New Year’s Eve! The occasion practically begs for silly hats, slinky dresses, champagne by the jeroboam, noisy revelry and midnight smooches. But if you want something that’s a bit different, check out the venues in our holiday round-up. Many of them include the standard party accessories, but all of them emphasize fun – a good change-of-pace from squeezing into a loud and... »
No matter which winter holidays you celebrate, exchanging gifts is part of the traditions. But if your recipient’s taste is apart from the mainstream, shopping can be tough. You’ll often find shelves loaded with mass-produced merchandise that essentially copies-and-pastes itself. There’s a better approach – the eighth annual Indiemade Craft Market (ICM) on December 5. This... »
The phrase “Pennsylvania Youth Theatre” might prompt mental images of ramshackle sets, homemade costumes, and a cast of awkward kids stumbling around on stage. But you’d be absolutely wrong on all counts. PYT is actually a regional performing-arts school. Thousands of children have studied drama, music and dance during its 30-year history and – with help from professional ... »
Grasping the scope of hunger in America can be daunting. According to the Food Research and Action Center, about one in six Americans was sometimes unable to buy necessary food last year. And in a nation of nearly 320 million, that represents over 5 million hungry people. It’s even more widespread in the Lehigh Valley. Estimates show that up to 25% of Allentown’s residents... »
Typical foreign-language lessons start with words or simple phrases – ¡Buenos días! ¡Buenas tardes! ¡Buenas noches! – gradually building into sentences, and reinforced with tiresome drilling on verb conjugation, noun genders and the like. But imagine walking into a classroom for the first time and discovering that the entire curriculum – including textbooks, signs and even... »
VA-cations can be a hassle: packing, planning, countless miles on the road, uncertain accommodations… But close-to-home STAY-cations commit none of those sins. Consider visiting some of the many attractions right under our noses. America on Wheels America on Wheels celebrates every imaginable type of land transportation – from scooters to trucks, and more. The main entranc... »
The Lehigh Valley has long had a burgeoning music scene – from Lillian Briggs to Dooley Invention to Magnum to Taylor Swift – but, until 1999, there were only the usual ways of recognizing the players’ and singers’ accomplishments. Regular paying gigs are rewarding, and you can’t beat a devoted fan base… but there’s nothing quite like being called on-stage to receive a tan... »
Allentonian David Binder was just 19 years old when he joined the U. S. Navy in 1963. Now 70, he and Lois (his wife of nearly 44 years), are the parents of three, and the grandparents of seven. He retired from PPL Electric Utilities in 2013. Dave’s a veteran of two tours in Vietnam, and agreed to give us a glimpse of his military life. Lehigh Valley Marketplace: How did yo... »
Good Shepherd’s Assistive Technology Program The term “assistive technologies” covers a lot of ground. It includes anything that helps people with disabilities become more independent and productive – from a simple pair of reading glasses, to eye-controlled computers. And at the Harry C. Trexler Center for Assistive Technology at Good Shepherd, you’ll find an array of such... »
Mark Twain supposedly said, “A great, great deal has been said about the weather, but very little has ever been done.” But today’s meteorologists make a strong effort to help us cope with the vagaries of sun, clouds, wind and rain. And during the winter months, we turn to them to stay abreast of travel conditions, temperatures, and how much we might (or might not) have to ... »
