, University of the Arts, Children’s Hospital and St. Christopher’s are just some of the institutions that have benefitted from his generosity. And he is determined to find the next generation of doctors, having expanding his longstanding mission this summer into South Jersey.

Longtime friend Jimmy Tayoun

waxed, “When he leaves, there will be no other. If people needed something, he came up with the money. He even bought bulletproof vests for the police K-9s.

Their dog training school is named after him. He’s funded educational programs to get hundreds of kids working hands-on to become doctors, nurses and technicians. When we were having problems with the Christmas Crèche in town, Kal used his resources to re-locate it and when vandals broke the Baby Jesus, he had it repaired and provided security. Many times he flies under the radar with all he does.

He’s a Johnny Appleseed. All his planted money benefited the people of Philadelphia and New Jersey of all races and creeds.”

What’s he been up to lately?

Kal is busy with a new project with Rowan University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine called RAISE. It is a tuition-free sixweek summer science enrichment program for 25 high-achieving high school students. Why does he do it? “Because I can.” prh

gohomephilly.com

PRHSalute to Service

this Scrabble Coach is a

H-E-R-O

FBI

J

“He always told me that the game would change my life.

And it did”

“We Rid Your Pests So You Can Rest”

20th St. & Moyamensing Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19145

Weddings Funeral Lunches and more!

by Dominique Verrecchio Green had to correspond with the directors to get the child into the tournament. They finally approved the 3rd grader to play with a 6th grader. The team came in 3rd place over 32 other teams. “It was incredible. [That child] is going to be one of the greatest Scrabble players ever,” Green says.

Green’s greatest influence is Matthew Hopkins, a 71-year-old street dancer in Philadelphia. He met Hopkins in a Scrabble club when he first came home from prison in 1991.

“He always told me that the game would change my life. And it did,” Green says. He says he reminded him that he could be the person he wanted to be if he put forth his best.

“I was gonna’ be a great man.

That’s what he told me. And now, 24 years later, I am a great man,” Green smiles. “Back then, I would have never seen that happening. He’s still in my life and I talk to him all the time.”

Green has some advice for anyone looking to take up Scrabble. “If you want to get involved, you have to be willing to have patience and a mind that’s ready to grasp and learn.”

“But above all, you have to remember that you want to have fun, fun, fun,” he says. “Scrabble and the kids of Philly rock.”

By the way, the largest word he ever played in Scrabble is Quixotry - a wild visionary ideal. prh

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Philly

ohn Green is a Scrabble coach. That’s how he got his nickname, “Johnny Scrabble.” He gets local kids off the streets and into classrooms and libraries to teach them the ins and outs of the game until they are ready to compete. His work has not gone unnoticed.

Green was the recent recipient of the 2017 Mayor’s Heroes Award – an honor that has left him “on top of the world!”

Green said his love for Scrabble evolved during a dark point in his life – the 24 years he spent in prison.

To pass the time, he played Scrabble. Every day. “The game gave me a purpose,” he says.

“In most games, you have partners - sporting teams and everything else. You have to depend on someone else so that you could actually be good at it,” Green says. “With Scrabble, it’s just you and one other person. One on one. And you just do your thing. You depend on yourself and your knowledge.” Green says he always loved words and reading in school. “So I put that knowledge towards something positive. It turned out to be the best game ever.”

Teaching children how to play Scrabble helps with their social skills, Green says. They learn how to interact and become compatible with other children. It is also helping them form critical thinking skills.

“Scrabble helps with real life,” Green tells me. “You have to be patient, have focus, have a goal and move towards that goal. You have obstacles sometimes and you have to get past that with the intelligence and the drive to continue on and keep playing. You have to deal with failure or defeat or whatever comes your way.”

Green coaches Scrabble all over the city. His main school, however, is Howe Middle School in the Olney section of Philadelphia. To be in his club, he says you have to want to be in the club. “You have to be dedicated, on time and serious” to reach the goal he sets for his kids. To be champions.

He has plenty of Scrabble stories to share. He picks the one about a third grader from McCall School.

The child was so focused on the game and wanted to play in the nationals in the 4th to 8th grade division.

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| rowhome magazine | 29

July / August / September 2017

F “I was a freshman and always tried to get the DJ to let me put some records on the table”

30

ate reached out to Bob Pantano on Christmas Day in 1952.

He smiles his way through the memory of opening a present to find a record player with a microphone attached to it. Long before Bandstand mesmerized a new audience of music fans, Pantano was composing his own life’s soundtrack.

“I was two years old. I would sit in front of the television and play my 45s,” he starts. “That record player made a big impression on me. I liked to sit on the floor and play DJ.”

In addition to an ear for music, Pantano remembers having pretty decent verbal skills at a very young age. “I was a baby, but I talked,” he laughs. “Who knows what would have happened if my parents gave me a stethoscope. I might have been a doctor.”

The record player his parents gave him that Christmas morning set his wheels in motion. It’s a memory he will never forget. “When I made Person of the Year at the Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the photo montage had a picture of me with that gift and I was holding the mic.”

Quiet and studious in Bishop John Neumann High School, Bob Pantano graduated fifth in the class of 1967. With his 50th reunion coming up, he is quick to recall the popular Saturday night dances held in the gym back in the day.

“I was a freshman and always tried to get the DJ to let me put some records on the table,” he shares. “Back in those days, there were no turntables. Just a record changer with a 45 adapter. One song would play and then the next would drop down.”

Pantano said he’d slip into the record room and pick out some songs for the lineup. He says he felt comfortable there. Like it was something he was meant to do. “I would be sitting on the bleachers at the dance talking to the priest next to me. ‘I’m going to do this.

I’m going to be the guy doing these dances here,’ I’d tell him.”

Two years later, he booked his first Bob Pantano Record Hop. It was a Turkey Trot and he hired Purple Reign as his live act. “That was our first job.

After all these years, we still work together. That’s 48 years!”

Fate stepped in once again the day Pantano met famed WFIL boss jock George Michael at a Neumann-Southern game.

“If you want to be a DJ, hang out with DJs,” he says with a matter-of-fact grin.

“I told him ‘I’m going to be a DJ and I’m going to last longer than you!’”

Michael must have been impressed because he put him on the radio doing a teenage night spot.

“I was a senior in high school. If you see my yearbook in 1967, I signed it with Bob Pantano WFIL. It’s a South Philly thing. That’s how I started. Now

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

it’s flowing. I’m 17 years old. I walked down the halls of Neumann and everybody heard me in the room. I was on the number one radio station. WFIL Famous 56 in 1967. Wibbage [WIBG] was going downhill but FIL was the king.

Now I’m ready to pursue it. My dream.”

Pantano received scholarship offers from a few universities including LaSalle and St. Joseph’s in his senior year at Neumann. He picked Temple University with no scholarship because it had a good school of broadcast communication.

Leaving the neighborhood nest for a school the size of Temple was a drastic culture shift for him. “Now I’m meeting people from all over the country pursuing a career in broadcasting, theatre and TV. Now I have to compete with people who want to be professionals like me.”

And so it began By the time he was a senior at Temple, Bob Pantano was working at WCAM in Camden, doing whatever odd jobs they needed him to do. The Record Hops of the 60s were noticeably transitioning to something new – something different – by the early 1970s. The teens were turning 21 and looking for chic. Nightclubs arrived on the scene along with the Bob Pantano Dance Party.

Opportunity knocks His first big opportunity came knocking in the summer of 1973 at Phil & Eddie’s Surf Club in Wildwood. Pantano hosted a show called Bandstand 73-74 with the Sacca Twins to sellout crowds every night of the week. He also hosted his Record Hop every afternoon from 2-6. He remembers what it was like seeing his name in lights for the first time on the club’s billboard on Atlantic Avenue.

“It was fascinating. I worked seven nights and six afternoons,” he says.

“Today, I go over the bridge and see a big billboard with my name, I sometimes drive back and forth to see if it’s real! I still work the hours. I’m old school. We work. You do what you have to do. If you want to get ahead, you work hard. If you want to be number one, you work twice as hard.”

The work ethic He started out selling newspapers and working in neighborhood bingo halls

when he was nine years old. Like any good entrepreneur, Pantano was on a mission to make his own money. “I didn’t want my parents’ money. I wanted my own money. When I bought my first brand new car, it was with my money. My parents would give me anything I wanted but I wanted to make it on my own.” Even as a Temple student, Pantano worked a full-time job at the post office – sometimes 50-60 hours a week – as well as his Record Hops. “I was in it to win it with a great work ethic.”

His life His career is marked with exciting highlights including the introduction of the first discotheque – The Mansion – in the summer of ‘76.

When it came to music, the biggest game-changer of the era happened in 1977 when Saturday Night Fever exploded on the big screen and overflowed into packed nightclubs of New York before hitting the mainstream.

The Disco Era officially arrived and Pantano caught the fever.

“When that movie came out, it defined me. It defined my future. Every other DJ had a niche. This was mine.

My claim to fame. I grew with it from the beginning so I became the King DJ of the disco.”

Pantano took his disco music with him to WOGL-98.1 and 40 years later, The Saturday Night Dance Party – the first and longest running dance party in the country – is rocking out to its 4th generation of fans. And Pantano continues to collect kudos and accolades for following his dream to the DJ booth. Temple Hall of Fame, Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame, a star on the Wildwood Walk of Fame, a star on the Broad Street Hall of Fame. His show is number one in every demographic – ages 25-54 – and with the addition of songs from the ’80s and ’90s, he keeps his music moving forward.

“As long as it’s great dance music, we’ll play it. Even if it’s current. Adults want to be young.”

Pantano should know. He still works five to six nights a week to a packed house. “Music is an escape from your everyday trials and tribulations. What’s better than meeting friends and dancing?

It’s good exercise. From 21 to 90, there is no limit. It’s all about the music.” prh On October 4th 2017, The Philadelphia Music Alliance will place a star on the Broad Street Walk of Fame in honor of Bob Pantano. He is this year’s “Radio Row” honoree. The afternoon ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.pmawalk.org gohomephilly.com

Bob Pantano

This Disco King is Stayin’ Alive

Saturday Night Dance Party turns 40

by Maria Merlino photos by Scott Weiner

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July / August / September 2017

PRHHEALTH

More than just a yoga studio

We teach people, not poses

Enjoy a Staycation with us this summer

Covers on, Covers off

by D r. Richard Dittrich

Fun, convenient group classes & free parking First month’s unlimited class pass just $49

Specialized one-on-one Yoga Therapy for Injury Rehabilitation & Prevention

Drop-in Classes Mon-Sat Flow Heated Hatha Yoga Friday Mini-Retreats Restorative Yoga & Massage Yogapuncture

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267.592.3167

Why is Steam Coming from the COOLING TOWER? Water is used throughout the refinery to heat fluids during the refining process and to cool various production units while they perform refining functions. In some units, water temperature reaches more than 140 degrees fahrenheit.

In order to continually reuse and conserve the water, it is sent to be cooled and stored in the cooling towers.

Once in the cooling towers, hot water is cooled by an airstream that is blown at it as it enters the tower. The cooling process causes some of the water to evaporate while the major portion is cooled and stored to be reused in the refinery. The evaporated water mixes with the airstream on its way out of the cooling stacks at the top of the towers. This mixture forms the visible “cloud” over the cooling units.

The only thing coming out of he cooling tower stacks is the water in the form of STEAM and AIR that cannot be retained and reused in the refining process.

Philadelphia Energy Solutions believes in going beyond supporting the communities in which we live and work.

Through our active support of youth, culture, health, education and environmental opportunities, we strive to improve the quality of life for our employees and our neighbors.

We are focused to be the best every day.

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

S

ummer in Philly.

A time for less clothing and more you. Are you ready for this new season? Or do you want to hibernate until fall? Are life’s little problems preventing you from enjoying the lazy, hazy days?

If you are a woman who is experiencing her own “personal summer,” then the sunny months ahead can be tortuous. Hot flashes combined with hot weather make summer a miserable season.

Hot flashes are the outward signs of menopause Mom didn’t tell us about the secret symptoms of this time of life.

She probably forgot to mention that her vagina was dry and irritated all of the time. Did she tell you that sex was painful or impossible?

Maybe she forgot the irritability and the anxiety that made her seem like a stranger to her own family.

Did she confide that she leaked when she laughed or sneezed? And the night sweats – covers on, covers off, covers on again! A good night’s rest was impossible, compounding her anxiety and irritability during the day. And that belly! Just putting on a bathing suit was torture. Dieting and exercise didn’t seem to fix the fat deposit around her middle.

Menopause is caused by a decrease or absence of hormones. So fixing

the problem means restoring hormone levels to a pre-menopausal state. Mom may have been offered estrogen pills to alleviate her symptoms but the products available were unnatural – either compounded from horse urine (yes, really) or manufactured in a laboratory. A large, published study on manufactured estrogen concluded that there are many health risks associated with this type of estrogen replacement. Luckily, today, there is a natural option.

BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy has changed the way women can replace the hormones they lack. These hormones are derived from plant sources and mimic the naturally produced estrogen and testosterone. Estrogen will reduce or eliminate the hot flashes and night sweats. It also can reduce bone loss and restore elasticity to gohomephilly.com

skin. Estrogen is a natural antidepressant and mood stabilizer. Testosterone restores libido.

It also contributes to mental clarity, helps build muscle mass and contributes to muscle tone.

BioIdentical hormones are unique. Each dose is calculated based on an individual’s lab results. There is no “one dose fits all.” Tiny pellets are inserted under the numbed skin during a routine office visit. The procedure is virtually painless and you can return to your life with minimal restrictions.

Over the next 3-6 months, the pellets release a slow, steady dose of hormones into your bloodstream 24 hours a day. No worry about taking pills every day!

Testosterone Loss in Men Men experience the effects of aging just like women. Around the age of 30, men begin losing testosterone. This is called andropause. Symptoms include decreased libido, difficulty maintaining (or obtaining) an erection, weight gain, muscle loss and low energy levels. BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can eliminate these annoying, life altering symptoms. Dosing is individually based on lab work. The insertion technique is similar to the one for women. Relief lasts 3-6 months and the benefits can be life changing.

Vaginal Laser Therapy Some women do not experience the vaso-motor (hot flashes, night sweats) aspect of menopause but still suffer from vaginal discomfort. Other women are hesitant to use hormones because of underlying medical conditions such as estrogen-based cancer. These women live with uncomfortable vaginal dryness and urinary leakage. There is an alternate therapy that can help. Vaginal Laser Therapy is a new treatment that can reverse vaginal signs of aging, including urinary leakage (stress incontinence). It also can increase vaginal tone, making intercourse fun again. It can correct vaginal atrophy, alleviating dryness and discomfort. Vaginal laser is a treatment that is done in the office. The laser stimulates your body to rejuvenate itself.

It targets both the outer and inner layers of the vaginal mucosa and restores the metabolism of the connective tissue. The vaginal tissue becomes thicker and softer. The natural pH of the vagina is restored, lubricating the tissue. Sex becomes enjoyable; bladder leaking is reduced or completely eliminated. The laser treatment can be done in 20 minutes without incisions or downtime. A woman can leave the office and return to her busy life.

BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Vaginal Laser Therapy are two of the many services offered at The Professional Aesthetics and Wellness Center. Our staff is available five days a week. Stop in.

Pick up a few brochures and decide which of our services will help you enjoy your summer to the fullest. prh Serving patients for more than 30 years, Dr. Richard Dittrich has offices conveniently located in South Philadelphia at 1313 Wolf Street - 215.465.3000 - and in Voorhees, NJ - 856.435.9090.

New patients are welcome!

WHAT'S HER SECRET?

Reversing the Symptoms of Vaginal Dryness, Laxity & Leakage Juliet™ Laser for Vaginal Rejuvenation • Restores moisture, lubrication & elasticity • Tightens the internal vaginal walls • Reduces bladder leakage

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| rowhome magazine | 33

July / August / September 2017

PRHHEALTH

Michael’s Giving H.A.N.D. Don’t suffer in Silence

by Moriah Kelley In July of 2016, a brother, a son and a best friend died. Michael Donatucci, CFA, lost his battle with depression just a few days before his 31st birthday. Although the time he spent on this earth was cut short, Michael’s innate ability to connect with countless people during those 31 years is truly remarkable. Michael’s giving nature enabled him to form solid relationships with family, friends and colleagues. His compassion and willingness to help so many people throughout his lifetime was the reason his family created Michael’s Giving H.A.N.D. in his memory. The foundation’s main goal is to focus attention on anxiety and depression in adolescents – helping teens, parents, teachers and counselors better understand the early warning signs of anxiety and depression and help them handle these conditions.

The topics of anxiety and depression can be uncomfortable to discuss with friends and family. Not being sure of what to say or how to help often leave loved ones silent. If the person experiencing the depression and anxiety remains silent, as well, a vicious cycle tends to form. As someone who personally faces depression and anxiety, any attempt by loved ones to open up dialogue means the world.

Talk about It If you notice a change in a loved one’s normal behavior, the uncomfortable first step of talking about it will most likely lead to a deeper conversation and help their anxiety and depression in the long run. This is especially true with teenagers. Social and school pressures can lead to increased anxiety and depression.

More often than not, the feelings are pushed aside or ignored completely, which only worsens the effects.

Michael’s Giving H.A.N.D. recently hosted its 2nd annual Michael’s Summer Golf Classic. All proceeds benefit the Michael P. Donatucci Foundation to help establish education, awareness and assistance programs for young teens confronting anxiety and depression.

Visit www.michaelsgivinghand.org for more information and resources to help you talk to someone you love. prh

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

PRHHEALTH

First Aid for

Eye Injuries Courtesy of Wills Eye Hospital willseye.org Even just a minor injury to the eye can cause serious, lifelong damage. For example, bleeding within the eye, caused by an eye injury, can result in glaucoma later in life. Eye injuries can cause loss of vision or complete loss of an eye. Immediate first aid treatment is necessary in the event of an eye injury.

Specks in the Eye w Do not rub the eye

Cuts, punctures, foreign objects in the Eye

Chemical Burns

Blows to the Eye w Seek immediate medical attention if…

w Do not use tweezers or other sharp objects to remove the speck. A clean cotton swab to the white of the eye or lid is okay

w Do not wash out the eye

w Immediately flush the eye with cool water

w Do not try to remove a foreign object stuck in the eye

w Open the eyelids as wide as possible

w An individual has a red eye

w Flush the eye with large amounts of water

w Try to avoid rubbing the eye w Seek immediate medical attention

w Continue flushing for at least 15 minutes

w Will not open the lids

w See a doctor if the speck does not wash out

w Complains of eye pain w Has blurry vision

w Seek immediate medical attention

w The eye looks different from the other eye

Wills Eye Hospital is the oldest continually operating eye-care facility in the United States.

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Philadelphia, PA 19148 P:215-271-4100 F:215-271-1785 www.aptphilly.com

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❚ Post-surgical rehab for knee and hip replacements, shoulder, knee, and ankle surgeries.

❚ Myofascial release and the Graston Technique

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| rowhome magazine | 35

July / August / September 2017

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30 years in the War on Addiction

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

by Rev. John Stabeno

I

ndeed one of the predominant crisis of our time, the opioid epidemic did not suddenly arise out of thin air.

The ingredients that have led to what we are experiencing now have been brewing for many years. Our tactics in fighting this battle need to be adapted.

My professional career working with those living with addictions and their families began in 1986 at St. John Neumann High School as a guidance counselor developing a program for these students under the direction of the principal, Rev. William Leonard. It was there that I was painfully made aware that there is no magic wand for making this disappear. Most people often go through a painful process of failed attempts at sobriety before being able to reach the point of desperation. This “bottom,” as it has been called, occurs when one is willing to take the suggestions of those who have walked this path before and surrenders to the process. Actively working a program of recovery is crucial.

Too often, after the initial crisis dissipates, complacency and a sense of being cured can creep into one’s faulty belief system.

This commences a relapse cycle that typically results in active use again.

When I first witnessed this cycle, I was angry and frustrated. Being told by Fr. Leonard that we don’t cure people from addictions, but rather, merely sow the seeds for when they are ready to surrender has formed my approach in both my understanding and execution of working with addicts and their families.

Having been on the front lines in this battle for more than 30 years, witnessing the many changes in the world and the treatment industry, it seems we are losing the war. Today, I need to harness new skills and acquire a deeper understanding of the issues present in this epidemic.

Passing this knowledge to you, our readers, can literally help save lives. In future issues, I will describe what I believe to be the “perfect storm” of various elements coming together that has permitted this crisis to evolve.

Sowing the seeds of recovery was the beginning of my ministry with addicts. Now I find myself in the role of weeding the playing field of misinformation that floods social media and combatting opportunists feeding off of parents’ fears for personal financial gain. I may be a priest, but mess with my people and you will see my South Philly come out! prh gohomephilly.com

Will I ever walk in

Tips from the Pros

heels again?

Courtesy of Atlantic Physical Therapy

Aptphilly.com

Getting sidelined with an injury can ruin your summer. That prescription for physical therapy may be your ticket to a speedy recovery, according to Dr. Michelle Friedman at Atlantic Physical Therapy. So don’t delay when it comes to getting yourself back on track. That might explain why many patients book multiple appointments every week with Dr. Friedman and her staff. When you feel the positive results of physical therapy, you want to stay the course.

When it comes to physical therapy clinics, some patients envision a sterile, boring environment. Places to do repetitive exercises with little improvement. Others toss their prescription for physical therapy aside, thinking it will do nothing for them or cause more pain.

What makes Atlantic Physical Therapy so different? The team takes a holistic approach to treatment and focuses on function. In-depth interviews and examinations with each patient enable staff to hone in on the goals the patient wants to achieve. Whether it’s walking in heels again or being able to work at a desk all day without neck pain, treatment is personal and it is effective. It also is accomplished with state-of-the-art techniques.

One of these techniques is Graston, a metal instrument assisted massage to the deep soft tissue and muscles. It increases flexibility and decreases pain, often in short, 15-minute treatments. Another technique – Biodex – is a training system that improves balance, stability and muscle tone. It is used to decrease the frequency of falling, especially in the elderly.

Dr. Friedman specializes in spinal, post surgical, vestibular, pelvic floor, concussion, sports medicine and orthopedic rehabilitation. Atlantic Physical Therapy creates a warm atmosphere for patients while using scientifically proven rehabilitation techniques for noticeable results.

If you are in search of a facility that offers effective physical therapy and a professional, knowledgeable staff, contact Atlantic Physical Therapy to discuss your options. prh Atlantic Physical Therapy is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network

| rowhome magazine | 37

July / August / September 2017

Real

It’s time for that bathroom remodel

Estate

Where do I begin Courtesy of PeterBUILT Construction

Start with a budget Decide on your budget and stick to it. Consider products, materials, labor and a little extra for unforeseen costs. Discussing the budget with your contractor in advance is critical when it comes to starting a project that will meet all the goals on your checklist.

Think about your project in advance The best thing you can do is make important decisions before work begins. Double sink or more floor space? Medicine cabinet or decorative mirror? Storage closet for towels? Tub, shower or both?

Your contractor can help you with important decisions but your lifestyle is a major factor when it comes to design and function.

Ask your contractor for specs

Contractor’s Spotlight

If you have a blueprint of your room – including measurements – it will make it easier to purchase the right products. From light fixtures to faucets to shelving, when it comes to sticking to your timeframe for completion, following your contractor’s specs will keep things moving forward.

Are your products in-stock or special orders?

You love your sink but the faucet you chose is a special order. This may seem trivial but if your products aren’t in stock before your job begins, it will delay completion. Your contractor will have to reschedule electricians, plumbers, painters – an important detail to consider when purchasing products.

Waiting for materials to arrive will cost you time and money. Shop

early and make sure the products you pick are on hand and intact.

Buy local Aside from supporting your neighborhood’s economy, purchasing your materials from a trusted local vendor can avoid costly delays in shipping and delivery. A visit to a local showroom with blueprints in hand will give you a firsthand view of the vendor’s selections.

And a knowledgeable sales team can answer your questions about quality products, maintenance and style. Your contractor can check measurements and make recommendations onsite.

Prep for demo day Make sure you clearly communicate expectations with your contractor before demo day arrives. How will the work crews minimize dust during construction? Will they hang plastic sheeting to keep dirt out of the bedrooms and living areas?

What can you do to help? Pack away valuables, clear out cabinets, cover furniture. Your contractor will be happy to answer these important questions including the most important – steer clear of the work area!

Look forward to the end result!

Picking the right pro for the job leads to a happy ending! Ask for references and use them. Satisfied clients are always happy to share their experiences. Questions like costs, timeframe, quality, cleanup, reliability and follow-up should impact your final decision.

PeterBUILT Construction is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

#

Team In Our Market

Center City South Team

Michael Giuda & Mario Tropea Jr., have built the Center City South Team into a top producing real estate team. Having a strong passion and drive for all aspects of real estate, Center City South Team With Keller Williams has a very impressive and accomplished resume, with an outstanding reputation. With their established and reputable career, you can trust you are in the best of hands. Their knowledge, connections and enthusiasm will ensure a seamless and successful real estate experience.

Michael Giuda Office 215-227-3333 Mobile 215-783-3697 Email Mgiuda@kw.com www.sellinginphilly.com

Mario Tropea Jr Office 215-389-2222 Fax 215-389-0337 Mobile 215-783-3698 Email mariocentercity@gmail.com

Philly Dream Homes

Real

Estate

Henck Design’s Guide to the perfect

Master

Bedroom Think beach in the bedroom

by Christina Henck We offer residential interior design Philadelphia dwellers love.

Here’s how to create a master bedroom that makes you feel relaxed, refreshed and ready to face the world.

What makes the perfect master bedroom? One that includes everything you need, of course. But what do you really need in the bedroom?

The master bedroom’s most obvious use is sleep. It is where we rest our heads at night after a long day at work or where we go when we need a quick power nap to recharge our batteries.

Here are a few ways to create a restful and stylish sanctuary.

Power Down.

According to Arianna Huffington, bedtime should be used to disconnect from our devices like tablets and televisions. Brightly lit screens keep our brains alert so it’s important to take time to power down. If you have a television in your bedroom, turn it off 20 minutes before you fall asleep. Find the willpower to put your phone on the bedside table so your mind can relax for the night.

Color choice.

Color has a big effect on how your bedroom makes you feel.

Soft, cool colors like light blues and greens are common choices because they’re calming. Think beach in the bedroom. Henck Design clients always consider that a helpful tip.

Symmetry Symmetry promotes balance and peace, which provides peace of mind and creates a restful space. A symmetrical space also allows for easy styling. Keep it simple and keep your bedding light and airy for a fresh, clean feeling.

At Henck Design, we’re all about updating residential interiors in Philadelphia with new furniture and home accessories. From pendants to patterned rugs, we love maximizing spaces with pieces that provide both form and function to our clients’ homes.

Henck Design LLC is based in the Graduate Hospital area of the city and specializes in working with custom homebuilders on material selections and overall design in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. We customize homes with furniture, rugs, lighting, as well as wallpapers and custom cabinetry design.

Designing for you

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| rowhome magazine |July / August / September 2017

Christina Henck, Henck Design Henckdesign.com gohomephilly.com

De Fino Law Associates, P.C.

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Attorney at Law Attorney at Law

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Canale Moving the mortgage industry forward

m

o

v

e

m

e

n

t

.

c

o

m

by Joei DeCarlo

w w w. d e f i n o l aw y e r s . c o m

Retirement

Mark

| rowhome magazine |July / August / September 2017

When most people think of mortgages, feelings of stress and intimidation come to mind. Mark Canale at Movement Mortgage is changing the way buyers view mortgages. As a loan officer, Canale forms and maintains relationships with buyers and prides himself on building relationships through every stage of the buying process.

“My goal in business is to be a trusted advisor for anything and everything surrounding the real estate transaction process. Whether this be helping a client with insurance or connecting with a real estate agent,” Canale explains. “I want the client to be able to lean on me for guidance. My team and I know what it takes to close on time, every time. We are there from beginning to end.”

Canale is proud to say that he has exceeded this business goal – helping numerous individuals not only with their mortgages, but also serving as a source of guidance. He enjoys educating buyers and helping them through the process.

Rather than focusing on transactions, Canale says he focuses on the relationships he builds with his clients. He attributes his success to his candor and transparency.

“Buyers can look to me for honesty and guidance during the process,” he says. “Although I may not always tell a client what they want to hear, I am always prepared to get them where they would like to be.” This openness is helpful during the buying process, especially when determining what options will work for each unique situation.

Canale is certainly leading a movement in the real estate industry. Buying a home is one of the most important events of a lifetime. Thanks to his communication skills and dedication, the mortgage process becomes stress-free. When asked what he loves most about his job, Canale says that he enjoys being an integral part of the buying experience as he guides them in the right direction. He gives every client his cell phone number and makes sure he is available from start to finish.

Mark Canale, Movement Mortgage, is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network. gohomephilly.com

The Birthplace of Freedom

Still Has a King.

9th & Passyunk Avenue

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

What I did on my

Philly Staycation

by Brenda Hillegas

photo by Spencer Starnes

With a walk score of 79% (the 5th most walkable city in the U.S.), Philadelphia is the perfect city for wandering. And if you’re walking around in the warmer months, chances are you’ll find yourself a few steps from a beer garden. Our city has so many of them to visit. SugarHouse Casino’s own Fishtown Hops, an all-new, uniquely fashioned urban beer garden, is one of the newest to emerge on the scene.

Beer lovers can access Fishtown Hops via the walkway along the south side of SugarHouse Casino between the porte cochere and the valet parking lot. The beer garden’s decor features distressed wood

cladding and partitions, zinc-wrapped bars and counters, cable wire railings and singlebulb pendant lighting. The landscaping accentuates the location, where guests can dine at traditional beer garden tables and lounge in Adirondack chairs by portable fire pits, all while soaking in views of the Delaware River and the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Sip on a selection of local brews and craft cocktails. Enjoy a brand-new food menu specifically created for Fishtown Hops.

Every Thursday through Sunday, enjoy live music from bands and DJs and a rotating roster of popular food trucks. Guests can also play popular

w w w

[ ❚❙ Art’s Inside-Out: Art in Unexpected Places www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions

From now through December, Inside Out brings replicas of favorite works from the Museum’s collection to neighborhoods in and around Philadelphia. Discover paintings by artists like Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol. Visit the Museum of Art’s website to download maps of exhibit locations. You can also download the Art Inside Out app, pick a neighborhood and see what’s on display where you live.

❚❙ EscapeEntertainment

www.phl.escape-entertainment.com

Not your average room escape!

This unique Center City location is designed to host large groups (think work outings or upscale parties) for a new form of entertainment. Choose between three themes - break through to the past from a portal in outer space, visit a speakeasy and attempt

.

f i s h t o w n h o p s

Oh, and parking is free

to leave as the cops arrive, or chase some escaped monkeys throughout the city. Come with a small group or every one of your friends.

Either way, you’ll be impressed by the beautiful 5,000 square foot, professionally decorated spot.

❚❙ Franklin Institute www.fi.edu

It’s not just for field trips! This summer, visit the Franklin Institute with a group of friends and try to beat the clock in a new Escape Room. Guests will be transported to an “Intergalactic Escape” or an “Island Escape” theme where clues, codes, puzzles and tasks will help your team (hopefully) escape within 60 minutes or less! Leave the kids at home during their monthly themed adult nights too. “Science After Hours” offers experiments, demonstrations, games and more for the 21 and older crowd.

Themes so far this year included speakeasy, boardwalk, Mardi Gras and the sixties. Upcoming themes

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lawn games like corn hole, shuffleboard and foosball to name a few.

The space was designed by Philly’s own Groundswell Design Group, which also was instrumental in the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation’s creation of Spruce Street Harbor Park.

Fishtown Hops’ hours of operation are Wednesday and Thursday from 4-10 p.m., Fridays from 4 p.m.-2 a.m., Saturdays from noon-2 a.m. and Sundays from noon-8 p.m. Seating accommodates approximately 150 guests with no reservations required. Happy hours with halfprice pitchers occur daily from 5-7 p.m.

c o m

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include “Don’t try this at home”, wizard school and Hollywood. Visit their website for a complete list of upcoming events and workshops.

prices (most shows are $10 or less).

The intimate, BYOB black box theater houses a handful of comedy shows nightly, varying from stand-up, sketch, improv, storytelling, local comedians, troupes from UCB NY and LA, touring acts and everything in between.

They also offer classes in improv, sketch writing and more. Visit their website for class and show schedules.

❚❙ Glen Foerd on the Delaware www.glenfoerd.org

This scenic, historic riverfront estate welcomes the public to enjoy the grounds and spectacular views of the river, free and open everyday from dawn until dusk. From their annual Jazz Age on the Delaware event to riverside concerts, members-only book clubs, a honey festival in September and daily mansion tours, this is the perfect place to relax and take in the beauty and history of Philadelphia.

❚❙ Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House www.hugosphilly.com

Located inside the SugarHouse Casino, Hugo’s dinner and lunch menus offer up a great selection of steaks and chops, as well as seafood, salads and local favorites. Delicious desserts and light bites on the bar menu also make this a great pit stop before or after a show at the casino’s Event Center. Visit their website for a complete menu and to make reservations. Live entertainment takes place on Friday and Saturday nights. As always, you get free parking and waterfront views at SugarHouse.

❚❙ Good Good Comedy Theatre

www.goodgoodcomedy.com

If you’re looking for offbeat, unique comedy, you’ll find it in Chinatown seven nights a week at very affordable

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July / August / September 2017

❚❙ The Inaugural Philly Music and Arts Fest www.phlmusicfest.com

On September 22nd and 23rd, the World Cafe Live’s two stages will host only Philly bands! In addition to music, there will be food trucks, local chefs, craft beer and visual arts from our city.

The fest founder and producer, Greg Seltzer, is launching the event as a non-profit to support and promote the musicians and artists of Philadelphia.

Proceeds will be donated to local music education charities, including WCL’s non-profit, LiveConnections. Tix are on sale now. Bands like Kississippi, Strand of Oaks, Pine Barons and so many more are scheduled to perform.

❚❙ Jack Duggan’s Pub www.jackduggans.com

If you’re flying to a hot spot this summer, drop by Jack Duggan’s Pub in Terminal A East, an airport hotspot that won a national award for Best Restaurant/Bar of the Year. South Philadelphia’s own- the late Ed Hurley - and his daughter Erin Hurley, along with Ken Adams and his daughter Tracey Adams, are owner operators of this authentic Irish Pub. Make sure you try the Shepherd’s Pie and a cold brew while waiting for your flight. Enjoy the 100-year-old wood paneling and the military memorabilia including items from South Philly’s own Band of Brothers, “Wild Bill” Guarnere and Babe Heffron.

❚❙ Kimmel Center Balcony Bar www.kimmelcenter.org

Whether you’re about to see a show or just looking for a new hangout, the Kimmel Center’s summer outdoor pop-up bar on the second tier balcony offers the best views and delicious cocktails overlooking Broad Street.

The bar also serves as a Center City Sips location Wednesdays from 5–7 p.m., but you can enjoy expanded happy hours on Wednesdays from 7–9 pm, and Thursdays and Fridays from 5–9 p.m. (weather permitting).

Guests can enjoy free WiFi, music and admission. Beer, wine, liquor and select foods by Chef Jose Garces are available for happy hour prices.

❚❙ The Lehigh Valley Just a gas tank away, the Lehigh Valley has no shortage of events if you’re looking for a day trip outside of our city. Coming up: Musikfest (August 4th to 13th), Das Awkscht Fescht

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(August 4th to 6th), Roasting Ears of Corn Festival at the Museum of Indian Culture (August 19th & 20th), the 39th Annual Wheels Of Time Rod & Custom Jamboree (August 25th to 27th), the Great Allentown Fair (August 29th to September 4th), and the Celtic Classic Highland Games and Festival (September 22nd to 24th).

❚❙ Margate

www.margatehasmore.com

“Margate Has More” including Lucy the Elephant’s 136th birthday this July 22nd. Your weekends will start early if you’re in Margate - weekly “Thrilling Thursdays” from now until the end of August include a farmers market, sidewalk sales, free beach access and movies under the stars. The Margate Memorial Lifeguard Races take place on August 4th. Come cheer on your favorite lifeguards as they compete against the best guards of the Jersey shore. Visit their website for even more events, parades and festivals throughout August and September.

❚❙ Nava Yoga

www.navayogacenter.com

Our friends at Nava Yoga stress they are more than just a yoga studio.

Located in the Navy Yard, they offer community, expertise and alignment centered instruction for the beginning student all the way to the professional athlete. Their specialty is injury prevention and rehabilitation. Check out their full schedule of classes. They also offer free parking, lockers and showers!

❚❙ Parks on Tap www.parksontap.com

Philly’s traveling beer garden partners with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Avram Hornik of FCM Hospitality to bring fresh food, wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages to 20 different parks for 20 weeks. The traveling outdoor setup includes comfy chairs and hammocks, and clean restrooms! They also offer a variety of family friendly activities and weekly programming. To thank the participating parks, a portion of all proceeds goes directly back to them. Check out the website for this year’s full schedule. Wednesdays through Sundays until October 1st.

❚❙ Penn’s Landing/Blue Cross RiverRink

www.delawareriverwaterfront.com

There’s always some form of enter-

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

tainment at Penn’s Landing and the Delaware River Waterfront. New this year at the Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest is the Midway - rotating attractions starting with a Ferris Wheel in June which was replaced by a swinging pirate boat ride (July 10th through July 23rd). The boat ride will be replaced by the Typhoon, a spinner ride, on August 15th and will remain until September 4th. Additionally, a small carousel is located next to Chickie’s & Pete’s Waterfront Crabshack through Labor Day. Play boardwalk-style games, mini-golf or go roller skating too!

❚❙ The Philadelphia Film Society www.filmadelphia.org

Movie screenings, a variety of programs and events - a film lover’s dream. In honor of their 25th year, the local non-profit is currently bringing back favorite titles from former Festival line-ups, two per month until next May. They’re free courtesy of PNC Arts Alive. Visit their website for a complete listing. If you’re interested in a screening under the stars, there are plenty to choose from in our city… but check out PFS’s Movies on the Block.

It’s a free (open to the public) program designed to support Philadelphia neighborhoods with little access to film.

❚❙ Philadelphia Distillery Trail www.phillydistillerytrail.com

Philly and the surrounding counties have plenty of distilleries to choose from if you’re in the mood for a locally crafted cocktail. But if you’re unsure where to pick up a bottle of your favorite spirit, a trip along the Philadelphia Distillery Tour will help you appreciate the art of craft distilling. From Rowhouse Spirits on Frankford Ave. to Philadelphia Distilling in Fishtown, Palmer’s Liberty Gin in Manayunk, Five Saints Distilling in Conshohocken, Boardroom Spirits in Lansdale and all the way to Thistle Finch in Lancaster, there’s no shortage of places to go and concoctions to try. View the website for a complete list and map.

❚❙ S.E.E.D. Festival www.phillyseed.com

Also located at the SugarHouse Casino, save the date for August 13th - the second annual S.E.E.D Festival (Sustainable Everyday Edibles and Drinkables) from Home Brewed Events and Eat Your PHL. The vegan craft food

and beer festival is the area’s first fully vegan food and beer festival, but it’s an inclusive and sustainable experience that everyone can enjoy! A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Humane League of Philadelphia, which works toward reducing animal suffering. Visit the website to purchase tickets and view the list of this year’s vendors.

❚❙ Stogie Joe’s Tavern www.stogiejoestavern.net

The Leuzzi family opened this casual spot at 1801 East Passyunk Avenue in 2008 so they could provide customers with home cooked meals in a friendly environment. Everything is made with love and many of the menu items have an Italian flare. Come in for some pasta dishes, salads and everything in between. We love the happy hour margaritas and Tuesday crab nights!

❚❙ Stoke’s Sports Bar 2651 S. 16th St. This good old-fashioned taproom has cheap drinks and a laid back atmosphere for an easy hang in the neighborhood. DJ Slice is in the house on Saturday Nights. Cocktails are $3.50, beers range from $3 to $4. Tell Anthony the bartender that RowHome sent you!

❚❙ Toll Man Joe’s www.tollmanjoes.com

This new spot is named after a loving man who was literally and figuratively “larger than life.” The party started when Joe Paul walked into a room and the party lives on through the sports bar/restaurant/catering hot spot that is Toll Man Joe’s. There’s something for everyone on the menu.

Try the mac and cheese eggrolls or the wings in one of their many sauces (mango salsa, jalapeno and Thai coconut curry are just a few).

❚❙ Yo’ South Philly Phestival The annual all-day festival takes place on September 10th and celebrates the unique culture of South Philadelphia. Local performers include The Business, Benny Marsella and plenty more (complete list on their ad in this issue). Food vendors will be serving up South Philly favorites, so grab a bite to eat from Galdo’s Catering or T&N Homemade Kitchen, to name a few. This year’s location is TBD so join the “Yo’ South Philly Phestival” group on Facebook to stay tuned. gohomephilly.com

T

he world-renowned Benjamin Franklin Parkway is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. Kicking off in the fall, you can start the celebration now by visiting some of the hottest spots on the Parkway. The Franklin Institute, the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Moore College of Art and Design, the Rodin Museum, Swann Memorial Fountain and the Barnes Foundation provide opportunities to learn and appreciate so much about Philadelphia.

“We have in our midst something that is just as beautiful as any of the great cities around the world,” explains Penny Balkin Bach, Executive Director & Chief Curator of the Association for Public Art (aPA).

The Parkway 100 “We Are Connected” Kickoff Festival on September 8th will serve as the official launch of the centennial celebration. More than 100 free, family-friendly activities will be held indoors and outdoors at the museums and spaces along the Parkway. You’ll be able to “pay what you wish” for inside and outside activities that include entertainment, crafts and tours. Park Towne Place will unveil a Parkway mural in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia.

To commemorate 100 years, aPA will commission two enchanting temporary public art installments that will transform the renowned space into a mystical dreamscape.

Cai Guo-Qiang: Fireflies / September 14 - October 8 Artist Cai Guo-Qiang embellishes 27 customized pedicab sculptures, affixing them with colorful clusters of lanterns evoking the mesmerizing image of - you guessed it - fireflies.

An opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 14th, as Cai Guo-Qiang orchestrates the unveiling of his fireflies in a synchronized performance. Afterwards, the pedicabs will take visitors on short excursions up and down the Parkway, from Sister Cities Park to Iroquois Park. Rides will be available free of charge, ThursdaySunday, 6 PM-10 PM. Prior to each ride, enjoy a five-minute documentary chronicling Cai Guo-Qiang’s creative journey from his native Quanzhou, China, to the final production here in Philly. Fireflies will be co-curated by Lance Fung of Fung Collaboratives with major support from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.

Winter Fountains for the Parkway / December 2017 - March 2018 Artist Jennifer Steinkamp will redefine the landscape of the Parkway by illuminating the space with five 13’x 26’ architectural domes. The domes are inspired by actual fountains that

decorate the Parkway and the designs illuminated on the domes are informed by botanical and horticultural collections featured at the Parkway’s various educational institutions.

These Winter Fountains also are designed to function in the snow, so, depending on the weather, they will produce an additional surface of ethereal illumination.

Jennifer Steinkamp’s Winter Fountains for the Parkway is commissioned by the Parkway Council with the Association for Public Art for Parkway 100 and with major support from the William Penn Foundation.

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway has inspired awe and wonder for generations. The cultural epicenter of Philadelphia, which forms the spine of Philadelphia’s Museum District, stretches from Philadelphia’s iconic City Hall to the majestic Philadelphia Museum of Art. First commissioned over a century ago by the Association for Public Art (at the time known as the Fairmount Park Association), the Parkway also is a byproduct of the City Beautiful Movement, which, prominent around the turn of the 20th century, emphasized the cultural significance of architecture, landscape and public art by incorporating those elements into modern city planning.

In recent years, the Parkway has served as a centerpiece to events such as Jay-Z’s Made in America Music Festival, the NFL Draft, as well as a historic visit from Pope Francis, which attracted more than a million visitors in September 2015.

Both Fireflies and Winter Fountains will help transform the Benjamin Franklin Parkway landscape into lavish pieces of art and introduce a rich heritage to a new generation of art enthusiasts. The installations are temporary so don’t miss your opportunity to see these once-in-a-lifetime exhibits with your own eyes! prh

hot spots Darryl Moran for Parkway Museums District

Park

way Fireflies & Winter Fountains

100

by Bryan Culver

1- Cai Guo Qiang, sketch for Fireflies, 2016.

Collection of the artist, courtesy Cai Studio 2.- Cai Guo Qiang,

proposal for Fireflies, 2016. Digital Rendering, 2 courtesy Cai Studio

1

3.- Jennifer Steinkamp,

Proposal for Winter Fountains, 2017. Digital rendering, courtesy Jennifer Steinkamp and the Association 3 for Public Art

Visit www.parkwaymuseumsdistrictphiladelphia.org, www.associationforpublicart.org and www.parkway100.org for more details throughout the summer.

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July / August / September 2017

PRHthe menu

La Colombe

by Matt Kelchner

brews an empire in Philadelphia photos courtesy of La Colombe

M

eeting up with someone in the city for coffee?

Chances are you are drinking a cup of Joe courtesy of La Colombe Coffee Roasters, the locally based company that has been making waves in the coffee world for years now. Whether at one of their many café locations or a local shop proudly serving their favorite blend, La Colombe has made its presence well known.

menu

The same could be said about any of the other cities that are part of their expansion. Friends in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles share the same enjoyment. But what if you don’t live near one of their locations? Or better yet, what if you want to indulge yourself in the comfort of your own home? That’s where La Colombe’s Draft Latte comes in. Their revolutionary cold coffee beverage delivers the frothy texture of your favorite drink in the convenience of a chilled can.

“The idea for the Draft Latte came in a singular moment when, after working in coffee for 30 years, I realized there were three ingredients to a latte – espresso, milk and vapor,” co-founder and CEO Todd Carmichael explains.

“That third ingredient was the one we wanted to concentrate on. It was the ingredient missing from all other cold lattes. The rest was all pure invention.”

We were able to catch up with the globe trekker and coffee con-

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noisseur about the breakthrough beverage (which is now the fastest growing ready-to-drink product in the country) as well as growing La Colombe in the City of Brotherly Love.

The development of the Draft Latte went through many trials and errors before the perfect recipe was created. It also included numerous trips to places like whipped cream plants and ice cream factories for research.

“I’ve always been able to tell the difference between a wall and a hurdle. Having said that, countless people told me it would be impossible,” Carmichael says.

Without getting into too many details, it took some tinkering with nitrogen, nitrous oxide, milk and coffee until Carmichael was able to prove the doubters wrong. All the while using wholesome ingredients without any added sugar.

Fast forward a few years to today and the Draft Latte can be found in places all over the country, from cafés and coffee shops to Whole Foods and Target. With a number of flavors like Vanilla and

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

Mocha drafts to go along with the original, La Colombe has already announced more are on the way. When asked how far he plans on taking his revolution of turning hot drinks into portable, cool ones, Carmichael simply responds, “How far? However far it takes to change the world.”

Before La Colombe could conquer the can, they had to conquer the café. And before that, they had their sights set on the restaurant. In the very early years of La Colombe, Carmichael and fellow co-founder and current President JP Iberti wanted to give coffee a life of its own.

Back then, bland, instant coffees reigned supreme and the two wanted to change that. “We wanted to give great coffee an identity.”

To do so, they took an unexpected route to reach out to people outside of their homes. “We felt like starting at the table – the restaurant table – was a great place.”

They did not want to settle for just any restaurants, though. At the time, the building blocks of Philadelphia’s now well-known and respected culinary scene were being stacked. “When JP and I first visited Philly at the end of 1993, there were a lot of things we noticed and realized the biggest one to us was that Philadelphia was on the verge of a restaurant revolution and we wanted to be a part of that.”

Getting into kitchens to help convince chefs like Georges Perrier and restaurateurs like Stephen Starr was no easy task. Not only did the gamble pay off, it also helped shape La Colombe.

“This is where you really learn how to serve other people.” It was in these cutthroat cooking environments where Carmichael and Iberti gleaned many lessons that they would later incorporate in their own locations.

“We opened our first café back in 1994,” Carmichael recounts.

“From the beginning, we knew we wanted to change the world by making people happy with coffee, taking it one farm, one bean, one can and one home at a time.” After careful consideration, that location wound up being their current café just off Rittenhouse Square.

To this day, Philadelphia remains an integral part of La Colombe.

The company’s flagship location is situated in the heart of Fishtown.

When new products like the Draft Latte are first introduced, they are done so in the greater metro area to help give it that unique characteristic of being a Philly brand.

Don’t expect any of that to change any time soon either.

“This city is home. It’s who we are and where we come from.

In many ways, JP and I consider Philadelphia one of the founding partners and that sort of thing, you don’t leave behind.” prh gohomephilly.com

Frank E. Olivieri, Founder

A special program designed to educate, inform and demonstrate healthy eating habits and nutrition in schools and to school aged children through artistic and cooking expressions.

S p r e a d t h e W h i z . o r g

1301 E. Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa.19147

PRHthe menu This dish is a specialty of Romagna, Italy, which is famous for its grilled foods. The aroma of succulent meats sizzling over a wood fire is common in the countryside.

Recreate this dish in a backyard barbeque.

Ingredients chopped fresh rosemary ➜ ( 6) 8-ounce veal rib chops (3/4-1 inch thick) ➜2 large garlic cloves, minced ➜5 tablespoons extra➜1 /2 teaspoon salt virgin olive oil ➜1 /2 teaspoon ground ➜1 /4 cup dry white wine black pepper ➜2 tablespoons lemon juice ➜ F resh Rosemary sprigs ➜1 1/2 tablespoons

Courtesy of Lombardi’s Prime Meats

Grilled Veal Chops

Directions Combine oil, wine, lemon juice, chopped rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Wisk until combined. Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add veal chops to dish and turn to coat with mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 4 hours, turning veal occasionally.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Remove veal from dish and let excess mixture drip off. Season veal with salt and pepper. Lightly oil grill.

Grill or broil veal to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Transfer to platter. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve.

with Rosemary w w w . l o m b a r d i m e at s . c o m

PRH Suggested Wine Pairing by Vincent Novello Pinot Society ~ Pino Noir $14 Lombardi’s Prime Meats is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

Meet me at the Penrose

PENROSE DINER 20th & Penrose Avenue Philadelphia, Pa.

215.465.1097 Open 7 days S-Th: 6 am to midnight F&S: 24 hours

Food for thought 50

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

S E RV I N G B R E A K F A S T, L U N C H & D I N N E R

gohomephilly.com

3120 S 20th St Phila, PA 19145 215.755.7180

PRHthe menu

SINCE 1993

A sweet treat on

Ritner

Monday-Thursday 11AM-9PM Friday & Saturday 11AM-11PM Sunday 12PM-9PM Al Fresco dining is back for spring and summer!

Live entertainment ever y Friday & Saturday night Happy Hour Monday through Friday 4:30-6:30PM

www.popisrestaurant.com

Street

by Debbie Russino

K

ay Kay’s Cakes has arrived on the scene and just in time for summer! This quaint and charming eatery is a welcomed addition to a neighborhood that appreciates hot coffee, fresh homemade pastries and beautiful custom cakes decorated in every color under the sun.

Small neighborhood businesses

are the heart and soul of our city and will always be the signature that sets us apart from the rest. Pull up a chair at this corner cafe at 19th and Ritner and Kaylan Kahana, the originator of Kay Kay’s Cakes is happy to fill you in on her latest collaboration with Tom Deeney and Michael Tuono, owners of T&N Homemade Kitchen, who will oversee Café Jeet next door.

DR: What was your inspiration behind Kay Kay’s Cakes?

Do you get many orders for special occasions?

KK: After graduating from college, on the hunt for a job, I began teaching myself to bake from scratch and work with fondant. My uncle was getting married and having a small reception. To my delight, he asked me to make the wedding cake and I was very honored to do so.

What started out as a hobby soon became my passion. With that said, I started a Facebook page displaying some of my work. Soon after, the orders came flooding in and this is where my journey would begin.

KK: Every morning, we serve fresh donuts, muffins, bagels, cinnamon buns, croissants and Danish. In addition, we have Italian cookies, New York style cheesecake and everyone’s favorite, peaches [Italian Peach Pastries].

When it comes to special occasions, we get many requests for birthdays, weddings, graduations, showers and much more.

DR: What types of pastries do you offer?

KK: One day our friend and neighbor, Nick Foschini of

DR: How did you decide upon the location of your store?

Foschini Masonry, approached us to ask if we would be interested in using his building to open our store.

We readily accepted the offer. Nick and his crew rehabbed the vacant space and created this cheerful neighborhood cafe.

DR: Any personal thoughts about this new venture?

KK: I am so profoundly grateful to have the support of not only my neighbors, but also from people from all over the city. We truly pour our heart and soul into what we do and it is a beautiful feeling to have so many people enjoy and appreciate our products.

Kay Kay’s Cakes & Café Jeet are members of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

Summer Hot Spot

T&N Kitchen & JEET Food Truck

tnhomekitchen.com

by Lou Pinto

A

nyone who’s ever eaten at T&N Homemade Kitchen knows it’s not your average sandwich shop. Founded in 1980 by Tony Tuomo and Nick Marandola, the duo opened the original T&N Sandwich Shoppe at 5th & Porter.

Four years later, they added a second shop at 1820 W. Moyamensing Avenue. The Porter Street location closed in 2006 and in 2012, Tuomo’s son Michael took over the business along with Chef Tom Deeney.

Tuomo and Deeney cooked up a thriving catering business to go along with their popular hot spot and changed the name to T&N Homemade Kitchen. Why? Because that’s where everything on their homemade menu gets its start. In their own kitchen. From tacos to tater tots, BLTs to pita pizzas, there’s something for everyone on this tasty list – breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Their latest project – the JEET? Mobile – hit the road in 2014. “Jeet” is South Philly slang for “Did you eat?”

You probably caught a glimpse of the The Frankie Five Stents An 8 oz. angus burger topped with fried panko battered onion rings, fried bacon, pickles, cherry peppers and tomatoes accented with fried beer battered mozzarella wedges and sandwiched between a fried battered Italian hoagie.

familiar truck at a local festival or outdoor event in neighborhoods throughout the City. They recently fed the fans at the NFL Draft and stand ready to cater your party at your location.

“T&N is Michael and Tommy and all the great people who work or have worked for us,” Michael Tuomo says of his business. “Our customers, new and old, are family! With 37 years and still growing, we have taken a great South Philly mom and pop and breathed new life into it.”

Michael and Tommy have taken T&N to new horizons with their catering JEET? truck and most recently opened the doors of their second brick and mortar café/bakery – Kay Kay’s Bakery & Jeet Café. Tuomo says they want to branch out and share their love of food and service with as many people as possible.

“We’ll keep spreading the JEET? as far as it will take us,” he says.

T&N’s menu is unlike any other.

That’s why it has been a local hot spot for 37 years.

Da’ Bomb (Omelet Stuffed Pancake) Bacon, egg and cheese omelet stuffed inside a giant pancake served with syrup.

Phried Hoagie Your choice of hoagie, dipped into a ginger ale Tempura batter, deep fried and served with a Romulan sauce.

So…JEET? No, did you?

T&N Homemade Kitchen & JEET? Mobile are members of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

July / August / September 2017

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PERSONALLY DESIGNED CAKES FOR ALL OCCASIONS

Italian Specialty Foods to Go • Chicken Cutlets • Artisan Pizzas • Eggplant Cutlets • Chef Tommy’s • Meatballs Famous Crab • Roast Pork Cakes • Sauces Cafe Jeet? featuring Kay Kay’s Cakes 1850 Ritner St. • Phila., Pa 19145 267-319-1034 (store) kaylyn@cafejeet.com www.cafejeet.com

BOOK THE JEET? MOBILE FOR ALL YOUR UPCOMING CATERING NEEDS!

+ Graduations + Tailgates

+ Serenades + and more …

T&N Homemade Kitchen Home of the Jeet? Mobile 1820 W. Moyamensing Ave. Phila., Pa 19145 267-767-0073 (cell) 215-462-1095 (phone-store) 215-462-7090 (fax) Michael@tnhomemadekitchen.com www.tnhomemadekitchen.com

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PRHthe menu

From garage to Gastropub

Chick’s

by Maria Merlino photos by Rita Collazzo

serves up culinary comfort

c h i c k s p h i l ly . c o m

T

he newest hotspot for foodies in search of culinary delights at a reasonable price is Chick’s at 18th and Washington Avenue. The new gastropub serves high-end beer, fabulous cocktails and unique, creative dishes that have the locals buzzing since its recent grand opening.

“We’ve been working on this for two years,” says Philip Narducci who, along with his wife Gina Cedrone, turned a 4,000 square-foot industrial space into an exciting destination – brunch, lunch & dinner – for anyone in search of fabulous food and fine spirits. “Gina retired from The String Theory School and needed something to do,” he laughs.

If you’re looking for a typical neighborhood grill kind of place, keep looking. But if you want a higher standard of food than you’ll find at your usual watering hole, then Chick’s is the place to be with its industrial feel, a logo of their pooch (a Dogo Argentino named Amigo), and homage to his dad Frank “Chickie” Narducci.

On the pizza side of Chick’s kitchen, you’ll find a rare female pizzaiola, Jennifer Choplin, whose gourmet pies like the truffle shuffle (mushrooms, mozzarella, fontina, pecorino tartufo, fried sage) and the big rock (tomato, fior di latte, provolone, sweet Italian sausage & basil) are turning heads. Choplin, a graduate of the Culinary School at Walnut Hill College, honed her craft at many fine restaurants and lives up to her motto, “peace and pizza.”

“The pizza community here is close knit,” she shares. “I’m navigating the choppy waters of a traditionally male

dominated industry. Here, I have the opportunity to turn my talent into a wonderful product made in a deck oven that can be enjoyed by every pizza lover in town.”

On the other side of the kitchen is Fred Ryan, a Boston transplant whose education includes French training at LaCroix. “This is a unique gastropub with 24 craft beers. It’s a café, a graband-go and a pizzeria. I’ve elevated comfort food. This is a scratch kitchen, meaning 90 percent of all the food is made in-house including the dressings. Our chicken is organic.”

Gina and Philip are proud of their new baby. “Our comfort foods include meatloaf and shrimp in grits.

I’ll tell you how fresh our food is—we don’t have a freezer, just a walk-in box. Our chef Fred said no frozen food at all. He’s an angel to us. And Jennifer, there is none better.”

Don’t leave without trying…

Salmon BLT (pepper bacon, romaine, tomato, mayo, Texas Toast) Pho Mussels (lemongrass beef broth, bean sprouts, Thai basil, jalapeno, sriracha butter) Bananas Foster Waffles (pecan Belgium waffles, dark rum, vanilla ice cream, pure maple syrup) Eastbound & Down (This Happy Hour favorite is a summer refresher! Gin, citrus, mint, cucumber & club soda) Chick’s is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network. gohomephilly.com

PRH Brides Guide

S

ummer is finally here! I hope you enjoy the long days and weekends away with your loved ones. As all of you regular Brides Guide readers know, I love to share stories from real Cescaphe brides and grooms. This season, I’m thrilled to share with you the beautiful wedding of Danielle Di Sipio and Roberto Bonomo, who were married at the Down Town Club on Sunday, April 23, 2017.

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with the new Mrs. Bonomo to hear all about her and Roberto’s love story and the love that went into their very own Cescaphe Wedding.

Joe Volpe: How did you meet?

Danielle Bonomo: We met in the most romantic way…

Facebook. I asked about him through a mutual friend and we then arranged to meet each other at Chickie’s & Pete’s.

JV: How did the proposal happen?

The Down Town Club Gives this wedding its Parisian flair by Joe Volpe

DB: At his apartment. It was my birthday weekend. We went to New York the next day to celebrate my birthday and our engagement.

JV: Why did you choose a Cescaphe Wedding?

DB: I have been a guest at Cescaphe weddings and found the quality and quantity of their food very impressive.

I also knew they would take care of everything for me so it lessened the burden of wedding planning and made things easy.

I also loved the Down Town Club’s ballroom with its white wall moldings and long windows, which allow for a great view of the city. The ballroom is modern and chic but also adds an old-world Parisian vibe that suited my personal style and love for all things French.

JV: Why did you choose a Sunday wedding?

DB: I wasn’t all that particular

about which day to have my wedding on. Cescaphe books up quickly, especially the Down Town Club, so they only had Friday and Sunday nights left. I chose Sunday because it seemed more relaxed and I didn’t want people having to rush out of work on a Friday night. Plus, I like to be different.

JV: What was your favorite part about wedding planning?

DB: When I first started wedding planning, I imagined shopping for a wedding dress would be my favorite part. How-

ever, I found that very stressful and much harder than I thought it would be. I enjoyed the planning of my flowers and table settings with Noel at Beautiful Blooms. I found that to be the most fun and relaxing part of wedding planning.

JV: What was your favorite part of your wedding?

DB: My favorite part was the last hour or so of the reception. All the formalities were over, I had my husband and I just looked around the ballroom, which was a culmination

of all my planning, and I felt grateful, relaxed and ready for the honeymoon!

way to have a wedding. As a bride, many people will consistently interject their opinions on what they think you should or should not be doing. I know they are just trying to help but some-

JV: What did you do to make your wedding day extra special?

DB: I was determined to find and wear a long sleeve wedding dress so I could pretend I was Kate Middleton and/ or Grace Kelly all day.

times too many opinions can become stressful and make wedding planning not so fun. Don’t take anything too seriously and do what is best for you (and your future husband of course).

by Joseph Volpe, Cescaphe Event Group

JV: What advice would you give to future brides and grooms?

DB: I don’t believe that there is any right or wrong

Cescaphe is a member of the PRH Business Network.

Ever keeping his eyes focused on the latest wedding trends, Cescaphe Event Group CEO/Chef Joseph Volpe is recognized as the area’s leading authority on ballroom bliss. With his innovative approach to the most important celebration of your life, his awardwinning Cescaphe Ballroom, The Atrium at Curtis Center, Tendenza, Vie, The Down Town Club and The Water Works combine a captivating ambiance with exquisite cuisine for an unforgettable experience. Visit cescaphe.com or call 215.238.5750.

photos by Tyler Boye Photography VENDOR CREDITS Cescaphe Venue: Down Town Club

Florist: Beautiful Blooms

DJ: DJ Johnny Looch

Invitations & Stationery: Sealed with a Kiss

Photographer and Videographer: Tyler Boye Photography

Dress Designer/Dress Shop: Rivini by Rita Vinieris/Nicole Bridal & Formal Shopper

Menswear Designer/ Shop: Ralph Lauren/ Rudi’s Formal Wear

Makeup: Ashley Marie Makeup

Hair: Marisa Campagna, Flawless Finish Artistry

PRHBrides Guide Business Spotlight

FLORIST

EVENTS

Wedding

Specialists

1921 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19148 215-336-3557 800-248-3557 www.tenpenniesflorist.com

Bella Angel Bridal Hair & Makeup

sun

Longo’s

Discount

Everything you need under the

by Moriah Kelley

While you’re planning your summer outings, keep a list of things you want to take along.

And before you start packing, stop by Longo’s Discount for everything you need – health and beauty products, cosmetics, designer fragrances and the friendly service you can expect from a family-owned business that’s been a neighbor-

hood hot spot since 1966.

Joe Longo is a familiar face behind the counter of this local shop that his parents opened at 2228 S. 11th Street when he was just a kid. Now, he shares that space with his own family and a loyal following of customers – most of whom he’s known for more than three generations.

Here’s a checklist of hot products – all at discount prices – you might want to stock up on while you’re there.

Essie Nail Polish

We come to you! photo by Andrew Graham Todes

Locations in Old City Philadelphia & Cherry Hill, NJ

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in Philly for Best Hair & Makeup.

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.BELLA-ANGEL.COM

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

Perfumes by Versace, Michael Kors, Tory Burch and Philosophy Fun flip flops for the pool and beach

Trendy sunglasses that won’t break the bank

Hair straighteners

Sunscreen from classic brands like Coppertone and Banana Boat

Makeup removers

Hair dye in every color imaginable

Moisturizers

Aloe Vera Mosquito repellent Blow Dryers, Flat Irons, Curling Irons and more!

Go home Philly!

Stop & Shop at our local spots!

Longo’s Discount is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network. gohomephilly.com

Tips from the Pros

Summer

Sizzle looks that

❱❱

by Victoria DiPietro www.bella-angel.com

Year after year, you can pretty much

expect the same summer and fall looks when it comes to hair and makeup – but not this year! More recently, we’ve been taking full advantage of social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) for a look at the hottest trends and trying them out on ourselves.

Peacock Palettes

summer favorites. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear crimson, waterForget about coral lips, melon or tangerine lips. neutral lids and bronze Those will never go out skin. Fashion is finally of style. But now is the taking a turn. Get ready time to experiment with for an obsession with colors that will carry the color palettes of you through the fall. unicorns, peacocks and holographic makeup. Pretty pastels Eye-catching colors and dewy finishes are getting a lot of attenCopper eye shadow tion this season for is the perfect neutral a soft feminine look. with a little something Metallic swirls on the extra and goes with lips, super-iridescent everything. You can pops of color on the wear copper with eyes, shimmering eye bright colored clothes makeup and lips are or summer whites.

Even metallic silver shadow is a perfect option this season.

FLORIST & DECORATORS

Pretty in Pink When you think of hairstyles, anything goes. Textured hair and short cuts with blue, green, yellow or pink highlights are trending. Think unicorn or peacock and run with it. Pigtails are back and not just for kids.

Braids have also made a strong comeback over the past several years and it doesn’t look like they are going away.

If you have a wedding to attend, get an updo and incorporate a braid. We have seen brides and bridesmaids opting for an updo or half up style with a braid or two. It’s a great look and it’s still hot.

Victoria DiPietro, Bella Angel, is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network

The Petal Pusher

FLOWERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS “the unusual is our specialty”

2515 S. Broad Street / Philadelphia, PA 19148 P: 215.463.5485 / www.petalpusherflowers.net July / August / September 2017

| rowhome magazine | 59

Christine Krawiec Photography

weddings . engagements newborn . families maternity

 PRHBrides Guide TRAVEL

Beach Bums head to Turks & Caicos

www.christinekrawiecphotography.com travelwithpamdraper.com

by Pam Draper

Italian Coffee House

Vacations. Traveling. Family trips. Honeymoons. If you’re looking to book one of the most memorable getaways of a lifetime, here are some insider tips that will help you pick the perfect spot. So start packing!

Family Time

TASTE THE TRADITION 903 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (215) 627-2578 W W W . I TA L I A N C O F F E E H O U S E . C O M

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Travelling with young children is a trend on the rise. Families are in search of resorts that offer water parks among other amenities and hotels in Mexico, Punta Cana and Jamaica have heard their requests! Several of these resorts have added amazing water parks and exciting activities for families to enjoy with their kids.

Beach Bums

Beaches in Turks & Caicos are always on the top of the hot list.

Baby Boomers

This generation is cruising Alaska and booking river cruises in Europe. For travelers who want a more intimate cruise experience, there are several small ocean liners to choose from.

Popular Destinations

Italy is still the most popular European destination for both families and couples.

Capri and Cinque Terre are personal favorites.

Honeymooners on the lookout for exotic locales should consider Phuket and Phi Phi Islands in Thailand, Santorini and Mykonos in Greece and South Africa.

@AnthonyICH Open 7 Days

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Pam Draper is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

guest! be our

bridals by Cyndi

Fairytale weddings are as old as time. Bedtime stories are made of them. Long princess trains of silk and tulle and a snowy white bodice of satin and lace. A vision of grandeur for many young lasses through the ages.

If you think little girls are the only ones smitten by the glamour of a wedding gown, you should embark on the search for the perfect dress with a real life bride to be. The journey is a personal one, filled with emotion and guided by treasured traditions and loving memories.

Cyndi Deal knows that. Her boutique, Bridals By Cyndi, is a tribute to that journey. That is why she devotes all of her attention to her brides – one at a time – during a two-hour appointment.

Located in Turnersville NJ, Bridals By Cyndi offers every customer the undivided attention of owner Cyndi Deal. It is her way of making sure her brides enjoy every moment in search of their dream gown. Plenty of time to peruse designs by Kitty Chen, Martina Liana, Justin Alexander, Calla Blanche. L’amour. Time to try on styles including ball gowns, trumpets, mermaids and A-lines.

“Everyone who enters our doors may come in as guests but they all leave as family,” Deal says.

We asked her for a list of trends, best sellers and must haves that await brides this season.

Long Sleeves Plunging Illusion Necklines Ball Gowns Colored Gowns Tattooed Lace

WEDDINGS • SPECIAL EVENTS • BIRTHDAYS • ANNIVERSARIES

High Cut Slits Illusion Off the Shoulder Illusion Bareback

Bridals By Cyndi is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

Andreozzi Photography

Andrew Paul - Photographer “QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY FOR LESS” (484) 614-1952 apandreozziphotography@aol.com apandreozziphotography.com July / August / September 2017

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P RH music

Band Spotlight

Vita Woolf and the

Jennifer’s Favorite Philly Spots Record Store: Creep Records in Northern Liberties Pizza: Pizza Brain Coffee Shop: Reanimator Sunny Summer Day Spot: With my dog - we go to Fairmount Park along the Schuylkill River

B

by Matt Kelchner photo by Chris Sikich

y now, it should come as no surprise that Philadelphia has a knack for turning out one great new artist after another. Ranging from the indie and punk scenes with bands like The War On Drugs or Nothing to hip hop with acts like young up-and-comer Lil Uzi Vert, the city has been a hotbed of musical talent for quite some time.

We could go on and on about each artist but that would take up the entire magazine. And while chronicling the

music

Philadelphia music scene would be fun, we would rather look to the future. Meet one of our favorites who we think will be cracking into the national spotlight next: Vita and the Woolf.

Jennifer Pague is the frontwoman and mastermind behind Vita and the Woolf. The West Chester native relocated several years ago to the place that she now calls home – Philadelphia. It’s here where Vita and the Woolf was first born back in 2012. The group has developed through a handful of lineup changes, starting off as a seven-piece act that has since become a three-piece live performance.

Their latest album Tunnels recently

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was released digitally via Believe Digital. “It’s been a long time coming and the responses to the singles so far have been amazing. I’m honestly ready for people to hear the new side of my music since this new record is so different from my first EP,” Pague says.

The collection of songs on Tunnels have a deep connection to Pague as do all of the ones that she has written.

“I think it’s something about giving birth to a song that you really think is good. It’s like a weird high that you want again and again. It’s the most positive feeling of accomplishment,” she comments. Finishing pieces with such personal ties push Pague to continue and grow as a songwriter.

Adding all of the well-deserved praise only adds to the fire.

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

Tracks like “Sun Drop” and “Super Ranger” help process the world around her. The two served as singles and debuted in the weeks leading up to the release of Tunnels. Her incredible vocal range, soaring to heights of pillowy soft clouds down to deeper, bellowy bottoms is on full display.

Both Elena Torna of Daughter and Florence Welch quickly come to mind after listening to song after song.

Ask any musician in the city about growing up in the scene and you’re sure to hear the same general tone.

Despite its ever-growing size, it remains close knit. Pague echoes these feelings. “I started performing at local open mics and gradually began performing in venues,” she explains. “The supportive music community in Philadelphia has encouraged me to take risks in my music and performance.”

In her free time, Pague gives back to the music scene by teaching piano lessons. Splitting time between private lessons and SpArc Services allows her to reach out to people with many different backgrounds. Through SpArc Services, an organization that

Pague linked up with after graduating college, she is able to teach music and art to those with intellectual disabilities. “The people there are absolutely amazing and taught me so much about happiness in life.”

Following the release of Tunnels, Vita and the Woolf have a number of festival dates lined up throughout the summer. But they have larger goals in their sights. Their concert calendar included an appearance at this year’s Firefly Festival. Next up, the band will be at the Philadelphia Folk Festival and MoonTower Music Festival. Further out, they are aiming to take a journey across the Atlantic. “The next step for Vita is probably to get to Europe. We have a developing fan base over there that I am really trying to get to.”

Get ready to start seeing their name pop up more and more because we have a good feeling that the sky’s the limit for Vita and the Woolf. Be sure to check out their latest album, Tunnels, so you can learn all of the words to every song when you catch them at a show this summer. prh

gohomephilly.com

PRHmusic&art The Theatre Geek

The Tony Awards Roundup

Dear Evan Hansen wins Best Musical

Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen. Photo by Matthew Murphy

by Marialena Rago

T

his year’s Tony Awards were a guessing game from the start.

First, it took the American Theatre Wing more than 20 tries to find a host. They finally found Kevin Spacey, who is not new to the Broadway stage but is new to hosting an award show.

Second, this year’s shows were so diverse that there wasn’t one stand out – unlike last year when Hamilton almost swept the show.

The big winners of the night were Hello, Dolly and Dear Evan Hansen, which won Best Revival of a Musical and Best Musical, respectively.

Dear Evan Hansen, co-written by Philadelphia native Benj Pasek, won five additional awards including Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor and Best Score. Hello, Dolly received the Best Actress award for the incomparable Bette Midler’s role as the title character, and Best Supporting Actor for Gavin Creel. Other winners of the night included Best Director for Come From Away, the touching musical about the people of Gander, Newfoundland, and the 38 planes that unexpectedly landed in their town on 9/11, and Andy Blankenbuehler for his choreography in the musical Bandstand, a show about a group of veterans returning home to the United States after World War II. In the plays category, Oslo took home the award for Best Play. Oslo is about a group of Israeli, Palestinian, Norwegian and American men and women struggling to overcome their

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

fears, mistrust and hatred of each other and trying to create peace.

Best Revival went to August Wilson’s Jitney, which focuses on a rundown jitney station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Other winners of the night included Rebecca Taichman for her direction of the play Indecent. Cynthia Nixon in Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes, Michael Aronov in Oslo, Laurie Metcalf in A Doll’s House Part 2 and Kevin Kline in Present Laughter took home acting awards.

For Kevin Spacey’s first go at hosting, the Emmy and Oscar winner brought his Broadway A-game to the award show as well as impressions of Bill Clinton, Johnny Carson and even President Underwood.

Broadway has a tendency to be political at its award shows but this year, Spacey kept the show on the comedic side, leaving the politics to Stephen Colbert who went on a political rant before presenting for Best Revival of a Musical. Colbert wasn’t the only one to go on and on.

Bette Midler’s acceptance speech is now being claimed as iconic because the legendary actress out-talked the notorious “your time is up” exit music, even telling the sound guys to turn it off so she could finish.

The Tony Awards aren’t nearly as glamorous as the Oscars or as hip as the Grammys, but they give New York a chance to broadcast to the nation and the little kid in Kansas the chance to experience something new and wonderful. prh gohomephilly.com

PRHfilm West Coast

the

Neighborhood In loving memory of

James L. Guercio

by Leo rossi

The Gangemi & Guercio families thank their friends, family and neighbors for the overwhelming outpouring of love and continued support during their recent loss.

Writer, Actor, Producer Eastman-Rossi Productions

Happy Summer!

I

just signed to play a lead role in the new TV pilot The Neighborhood. It will be filmed entirely in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and has a top-notch cast. The opportunity came when a producer saw my work in The Life and Times of John Gotti.

Work begets work!

People ask me where I get my ideas and inspiration for my screenplays. Well, I don’t have to look past my immediate family. My wife Lynn is my moral compass. She has the ability to dissect my scripts and I listen to her feedback. Since she is also a producer, we discuss the “family business” ad infinitum.

My daughter Anna Marie is a Psychotherapist and helps me define the boundaries of a character’s mental state. We have discussed bipolar disorder, relationship dynamics, sociopathic behavior and the impact of trauma, etc. I am always amazed at the breadth of her knowledge.

Rose, my oldest daughter, is also a writer so she “drops the hammer” on Dad if the structure or genre is unclear. Even though we’re from different generations, we have the same sensibilities. She also has travelled around the world and can give me different perspectives of any foreign born characters and has insight on the country they are from.

In the next issue, I will be able to announce a great new reality show I’m producing.

Relationships are a top priority to us. We value your time and strive to save more of it with our 6 Hour Upfront Underwriting Goal, 7 Day Processing and One Day Closing.* Call me today to find out how we can bring your family home faster.

Mark Canale

LOA N O F F I C E R | N M L S # : 1 3 3 8 3 5 5

direct: 484.221.0168 mark.canale@movement.com movement.com/mark.canale

Ciao Philly! *While it is Movement Mortgage’s goal to provide underwriting results within six hours of receiving an application, process loans in seven days, and close in one day, extenuating circumstances may cause delays outside of this window. | 2250 Hickory Road, Suite 100, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 | PA-51269, FL-LO35063, NJ | Movement Mortgage, LLC supports Equal Housing Opportunity.

NMLS ID# 39179 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 877-314-1499. Movement Mortgage, LLC is licensed by PA # 34374, FL # MLD200 & MLD1360, and “Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance”. Interest rates and products are subject to change without notice and may or may not be available at the time of loan commitment or lock-in. Borrowers must qualify at closing for all benefits. “Movement Mortgage” is a registered trademark of the Movement Mortgage, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

8024 Calvin Hall Rd, Indian Land, SC 29707. CPID 4458 | Exp 11/2017 | www.movement.com

July / August / September 2017

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PRHmusic&art Musical game changer

Milton Kyser

www.lombardimeats.com B E E F / P O R K / P O U LT R Y / V E A L / L A M B / P R E PA R E D F O O D S

Capos & a family business Anthony, Vince & Vincent “Three generations; a team that is a cut above the rest.”

photo courtesy of Kyser Musical Products, Inc.

1801 Packer Avenue / Philadelphia, PA 19145 P: 215.940.2211 / P: 215.334.1212 / F: 215.940.2210 Photo by Andrew Andreozzi

by Jane Roser

Columbus sets sail down Broad Streetth October 8 Celebrating The Abruzzesi!

20th Anniversary of the Philadelphia Abruzzo Partnership Save these dates: Columbus Day Gala Dinner Thursday, October 5 Proclamation Ceremony Friday, October 6 Columbus Day Parade and Festival Sunday, October 8 Look for more information in coming months!

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

I

f you’ve ever been to a concert, chances are you’ve seen a Kyser capo. A capo raises the pitch of a guitar so it can be played in a different key without changing fingering. The Kyser Quick-Change is the number one selling capo in America and their fun, stylish designs range from basic black to Swarovski crystal-encrusted bling to a punk rock homage to CBGB. Created more than 30 years ago by Milton Kyser in his Texas garage, the family owned and operated company sells almost a million capos annually all around the world.

They are the only capos still made entirely by hand and artists like Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, John Mayer and Philly’s own Amos Lee all rely on them to make their music come alive.

Milton’s daughter Lisa helped her dad assemble the first capos in their Duncanville, Texas, living room and remembers “seeing bottles of acetone all over the house and thinking - this place could blow up any minute. We would hand deliver capos all over the metroplex - to music stores, artists, bar owners - anywhere there was music.”

The business took off in the 1990s

and Milton built a facility in Canton, Texas, to meet the growing demand for his invention. His favorite design was the Freedom capo, which is wrapped in an American flag. The company also sponsors several charities, including Guitars for Vets.

Meredith Hamlin, Lisa’s cousin and the company’s CEO says, “We have been strong supporters of veterans and veterans’ charities, so when Guitars for Vets came along, we knew that it would be the perfect fit for Kyser, especially since our founder was a proud Army veteran himself.”

Helping others is important to the company and Lisa explains that Meredith “chooses charities that are personal to us like Autism Awareness, Guitars in the Classroom, Refuge of Light. We want to continue my dad’s legacy of giving back to others.”

Milton Kyser passed away in 2014 leaving an incredible body of work.

Lisa describes her father as “hardworking and generous; he just loved to work. He started in the east Texas cotton fields as a seven-year-old and never stopped. My dad was also very proud to be the only capo that is made in the U.S.A. We keep local people in good jobs and that’s a big deal.” prh gohomephilly.com

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Mentoring the millenials

Tony Chennault tries an oldhead approach

by Nick Coppola

P

hiladelphia native Tony Chennault is on a mission to make the world a better place. He wants to help pave the way for the youth growing up in the city. In 2014, the Neumann-Goretti and Villanova graduate created Oldhead, a web series that discusses some of the social and economic issues surrounding inner city youth.

“The series deals with many of the problems facing the youth in our community today such as drugs, violence and lack of resources,” Chennault explains.

Oldhead also highlights the authority figures in a young child’s life and shows the importance of an older mentor to a young person. “I wanted to really explain to people what an oldhead is and what purpose they serve to a community in any city,” Chennault says.

Chennault was a star basketball player during his high school years at NeumannGoretti, winning many awards and helping the team win a state championship title. After high school, he attended Wake Forest University on a basketball scholarship before transferring to Villanova to finish out his degree. He used his on-court abilities to further his education and graduate with a degree in communications.

“Basketball was just a part of my life.

Basketball is what I did, it was never who I was,” Chennault says. “It provided me opportunities and exposed me to different

things. I am very blessed to have those opportunities.”

The idea for Oldhead stems from Chennault’s own experiences growing up without a father yet being fortunate enough to have many mentors guide him throughout his life. His two older brothers and numerous coaches and teachers were essential components during his younger years.

“Knowing what those older mentors in my life did for me, I wanted to show the young people in the community that an oldhead can be pivotal to the success of a young person,” Chennault says.

He used his time during his senior year of college to develop the script for the series and its first episode debuted just five months after his graduation in 2014.

Most of the filming takes place throughout Philadelphia, but the main base is the Logan and Olney sections of the city.

Chennault directs and produces the series. He funded the entire first season himself, which shows how important these issues surrounding the younger generation are to the Philadelphia native.

The show has produced two seasons so far with five episodes in each. You can view the first season on YouTube and the second season is currently streaming on oldheadwebseries.com. All of the proceeds from season two will go toward the production of season three, which plans on going live in early 2018. prh July / August / September 2017

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P RH music

W

“

two Xs and a bullet, a deadly threat by the insurgents. Settling in Philadelphia after first fleeing to Amman, Jordan (coincidentally, previously known as the ancient city of Philadelphia), Rakowitz knew Abdulwahed would be a great way to extend the project to a larger network of Iraqi immigrants, which had grown considerably since the project began.

“Everything happened in their living room,” Rakowitz says. “It was amazing to see them transform from being radio hosts to hosts in their house. One story Bahjat tells is about Abd Al-Karim Qasim, a former leader of Iraq who was very much a man of the people. He goes into this bakery and sees his big portrait on the wall, which made him very uncomfortable. So he says, ‘Make my picture smaller and the bread bigger.’ Those are stories you just don’t hear any more...and then there’s this beautiful thing he did where he leaned into the microphone and introduced himself the way he did on Radio Baghdad all those years ago. We have to tell the story of Bahjat because it’s also the story of Iraq and he ends up becoming another casualty of the war. His life embodies all of the great wonders and stories of Iraq, but also the traumas.

“We only have that one recording session because two weeks later, Bahjat [passed away] so the horrible poetry there is that we wind up with this portrait of Iraq in miniature where the voice of Iraq has lost its voice.”

Each episode, all of which are based upon the concept of radio silence, will feature a snippet from this recording session along with archival recordings Abdulwahed made in Iraq. Listeners also will hear stories told by Philadelphia-based Iraqi refugees and Iraq War veterans in conjunction with the local non-profit Warrior Writers. In addition, music and poetry, both in English and Arabic, will bring to life the culturally rich and diverse Iraq of the 1960s to the devastating aftermath caused by the war.

“When I was coming up with themes, I came across a list of 10 synonyms for silence,” Rakowitz explains. “So the first episode is on speechlessness and a lot

music

Radio Silence Comes to Philadelphia

by Jane Roser photos courtesy of Michael Rakowitz

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

hen I was invited to do this project, I really wanted to make it site-specific,” explains artist Michael Rakowitz about his upcoming 10-part radio show “Radio Silence,” produced in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia. In his research, Rakowitz came across an article profiling former Radio Baghdad host Bahjat Abdulwahed - “the Walter Cronkite of Iraq” - and his wife Hayfaa who fled Iraq in 2009 after receiving a letter with of veterans used it as an opportunity to talk about things they’ve never discussed before.” Other themes the show will explore include secrets, shyness, silent letters, censorship, dead air and “the end.”

“Dead air will explore not only Bahjat’s story, but also the story of the bulbul, which is an Iraqi bird similar to a nightingale,” Rakowitz says. “Since 1932, the first four minutes of broadcast on Iraqi radio was the bulbul singing, followed by a Koranic verse and then the news.” This bird was a gift from the King of Iraq and when it died, a digital version was created in Europe, which became their call sign from the 1950s onward. The episode compares how a bird teaches its children to sing with Abdulwahed’s legacy as a teacher to Iraqi broadcasters.

A large-scale free live performance hosted by Rakowitz and simulcast on PhillyCAM TV will kick off July 29th on Independence Mall featuring performances by local Iraqi musicians and storytellers, food and cooking demonstrations and an Iraqi soccer team. Arabian horses brought in by a local Iraqi emigre notes that the horses are refugees themselves, having been exiled in the 1950s during the period of Arab nationalism and raised here ever since. The stage is designed by Iraqi architect Mayaddah Alhumssi and based upon the historic Iraqi monument, the Ziggurat of Ur. “The backdrop are all Iraqi monuments,” Rakowitz says. “And situated against the backdrop of Independence Hall, which is ground zero of American Democracy. So it has an important placement in that it’s simultaneously celebratory and critical - all of those values that the U.S. claims to have established...to uphold them and to continue their legacy.”

“Radio Silence,” created in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia, will air in 30-minute weekly episodes starting August 6th on WPPM PhillyCAM Radio 106.5 FM and community radio stations nationwide in partnership with Prometheus Radio Project. Episodes also will be available for download on www.radiosilence.site. prh gohomephilly.com

PRHTIPs FROM THE PROS

Don’t Drink & Dive

Alcohol don’t & water sports mix courtesy of ron Rabena Chief Administrative Officer, Allied Universal www.aus.com

Summer and warm weather trigger the urge to be outdoors. Before you spend the day soaking up the sun or relaxing in the water, please keep in mind these helpful summer safety tips: ❚ Avoid strenuous activities.

Whenever possible, reserve outdoor activities for cooler mornings or evening hours. ❚ Wear lightweight, loosefitting, light-colored

clothing. Wearing too much clothing, or tight-fitting clothing, doesn’t allow your body to cool down efficiently. ❚ Stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and caffeine. Staying

hydrated helps you maintain a normal body temperature. Drinking excessive alcohol or caffeinated beverages can dehydrate you. ❚ Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Eating small, protein-rich meals throughout the day keeps your energy levels stabilized. ❚ Remember to never leave adults, children or pets in a closed, parked vehicle. In the sun, closed car temperatures can rise from 78 degrees to 100 degrees in just three minutes. ❚ Don’t swim alone. Do not allow children to swim without an adult; even adults should not swim alone. In a pool, swim at a depth that is safe for you. If you’re just learning to swim, stay in the shallow end. Keep in mind that swimming at night increases all risks. ❚ Have safety equipment nearby and follow rules. Keep rescue equipment by the pool or on your boat. Life preservers and

life jackets should be accessible.

At home, keep a telephone and emergency numbers poolside.

Parents should know CPR. Statistics show that when CPR is performed, it improves the outcome for drowning victims. If you are at a public pool or beach, follow all regulations and lifeguard directions. ❚ Look for warning flags at the beach. Beaches post warning flags to alert swimmers of the conditions. Check these flags before entering the water. Red indicates that no swimming is allowed; yellow signals the need for caution; and green indicates safe conditions. Swim only at designated beaches or areas marked with buoys that keep boaters, water skiers and jet skiers away. ❚ Don’t drink and swim. Alcohol and water sports don’t mix. Your chances of drowning or becoming injured increase greatly when under the influence of alcohol.

For more safety and awareness tips, visit www.aus.com/tips.

Ron Rabena and Allied Universal are members of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

IF THERE WAS A FIRE, YOU’D KNOW WHAT TO DO. WHAT IF YOU COULDN’T GO HOME AFTER YOUR HOSPITAL STAY? Waiting until the hospital discharge planner asks you which rehabilitation facility you want to go to is too late.

You need a plan so you can stay in control. The goal is to get your life back and get back home as soon as possible.

With the newest equipment available and aggressive therapy plans tailored just for you, tell the hospital discharge planner you want your POWER BACK!

CALL POWERBACK REHABILITATION at 888-982-2000.

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| rowhome magazine | 69

PRHTIPs FROM THE PROS

?

Legal

& rder LawO

Bankruptcyor Foreclosure

by Frank C. DePasquale Jr., Esquire

Q: I am 77 years old and am

having a very hard time living on a fixed income. I haven’t been able to pay my mortgage for three months and received a foreclosure notice from the bank. My neighbor said I should claim bankruptcy instead of letting the bank foreclose. Is bankruptcy better than foreclosure at my age? Thank you Mr. DePasquale for your advice.

My neighbor told me that I can write to you and ask because you answer many questions like this for senior citizens in RowHome Magazine. God bless you.

A: If the bank forecloses, you will

be evicted from your home within several months. Filing a Bankruptcy will allow you to pay your arrearages over a 5-year period. However, you would have to also pay your regular monthly mortgage payment.

Your only hope of saving your home would be a reverse mortgage provided you have equity in your home.

Q:

My father recently died.

His Will named my stepmother as beneficiary and upon her death, the assets were to be divided equally among three

stepchildren and my sister and me. My stepmother recently informed us that her Will states that anything left goes to her children only. Can she do that?

A: Yes. The only way that your

father’s assets would be divided evenly between his three stepchildren, you and your sister would be if your stepmother predeceased him and he did not change his Will before his death. If she is living at the time of your father’s death and is the sole beneficiary as you state, then she can do what she wants with her own assets in her Will.

Q:

My husband named his mother as the beneficiary on his company insurance policy more than 25 years ago when he first started his job. We’ve been married for 15 years. He recently died without a Will and never changed the beneficiary on that policy. Is his mother entitled to the insurance proceeds?

A: Yes. Insurance policies are

beneficiary driven and pass outside of a Will even if he had one.

The proceeds will be given to his mother, the named beneficiary.

Once again, Frank DePasquale has been recognized by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for 2017.

He heads DePasquale Law Offices, 2332-34 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145. P: 215.755.4410. Email him at frank@depasquale-law.com or visit www.depasquale-law.com

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CONSTRUCTION, LLC. PHILADELPHIA, PA

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If you can

CRO Construction, LLC. 215.952. 8740 www.croconstruction.net 70

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

We light

Night the

John J. Dougherty Business Manager IBEW Local 98

PRHBusiness

Legacy on

Broad

Street

by John Nacchio

Pennsylvania Burial Company Victor L. Baldi Funeral Home

O

photo by Andrew Andreozzi

ne hundred years of service is a fast approaching accomplishment for this familyowned funeral home. The iconic property spans both sides along South Broad at Reed Street where some of the city’s most prestigious residential mansions and opulent row homes have been located for more than a century. This was an important reason why

BUSINESS

Pennsylvania Burial Company and Baldi Funeral Home relocated there more than 77 years ago. Although there are two names, the business is currently owned and operated by fourth generation funeral directors Peter J. Jacovini Jr. and his cousin Victor L. Baldi III. The historical roots reflect 72

the deep commitment to generations of the community it serves. Pietro Jacovini Sr. originally founded the Pennsylvania Burial Company as The Italian Burial Casket Company in 1921.

Originally located at 9th and Hall Streets, it was exclusively a casket manufacturer that added funeral services around 1933. A few blocks

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

away, Alfonso Baldi, founder, owner and operator of Baldi Funeral Home, 9th and Wharton Streets, was also a full service funeral home. Alfonso’s sister Gracia married Pietro Jacovini Sr., had three sons, William, Joseph & Pietro, Jr. And so the legacy began.

After Pietro Sr.’s passing in 1936, William, Joseph and Pietro Jr. were eager to expand the business to South Broad Street. Together with their Uncle Alfonso Baldi and his son Victor Baldi Sr., Italian Burial and Baldi Funeral Home moved to 1327-1331 South Broad Street in 1943. The name Pennsylvania Burial Co., Inc. was established in the relocation. Baldi Funeral Home, as a sister office, operated essentially as one business. The prestigious Broad Street address where the firm still operates today was once a three-story music conservatory renovated for use as a funeral home. Over the years, threestory brownstones were purchased next to and across the street from the building to supply parking for services held at the establishment.

These parking lots hold more than 100 vehicles for multiple services.

The funeral home consists of four chapels - three on the first level and one on the second level with elevator access.

In the early 1900s, Pietro Jacovini Sr. was an inventive and enterprising young man. He claims to be the first Italian American in Philadelphia to own and operate a printing press and initiated publication of Il Popolo Italiano, Philadelphia’s first Italian-American newspaper. Pietro was also a cofounder of the prestigious Peirce Business School, which was located at Broad and Pine Streets.

Today, Victor L. Baldi III is the proud President of the Sons of Italy St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi Lodge #2787 (the first Italian Catholic Church in the country).

The lodge works to inspire and preserve Italian American Culture in the area. He has been in the business most of his life and has built a solid relationship with many families and religious leaders during the emotional time of

arranging funerals for loved ones.

Recently, Baldi and Jacovini offered a seminar on pre-planning a funeral. It’s something you should plan for – if not for your own peace of mind, then for the wellbeing of those you’ll leave behind. Currently, more individuals and families are making the decision to prearrange their funerals than ever before. The factors considered are inflation, fewer extended family members living close by and other changes in our society. Planning your own funeral can make a lot of sense and was discussed at the seminar.

Pennsylvania Burial Company / Victor L. Baldi Funeral Home can assist you if this is something you are interested in doing.

Although there has been a longstanding Italian-American loyalty and connection to the surrounding community, it clearly is a new era. This funeral home is embracing the changing population and moving forward with the times.

The pre-planning recognizes the younger generations that are less connected to extended families and still require burial or cremation services. A parlor specifically devoted to handling funerals for the Asian Buddhist community is located on the second floor.

“Times change. That you can be certain of. You have to move with the times. Funeral service is not any different,” Victor Baldi III says. “As a proud Catholic and service provider, we are devoted to servicing and honoring all types of religious and ethnic backgrounds.”

“Saying goodbye to a relative or a friend is never pleasant so we’re all about comfort and accommodation,” Peter Jacovini says.

“We take pride in helping people through tough times and feel honored that they come back to us on the unfortunate occasion of other losses because they respect how we try to honor someone’s memory.”

A legacy embraced for generations. prh Pennsylvania Burial Company / Victor L. Baldi Funeral Home are members of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network. gohomephilly.com

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PRHBusiness

Perry

Business Spotlight

de Marco Jr., Esq.

by Larry Gallone

A legacy of law for a new generation

P

icture a Sunday afternoon after a great meal, sitting around the kitchen table with family discussing the events of the week. For attorney Perry de Marco Jr., a third-generation lawyer and member of a family lined with prominent Philadelphia attorneys, those Sunday discussions were “like a courtroom.”

Perry is the son of attorney Perry de Marco Sr. and the grandson of legendary lawyer A. Charles Peruto Sr. He

BUSINESS

points to those Sunday post-dinner discussions with grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts and cousins as chatter built on “mutual respect and spirited arguments.”

That is where he learned the “art of cross-examination,” he says. A graduate of Villanova University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Minor in Psychology, he continued his studies at The Widener University School of Law, now named Delaware Law School. Working in the legal field since 1999, he passed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam in 2003.

In an interesting note, his father Perry de Marco Sr. was a member of the first class to graduate from Widener University School of Law. When Perry Jr. graduated, his dad, along with a few of his dad’s classmates, were part of the ceremony representing the first class of graduates who now had children graduating from Widener Law. When Perry was deciding on which university to attend, his grandfather gave him some advice. “Don’t go away. Stay local. After the first year, it’ll be the same four walls. Continue to build a network in Philadelphia.”

His value and appreciation for family, built around those Sunday gather-

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

ings, were reinforced throughout his school years. In addition to the legal eagles that paved the way to a solid career path, Perry had a chance to experience one of sport’s strongest families – the championship Flyers of the midto-late 1970s. Brothers Joe and Jim Watson of Stanley Cup fame coached his ice hockey team. Having members of “The Broad Street Bullies” coach him was “an unforgettable experience” and a solid lesson in endurance.

While in high school, his grandfather took him into a courtroom for a verdict in a homicide case. The jury came back not guilty and in that moment, Perry de Marco Jr. understood “how high the stakes were and the massive impact the law can have on people’s lives.”

Perry affectionately refers to his grandfather as “The Boss” and credits him with passing lessons onto the next generations. “He would see every case in a unique way – from an angle most people never did. I saw how he dealt with the government, the defendant and the judge. He taught me to be a gentleman…but never take any crap.”

Working for nearly 20 years in the field, Perry learned the day-to-day operations of a law firm while honing his legal skills through jury trials

across the Delaware Valley. One of his favorite quotes, found in a framed newspaper article in the firm’s lobby, read, “I’m a scrounger, a counter-puncher. I find a weakness and attack.” This quote by his grandfather is one that Perry still lives by today.

He recalls one specific case where there was overwhelming evidence presented against his client. By persistent digging and research, de Marco Jr. was able call into question the testimony of the government’s star witness. He presented it to the jury, which led to him winning the case.

After his client was acquitted, one of the jurors said to him, “You came out swinging and never stopped. I hope that young man appreciates the effort you put into this win.” In that moment, Perry knew his famous grandfather, who passed away right before trial, was smiling down on him.

Perry de Marco Jr. said he enjoys standing in front of a jury and connecting with them. “I love bringing a body of legal knowledge and explaining it to a layperson.” His style is to build a personal relationship with his clients. He approaches every client with a focus on integrity, advocacy and compassion. “In a market saturated with attorneys, I must go beyond what others are willing to do. This is a lesson my family has taught me, as well.”

He noted that he learned from his grandfather, father and the rest of his family, that responsibility now falls to his generation. “We have to take these lessons [from the previous generation] and instill them into the next. What we leave for our children is incredibly important.” prh gohomephilly.com

RH

Philly SPORTS

Courtside

View

by Stephen Pagano

J

ustin Troccoli was born and raised on 11th and Ritner in South Philadelphia and graduated from St. John Neumann High in 2001. At the age of 34, he reflects back to his days as a Philadelphia 76ers ball boy at the former First Union Center; now known as the Wells Fargo Center. “I first became infatuated with the job while I attended a few basketball games with my parents in the mid 1990’s,” Troccoli says. “My older brother Jayson was a ball boy and I really looked up to him and envied him.”

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As time went on, Troccoli’s love for basketball grew. In the summer of 1998, his wish came true when Jayson introduced him to Scott Rego, the 76ers equipment manager. Shortly after, Rego offered then 15-year-old Troccoli a gig to become the newest ball boy.

Troccoli joined the organization just as Allen Iverson was emerging as an MVP in the NBA. “The perks of the job were hanging around the NBA players, playing 3 on 3 pick-up games after work with the fellow ball boys and acquiring autographs from star players,” Troccoli recalls. “I shot around with guards

Aaron McKie and Maurice Cheeks on several occasions.” But nothing could prepare the City of Philadelphia for what would soon transpire.

In the 2000-2001 NBA campaign, it was Allen Iverson’s time. The 6-foot, 165-pound point guard out of Georgetown led the 76ers to an amazing 10-0 record out of the gate!

“The atmosphere was amazing every night and I was happy to be a part of it,” Troccoli recalls. “I remember my friends coming up to me in school the next day and telling me that they saw me on television the previous night.”

As the season progressed, the 76ers were legitimate title contenders. “AI”

won both the 2001 All-Star MVP and league MVP awards. This Larry Brown-coached team finished with a record of 56-26, best for the top seed in the Eastern Conference and home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The title-stricken Philadelphia was hungry for its first championship since 1983. In the first round, the 76ers defeated those pesky Indiana Pacers led by Reggie Miller. “I hated Reggie Miller,” Troccoli says.

“He knocked us out of the playoffs two years in a row.”

Next up was the Toronto Raptors. This series featured Vince Carter and Allen Iverson trading 50-point games but the Sixers prevailed in a tough-fought series. “It was so much fun to watch in person,” Troccoli remembers.

Last, but not least, the Milwaukee Bucks’ and they were no easy task. They had a young big three in place with Ray Allen, Sam Cassell and “Big Dog” Glenn Robinson.

The 76ers traded wins back and forth with the talented Bucks but they were victorious in 7 games. “It was incredible!” Troccoli says. “We were heading to the NBA Finals!”

The Sixers were heavy underdogs in the Finals matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers as most experts were predicting a sweep since the Lakers didn’t lose a game the entire playoffs. AI dropped 48 points on the road and stunned the Lakers and the rest of the NBA in this crazy overtime thriller, giving the 76ers a 1-0 series advantage. Unfortunately, this would be the only game the team was able to win. Shaq & Kobe were too dominating as the Lakers won four straight games, winning their second consecutive title. Troccoli stood on the sidelines in disarray as the Lakers celebrated on our court. “I was disappointed, but I was glad to be a part of it,” he says. “I was also looking forward to the 2002 season as Philadelphia

July / August / September 2017

was hosting the annual NBA AllStar Game.”

Perhaps the most exciting moment in Troccoli’s ball-boy career happened on February 10th, 2002, when Philly hosted the 51st annual NBA All-Star Game. Superstar players from the entire league participated in this event, along with many celebrities in attendance. Troccoli met a lot of famous people that night but the highlight was meeting his boyhood idol and favorite player, Michael Jordan. In the locker room after the game, Troccoli asked MJ to sign a basketball. “I was very nervous to approach him but he was very friendly and signed my ball. I’ll remember it forever,” he says. Troccoli also worked Jordan’s final game in the NBA as a Washington Wizard, which occurred in Philadelphia on April 16th, 2003. “I snapped a picture of him at the free throw line while he recorded his final point,” he says. As the seasons passed, and he became a little older, Troccoli was ready to move on.

In his final seasons, Troccoli met many up-and-coming superstars including LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki and Yao Ming, along with previous legends Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Julius Erving. Troccoli’s final season was 2006 – the same season Iverson was traded. Ten years later, Allen Iverson was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Nowadays, Troccoli works as a pharmacy technician at Methodist Hospital. He and his wife Brooke have two children, Justin Jr. and Ayla. He frequently reminisces and shares his great stories with his family and co-workers. As far as his childhood dream job, Troccoli says, “I’d do it again for free if I could.” prh

| rowhome magazine | 75

PRHsports

Christian Carto

A REAL

Knockout

by Stephen Pagano

P

hiladelphia has produced some of the most prominent names in boxing history. Fighters like Joe Frazier, Bernard Hopkins and currently, Danny Garcia, the former welterweight champion. The City of Brotherly Love is well known for creating boxing champions.

Christian Carto, 20, comes from an Italian family with a long and rich history in the sport of professional boxing. His grandfather Frank Carto was ranked 10th in the country in 1946 and his two great uncles, Joe Carto and Nunzio Carto, were hall of fame fighters, as well. Christian’s older brother Frankie, who is also an amateur fighter himself, now manages him.

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“Christian inspires those around him, myself included, to push ourselves and stay sharp,” Frankie says. “I am very pleased with his boxing IQ. He’s improving on his technique and adding weapons to his advanced toolkit.” Christian credits his brother for introducing him to the sport that he loves so dearly. “I learned a lot from Frankie,” he says.

“I watched him box in the gym and it really inspired me. It was just something I liked at a young age.”

Christian was born in 1996 at Methodist Hospital in South Philly and picked up his first pair of boxing gloves at the tender age of eight.

He attended St. Augustine Prep High School in Richland, NJ, where he also played ice hockey.

Christian juggled both sports for a while, until he decided to focus primarily on boxing at 16.

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

Carto was 63-8 in his brilliant amateur career, which spanned 2008-2015. He also trained at Grays Ferry Boxing Gym in 2005-2013, under the tutelage of Tony Bersani. Gym owner Mike Rafferty also was always around to offer Carto some guidance. Christian was the 2014 National Golden Gloves award winner in Las Vegas, a huge accomplishment in boxing. He was quickly climbing the ranks of a sport that his family members once embraced.

As far as training is concerned, Christian sticks to a strict workout regimen. “I’m in the gym Monday through Saturday,” he says.

“I usually run three miles a day and watch what I eat and drink. I try to live a clean and healthy lifestyle.” Christian’s trainer Mickey Rosati, who owns a boxing gym in South Philly says, “His work ethic is off the charts.

He’s a true student of the game and is willing

gohomephilly.com

Boxing is in his blood

1917

to do and learn more. He’s got a great attitude and he’s the real deal.”

On December 6th, 2015, Christian traveled to Reno, NV for the 2016 Olympic Trials. He fought five fights in five days and finished in 3rd place, earning himself a bronze medal. His family and training staff were very proud of the young boxer and his effort in the ring.

On July 2nd, 2016, Christian made his professional debut at the Santander Arena in Reading, PA. He was victorious, with a convincing knockout win. Carto later secured wins in Atlantic City, The Fillmore, The Liacouras Center in North Philly and at the SugarHouse Casino, all resulting in knockouts.

“I don’t try and go for a knockout,” Christian says. “I just try to stay focused with the fundamentals and take it one round at a time.

I just love winning.” Christian’s father, Frank Carto Jr., says, “The community of South Philly and South Jersey have really supported my son and we really appreciate it. His friends and family show up at the fights and they’re electric.”

Christian’s grandmother Theresa, who recently passed away, was also a huge fan of her grandson and his boxing career. Philadelphia C 76ers Hall of Famer Allen Iverson and current superstar Joel Embiid have both been M in the stands to witness some of Christian’s Y performances.

The future looks bright for Christian Car- CM to. He currently has a 9-0 record with nine MY KOs and is ranked 6th in the country, weighing in at 118 pounds in the bantamweight di- CY vision. His knowledge, respect and maturityCMY are a perfect combination for the next generK ation of boxing. His next fight will take place this summer at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City. As for his future goals in the sport, Christian says, “I want to be a champion and I want to make a lot of money.”

Danny Garcia, Julian Williams and Hank Lundy happen to be the 20-year-old’s favorite professional boxers. In his spare time, Christian likes to spend time with his friends and occasionally enjoys a boxing flick or two such as Bleed for This and Hands of Stone. prh

2014

born of an immigrant family who used life to the ultimate level of success.

A South Philadelphia Legend Memorial can be visited Upstairs at St. Rita’s Church on 1166 S. Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19146

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| rowhome magazine | 77

PRHsports

Business Spotlight

PHL Athletics A good workout really pays off

by Anthony Panvini

G

rowing up, Ron Malandro surrounded himself with sports. Whether it was baseball or basketball, he tried to play whenever he could, wherever he could, in as many leagues as possible. Unfortunately for Malandro, a right shoulder injury cut his college baseball career short, leaving him with a lot of free time on his hands.

He decided to focus on something else – fitness.

Malandro pursued his degree at Camden County College and then went on to Rowan University for a

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Health and Exercise Science degree.

It was there where he learned about CrossFit and started working with kids on strength and conditioning.

Malandro, 26, learned quickly and partnered with friend Joe Renzi, 38, to open PHL Athletics when he was 20 years old. He met Renzi at a gym called Fitness Works where the two worked out. “…Being inside the gym, he showed me how to act in the gym with other people and obviously he pretty much trained me for the first few years,” Malandro says.

He and Renzi opened their own place in a 2500-square-foot spot on the 1400 block of Darien Street in South Philly. The space held

78

up for some time but with more and more clients signing up, they knew they had to make a move to a larger space. That’s when they stumbled upon their new location on the 2000 block of Juniper Street, where they opened shop in November 2016.

“We started out taking a big jump – a little scary but we knew we had a pretty strong following coming over with us from our old space,” Malandro explains. “We figured with the newer location, the new equipment, a bigger space and being a couple miles south of where we were, we would get a different draw on a different hit of people.

We see new faces walk through the door once or twice a week.”

Since the doors opened to the

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

new location, Malandro and Renzi have expanded their business significantly. With the jump in attendance, PHL Athletics now teaches 40 to 45 classes per week as well as open gym time and one-on-one personal training sessions that are scheduled with a trainer. Malandro gives all the credit to his team: Gia Carangi, Billy Fulginti, Holly Waters, Anthony Nardini, Jack Brennan and Carrie Paul (marketing and designs).

“We have a really great team at PHL,” Malandro says. “Without that and the relationship that we all have together, it wouldn’t be possible for us to be where we are today.”

What drives them, you ask?

Seeing other people succeed.

“When we see other people excel and progress and see the thrill in their eyes and the way they feel when they accomplish something – no matter what it is – that’s what motivates us and gets us going,” Malandro says. prh PHL Athletics is a member of the Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Business Network.

gohomephilly.com

PRHGreenSp ce

Bike to the future

Energizer Station on Bike To Work Day 2017 photo by Lora Reehling

W

by Matt Kelchner hen the sun is shining and the weather is nice, what better way to spend a free day than hopping on a bicycle and cruising around the city? Whether it’s to go hang out in one of the many parks, meet up with friends for a bite to eat or head into work as part of the daily commute, we feel pretty confident in saying that Philadelphia is one of the best cities to pedal around on two wheels.

G R E E N S PAC E

Randy LoBasso, communications manager at The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, shares the same sentiment. Dating back to 1972, the group still shares the same goal – to help make bicycling in Philadelphia safe and fun for everyone. For most of its history, the organization operated mainly on volunteer power. More recently, though, that has changed.

“Over the last 15 years or so, we’ve established ourselves as an advocacy and education nonprofit organization. We now have 14 full-time employees,” LoBasso explains.

Bikers can thank the Coalition for numerous pro-cyclist measures and procedures that have helped shape Philadelphia. Protected lanes and red light/ speed cameras are just a few to name.

LoBasso adds, “We have continued

working with the Better Bike Share Partnership to successfully educate and work with communities around Philadelphia to realize bicycling as a viable transportation option.”

All of the outreach, education and support have helped make our city tops in the country for cycling. According to the 2015 American Community Survey, which is part of the US Census, Philadelphia had the highest percentage of commuters biking to work out of the top 10 DMAs. In its annual bike counting report, the Coalition noted an increase from 4.3% to 5.7% in cyclists using the Indego bike share cycles.

LoBasso points to three main reasons why Philadelphia is a prime cycling city.

For starters, the makeup of the land is top-notch. Riding around on fairly level ground is a breeze, “especially the districts between the Delaware and

Schuylkill Rivers.” LoBasso says the layout of certain areas throughout the city make cycling even more attractive.

“Philly’s tiny residential streets, especially in South Philly and the River Wards, are relatively stress-free to bike through.

That’s why those neighborhoods have seen such a boom in bicycling even while infrastructure has been mum.”

He credits former mayor Ed Rendell for his role in helping to develop a dedicated cycling infrastructure. “We had a relatively forward-thinking mayor in Ed Rendell, who began putting in standard bike lanes all over the city as far back as 1996. That’s well before most American mayors considered putting in bicycle infrastructure.”

The current administration also is doing its part to push safety for cyclists.

Back in November, Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order committing to a goal of zero traffic-related deaths by the year 2030. Otherwise known as a “Vision Zero” policy, many other cities across the country have put their own guidelines into place, as well.

The Bike Coalition has lent a hand in bringing about this monumental effort.

In March, it hosted its third annual Vi-

sion Zero Conference, which brought together experts and speakers from various fields and backgrounds to discuss ways to improve cyclist safety and ridership.

“Other than plans for new bike lanes and protected bike lanes, we’ve been slowly hearing about more plans coming to the forefront—things like designated slow traffic sections around schools, installation of more speed bumps in neighborhoods and ideas on how to finally fix Spruce and Pine Streets – the bike lanes that are regularly clotted with cars and trucks.”

Get out and go riding!

LoBasso shares some top safety tips to keep in mind while you’re out and about.

When a car is illegally parked in a bike lane, always look behind you when passing the car.

Use a front (required) and back (recommended) light.

If you’re heading through high-trafficked areas, try to find a street with a bike lane.

Always watch for pedestrians crossing the street – even if they’re not crossing at an intersection.

Don’t ride on the sidewalk (obviously).

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July / August / September 2017

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soft breeze, flickering candles, a starlit sky. Spending time outside in the summer is magical. That is until the first mosquito finds your exposed skin and instead of enjoying an alfresco dinner you become one. Nothing can change the mood of an outdoor party faster than an unwanted dinner guest – wasps, gnats and ants! Hopefully, these natural remedies will help you enjoy the outdoors without ALL Mother Nature has to offer.

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

An eco-friendly friend of mine swears by this concoction: mix a recycled two-liter milk jug with apple cider vinegar and sugar.

Slice up a discarded banana peel and put it in the bottle. Add cold water and shake. Put your jug on the ground and let the pests discover it for themselves. They won’t like it but it will be too late by the time they learn that.

Keep pests at bay in your container gardens, window boxes or community plots by growing companion plants. Aromatic herbs like basil and sage, when mixed with marigolds, will send pests in another direction.

Veggie collars can be made using empty milk containers.

They will discourage grubs and some worms from going after your plants. All you have to do

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Cats are cute except when they use your garden as a litter box. Discourage their visit by putting orange peels and coffee grounds around the plants, which makes good fertilizer, too!

On the porch or patio Flies don’t like cayenne pepper so mix some with water and put it in a spray bottle!

You could also put cloves in a half lemon and leave it in a dish.

It should do the job nicely.

Cucumbers aren’t a favorite of flies (or ants) so keeping slices in areas where you are seeing the pests should discourage them from taking up semi-permanent residence.

Citronella is everywhere this time of year because it works.

Whether in plant form or in candles, bugs hate the smell but the lemony scent is non-offensive to us! Lemon eucalyptus oil is another option for repelling pests including mosquitoes.

Garlic is delicious in many dishes so go out of your way to eat plenty of it. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of research behind it but garlic lovers swear it keeps the mosquitos away.

Hiking Instead of slathering on the bug spray, put some dryer sheets in your pockets to keep gnats and other insects out of your way.

Vanilla extract is another unsavory smell to bugs. Though onions and garlic do the trick, too, you might not want to smell like the latter. Lemongrass, lavender and mint are other fragrances that repel bugs.

Stop and smell the roses!

When you are sweating and stressing, your body releases odors that attract bugs. So find

your center and stay calm.

By the way, while smelling the roses, make sure you don’t smell like them! The scent of flowers and fruits in your perfumes or body products attracts pests. Opt for fragrance-free.

Wear light colored clothing to keep you cooler AND repel bugs. Mosquitoes like dark colored clothes best. Cover up as much as you can tolerate and wear tighter woven clothing so they have trouble getting to your skin.

For your backyard picnic Ants have a way of finding food so throw off their scent and draw a line of chalk on the pavement around your eating area.

Ants don’t like to walk through chalk because it interferes with their ability to follow the trail of scent left by other ants.

White vinegar may not go well with the meal you are serving but if you can tolerate the scent, it has the same effect on ants that chalk does. Keep some in a spray bottle and spray as needed in places ants tend to congregate.

Wasps don’t like any type of mint so soak a few cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them around the outside of your home where wasps like to build nests (porch roofs, under eaves, etc.).

Some plants repel wasps (rosemary, fennel, chives, oregano, parsley), so just another reason to grow an herb garden.

Green pest products A great way to find personal care items that are good for you and the environment is by visiting websites that specialize in natural pest repellants and sun protection like ChooseyChick.com. Ingredients are carefully scrutinized and not included on the site unless they are toxin free and safe choices for your whole family.

WAY BEYOND GAME DAY

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July / August / September 2017

PRHWRITERSBLOCK

I

Lisa Scottoline & Francesca Serritella Mother-Daughter duo pool their efforts in their new release

by Santina Pescatore photo by April Narby

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Need a Lifeguard Everywhere but the Pool is the latest addition in the mother-daughter collection for Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella. Due out this July, the duo’s eighth book focuses on the trials and tribulations faced by women of every generation who are trying to navigate life on their own.

“Women are so much better and stronger than they give themselves credit for,” says Serritella, stating the mantra behind the collection.

Lisa Scottoline and daughter Francesca emphasize that their humorous memoire is not intended as an advice column or self-help book. “We are not coming from a place of having everything figured out,” Serritella adds. Which is what makes their raw and often times hilarious life stories so relatable. Even better, they stay true to their Philadelphia roots and include multiple references to the city adding an exciting nod to their hometown.

“If it doesn’t make us cringe, it won’t make us laugh,” Scottoline says. “We want to make something funny and significant.”

Serritella explains that 10 years ago when the pair started writing their column called “Chick Wit” in The Philadelphia Inquirer, she faced hurdles for being so open and confident in sharing her life. The column, however, received a positive response from readers, which encouraged her to continue writing.

She says that writing about your own life exposes you to a certain degree of vulnerability but the pair “values the connection that storytelling can bring.”

Scottoline admits that working together is not always as easy as it seems.

“We are each other’s best friend even if we drive each other crazy.”

Working “across state lines,” – Ser-

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

ritella in New York and Scottoline in Pennsylvania – also helps keep them in sync. They try not to edit each other’s work but at times their stories have lined up perfectly. For example, in one story Serritella mentions looking at the ages of brides getting married in wedding announcements, while Scottoline wrote about reading the obituaries to calculate the deceased ages against her own age.

As for the title, I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere but the Pool, Scottoline credits her daughter for the catchy name. The theme is clear in the collection of essays in their new book.

Throughout life, there are times when you wish you had a prince charming or even a lifeguard to come to your rescue. But in the end, you are strong enough to persevere and save yourself.

Serritella shares her mother’s advice with her readers. “Failure is an event, not a destination.” A notion that is far beyond text on the pages of a book. She says her mother has exemplified that statement throughout her life and hopes the message shines through in this collection of essays.

Lisa Scottoline’s next new release will be available in August (Exposed from her Rosato & DiNunzio series) and Francesca Serritella is currently working on her first novel. The New York Times bestselling authors remain undeniably relatable to a loyal fan base of readers. From dating adventures, anxiety over having to network, worrying about snakes overtaking the yard to laughing at the newest gadgets on the market.

The two bravely share with the world their everyday mishaps and embarrassing stories, enabling readers everywhere to find laughter in life’s moments both big and small, sticking to Mother Mary’s mantra to “just be yourself.” prh

gohomephilly.com

B

ack in the ‘90s, I used to watch a very popular television sitcom.

“Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, there’s a face of somebody who needs you.”

For vast legions of school-aged children, the premise of Full House sounded like a wonderful concept: living in one big house with siblings, extended family, a few friends. But like any naïve childhood fantasy, as the years elapsed, reality began to take hold and suddenly, everywhere you look and everywhere you go started sounding kind of miserable. And it quickly begins to resemble an emotional roller coaster teetering on the brink of vertigo-induced freefall.

The central theme of Pretty Little World, Elizabeth LaBan’s latest novel, co-authored with friend and neighbor Melissa DePino, shares a similar concept to Full House. Here, the plot unfolds in a Philadelphia row home - or rather, three row homes, to be precise - kind of. Three neighboring families are as close as neighbors can be. When things get out of hand following a plumbing malfunction, the three families decide to tear down the walls separating them and live in one big home.

LaBan, a real-life resident of Philadelphia, writes stories on aspects of sharing and the intimacy and bond that stem from sharing in an otherwise mundane world (Tragedy Paper’s premise revolves around sharing a secret relationship with an incoming classmate; The Restaurant Critic’s Wife is about sharing a family life and professional career with a high-profile columnist). Of all her books, LaBan says Pretty Little World is definitely the most about sharing.

“I am definitely drawn to personal relationships and exploring where they can go, and often that involves the characters sharing their life or aspects of their life with other people – whether it be a spouse or a love interest or best friends,” she explains.

“Writing fiction gives me the chance to do that, and most important to push the boundaries of doing that, with no real-life consequences.”

On the subject of sharing, what’s it like to co-author a book with a great friend? LaBan says they love being asked that because it gives them a chance to talk about their process.

“We take turns writing chapters, which is an exhilarating way to write a book because it is always a thrill to read what the other person wrote.

We talk a lot about plot and characters and everything else that is part

of creating a fictional world. Once the draft is finished, we go through the book many times to smooth out any writing differences and to make sure it reads like one person wrote it.

We want the book to feel seamless with one voice and writing style.”

LaBan finds that writing the first draft of a book is a lonely time because she doesn’t yet know the people who inhabit the world she is creating.

“Once I [get to know them], I generally love to spend time with them.”

When writing with a partner, though, there is a lot of back and forth and it is much less lonely. Instead, it’s fun. “It is still personal but less so because we brainstorm so much and the ideas are shaped outside my head instead of inside it. If I have a question, or I come up with what I think could be a great idea, I call Melissa immediately and she is generally as excited as I am!”

LaBan’s next solo book, Not Perfect, will be released in February of 2018 but she and DePino are working on another novel together. So, did they actually take down the walls between their houses? It’s another question that LaBan and DePino get asked a lot.

“We used to live on the same close-knit block when our kids were younger, and definitely spent (and still spend) a lot of time together out on the street or in one of our houses,” LaBan says. “But, we never actually took down the walls between us!”

Though they couldn’t fulfill their idea of building a tunnel under their houses to travel from one to the other without going outside, writing Pretty Little World was a way to live it without actually doing it. As a result, they have much fun writing together.

Philly is such a tightly compact city that sharing space is an important part of everyday life here. LaBan loves and cherishes the unique way that the residents of Philadelphia get to know their neighbors so well.

“I love knowing my neighbors are home and there if I need anything.

Hearing them going up and down the stairs on either side of me gives me great comfort. I do hope people in other parts of the country will be able to relate because there are many places in the country where neighbors are so important,” she says. “Also, I think people want to be a part of something – to be welcomed into a group where they know they are wanted – and that is the feeling we tried to create in Pretty Little World. I hope that is something everyone can connect with and understand.” prh

Pretty Little World Elizabeth LaBan, Melissa DePino

by Bryan Culver

July / August / September 2017

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PRHWRITERSBLOCK

“There are no good wars, the admiral was told by a professor at Annapolis, but winning was at least a consolation for the stupidity of it all. And ironically, as the admiral redirected his Naval assets to defend the people of the Middle East against a weapon of his own making, he began to question his allegiance to the cause. It was after all the militant religiosity of the Middle East that was responsible for the deadly doppelganger they had created in a new American terrorist organization.”

A When Worlds Collide Writer Stewart Raffill takes on political correctness in his new international thriller

by Jane Roser

84

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

uthor Stewart Raffill’s inspiration for his debut novel, RAGE, stemmed from research he had conducted into the Navy’s Ohio-Class nuclear submarines, in which just 170 men are responsible for over 160 nuclear weapons, each one thirty times more powerful than the ones that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“It’s a form of madness,” Raffill says. “Particularly when you consider the fact that most scientists believe the detonation of just 100 such weapons would create a nuclear winter, and destroy the world as we know it. It’s a holdover from the Cold War, which doesn’t really exist anymore, and when you combine that with the unending strife we face every day from militant Islamists, the seeds of Raffill’s novel, RAGE were born.”

RAGE is an international political thriller, which finds a new President distracted from his dreams of reviving the nation’s economy by 15 US Naval Officers who take command of a nuclear submarine and threaten to use its weapons against Islamist terrorists if they continue their war of terror against the non-Muslim world.

The cautionary tale about the dangers of unending religious terrorism and the continuing proliferation of nuclear weapons, which

Raffill has entwined into a shocking and devastating story with an ending that not even an O. Henry enthusiast would see coming. “Predictability compromises the very art of storytelling,” Raffill laments. “So I tried to create a tale with sufficient twists and turns to keep its audience captivated until its shocking end.“ Raffill was surprised by the detail of information he found on the Internet about nuclear submarines, their weaponry, means of remaining undetected, and even details about the Polaris missiles they carry. It was all disturbing information that he has incorporated into the plot of his story. But ultimately, RAGE derives its motivations, politics and compelling tale from its colorful, contemporary characters. A fact born out by the strange and disturbing reality of sometimes finding one’s self-agreeing with the motivations of the book’s antagonists.

Raffill’s writing style is fast paced with characters reflecting the world we live in. In many ways, you feel like you’re watching a movie as well as reading a novel, which is not surprising when you consider that Raffill is also a writer/ director in the film business.

RAGE is a controversial, politically incorrect novel that will grab your attention from its first page and hold you in its grip until its shocking and twisted end. prh

gohomephilly.com

A

driana Trigiani is the bestselling author of 17 books published in 36 countries around the world. She’s also a playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker.

In 2014, she even wrote and directed the film version of her novel Big Stone Gap, shot entirely on location in her Virginia hometown.

Just last month, Trigiani visited Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School here in Philadelphia to promote her latest book, Kiss Carlo. The story is perfect for summer reading - filled with romance, buried secrets, mistaken identities, broken hearts and true love. If you want to be transported to Italy, New York and even Pennsylvania this summer, pick up a copy of her new novel. Characters are brought to life in the Italian-American culture of South Philadelphia in 1949.

“South Philly is the home of my cousins on my grandfather Michael Trigiani’s side of the family. When my dad was a boy in the 1940s, he went to lots of professional baseball games - loving every moment,” Trigiani begins to explain her ties to our neighborhood. “I also have cousins in Ambler. For diehards who read all my books, Monica Spadoni makes an appearance in every novel. She’s now Monica Matthews and was for many years, a schoolteacher in Ambler.”

Trigiani grew up in Roseto, Pennsylvania, and spent many Sundays visiting her family in Philadelphia. “I remember the fountain of the seahorses when I was a little girl; I don’t remember that it was in good shape in the 1970s.

We visited the zoo and I loved it. I remember the neighborhoods and the way the streets circled around the museum, very Parisian, but of course, also Roman, so very Italian.”

Trigiani’s Italian upbringing and family traditions also inspired her to write a cookbook with her sister Mary Yolanda called Cooking with My Sisters.

“I have four sisters. Along with my mom, we wrote a family cookbook that scratched the surface of our treasury. We all love to cook and

bake and we wanted to share some of our legacy with you. The Philly folks know what I’m talking about here - bits and scraps of handwritten paper filled with recipes are handed down, more precious than gold!”

For Trigiani and her family, and many South Philadelphia families, food is legacy and connection. Their recipes, in ritual and presentation, express a certain kind of love, she explains. “Good doctors confirm that the social connections we make when we sit down and eat together make our hearts healthy and strong!”

She also has dear friends in South Philly, including Gina Casella, who is the president of AT Escapes. “[At Escapes] is our tour company where readers can walk in the steps of the characters, whether in New York City on a walking tour or in various regions of Italy, or Gibraltar, or Greece, the UK and beyond.

Customers can have an unforgettable life experience, remembering that we’re from working class families who love to live in a first class fashion! So, you see, I live a South Philly connection every day through Gina - and thrilled about it too!”

Trigiani currently lives in New York’s Greenwich Village where she works to inspire others as the co-founder of the Origin Project, an in-school writing program that serves more than a thousand students in Appalachia.

Also coming up - an updated edition of her family cookbook that will be released in November this year.

Visit the RowHome Magazine blog for Trigiani’s Venetian Eggs recipe.

So, can Kiss Carlo become Trigiani’s next movie project?

Perhaps, with South Philly itself as the filming location?

“I can imagine so many wonderful actors in it,” Trigiani ponders.

“I look forward to making this movie and you know I love to make movies where the story is born, so we’ll see about South Philly!”

For more on Adriana, her books and the Origin Project, visit www. adrianatrigiani.com. prh

Kiss Carlo

by Adriana Trigiani

Author relives her ties to the neighborhood in her latest novel

by John Nacchio

July / August / September 2017

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was one of the lucky ones that spent his summers down the shore. Even on days when I worked two jobs, if the sun was out, I found time to get to the beach. Today, that love for hanging out by the ocean is stronger than ever. So when I was asked about my favorite summer hot spot, a day on the beach is the hottest and absolutely best spot I know. But you have to be well prepared.

The kids return with lunchmeat and rolls, lettuce cleaned and ready to be added along with a few thinly sliced tomatoes. Mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper for some, dry without condiments for others. Made to order sandwiches sealed with a name and packed away for the short trek east. This is how it begins. Making lunch is the first step to getting ready to go on the beach. The Wildwood beach to be exact. Five miles of pure awesomeness and totally free of charge.

But if you intend to spend a lot of time in the sun, you’re going to need several ice-chilled coolers expertly stocked with water, soda and various adult beverages to last all day long. To the novice, stocking a cooler may seem trivial, but I assure you it is not. There’s a skill to making sure there’s plenty of liquid refreshment to last right up till that sun goes down. Imagine winning the pickle-ball tournament and searching the coolers for a cold bottle of water and all that’s left is a half empty can of diet ginger ale. C’MON MAN! Not on my watch!

If sandwiches and drinks are the kings and queens of beach prep, then the snacks are their royal court. Everyone has their favorites but for team Cava, there would be something

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

amiss if there weren’t Vienna Fingers, candied orange slices, Tootsie Pops, Swedish Fish or sugar wafers to nosh on throughout the day.

If you’re a little low on snacks, don’t fret – a few peaches and plums have been known to hold the team over until the ice-cream truck shows up. But cold as that ice-cream is, the dry sand between you and the truck is scorching hot so don’t forget your shoes!

Trying to get ready is always a bit more chaotic than organized but that’s what makes it special. My mom always said that if you’re old enough to walk, you’re old enough to carry something. So layer up on sunscreen, grab as much as you can carry and start walking. Pick a spot and set up camp. A moment by the ocean to give thanks and reflect on those who are no longer with us and you’re ready for some food, fun and sun.

The preparation is just another memorable part of going to the beach and many times overshadowed. For the better part of eight years now, most of my submissions for the summer issues have been about Wildwood and my love of the beach. In my first summer story for RowHome I wrote, While the uncles try to school the older kids on the finer points of backgammon and pinochle, there are others that are able to capture a bit of a child’s spirit and drift off at the foot of the ocean, engulfed in the immensity of the visual energy. Those peaceful few stare off into the ocean’s vastness in an attempt to release the rigors of the everyday world and let the water and waves rejuvenate and cleanse their soul.

If you’re like me and don’t mind being hot this summer, then by all means possible, get to the hottest spot in South Jersey – the Wildwood beach. prh gohomephilly.com

PRHWRITERSBLOCK Barbershop TALK

A fresh Cut & a Clean Ride

A

s a young teenager and now a young “Senior-Ager,” I remember working so hard that it was very difficult to find some fun time for myself. However, as a young barber working in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia, it seemed liked each customer was in a hurry to get their haircut so they could look nice on a hot summer day. Once the hair was on point, the next thing to do was to make your car look as good as your haircut.

Back in those times, if you had a fresh cut and a clean ride, it was all you needed to appreciate a beautiful summer day in our city of “Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.”

I remember my first car. A 1966 Volkswagen Beetle with a sunroof. My Beetle had chrome wheels with an 8-track tape player that my buddy Nathaniel Rice and I installed so I could play the latest hit songs.

Those songs seemed to make the ladies dance at every corner while I waited for the green light. If you caught the eye of a beautiful woman and she liked your haircut and your clean ride, she could become your summer love. Remember, there were no cell phones back then but if a young lady liked your style, she would let you drive her home and then you would get her phone number. Philadelphia women had their own styles and they were different in every section of the city - North, South, East and West.

I also recall heading to South Jersey very early on a summer Sunday morning to go horseback riding. This became a ritual of mine and it was something I looked forward to each and every Sunday.

Those times bring back so many memories that I had to share them with my customers during the week. There was something very special about horseback riding with a beautiful woman as the motion of the horse swayed from side to side.

Rage Read

by writer/director

Stewart Raffill

by Robert L. Woodard The Wynnefield Barber I remember the heat of a summer day trying to find its way through the cool summer leaves from the trees as the horses walked a cool trail through the woods. Those quiet moments never were really quiet for me. It became more of a symphony of questions and answers that would later become a big part of my summertime memory bank.

Trying to find that kind of peace in today’s technological world is almost impossible. It makes you wonder where we are headed as humans on this beautiful planet. Your body communicates naturally through electrical impulses from your brain to all other parts of your body.

Every time the cell phone rings, your body becomes the receiver and it disturbs the natural impulses that were just in a state of peace.

Every time the cell phone rings, it takes you from where you are to where technology wants you to be.

Human life is the ultimate miracle. Technology and computers are fine but let’s not allow them to take away our peace of mind.

Being a human being and not a machine must be a part of our future. There is no other way to really enjoy nature and all it has to offer. If we don’t teach our children to become more “humanical” and less “mechanical,” they could lose the importance of humanity. Being a “Human Life Saver” starts with your own. Learn to control your behavior and be a good neighbor.

Always keep in mind that communication does not have to be done by machines. Let’s learn all over again how to say “hello” to our neighbors because neighbors just don’t live next door. They live around the world. Remember, the future of human life on Earth depends on how we view race today.

Take the “RACE Test” at www.

BarbershopTalkHFD.org then you will emotionally be able to make every day of your life a happy healthy Sunday summer day. prh

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

1 2 3

Write the names of your loved ones & your special intentions on the Prayer Ribbon

Hang your Ribbon at the Prayer Grotto to the Blessed Mother in front of Neumann-Goretti High School at 10th & Moore, now through August Ribbons will be blessed when the Prayer Grotto Exhibit ends in August

Donations will benefit the students of Neumann-Goretti High School.

While you’re there…

Enjoy the painting of Mary – The Annunciation – by Henry Ossawa Tanner located next to the NG Prayer Grotto. It is part of the Philadelphia Art Museum’s Inside-Out – Art in Unexpected Places – program.

Prayer Ribbons are available at these and other participating locations: ➺ Neumann-Goretti Main Office / 10th & Moore ➺ St. Monica Church / 17th & Ritner ➺ The Cutting Point / 17th & Oregon ➺ Popi’s Risorante Italiano / 3120 S. 20th St. ➺ Dew’s Deli / 10th & Watkins gohomephilly.com

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PRHSCHOOLYARD

Landi starts

Joe Briglia

Scholarship Fund

2531-35 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia PA 19148

The Landi Comic Club is proud to announce the start of the Joe Briglia Scholarship Fund Drive. No donation is too small. Any donation of $25 or more will receive a limited edition Mummers tie tack/pin as a token of the Landi Comic Club’s appreciation. Please remember to “Share the Love” and keep Shmo’s memory alive in the form of this scholarship. You can contact Chuck Tomasco at 215.285.1110 or Matt Cella of the Jacks Brigade at 215.416.0145 to make your donation. You can also visit the Landi Comic Club online store with a credit card. www.landicomicclub.com

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

St. Anthony of Padua Regional Catholic School Administered by St. Nicholas of Tolentine and Annunciation B.V.M. Parishes

“Educating Our Future One Child at a Time�

A rigorous Pre-K (3 year old) to 8th Grade Academic Program, administered by Religious Teachers

Filippini & Qualified and dedicated lay teachers

Currently taking registrations for the 2017 School Year Call for a school tour with Principal,

Sr. Mary Esther 215-468-0353 teacherweb . com /Pa/S aint a nthonyof P adua r egional c atholic S chool / SchoolhomePage

PRHSCHOOLYARD

As many will

Local teacher wins

Lindback Award

by Moriah Kelley photo by Megan Lello for the School District of Philadelphia

agree, teaching is one of the most admirable professions on the career list. Individuals who arrive every day full of energy, optimism and the ability to reach out to students both inside and outside the classroom impact the lives of everyone they meet.

Recognition through accolades like the Philadelphia Lindback Award is a reminder that their efforts do not go unnoticed.

The award, which began in 2008, honors teachers that exemplify excellence within the Philadelphia School District.

Deborah W. Mann from the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) was one of the recipients of this year’s esteemed honor.

Ms. Mann, who was “elated to be nominated and later honored for this prestigious award” teaches fifth grade in various academic areas.

Teaching for more than 32 years (26 of those years at GAMP), Ms. Mann says her goal is to make her students feel at ease while pushing them to reach their fullest potential. The words students and staff use when talking about Deborah Mann are similar – caring, witty, inspirational.

“GAMP has been a blessing to me,” Ms. Mann says. “I was able to exercise my

craft of teaching and grow as an educator with the guidance of Dr. Emilio Matticoli, Mr. Al Gallo, Dr. Angelo Milicia and Dr. Jack Carr. My present principal, Dr. Carol Domb, and all of my colleagues at GAMP, past and present, are the reasons why I feel successful and why I enjoy teaching.”

She also credits the superior staff, the supportive parents and the motivated students as the main ingredients that make GAMP a stellar school. Some of her fondest memories so far at GAMP include performing in the school’s productions over the years (Fame, The Sound of Music, Grease), teaching embryology and observing the reactions of her students when the chicks hatch. She also plays softball at GAMP’s annual school picnics (and loves winning against the students!), and, of course, watching her students grow from the time they arrive for fifth grade into graduating seniors.

“I can actually say that I still enjoy teaching,” Ms. Mann concludes. “I want to make a positive impact on our young people and prepare them for their endeavors. ‘Each one teach one’ is what we can all do to make a difference in all of our lives.” prh

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| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

gohomephilly.com

When I picture the most courageous, committed and compassionate student, I envision Julia Kinney, Saints John Neumann & Maria Goretti’s Class of 2018 Student Council President. As Neumann Goretti transforms both inside and outside of the classroom, Julia has been growing along with the school.

Neumann Goretti strives to create students who are independent leaders, innovative thinkers and passionate individuals. Julia embodies all of these qualities. She was excited to share the impact that the school has had on her. “Neumann Goretti has taught me how to stand out. My school has helped me feel comfortable to be who I want to be, someone who is able to get things done. I’ve truly become someone who isn’t afraid of obstacles and can overcome any challenges.”

Amongst the best and the brightest, Julia sets high standards not only for herself, but for those around her. As a school leader who already accomplished so much, she hopes to achieve even more during her senior year. Like continuing to foster school spirit.

To do this, she plans to work closely with the rest of student council and the student body to plan more events that will bring together the school community.

Through her intensive roster, and with the help of

her incredible teachers, Julia Kinney has acquired values and qualities to become a strong leader. “In English, I learned how to express myself through writing assignments and analyzing literature. In science, I have learned critical thinking skills and the importance of applying compassion to the greater community. Mrs. Barrett, my art teacher, challenged me to think outside of the box and taught me how important it is to be creative. The transition from art to math class every day left me with a creative mind to be able to tackle the problem on the board.”

Along with being Student Council President, Julia has also been appointed Student Advisor for Neumann Goretti Mini THON®. When speaking about this year’s event, Julia asserted, “I don’t think anyone realizes how hard we worked to meet our $15,000 goal and to see that we surpassed our goal with $18,141.30 was one of the greatest feelings ever. To know that we are able to help so many children with cancer and their families is so incredible.”

After high school, Julia will take what she has learned from Neumann Goretti to college where she will study to become a nurse. But she will find it hard to leave her second home, saying, “NG holds a special place in my heart and that’s something I’ll never let go.” prh

Kudos to this

Class President

by Ciarra Bianculli, NG Class of 2013

Ss. John Neumann-Maria Goretti Catholic High School

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram:

@NeumannGoretti neumanngorettihs . org

Schedule a visit or enroll today! www.neumanngorettihs.org • 215-465-8437 x 229 1736 South 10th Street • Philadelphia, PA 19148 “Compassion. Courage. Commitment.”

July / August / September 2017

| rowhome magazine | 93

BUSINESS NETWORK DIRECTORY

Shop Local / Support Local Automotive Services

Gym / Fitness

Jewelers

Professional Automotive Service 2023 S. Percy St. Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.551.7559

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2523 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.336.1130 www.dolivierijewelers.com

Accutune

_____________________________ Twins Auto Body & Detail Centers 2525 S. 72nd St. Philadelphia, PA 19142 215.365.8212 7931 Oxford Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19111 215.745.8428 www.twinsautobodyinc.com

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PHL Athletics / CrossFit PHL

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Home Improvement Ritner Hardware

1641 Ritner St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.334.4927

_____________________________ Rita’s Unique Painting Inc.

Construction

Rita Trombetta 856.986.0252 infinity4367@yahoo.com

Construction managers and builders since 1918

Home Services

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Restoration & cleaning service Fire/Smoke/Water/Mold 215.704.4958 www.cprrestoration.com

P. Agnes

2101 Penrose Avenue Philadelphia, PA 215.755.6900 contact@pagnes.com www.pagnes.com

PeterBuilt Construction LLC From planning to completion.

All your contracting needs begin here.

Licensed & Insured 215.399.7732

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Entertainment Punch Line Philly

Comedy Club Restaurant and Bar 1004 Canal St. Philadelphia, PA 19123 www.punchlinephilly.com

_____________________________ CPR Restoration

_____________________________ FBI Pest Control

We rid your pests so you can rest

info@fbipestcontrol.com Frank Fioravanti, route supervisor 2909 S Franklin St. Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.768.1804 www.termitecontrolphiladelphia.com

_____________________________ Filippone Electric & Contracting

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856.952.8197 24-hour emergency service 215.783.3844

Goldstein's Clothing

AlFilipponeElectric@yahoo.com

Fashion

Men’s and boys’ clothing

114 years (1902-2016) 2537 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.468.0564 Goldsteinsclothing.com

_____________________________ Strands 25 Hair Salon 2504 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.923.5849

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Financial Services United Savings Bank

1510 Packer Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.467.4300 www.unitedsavingsbank.com

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Florists & Decorators The Petal Pusher

2515 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.463.5485

Specializing in weddings, funerals & corporate events

www.petalpusherflowers.net

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Graphic Design

ten2two creative solutions Ken Cahill 267.408.5501 ken.cahill@ten2twocs.com

Free Estimates. We will beat any written estimate.

Licensed & Insured. 5-year warranty on all work.

_____________________________ Lou’s TV Electronics

We do everything! Install & Repair all your electronics, any make/model, new/used antennas, cameras, surveillance equipment

1817 S. Dover St. Philadelphia, PA 19145

Law Enforcement & Senior Citizen Discounts

215.271.1138 or 215.468.3028

_____________________________ Pad Porter

We coordinate your move so that you love your new home faster!

Nonya Collier, CEO nonya.c@padporter.co 484.483.5821 www.padporter.co

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Philip's Moving & Removal Services No job too big or small.

Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates.

215.500.3903 www.PhilipsMovingandRemoval.com

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Insurance Services

Troast-Singley Insurance Agency, LLC Kim Troast-Singley 2700 S. 18th St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.339.0333

_____________________________ USHEALTH Advisors

Angela Venable Licensed agent 1806 S. Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.681.5078 angela.venable@ushadvisors.com www.ushagent.com/AngelaVenable

Olivieri Jewelers

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Legal Services

Brian E. Fritz, Esq. Fritz, Goldenberg & Bianculli 1515 Market St., Suite 1801 Philadelphia, PA 19102 215.458.2220 (direct) 215.300.7474 (cell) bfritz@fritzgoldenberg.com www.fritzgoldenberg.com

_____________________________ Perry deMarco, Jr. Esq.

1500 Market St. Suite 4100 Philadelphia, PA 19102 215.563.6100 PerrydeMarcoJr@gmail.com

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Medical

Atlantic Physical Therapy

Philadelphia's Premier Physical Therapy & Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation Center 1208 Tasker Street, 2nd Fl. Philadelphia, PA 19148 www.aptphilly.com 215.271.4100

_____________________________ Dr. Denise D’Adamo DC

2432 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.468.2999 www.Drdenisetdadamo.com

_____________________________ Pennsport Physical Therapy 2101 S. Columbus Blvd.

Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.467.4431 www.pennsportpt.com

_____________________________ Spectrum Eyecare Center Comprehensive Eye Exams Glasses / Contact Lenses Dr. Gerald L. Ross, O.D. 1622 Oregon Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.755.6820

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Music Lessons

Joe Cuglietta Guitar Lessons Washington Township, NJ

Specializing in blues, jazz, rock & roll Beginners to advance

609.504.8258

_____________________________

Neighborhood Associations Newbold CDC

Revitalizing Newbold socially, economically & physically

1437 West Passyunk Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19145 Tim Lidiak, President (president@newboldcdc.org) www.newboldcdc.org

_____________________________

Professional Organizations

South Philadelphia Business Assn.

Oldest Business Association in South Philadelphia

Join today!

Russell Shoemaker Director of New Membership 267.597.7154 spba1897@gmail.com www.southphiladelphiaba.org

Real Estate

Spa Services

Travel Services

2136 S. 16th St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.389.7944 Ciampittiventure@aol.com

158 N. 3rd St. Philadelphia, PA 19106 856.227.7774 www.bella-angel.com

Your boutique travel company Gina Casella / Founder & President 917.514.5566 info@atescapes.com www.atescapes.com facebook.com/AdrianaTrigianiTours

Leonardo Realty

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Bella Angel

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215.271.1138 or 215.468.3028

2545 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.467.9666 www.hothandsphilly.com

Restaurants

Philly's Nail Spa

We sell, buy, fix & rent apartments & houses.

Open 7 days.

Law Enforcement & Senior Citizen Discounts.

_____________________________ Francoluigi

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_____________________________ L’Oceano Ristorante

833 Haddon Ave. Collingswood, NJ 08108 856.833.9888 www.loceanoristorante.com

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_____________________________ Stogie Joe's Tavern

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_____________________________ Tollman Joe's

South Philly Sports Bar Great food, Live music & even greater memories

26 E. Oregon Ave Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.644.8388 www.tollmanjoes.com

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Security Services

Allied Universal Security Services Ron Rabena 1760 Market Street, 14th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103 1.866.825.5433 ron.rabena@aus.com www.allieduniversal.com

_____________________________ SPI Security Services Inc.

2440 Federal St. Philadelphia, PA 19146 215.338.0800 www.spissecurityservices.com

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Senior Services

Senior Companionship & Home Helper Carmen DeSanto 610.908.4811

Meal preparation, grocery shopping, light housekeeping. 30+ years of experience.

References available.

_____________________________ Wellness and Beauty Spa Refer three customers and get $20 off the service of your choice!

2502 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.271.9831

At Escapes

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Full Service Agent 856.956.3532 TravelWithPamDraper@gmail.com www.TravelWithPamDraper.com

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Specialty Foods & Catering The Beer Peddlers

1942 S, Christopher Columbus Blvd.

Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.755.2337 www.facebook.com/beerpeddlers

_____________________________ Big Nick’s Cold Cuts & Italian Specialties 1311 W. Moyamensing Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19148

(Between 13th & Broad on Moyamensing)

215.952.2500

_____________________________ Cannuli’s Sausage

1640 Ritner St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.468.7997

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_____________________________ Dew’s Deli

1710 S. 10th St. Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.465.4890

_____________________________ Giovanni’s Italian Catering

Located in the heart of South Philadelphia

267.439.0779 giovanniitaliancatering@gmail.com www.giovannisitaliancatering.com

_____________________________ Mike's Hot Dog Cart 24th & Passyunk

_____________________________ Swan Caterers

Now serving at 2 locations 2015 S. Water St. Philadelphia, PA 19148 215.389.8888 1500-02-04 Shunk St. Philadelphia, PA 19145 215.389.2045 www.swanwaterfallcaterers.com

_____________________________

Tailoring / Custom Clothing Alana Ferr Atelier

Clothing/Accessories/Custom Clothing/Alterations

2403 S. Broad St. 215.336.6166 www.facebook.com/Alanaferr www.alanaferr.com

Join the PRH Business Network!

Call Carol at 215.462.9777 or info@gohomephilly.com

Everybody Cut Footloose!

D E S S E R P P RHPRESSED

Jackson y Dorette Rota

D

awn is a fainter. She’s been passing out since we were kids. Too hot, too cold, too crowded, too loud. If conditions aren’t just right, her eyes roll toward the back of her head and boom! Down she goes.

When my sister was a mere tot, she waddled past a can of Dutch Boy high gloss. PopPop was painting our kitchen a lovely shade of mellow yellow. Within seconds, boom!

She drops to the floor in her pink feety PJs. Always drama.

We grew up witnessing the routine and learning the ropes. Dawn faints. Give her room to breathe. Cold towel on the back of her neck. Step back. And most of all – never ever talk to her while she is in faint mode.

She cannot be held responsible for the verbal assault that flows freely from her parched lips when she is in the midst of a fainting spell.

She will call you curse words you’ve never heard before with no regard for who is present. Mayors, Senators, CEOs, Kevin Bacon.

Did I tell you about the time we barged our way into a press meet & greet when Kevin Bacon was in Wildwood? Dawn knows he’s been my heartthrob since his Guiding Light soap opera days. Footloose sealed my deal. The Convention Center was close to where we were staying. If we took a quick shower, we’d make it on time. I was determined to get there even though we just spent 10 hours on the beach. She was hot.

We only had bagels for breakfast and she was starving. She’s not in the least enamored by celebrities. She says everyone in Hollywood is short. I, on the other hand, am star struck.

Have been since my John Boy Walton years.

She tries to talk me out of it.

‘We don’t have a camera. We can’t

96

by Dorette Rota Jackson

be press without a camera.’

My rebuttal is swift. I remind her of the long dreadful night before that we spent with our kids at the boardwalk arcade. ‘Michael won that digital at Gateway 26. It comes with batteries.’

We grab the camera and run. She’s obviously pissed that her plan to skip the Bacon Brothers post concert greeting was foiled.

‘I’m hot. I’m hungry. And I want to sit on the couch in the air-conditioned comfort of my home eating Mack’s pizza,’ she whines.

I do what I do best. Ignore her. We get there and fight our way through a crowd of sweaty people leaving the concert.

She has zero tolerance for body odors.

‘These people stink. I’m gonna throw up.’

I should have known better. I forced her into the perfect storm.

Anxiety + claustrophobia + hot sweaty crowd = Dawn is going to faint.

We show our RowHome credentials and sign in at the press table before making our way down a narrow hall. ‘I hope it’s not crowded,’ I huff as we hustle. ‘Crowded?

We’re the only ones here. Everyone else is home eating seedless grapes and ordering Chinese food.’ I pretend I don’t hear her.

The door to the dressing room ahead is open. We walk in and wow! We are face to face with Kevin Bacon! Inches from where we were standing. I’m speechless! I’m flustered! I’m babbling about RowHome and Dirty Dancing.

Dawn is sweating. She has the look that happens right before the eyeroll. Time is of the essence.

Quickly, I hand her the camera the kids won at Gateway and hug Kevin Bacon for this once in a lifetime moment.

Dawn snaps two shots. I am selfishly relieved that we got the photo.

Then I see it. Her eyes start rolling

| rowhome magazine | July / August / September 2017

ever so slowly to the back of her head.

Kevin is introducing us to his brother Michael. Dawn could care less.

Her knees start to buckle as she stares deeply into Kevin’s eyes. I recognize the evil stare and the stiff bottom lip that is about to say something you probably don’t want to hear.

It’s too late.

I grab a chair to break her fall. I squeeze my lips tightly together lest I break the sacred code of silence while she faints.

And I smile politely in Kevin’s direction knowing this will probably be the last time we will ever see each other.

And then she cuts loose.

‘You’re really short Kev.’ We would have had a nice photo of us for the magazine had the camera not been locked on the French settings. My encounter with Kevin is just an out-of-focus blur in time.

Sort of like Dawn’s memory when she recovers from one of her fainting spells.

‘Did I insult anybody? Curse? Embarrass you?’

‘You told Kevin Bacon he was short.’

‘Oh dear God. We turned the corner and he was in my face! I needed air.

At least you got to meet him. And we have a nice pic of the two of you for the next issue,’ she blabs to divert my attention from the scene she created.

I hold up both photos in front of her face.

‘Ugh. Shame. He’ll be back. You’re lucky that’s all I said. He’s a foot shorter than I thought he’d be. At least you got to meet him.’

No remorse.

Kevin Bacon, if you are ever in Philly, please stop by so I can get a photo of you. With a real camera. In an air-conditioned room. Dawn is sorry she called you short. She will never do it again.

Everybody cut footloose! prh

gohomephilly.com

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.”

—Coco Chanel

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