The Kit Anstey Real Estate Team operates mainly along the Main Line, down to Wilmington, and across the Jersey Shore. Kit himself was licensed in 1987 and met with such success that he opened his own real estate company. “Even though I had success in a small office I realized I needed to go big because everything in the area was getting big and I needed to be part of a conglomerate” so in 1997 Prudential bought Kit’s company and he’s been “very happy” with them ever since. It didn’t take him long to realize that he needed to go from being a single agent with an assistant to a full fledged real estate team. Kit says “relocations in particular make it hard to have more than one client at a time as you often have to act as a tour guide to the entire area.” So in 1998 the Kit Anstey dream team was born and has been growing ever since. Today Kit has three clerical people, one full-time closing agent, a graphic artist, a webmaster and a slew of buyer’s agents who do nothing but list and sell real estate, you may have seen the names……Bobbie Surrick, Lou and Geri Calvarese, Amy Croce, Debbie West, Cleo Elkinton, Brian Nelson, Shawn Koberg and Barbara Cropper as the full time Customer Care Manager. Kit has high expectations for anyone joining the team – all must have Blackberry’s and be available 24/7 and yes, you can even text the Kit Anstey Team. As he says “we have specific job delegation for the team which leaves the agents plenty of time to do what the client needs, all of the buyer’s agents are experienced and some are specialists in certain areas.”
Obviously all this planning ahead has worked out wonderfully; the Kit Anstey Team has been ranked in the top 100 agents in the nation (out of 62,000!) for eleven, count ‘em, eleven years in a row, making them recipients of the coveted PREAA 100 Award. Funny thing is after I congratulated him on such a consistently coveted accolade, he said they may well be even prouder of their many Customer Service Awards, “we’re not in the real estate business really, we’re in the customer business. If in fact we satisfy current and past clients the business will follow us, that’s been our motto and it’s worked out beautifully as we’re very blessed with referrals.” He also took care to point out that although Prudential Fox & Roach is the largest independently owned real estate business in the nation, it still has a “down home” feel, and that’s largely due to the three owners; Larry Flick IV President and CEO, Larry Geiser and Jim Waters. “They live around here and will call you up and go out to dinner with you.” Kit tells me, “it’s amazing the personal service they give to us agents and we pass it on to our clients.”
Kit’s home base, the Prudential Fox & Roach West Chester Office prides themselves on being able to handle transactions from start to finish all under one roof thanks to in-house title insurance, mortgages and even homeowner’s insurance. Trident Mortgage guarantees that if you’re preapproved by them you WILL go to settlement. How cool is that? Especially considering all the appraisal issues buyers go through these days. Despite the fact that most of today’s real estate news is rather grim at best there are areas still appreciating and the West Chester Office has actually beaten their sales goals for the past three months. Not too shabby for a recession.
So how should you go about narrowing your agent choices down? With a wry smile Kit points out that “the first thing is to hire an experienced real estate agent who knows the area in which you are looking or buy or sell. The biggest mistake I see is hiring your brother or your buddy who dabbles part time, I applaud the loyalty but please just don’t go there. I can picture Kit fielding frantic phone calls from “hours away” agents asking for instructions, tax parcel history and a good place to go for lunch. They mean well, they just don’t know anything about the area at all and this translates over and above pricing and showing to how the actual business is done. “It’s really not a bad market, West Chester Borough makes an appearance on the Top 100 Cities to Live In list so it’s not like people aren’t looking. As far as listings go Kit rattles off stats like “If it’s under 300k it’s usually gone in less than 30 days, 450-600k range moves in about 65-75 days, but the million dollar executive homes can be on the market for a year. Kit shook his head, saying “there’s a new construction home in Chadds Ford that priced as it is – will never sell, period.” He also thinks that the region’s report on new construction is very misleading; it shows consumer confidence up with the new administration in the White House, a lot of those buyers are corporate relocations who are deciding to rent for year and see how it all pans out. They’re buyers…..just not right now. Kit has a message for you waffling first time home buyers; “it’s a free $8000, a lot of people still don’t understand that they don’t have to pay it back, that’s it….you just get $8000 dollars. Also a first time home buyer is anyone who hasn’t owned a home within the last three years.”
So remember as a seller it pays to be reasonable. Just because you love it doesn’t mean the market will, and Kit will not hesitate to bring you back to earth if your pricing expectations are rocketing unchecked skyward. “You’re hiring us to sell the house not list the house and I don’t want to buy the listing. Price is an education not an opinion, you need to take in the full scope of comparables, what’s already settled (or not) and market conditions. If your house isn’t being shown it means the realtors don’t agree with the price, if it’s being shown but you have no offers it means the buyers don’t agree with the price. I think we’re pretty much at the bottom in West Chester.
“When it comes to our services we tend to under promise and over deliver. $135 million in sales just their team, we invest a great deal of commission into advertising and marketing, quick-guaranteed 30 day schedule of a ridiculous amount of ads. People want to see their house advertised. Yes, people do buy houses because of advertising. The Kit Anstey Team is omnipresent, just take a drive – you can’t miss the billboards, or pick up any newspaper, real estate journal or upscale magazine, like the one you’re reading now.
“I know our business philosophy is one people will appreciate, it’s super stressful dealing with a large financial decision, and we educate with empathy, wisdom gained from experience and by keeping you informed. Commission is a lot of money, but people need us; there’s so much more than just selling the home, first we have to sell the buyer and secondly we have to sell the appraiser. Statistics from NAR says a great percentage of FSBOS get less than had they utilized the skill of a realtor. If people are interested in selling or buying in area we’d love the opportunity to talk, there’s so much new stuff to be aware of.”
Barreling out the door to meet his next client, Mr. Residential has left the building.
As we all know these days – the real estate market has been a veritable rollercoaster. Therefore the best thing to do before dipping your toe into the market is to get some guidance from someone who knows of what they speak. Alex Coates, Broker / Owner of Malvern Realty Group is a very knowledgeable and personable kind of guy; licensed since 1992, Alex is an undergraduate of Boston University with an MBA from Villanova. Malvern Realty Group has been his baby for the past five years, a –small non franchised private real estate company located in a lovely old building smack dab in the middle of Malvern. With six licensed Realtors on hand as well as in-house mortgage, appraisal and title services from T.A. Title Alliance Financial Services Inc. www.tafsi.com and PMA Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors. It’s one-stop shopping for all your real estate needs.
So what’s the state of the market these days? Well first off, Alex points out that “the two biggest misconceptions are that you can’t sell your house and you can’t get a mortgage in this market; absolutely not true! If you price your home for the market it will sell, and probably pretty quickly at that. Your home needs to appeal to the buyer (staging might not be a bad idea) and be in decent condition. Buyers want something pristine unless they’re looking for investment properties; “smart investors are buying real estate right now, it’s an excellent market to accumulate investment properties for the long haul.” Alex says that Sellers should focus on bottom line and “if that means $5K in closing costs to the buyer with the same end result to the seller then so be it.” Now on that same topic Sellers don’t want to get too hokey; if they’re offering a two week vacation in Hawaii as incentive to buy their home they should bear in mind the transparency of such an offer. You’re likely to get a buyer who says “well why not just take $20K off the price instead?” Upgrades that statistically have the best returns are kitchens, bathrooms and finished basements. Capital improvements like a new roof don’t bring the highest but may be necessary before listing the home. He also points out that “when you discuss real estate you have to discuss sub markets.
Fannie Mae requires declining value statistics to be based on just the neighborhood for that particular house, which is considered the competition. That analysis may lead to 4% reduction in prices and of course varies according to the neighborhood. Fannie Mae defines submarkets for lending purposes and they all have their own behavior – the submarket could be a township, neighborhood, or in some instances just a particular street.
Average days on market (DOM for you real estate hounds) is a statistically normal 2-4 months, unless of course it’s overpriced. Seller’s are finally starting to wake up and realize that it’s better to take it off the market than to let it sit there and continually reduce the price. He says “the longer the house stays on the market the better chance of the seller unnecessarily ending up with less money.” Lack of seller motivation, overpricing and poor marketing will not sell a home. “Get with a realtor that will provide you the best expertise and service, don’t just focus on the company.” Bear in mind that if you’re considering selling your home on your own, you’d better be prepared to end up with less money and more work. From a net proceeds perspective the FSBO (For Sale by Owner) anticipates higher proceeds but they rarely get it on the day of closing.
Currently Chester County’s median sale price is down 11% from last year (March 08 – March 09) and according to Alex those numbers will most likely continue through the balance of the calendar year. “My personal opinion based on heavily researched opinions, is that the 2nd quarter leading into the 3rd quarter will show a bottoming out of negative numbers with slow but steady improvement moving into 2010, not necessarily the whole country but Chester County specifically.” Think about this – year over year from March 08 to March 09 the number of homes that went to settlement are off 21%, having nothing to do with value or prices, just the volume of homes. Pending units are down 10% year over year; from 2007 – 2008 they were down 24%. Overall volume is down, no doubt. As Alex points out the spring market has heavily increased activity so hopefully in the next 90 days the number of settled units should increase. Backed up inventory is starting to change, pending and settled units have increased dramatically but from a very low starting point. To sum it up: “it’s not back to normal but its way better than it was last fall.”
Don’t be bummed out though, first time buyers have incentive to purchase with the $8000 first-time homebuyers credit, and upsizing is good with the current weakness in the market, buying can be a very smart decision these days. e perks for potential buyers is the increase in seller concessions and “lease to buy” properties. Not to mention that interest rates are extraordinarily low right now. The average 30 year fixed mortgage can be had at right around 5% with no points; as Alex says “it’s an amazing rate.” FHA loans run about the same or slightly lower, a great place to start if you have less than 20% for a down payment. Because of this entry level homes have sold pretty rapidly. Financing is totally obtainable, just go with common sense. If you have income, decent credit, and are borrowing a reasonable amount (say no more than 80% against the house value) it’s flowing like butter. Higher loan to value is available through FHA but the exotic financing is gone – good riddance! The irony of the buyers market is that typically the definition is no buyers in the market – today it’s the exact opposite yet it’s the best time to buy.”
If you’re looking at new construction watch the bigger builders with new homes to build in already large communities because they’re on a mission to sell that inventory. “They’re slashing the prices up to 100k under what they sold for months ago” Alex says, “because they’re trying to sell those last 15 units. Unfortunately it puts unfair pressure on the guy who bought a few years ago for 500k and looking to sell when an identical home today is going for 400k.” He’s hopeful that things will level out in 12-18 months. As far as vacant land goes the Builder spec home market is essentially gone. Alex explains “there’s no more buying a lot for $350k, putting up a $1.2 million home and seeing what happens – that’s over. Not only is the market slow but lenders just aren’t moving that product right now; largely due to financing uncertainty and anticipation of the commercial sector as the next phase of weakness. Nationally the outlook isn’t good but probably won’t translate to the Philadelphia area with any vehemence.”
So I dropped the “F” bomb: foreclosure. Alex didn’t even flinch; he says that although there is foreclosure and sheriff sale activity in the county (check the pages of the Daily Local on any given Sunday). Fannie Mae wants conformity to lend money so they want to know if clustered foreclosure activity is the main driver for bringing values down. In other words if five out of seven homes selling on the street are foreclosures, that will heavily impact the homeowner living on the same street. The good news is that in Chester County they’re usually not clustered enough to be the main driver of value. If you’re in the market to buy a foreclosure Alex will tell you that it takes a lot of time and effort to get the deal; “People will call and say hey can you show me all the foreclosures and I’ll just pick the one I like?” Unfortunately, as Alex says, “it doesn’t work that way.” Each category pre-foreclosure, foreclosure, attending sheriff sales and finally buying bank owned homes are “enough work to be a full time job.”
But whatever route you decide to go, look at the bright side – you certainly don’t have to travel alone.
How many times have you looked in the mirror and said to the hapless reflection in front of you “I hate my hair!” Have you had the same cut since high school? Always wanted to try a different color? Maybe you’d like to totally change the texture of your hair…..curly to straight or vice versa. Well stop pining away over how good you could look this summer and do something about it. An expert consultation is mere moments away.
Owner and Creative Director Thomas Crisp along with co-Owner and Salon Coordinator Biff Piner are exuberant owners of Balance Hair Spa in Exton. They’ve only been open since July of 2007, and they’ve already won “Best Of.” That comes as no surprise as Thomas has been running his own salons and spas since he was eighteen. He discovered their Eagleview Town Center location while touring with Alterna Professional Hair Care as a Master Colorist and National Educator and he’s been beautifying the population ever since.
Thomas’ expertise and lofty standards when it comes to his hair designers is a wondrous thing indeed. Balance Hair Spa has about nine employees, a close knit crew I’ve been told and they’re very good at what they do. In keeping with everyone’s (suddenly tighter) budgets, Balance Hair Spa offers three levels of stylists; Directors with 15 years + of experience, Executive Designers with 5+ years of experience and Skilled Designers with less than 5 years.
Balance Hair Spa has a great selection of intense conditioning treatments – the condition of your hair belies your age more often than not. To combat the effects of time they offer an amazing Brazilian Keratin treatment, which is formaldehyde-free straightening (easily smoothed but not pin straight). Also available and widely touted is the Bio-Ionic Japanese hair straightening method. Thomas was actually one of the first in the area to off that particular service. But his main thing is Color, definitely, defiantly; color. As Biff says “these days’ people change their hair color like they change their clothes. Color is a commitment – you have to keep it up.”
Balance Hair Spa has an impressive Color Lounge Menu with names like Color Shots (pure color pigments), Bling Bling Blonde, Bombshell Brunette and Reds Turn Heads. You can even zip in on your lunch break for some Lunch Time Color which is a twenty minute treatment resulting in “brilliant shine and amazing hydration” and something I’ve been considering is the Pure Hydration Top Coat which is clear and gives you incredible shine for up to six weeks.
Balance Hair Spa offers several high end brands of hair care products, including Alterna Professional Hair Care “Capturing the Essence of Indulgence” for your hair with anti-aging, hemp and even caviar products. Other lines include Dermalogica, OPI, American Crew, Cinema Secrets, Mop, Murval Paris and LAFCO New York. Balance Hair Spa even has the Paul Mitchell Jon Paul pet line with waterless shampoos, detangling sprays and body wipes; keeping everyone in the household looking their best.
Biff’s forte is skin care and he is charge of the Spa Therapists and Aestheticians who work with natural-based product lines. As he points out “it makes a big difference when you go from a drugstore brand to a professional brand”. Balance Hair Spa skin care services include waxing, cosmetics, and microdermabrasion skin resurfacing done with organic wood chips or crystals, along with a variety of facials and peels.
The new massage rooms are softly lit, and fragrant with big cushy lounges. The rooms can be opened in the middle for couple’s spa sessions. Definitely a great way to relax while enjoying Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, balancing and sports massages along with reflexology and reiki energy healing. Balance Hair Spa’s Massage Therapist also does ear candling to balance your equilibrium as well as headache – relief massages.
Balance Hair Spa employs a real sense of community – they link with other area businesses for various workshops and services. For 2009 they’ve added health and nutrition workshops and they also carry the Tea Forte line of gourmet whole leaf tea. Balance Hair Spa hosts Art Shows featuring local artists, jewelry designers and photographers so be sure to stop by and bring your wares, the art on the walls is always for sale. They regularly donate o Mommy’s Light and Toy for Tots, and recently they’ve hosted a dog wash for Pets Alive which is a no kill animal shelter out of Philadelphia.
Check out their website which has a ton of good information and clients can even fill out online feedback surveys and get a $5 coupon off their next purchase. Become a member of the “B club”; buy a $125 card and get 10% off all services for a year. For referring new clients you’ll get a $10 thank you off your next service and gift cards are always available. If you want them to do something that will be nightmarish on you they’ll turn you down. “This is our heart – our passion” says Thomas, “We’re very happy.” Apparently their clients are very happy with their personalized hair services too as evidenced by the quantity of sterling reviews available on their website. When you walk out the door of Balance Hair Spa, you’ll look nothing less than fabulous. What took you so long?
If you were to drop me blindfolded into what is now Brandywine Prime Seafood & Chops @ Chadds Ford Inn, I would have no idea where I stood. Not to say that’s a bad thing – in fact the building is remarkable. Light now inhabits all floors, where once were tiny, slanting corridors careening in between various dining rooms. I remember the last time I visited the original Chadds Ford Inn; author Charles Adams was there on Halloween telling tales of local unrest. It was an enjoyable evening however it did take me about ten minutes to find my way back from the bathroom and it wasn’t because of the wine.
These days the restaurant is reborn, newly taken over by Owner/Chef Dan Butler of two rather successful Wilmington restaurants; the posh Deep Blue and the Toscana Kitchen and Toscana Takeout spot. To this day Dan’s still amused at how he fell in with the restaurant business, he started out washing dishes at the DuPont Hotel as a teenager and worked his way up “the ladder” as he termed it. No real thought at the time of owning his own restaurant, in his own words he “thought the chefs digs were kind of cool.” By the time he was eighteen he was enrolled in culinary school and over the next decade or so he traveled and cooked from Switzerland to Miami. Finally he landed back in Wilmington and with that move came the opening of the delicious Toscana Kitchen which expanded to the Toscana to Go. His next project was Deep Blue…..very modern with fantastic seafood and (oh the irony) right next to the DuPont Hotel where he caught his first glimpse of that cool chef hat. Seems Chef Dan is a big believer in “cooking for the community” as he says – cook what fits and they will come, and eat, and bring their friends.
Chef Dan Butler is actually a Chadds Ford native – and as fate would have it, a bicycling enthusiast. One day a few years back he went for a ride and stopped at the Chadds Ford Inn to scam a drink from the hose bib. As he was swilling away he was approached by a gentleman who asked “so if I come to your restaurant can I drink for free?” Said gentleman turned out to be an immensely talented builder by the name of Joe Grace, who not only recognized Dan immediately (turns out he’s a big fan of Dan’s other restaurants) but who had also just purchased the Chadds Ford Inn with big things in mind. Dan admits he wasn’t really up for such a big project at first but Joe finally persuaded the good Chef to become part an integral part of those plans.
The sprawling Brandywine Prime Seafood & Chops @ Chadds Ford Inn has what Dan considers “the longest restaurant name in the history of man”, but the lengthy moniker does a good job of setting expectations and letting you know (literally) where you’re going because otherwise you probably wouldn’t recognize it. Outside is a nice big stone patio for warm weather dining and for our purposes we actually entered past the patio and through the kitchen which was unbelievably huge and just gleaming, “believe it or not it used to be bigger” Dan commented as we wound our way through to the front foyer where our tour starts.
Directly in front of your face is “Angus” a commanding painting that I’ll bet is 6’ wide by 4’ tall, it’s a close up of a group of blowing black bulls, just kind of standing there looking at you, red tags hanging, their breath steaming in the frigid air. Actually it’s rather startling but I like that. That particular piece and quite a few others like it adorn the walls throughout, vignettes of much larger paintings done by both W.C. and Andrew Wyeth. The paintings were blown up like that specifically for the walls of Brandywine Prime. Funny story – Dan Butler had attended Chadds Ford Elementary as a child and actually got first place in a first grade art show which was judged by Andrew Wyeth himself.
The original Inn goes back to the 1700’s, and what Dan Butler and Joe Grace have done with that building is an oceanic breath of fresh air, Dan says “we gave it new charm” but that’s a major understatement in my eyes. “Some of the hardwood floors are original” Dan said, and the matching trim is beautifully brought out by subdued blues and greens, most of the walls are exposed stone – and what isn’t lit by large windows or completely open floors above is gently illuminated by a diminutive series of burnished silver drop lights. Several bars and Dining Rooms run throughout; some are quite large while others are sized for private parties and such. The Main Bar features a large Raw Bar across from which is a stone wall with a cutout “barndoor” window looking into one of the other rooms. In the Dining Room towards the front of the building is a painting which you may recognize as the golden weeds from “Christina’s World”, look closely at the bottom right hand corner and you’ll see where Andrew Wyeth, I guess he just couldn’t resist the temptation, whipped out a marker and signed his painting while having lunch one afternoon. The wall of “Shadow Portraits” at the other end reflects the works of three generations of Wyeths. The main staircase has been completely opened up and ascends into the upper level which houses a huge gorgeous Dining Room, the “Chase Room” named for Dan’s father and the
two-story atrium style Mill Room, named for overlooking the old windmill by the Brandywine River Hotel.
Brandywine Prime Seafood & Chops @ Chadds Ford Inn is open for dinner and favorite menu items include weekly specials: $5 Prime Rib Sandwiches on Thursdays, ½ price Best of Philly Burgers on Fridays, and Sunday night House-Roasted Prime Rib. Try the Tuna Carpaccio from the raw bar, Appetizers like Cream Butternut Squash Risotto, Prime Filet Tartare and Shrimp Tempura. Steaks are impressive in stature; choose from Angus New York Strips, Hereford Filet Mignon or Prime Delmonico. All steaks can be “customized” with Shrimp, Scallops or Crab. Offerings from the Sea are equally tasty; try the Brandywine Prime Crab Cake, Oven Roasted Atlantic Salmon, and Linguine with Crab or just go for the gold and order the Brandywine Prime Seafood Sampler consisting of ½ Maine Lobster Tail, steamed clams, shrimp, mussels, rice and snap peas with a tomato saffron broth. Wine is by the glass, Beer is draft and bottles and they have a nice Cocktail list including a drink called the Chadds Ford Inn Ghost. Dan pooh poohed the thought of a haunt and I didn’t say anything at the time, but I’m pretty sure that chair was NOT in the middle of the room when we first came upstairs.
Dan says Friday nights at the bar are really hopping. In part because of the half priced Best of Philly burgers offered. That was General Manager Michael Majewski’s idea, Dan (showing his Chef colors) was initially horrified at the notion but it turned out really well….good call Mike. Dan commented “you’ll find people at the bar you wouldn’t think you’d see.” Hmmm, sounds intriguing. He’s also been surprised at the amount of people utilizing online reservations at www.opentable.com.
As intricate as renovating the old Inn was, readying the space next door for a cozy French Bistro was conversely as simple. Bistro on the Brandywine, directly across the parking lot is open for lunch and serves a fine array of shared plates, soups and salads, entrees and side dishes. They also have a lively business of freshly prepared and made to order gourmet takeout. That’s right, dishes you’d love to pass off as your own if you thought you could get away with it. Bistro on the Brandywine’s palate comforting menu include Moules Frites mussels steamed with saffron cream (they’ve gotten rave reviews), Kennett Square Mushroom Soup, stone hearth pizzas like Roasted pears with gorgonzola, mozzarella, pine nuts and truffle honey. Entrees run the gamut from Braised beef short ribs to Chilean Salmon and Coq au vin, and all can be complemented by delicious sides like Crispy truffle parmesan fingerling potatoes, Grilled Asparagus with oven dried tomato relish and a delicious Wilted spinach, garlic and white wine. Paul Bouchard is Managing Partner of Bistro on the Brandywine and Chef de Cuisine is Seth Harvey who was the Sous Chef at Deep Blue. Chef Butler wanted to bring something new to the area and people have found Bistro on the Brandywine to be unexpectedly casual and inexpensive; waitresses run about in blue jeans and the bustling lunch crowd is a cheerful reflection of Chadds Ford’s many walks of life.
Both Brandywine Prime and Bistro on the Brandywine does event catering, stop by for lunch, dinner or just grab some takeout if you can’t hang around. Just remember that whatever your plans are, it’s always prime time in Chadds Ford.
For years now I’ve admired Waterbury Construction. First from their ads in area magazines, then while working as a realtor I got to see some of the homes they’d worked on in person. Years ago when they were renovating the lovely old stone house along Scarlett Road in Kennett Square (now their home base) I used to drive by all the time and comment on the transformation taking shape. So you can imagine how impressive it was to meet the force, or rather forces behind the name.
Combined, Owners Colleen McFadden and Rick Lion bring over twenty-five years of experience in designing, building, restoring, renovation, and especially the fine art of “sympathetic additions.” A term their clients have come to know and love. Colleen made it pretty clear; “our philosophy is that the addition has to be sympathetic to the house, you shouldn’t be able to tell where it starts and stops.”
One very important and even unusual thing that sets Waterbury Construction apart is their habit of spending quality time with their clients in order to get a feel of how they live. Colleen explained that once you’re in someone’s house you get a better understanding of what would work for them in terms of connecting or disconnecting spaces. Rick said “the house calls out a lot on what you can and cannot do to it, and sometimes that creative light bulb goes on smack dab in the middle of a project. After meeting with prospective clients, Rick and Colleen return to the office to sit down and draw with the client’s wish list and budget number in hand. As Colleen says “it’s a lot better to spend the time drawing it on paper instead of building what you don’t want on your house. We build rooms but ultimately we build relationships.”
Keeping the client involved and up to date is of the highest importance. Rick is at every job every day, which is great because homeowners usually feel better if they see the guy in charge checking up on things. Colleen “I think part of our success has been that it’s personal, every client sees Rick every day and me probably twice a week, we are in constant contact. That’s the promise we make to them in the beginning – you see a principal every day and have both our cell phone numbers, you can get to somebody all the time.”
Waterbury Construction’s past clients Ed and Betzi West of Chandler Mill Road in Kennett Square will cheerfully attest to that. Waterbury Construction had just finished an addition that gave the West’s’ the perfect living space – not to mention premium entertaining capability. With cathedral ceiling, windows everywhere and just lovely reclaimed floors; the addition is an abundance of light – almost like being outside. “I just wanted a room with a wall of windows” Betzi explained, but Rick felt something just wasn’t quite perfect and talked her into putting an extra window in the corner…”I’m so glad I did!” she said. Betzi is a local artist and also has quite an eye for design; in fact I was so busy admiring what I could see that I nearly missed what I couldn’t see. You could have knocked me over with a feather when Rick stopped me and slid open what I was pretty darned sure was a closet. He revealed a gorgeous full bathroom done in wood and marble, complete with a glass-enclosed shower, modern slanted sink and vanity. To label it unobtrusive would be a major understatement; it’s got to be a kick watching company try to find the bathroom.
But they didn’t stop at bringing the outside in, Waterbury Construction decided to keep going and extend the addition to the home’s exterior, creating an inviting wrap around deck with an open pergola top. It rounds out two corners of the home and the West’s were so tickled with the results that they pretty much lived out there in the summertime. Ed looked around in satisfaction and remarked “this has turned out so much better than we envisioned.” Betzi added “we’ve had more company now than ever; actually we were entertaining before it was even done.” I must say though that Rick had the best summation: “it parties real well” he said with a big grin on his face, “and it even looks good from the road.”
When asked how she found Waterbury Construction Betzi’s instant reply was “excellent!” I had to laugh – but what a compliment! What I actually meant was how she decided to use them as opposed to any other company. It just so happened that Betzi too used to pass the house on Scarlett Road they were renovating on her way to the Giant, “I watched it being changed and just really liked the total effect” she said, “it was a natural or as Ed would say a no-brainer.” Ed took that opportunity to tell me that how flexible Rick and Colleen were about everything, “it was almost a partnership” he said “and we’re still friends.” As anyone who’s ever had construction done to their home while they’re living in it will tell you – that’s a major compliment.
With spring not terribly far away it’s a great time to start designing for the upcoming spring season. “Don’t be scared of the design process” Rick reassures, “we’re regular people and our process is gentle.” It’s just like Colleen said……when Waterbury Construction is finished, clients live happily ever after. Just ask them.
The historic Chester County estate known as Wyndemere has been in Ed Weisbrod’s family for generations. It was given to Ed’s parents as a gift from his English grandfather; they actually chose it over the Einstein house. When the family first took over residence in 1935 the grand old estate had sat vacant for forty years and was covered with vines. Funny thing is Ed’s mom used to ride her bicycle past the fieldstone farmhouse when she was a child, never entertaining the thought that it would be her home for seventy-two years. Ed tells the story of how not long after his parents moved in; his mother planted a Kentucky Coffee tree, at the time a mere six feet tall. He remembers his father poking fun at it; “you call that a tree?” Today that same tree must be at least sixty feet tall.
The estate itself is 300+ acres and backs literally to the gates of the much acclaimed New Bolton Center, which in itself makes a great case for having horses just as Ed’s family did. The grand old farmhouse, circa 1770 has five bedrooms, three and a half baths and a total of six fireplaces. The original wood floors and hardware still exist throughout, and the walls themselves are made of eighteen inch thick stone. It seems as though Ed’s mother had big plans for Wyndemere right from the beginning, and she knew how to bring them to life. One of the first things she did was to have built a freshwater-fed pond a tad less than three acres in size, complete with its own boat dock and gazebo. Today it teems with bass, catfish, bluegills and the ever graceful herons. She also had the in-ground pool with pool house built. Other outbuildings include a detached stone garage with an apartment above, and the cc. 1884 schoolhouse which was an actual schoolhouse back in the days when the now private lane was a public road. Today it’s been converted into a one bedroom, one bath guest house that I myself wouldn’t mind living in. Wyndemere was restored over a period of years by the Hannum family, Paul largely worked on the main house and his son Harold turned the schoolhouse into the gem it is today.
I was lucky enough to get the grand tour, definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a real piece of Chester County History up close, and get some of the fabulous stories behind it. The eat-in Kitchen was upgraded about forty years ago and still has the wooden countertops along with the fireplace tiles commemorating family betrothals, weddings and births. “It’s all part of the ambience” Ed remarked. Continuing on we stepped down into the sage green Garden Room, which was Mom’s favorite room. No wonder – with its brick flooring, walls of windows and natural stone wall you can’t help but to be intrigued. Interestingly enough a few years back when the ceiling was painted in the winter, as the paint dried “coils” appeared; turns out the ceiling has radiant heat, very much ahead of its time. Also from the Garden Room you can view the actual gardens – eternal in their beauty and dotted with statuary.
Adjacent to the Garden Room is the Dining Room with the original sconces still on the walls. Throughout this magnificent home you’ll revel in the deep windowsills and lovely rounded corners, another detail you don’t see too often. From there we went into the Den, which is now a powder room / half bath. Next we went into the Library with lovely dark wood paneling and built-ins, the quality woodwork from seventy years ago more than stands the test of time. I can honestly say that as we traveled through the many rooms I marveled at how each view seemed better than the one before. At one point in Wyndemere’s history three families lived in the estate and there were stairwells in nearly every room, the possibilities are endless.
Venturing up the grand curved staircase with open upper balcony we went through the Bedrooms. The Master has enough space to create a dressing room or office, and the guest Bedrooms are full of the curved closets and fascinating nooks that you really only see in historic homes. Down the hall is the screened in Sleeping Porch, as Ed says “this to me is the best room in the house – I live out here in the summer.” Full of wind chimes to catch the breeze, it put me in mind of a lodge and also overlooks the pool. Another great detail is the built-in cubby hole that was put there so that the dogs would be protected from wind and rain, seems like they thought of everything.
Lastly we up to the attic level which is floored and houses various rooms and a bedroom which looks like a Swiss chalet because of the peaked ceiling and exposed beams. In one of the rooms you can still see the original bark on the wooden beams. If you look closely you’ll see the wooden pegs and even the notches that the builders used to designate where each beam was to be placed. It was on this level that I noticed even the doors must be four inches thick. As I marveled over all of this Ed laughed and said “it’s nice to see it through someone else’s eyes because sometimes you take it for granted when you live here all your life.”
Ed was kind enough to give me a tour of the fields and woods, it really put into perspective the size of this massive estate as we drove past the old Limekiln with its brick ovens still mostly intact. The Limekiln was built at the turn of the last century to cook limestone so it could be used as fertilizer in the fields and also as concrete. Back in the many acres of woods that border the estate on the Kennett side, you can still see the old quarries, two wells and even the ruins of five or six stone houses that were built for the quarry workers. Also in the woods you can see the largest Sycamore tree in Chester County which is easily twenty-seven feet around its immense base. I don’t know how he does it but there are rather well-maintained trails through the woods and also cut through the fields, what a lovely way to spend an afternoon. “It’s a really nice diversification of fields and woods, not to mention a fantastic privacy barrier.”
A solid two thirds of Wyndemere has been under a Brandywine Conservancy easement since 1976, Ed commented that “hopefully someone will buy it that doesn’t need to do anything to it but love it.” How could you not? Wyndemere is located in the award-winning Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and is currently listed by Chester County’s own Holly Gross of Prudential Fox and Roach for $11,399,000. Photos are available on www.hollygross.com. Just a final note to that one special buyer: you know who you are – why not give your family a legacy like no other? Heaven on earth is indeed closer than you’d think.
Have you ever wondered just how they make those perfectly rounded and smooth glass beads? Well, the best ones are made by hand, and I had the opportunity to experience it (almost) first hand. I watched fascinated as the “bead artist” in front of me took a metal stick and brought it to blue flame over a Minor bench burner (looks like a more sophisticated version of the old Bunsen burners we all loved so much in chemistry class). She then dug into a glass vase full of long stems of colored glass and put a big drip on the heated stick which is first coated with bead release so the bead can be taken off the stick, that’s what makes the hole. She expertly wound the molten liquid around the stick as it was melting; how it doesn’t fall off I don’t know. After the bead was just as she wanted it (a lovely pale turquoise) she then took a clear stick out of the jug and melted a clear coat around the hot bead “it adds depth to the color” she murmured softly, never taking her eyes off of the creation in question.
At this point I’m beyond fascinated and deluding myself into thinking I could actually do that and what a cool career that would be etc. etc. Finally she chose a thick black stem from the magical jug and proceeded to put a row of raised dots around the newborn bead. “You can write on them and decorate them however you like” she commented. Voila! Unbelievably this whole process only took about five minutes. That’s because it was being done by the expert – Liz Celento, owner of Artistic Jewels. “Keep turning it” she said, “it’s all about gravity and controlling the temperature, keep it on there and wrap it around. It took me a year to get good enough to sell them.”
A majority of glass beads are made in China and they tend to break easily, “you really don’t even know what you’re looking at when you buy glass beads” Liz said. Personally I think they look like candy, good thing they weren’t loose in a decorative bowl, I probably would’ve broken a tooth. Liz started making jewelry in 2001 out of her house and her friends went nuts, “It became quite the feeding frenzy” she remarked. As a result Artistic Jewels has been open for about two years now.
Artistic Jewels builds pieces that are versatile, can be layered, worn in long or short versions and easily mixed and matched to complement any outfit. Some particularly gorgeous pieces can go from necklace to belt in a moment; you don’t come across that too often. Artistic Jewels carries mostly sterling silver and a tiny bit of14k gold. Liz’s creations are decorated with Swarovski crystals, natural gemstones and (my personal favorite) uniquely appealing Venetian glass. Slides and Charms seem to stay popular, as they can be added or removed on a whim, and Artistic Jewels has lots of accompanying velvet and leather cords to get you started on your own collection. Today’s hot trends are shades of black and blue together, green stones and browns have stayed in the limelight. Currently hand made and asymmetrical pieces are huge and Artistic Jewels has mixed metals and architectural jewelry which Liz describes as “more structured and urban.” They’ve also gotten into Team Bracelets – hockey charms, soccer balls etc. Liz says she adores doing one of-a-kind pieces so bring in your favorite vintage jewelry for a facelift. When I was enjoying the art museum like atmosphere there was an eye catching collection of Antique watch faces from the 1850’s that had been made into necklaces and accompanying pieces.
Artistic Jewels design center is upstairs in the open upper loft overlooking the store. They were working on drop necklaces for a bridal party – a gorgeous deep burgundy with a pale amber drop crystal. The pieces can be intricate or simple; they’ll put together a sample, and once it’s approved it’s just a matter of how many you want and which exact shade you prefer. Artistic Jewels does two shows a year, and at Christmas she sells her special collections. Liz turned down QVC because she doesn’t want to mass produce. “I would much rather make ten different necklaces than one thousand of the same, I’m going to keep doing what I do. People love to come in and add on to what they already have.” Liz attends all the trade shows to keep on top of what’s going on.
Artistic Jewels will be participating in West Chester’s Old Fashioned Christmas held December 4th to the 7th. You can find coupons on the website along with the latest pieces, so be sure to come in and peruse the rest of the collection. Liz’s unique jewelry is displayed museum-style on the walls in glass cases. If you find a bead you really love she will make one to match it. If say, you have a piece that you would like better if it were something else, Artistic Jewels can turn it into something you will treasure. Forgive me Mr. Celento but I just have to share this story – Liz decided to come up with the whole wish list thing after telling her (adoring) husband that she wanted a necklace for Christmas. After a moment of silence came his perplexed reply: “but you already have one.” That story having been shared – keep in mind that Men’s night is a great destination for Christmas shopping – just have the little lady fill out her wish list and give you guys a fighting chance of getting what they really want. Yep, must be Christmas.
Last week I had the much anticipated pleasure of visiting one of my favorite restaurants ever – The Big Easy Saloon of Paoli. Owned by Restaurateur David Weinstein and his Partner and Executive Chef Dan Funk, The Big Easy Saloon will be celebrating their two year anniversary in October. An ode to how time flies when you’re having fun.
As new on the scene as they were at the time, The Big Easy Saloon was recipient of the “Best of the Main Line – Reader’s Choice Award” in July of 2007. Never content to sit on his laurels, David says “now we want to be the best restaurant on the Main Line for the rest of the time.” Yeah I can totally see that one coming, who’s taste buds could possibly forget Chef Dan Funk; trained under New Orleans Chef John DeLuca who was trained by famed Chef Paul Prudhomme. Lest I get carried away and forget to mention – Chef Funk will once again be spicing things up at Celebrity Kitchens in Wilmington Delaware this coming September and October.
Recently The Big Easy Saloon has welcomed a new manager and assistant manager to lend a hand and they are once again taking reservations for lunch, dinner and yes even their above-and-beyond Sunday brunch. Dan says “this place can fill up at anytime – you turn around and boom it’s full.” Here’s some really big news; as of May of this year they’ve gone completely non-smoking. David says it’s really been a positive thing and by mid-September there will be no smoking in any Pennsylvania restaurant, he says “it will be a level playing field, you can come back a hundred times and still have something different.” Chef Dan Funk added “I want them coming here for the food.” Somehow I don’t ever see that being an issue.
Their plans for the future include an on-site on catering facility with a second bar upstairs, and an outdoor patio dining which would be open to the restaurant on those rare occasions when a party wouldn’t be booked. Currently The Big Easy Saloon does lots of off premise catering and parties and as it stands now parties held at the restaurant are currently limited to the dining room which has seating for forty five. The game plan is to have a room capable of seating one hundred partygoers and their new addition would make the restaurant two levels of New Orleans dining extravaganza.
The Big Easy Saloon’s spectacular menu keeps you coming back with Chef Funk’s fabulous staples like the Cherry Cola Baby Back Ribs, the out-of-this-world Voodoo Shrimp (yes it’s plenty hot, don’t be a baby) and a goodly assortment of Po Boys, Gumbos, Jambalaya, Andouille Meatloaf Sandwiches, Pot Pies, Etoufee, blackened and vegetarian dishes and soups Lunch has really expanded with considerately quick service, perfect for the business lunch crowd and they recently got an award from Channel 10’s “Lori’s Lunchbox.”
Also this time around you’ll find lots of salads, lighter entrees and even half portions gracing the menu, “smaller portions and prices seem to be the trend” Chef Funk commented. He also plans to add more local produce and organic offerings in the future. Despite being the whirlwind that he is, Chef Funk has added two new Chefs to his kitchen, resulting in The Big Easy Saloon’s Sunday “South of the Border Night” and also some fantastic Asian-themed entrees; “there’s a lot of flavors coming out of the kitchen” he says. Fear not oh diehards of spice – the mainstay will always be Nola. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming New Orleans style tapas style menu.
Sunday Piano Brunch at The Big Easy Saloon has also expanded with extended lunch items like salads, sandwiches and appetizers to complement the Andouille Sausage Gravy, Kaptain Krunch Chicken Fingers with vanilla sauce and White Chocolate Peach Pancakes. “Good memory” Chef Funk commented as I ticked off my list of brunch favorites. I looked at him like he was crazy – how could I forget? In fact that incredible brunch just got The Big Easy Saloon on the cover of Trend Magazine. Sunday evenings features all-you-can-eat pasta and Monday night is all-you-can-eat Prime Rib; think you have a big appetite? Cuts go by King, Queen and the intimidating Big Easy cut; aptly summed up by a patron as “so big everything else comes on a different plate.”
Ever mindful of what people want – for the upcoming football season The Big Easy Saloon will be tantalizing patrons of their undeniably cool red zodiac bar with assorted beer promotions complemented by hand-carved roast pork and beef sandwiches. For those of you who love a really good glass of wine The Big Easy Saloon is pleased to announce an upgraded wine list where nearly everything can be ordered by the bottle. Also new is a frozen drink machine and special Martini Menu. I was trying to avert my gaze from the pineapple infused vodka, it was kind of early in the day.
For that sweet tooth to celebrate a win or soften a setback, desserts include Mississippi Mud Pie, Bananas Foster, Key Lime and Banana Cream pies and even gourmet cupcake which have gone over supremely well. Do not miss the new Jack Daniels Chocolate Gelato; “it is insanity” David says, “everybody that tastes it goes nuts.”
On the music front The Big Easy Saloon always has some seriously good musicians booked; people tend to make their own dance floor and you’ll always find a good diverse crowd – as David puts it “you can find just about anybody here.” Nightly music features live Jazz, Rhythm and Blues with no cover, ever. Music starts 6:30-7pm Sunday (open mike night) thru Thursday, 8-midnite Friday & Saturday. The Kitchen stays open until 11pm on weekends and until 10-10:30 pm on weekdays.
I couldn’t resist asking David and Chef Funk what gives them their uncanny ability to continually improve, David paused for a moment and asked “why does somebody have rhythm and somebody else doesn’t?” It’s hard to narrow it down to one factor when you’re dealing with a veritable sea of creative talent. One thing he can say for sure is “you get a good bang for your buck.”
The things people dream up never cease to amaze me, equally amazing is the variety of dreams I’ve seen brought to fruition as of late. My current source of fascination is a new storefront in Main Street at Exton called Sweet & Sassy; a full service salon and spa designed and sized exclusively for children, that’s right – children. Ilyce Cohen is the energetic owner of Sweet & Sassy, a franchise based out of Southlake Texas. She’s also the young mother of two little girls who would undoubtedly give their tiny eyeteeth (if they have them yet) to come to work with mommy every day. Ilyce says of her diminutive clientele “they’re not just coming in to get their hair cut, it’s a total salon experience.”
Just like an adult salon and spa, Sweet & Sassy offers a plethora of services like shampoo, cut and style out, boys cuts, baby’s first cut and even updo’s and braiding for formal occasions. Enthusiastic patrons are cloaked in plush terry robes and a conglomeration of fuzzy, fluffy or feathered flip-flops while enjoying authentic manicures / pedicures and even chocolate facials. Unlike an adult salon there’s no cuticle cutting, hair dyeing or waxing since the age of the average Sweet & Sassy patron is approximately three to thirteen. The only metal implements used are during professional ear piercing which takes place in a big cushy pink chair made solely for that purpose. Salon hair services even have all types and colors of hair extensions which the girls get to keep, sheer and sparkly makeup makeup application and of course everyone gets a glitter star on their cheek in their color of choice. I meant to get one before I left but was so distracted by the make-it-yourself lip gloss, body lotion and ice cream sugar scrub stations in the center of the store that I promptly forgot. Betcha I stood there for a good five minutes debating how ridiculous I’d look mixing up some cotton candy flavored lip gloss and a double scoop of root beer sugar scrub. Hey I’m not that old yet.
Sweet & Sassy has an innovative menu of different Spa & Glam Girl Packages, we’re not just talking birthday parties here. To name a few of the most popular there’s “Diva for a Day” where the girls enjoy an hour and a half of spa heaven, then there’s “Party Princess” complete with cake, coronation and sparkling tiara. Unforgettable Party Packages have names like “Rockin’ Pop Star”, “A Night on the Red Carpet” which comes with lots of paparazzi and a photo of each girl made into a magazine cover. Sweet & Sassy’s “All Dressed Up and Runway to Go” is a really cool package where petite partygoers flood the dressing room to pick out a costume from overflowing chests of girly stuff. Then they head over to the miniature mirrored salon counters to have their hair styled and sheer sparkly makeup done. Lastly it’s over to the manicure stations and miniature pedicure tubs, Sweet & Sassy knows how to put the final polish on a girls’ first mani / pedi with a warm strawberry lotion hand massage and their choice of free ring and toe ring. Bear in mind that while the erstwhile darlings are being fully engaged by Ilyce’s party planners – mom can roam around about a million other stores within strolling distance. See where I’m going with this?
After being properly primed for their first big entrance the mini-models burst through a heavy silver-beaded curtain and onto the raised runway from which they can admire their petite performances live on the big screen TV hanging down from the ceiling. What’s a party like that if you can’t immortalize it? Always mindful of the unforgettable party credo, Ilyce makes sure that everyone gets not just their own performance on DVD but also a group photo to take home. Sweet & Sassy also conducts “Girls Rule” Workshops for Girl Scout, Adventure Princesses and yes even Sports Teams. 10% off all salon services on Tuesdays, and they’ll even teach your little darlings how to mind their manners and even give them a shot at becoming a Sweet & Sassy party coordinator.
Ilyce maintains “there’s no one out who really does what we do, at the level we do it.” She’s definitely got a good point there, gosh I can’t even think of an adult salon that keeps a limousine parked outside. Yes you are reading correctly; Sweet & Sassy’s hot pink “Party Girls To Go” limo service is available to pick your tiny revelers up, roll out a red carpet upon their arrival (no lie) and drape them with a feathered boa as soon as they exit.
If you’re more of the mind to take something with you Sweet & Sassy has gift cards available and will put together custom gift baskets from their absolutely loaded retail boutique in the front of the store. It’s a mind boggling array – just like Ilyce says “any birthday present you’d ever want to give a kid complete with free gift-wrapping.” Moms can pick up all kinds of nifty little things from personal and decorative accessories to jewelry, clothing and webkins. Just in time for that yearly event most awaited by parents: back to school. Hey kids, look at the bright side – you’ve never looked better stepping off of that bus. Remember now; it’s more than a salon – it’s a celebration.
My honest opinion? Cute as all get out – even I have to admit it. However isn’t that just what today’s already beleaguered single mothers and pressuredsincepreschool little girls need huh? Sorry but really now, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?! Think I’m making this up? Alrite smarty-pants, see for yourself!………Sweet and Sassy
….but i think that most likely the “1 view” was myself checking from the cafe in wilmington. actually i thought it looked pretty cool, the weblog that is. can’t believe how much & how fast things have been changing & moving & are getting ready to do so again, with grandad. i don’t want him to go away, i want to see him back out by the pool, under the umbrella table i always drag up from the basement in the spring. “you’re too early” he says, or mom says he says, looking around the room. i know who he’s talking to, he always thought she was “too” something, it’s kind of funny.
but i digress, sorry just distracted i guess – getting ready to head back up to the hospital. life is seemingly about to change. i was thinking to myself last night sitting on the couch that this just might be the last normal night / week i have for a long time. warm weather always brings something, ever notice? at least in my case for the past few years. so we shall see what the day brings.
it all comes from within. what makes you stay – what saves you. my case is divine intervention on many different levels, i’m just grateful that i recognize it enough to be grateful.
her retirement has really sucked so far, she should be having a good time instead of all this. at any rate i need to get my butt moving, i will be praying again today…..keep talking, ’cause i’m listening. peace.
