Photos by Daniel Yund and Blake Drummond While there’s no formal curriculum on becoming a vintage lifestyle expert, stylist and interior designer Bob Richter was nutured on this aesthetic from early childhood. By age 6, he was rescuing antiques from the family home’s attic and learning the stories behind them. Other formative experiences of this Allentown native included a... »
When history and alcohol collide, really interesting things happen,” says Mark Will-Weber. “Alcohol is part of the whole fabric of the colonial and American story.” The Bethlehem author learned just how deeply the two are entwined when researching his books “Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt,” which examines the drinking habits of America’s presidents, and “Muskets and App... »
Cardiology patients at St. Luke’s University Health Network might notice a familiar face cooking on “The Chef’s Kitchen” this season. Dr. Dwithiya Thomas, director of St. Luke’s Women’s Heart Center, is the featured chef in three how-to videos that were filmed by the cooking show inside the kitchen at Easton Public Market. The featured recipes come straight from her heart-... »
For Bruce Gaston, music is a labor of love. Manual labor. Gaston, also known as Mr. Handman, is among the best known of a handful of manualists—musicians who make music by squeezing air through their hands—having been featured on CNN, NPR, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “America’s Got Talent,” Germany’s “Das Supertalent,” and numerous radio shows. The son of a music tea... »
MOSAIC STAINED GLASS ARTIST It’s a Monday afternoon at the Banana Factory, and Kim Hogan’s students are gathering up their projects at the end of their stained glass mosaic class. Hogan compliments a girl who comes up to show her the progress she’s made and reminds another to be careful as she hurries out the door. “I love teaching, both adults and kids,” says Hogan, who t... »
Like many Lehigh Valley residents, Zeke Zelker remembers the three men camped on a Whitehall Township billboard in the early 1980s for a radio contest. “I remember going by there with my mom and wondering what they were doing and wondering what was going on at the radio station,” he says. “I have always thought that what goes on behind the scenes of something is a lot more... »
“You are Colombian dancers,” Dominic Fiore tells the young string players. He counts out loud then points animatedly from one section to another as he sings its line, smiling and laughing. A few rooms away, high-school-age musicians have settled back into rehearsal after the stress of seating auditions. “Play the accents,” Kenneth Bean tells them simply as he conduct... »
A Labor of Love and Wonderland for Artists and Hobbyists of All Ages If glass blowing isn’t already on your bucket list, we highly suggest you add it. It all began in the early 1960s. Charles Warner, as a young boy growing up in San Diego, became fascinated with stained glass. Drawn in by the depth and contrast of vibrant colors, his curiosity led him to a community ... »
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... »
