By Kathryn M. D’Imperio The holidays are edging ever-closer and you know what that means – it’s almost time for Christmas cookies! Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, butter, sugar, gingerbread… it’s tough to find a cookie you don’t like, at least in my family. Still, it can be a challenge to find enough time and energy to make all the different flavors of cookies you love, re... »
By Kathryn Finegan Clark Photo courtesy Shutterstock.com Charles Dickens did not visit the Lehigh Valley during his American tours in the 1800s, but his great-great grandson is not making the same mistake. Though not following the same route, Gerald Charles Dickens still walks in his ancestor’s footsteps in another way, breathing life into the words of his famous forebear.... »
By Kathryn M. D’Imperio Sports and exercise carry the spirit of competition proudly. Finishing well in a race or winning a match can also inspire us to push our limits, looking for that next “personal best.” Team sports, individual competitions, and the personal goals that we set for ourselves can all make living a healthy, active lifestyle even more exciting. It seems we ... »
By Cathy Kiley Photos by Ryan Hulvat Breakfast, in my opinion, is one of life’s greatest pleasures. My husband Tom and I have breakfast at least once a week at one of many local eateries or diners, usually after church on Sunday. We love the guilty pleasure of indulging on decadent breakfast fare and miss this casual time together if we skip a week. Finding a new and speci... »
By Andy Cook Ahh, the holidays… Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa – the season in general. The time of year when we open up our homes and gather with family and close friends and share the warmth, love and friendship and the sense of connection we have with one another. Does the mere reading of this sentence make you anxious or bring on stress? Are you wishing tha... »
By Nancy Moffett Photo by Ryan Hulvat Famous Smoke Shop (FSS) moved to Forks Township in 2000 after existing in Manhattan for 61 years. What began as a 350-square-foot retail shop at 1433 Broadway has grown into a large internet/mail order business that also includes a restaurant and a retail store. Arthur Zaretsky, president of FSS, grew up in his parents’ store where the... »
History buffs can experience the Lehigh Valley’s landscape rich with its significant log cabin buildings by Mary Beth Schwartz Photo by Keith Brinker As a child, I enjoyed watching the Ingalls family in their simple cabin on the prairie. Pa playing his fiddle. Ma cooking over a fire in the kitchen. Laura and Mary doing their homework at the table. My love of the Little Hou... »
By Melanie Gold What says “Christmas” more than an evergreen tree? The decorated tree is a well-known symbol of the Christmas holiday, acting as a backdrop for decorations from the primitive to the fanciful, and is at the center of gift giving. Whether you opt for a tabletop version or something that fills a great room, you’ll want to read this primer on how to make the mo... »
the SPLURGE A Tag Heuer “Link Lady” Stainless Steel with Diamond Dial & Diamond Bezel $6,500 Tag Heuer “Carrera Calibre 36 Flyback Stainless Steel $7,900 from Murphy Jewelers B Parade Designs 18 Karat White and Yellow Gold, 1.36 Carats, Colored and White Diamond Necklace from Werkheiser Jewelers C Clara Kasavina Starry Night Clutch Purse, $900 from BO... »
by Melanie Gold When I was a young girl, I lived with my maternal grandparents, along with my brother and parents. Though it was more than 40 years ago, I still remember precisely the way the sun shone through the kitchen curtains on an autumn day, the butterflies in my belly as I jumped off the backyard tire swing into an earthy pile of raked leaves, and the harvest moon ... »
