Lehigh Valley Style September 2025 by Innovative Designs & Publishing, Inc.

A BETHLEHEM From the Ground Up HOME

DECOR AND MORE AT RE:FIND LOCAL PERFORMANCE VENUES 8

WFMZ’S PERLA LÓPEZ BARAY

Holmquist Farm

A quintessential Bucks County estate on the outskirts of New Hope. The renovated main house & detached garage with luxe guest suite are surrounded by 12 private acres. Offered for $5,950,000

Peaceful Valley

Surrounded by 53 acres of woods, wildflower fields, streams, and pond, this custom design creates one of the most noteworthy properties to ever have come on the market. Offered for $3,995,000

Inspired by the beauty and magnitude of its surroundings this 13,000 sqft residence showcases fine craftsmanship along with rare and unusual design elements. Offered for $2,750,000

Spring Hill

This renovated barn includes re-imagined vaulted spaces blended with stunning new details and modern amenities, all perfectly positioned amidst 90 rolling acres. Offered for $4,450,000

Tutto Niente

This custom crafted Tudor home & vineyard includes unique touches throughout as well as a stunning panoramic view over 55 acres of big sky & Pocono Mountains. Offered for $3,945,000

At the end of a quiet country drive lies 7.9 acres embracing a stone manor home in a setting of lush greenery. The renovated interior lets you enjoy seclusion in a coveted location. Offered for $1,599,000

Molasses Creek Farm

Expansive 58-acre property in Bucks County. The updated farmhouse is complemented by an outdoor kitchen, pool, pool house, 5-stall bank barn & indoor riding arena. Offered for $4,000,000

Majestic River Overlook

This impeccably maintained Bucks County home is nestled amongst an extraordinary setting comprising 60 acres with stunning views of the sweeping Delaware River. Offered for $2,895,000

Lanes End Farm

Set on 50 acres, this circa 1863 home is a culmination of many a heart’s desire—a historic home, in pristine condition, on generous acreage and under 2 hours from New York City. Offered for $1,650,000

SO MUCH MORE THAN SHOPPING

Visit us for top-brand outlet shopping, then enjoy a day of fun with unique experiences like axe throwing at Angry Jack’s and virtual golf at Twisted Tees. Be sure to stop by our newest eatery, Bethlehem Barrel and Drafthouse, for elevated pub fare, local brews, and more.

ENJOY SOME ‘ME’ TIME

Relax and restore at Spa at Wind Creek®, where tranquility meets luxury. Treat yourself to a massage, facial, body treatment, or nail services. Enjoy our thermal suite, mud room, jacuzzi, and relaxation pools. Then extend your end-of-summer retreat with a stay at our AAA Four Diamond hotel.

50 Years of Financial Leadership

ALLENTOWN, PA

This year, Jeff Bogert celebrates a remarkable milestone: 50 years in the finance and investment industry. Bogert has built a career defined by professional excellence and innovation, with deep community roots and a passion for doing things differently—for the right reasons.

In 1975, Jeff made the bold decision to turn down a promotion at Mack Trucks and shift careers into financial services. Returning to Allentown, the city where he met his wife, Nancy, and made a home, he joined his father, Thomas Bogert, at Warren W. York & Company with a single goal: to build something lasting.

Months into his new role, a devastating fire swept through the firm’s Hamilton Street offices. Bogert then secured temporary space and oversaw the design and construction of new offices—all while earning his securities registration and building a book of clients. He was consistently one of the firm’s top producers due to his desire to succeed. He credits this consistency not to ambition alone, but to his hands-on approach to support the local initiatives of educators, medical services and local government projects serving and helping people and the community with taxfree municipal bonds.

Jeff was able to expand his positive community impact due to the merger into Legg Mason using the new investment firm to expand his investment knowledge into financial wisdom. He helped spearhead a groundbreaking endowment initiative through United Way and played a pivotal role in uniting the Allentown and Bethlehem branches. He helped with the expansion of the Bethlehem and Allentown Area foundations in creating the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. Bogert also joined the founding efforts of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC). From helping local banks grow, to empowering small towns with investment services, Jeff is a cornerstone of the Lehigh Valley’s nonprofit ecosystem.

In 2010, Bogert transitioned leadership of what is now Magellan Financial to Partners Rob Cahill and Jon Soden. He continues to offer guidance as the practice grows. “I always tried to think outside the box,” he says, “not for the sake of being different, but to help

Jeff Bogert PARTNER

the clients, the team and the community thrive. Seeing Rob and Jon take this to the next level— that’s the dream realized.”

Along the way, Bogert found inspiration in literature, specifically, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference,” mirrors many moments where he chose the bold, often unconventional path—and built something better.

Now, Bogert balances his enduring passion for mentorship and finance with a love of adventure with his wife, actively traveling through new destinations. It’s a lifestyle earned and embraced.

As Magellan Financial celebrates his five decades of leadership, one thing is clear: Jeff Bogert’s legacy is not only a story of financial success, but of purpose, connection and the lasting difference one person can make when they lead with heart.

There’s No Place Like Home

As the end of summer nears and we see shorter days and lower temperatures, home feels like the right place to be. Cozy, tucked in, together with people who make you happy. This month we got to do that… in someone else’s home. For our fall home feature, Lehigh Valley Style visited a gorgeously designed home in Bethlehem, filled with the kinds of details and craftsmanship that are worth waiting for to get just right. We were accompanied by the home’s principal designer, Ashley Hayes of Swine Design, and the builder, Keith Hoeing of Erwin Forrest Builders, and we had the kind of day that homes ask for, filled with jokes, laughter, admiration and togetherness. I’m so excited for you to see inside this home and learn more about how it came to be on page 50. And if you’re inspired

by our home feature, you might just want to go shopping to outfit your own home— check out what’s in store at RE:find in Allentown on page 28.

In September, we also celebrate the arts here at Style, and if you don’t know where to start looking for fall performances and exhibits, try pg. 64. Our performance venue roundup highlights spots all over the Valley to take in all different types of art. If art museums in particular are your type of thing, we have five suggestions for you on pg. 44. And food is art, right? Check out our recent visit to the Riegelsville Inn for history, hospitality and great bites overlooking the Delaware River on pg. 76, or try your hand at a meal made for fall with 29 Cooks’ recipe for Philly cheesesteak chowder on pg. 74.

Happy September,

ANGELA VENNEMANN editor@lehighvalleystyle.com

our publisher, Pam Deller, is looking forward to this month! pdeller@lehighvalleystyle.com

44 Checking out the Valley’s art scene this fall!

Dinner on the river at the Riegelsville Inn!

Cheesesteak chowder? Can’t wait to make it!

FIRST & ONLY THE REGION’S

MEDICAL SCHOOL

Dima

Khalil – Class of 2026 | Allentown, PA

Emmaus High School

Temple University

Temple/St. Luke’s student Dima Khalil, an Allentown native, has noticed that the Lehigh Valley can use more allergists – and she wants to be part of the solution. “I’m leaning toward internal medicine with a focus on allergy, and I really want to stay here and treat people in my community,” she says. “With the growth of the Network, there’s so many more locations and options for taking care of others. This is a very empowering and encouraging environment in which to learn.”

sluhn.org/SOM

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 9

President/CEO

Paul Prass

I love to attend the annual Cocktails & Collecting event at the Allentown Art Museum! One swanky Saturday night every fall, the galleries are filled with all forms of artwork from amazing local artists—save the date for November 8 this year!

Honestly, I think my favorite is Downtown Bethlehem during Musikfest, because I love summer, the outdoors, the sense of community and the free celebration of music. Plus beer!

I love taking a walk on the Karl Stirner Arts Trail! I hop on the trail at the Silk Mill in Easton and love to look at all the sculptures and art while walking towards downtown!

My daughters attend Reibman Hall preschool at Northampton Community College and it’s an art-based program. It might sound silly, but I love their annual summer art show. They frame the kids’ work and put it together like a true art gallery. The girls are so proud and we love the work the teachers put into this.

I have a soft spot for the old cinemas of days gone by—Allentown’s Civic Theatre, the Easton State Theatre and Northampton’s Roxy are great examples. There’s just something about being in that atmosphere that seems to elevate whatever is on the stage or screen in front of you.

Vice President/COO Lisa Prass

Publisher Pamela Deller

Managing Editor Angela Vennemann

Digital Strategy Director

Jason Chrin

Production Coordinator Eleanor Anderson

Graphic Designers

Eleanor Anderson, Thomas Körp, Elaine Wyborski

Marketing & Events Coordinator Jaiden Vazquez

Marketing Advisors

Denise Lichty, Arielle Solliday, Pam Taylor

Client Specialist Emily Markovich

Contributing Writers

Alison Conklin, Susan Gottshall, Heather Mayer Irvine, Christine A. Krahling, Amy Unger, Daisy Willis

Contributing Photographers

Marco Calderon, Matthew Cannon, Alison Conklin

Editorial Intern Erin O’Neil

Proofreader Lori McLaughlin

Accounting

Jobelle Aleño, Leza Ovten

What’s your favorite place to take in art?

The Allentown Art Museum! A bit of an obvious answer, but institutions like AAM do the hard (and quiet) work of collection, curation, presentation and preservation necessary to make art, its history and its manifold contexts readily available to the public.

I think Musikfest may be my favorite! I also enjoy going to restaurants around the Valley when they have live music playing.

I love taking in the art of theater at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Comedies make me laugh; dramas make me cry; and both inspire my thinking about life’s big questions.

One of my favorite spots to take in local artists’ work here in the Valley is Connexions Gallery in Easton.

I love going to the Emmaus Theatre! Watching a movie there is one of my favorite ways to spend an evening!

MAKING THE MAGAZINE

AMY UNGER

Contributing Writer

I was really happy to hear that Lehigh Valley Style was putting Perla López Baray in the spotlight. We’ve worked together at WFMZ for a long time, and she’s just a delight. Even after all of these years, there’s a lot I didn’t know about her, which made our chat all the more enlightening.

HEATHER MAYER IRVINE

Contributing Writer

I did not realize how many artistic venues there are in the Lehigh Valley or just how many productions they have; I can’t wait to check them out, particularly the Civic Theatre’s Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, my favorite Hanukkah story.

| Emily Hertlein, Stephanie Mettler and Krista Berardelli 2 | Danielle Joseph and Melody Bradford 3 | Emily Markovich, Jaiden Vazquez and Erin O’Neil 4 | Rosa Escobar and Jessica Escobar-Eck 5

Laura Weller and Alissa O’Hara 6

Susan Elser 7

EverTrue Luther Crest Courtyard

| Sheila

Marta

| Laura Collins and Mariska Van Aalst 8 | Allison Quinn and Lindsay Frantz 9 | Amanda Vaughn, Crystal Williams, Holly Hall and Danielle Adams 10 | Andrea and John Jones 11 | Avantika Crooke, Deb Sundlof, Nidhi Mehta, Kailyn

| Michole Pignato, John LoRusso and Abby Silfies 13 | Vello Vilbas, Natalia Stezenko Vilbas, Sophie Dietrich and Jeff Dietrich

| Mari Perez and Shaila Ortiz 15 | Dina Kovats-Bernat and Hannah Votta Coleman

Hayes,

Countess

Mann, Regina Welkie and Kitu Patel

CAMBRIA®

Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce Milestone Awards

| George Wacker, Evelyn Caron, Ty Versocki and Murtaza Jaffer

Colleen and Dan Dorsey

Rocco and Diana Ayvazov

Richard Buttillo, Josh Kollar and Tyler Stalletti

Donald Flad, Tammy Wendling, Kate Hughes, Silagh White and Jimi Honochick

Karen Amato and Donna Fazil

Amy Brensinger, Kim Stuckey, Natalie Sobrinski and Dan Sobrinski

| Murtaza

Jaffer,

SATURDAY10AMOCT.11 to4PMSPORTSPLEXatST.LUKE’S ALLENTOWNin

THIS MONTH’S PICKS

Fun for a Good Cause

Community Action Lehigh Valley is hosting its annual Take Action Against Hunger event on September 25 at Black River Farms. Enjoy wine and spirit tasting, live music, games and small bites, all for $50 per person, with ticket proceeds benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank. Tickets are available at event.gives/TakeAction2025

NEW LOCATION

Weil Antique Center is on the move—the popular shopping location closed its original location in June and is set to reopen as Weil Doghouse Antiques this month at the Parkway Shopping Mall. The new location will still feature all the treasures shoppers love, including furniture, jewelry, vintage clothing and more. weilantiquecenter.com

HOT HOT HOT

The Saucon Valley Farmers Market is hosting its inaugural Salsa Fest on September 14 to celebrate all things salsa— local ingredients like tomatoes and peppers, a salsa judging contest with entries from local chefs and even dance lessons from Lehigh Valley Salsa Social! svfmpa.com

Cheers

Shoppers at the Lehigh Valley Mall have a new option for a meal and a glass of wine: Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery has opened a tasting room in the mall’s lifestyle center, featuring their full lineup of wines, from riesling to merlot, plus brick-ovenbaked pizzas. blueridgeestatewinery.com

If you love women’s fashion, listen up: Bellisima by Ashley Maria has expanded its Easton footprint and is now also available at Belleville Market as The Edit by Bellisima, with a hand-picked, exclusive collection of clothing, accessories and gifts. the_edit.bellisima

Barley Creek Brewing Company was recently awarded Best Gin Martini in America by the American Distilling Institute! Try the cocktail, crafted with their Blue Zone Gin, at their locations in Tannersville and coming soon to the Promenade Saucon Valley. barleycreek.com

GLAZED DONUT & COFFEE SHOP

“HOLESOMELY GOOD ”

Across the Pennsylvania border and into Clinton, NJ, there stood an artisan bread and pastry shop for 11 years. In the spring of 2023, however, the talented owners, Catalina Christie and her husband, Andy Christie, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, followed their dream and purchased space to open a donut shop in Easton. Glazed Donut & Coffee Shop opened in July, offering a spacious, urban-chic look. “We wanted to do all of the creating in view of our guests, so they could see the products being made and converse with our wonderful and friendly staff,” Catalina remarks. Glazed offers made-to-order donuts, where you choose the glaze, drizzle and the toppings yourself. They also offer signature donuts, ready for pick-up in store or on their website. “The selections will change from time to time based on the season and popularity,” shares Catalina. “These donuts are never more than an hour old.” There are also fresh buttermilk brioche breakfast sandwiches, freshly squeezed lemonade and iced tea, and a favorite at their Clinton shop, chocolate beet bread. “I think we fill a need that you can't get anywhere else. We offer ‘holesomely good’ food, with efficiency and a smile,” shares Catalina.

149 Northampton St., Easton | Glazed, LLC

DULCE VANELLA BAKERY

BEAUTIFULLY SWEET TREATS

LITTLE LULU’S DOG SPAW

FOR PAMPERED POOCHES

Emily Roeder always knew she wanted to work with dogs, but she first took on a career in the medical field before deciding to pursue something creative. When her beloved dog, Little LuLu, passed away, she wanted to create a space that provided the same love Little LuLu always gave her. After receiving her grooming certification, she opened Little LuLu’s Dog Spaw. The name, of course, is a tribute to her late best friend, and the creative spelling of “spaw” adds a special touch to emphasize the relaxing space she has created. Dogs are welcomed into a cage-free, one-onone appointment that not only relaxes them but also pampers them. “Since I'm the sole owner and groomer, I build genuine relationships with both the pets and their owners,” Roeder shares. “I truly treat every dog like my own, with patience, compassion and love.” She offers full grooming services for all breeds and sizes, including haircuts, baths, nail trims, ear shedding, deshedding and more. Luxury services such as blueberry facial, mud bath, fur dye or glitter, nail pawlish and fur feather extensions are available as well.

Since moving to Pennsylvania, Nolvia Chacon knew Allentown would be the perfect place to open her dream business, Dulce Vanella Bakery. “My love for baking comes from when I was a child,” Chacon shares. “I always played making cakes with sand mixed with water and I decorated them with wildflowers.” Today, her beautifully decorated bakery mirrors her childlike wonder and love for flowers. The walls are adorned with pink decor and flowers all around. Upon entering, customers are not only welcomed by the design, but also the smell of fresh treats. “In my business, there is a variety of fresh breads [of all] different flavors, like the Mexican concha and the Guatemalan sweet bread,” Chacon says. “In addition, we have a great variety of cakes and desserts for all occasions with artisan recipes.” Her passion for baking comes through in each and every sweet, though her favorite is the mille-feuille, a traditional Guatemalan dessert. “I enjoy making the cakes, bread and desserts so much. I do it with a lot of love and a lot of emotion. Even though I feel tired, time goes by very quickly when I am decorating,” Chacon says.

1727

COURTESY

COURTESY OF DULCE VANELLA BAKERY

CHOPSTEAKS

POP-UP AT JAY’S LOCAL

Saying you’re the best new cheesesteak in the Lehigh Valley is a pretty bold claim, but Stephen Kilroy and Dave Roberts are confident they can deliver. The duo behind Chopfin, a popular poke bowl joint in South Whitehall Township, has launched Chopsteaks as a pop-up at Jay’s Local in Allentown. Lyell Scherline, owner of Jay’s Local, has welcomed Chopsteaks into his space as part of the guest chef collaboration program there, which gives Kilroy and Roberts the time and space to perfect their new concept. Chopsteaks promises “mouthwatering cheesesteaks hot off the grill— juicy, cheesy, chopped to perfection.” The sandwiches feature Corropolese seeded rolls, which are then filled with hand-cut fresh ribeye and topped with house-made Cooper whiz, with the option to add chopped Vidalia onions. More daring offerings include a variety of cheese flavors, including smoked Cooper, spicy Cooper and black truffle Cooper. Chopsteaks’ creations are available on Thursday evenings, 4–8 p.m., at Jay’s Local, where you can dine in or take one home to enjoy. If you have room for dessert, don’t miss the chocolate peanut butter cup ganache!

2301 W. Liberty St., Allentown | Thursdays 4–8 p.m. | chopsteaks_lv

AMARÉ HAIR SALON

LUXURY SCALP CARE

If you’ve been wondering where to get one of those amazing head spa treatments you’ve seen on TikTok, look no further—Amaré Hair Salon in Palmer Township has you covered. Amaré is an Aveda concept salon that recently celebrated 20 years in business in the Easton area and is owned and operated by Denise Pinto, a 30-year veteran of the hair care industry. Pinto and her team pride themselves on providing exceptional services that focus on relaxation and rejuvenation, and they began offering head spa treatments in late 2024 to address clients’ hair thinning and hair loss needs. Their luxurious 90-minute Head Spa Experience includes a scalp analysis and consultation, scalp dry ritual, exfoliation, massage and more. Benefits of head spa treatments include stronger, shinier hair, balanced oil production and reduced hair loss. The talented team at Amaré believes that prioritizing scalp treatments is not just a luxury but a vital step for long-term hair care and overall wellness. They’re happy to make product recommendations to help clients keep their hair and scalp in optimum condition in between treatments. No time for the full treatment? Try their 60-minute Recharge Ritual Head Spa. Online booking is available.

1235 Tatamy Rd., Easton | 610.559.1191 | amarehairsalon.com

BE PART OF THE STORY!

Should we feature your home? Email photos to editor@lehighvalleystyle.com!

You can view the entire issue for free online at lehighvalleystyle.com!

Win

It

Enter to win a $100 gift card to Crewy Woo plus a private shopping event for you and 10 friends, with complimentary wine and cheese! Visit lehighvalleystyle.com/ share-with-us to enter!

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MARCO CALDERON PHOTOGRAPHY

GET THE GOODS

RE:find

Right location, right merchandise, right design services—RE:find is the home decor spot you’re looking for. We talked with co-owner and design director Jon Clark to discuss how he and partner Ron Susser can make your home everything you want it to be.

QTell us about RE:find’s history and how you’ve become part of the Downtown Allentown community!

RE:find was born out of the shared, but very different, retail experiences of me and my partner, Ron Susser. For 17 years, I operated Home & Planet, a retail store focusing on environmentally sustainable home furnishings. Between 1997 and 2013, Home & Planet was a fixture on the Southside of Bethlehem and was instrumental in the revitalization taking place there at the time—we were especially known for the monthly and vibrant First Friday celebrations. Ron was involved in luxury retail in New York City for most of his career, the last 17 of which were at Tiffany & Co., where he was a certified gemologist selling diamonds and high-end watches. In 2013, we founded RE:find. We operated first in Easton, then in both Easton

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON

and Allentown, eventually deciding to live in Downtown Allentown and focus on the store here. At the time, the resurgence in Downtown Allentown was just beginning, and we were proud to be part of the reimagining of the city—to a certain extent harkening back to its strong retail history.

Describe the overall vibe of the shopping experience at RE:find. We like to say, “It’s about the mix.” The vibe is a result of our somewhat different and eclectic design choices. But it has resulted in a one-of-a-kind retail experience where madeto-order upholstered furniture and international brands (Georg Jensen, John Derian, Currey & Company and Graf Lantz, to name a few) are shown together with artist-made furniture, antiques, collectibles and original art from local and international artists.

What kinds of items can customers expect to find in your store?

First and foremost, RE:find is a home furnishings store, so you will find upholstered furniture and home furnishings (everything from lighting and mirrors to dining and coffee tables). In addition, we have a wide selection of gifts, including handmade earrings from friends in Massachusetts, candles (and out-of-theordinary matches), soap, many books, Caspari paper products, Chilewich placemats and lots of vases, including favorites from Middle Kingdom, a vendor we first met many years ago at Bethlehem’s Mother’s Day craft show. Beyond that, we take great pride in sourcing one-of-akind products that greatly set RE:find apart from other stores, and the stock changes and is

updated regularly. Right now, there is a beautiful hand-forged iron bench made by Mexican artisans, a console made from a reclaimed French iron balcony, a bust of a pirate from Barbados and a decoupage lamp from John Derian, to name just a few things!

Is there anything people might not expect to see in RE:find?

There’s lots! How about an Ethiopian prayer scroll, a three-legged African stool, a lacquered Chinese cabinet, a sound sculpture by Val Bertoia, an indoor/outdoor bench made from a teak root, or an antique terra-cotta saint from Belgium.

How do you curate the furniture and decor items you sell?

Well, between the two of us, negotiation! Our goal is to create a one-of-a-kind retail destination. Ron’s Tiffany background, combined with my penchant for environmentally sound materials, makes the negotiation for products somewhat interesting, but it’s also what makes the final result work as well as it does. Where else can you find a large collection of Simon Pearce crystal trees with chairs made in Africa from reclaimed oil drums?

For the most part, however, we agree and work together to bring items into the store that we are both very happy to stock. And, all three of us (including Reetha, our longtime colleague) have a hand in choosing a variety of stock.

Tell us more about the design services you offer!

RE:find works with both residential and commercial clients. We have had a particularly good relationship with the City Center Group. We have furnished amenity spaces and lobbies in all of their residential buildings

in Allentown, and we just completed The Marquis in Easton. Design work includes entrance lobbies, leasing offices and amenity lounges, as well as outdoor pool and rooftop areas. With residential clients, we work collaboratively to create spaces uniquely their own— we just completed two especially nice homes in the Poconos, an apartment in Downtown Allentown and a St. Thomas getaway.

How does RE:find support the art scene in Allentown?

Along with co-owner and curator Deborah Rabinsky, we operate ARTHAUS, an art gallery next to the store. ARTHAUS regularly features the work of local, national and international artists. Artist receptions occur the third Thursday of every month, and hours are the same as RE:find— Tuesday–Saturday, 11–6, or by appointment.

Recent shows have included Easton father-and-son sculptors Karl and Jonas Stirner, a “Hip Hop on the Wall” exhibit selected by hip-hop artist Red Mcfly and a collection of work from local artist Pam Dent. Currently we are featuring the work of printmakers Curlee Raven Holton and Jase Clark.

645 W. Hamilton St. Suite 106, Allentown 610.841.4866 | refindallentown.com

Baumer Wealth Management

Glenn W. Baumer, CRPC™, C(k)P®

Managing Director, Senior Consultant

Christopher S. Baumer, CRPC™, C(k)P® Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor

Breanne N. Granger, CRPC™, AWMA™ Vice President, Senior Business Manager

Tiffany A. Nguyen, CRPC™

Registered Wealth Management Client Associate

Emily Kern Wealth Management Client Associate

Data and sources for all Forbes awards and their rankings provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Past performance is not an indication of future results. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. Awards are based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and apply an algorithm that measures best practices, client retention, industry experience compliance records, firm nominations, assets under management and firm generated income. Investment performance is not a criterion.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S) is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, and Member SIPC. MLPF&S is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation.

Merrill and the Bull Symbol are trademarks of Bank of America Corporation.

C(k)P ® is a registered trademark of The Retirement Advisor University, Inc. The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks CRPC ™ and AWMA™. © 2025 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. | MAP8100091 | 07/2025

AI HARNESSING FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

BY ERIN O’NEIL | ILLUSTRATION BY IRINA STRELNIKOVA

Dr. Jeff Bullock FOUNDER, PRISM AI CONSULTANTS prismaiconsultants.com

Today it seems like the internet is creating more than we humans are. So we asked an expert to give us the breakdown on what seems to be the expert of all experts—AI. Dr. Jeff Bullock is the founder of PRISM AI Consultants, a leading AI consulting firm that teaches individuals and organizations how to incorporate AI into their lives and businesses.

To many, using AI can seem daunting, confusing or even unnecessary. Why download another app when you still have Google at your fingertips? Here’s the catch though: the two aren’t the same. “AI is not a search engine, Google is a search engine,” Bullock says. “When people use it, typically they use it like Google. A good analogy is, you have a Ferrari and you drive it on a beach, but the speed limit is five miles per hour. But if you put that thing on a racetrack, you could go so much faster, right?” AI is the Ferrari everyone can afford; you just need to take it to a racetrack.

TRANSFORM YOUR THOUGHTS

In order to see AI for all that it can do, it requires a mindset shift. “I like to say I help people talk to the aliens, and to think of an alien intelligence instead of artificial intelligence,” he says.

If you speak any language at a third-grade level, you have the capabilities to speak to AI. “Before, you had to have people skills to wield knowledge, because you had to get it through the people who learned the knowledge. But now you can wield it like a hammer, like a tool, if you know how to use it,” Bullock remarks.

CRAFTING THE PERFECT PROMPT

The most common question remains: where do I start? Bullock shares with us his quick and easy way to take AI to its full speed. First, name your experts by telling the AI chatbot what expertise you’re looking for. “Think of [AI] like a team of experts, and every one of the experts graduated from college in every single subject,” he says.

Then, introduce yourself to the AI chatbot. AI knows a lot of subjects, but it did not study you. After that, state your issue. Ask yourself what issue you are trying to solve, then finish by outlining your goal and giving the chatbot a command. “[Giving a command] is the one I have to always interject and say [think of] the big goal,” Bullock shares. If you are trying to make seven figures in your business, ask how to do that rather than asking about what you think you need to do first.

Lastly, talk to it! Use the voice-to-text feature available on most chatbots and simply take it through your thoughts. Once you’ve mastered these steps, you are on your way to becoming your own expert in AI.

YOUR OWN PERSONAL ASSISTANT

The world is now at your fingertips, and you can use AI for anything. “Take a picture of something in your pantry and then say, ‘What are ten meals I can make in the next 20 minutes with this?’ It’ll tell you,” Bullock says. Finally feeling ready to tackle that one room in your house? Upload a picture of the room and ask AI to revamp it in the style of your choosing. Or if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your upcoming schedule, ask AI to organize your week for you, everything from your meetings and appointments to your meal plan with the diet you prefer.

TRUST BUT VERIFY

As handy a tool as AI is, you should also ensure to cross-check the information and verify what it produces. “Just like human experts, they can still get things wrong, especially if the question is vague or you’re relying on just one voice. That’s why prompting basics—and simple verification steps—are critical,” Bullock stresses. “AI can be brilliant, but like any powerful tool, it works best when you understand how to steer and verify it.” It is powerful, and with that comes the ability to produce anything you can imagine, so yes, it can fool any one of us if we are not careful.

AI can be brilliant, but like any powerful tool, it works best when you understand how to steer and verify it.

THE FUTURE HAS ARRIVED

If you follow the core lessons and shift your mindset a bit, AI can become effortless to use. “Usually the easiest switch is: instead of Google first, go to AI first,” Bullock shares. “You have to actively say, ‘Could AI help in this situation?’” After that, simply talk to it like a normal person.

“People think this is just another thing— it’s not. It’s the thing,” he says. He believes that if you know how to use AI, even on the most basic level, you will be better off. “It’s been three years since this stuff came out. It has changed the world… just try it,” Bullock encourages.

QWhat inspired you to become a registered dietitian?

Growing up around my grandparents, who enjoyed rich Pennsylvania Dutch-style foods, I quickly saw how lifestyle choices can impact long-term health. From a young age, I was passionate about helping others feel their best and prevent illness. Food is incredibly powerful—it has the ability to nourish, heal and transform.

Describe your holistic approach to nutrition. Everything in the body is connected, which is why it’s so important to look at the bigger picture. My approach focuses on the whole person, taking into account not just nutrition, but also lifestyle, daily routines, medical history, stress levels, sleep, mindset and physical activity. True wellness comes from weaving all of these areas together and

Jessica Smith

REGISTERED DIETITIAN RD, LDN

Taking charge of your personal wellness can be as simple as making smart choices about the food you put in your body.

Registered dietitian Jessica Smith of PoweRD By Jess talks with us about how nutrition impacts health in different ways and how she meets her clients where they are to help them meet their wellness goals.

creating a personalized plan that fits each client’s unique needs.

How is nutrition intertwined with the body’s overall health?

The way we fuel our bodies throughout the day directly affects more than just our medical health—it also influences our energy, mood and behavior. The quality of our food and daily habits has a profound impact on how we feel, how we age and how well we sleep. It’s all deeply connected.

What wellness services do you offer besides nutrition counseling?

In addition to personalized nutrition sessions, I offer hormone testing, biometric screenings and detox foot baths. These tools help us dig deeper into what’s going on internally and create more targeted, effective wellness plans.

What do your clients love about working with you?

Clients often tell me that I create plans that feel realistic, sustainable and easy to follow. They feel comfortable opening up, knowing I’m here to support, not judge, and to encourage and empower them every step of the way. My goal is to meet you where you are, simplify the process, personalize your plan and make wellness something you enjoy. We celebrate every win together!

What advice do you have for clients who may be picky eaters?

Start by introducing one or two new foods at a time. Don’t just try them once, experiment with preparing them in different ways, and approach the process with an open and positive mindset. From there, gradually add more new foods every few weeks, allowing your taste buds to adjust and your comfort to grow!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CALDERON

Describe your morning routine. Is there anything you simply can’t start your day without?

I’m the kind of person who hits the ground running in the morning. Movement is non-negotiable. Whether it’s a gym workout, a walk or a run, I feel my best and most productive when I start my day with some exercise and sunshine. Breakfast is always a must, and lately, I’ve been hooked on a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie!

How about your nighttime routine?

I like to wind down with a hot shower, followed by a few pages of an inspirational book… if I can keep my eyes open. My favorite way to relax and clear my mind before bed is meditation with crystals—it helps me release stress and ease into a restful night.

What’s your favorite meal to make at home?

Anything with chicken and fresh veggies is always a go-to for me. I love putting together different salads, and in the winter, you’ll almost always find me cooking up a hearty, nourishing soup.

What are your favorite eateries and restaurants to visit in the Lehigh Valley?

What do you order?

For a nicer date night, I love Apollo Grill— their French onion soup, salads and sea scallops are some of my favorites. For more laid-back nights, Copperhead Grille is my go-to. They make everything from scratch, and I can’t get enough of their avgolemono soup, Mediterranean chicken skewers and bang bang chicken.

Is there anywhere locally that you love to shop for grocery items?

Whenever I can, I love buying produce directly from local farms near where I live. It’s such a great way to support the community and enjoy the freshest options.

I’m also a big fan of Aldi for their amazing deals (and I can’t resist their “Aldi’s Finds” section!). Huge fan of basically anything at Wegmans, but especially their quality of meats, seafood and poultry!

Family Owned & Operated Since 1945

Laurie Siebert CPA, CFP ®, AEP ®

Choices

Louis Holzman Young Valley Leaders

What’s something you love to indulge in?

If we are talking dessert, ice cream is my favorite, especially anything with peanut butter and sprinkles.

I also love to indulge in travel! A few of my favorite spots are Exuma, Bahamas, and the stunning national parks throughout Arizona.

How do you relieve stress?

Some of my favorite ways to relieve stress are getting outside in nature, going for walks, working out and listening to music. I also love spending time with my niece and nephew—it’s the best kind of therapy!

What goals do you have for your personal wellness?

Lately, I’ve been focusing on taking more breaks and being fully present. Prioritizing sleep is also a big part of my routine. Finding balance—physically, mentally and emotionally—is my personal goal right now.

Who is someone you look up to?

My mom, without a doubt. She’s the definition of strength, compassion and resilience. Growing up, I watched her care for everyone around her with such selflessness, yet she always found a way to stay grounded and take care of herself, too. She’s the one who taught me that showing up for others starts with showing up for yourself—a lesson that’s shaped not only how I live my life but also how I approach my work in nutrition and wellness.

Do you have a personal mantra you’d like to share?

"I nourish my body with intention—not perfection—and embrace progress in every season of life."

A reminder that health isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making mindful, intentional choices that support your body and well-being. Some seasons call for more structure, others for more flexibility, and that’s okay. It’s about progress, and honoring what your body needs in each moment, without guilt or unrealistic expectations.

powerdbyjess.com

Perla López Baray

ANCHOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, 69 NEWS EDICIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

BY AMY UNGER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

It’s five minutes until news time, and there is still work to be done inside the WFMZ-TV studios on South Mountain. As the clock winds down, new information is coming in about a police incident in Downtown Allentown. A field crew is racing to the scene. Meanwhile, a story in the newscast’s second block needs to be updated, and another item needs to be pushed lower in the rundown. There is a furious clattering of fingers on a keyboard as these lastminute changes are cemented in place. Save, close. Finally, Perla López Baray can hustle out to the brightly lit set and take her place in the anchor seat. She tucks her IFB into her ear with seconds to spare. Three. Two. One. The “on air” button glows red. It’s showtime.

I come from a family where storytelling was part of everyday life.

López Baray has been a fixture on 69 News Edición En Español for more than two decades, first as a reporter and fill-in anchor when the pioneering Spanishlanguage newscast debuted on WFMZ-TV in February of 2003, and then as the show’s main anchor beginning in 2006. She was named executive producer in 2012.

Broadcast journalism was always on López Baray’s radar. As a child growing up in Chihuahua, Mexico, she would borrow her grandfather’s camcorder to stage her own interviews and news reports. “Even back then, I was fascinated by people’s stories,” she says. “I didn’t realize at the time, but I was already learning the importance of listening closely, asking thoughtful questions, sharing voices that matter. My mom always told me, ‘You ask so many questions!’”

During those formative years, she was also learning how to craft a compelling narrative. “I come from a family where storytelling was part of everyday life,” says López Baray. “Whether it was sharing stories around the dinner table, listening to the older generations talk about their experiences, that sense of connection, pride in who we are, has always stayed with me.”

She immigrated to the United States as a teenager and attended high school in New Mexico while living with an uncle. Many of her other family members, including her parents and grandparents, followed her across the border. After her graduation from New Mexico State University, where she majored in journalism, foreign languages and Latin American studies, she was offered a reporting job with KLUZTV, a Univision affiliate in Albuquerque. But she wasn’t there long. In early 2003, she heard about a new opportunity: an independent television station nearly two thousand miles away in Pennsylvania was starting a Spanish-language newscast, a first for the region.

López Baray traveled across the country to meet with the news director for what would be her first taste of the Lehigh Valley. It also happened to be the dead of winter. “It was so cold!” she recalls. “I was thinking, do I really want to be here when there’s two feet of snow?” Turns out, she did. “I knew it was a bold move, both personally and professionally,” she says. “I was going to leave my family behind, but I couldn’t pass it up. I felt a strong calling to serve a growing Latino population in the region,

antiques & COLLECTIBLES

Situated in the former Keystone Lamp Factory, The Slatington Marketplace hosts more than 160 vendors offering a curated selection of antiques, collectibles and vintage items.

and I wanted to be part of something that would give our community a voice in local media and to help share our stories with dignity.”

Fast-forward to 2025. López Baray has endured more than a few frosty Pennsylvania winters, but she certainly hasn’t been tethered to the Keystone State. Her assignments as an anchor and reporter for 69 News have taken her to locations all over the world, including the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, Germany and Belgium. She recalls a trip to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017 as particularly impactful: “I spoke with families who had lost everything, but still welcomed us into their homes with warmth and hope, and that reminded me of the strength and resilience of the Latino spirit. It made me more committed to covering not just the pain, but also the recovery, the solutions, the everyday triumphs.”

López Baray also relishes the lighter moments that are part of her job, moments that provide an opportunity for connection with the larger community. In June, 69 News Edición En Español was broadcast live from Bethlehem’s ¡Sabor! Latin Festival, where the team basked in the rich array of food, dancing and entertainment alongside the same people who watch them on the air every night. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it,” she says. “A lot of people came up to us to say, ‘Thank you, thank you for bringing the news to us and spending time with us here.’”

When she’s off the clock—and off the air—López Baray spends time cultivating her side business, a line of candles, home fragrances, body sprays and perfumes. Her mother, Raquel, who suffered from the autoimmune disease scleroderma, was the inspiration for the products. “She would get headaches and rashes from perfumes,” López Baray says. “It was her birthday, and I wanted to get her a perfume, but I didn’t know what to get.”

After much research, in 2009 López Baray came up with her own perfume with a focus on nontoxic, paraben-free and phthalate-free ingredients, which led to the creation of more self-care items made in the same way. But when her mother died in 2021, she considered walking away from all of it. “I was heartbroken. I was devastated,” she says.

Jeffrey J. Febbo, CFP

Febbo, CFP

Eventually, after much prayer and consultation with her husband, Ian Holmes, López Baray decided to not only keep the business going, but to expand it. “We added other products to honor [my mom], to create awareness of scleroderma and autoimmune diseases,” she says.

López Baray and Holmes, an Allentown native, married in 2019. Holmes is a vocal coach, music producer and singer who appeared on season four of the television singing competition American Idol in 2005. Recently the couple launched a companion collection of candles and songs, with scents inspired by love songs penned by Holmes and dedicated to López Baray.

Since 69 News Edición En Español first went on the air, other Spanish-language newscasts and radio stations have entered the market in the Lehigh Valley and in Philadelphia. López Baray sees that expansion of Latino representation as a good thing. On a deeper level, being a visible Latina in the public eye is something she says she takes very seriously: “I’m not just presenting the news, I’m showing our community that we belong in every space, on camera, and in decision-making rooms and in leadership roles. I also believe that the media shapes perception. If we’re not represented accurately and authentically, it’s easy for stereotypes to take hold or for important stories to be ignored.”

López Baray is still not quite sold on those Pennsylvania winters (“People keep telling me I’ll get used to it. It’s been 22 years!” she says, laughing), but she considers the Lehigh Valley her home. She’s come a long way, both literally and figuratively, from those days of peppering her mother with questions and lugging around her grandfather’s camcorder in Mexico. “My journey has been filled with challenges, learning and incredible blessings as well,” she says. “I want people to know that it’s okay to be different, to have an accent, to face obstacles. We just need to keep pushing forward, and with faith, passion and commitment to serving others, anything is possible.”

perlalopezbaray.com

Art Museums

BY DAISY WILLIS

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM

From hushed halls lined with gilded frames to lively hubs bustling with community, the curation and creation of art is to be seen, felt and celebrated in these galleries around the Valley— and beyond.

1. ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM

31 N. 5 th St., Allentown | allentownartmuseum.org

It’s creeping up on a century that this institution of the arts has been holding it down in Allentown, with programming and exhibitions that reward repeat visits. From the familiar Frank Lloyd Wright room to a current exhibition on inventive quilts from the 1800s, there’s lots to see, and with art workshops for adults and ArtVentures for kids, lots to do!

2. KEMERER MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS

427 N. New St., Bethlehem | historicbethlehem.org

History is inextricable from art at this museum nestled in Historic Bethlehem’s Museums and Sites. From dollhouses and toys to fine needlework, glassware and household tools, the items of everyday have always been designed with stylistic sensibility. With changing exhibits and period rooms evoking three centuries of design, immerse yourself in arts old and new.

3. THE ALTERNATIVE GAL L ERY

707 N. 4th St., Allentown thealternativegallery.com

This gallery may not have regular visiting hours, but it’s far from a dormant storage space. You’ll find the old Cigar Factory vibrant with creative energy during gigs like a recent touring puppet collective, communal crafting showcases and open houses with live music and live art.

4. THE STABIN MUSEUM

268 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe stabinmuseum.com

This establishment exists to display the work of one artist: Victor Stabin. His vivid and imaginative creations make for an invigorating view, and the museum coexists with a cafe and a jazz loft. A worthy addition to the itinerary of one’s customary fall foliage journey to Jim Thorpe!

5. MICHENER ART MUSEUM

138 S. Pine St., Doylestown michenerartmuseum.org

Turning southerly, the Michener Art Museum of Doylestown is worth a trip to walk spacious halls and statued courtyards and peruse historic and contemporary works of art derived from the Delaware Valley. Catch the tail end of an exhibition of luminous glass art this month.

JARRETT DESIGN

Custom Kitchens, Baths & Cabinets

THE OUTDOOR ROOM, LLC

Design. Build. Garden

The Outdoor Room, LLC creates multi-season outdoor living spaces and lush landscapes for a wide range of projects—from intimate architectural hardscapes that flow from the home and are foiled by engaging gardens to public spaces designed with park-like settings that add continuity to the community.

Experience the services and curated details of thoughtfully designed outdoor living with The Outdoor Room, LLC. Their team will personalize the creation of a cohesive landscape reflective of the client’s inside style and utilize traditional and modern hardscape materials and an expressive plant palette, providing display and interest throughout the year. A customizable list of services includes landscape architectural design and consultation, design-build, fine gardening, property maintenance, seasonal color rotations for beds, borders and planters, lighting, irrigation, venue display and holiday décor.

Laura S.D. Greloch, landscape architect, plant connoisseur and fine gardener, refines and shares her passion for building outdoor environments that celebrate each season by combining plants in architectural and ecologically artful ways. The practice engages apprenticeships and opportunities in landscape as a profession within the green industry.

Step outside to relax, explore, discover and entertain. Find Laura and The Outdoor Room team engaging clientele throughout the Lehigh Valley, Bucks, Berks and the Poconos.

484.623.4664 | theoutdoorroom-llc.com | laurasdgrelochlandscapearchitect.com

Jarrett Design creates bespoke kitchens and cabinetry for homeowners who appreciate long-standing craftsmanship, function-driven design, timeless finishes and uncompromising precision. Their expert team ensures a seamless, stress-free experience throughout a remodel or new construction project.

Jarrett Design is a full-service residential design and project management firm expertly guiding their clients through every stage of the remodeling or new construction process. Their vetted contractors and allied vendors are top-notch. Jarrett Design offers a curated collection of quality materials including the finest cabinetry, lighting, tile, hardware, countertops and other specialty items. Their boutique studio in Emmaus warmly welcomes all who enter. Their team enjoys collaborating with architects, builders and interior designers. Jarrett Design proudly services the Lehigh Valley, Main Line Philadelphia and Bucks County, along with New Jersey and anywhere their clients take them.

ArtsQuest is a nonprofit with a mission of providing access to the arts for all. Its programs reach more than 1.9 million people annually. Fundraising events, sponsors and community partners allow ArtsQuest to provide over half of its programming free to the public with scholarships available for individuals facing financial hardship.

Mission-focused, ArtsQuest has its eye on the future with a brand-new, state-of-the-art Cultural Center slated to be built in 2025 in addition to the renovation of the historic Turn & Grind Shop, located next to the Bethlehem Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus. The Cultural Center will serve as a visible and creative gateway to Bethlehem’s SouthSide; provide much needed space, new programs and advanced technology that will double the number of students and families ArtsQuest currently serves; implement new partnerships as a Communications Career Pathway Program with the BASD; and further foster economic development and tourism across the Lehigh Valley, which will improve property values and further civic pride. The Turn & Grind Shop will allow ArtsQuest to significantly expand its private event space to further accommodate corporate events, weddings, proms and additional functions. Its beautiful and historical location and structure will significantly further travel and tourism to the Lehigh Valley.

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

The need for community-based mental health services from organizations like Haven House has grown post-pandemic. Looking in from the outside, one wouldn’t know that over 70 staff members are working to keep seven distinct programs and countless partnerships running to support around 3,000 individuals in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Haven House continually searches for new opportunities to expand and improve access to services to fulfill their mission. In addition, Haven House takes every opportunity to further educate the public around mental health to foster a stigmafree environment. This year, Haven House plans to resume poverty simulations, grow group therapy options and host a gala-type event, in order to reach new and different audiences regarding community mental health. Please follow them on Facebook or subscribe to their newsletter to avoid missing any of their exciting updates.

1411 Union Blvd. Allentown 610.433.6181 haven-house.com

Members of the Haven House leadership team

ARTSQUEST

Fundraising events, sponsors and community partners allow ArtsQuest to provide over half of its programming free to the public with scholarships available for individuals facing financial hardship.

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

Members of the Haven House leadership team

ArtsQuest is a nonprofit with a mission of providing access to the arts for all. Its programs reach more than 1.9 million people annually.

by Amy Unger

Meeting—and exceeding— expectations on a Bethlehem home build

BUILDING IT BETTER

Keith Hoeing and Ashley Hayes are more than a little pleased with the home on top of Camel’s Hump. Hoeing, president of Erwin Forrest Builders, and Ashley Hayes, founder and principal designer for Swine Design, took the lead on bringing an ambitious vision for a true dream home to life.

This wasn’t an overhaul, it was a complete redo; they started from scratch. The 1970s-era home that previously occupied the wooded, 22-acre property about five miles outside downtown Bethlehem was torn down. The project, from early concept to tear-down to construction to putting the finishing touches on the furnished rooms, took about 21 months. “I think we knocked it

out of the park, in our opinion,” Hayes says.

It’s hard to disagree with her. The four-bedroom, fivebathroom (plus two powder rooms) home, with an attached in-law suite and a finished basement that’s been converted into an entertainment area, boasts more than 11,300 square feet of living space. It is, in a word, striking—modern, yet comfortable and unpretentious; spacious, but not impersonal and cavernous. In Hayes’ words: “It’s a large home, but it doesn’t feel overbearing. You walk in and you feel comfortable, and you feel welcomed and it feels appropriate to be in the spaces, versus it being this ginormous box that you don’t know where to go.”

THE DINING ROOM

Photography by Marco Calderon

KEITH

THE FOYER

In the planning and concept stages in early 2023, the homeowners referred Hoeing and Hayes to pictures and videos of a home they liked in the Nashville, Tennessee, area. It was a helpful visual aid, Hayes says, but they wanted to take it to another level: “Our firm always had a joke of, ‘Okay, we’re going to do it better. We’re doing it better than that house.’”

The home’s wow factor is evident before even stepping over the threshold. The front door is glass, flanked by, and situated beneath, additional glass panels picture-framed in steel, a 28-foot-tall custom order from Manhattan Steel Door & Window Co. that functions like a giant keyhole, offering a glimpse of what awaits on the other side. “It just sets the tone the minute you get to the front door,” says Hoeing.

It’s also an example of one of the “Can we really do that?” conversations that Hayes and Hoeing would have over the course of the project. Recalls Hayes, “I remember saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if (the door) could be full glass, versus there being a header in between that would separate a window and a front door?’ And Keith and I were like, ‘Yes, let’s figure this out. We need to make this work.’”

Another one of those conversations centered around what’s just beyond the front door: a pair of floating wooden staircases that twist, serpentlike, to a catwalk on the second floor. The previous home also had two staircases in the entryway, supported by posts, but the new owners didn’t want those columns to return. “We, through engineering, found a way to hang the edge of the platforms from the ceiling with a piece of steel cable, so it just made the entrance that much more wide open,” Hoeing says.

THE OFFICE

Off to the side of the foyer is a glass-fronted wine room with custom-made steel holders mounted on a stone facade that keep back-lit bottles horizontal; Hoeing likens them to floating arms coming out of a stone wall. The stone is also one of the thoughtful touches that tie together the natural world outside the home with its interior; the wood featured prominently in the flooring, furniture, beams and millwork is another. “The B-groove ceilings, the paneled walls, there’s all kinds of details in there,” Hoeing says. His team of carpenters, he notes, had never before invested so much time in one single home.

THE BEDROOM

Hayes calls the style of the house modern organic. “We have a lot of timeless pieces mixed in with some modern elements,” she says. “We played with a ton of different textures in the home.” The overall color palette trends warm-neutral, a mix of browns, grays, beiges and whites with black accents that pop in dramatic fashion: a wall and cabinetry here, window and door frames there. There is cohesion, but not complete uniformity. Each room has its own “specialness” to it, Hayes says, including a unique tile pattern that shines on the floor in a powder room and a wood ceiling in what’s known as the quiet room. The dining room, with color-drenched walls and trim, has wallpaper on the ceiling and a 10-foot-tall olive tree in the corner.

Other flourishes aren’t visible to the naked eye, and that’s no accident. A china cabinet in the dining room is built into the wall, hidden away from view behind a panel, so it’s possible to move around the table unimpeded by extraneous furniture. In another part of the home, an office has what Hayes jokingly calls the “Scooby-Doo door,” a door within a bookcase that opens, revealing an entirely separate space behind it. The hidden doorway concept was something the homeowners brought to Hoeing and Hayes; a challenge to their “we can do it better” mantra. “It was really fun to be able to come up with,” says Hayes.

THE KITCHEN

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home—its central gathering space—and that’s true of the Camel’s Hump estate, too. The floor plan called for a built-in banquette nook and two islands, one for food prep and one with seating for eight around waterfall granite countertops. And those countertops, by the way—not just there, but throughout the home—are two-inch mitered countertops, meaning putting them in place wasn’t just a matter of taking slabs from a quarry and cutting them to fit; everything had to have a mitered edge. Those harder elements are complemented by softer textures and tones, like the walnut hues used in some of the cabinets and doors.

Right next door is the great room, where generously sized chairs and a caramel-colored leather couch are arranged in front of a stone fireplace, which helps to encourage an inviting ambience in accordance with the wishes of the homeowners, who enjoy entertaining family and friends. A wall of windows to the side bathes the room in a cozy glow. “A rich layering of textures—seen in the drapery, area rug and upholstery—adds depth and tactile interest to the space,” Hayes says.

THE GREAT ROOM

The party lair, as it’s been dubbed, is on the home’s lowest level. The finished basement boasts a full bar, wine room, TV room and a game room featuring a pool table, golf simulator and foosball table. Just outside the home are pickleball courts (repurposed from tennis courts installed by the previous owners) and a pool.

Both Hoeing and Hayes call the new homeowners, a husband and wife, “dream clients” who provided a generous amount of input while having faith that their builder and designer would do the right thing. “They trusted the process,” Hoeing says. Adds Hayes: “Every single corner of that house has Erwin Forrest and Swine Design’s fingerprints on it. Down to light switches and outlets and outlet placements, every single detail was thought out.”

Despite the vote of confidence from their clients, anxiety was running high ahead of the big reveal. The final days were a blur of late nights for the team, who had to ensure that everything was in place, and every outstanding issue had been addressed. “It was probably seven or eight o’clock at night,” recalls Hayes, “and we were joking with the homeowners, specifically the husband, ‘Hey, you can’t come in, you can’t see it yet.’ And he was walking around the perimeter of the house, peeking in the windows.”

THE

THE TV ROOM

Finally, the homeowners could be held at bay no longer. They went into the home and said… nothing. There was a flash of panic. Had they missed the mark? “Finally,” recalls Hayes, “I said, ‘Well?’ And [the homeowner] said, ‘This is better than I could have ever expected.’ And there just was that moment. To be a part of a moment where someone’s truly at a loss for words, it’s an incredible feeling.”

The homeowners agreed, when comparing the original renderings to the real deal, the finished product exceeded their expectations. Hoeing and Hayes had made it better.

Several months after they could finally exhale, they’re still in contact with the homeowners. “You become friends with these people,” says Hayes. “They become family because you’re so connected to this building and knowing how they live their lives. So we are in constant communication, and they’re loving the house.”

Adds Hoeing, “Our clients have a home that they are proud of and that can easily be run right. It’ll impact their lives forever. And I think that’s something that Ashley and I both share, that it’s a privilege to be able to do that.”

ARTSQUEST

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

1411 Union Blvd. Allentown 610.433.6181 haven-house.com

Members of the Haven House leadership team

ARTSQUEST

reach more than 1.9 million people annually. Fundraising events, sponsors and community partners allow ArtsQuest to provide over half of its programming free to the public with scholarships available for individuals facing financial hardship.

HAVEN HOUSE: RESTORING HOPE, RENEWING LIVES

By creating a stigma-free community in which those with barriers can thrive towards independence and accomplishment

1411 Union Blvd. Allentown 610.433.6181 haven-house.com

Members of the Haven House leadership team

ArtsQuest is a nonprofit with a mission of providing access to the arts for all. Its programs

by Heather Mayer Irvine

LEHIGH VALLEY’S

a Stage All the

These storied performing arts venues look ahead to bright, leg-breaking futures.

The Emmy Award Winner

STATE THEATRE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Next year marks the 100 th season of the State Theatre Center for the Arts, which has been in operation without an intermission. The building, located in the heart of Downtown Easton, was restored 30 years ago and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, says Shelley Brown, the president and CEO. “There are fewer than 100 restored theaters in the United States, so it’s a true treasure.”

The State Theatre is a name on the international stage as well as the local one. It’s seen the likes of Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr and Aretha Franklin. It presents Broadway productions. And it’s the Emmy Award-winning home of the Lehigh Valley’s FREDDY Awards program, which recognizes excellence in high school musical theater.

The venue’s programming now includes Master Classes for children, featuring Broadway performers. Brown extends an invitation: “This is your theater… Downtown Easton is alive and minutes away from you.”

453 NORTHAMPTON ST., EASTON 610.252.3132 | STATETHEATRE.ORG

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

Sept. 13: Celtic Thunder

Sept. 27–28: The Book of Mormon

Oct. 17: Lewis Black

Easton

GODFREY DANIELS The Folk and Acoustic Stage

Bethlehem

Godfrey Daniels opened its doors as a coffeehouse and listening room in 1976, modeled after the folk venues of Greenwich Village where Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Peter, Paul and Mary got their start, says Ramona LaBarre, managing director. That means it’s small, just 80 seats, for an intimate experience. “This is art, not entertainment,” LaBarre says. And it highlights folk, acoustic, blues, bluegrass and jazz.

The team at Godfrey Daniels prides itself on its close-knit community and making its music, comedy and poetry accessible, thanks to $10.50 tickets for students.

Godfrey Daniels, which is preparing for its 50 th anniversary in March 2026, partners with other top names in performing arts in the Lehigh Valley, including ArtsQuest, Celtic Classic, WDIY, Touchstone Theatre, IceHouse Tonight and the SouthSide Arts District. “We are growing and changing to propel this precious venue into the next 50 years,” LaBarre says.

7 E. 4TH ST., BETHLEHEM 610.867.2390 | GODFREYDANIELS.ORG

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

September: Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert; Wood Flower; Ari Hest & Chris Trapper

October: Beppe Gambetta; Goodnight Moonshine; Ellis Paul; Mary Battiata; Spencer LaJoye; Todd Albright; Jack Murray; Alex Radus; Rhythm Road; The DonJuans; Jim Lauderdale; The Keystone Breakers; Roi & the Secret People

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TINA PASTOR

The New Kid on the Block

ARCHER MUSIC HALL

This past March, Archer Music Hall opened its doors in Downtown Allentown. The venue touts a main hall that fits 1,600, designed to “redefine the concert club experience,” says Molly Warren, head of Philadelphia-area booking for Live Nation. And then there’s The Arrow, a 500-capacity “club within a club” for a more intimate show experience.

Although Archer Music Hall hosts big names like Lake Street Dive, Guster and The Darkness, the team behind the venue is dedicated to supporting local artists and music. “Through our Pennsylvania’s Own initiative, we prioritize showcasing homegrown artists,” Warren says.

Archer Music Hall is proud to focus on its local community: offering permanent jobs with a base rate of $20 an hour, partnering with local vendors

for concessions and backstage offerings (Martin’s rolls and chips, Eight Oaks spirits, Victory Brewing), and displaying murals from local artists. “Our goal was to create a space where music can bring people together,” Warren says.

939 HAMILTON ST., ALLENTOWN

610.798.1466 |

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

Sept. 9: The Darkness

Sept. 12: Alkaline Trio

Oct. 11: Lawrence

Nov. 1: Thomas Dolby

THE CHARLES A. BROWN ICE HOUSE The City ‘s Venue

Owned by the City of Bethlehem, the Charles A. Brown Ice House is actually, as the name might imply, a former ice storage facility. It ceased ice operations in 1976 and, 20 years later, the city repurposed it to host puppet shows, youth theater and community events, says Silagh White, managing director of the IceHouse Performing Arts Collaborative (IcePAC).

The venue has a close partnership with the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre (PYT), which has rented the space for its performances for 30 years, says Valerie Reinhardt, managing director for PYT. The literature-based productions from

PYT play to an intimate, often sold-out crowd at the Ice House.

And then there’s IcePAC, which is a grassroots collective of local artists, White explains. It’s run by artistic director Doug Roysdon, who works with other arts organizations, including dance studios, music instruction businesses and schools, that perform at the Ice House.

“The IcePAC is looking forward to sustaining affordable opportunities for local artists to present their creative work,” White says.

56 RIVER ST., BETHLEHEM ICEHOUSETONIGHT.ORG | 123PYT.ORG

Bethlehem

Oct. 13, Nov. 4: Magic class with magician Joseph Keppel Dec. 5 –14: PYT’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

ARTSQUEST The Christmas City Staple

With the Bethlehem Steel stacks as a backdrop, ArtsQuest is home to every performing and cultural art you can imagine, including music, movies, comedy and visual arts. ArtsQuest was born out of Musikfest in 1984, and for more than 40 years, the nonprofit has delivered a range of programming and entertainment to the Lehigh Valley and its visitors.

ArtsQuest has become a staple in the community, thanks to its initiatives that focus on youth programming and outreach for at-risk children, student showcases, accessible and sliding scale pricing, local artist partnerships, and, of course, its free summer movies and concerts, storytimes and other community events.

With the approach of the 2026 opening of the ArtsQuest Creative Factory— formerly the site of the Banana Factory—the ArtsQuest team, including Lisa Harms, senior director of visual arts, is excited about its continued commitment to the visual arts with community and professional classes, highlighting local artists and communityforward murals. This fall, for example, will feature a Steel Weekend exhibition curated by artist Katie Hovencamp. In conjunction with the National Museum of Industrial History, it will include artwork and events inspired by the steel industry.

25 W. 3RD

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

Sept. 13: The Aardvarks

Oct. 26: Shaun Cassidy

Oct. 11–12: Steel Weekend

TOUCHSTONE THEATRE The P laywrights

Home of the local favorite Christmas City Follies, the nearly 45-year-old Touchstone Theatre prides itself on creating and presenting its own original work. The ensemble behind the program comprises a core group of artists who’ve worked together for extended periods of time, says Lisa Jordan, managing director and ensemble member.

“The connections forged within our company, as well as in Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley, inform our work onstage, in the classroom and in the community,” she says.

The brains and talent behind the Touchstone Theatre are looking forward

to expanding its community arts initiative with UnBound Year-Round, an extension of its five-day festival. From now until May 2026, the theater will host play readings, concerts, story cabarets, theater and experiential and participatory art, to name a few.

“Don’t be shy,” Jordan says. “The arts are for everyone. We strive to create an environment in which everyone feels welcome, and to create a season in which everyone can find at least one thing that piques their curiosity.”

321 E. 4TH ST., BETHLEHEM 610.867.1689 | TOUCHSTONE.ORG

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING

Oct. 8: Alice in Informationland

Oct. 22: Is Love So Small a Pain?

Nov. 6: Storytelling Cabaret Series

The Home of Oscar Nominee Amanda Seyfried

CIVIC THEATRE OF ALLENTOWN

The Civic Theatre of Allentown is home to the region’s first Children’s Theatre School, opened in 1956. And one of its alumni is Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried, known for her leading work in Mean Girls, Mamma Mia! and her Emmy-winning role in The Dropout

The theater, in Allentown’s West End, is a fully restored 1928 Art Deco atmospheric theater, which has earned the venue a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. “We uniquely blend live mainstage productions, a dedicated cinema program and innovative black-

box hub [meaning moveable seats and stage, and flexible lighting],” says William Sanders, managing artistic director. “I may be biased, but Civic Theatre stands apart in the Lehigh Valley.”

In its continued interest in youth performing arts, the Civic Theatre offers scholarships on a need basis for children and has a “pay what you can” option for each production, something other venues have, thankfully, started to do, Sanders says.

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING

Sept. 5–14: Speech & Debate

Oct. 17–Nov. 2: Shrek the Musical Dec. 5–20: A Christmas Carol Dec. 12–21: Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

PENNSYLVANIA PLAYHOUSE The Little Theater That Could

For nearly 100 years, community theater in Bethlehem has found a way. It survived mergers, rebrands, splinters, demolition, fire, pandemic. Today, the Pennsylvania Playhouse is the longstanding expression of Bethlehem community theater, proud of its allvolunteer, nonprofit organization.

The Playhouse, which was established in 1965 on land provided by the city, has served as a cornerstone of local arts and culture, says Clint Doyle, development chair.

The venue, tucked back on Illick’s Mill Road, next to the Bethlehem Golf Club, has a 180-seat theater with a thrust stage—an open platform that extends into the audience—designed for intimate and engaging performances. In addition to hosting six plays or musicals a year, the Pennsylvania Playhouse offers a summer camp for kids.

The year’s productions are centered around a theme, Doyle says; this year, it’s A Year of Cinematic Review, which celebrates “beloved films and Broadway hits reimagined on our stage.”

The volunteer-run program prides itself not just on its productions, but on making theater—both programming and the physical venue—accessible; currently Pennsylvania Playhouse is working to repair and expand an ADAcompliant ramp.

390

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING

Oct. 10–26: Young Frankenstein

Dec. 5–21: Little Women

Eat & Drink Local

EDGE RESTAURANT

EDGEBETHLEHEM

Want to feature your restaurant in our next “Eat & Drink Local” special advertising section? Contact pdeller@lehighvalleystyle.com for details.

McCOOLE’S AT THE HISTORIC RED LION INN

MCCOOLESREDLIONINN

Enjoy warm weather dining on McCoole’s pet friendly patio! Voted best in Quakertown 2024 by LehighValleyStyle readers, McCoole's is a colonial-period tavern with a warm atmosphere, great service, craft cocktails and delicious food. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

4 S. Main St., Quakertown | 215.538.1776 | mccoolesredlioninn.com

1812 PIANO LOUNGE

1812PIANOLOUNGE

Located in the West End Theatre District, 1812 Piano Lounge offers a one-of-a-kind destination to meet, dine, sip and sing along with some of the region’s top performers. The casually elegant atmosphere and intimate setting invite guests to feel like part of the performance. Play it again! 1812 West Allen St., Allentown | 484.274.6208 | 1812pianolounge.com

Nestled among the rolling hills of the Lehigh Valley sits an estate vineyard and winery with picturesque vistas of the surrounding countryside. Weathered Vineyards produces distinct, high-quality wines emulating their unique terroir. Come on over, where it’s always pouring inside.

A sophisticated setting. Exceptional flavors. The perfect night awaits. Discover the art of casual fine dining at Randall’s Restaurant. Ideal for intimate dinners, special celebrations or spontaneous evenings out, the menu is thoughtfully crafted to suit every palate.

| randalls.restaurant

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK CHOWDER WITH ChefJocelynn Remaley

At just 23 years old, Chef Jocelynn Remaley already has nearly a decade of experience in the kitchen, and it all started with a job washing dishes.

“I was 14 or 15 when I started at 29 Cooks,” she recalls. “My dad and I were regulars at a coffee shop next door to Chef Cindie Feldman’s 29 Cooks. One day, Cindie came over and asked my dad if I’d want a job.” That simple conversation led to two days a week on dish duty. Remaley didn’t know then that she was stepping into her future.

What began with scrubbing pans soon grew into something much more. “I got really good

at washing dishes, and I liked being good at something,” Remaley says. “Then Cindie said, ‘I think we’re going to start you cooking now.’” Her first task? Making 30 pounds of potato salad. “If you’ve never cooked before, 30 pounds of anything is a lot,” she laughs.

Though she didn’t grow up cooking, Remaley quickly fell in love with it. “At first, I loved learning how to cook,” she says. “Then I realized I really love serving people. It’s not just about the food, it’s about the day you’re creating for someone.”

That passion shines during the events like weddings and showers at 29 Cooks’ Gather

event space, where she often works both in the kitchen and behind the bar. “You’re watching your hard work pay off in real time. It feels awesome.”

She credits much of her growth to Feldman, whom she calls her mentor and the most important woman in her life. “She’s taught me about food, life, relationships—everything. I’d follow her to the ends of the earth.”

Whether she’s crafting a meal or simply making a guest smile at Gather, her joy is in the details, the connection and the day she helps create.

One of Remaley’s most crowd-pleasing creations is her

Philly cheesesteak chowder, a hearty, comforting twist on a classic. “It’s thick and creamy, loaded with seasoned cheesesteak meat, caramelized onions, peppers and chunks of potato,” she says. “It’s got that roasty, salty flavor that makes it perfect for game day or any day, really.” She loves that it can be served as a full meal or a shareable side.

“There’s no wrong time for soup,” Remaley smiles. “Just like there’s no wrong time to do what you love.”

29cooks.com

This soup will be featured on 29 Cooks’ bimonthly Wednesday Take & Bake menu.

TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK CHOWDER

Makes 3–3 ½ quarts

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ lb. Yukon gold potatoes, cubed

1 ½ bell peppers, diced and divided in half

1 stalk celery, diced

1 qt. beef broth

2 packages sodium-free beef bouillon

½ tbsp. Knorr chicken flavor base

½ tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. dried parsley

16 oz. cheese sauce

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 ½ tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp. each: kosher salt,

black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

½ large yellow onion, diced 24 oz. fresh or frozen cheesesteak meat

½ lb. Cooper Sharp American cheese slices

INSTRUCTIONS

Add diced potatoes, half of the bell peppers, celery, beef broth, beef bouillon, chicken base, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and dried parsley to a large pot. Cover and slowly bring to a simmer on medium heat, stirring every five minutes. After 25 minutes, test a potato for softness; if the potato is not soft, simmer five minutes longer. Remove

from heat and, using a potato masher, press down on the potatoes in the pot six times. Stir in the cheese sauce and heavy cream. Let simmer and move onto the next step.

Add the olive oil, the remaining half of the bell peppers and the ¼ tsp. of each seasoning to a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook for six minutes, stirring every two minutes. Add the onions and cook an additional five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the peppers and onions from the skillet and set aside.

Add the cheesesteak meat to the skillet and begin to cook.

When the meat is still a bit pink, add the peppers and onions back into the skillet and cook until the meat is starting to brown. Drain excess grease if necessary.

Dish the hot soup into a bowl. Add hand-crumbled Cooper cheese and top with a generous amount of the cheesesteak meat. If desired, add crushed red pepper and banana pepper rings. Serve with warm, crusty bread.

Tag @lvstylemag when you make it at home!

Riegelsville Inn

HOSPITALITY,

HISTORY AND RIVER VIEWS

BY SUSAN GOTTSHALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON CONKLIN

On the cusp between summer and fall, when temperatures cool but the sun still warms afternoons with its honeyed rays, September calls for a visit to the Riegelsville Inn. Linger there over river views, and celebrate summer’s waning days with good food and drink, savoring the historic inn’s character and charm.

The inn, about 15 minutes south of Easton, just off Route 611, has stood sentinel along the Delaware River since it was built in 1838 by Benjamin Riegel, who founded the village of Riegelsville, a National Register Historic District. From its patio and first- and secondfloor porches, the three-story stone building, with its butteryellow stuccoed facade, offers views of the Delaware and the green Riegelsville Bridge.

No doubt the inn was a bustling spot during the 1800s when it was a stop on the Delaware Canal that ran behind the building from Easton to Bristol. A stable on the inn’s property once sheltered the mules that pulled boats laden with coal along the canal’s towpath. Now part of the Delaware & Lehigh Trail, the path paints a verdant backdrop that whispers of another time.

Witness to the “Pumpkin Flood” of October 1903, the inn saw the wooden covered bridge that then spanned the Delaware washed downstream, along with pumpkins picked up in farmers’ fields by the high water. The rebuilt bridge—a cable suspension bridge constructed by John A. Roebling’s Sons Company, descendants of the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge—opened in 1904 and still crosses the river today.

Through it all—close to 190 years—the inn has continuously served up food and drink to neighbors,

travelers and passersby. Today’s co-owners, Evan Kechely and Stacey Bliss, who bought the inn in 2021, hold deep respect for the “considerable” history of this place.

Kechely says every paint color is researched for historical accuracy. Drinks have been researched as well to determine what was popular before Prohibition and, also, what would have been offered some 200 years ago.

Rumor has it that the bar’s wainscoting—deep green tile, almost iridescent—was installed after a 1955 flood so the top of the tile, about five and a half feet up the wall, would serve as a reminder of the river’s high-water mark in that storm. Above the tile, almond-toned, stamped-metal wall covering adds unique texture and an antique feel to the room. The original stone and brick fireplace with its rough-hewn wood beam mantel emits an aroma of musky wood smoke, a memento of the thousands of patrons who found warmth at this spot for close to two centuries.

In the white-tablecloth dining room, you can almost hear the hiss of a fire and the crackle of burning logs in the original stone cooking fireplace, complete with a beehive oven. Talk about character. Thick stone walls in this dining room create deep windowsills for displaying candles, flowers and plants. An eclectic mix of light fixtures and artwork accents the decor throughout the inn.

Kechely describes the inn as a “tale of two restaurants”: the ambience of the bar and the side porch are casual and “boisterous”; the dining room offers a more elegant, “upscalecasual-at-its-finest” experience.

No matter where you dine, however, executive chef Colin Bloome, who has worked at the inn since 2015, ensures the food is top-notch. Bloome, a graduate of Upper Bucks County Technical School’s culinary arts program, describes the fare— which changes seasonally—as classic American that includes dishes influenced by cuisines around the world.

For example, the kitchen’s take on a southern US standard

becomes Polynesian chili with braised pork, mango, red curry, coconut milk, red kidney beans and a topping of Mexican cotija cheese. Consider also Riegelsville’s curry with bell peppers, broccolini, zucchini, sticky coconut rice, green curry sauce and cauliflower “steak.” More classic selections range from the Trail Burger and oysters on the half shell to Pork & Peach and crab cakes.

Savory lobster stew is rich and creamy, but it’s light, not heavy, allowing the taste and texture of lots of lobster pieces to enhance the softly-hued coral soup. This delectable rendition of a more standard bisque is topped with a puffpastry lobster and a dusting of paprika that adds contrast and visual appeal.

Mashed potatoes tempered with pesto serve as a base for Chicken Champignon. Creamy with herbal taste notes, the potatoes provide color and balance to panroasted chicken with garlic mushroom stuffing, topped with garlic cream. Al dente roasted vegetables—zucchini, carrots and red pepper— bring antioxidant color to the plate.

A favorite of my visit, Salmon Florentine, features a moist pan-seared fillet crisped at the edges, atop a combination of pearl couscous, bay scallops, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in sherry cream, bursting with savory flavor. This dish was succulent, accented with the intense depth of the sun-dried tomatoes. The scallops added sweet, briny notes to the couscous’ dense texture.

The Foghorn Leghorn sandwich features the crispiest breaded piece of Nashville hot chicken I’ve tasted. Yum. The spice makes lips tingle with heat, but

whipped blue cheese adds a sharp, pungent and cooling counterpoint; lettuce and house bread and butter pickles contribute crisp freshness and sweet yet vinegary tang. An impeccably fresh side salad is satisfyingly lightly dressed, allowing the greens to shine.

An Aged and Cured collection offers grazing opportunities galore. Charcuterie and cheeses include creamy house-made Boursin that’s subtle, so gently flavored it’s obviously made with great care. Shropshire Blue cheddar tastes as deep as the depth of its orange color, and champignon triple cream mushroom Brie is super smooth, its brightness touched by earthy notes of mushroom. House-smoked chorizo adds notes of spice, and Olli Salumeria wild boar salami is lip-smackingly bold with color and umami.

Serious willpower is required to resist Riegelsville’s desserts. The inn serves Owowcow Creamery ice cream, featuring signature flavor “Over the Bridge”— blackberry, mint, honey, dark chocolate and sweet cream. There’s house-made bourbon country cheesecake, coffee tres leches cake, a layered chocolate tart and more. The tart takes your breath away. A crispy cocoa graham crust gives way to a layer of dense, dark chocolate pâté topped with light, velvety milk chocolate mousse. The combination of counterpoint textures and chocolate intensities is brilliant. At the bar, there’s a rotating selection of craft beer on tap, along with about a half dozen featured local brews and a dozen bottled beers. The wine list offers approximately 50 bottles from wineries in California, the Pacific

Northwest, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, New Zealand and Argentina.

The signature cocktail Honey Berry—gin, honey simple syrup, strawberry puree, fresh lemon and club soda—looks and tastes like a liquid strawberry in a glass. The Lavender Lemon Drop— choice of vodka, lavender syrup and fresh lemon juice—is slightly sweet, citrusy and refreshing in color as well as taste. Sip this easy-drinking libation slowly.

Riegelsville has always been a working inn that included lodging, says Kechely, as well as a restaurant. Unfortunately, the inn’s rooms closed during the pandemic. Kechely and Bliss are working to open those rooms again; they expect to have seven available by the time the weather turns cold.

Riegelsville Inn has offered nurture and respite to the community and region across the 1800s, 1900s and now the 21 st century. “Peek-a-boo” holes created in the exterior show the building’s age in layers: stone topped with stamped brick, and, finally, the stucco seen today. What better evidence of the years of human history that infuse its walls. An undercurrent of unspoken memory lives here.

When I visited, I happened to meet Michael Balas of Bethlehem, who brought his wife to the inn to celebrate her birthday. He shared a memory of visiting the inn for lunch 60 years ago, walking across the bridge when he was on break during a strike at the paper mill on the other side of the river where he worked. He’s been coming to the inn for 65 years now, since he was 17, he said, and “the food has always been excellent.”

And that, my friends, is a history lesson like none other.

Riegelsville Inn

10 Delaware Rd., Riegelsville 610.749.0100 | riegelsvilleinn.com

HOURS

Monday: 4–9 p.m.

Tuesday–Thursday: 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.

Friday: 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

Saturday: 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

Sunday: 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m.

(Bar may stay open later)

Cost: Lunch: Snacks $10–$30; mains $14–$35

Dinner: Starters $10–$30; mains $28–$48

Brunch: Starters $10–$30; mains $12–$34

Date Night Thursday: $99/couple (shared appetizer and dessert, two entrees, two glasses of wine)

Prime Rib Fridays: $29–$59

(5 p.m. until sold out)

Parking: Three lots owned by restaurant, public parking across canal footbridge. Reservations: Recommended Accessibility: Second-floor restrooms accessible only by stairs. Entry is wheelchair accessible.

WHAT TO ORDER

Lobster stew: it beams you up to the Maine coast. Salmon Florentine: a super-tasty way to get those omega-3s. Layered chocolate tart: a satisfying way to amp up endorphins. And, for goodness’ sake, try the Lavender Lemon Drop! Just the color chases the blues away.

DRINK THIS

MAGIC MATCHA SHAKE

BY ANGELA VENNEMANN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW CANNON

READY TO TRY IT?

Tag @lvstylemag when you do!

If you’ve never been a fan of veggies, it can be tough to stomach something that has the distinct quality of tasting healthy. But for those of us who just say no to regular servings of leafy greens, the Magic Matcha Veggie Fusion Shake from Trexlertown’s Java Joint Drive-Thru holds the key. Does it taste healthy? Yes. But does it taste good? Also yes.

The Magic Matcha, perfect as a meal replacement on the go or to refresh yourself on a hot day, starts with a base of unsweetened almond milk. Then, in goes vanilla whey protein, freeze-dried spinach, honey, vanilla extract, fresh banana and two scoops of matcha. All those ingredients have a party in the blender, and the resulting drink is served up to be enjoyed right away. The vegetal flavor of the matcha and spinach is there, but it’s beautifully balanced by the sweetness of the banana, honey and vanilla. Taken all together, these flavors work in concert to make you feel refreshed, like you’re putting something good in your body, with the added bonus of getting a sweet treat out of it.

Java Joint owners Matt Ossiander and Jason Williamson know that they’re well known for their coffee drinks, but they’re only too happy to bring attention to one of their shakes. “To be honest, this drink is a bit of an underdog on our menu,” they admit, though “for our matcha lovers out there, we want them to know we have something for them!” Feeling a little peckish while picking up your Magic Matcha? Grab a Mighty Muffin, made exclusively for Java Joint by The Buttered Crumb in New Tripoli and full of nuts, carrots and coconut.

“These muffins are a dense, semi-sweet, whole-grain option for those people looking to indulge without the guilt,” the owners say.

Ossiander and Williamson purchased the Java Joint from original owner Betty Hockman this past winter, and while the pair knows that this drive-thru stand on Hamilton Boulevard is beloved by regulars for its coffee creations, they’re also eager to expand their offerings.

“While our Veggie Fusions are popular with the health-conscious crowd as meal replacement shakes, we are looking at expanding to protein drinks without veggies,” they say, adding that they have plans for new fruit smoothie flavors as well. “Our customers are used to a new latte flavor each week, so we think it is also important to keep our other lineups fresh, too.”

7370 Hamilton Blvd., Trexlertown

610.530.3171 | javajointdrivethru.com

To do right by women, you have to get it.

As a woman, you are constantly transforming into a new version of yourself. As one season ends, another begins –each of which pushes you to evolve physically, mentally and emotionally. Whatever season you are in, you can trust the region’s leading women’s health experts to guide you.

We do right by women because that’s what you deserve. LVHN.org/WomensHealth

We get it.