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Philadelphia Flower Show’s The Garden Electric Shines at Pennsylvania Convention Center
The 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show returned to the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the first time since 2020. “Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” — Luther Burbank Story, photos by Sharon Kozden It was 72 degrees in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania today! That declarative statement warrants an exclamation point because I’m writing on a November day. I’ll take it. Not a cold-weather fan. The temperate temp has perfectly set the scene for my scribbling, as I’m recapping the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show on the eve of the 2024 Show theme’s announcement. The Philadelphia Flower Show a.k.a. “America’s oldest and finest exhibit…
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Outdoor Adventure Comes To Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is seeing an influx of interest from people seeking outdoor adventure. The state is becoming so popular that the government is looking for ways to facilitate the tourist boom, encouraging adventurers to arrive in droves. The state is becoming popular because of its extensive natural environment and numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation. Happy campers are heading to the cool green forests of the north, the rolling hills of the south, and everything in between. Unlike Moab or Joshua Tree, Pennsylvania is not a one-trick pony. According to the government and local businesses, there’s plenty for people to enjoy here. Camping Unsplash – CC0 License Pennsylvania is becoming a destination…
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How to Become a Successful Muralist and Nomad
Story by Irina Abraham, Photos by Irina Abraham, Justin from Mobile Dwellings, and Amy Nicole Hodges So, you decided to follow your dreams. You quit your “serious” day job and moved into a camper. The road stretches far into the horizon in front of you, the wind is blowing in your hair. You got your spray cans, brushes, sketchbooks and your heart, flaming with the desire to live your best life as an unapologetically free artist. Now what? Tim C. Abraham set out on his brave cross-country adventure after he had lost his day job in the shipping industry, which priced him out of his Jersey City rent. A quite…
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Christmas Eve in Gladwyne, PA Offers Tidings Sacred and Secular
Children dressed in period costumes pose before filing into pageant procession. ” … Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Till he appear’d, and the soul felt its worth.” – O Holy Night Story, photos by Sharon Kozden St. John Vianney Church in Gladwyne staged on Christmas Eve an outdoor mass featuring live animals and a Christmas pageant with costumed children portraying the usual cast of characters in the story that is the Nativity of Jesus. On the day prior to Christmas Eve, I noticed large tents, outdoor heat lamps and warming fire pits being erected and installed on the front lawn of the Parish House adjacent to…
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Rejuvenate at Joseph Anthony Retreat Spa and Salon at Loews Philadelphia Hotel
Sharon Kozden recommends one of the spa’s signature treatments, the Turkish Bath … a full body sensory experience. “Be still: Be stiller yet; and listen. Set the screen of silence at the portal of your will. Relax, and let the world go by unheard …” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Bring on the luxe life! As a woman of a certain age, or as the French would say, “une femme d’un certain âge” (as well as a runner presently training for my third Philadelphia Marathon), I’m the ideal candidate to be pampered on the regular. So when Cassie asked if I wanted to visit the Joseph Anthony…
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Workhorse Brewing Company, a New Hidden Gem in the Philly Suburbs
Story, photos by Jill Beckel Workhorse Brewing Company is the newest brewery to open up in King of Prussia, PA. Located at 250 King Manor Drive, it is truly a hidden gem in the Philly suburbs! We recently went on a Workhorse Brewing Company tour led by Dan Hershberg, co-founder and CEO of Workhorse Brewing Co. We remembered talking with Dan a few years back when we did a story on his popular Philly T-shirt business, Philly Phaithful (read the full article here). Workhorse Brewing Company was four years in the making. Dan came up with the idea of starting a brewery with his friend, Nate Olewine (brewmaster), while they…
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Eat Clean and Think Green at honeygrow in King of Prussia, PA’s Town Center
The eatery’s façade of brown, vertical and wooden planks exudes an all-natural vibe. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden My dietary habits at times leave something to be desired. While I continue to progress toward healthful eating, all that’s often needed is the siren call of buffalo wings, Chinese takeaway and fried chicken for the temptation to be too great, and I cave. When invited to try honeygrow in King of Prussia‘s Town Center, my curiosity trumped any hesitancy. Would honeygrow be my culinary nightmare of only nutritious food? Since I’ve graduated from sugary carbs to scrambled eggs or yogurt for breakfast, I felt significantly prepared to take my work-in-progress self…
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United Kingdom Fast Fashion Store Primark Crosses Pond to King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Primark takes up residence at the KOP Mall. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Is there a better time to shop the King of Prussia Mall then on Labor Day weekend just days before the onset of a new school year? In a word and for this writer, the answer is an unequivocal no. So what was I thinking when an assignment found me at KOP’s Primark clothing store at the beginning of September? Mind you, I could have chosen a different date. Apparently, I wasn’t thinking. Still, I arrived early, hoping to avoid the crowds’ onslaught along with the potential for chick fights often known to ensue at super sales.…
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Cirque du Soleil’s VOLTA Electrifies Audiences Under the Big Top in Oaks, PA
Vibrant background colors and name-zapped graphic create visually arresting poster. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden (event photography courtesy of Cirque du Soleil) Step right up! It’s showtime, folks. Over the summer, the circus came to town at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. The renowned Cirque du Soleil arrived with its Under the Big Top production of VOLTA, and Oaks was woke! For some time preceding Cirque’s descension at the Expo Center, the locals and passers could witness the construction progress of a large tent (one that seated 2,500). People were talking. Something grand-scale was in the offing. A big deal in little but mighty Oaks. Word of…
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Philadelphia’s Bellevue Hotel Hosts Historic Hotels of America Reception
The event’s venue is the only Philadelphia hotel on the National Register of Historical Places and was awarded the distinction in 1977. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Philadelphia’s iconic Bellevue Hotel (also included on the Historic Hotels of America registry) hosted 14 other such accommodations winners from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for what was billed as a Philadelphia and Media Marketplace Luncheon. How does a single location, specifically the Bellevue’s 12th floor’s conservatory, fit ’em all in? Simple: these 15 lodging gems located across the country sent their very best representatives along with the necessary items to create alluring table scapes filled with theme-related décor, pamphlets and other…
