Coffee shop manager winds down with her own bath salts, teas, and candles. And she wants you to do the same. During the day, you’ll find Courtney Dech, 28, managing The Joint Coffee Co. in Bethlehem. She may even serve you a soda or latte with fresh sage from her garden. But after hours, in her grandmother’s second kitchen in Easton, Dech makes magic happen with candles, b... »
This Bucks County artist combines nature and traditional printing to create everyday masterpieces. Rebecca Kutys of Moontree Letterpress uses a printing press from the 1950s to do all her work. “They don’t even make [the Heidelberg Windmill] anymore,” says Kutys, whose studio is located in the Bucks County town of Durham. Nearly 15 years ago, Kutys, who was living in New... »
This Emmaus jeweler creates affordable, quality pieces That are perfect for gifts. You may have missed the storefront if you weren’t looking for it. House of Metalworks is tucked away on the lower level of a Main Street building in Emmaus. But walk down a couple steps and you’re greeted with a sign on the door: Come in, we’re awesome. “It’s from Canada,” says creator Jill ... »
This local tattoo artist is making her mark in the Lehigh Valley. The self-taught henna and tattoo artist sits on her couch with her left leg elevated. On her forehead is a mining headlamp. She has a beer to one side of her, her boyfriend to the other. She’s streaming The Office on her TV. With delicate precision, Priya Rattan, 25, lowers a set of three needles just above ... »
People have been painting on walls since the days of the cavemen, but only in the past few years have murals been making a prominent appearance in Easton. And the latest artist to grace an Easton wall with her art is the youngest one yet. Madison Scott first became aware of the Easton Murals Project last year, when her visiting uncle saw its trademark “There should be a mu... »
“Great actors, great artists, great plays.” That’s what Patrick Mulcahy, producing artistic director, says will be the highlight of the 27th season of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, which runs from June 1 to August 15 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts at DeSales University’s Center Valley campus. “Great actors, great artists, great plays.” That’s what P... »
For 16 years now, the State Theater Center for the Arts invites the best and brightest stars from area high schools to participate in a single night of friendly competition and stunning performances. The Freddy©Awards Program is as much about a celebration of hard work, camaraderie, and community for its participants as it is about entertainment. Each year, roughly 30 scho... »
Eric Claypoole works aloft in the heavenly countryside of the Lehigh Valley and surrounding counties and sees constellations of stars all the time. Claypoole, a second-generation folk artist from Berks County, restores barn stars, bringing their distinct geometrical patterns back to life, and paints hex signs, both of them classic, colorful Pennsylvania German symbols that... »
Do you crave to jitterbug in a haven for hepcats? Maybe you’d rather polish up your winklepickers and hit the floor for some jive with your poodle-skirted honey? You can do both—and lots more—when you drop by the Gas House Dance Hall, one of the most hoppin’ joints in the Lehigh Valley. Swing dance enthusiasts Robynn and Keith Shannon founded the Gas House in 2013. “They t... »
Playing with glass—hot as lava and pliable as taffy—to create Christmas ornaments is the coolest experience at the beloved holiday market Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem. With a limited amount of chances to secure a 20-minute time slot, it’s also one of the hottest tickets this season. Tucked into Pavilion 4 at the back of Christkindlmarkt, the Banana Factory’s “baby” furna... »
