Download - dtown Magazine - September 2011
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September 2011
Down But Not Out
Helping Haiti Rebuild Fromthe Bottom Up
The Philadelphia Live Arts
and Philly Fringe Festival
Celebrating the Unconventional
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215.340.1414 52 E. State Street Doylestown
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6 East State Street Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 485-1645 www.nonnoscafe.com
Authentic Italian Coffee, Gelato, Pastries and Dessert.
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Publisher: Pearson Publishing
Editor-In-Chief: Justin Elson
Managing Editor: Jack Firneno
Art Director: Paul Rowlands
Photography:Wendy McCardle
Contributing Writers:Jack Firneno, Justin Elson, Scott Holloway, Ingrid Weidman,Pete Croatto, Carla Merolla Odell, Ben Johnston, Ian Smith,Anna Palij, Kyle Baglestose
Distribution Manager: Tom Cormican
To advertise, contact us at 215.896.2767
or via email at [email protected].
For all editorial content,contact us at
spotlight
The Doylestown Arts Festival ............ 13
music
Dani McHenry .................................... 14
health + beauty
Von Sport ...........................................18
business
The Silverman Gallery ........................ 20
spotlight
Doylestown School of Rock ............... 23
spotlight
Rising From the Ashes ....................... 33
home
Taking the Heat .................................. 36
community
The Robert James Leonard
Foundation......................................... 42
daytrip
The Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly
Fringe Festival ...................................46
a closer look
Down But Not Out............................. 52
food + diningRistorante Il Melograno ..................... 58
backpage
You Look Mahvelous! ........................ 62
artist
Gabriel Franklin 26
contents
antiques apparel awnings eyewear an expanding food court billiard supplies carpets and flooring collectibles computer sales and service cookware footwearjewelry kitchenware locksmith local items local PA wines motorcycle apparel
signs sports memorabilia tee shirts and much more!
700 York Road, Warminster, PA 18974 | (267) 960-8800 | 263marketplace.com
Store Hours: Friday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. | Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. | Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
ServicesProducts
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dog of the monthBy Scott Holloway
Shoes are fun, but bones are better.Unique toys (including some for serious
chewers AND the seriously bored), healthy
treats, natural foods, supplies and more.
Dogs are welcome in our store!Let your pup pick something out.
42 East State St.|Doylestown, PA
(267)247-5567 www.lifeontheleash.com good things for good dogs
When it comes to companionship
and compassion, its hard to top
Oakley. Always quick to greet Jessica
Herman and Rob Fox with a wagging
tail, she also has a ew lovable
tricks up her paw. Seizing the perect
opportunities, Oakley will oten go
belly-up when Herman returns rom
work, hoping or her avorite rub.
She also nds prime real estate or
a quick snooze, taking up residence
on Foxs chest when the chance or
a dual nap arises.
But her easygoing nature wasnt
always so evident. When Herman and
Fox adopted in Oakley in 2009, she was
very shy, nervous and scared o nearly
everything. Likely the victim o neglect
or abuse, Oakley reused to move
ater returning to her new home, even
orsaking ood at times. But with a ton
o teamwork and tender loving care,
Oakley has emerged rom her shell.
While still on the shy side, Oakley
has settled nicely into town. She
enjoys requent walks and playing
with her canine pals. Oakley especially
loves the snow. Shell bounce through
deep piles like a rabbit, capturing
some on her nose and ficking it high
into the air.
OakleyBreed: Golden Retriever, Brittany Spaniel and Beagle mix (?)
Age: Two years old | Owners: Jessica Herman and Rob Fox
Doylestown
20thAnnual
Arts FestivalArt | Music | Food
Dont miss the 20th
Annual Doylestown
Arts Festival
Sept. 17th-18th,
10 am-5 pm!
Free Admission doylestownartsfestival.com
Presented by
Doylestown Business and Community Alliance
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around town
1. Rob Lunny enjoying tea and a fruit and cheeseplate at Zen Den Coffee
2. Sarah Gruskin lounging at Zen Den Coffeeduring a performance by Sam Hollis
3. Anne Brando, Julia Fitzgibbons and Mr. Cheeksshopping for a Philies shirt for baby Carlton
4. Dingo taking a breather at the Star Garden withher people: Danielle Brubaker, Jack Scheetz,Brian Jason Taylor and Cody Jones.
5. Juliet and Robert Meehan enjoying a Saturdayevening at Bobby Simones
6. Sharon Hager and Rebecca Liberty sharingdrinks at Puck.
7. Chris Linson and Erica Shank, the friendly hostsat Bobby Simones
8. Mary Helen Hughes and Rosemar y Dillonenjoying a Saturday evening at Bobby Simones
9. Tom and Mary Deysher meet up with theirfriend Mike Hughes at Bobby Simones
10. Nic holas Marciante and Jen Stoler hanging outat Zen Den Coffee
10 www.dtownmag.com | 11www.dtownmag.com | 11
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3 4
5 6
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spotlightBy Scott Holloway | Photos Courtesy of the Doylestown Business and Community Alliance
www.dtownmag.com | 13
Before and After.
Get a sneak peak at your new little bundle and start that
baby book a bit early.
We are now offering 3D/4D ultrasound imaging in our Doylestown
office. Call our office for further details and appointment times.
The Pavilion at Doylestown Hospital
599 West State Street, Suite 301
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-489-2066
www.buckscountyobgyn.com
Scott A. Dinesen, D.O., F.A.C.O.G.Melanie R.Ware, D.O.
Kamela King, P.A.C.
Janice Kerr, A.R.D.M.S.
KELLER WILLIAMS Real Estate
Tel: 215.340.5700Cell: 215.262.4422
Doylestown Commerce Center2003 S. Easton Rd, Suite 108
Doylestown, PA 18901
Call me and put my30 years experienceto work for you!
Sue JonesOwner/PartnerREALTOR, GRI
iPhone users, scanthis barcode to add
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A s a community, Doylestoniansrevel in our heritage. From therole the Bucks County countryside
played in shaping Colonial America
to the cultural contributions o Henry
Chapman Mercer, the list o historical
checkpoints weaves a storied tale.
But perhaps there is no other aspect
like the rich artistic legacy the area
oers that people, both ar and wide,
look to as a hallmark o our past. Its
tting than that Doylestown carries
on the tradition.
On Sept. 17 and 18, the borough
will host the 20th-Annual Doylestown
Arts Festival, a celebration o the
creative orces that continue to breathe
a unique lie into Central Bucks County.
Taking up residence on State, Main,
Hamilton and West Oakland Streets,
the event will eature 150 artisans,
eaturing their handcrated, one-o-
a-kind wares. The two-day estival is
also a juried show, where paintings,
photography, jewelry, pottery and
clothing, urniture and jewelry design
will all compete or the prizes and
recognition. We are very excited
about the 20th anniversary o the
Doylestown Arts Festival, says event
chairman Michael Woods. Each year
brings new artists, new craters and
a new energy to town. This year will
be no exception.
Hosted by the Doylestown Business
and Community Alliance and sponsored
by the Thompson Organization, repeat
attendees will recognize amiliar
The Doylestown Arts Festival
artisans as well as new aces, including
Darlene Yarnetsky o Mudcat
Pottery and William Marlin o ABI
Woodworking. Festivalgoers will
also be treated to some o the areas
nest musicians, with stages set up
throughout downtown Doylestown.
Were pound to have nationally
acclaimed singer-songwriter Jerey
Gaines as our eatured musician,
Woods says. Almost Fab, Tres
Compadres and Christy Jeerson,
as well as kid-riendly perormers Miss
Amy and the Bucks County Folk Song
Society, are also scheduled to appear.
And with all the sights and
entertainment to take in, youre sure
to build up an appetite. Organizers
have ensured a wide range o dining
options will be available at the estivals
ood court. This year, the calorie-
conscious can take advantage o
a variety o salads and ruits that will
be new to the court.
The Doylestown Arts Festival will be
held on Sept. 17 and 18 rom 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. For more inormation, go online
at doylestownartsfestival.com or call
215-340-9988.
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musicBy Jack Firneno
musicPhotos courtesy Dani McHenry
14 www.dtownmag.com | 15
Dani
McHenry
Coming Home
(With a Guitar)
I
ts not a stretch to say singer-
songwriter Dani McHenry has
already lived enough or a ew lietimes.
Not even 30 years old, the Doylestown
native went rom being an honors
student in college to a directionless
hedonist in Key West beore she
was old enough to drink. From there,
McHenry ound hersel a soul-searching
wanderer in Caliornia, a budding
musician in New York City and, nally,
a ull-time mom and aspiring musician
living just outside o Philadelphia. Ive
grown up a bit, she says, perhaps too
casually. Im not as hollow as I once
was. I ound in music a way to keep
me grounded.
McHenrys journey o sel-realization
is embedded in the 12 tracks o Its In
You, her debut album released earlier
this year. Hal the songs were written
in New York while trying to vanquish
her demons, the rest ater settling
back down in Pennsylvania. Part o it
was writing music rom the emotions
Id been harboring over the horrible
things that happened when I was
younger, McHenry explains. Now
that Im on a healing path, the newer
songs are upbeat and happier.
And that path hasnt proved to be
an easy one to ollow. Ater graduating
rom Central Bucks West High School,
she went to what she describes
as a huge party college. Revelry took
precedence over classes, and, during
her sophomore year, McHenry dropped
out. She moved to Key West to live
with her brother. There, her bad
habits, as McHenry calls them, got
14
musicBy Jack Firneno
worse. I did what any teenager would
do living in a town like that. Id stay
out all night and ell in with the wrong
people, she says.
Realizing she was running ater
things that were empty, McHenry
headed west, settling in Los Angeles.
I wanted to live someplace where
no one knew me, and I always wanted
to travel the country, she explains.
I was trying to repair what I had done
to mysel over the past our years. I elt
like there was something missing on
the inside.
Ultimately, McHenry lled that
void with a guitar. Id always been
ascinated by guitar players. When
I picked one up, I couldnt put it back
down, she says. I loved everything
about it. The sound o the guitar on
my stomach and chest was comorting;
putting my arm around it elt like I was
hugging someone.
McHenrys
journey of
self-realization
is embedded in
the 12 tracks on
Its In You, her
debut album.
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musicBy Jack Firneno
16
OktoberfestStuff for kids 1-4PM Face-Painting, Coloring, Balloon Drop
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1st
Starts at 1PM with the Barrel Tapping of the Oktoberfest Beer!
LOCAL FOODCRAFT BEER LIVE MUSIC
Full schedule and tickets available at www.pucklive.com
9/10: This Is Your Brain On Shamrocks: Mike Farregher & Seamus Kelleher $12
9/17: 40th Anniversary Celebration Of Carole Kings Tapestry $15
9/24: The Buicks $12
10/9: Young Dubliners $17 advance /$20 day of show
Pucks Patio open daily at 4 pm until last call! Take out available!
Open Mic Night every Wednesday hosted by JD Malone.
The Marble Room open Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.
215.348.9000
www.pucklive.com
LIVE MUSIC
Healing but not quite healed,
McHenry was ready to return to the
East Coast, i not home altogether.
Winding up in New York City, she
began writing her own songs and
venturing out into the thriving and
storied music scene. But a suburbs
girl at heart, McHenry eventually
moved back to Bucks County and
rekindled a romance with her
high-school sweetheart and uture
husband. The couple now lives in
Ardmore with their two children.
First and oremost, Im, a mom
McHenry says. But the music is
what keeps me me.
And that me is on the rise. Its
in You has been gaining traction on
college radio stations, and McHenry
has been garnering press attention
while playing venues like the Grape
Street Pub in Manayunk and the
Triumph Brewery in Philadelphia.
Her uture plans include hometown
shows in Doylestown and New Hope
and another album next year when
the time is right. I want to make good
music, and I want everyone to hear
it, McHenry says, But or now, Im
taking it all day by day.
Go online at danimchenry.com
The sound othe guitar on mystomach and chest
was comorting;putting my armaround it elt likeI was huggingsomeone.
Dani McHenry
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health + beautyBy Scott Holloway
health + beautyPhotos by Wendy McCardle
18 www.dtownmag.com | 19
For some, tness is more than
just pick-up basketball games
at the park, a quick stop at the gym
ater work or something that holds
a perennial spot on your to-do list. For
those, its something as central to their
liestyle as work, amily or leisure. But
no matter whether you all on the active
or sedentary side o the proverbial
ence, we can all agree that a sense
o community is essential to our lives.
Seem like an incongruent parallel to
draw? Think again.
Set to open this September, Von
Sport, located in The Farm oce
complex just o Route 202, is preparing
to make physical tness as much
a part o Doylestown as First Friday,
the Arts Fest or the Memorial Day
parade. And at its heart is the vision
o its owner and ounder, Theresa
Mays. Fitness has been a part o my
lie or decades, she says. Im excited
to bring my expertise to my latest
venture, and I believe that Von Sport
will inspire people o all generations
to take control o their health.
And or those who have crossed her
path, it seems like a certainty. A local
athletic legend, Mays has excelled
in a variety o athletic disciplines,
ranging rom volleyball to a number
o track-and-eld events racking up
medals and awards along the way.
And though her resume certainly
speaks or itsel, its Mays enthusiasm
and genuine passion or her crat,
a characteristic well conrmed by her
clientele, coupled with a unique
philosophy that provides the guiding
orce behind Von Sport. I want to
create a uniquely dierent workout
environment, she explains. At Von
Sport, I want to nd what works
or people and help them achieve
balance in their lives by releasing
their inner sport.
And while physicality is certainly
part o Mays vision, so is the physical
space shes created. People will
be attracted to the energizing color
scheme weve chosen, Mays says.
We were also careul not to change
the existing structure and in using
organic and recycled materials. Well
also have the ability to use both indoor
and outdoor spaces. Im hoping when
taken altogether, anyone looking
to get t will nd Von Sport an
inviting place to continue on a long,
healthy journey.
For more inormation on Von Sports
grand opening and their acilities,
go online at vonsport.com
Von Sport
Releasing Your Inner Sport
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businessBy Jack Firneno
businessPhotos by Wendy McCardle
20 www.dtownmag.com | 21
Even in an arts-centric area like
Bucks County, opening a new
gallery in todays turbulent economy
is a daunting prospect. And bucking
the usual ormat or a gallery seems
to only increase the risk o ailure.
But i anyone can pull it o, its
Herman Silverman. And so ar, hes
been successul.
I the names not immediately
amiliar, his other ventures should be.
The 91-year-old Doylestown native
is the man behind the Michener
Museum, which turned an old
prison into a local landmark, and the
Artmobile, a gallery on wheels that
has been teaching children about art
and culture or more than 40 years.
This year, Silverman delivered his
latest contribution to the arts in
Bucks County: the Silverman Gallery
located in Buckingham. Whether
its rom me or someone else, I want
young people to buy art and see to
it that some o these artists start
to make some money, he says.
Like many galleries in the area,
Silverman ocuses on Pennsylvania
Impressionism. The comparisons,
however, mostly stop there. We
needed to create something dierent
to get a buzz going. Many collectors
buy much older pieces, because there
are bragging rights that come with
owning them, Silverman says. We
try to oer paintings that people will
buy, knowing theyll be asked where
they got them.
Where many galleries oer work rom
upwards o 10 artists, the Silverman
Gallery works exclusively with only
our, all comprising di erent age
groups and styles within Pennsylvania
Impressionist milieu. So many
painters struggle or wall space and
publicity, Silverman explains. But i
you put your time, eorts and money
into just a ew artists, youre able to
nurture their career and give clients
a broad overview o each ones work.
The Core Four, as Silverman calls
them, are Myles Cavanaugh, Alan
Fetterman, Jennier Hansen Rolli,
and Joseph Barrett. I looked at a lot
o artists, and these are the best o
the best, he says proudly.
The Silverman Gallerys warm,
inviting atmosphere also goes a long
way in creating a space that allows
collectors to become amiliar and
comortable with each o their artists
work. The lighting, the placement o
the pieces, everything about our space
is designed to create an atmosphere
where people can truly enjoy and
appreciate the beautiul pieces our
artists have to oer, Silverman says.
Despite the potential stacked odds,
the Silverman Gallery has opened
strongly and shows no signs o slowing
down. Weve sold 70 paintings since
opening in March, which is unheard
o today, and were on a roll to sell 100
very soon, Silverman says. He adds
that hes especially satised with the
young collectors, calling each week to
nd out about new pieces: Theyre
excited about these artists and about
growing their collections with them.
Go online at thesilvermangallery.com
The Silverman Gallery
A New Home for Artistic Heritage
Everything about our spaceis designed to create anatmosphere where people cantruly enjoy and appreciate thebeautiul pieces our artistshave to oer.
Herman Silverman
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spotlightBy Justin Elson | Photos by Wendy McCardle
www.dtownmag.com | 23
For more information, text: luxury to 99000 or visit us at
www.heritagehomesgroup.com
Once upon a time, budding
musicians would settle on an
instrument; immerse themselves
in the study o harmony, melody
and technique; and hit the road or
weeks, months or maybe years at
a clip to make a living or nd stardom.
But as one man who amously walked
that tried-and-true path once sang,
The times they are a-changin.
But whether were talking a oregone
era or debating the impact o the
digital revolution, musical aspirations
remain a constant. And Doylestowns
School o Rock is helping make those
dreams a reality.
While the school has been oering
instruction and putting on shows
since opening their doors in 2009, its
organizers have recently expanded
their oerings to current students
and area perormers. Beginning this
all, the School o Rock will oer Band
Coaching Sessions, an opportunity
or new or established groups to
educate themselves beyond mere jam
sessions. The program will cover
sound development, demo recording,
songwriting and business strategy,
including how to book shows at area
venues, says Beca Dunst, the schools
general manager. Instructors will
provide eedback, tips and ideas on how
to improve the bands showmanship
and overall musical presentation.
And while perormance is the true
measuring stick or any musician, its
only hal the equation. No matter how
Doylestown School of Rock
great your sound, it must translate on
record. Were also unveiling our new
recording studio, which will be available
to the schools tuition students, Dunst
says. Its an opportunity to learn the
art o sound recording, using state-o-
the-art digital gear and equipment.
Students will replicate the recording,
mixing and production o a classic rock
album. This all, students will begin
working on Pink Floyds Dark Side Of
The Moon, studying and deconstructing
then rebuilding, rerecording, remixing
and reproducing it with their own
perormances. Each season will eature
a new album.
Autumn will also bring another o
the School o Rocks trademarks: un.
Teaming with the Philadelphia and
Princeton locations, students will
perorm the music rom the Rocky
Horror Picture Show, dressing as their
avorite characters in concert. Dunst
says the event should be a raucous,
interactive rock n roll party or the
perormers, as well as the audience.
Go online at:
doylestown.schoolofrock.com
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artistBy Pete Croatto
artistPhotos Courtesy of Gabriel Franklin
26 www.dtownmag.com | 27
Gabriel Franklin returned rom
a yearlong sojourn to Australia
and New Zealand with something
more meaningul than a ew photos
and a T-shirt: a new set o priorities
that put him on the artists path. But
his revelation didnt surace in an Eat,
Pray, Love-kind o way. An avid climber,
Franklin and a riend were scaling the
canyon o a dormant volcano in New
Zealand when a landslide hit, leaving
them hopelessly lost. The pair spent
three days battling the cold, howling
winds and ceaseless rain beore nding
their way out. We both broke into mild
hypothermia. We had to set up a tarp
next to a boulder and lay under it or
two nights, Franklin says.
While standing at the base o the
canyon, injured, observing the natural
chaos, Franklin came to a realization.
At that moment, I thought o my
amily and how they wouldnt know
where I was. I thought o the amily
I didnt have yet, he recalls. I had
this eeling like theres more that Im
capable o doing, more that I could
share with other people. I I could get
out, I was going to put my heart in
that direction.
Nearly three years later, Franklins
artistic eorts are no longer a hobby
or gits or loved ones. Hes recently
begun showing his work in galleries
and coeehouses around the area.
His striking black-ink drawings some
based on outdoor photography, others
just epically detailed, expansive dream-
like doodling can be ound on T-shirts
or Stained Apparel. And dont orget
Franklins lush, inventive work as
a plasterer, his longtime proession,
in homes and businesses.
For Franklin, who grew up outside
o Springtown and now resides in
Bloomsbury, N.J., each medium eeds
the other. Theres no chance o burn-
out. Im disciplined to a point now
where every day I work on something,
even i its just or hal an hour, he
says. I have the inspiration at this
moment. I denitely eel that it goes
in phases. Right now, Im really in
a space where Im producing a lot o
work and have the urge to do so. Im
trying to keep that momentum going
until I decide I need to take a break
or a while.
Franklins sel-taught drawing style
is still evolving. While rehabbing his
severely broken nger in Australia,
Franklin began experimenting with
ink. He outlined shapes that inspired
him, meditating on the negative
space, and embarked on what he calls
mindless-trance doodle sessions
to ll the page. This approach led to
his open-ended, orderly yet chaotic
What Do You See?series. I would get
in it and be passionate about it or
a ve- or six-hour stretch, then Id be
Gabriels Travels
Inspiration on the
Brink of Disaster
artistBy Pete Croatto
26
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artistBy Pete Croatto
artistPhotos Courtesy of Gabriel Franklin
28 www.dtownmag.com | 29
so exhausted that Id actually have
to break rom it, he says. Sometimes
that break would last a couple o hours.
Sometimes it would last two months
until Id come back and eel motivated.
The breaks havent hindered his
drawing, whether its an impromptu
creation or based on photography.
When I was younger, I wanted to see
a nished product quickly, and this
[the drawing] was a state o process,
Franklin says. Patience was key.
I realized that i I really want to be
satised with something, Id have to
be disciplined and have the patience
to see it through. Using a digital
camera satises the instant artistic
itch that spending 12 hours lling
a circle with dots cant, he says.
There are even more interruptions
all inspired by Franklins ateul trip
rom the hard-earned rewards o
drawing. Hes working on Gabriels
Tales, a storytelling CD eaturing his
musician parents, John and Linda
Franklin, and a short story with his
ance, Megan Bubalis. All serve as
creative uel. My goal as o r ight now
is to keep producing work, keep all o
this evolving and see where its going
to take me, Franklin says. Whether
or not it will have an eect on anybody
is up to them.
Go online at gabrielfranklin.com
I had this eelinglike theres more
that Im capableo doing, more thatI could share withother people.
Gabriel Franklin
I realized that i I really wantto be satised with something,
Id have to be disciplinedand have the patience to see
it through. Gabriel Franklin
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spotlightBy Scott Holloway | Photos Courtesy of Susan Sandor
www.dtownmag.com | 33
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As the calendar turns to September,
well undoubtedly be enguled
by media tributes to 9/11, many
recalling the graphic imagery o that
solemn day: the twin towers o the
World Trade Center crumbling like
accordions; Manhattan enveloped
by a rapidly advancing cloud o ash,
soot and debris; the hollow eyes o
New Yorkers crestal len and rantic
in the ace o utter devastation. And
while those indelible images will
orever remain a part o the American
abric, sometimes it takes a place
with a soter edge to recast those
memories in a dierent light.
A nearly 50-oot thriving silver
maple once stood on the grounds o
the Paxson Hill Farm Nursery in New
Hope. But ater succumbing to ate
in 2006, a new tree has risen on the
property that stands as a memorial
to those who perished in the terrorist
attacks a decade ago. The Nine Eleven
Tree, a sculpture by Frenchtown artist
Greg Napolitan commissioned by the
nurserys owner, Bruce Gangawer,
stands watch over the bucolic setting,
a stoic reminder o the horric attacks.
Its hard to describe without being
there, but there is a palpable sense
o tranquility and honor, says
Susan Sandor, a longtime associate
o Gangawer and a requent visitor
to the arm. You see the bumper
stickers that read, Never Forget,
and Gregs [Napolitan] work really
brings it home.
Rising From the Ashes
Consisting o the maples original
trunk and 33 individually carved,
strategically placed branches, the
organic sculpture resembles the
twisted girders o the World Trade
Center lying in ruins. But as it recalls
the demise o thousands o Americans,
an international landmark and perhaps
a bit o national innocence, the piece
also resonates with the hope o a
diplomatic tomorrow. A split-rail ence
surrounds the tree, where sheep, emus,
alpacas and a white donkey graze,
Sandor says. It almost represents
a living Peaceable Kingdom. But no
matter whether you recognize that
or the Nine Eleven Treerst doesnt
matter. What you eel in standing
beore the monument is paramount.
The Paxson Hill Farm Nursery, located
at 3265 Comfort Rd. in New Hope,
and the Nine Eleven Tree are open for
viewing every day except Monday.
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18/33
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homeBy Anna Palij
homePhotos Courtesy of Margi Tettemer
36 www.dtownmag.com | 37
Y our neighbor just had her kitchenredone, and it looks amazing.But, you wonder, how did they manage
their daily routines during the many
weeks it took to complete the job?
It seems impossible between all the
planning and the lack o a working
kitchen while the work is being
perormed. We sat down with Margi
Tettemer, co-owner o Markei Interior
Renovations, to learn how best to
prepare and share a ew o their tips.
Planning Your Place
Living through a remodel can be
dicult, Tettemer admits, but
the proper preparation will make
everything go smoothly. Beore
calling a contractor, get an idea
o what you want the space to look
like. Look through magazines and
gather the pictures that catch your
eye she adds. You may rip out
a page simply because you like the
color o the cabinetry or it could be
the exact design you have always
wanted. Tettemer suggests making
a notebook o ideas and organizing
them into categories like tiles,
cabinets and appliances. Your wish
older, as she calls it, will come
in handy when you meet with the
design and contracting teams.
Once you have a plan in mind,
hiring the right builder is the next
step in a successul remodel. The
search is oten by word-o-mouth,
because it can be really hard to nd
a good contractor, Tettemer says.
She also recommends covering all your
bases in the process, never balking
at asking any tough questions. Will
they cover entryways or other urniture
near the space or protection or leave
tools on-site? How will they address
the saety o your pets? Do they plan
to sell or donate your old appliances
and cabinets?
Balancing Your Budget
I youre not sure where to start with
your budget, consider this: Generally,
the cost o your k itchen remodel
should be 10 percent o the value o
your home. I you have a $300,000
house, that means that about $30,000,
is what you want to spend. Tettemer
says. However, even the most scally
prudent person can easily get carried
away while planning their remodel.
There are so many options that people
begin to worry that they have to spend
more than they planned to get better
quality, Tettemer explains. You dont
have to get all the bells and whistles.
There are some quality options that
dont cost a ton o money. A good
contractor, she says, should work with
you to get the best value or your dollar.
Cleaning and Clearing
Tettemer suggests removing items
a ew weeks beore the work begins
and take note o what youll need
on a day-to-day basis. Do a little
bit each day so you dont get over-
whelmed, and only pack away the
items you dont need daily, she says.
Plastic storage bins are great or this
and labeling each will be extremely
helpul when its time to unpack them.
Tettemer also suggests creating
a makeshit kitchen in a laundry room,
bathroom or dining room: You can
cook plenty o meals with just a micro-
wave, a hot plate and a toaster. Make
a grocery list o items you can prepare
with them and stock up beore the
work begins.
While Tettemer admits remodeling
can be a complex and time-consuming
task, she also knows rom experience
how to navigate uncertain waters.
With hardworking and creative
contractors by your side, Tettemer
says, the project that seemed so
scary at rst will be over beore you
realize it.
For a more in-depth look at how to
plan and survive your remodel, check
out the guide posted on the Markei
Interior Renovations Facebook page.
Go online at:
markeiinteriorrenovations.com
facebook.com/#!/
markeiInteriorrenovations
36
Taking the Heat
Planning and SurvivingYour Kitchen Remodel
Living through a remodelcan be dicult, but theproper preparation willmake everything gosmoothly. Margi Tettemer
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communityBy Ben Johnston
communityPhotos Courtesy of the Robert James Leonard Foundation
42 www.dtownmag.com | 43
As summer starts its slow ade,
well soon be sharing the roads
with school buses and stopping to
watch kids navigate crosswalks on
their way to school during our morning
commutes. And while many dont give
it a second thought, the start o another
school year, complete with the
opportunities that suburban school
districts provide, represents hope or
area youth. But its easy to orget that
not every neighborhood or student is
aorded the tax revenues and societal
conditions to allow or the educational
prospects we, perhaps, have come
to take or granted. While suburban
malaise might only be a social oense,
there are at least some that keep the
sometimes-harsh realities o our world
in clear ocus.
Founded in August 2008, the Robert
James Leonard Foundation is dedicated
to helping Bucks Countys roughly
400 oster-care children succeed, both
educationally and proessionally.
According to their Web site, on national
average, only ve percent o children
in oster care nish a our-year degree.
Thats a number the organization
would like to see rise. Our mission
is to serve these kids, not just say,
This is a budget, weve gone to some
donors and this how much money
were spending on them, says Kasey
March, board secretary o the oundation.
We want to connect them to whats
already in our community. We are
a quality vs. quantity structure.
They accomplish their aims by giving
what the organization has dubbed
community hugs. While nances
The Robert James
Leonard FoundationProviding Education and Hope
certainly play a big part in completing
an education, the old teach a man
to sh philosophy still applies. The
Robert James Leonard Foundation
continually calls on the community
to donate git certicates or interview
attire, dorm-room urniture and other
accessories and tutoring sessions.
Other items include technology
essential to ullling their educational
needs. They also seek non-material
items. What we do is connect them
to resources that are already here:
to people that have internships or
job-shadowing opportunities available
at their company or to individuals who
have things like laptops that can be
rehabilitated and given to these kids so
they can nish their educations, March
explains. Everything is community-
based. The kids are members o the
community who have been orgotten
in a lot o ways.
Max, a recent participant in the
oundations program, stands as a
testament to their successul methods.
Beore entering the oster-care system at
the age o 13, Max moved requently
with his amily, enduring alcoholism,
domestic violence, clinical depression
and his mothers suicide attempt.
Working two part-time jobs in addition
to a ull-time course-load, ends still
didnt quite meet.
Enter the work o the Robert James
Leonard Foundation. Through their
eorts, Max was granted industry
amiliarization counseling provided
by their Advisory Network; career
guidance, resume editing, job-search
assistance and interview attire; a $500
stipend or miscellaneous senior-year
career-oriented requirements; and
nancial assistance or tuition and stu-
dent loans disbursed over a three-year
period. Max graduated with a degree
in marketing, and in May 2001, landed
his rst job with a major IT rm.
For more inormation, to make
a donation or to volunteer, go online
at rjleonardfoundation.org
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23/33
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daytripBy Kyle Bagenstose
daytripPhotos Courtesy of Ray Cordero
46 www.dtownmag.com | 47
W
hen the Philadelphia Live Arts
and Philly Fringe Festival
comes to town, the normal and
mundane disappear and the unusual
and exciting take over. Perormers
swing rom the raters o the Merriam
Theater on South Broad Street. Crowds
o hundreds dance in the streets o Old
City. Actors stage plays in swimming
pools. Comedy, drama and music ll
every nook and cranny o the city.
Scheduled to take place Sept. 2
through Sept. 17, the event is
celebrating its 15th anniversary.
Since its humble beginnings, the
estival has grown to include over
200 shows, a number that has Fringe
programming director Pia Agrawal
very excited. We are getting a lot
bigger and a lot more attention, she
says. We have the Live Arts Festival,
which is curated contemporary and
experimental dance and theater, and
then we have the Fringe, which is
sel-produced theater.
According to Agrawal, the Fringe
Festival began as a way or lesser-
known artists and theater companies
to have their work seen by audiences,
whether on stage or in the street.
While thats still very much a pillar o
recent years, the extra attention has
allowed the estival to add the Live
Arts component and bring in bigger
The Philadelphia Live Arts
and Philly Fringe Festival
Celebrating the Unconventional
There are a lot o dierent
options to really create aeeling that the estival ishappening all over the city.
Pia Agrawal
-
8/4/2019 dtown Magazine - September 2011
25/33
daytripBy Kyle Bagenstose
48
names to Phi ladelphias premiere
playhouses. Its all over the city.
Were in the traditional venues on
Broad Street: the Kimmel Center,
the Merriam Theater, the Arts Bank,
places like that, Agrawal explains.
But then we also encourage smaller
places, places o the beaten path like
a warehouse or a truck stop. People
have done shows in hair salons, in
pools and in the middle o the street.
This year, the Live Arts component
eatures a lineup o just over 20
perormances with major acts coming
in rom around the globe. Agrawal
points to the Montreal-based 7 Fingers
Tracesas an example. Its an urban
circus company, but its a little gr ittier
than what audiences expect, she
says, o the Sept 15 through 18
perormances. Its a super-physical
piece. Its the kind o show where
youre watching and thinking, I
would never be able to do that, I cant
climb on that, I cant hang rom the
ceiling that way. Agrawal also says
there are scheduled perormances
rom companies hailing rom Austria,
Belgium, India and France.
And while the international fair
is certainly evidence o the estivals
growth, organizers havent orgotten
its roots. Over 170 perormances will
take place under the Fringe umbrella,
a menagerie o shows scattered
throughout Philadelphia. People
are kind o running around, and no
matter what kind o perormance you
like, youll be able to nd a show you
want to see, Agrawal says. There
are a lot o dierent options to really
create a eeling that the estival
is happening all over the city. The
nature o the perormances varies so
much. Its kind o all over the place,
which is the beauty o it.
The open-ended, all-access ormat
also provides local talent a chance to
shine, eaturing several players and
troupes rom Bucks County. Wycombes
G.J. Ruggiero Productions will be one
o the rst to perorm, taking to the
stage o the Painted Bride Art Center
with The Servant of Two Masterson
September 2 and 3. A comic master-
piece o Commedia DellArte Theater
its rollicking plot and stunning
characterizations have thril led and
kept audiences laughing since its
1743 opening in Venice, reads the
companys ocial description.
At the end o each day o peror-
mances, Agrawal says its tradition
to congregate at a local bar or social
club in order to give everyone involved
a chance to relax and mingle. This
year, were inviting artists and
audiences to go to the Aruba Club,
she says. We always want a spot
where people know they can run
into others that may have been at
the show they were at and where the
artists themselves can go, get a drink
and kick back.
For a ull schedule o perormance
dates, times, prices and locations, go
online at livearts-fringe.org. Tickets
and guides are also available at the
ticket oce located at the Prince
Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.
in Philadelphia.
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a closer lookBy Ian Smith
a closer lookPhotos Courtesy of Wayne Terry
52 www.dtownmag.com | 53
T he catastrophic earthquake thatdevastated Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010may be ar removed rom todays
headlines, but the small island nation
is still reeling rom Mother Natures
wrath. The atermath o the quake
and its atershocks, which let more
than 230,000 people dead and another
one million homeless, will be elt or
decades. And while most might think
globally and act loca lly, or some, the
local angle is simply not an option.
This summer, a group o area
humanitarians witnessed Haitis
struggles rsthand. Living with poor
amilies, they vowed to survive on
just a dollar a day and, in the
process, learned more about lie in
a ravaged third-world country than
the mainstream media could have
ever related. Ater walking a hard
mile in the shoes o people who are
Down But Not Out
Helping Haiti Rebuild From
the Bottom Upin Montgomery County. Andrew,
Matts brother, traveled to Haiti last
February, volunteering as a nurse.
While considering a return visit, the
origins o Poverty Resolutions and
the 28 Days Project were spawned.
So many organizations come in
and stay in hotels, Matt says. We
wanted to really be on the level [o
those in need], experience what they
experience, so we could see what
they really needed. Estimating
more than one-hal o the population
survives on just a single dollar per
day (as compared to $54 a day the
average American spends, according
to the Poverty Resolutions Web site),
the group adopted the same budget.
I we wanted to really understand,
we wanted to do it, too, he adds.
As part o the 28 Days Project, the
group erected a makeshit shelter,
living in a tent city reminiscent o so
many that still dot the Haitian land-
scape. Beyond the meager budget,
the rules were simple: They would
live with one blanket and sheet, two
changes o clothes and no laundry
acilities; toiletries such as tooth-
paste, soap and deodorant were not
allowed; they would accept no ood
rom Haitians; but any ood that was
scavenged or caught was air game.
You spend 15 minutes in a slum and
think, Wow, that must be rough,
Andrew says. But its d ierent when
you live it. I guess what I realized is
that I had no idea. I had no compre-
hension at all. We didnt use soap or
deodorant or 28 days. But we could
come home [28 days later] and use it.
They cant.
Matt says a typical day started at
5 a.m. With no electr icity, they boiled
no strangers to hardship, Doylestown
natives and brothers Matt and Andrew
Jones and riends Jon Rose and Chris
Matticola returned rom Haiti with
a better idea o how to help change
the lives o those they went to help.
Their nonprot organization, Poverty
Resolutions, now works with other
likeminded groups to provide better
educational opportunities or Haitians
and help develop businesses in the
hopes o helping the nation recover
rom both the disastrous earthquake
and generations o poor economic
conditions.
On Just a Dollar a Day
Matt grew up in Doylestown
and graduated rom Central Bucks
East High School in 1998. Ater
college, he landed a job as
a teacher at an alternative school
-
8/4/2019 dtown Magazine - September 2011
28/33
a closer lookBy Ian Smith
a closer lookPhotos Courtesy of Wayne Terry
54 www.dtownmag.com | 55
water and prepared breakast or
about two hours. Their menu oten
consisted o rice, beans, pasta and
bread. The group went vegetarian,
and, on a good day, added a dash
o garlic or vegetable oil. It wasnt
horrible, but it was pretty bland,
Matt says, somewhat inconvincibly.
And it was hot. Staying out o
the sun was a priority. The high tem-
peratures and lack o nourishing ood
added another twist to the experience.
Theres literally a physical barrier to
getting ahead, because you dont have
the calories, Andrew says. Poverty
is completely lie-encompassing. You
can begin to see how its sel-perpet-
uating. Your ocus really does become
on ood. This is pain. This is hard.
This is what poverty eels like.
Matt says they spent much o their
time orging relationships to discover
what Haitians wanted and needed
most. They told us how people
would want to build them toilets but
that they didnt need toilets. They
were using outhouses or years. What
they wanted was work, he explains.
People we met were saying things
like, We just want a job; we want to
earn some money. Its amazing when
you see people grow up in those types
o conditions and how resourceul,
patient and kind they are. They werent
overwhelmed by the situation. They
want to help themselves and have
hopes and dreams just l ike we do.
A Growing Network of Aid
Struck by the Haitians resiliency and
realizing they couldnt make much o
a dierence on what they called their
investigative relie eort, Matt and
the group returned home to Bucks
County. There, Matt was preparing
to enroll at Penn State University to
begin work on a masters degree in
business. Dovetailing his education,
his experience as a social studies
teacher and his newound passion,
Poverty Resolutions took orm. The
organization now has chapters in
Bucks County and State College, Pa.
and is building a network by working
in concert with other aid groups,
including the Haitian Partners or
Christian Development (HPCD)
that works in connection with the
United Nations.
And while their eorts are growing,
Poverty Resolutions is keeping its
primary ocal points, education and
small businesses, in its sights. Haiti
suers under a 53 percent literacy
rate, which makes it dicult or most
people to secure employment, Matt
explains. Through scholarships and
other programs, more young people
are aorded the opportunity to attend
schools in the hills north o Port-au-
Prince, a signicant achievement
considering almost hal the population
never attends primary school. Ater
Haitian children complete six years o
schooling starting at age three, they
take a government-administered test
to qualiy or urther education.
And while they might qualiy, theres
still a serious catch. Even though their
grades may be high, it costs more
money to pursue an advanced education
than most amilies can aord. Coupled
with the economic catch-22 is the
physical damage inficted on schools
by the earthquake, many o which
have yet to be rebuilt.
Currently, Poverty Resolutions has
partnered with Henoc Lucien, the
ounder o the College Susan Schuenke
School in Cap Haitian, to raise money
or the Universite Internationale
dHaiti. Scheduled to open this year,
the institution will specialize in
programs including pre-medicine,
social entrepreneurship and education.
While educating young Haitians
remains a priority, Poverty Solutions
small-business micronance program
picks up where other programs leave
o. With Haitis unemployment rate
hovering over 40 percent, the
organization believes that micro-
nancing providing small loans that
can increase over time can support
entrepreneurs and small businesses
across the nation. According to the
Poverty Resolutions Web site, the
program secures unds or low-income
clients who aspire to start or grow
their own business, including armers,
artisans and clothiers. The loans are
then repaid and reinvested to urther
und the initiative. A typical loan cycle
can start with $500 and, once repaid
with interest, can increase to $1,000
and so on.
Poverty Resolutions points to data
garnered rom places like Bangladesh,
India and Indonesia that demonstrates
how similar systems, already in place,
are successul. In these areas, 50 to
90 percent o micronance clients
have risen above poverty lines, their
weekly incomes increasing by up to
112 percent.
To urther aid entrepreneurs, Poverty
Resolutions also works to support a
business incubator established by
the HPCD. The incubator is a saety
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a closer lookBy Ian Smith
a closer lookPhotos Courtesy of Wayne Terry
56 www.dtownmag.com | 57
net, Matt explains. It is actually
a warehouse with oce space, where
business owners can saely manuac-
ture and store their wares. Matt
says his role is now nding entre-
preneurs who are the best potential
candidates, so that their success
can continue to eed the program.
Matt also credits the Penn State and
Temple University students who have
worked as unpaid interns to help
Poverty Resolutions help Haitians
help themselves.
A Country Finding Its Identity
Today, with the help o organizations
like Poverty Resolutions and ueled
by the Haitians resilience and desire
to recover and grow, the country is
slowly rebuilding. In July, Mayor Jean
Yves Jason began evicting amilies
rom the Sylvio Cator Stadium in
downtown Port-au-Prince. But there
remain a number o social hurdles.
New Haitian President Michel
Martelly, a ormer pop star who
has styled himsel as a man o the
people, is losing support in a country
overwhelmed by poverty, disease and
decades o unullled governmental
promises. According to press reports,
Mark Schneider, senior vice president
and special advisor on Latin America
o the U.S.-based think tank the
International Crisis Group, praised
Martellys housing plan and his plan
to retain the Interim Haiti Recovery
Commission, an international review
panel that oversees earthquake
reconstruction aid. However, some
Haitians see the commission as
ineective, and Schneider also
noted that the new president needs
to learn how to work across party
lines. He needs to govern with
a vision o national reconciliation and
national reconstruction. That has
to be his mantra, Schneider said in
an interview.
Matt says the Haitians that have
been helped by HPCD and Poverty
Resolutions prove that the people
there are eager or a change and
will make it themselves i need be.
Among them is Clorene, a would-be
entrepreneur who makes shi rts with
print-screened or embroidered logos.
Employing eight others, she also
designs her own handbags using old
denim. My ambition to sell comes
rom my mothers sacrices, she
writes via e-mail. I have the potential
to bring my amily rom poverty.
Another participant, Figaro, started
at the HPCD about nine months ago,
making pastries and baked goods like
muns and bread and employing
three others. She is also busy raising
three boys and supporting her 43-
year-old husband who is ill a situation
that is not unusual in a country where
the average lie expectancy or men is
45. Despite these challenges, Figaro
remains undaunted and committed
with the help o Poverty Resolutions
umbrella o support. I want to provide
a better way o living or my amily,
she says. I want to change to Haiti.
This fall, a 40-minute documentary will
be released chronicling the 28 Days
Project in the hopes that audiences
will experience poverty, and, in
turn, be inspired to act themselves.
For more inormation on the lm,
Poverty Resolutions or to donate,
go online at povertyresolutions.org
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food + diningBy Ingrid Weidman
food + diningPhotos by Wendy McCardle
58 www.dtownmag.com | 59
T
he road o lie tends to take us
down many dierent paths
beore we nd the perect rest stop.
For Angelo D. Patruno and his wie,
Maria, that road took them rom Europe,
to a tropical paradise and nally
to Bucks County. Ater settling in
Doylestown, they ound not only their
home, but a place to share their
passion or ood with the lucky patrons
o Ristorante Il Melograno.
Born in the Puglia region o Italy,
Patruno was indoctrinated by centuries
o cooking heritage. Ater attending
the Culinary Institute o Italy, he
spread his wings and explored
Europes gastronomic treasure trove.
Soon ater marrying, Patruno was
enticed by a ches position in Bermuda.
But ater close to three years, ate
pulled the Patrunos one step closer to
their adopted home, when his brother
opened a restaurant in Philadelphia.
Ater eventually taking a job in the
area, Patruno saw a restaurant in
Doylestown had recently gone on the
market. There comes a time when
you have to go on your own, he says.
We jumped on an opportunity. The
rest is history.
In 2000, the Patrunos opened
the doors to Ristorante Il Melograno.
Located in the Genaurdis Shopping
Center at 73 Old Dublin Pike, Il
Melograno has established a
reputation as one o the top Italian
restaurants in Bucks County. Choosing
not to ocus on just a single region
o his native country, Patruno oers
a wide range o the best Italy and the
Mediterranean have to oer. We like
to mix the menu up with other
European infuences, Patruno says.
Ater that, we adapt to what people
want. We use all resh ingredients:
meat, produce and sh. And all the
sauces are made rom scratch.
Il Melogranos dinner service holds
true to the traditional Italian way.
Starting with antipasti, the restaurant
eatures carpaccio di manzo, thinly
sliced raw bee drizzled with lemon
juice and trufe oil and topped with
a spring-mix salad and Parmesan.
Seared scallops are also prepared in
an antipasti-sized portion and served
in a trufe-butter sauce.
And while the rst course is
delectable, Il Melogranos pasta and
entrees truly shine. Whether its the
spaghettini del pescatore, spaghetti
tossed with scallops, shrimp and
squid sauted with garlic, olive oil
and a splash o white wine in a light
spicy marinara sauce, or the ravioli
al granchio, crab-meat ravioli served
Ristorante Il Melograno
Maintaining a Culinary andCultural Legacy
food + diningPhotos by Wendy McCardle
www.dtownmag.com | 59
Keep it simple and use resh
ingredients. Thats my goal.
Angelo D. Patruno
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food + diningBy Ingrid Weidman
60
in a pink vodka sauce with sun-dried
tomatoes, youre sure to indulge in
Italian authenticity. Once you have
a good ingredients and its resh, it
can speak or itsel , Patruno says.
Keep it simple and use resh ingredi-
ents. Thats my goal. Other entrees
at Il Melograno include the vitello
saltimbocca, thinly-sliced veal topped
with sage and prosciutto sauted in
a white-wine brown sauce, and the
bronzino al pomodori secchi, resh
Mediterranean sea bass grilled and
topped with a marinade o sun-dried
tomatoes, scallions and olive oil.
But Patruno also likes to keep it
resh beyond mere ingredients. We
have additions to our menu, which
we run every n ight, including up
to ve seaood oerings, Patruno
explains. A lot o people come just
or that. And to complement the
aithuls meals, Il Melograno oers
over 70 varieties o wine.
While the ood is a certain nod
to Patrunos heritage, his business
philosophy refects the same tradition.
One man, the owner and che himsel,
personally prepares every dish at
Il Melograno. My philosophy is we
dont do volume, we do quality,
Patruno says. We want our patrons
to eel great about the services we
provide them. We want them to eel
like they are part o the amily when
they come. And its this intensely
personal, hands-on approach that has
garnered Il Melograno its unwavering
reputation. We personally get to know
our customers, Patruno adds. They
are the ones I have to thank.
This summer marked the start
o Il Melograno allowing customers
to bring their own bottle o wine,
Tuesday through Thursday nights,
or a corkage ee o only $10. And
with autumn weather knocking on
our doorstep, Patruno is adding a new
twist to his all menu. We will be
oering rabbit, pheasant and venison,
he says. People always request our
osso bucco [cross-cut veal shanks]
around this time o year, as well.
Still considered a hidden gem
on the Bucks County restaurant
scene, Patruno hopes the reputation
Il Melogrona has established over the
past 11 years continues to fourish.
We are still the best kept secret in
town, he says.
Ristorante Il Melograno is open for
lunch Tuesday through Friday, featuring
a smaller version of their dinner menu.
Dinner is served Tuesday through
Sunday nights.
Go online at:
ilmelogranodoylestown.com
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