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Support local this Black Friday and Small Business Saturday

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The lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused a continuing struggle for our local businesses. Consider opting for your favorite local shops on Black Friday rather than big box stores and be sure to support local on Small Business Saturday, as well. Don’t feel comfortable venturing out to shop this year? Many local businesses are offering accommodations and precautions to ensure a safe shopping experience, whether in-person or virtual.

Here are just a few ways to safely support local businesses and makers this weekend and the rest of the holiday season.

Shop Online

The safest option is to stay home and shop online. Many Lancaster County businesses have online stores available and are able to ship to your home or offer in-store pickup. To name just a few:

Order online from Prussian Street Arcade and have it shipped or pick up your order in the store. Their retail location will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Black Friday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Small Business Saturday.

Square One Coffee’s brick-and-mortar location is closed until further notice, due to a COVID-19 exposure. However, you can still support them by purchasing coffee, tea, brewing gear and SQ1 merchandise from their website.

Read Rose Books has many titles available for purchase online. They will be having a Cyber Monday Sale with free shipping on orders over $30.

Festoon has gifts for anyone in your life, including fashion, home décor and locally made goods. Shop online or stop into their downtown Lancaster boutique from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday or 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. On Cyber Monday, get free shipping on all orders.

 

Utilize Curbside Pickup

Another safe option is to order from a business who offers curbside pickup. Simply order online and follow the business’ curbside pickup protocol for a safe, contact-free experience.

Olio Olive Oils & Balsamics has their selection of oils, seasonings and other cooking products available online. For curbside pickup, call 717-627-0088 to place your order. Their retail store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Saturday.

Ellicott & Co. is offering contact-free pickup or free local delivery to addresses within 6 miles of downtown Lancaster. You can shop online or call in your order at 717-690-2505 during store hours. If you would like contact-free pickup, Ellicott & Co. will coordinate with you after you place your order. They will be offering 20% off of everything in stock until Monday, November 30. Use “BlackFriday20” at checkout if you are shopping online.

Aaron’s Books has plenty of options available online and offers in-store or curbside pick-up for orders. Don’t see the book you want? Aaron’s also accepts special orders for books that aren’t on their shelves.

 

Schedule a Private Shopping Session

Some local boutiques offer private shopping sessions to limit exposure and make sure their customers feel as safe as possible.

Sophie Stargazer Boutique offers free private appointments on Mondays and Tuesdays or outside of regular business hours. Their “Shop Small” promotions for this weekend will be extended to anyone who books an appointment for next Monday or Tuesday.

Schedule a private shopping appointment (either in-person or virtual) at My Aunt Debbie by calling 717-693-3042 or messaging them on Facebook. The store will be open on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Book a 30-minute shopping appointment at Telltale Dress through their website. You can also shop online or visit their location from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

 

Visit a Makers Market

These makers market events and specialty gift shops can be a one-stop shop for holiday gifts.

Forty Elephants Vintage & Handmade Market will be held at the Park City Center in the old BonTon space on Small Business Saturday and the following Sunday. The market will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. There will be over 100 vendors selling vintage clothing, crafts, art, jewelry and much more. Goodie bags will be given away to the first 50 people in line each day.

Creatively Lancaster Makers Market will be held at Clipper Stadium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Small Business Saturday. Support over 45 talented local vendors selling their unique wares. Food trucks will be onsite.

Visit the Maker Takeover Market at The Shops @ Rockvale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Black Friday to shop from over 50 local artists and makers. Food and wine trucks will be onsite.

Building Character and Madcap & Company will have extended hours on Black Friday (9 a.m.-9 p.m.) and Small Business Saturday (9 a.m.-8 p.m.). The number of customers inside the store may be limited at times to ensure social distancing.

 

Look Out for Special Offers or Giveaways

Keep an eye on social media for giveaways or special offers this weekend. Here are a few we found:

Downtown Manheim will be giving away a gift basket to one lucky shopper. Spend a minimum of $5 at each participating location (Prussian Street Arcade, Mill 72, Divine Consign and Horst Arts) and receive a punch on your card. Once you get all four businesses punched, you’ll be entered to win the gift basket. Punch cards can be obtained at any of the four businesses. Purchases made on Friday and Saturday will count.

Rolled Cold Creamery will be giving away a hot drink with every $15 purchase on Small Business Saturday.

Renewal Kombucha will be giving away a free growler cozy with any purchase of $20 or more on Sunday, November 29. On Black Friday, take 20% off all kombucha purchases. On Small Business Saturday, they will double loyalty points on all purchases.

On Small Business Saturday, bring a receipt from any local business to Tellus360 and they’ll give you a free show and a beer. They will also be having a buy one, get one half off sale on their gift cards. The event starts at 3 p.m.

Tiger’s Eye in Lititz is having a Pre-Holiday Sale up until Nov. 30. Beat the rush and save 20% storewide. They are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

 

Order Take-Out or Dine at a Local Eatery

While you are out and about shopping at your favorite boutiques and specialty retailers, don’t forget to show your favorite restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries some love too. Be sure to check for holiday hours before you go.

 

Above all, remember to treat retail and restaurant workers with kindness and grace.

Local businesses are doing their best given the circumstances. Be sure to respect safety rules and guidelines, exercise patience and treat employees with kindness.

Prattical Decorating

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Yvonne Pratt shares her love for decorating, cooking, crafting, gardening and God through the blog and social media platforms she calls StoneGable. “I’m passionate about taking interior design concepts and breaking them down into easy-to-understand and doable actions anyone can use to create a beautiful home,” says this social influencer, who launched her career with an audience of one and now reaches millions. 

A neutral color palette provides the backdrop for Tanglewood, Yvonne and Bobby Pratt’s villa-style home in the Southern End of the county. Many of the furnishings and accessories from StoneGable, their previous home of nearly 25 years, made a seamless transition to Tanglewood.

To follow Yvonne’s blog, visit stonegableblog.com. You can also find her on Instagram, Facebook and other social media sites.
StoneGable pays homage to the home Yvonne and her husband, Bobby, lived in for nearly 25 years. “We built it, loved it and improved it,” she says of the 4,000-square-foot, farmhouse-inspired home whose front porch provided inspiring views of the surrounding gardens, farmland and countryside. StoneGable is where their two children, Christopher and Jacqueline, grew up. It’s where holidays and life’s milestone moments were celebrated. It’s where Sunday dinner was savored. “We thought it would be our forever home,” Yvonne muses.

Life, of course, brings change. Chris and Jacqueline set off for college. After graduating, they both launched careers in the D.C. area. They both married and started families of their own. 

Meanwhile, the Pratts settled into their next “season” of life as empty nesters. Despite living in a house that seemingly grew larger with each passing year, they had no plans to downsize. They looked forward to the weekends and holidays that would bring their children and their families home to StoneGable. 

Yvonne’s holiday theme for 2019 – “A Walk in a Snowy Woods” – began in the foyer, where overhead stars and illuminated trees led the way into the living room.

As often happens, an unexpected opportunity presented itself. “Last year, we were having breakfast at the restaurant at Tanglewood Manor Golf Club on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and Bobby mentioned there was a home for sale in the Villas [a community that skirts the golf course]. He knew I had always admired those houses. We looked at it the next day and agreed it was just about perfect for our needs.” 

Realizing she would be moving away from StoneGable triggered a range of emotions. “I cried all day long for three weeks,” Yvonne recalls. “I called it the ‘time of great mourning.’ Then, I began to realize a new house meant new opportunities and I told myself, ‘I’m done now. New adventures await!’” 

Besides, there was no looking back – StoneGable was sold. 

When Yvonne first spied Hooker Furniture’s Cirlacue chest, with its distressed, painted-linen finish and raised, string-of-pearl curlacue accents, she had to have it. She tracked it down through an online source and purchased it. She calls it her “wow” piece and used it in several rooms at StoneGable. It made a smooth transition to Tanglewood.

StoneGable Goes Cyber 

Yvonne launched her blog, StoneGable, in 2009 with an audience of one – her newly married daughter, Jacqueline.

In 2009, Yvonne was at a crossroads. Post-college, she taught elementary school for 11 years. “Then, I became a stay-at-home mom who was never home,” she says of the years she devoted to volunteering at her kids’ schools. When that ended, she began working in her husband’s medical office. “I enjoyed it, but …” she says of that missing element she was searching for that would tap into her talents. 

What Yvonne really enjoyed doing was being a homebody. “I have always loved to decorate, cook, garden and entertain,” she says. “I view my home as my laboratory.” However, Yvonne admits she initially found decorating to be frustrating. “I was one of those people who went into a store, bought things willy-nilly, got them home, realized nothing worked and had to take everything back. It took years for me to develop a style and recognize what worked and what didn’t. It wasn’t until I began delving into concepts relating to color, proportion and balance that I got it.” 

Yvonne’s aha moment career-wise came when a young friend suggested she start a blog that delves into her interests. “I had no idea what she was talking about,” Yvonne admits. “I didn’t know what a blog was, so I investigated it and made a discovery – people love to follow and engage with others who share similar interests. These were my people!” 

Initially, her “hobby blog” was intended for an audience of one – recently married Jacqueline, who was always calling/emailing Yvonne with newlywed-type questions relating to cooking and decorating. “I looked at it as my gift to her, plus it provided us with yet another way to communicate,” Yvonne remarks. 

Other people discovered Yvonne’s blog and began following it. “One day, I looked and I had 30 followers!” she recalls. “It scared me at first to know people were paying attention to what I was sharing but then I was flattered.”

While Yvonne no longer subscribes to the notion that furniture must last forever, she says she will never fall out of love with the two bubble chairs from Ethan Allen that now flank the fireplace.

While she loved being a part of the blogosphere, Yvonne’s little hobby was beginning to become expensive from both a time and economic perspective. “I was spending a fortune on props,” she says of the photography that accompanied the copy. “It was getting complicated.” 

Fortunately, she was able to turn to her sister, who works in marketing, for advice. That led her to Google AdSense. A friend steered her in the direction of AdThrive, which specializes in lifestyle content and targets women. Despite making a “pittance” through such marketing networks, Yvonne was thrilled to realize, “I had a career going for myself.” Her venture eventually began providing Yvonne with “a great income.” 

Companies specializing in home furnishings and décor began paying attention and struck marketing agreements with Yvonne. “‘Where did you get that?’ is the number-one question I’ve been asked from the beginning,” she shares. “I feel I’m providing a service to be able to share that information and direct readers to websites. But, I never forget who I work for – the wonderful women who come to me for inspiration and advice. I see being an influencer as an opportunity to connect with people, educate them, entertain them, provide them with a take-away and on Sundays, leave them with a lesson from Scripture. I view each and every reader as a friend. I’m so filled with gratitude for this opportunity I’ve been given.” 

One of the items on the Pratts’ to-do list was revamping the fireplace. “It was too contemporary,” Yvonne says of the original design. “We wanted more of a transitional look.”

As you are probably aware, the world of blogging and social media has grown into a very sophisticated enterprise. According to Yvonne, it’s become more structured and rules and regulations are in place. “There are a lot of moving parts,” Yvonne says of StoneGable, explaining she is aided by a virtual assistant as well as a human one (Katie Stoltzfus). “My basement looks like a store,” she says of the props she has accumulated. “Everything is stored in clear boxes.” 

Yvonne usually posts every day and over the course of her blogging career has about 4,000 posts to her credit, mostly about decorating, resulting in millions of page views. She also maintains relationships with other bloggers, which provide for added content and exposure. For example, in late October, the site, Shabbyfufu, provided its followers with a tour of Yvonne’s home. The pandemic has only served to drive more visitors to Yvonne’s various sites. “Readership has exploded,” she says. 

In keeping with last year’s theme, Yvonne topped a cabinet in the living room with bottle brush and paper trees, as well as a vignette she crafted utilizing a basket, pinecones and holiday ornaments.

The success of StoneGable has led Yvonne to publish a tutorial, How to Know Your Decorating Style, appear in dozens of lifestyle magazines and attend the extravaganza known as Furniture Market in High Point, North Carolina. “Wow! Was that spectacular!” she says. Blogging has also provided her with the opportunity to speak at events and have a podcast that rated in the top 10 for her niche. 

She maintains that Instagrammers and bloggers are influencing design and what we are seeing in stores and on websites. Some of her favorite bloggers and designers include Phoebe Howard, Suzanne Kasler (Ballard Designs), Joanna Gaines (Magnolia Home) and Patina Farm. 

Tanglewood House 

During the summer of 2019, Yvonne’s online presence never wavered. As fall approached, she shared that an announcement would be forthcoming. In October, followers received a post called “Welcome to the Tanglewood House,” through which Yvonne revealed the secret she had been keeping – she and Bobby made a transition of their own and moved to a smaller house (2,700 square feet) whose backyard adjoins a golf course. 

Hobbes, the Pratts’ resident pet, relaxes in the master bedroom, where texture (a Mongolian lamb fur throw and pillows) and patterns (animal print) bring a sophisticated vibe to the room.

She went on to explain how busy their summer had been. Packing up a house they had lived in for more than two decades was quite an undertaking. Decisions had to be made about which furnishings would make the move and which would not. “Sadly, I couldn’t take my dining room table – it was just too large for the space,” she says. 

After settlement, they made some cosmetic changes, including painting the interior of the house and revamping the fireplace. She also assembled a to-do list that included remodeling the kitchen (done), adding built-ins to her home office (done), replacing the banister on the main staircase (to come) and updating the landscaping (in progress). 

Yvonne asked her son-in-law, Jonathan, and daughter-in-law, Abigail, for their preferences in decorating the guest rooms in which they stay during visits. Jonathan went in a colonial direction, hence the dark wood and four-poster bed. For Christmas, Yvonne adds a festive touch with evergreen swags, plaid ribbon and a red bedspread.

As for decorating, furnishings and accessories from StoneGable made a seamless transition to Tanglewood. While the StoneGable look was inspired by Transitional Farmhouse, Yvonne maintained that Tanglewood’s contemporary lines would be better suited to Transitional styling or what she calls, “New Traditional” in that it entails “classic lines, furnishings that are a little slimmed down and a neutral color scheme.” Other styles can be introduced, as well. For example, French-inspired accents were chosen for Tanglewood. 

When followers spied the new house, they noted the similarities between StoneGable and Tanglewood. One even commented that Yvonne had “StoneGabled Tanglewood.” 

Rustic-looking buildings that can be displayed separately or as a village are back in vogue for holiday decorating. Often made of zinc or galvanized metal, Yvonne spied some made of cardboard and painted them white.

Yvonne was anxious to move to Tanglewood in time to create holiday content for her blog and social media sites. “We moved in on October 14 and by the end of the month, I had the tree up, “I had a lot of work to do,” she explains. 

Besides that, Jacqueline (who now lives in California) and Chris and their families would be coming for the holidays, so she wanted the house to be as put-together as possible. “The holidays were wild but wonderful,” Yvonne says of welcoming family and friends to their new home. 

Yvonne changes the theme of her holiday decorations every year. “Last year, I was going for a natural look and arrived at ‘A Walk in a Snowy Woods’ theme,” she says of the holiday décor that is seen on these pages. Stars that hung from the ceiling of the foyer set the stage for the “journey,” the centerpiece of which was the ceiling-high flocked tree in the living room that was decorated with mercury and white ornaments. Gold-hued, burlap-like ribbon wound its way around the tree’s branches. Pinecones and burnished leaves added to the natural theme. A star topped the tree that was surrounded by gifts wrapped in gold paper. 

For the kitchen makeover, the original cabinetry was retained. To give the cabinets a new look and complement the neutral palette, they were painted (Two Dudes Painting Company) and outfitted with new door/drawer pulls. KbE Design & Build, which oversaw the project, extended them to the ceiling by adding glass-fronted, illuminated cabinets. The original peninsula/island, whose design actually “closed off” the kitchen, was replaced by a more modern and open design that allows for seating. A ventilation hood over the stove replaced the microwave.

Yvonne’s kitchen before the remodel.

Smaller trees made from a variety of materials filled each room. Table-top vignettes composed of pinecones, vintage-looking ornaments and rustic miniature houses, complemented the theme. 

The final touch was replacing the autumnal-hued pillows and throws with those whose colors and textures reflected the season. “I did’t buy a thing – I had everything on hand and just recycled it,” she says of “shopping” her basement to assemble the elements of her holiday décor. “I never throw anything away,” she says. “Things can be recycled by giving them a new look or a new purpose.” Another ploy she uses is that if she sees something she likes, she buys it in bulk. “It’s never there if you go back for more,” she theorizes. 

By summer 2020, Yvonne already had a theme for the holidays noodling around in her head – “An Evergreen Christmas.” She envisions a color scheme of green and white, accented by burnished metallics. 

Quartz covers the counters, while tumbled marble was used to create the basketweave backsplash.

Yvonne’s Decorating Strategies 

Decorating is an Ongoing Process

In Yvonne’s opinion, a room is never finished. The pandemic has driven that fact home – people are taking close looks at their surroundings and making changes. 

Your Home is your Sanctuary 

Your home needs to reflect you. Never compare your style and taste to that of others. “If you do, you’ll never be happy with your home,” Yvonne points out. Choose things that inspire you. 

Put Out the Welcome Mat 

Your home also needs to be welcoming to others. Opulence and the latest trends don’t create a welcoming home – you provide that element. 

Tastes change 

The notion that a piece of furniture is an investment and must last forever is passé. Yvonne’s strategy is to “equate what you are willing to spend on something to the number of years you plan to live with it” when you set out to select something for your home. What you love today could conceivably become a “what was I thinking” piece down the road. 

Pay Attention to Color Trends 

Color of the Year unveilings are inspiring but don’t go overboard. After all, there will be a new color to love next year. Instead, pick up the color via accessories, pillows, towels and perhaps an accent wall. 

Speaking of Color

A neutral color scheme throughout the house allows the rooms to flow together. Yvonne also discovered that by “using a neutral color scheme for upholstery and other furnishings, pieces can easily be moved from one room to another to create a new look.” 

Pillow Power 

“Nothing changes the look of a room faster and more economically than throw pillows,” says Yvonne, who changes out the throw pillows in her living room five times a year to reflect the seasons and holidays that comprise the calendar. If possible, purchase only the pillow covers and reuse the inserts. 

Reduce Clutter 

Yvonne is not a fan of tchotchkes. Instead, she likes to create vignettes – using baskets and bowls – that reflect her personal style and provide a nod to the season. 

Maintain Your Home 

When establishing a household budget, include a category for home repairs and redecorating. In Yvonne’s estimation, “Everything has an expiration date, so why would you not budget for repairs and replacement?” A well-maintained home will reap rewards should you put it on the market. 

Holiday Time Saver 

Who doesn’t love the warmth and comfort that candlelight provides? Yvonne saves time by filling votives and other containers with battery-powered candles that are equipped with timers. She also loves how the look of flickering faux candles has improved. 

Looking into the Crystal Ball 

As the saying goes, for every action there’s a reaction, and in the world of decorating, that equates to Grand Millennial and Maximalism, which are the polar opposites of Mid-century Modern and Farmhouse. If you love vibrant color, ruffles, grandma’s china, dark furniture, wallpaper, chintz and toile – but with a modern viewpoint – 2021 will be the year to redecorate! 

A Flavorful December

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Since it’s the holiday season, I think we’re all deserving of some tasty treats. To tempt your taste buds, I’m sharing a few favorite sources that I rely on to add some sweet and savory flavors to the holidays. Whether you’re shopping for yourself, searching for a last-minute gift or are needing something special for a “social bubble” gathering, you’ll find it at these shops and stores. The best part is that each of these destinations offers both online and in-person (some provide curbside pick-up) shopping options. Happy holidays from my family to yours … and don’t eat too many cookies! 

 

S. Clyde Weaver 

Locations in East Petersburg, Lancaster (Lititz Pike) and Area Farmers Markets

Sclydeweaver.com

 

Wilbur Chocolate Retail Store 

Lititz • Wilburbuds.com

 

Dutch Baskets  

New Holland • Dutchbaskets.com

 

Seasons Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom 

Lancaster • Seasonstaproom.com

The Exchange: Dining & Drinks with a View

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Are you looking for a unique location to take in the holiday lights and décor of downtown Lancaster this December? If so, look skyward! Perched atop the 12th floor of the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square’s East Tower, The Exchange provides stunning views of downtown Lancaster, especially by night.  

Panoramic views of the city are on the menu at The Exchange.

Offering year-round indoor and outdoor dining, The Exchange opened in July 2019. Indoors, floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views of the city. “People like to walk around and check out the views,” says Ryan McQuillan, executive chef for both The Exchange and Plough, the Marriott’s new ground-level restaurant.  

The décor’s modern flair entails a mix of casual seating and low cocktail-type tables. Ryan says guests often gravitate to a low white banquette in the center of the room that’s positioned under a large lighting fixture. He also shares that guests like to watch food being prepared in the display kitchen that features a wood-fired oven. 

Outdoors, there are three large high-top tables with integrated fire pits, as well as several casual seating areas. Patio heaters are in place to ward off the chill. Accordion patio doors, which provide access from indoors, fold back to create a seamless indoor-outdoor area in warmer months. The indoor bar is double-sided and opens onto the terrace, as well.

The décor – inside and out – is modern and inviting.

In order to comply with health and safety regulations related to COVID-19, indoor seating is currently not available. Previously, seating capacity for each space had been set at 30.  

Ryan, who is a Pennsylvania native and a 2009 graduate of The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, began working in restaurant kitchens as a high school student. His resumé includes such renowned restaurants as Le Bec-Fin (under chef George Perrier), 10 Arts Bistro and Mercato BYOB, a winner of a “Best of Philly” award from Philadelphia Magazine. During his tenure as the head chef at Talula’s Table in Kennett Square, the restaurant was named “the toughest reservation in the U.S.” by Conde Nast Traveler, plus it received a coveted four-bells rating from The Philadelphia Inquirer. Additionally, Porch & Proper (Collingswood, New Jersey) received a 3-star rating from Philadelphia Magazine during his time there. 

Crispy tofu is on the Exchangeable small-plate menu.

He describes The Exchange’s menu as “casually styled, locally inspired comfort food.” Fresh, locally sourced produce is showcased. “We work with local farms such as The Field’s Edge Research Farm in Lititz and Rineer Family Farms in Pequea, so the menu changes seasonally to take advantage of what’s in-season,” he explains. 

The fall/winter menu features items such as squash, root vegetables and braised meats. Ryan notes that the menu has shifted a bit since the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-COVID-19, the offerings focused more on small plates. Now, there are more entrées. In a nod to both technology and COVID-19, the menu can be accessed with a smartphone by scanning the QR code placed on the table.

Popular items include pork and duck meatballs made in-house and served with a house-made smoked diablo sauce and parmesan bread baked in the wood-fired oven. Another favorite is chicken nuggets and crispy Brussels sprouts, which are served at both The Exchange and Plough and are only offered on the fall/winter menu. Entrées include short ribs poutine, spicy crab bucatini, a wood-fired steak and a burger made from aged prime beef. 

The Exchange is also known for its margherita pizza, which like other pizzas on the menu is baked in the wood-fired oven. “I consider the margherita pizza our signature item. It’s made with a Neapolitan-style dough, which uses only four ingredients – flour, salt, water and yeast. It’s cooked at a high temperature in the wood-fired oven so there’s a nicely done crust,” Ryan explains.

Left: sourdough toast accompanied by a white wine. Right: sausage and corn pizza and a complementary beer.

Menu items are augmented by one or two daily features, which are posted on The Exchange’s Facebook page. He says daily features are a way of testing out new items for possible inclusion in the menu. 

The selection of cocktails, wines and beer only adds to the allure of The Exchange, where Mood Swing is the signature drink and Autumn Sangria is a seasonal favorite. The mixologists can also create custom cocktails. The bar’s six taps feature craft beer from local breweries including St. Boniface and Troegs. Stella Artois and a craft-brewed hard cider are also on tap. Wine is procured from as nearby as Chester County to as far away as California, Argentina, Spain, Italy and Australia.  

The Exchange is also available for private events such as wedding brunches and business parties. FYI: With Christmas and Valentine’s on the horizon, anyone entertaining the idea of popping the question might make a mental note that The Exchange has become one of Lancaster’s favorite and most scenic spots to propose. 

The Exchange is located atop the East Tower of Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, 25 South Queen Street, Lancaster.

Temporary Hours from December 12 to January 4: Sunday through Thursday, 12-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 12-11 p.m. They will be open for take-out only on Christmas.

Normal Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m.-12 a.m. Saturday, 12 p.m.-12 a.m. Sunday, 12-10 p.m. Guests must be over the age of 21. For more information, call 717-207-4096 or visit exchangeroof.com, Facebook and Instagram. Reservations can also be made on OpenTable.

Building Christmas Fantasies

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As a child, scampering through the Peppermint Forest, climbing the Gumdrop Mountains and ending up mired in the Molasses Swamp – courtesy of the board game Candy Land – was as close as I came to building a gingerbread house. Last December, I set out to take a closer look at the storybook charm of these edible art forms.

Perhaps the earliest, popularized use of gingerbread houses is found in the published works of the Brothers Grimm. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, who were regarded as some of the most influential academics, philologists and cultural researchers of the 19th century, were deeply interested in the folktales and folk music of their native Germany. Recognizing that the treasured folktales – which spanned untold generations – were in danger of being lost to the progression of time, the brothers spent their lives interviewing people who knew of such tales and recording them for posterity. 

Because of the Grimms, tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Rapunzel and, of course, Hansel and Gretel, live on through Grimm’s Fairy Tales, first published in 1812. The tales originally contained adult subject matter but over time, their unsavory parts were eliminated in order to make them child-friendly. By the time of its seventh printing in 1859, the year Wilhelm died, the tome included more than 200 folk/fairy tales. 

As for Candy Land, credit for the beloved board game goes to Eleanor Abbott, who developed its concept while she recovered from polio in 1948. The prototype for the game was then tested among children who were recovering from polio at a hospital in San Diego, California. The game proved so popular that Abbott was encouraged to contact the Milton Bradley Company, whose main product at the time was school supplies. Milton Bradley introduced the game in time for Christmas 1949 and the rest is history. Owned by Hasbro since 1984, Candy Land has undergone several “makeovers” and is now considered a brand of its own. It is estimated that 1 million games are sold annually.  

Barbara Husted puts the final touch, a peppermint starlight, on her gingerbread house design.

Gingerbread History 

In a tale more akin to Halloween than Christmas, Hansel and Gretel portrays two children who are lost in the woods and are lured into a house made of gingerbread and sweet confections by a witch/cannibal with sinister motives. Gretel wisely outwits the witch and kills her. The two take the witch’s jewels and return home to their father whose wife (their stepmother) has disappeared. 

Gingerbread existed well before the Brothers Grimm influence took hold. Ginger root was first cultivated in ancient China, where it was primarily used for medicinal purposes. From there, it traveled to Europe, where it was used to disguise the taste of preserved meat. Henry VIII became a fan of a ginger-based concoction that was thought to ward off the plague. 

According to Rhonda Massingham Hart, author of Making Gingerbread Houses, the first-known recipe for gingerbread dates to 2400 B.C. Greece. Like all food, gingerbread developed regional nuances. For example, 13th-century German monks became known for their nutty and citrusy cake that was sweetened with honey and often spiced with anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and, of course, ginger.

The Husted family at The Baker’s Table’s gingerbread house workshop. From left to right: Craig, Grant, Taylor, Oscar, Barbara, Morgan and Linda Husted.

Gingerbread was a favorite treat at Medieval fairs – often called Gingerbread Fairs – held in parts of Europe. Legend has it that Queen Elizabeth I suggested that bakers decorate the various-shaped cookies with gold leaf to make them more delectable. Elaborately decorated gingerbread came to be viewed as the height of elegance in England. 

Of course, the arrival of Europeans in America was accompanied by the tradition of making gingerbread. It also regained its “architectural” connection, as the intricate trim that distinguishes Victorian-era homes is referred to as gingerbread. 

Gingerbread Workshop  

Every holiday season, The Baker’s Table at the Cork Factory Hotel in Lancaster, offers gingerbread house workshops, where folks gather around the large farmhouse-style table to learn about and create their own works of confectionary art. Attendees are provided all the essentials for sugar-based construction: an assembled gingerbread house on a cake board, piping bags primed with icing, a vast assortment of candies and the ever-crucial cup of hot cocoa, complete with delightful little marshmallows. 

Long before learning a cup of cocoa is involved, these workshops had caught my eye; last December, I joined one, along with the family of Linda and Craig Husted. Like me, decorating gingerbread houses was a first for the entire Husted family. “We’re a group of artists, designers and engineers, so the activity was well-suited for us,” says Linda. “We like projects that allow us to make things and be creative.”

Three generations of Husted women – Barbara, Linda and Morgan – celebrated the season by building gingerbread houses with other family members.

The Husteds’ three children are all young adults who live throughout the United States, and returning home for Christmas, together they elected to attend the workshop. “We loved being together as a dispersed family in the warm environment that The Baker’s Table offers,” says Linda. “The houses and candy provided by The Baker’s Table were overwhelmingly beautiful, adding to our pleasure. I think the process of playing with cookies, candy and the icing is probably as close to a childhood activity that an adult can experience. It was relaxing and just uncomplicated fun in what can be a very busy season,” she says.

Baking Structural Gingerbread

Considering that 2020 is the year to stay home and be crafty/creative, this might be the perfect time to create your own gingerbread house. If you plan to bake gingerbread from scratch to “frame” your candy-covered creation, you’ll want to complete all baking and assembly a day in advance, which will provide time for the icing joints to harden. Otherwise, the house may come crashing down under the weight of sugary treats. 

Gingerbread recipes of a structural design often call for all-purpose flour, salt, brown sugar, molasses or corn syrup, shortening, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. An enameled Dutch oven is a wise choice for mixing, as there is a lot of liquid to heat. (For softer gingerbread, such as cookies intended to be eaten and not used for their strength, butter and vanilla are added.) 

The Spruce Eats cites a gingerbread recipe geared entirely for strength, not flavor, but many others exist. Find it at thespruceeats.com/gingerbread-house-dough-recipe-1136139.

Solidly assembled gingerbread houses await icing and candy decorations. Built a day in advance of decorating, the royal icing that secures gingerbread walls will have time to harden.

In choosing your design, there are oodles of free/printable templates online, as well as silicone molds that can be purchased to help create neat, square pieces. Often, a ruler and sharp paring knife will do well. Detail can be sculpted in the unbaked gingerbread with a tapered spatula or knife for textured detail, such as scalloped siding, shingles or bricks. 

When pre-cutting doors and windows in the walls, consider leaving the cutouts in place during the bake to hold the shape of each opening (they’ll need to be recut after or even mid-baking while still hot). Removing door and window pieces while baking makes for curved, less-precise edges out of the oven, which can also be desirable. A Microplane or hand grater can later be used to smooth edges. 

Stained Glass Windows

For hardcore gingerbread house builders, hard candy can be melted to create beautiful “stained glass” windows. After the gingerbread is baked and windows are removed, place a piece of hard candy in each opening on a baking sheet, bake at 350 degrees for an additional 15 minutes or until the candy is fully melted. 

Using a double-boiler method, similarly colored candy can also be melted in a bowl set in boiling water. When liquified, a toothpick can push the candy to the edges of window openings, filling any gaps. Let rest until completely cool and the candy has fully hardened.

Piping skills come in handy for creating iced patterns for simple yet elegant designs.

Icing

Icing is used as the mortar to build the house structure and to bond candy to gingerbread, so it needs to dry and harden. Royal icing is a definitive choice. To make it, combine 1 pound of sifted confectioners’ sugar, about 1/2 cup or 3-4 egg whites at room temperature and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar. It will take upwards of 10 minutes of mixing until the icing forms stiff peaks. Don’t overdo it – overworked icing will crack and weaken when it dries. If you have a stand mixer, now is the time to use it. When finished, keep the icing covered as it will dry quickly. 

To add color to the icing, separate the desired portions into small bowls and mix in paste food coloring with a toothpick. Just be aware that liquid food coloring can turn the icing soupy and wet and it will not set as nicely.

When it comes to piping the icing, the openings of disposable decorating bags can be cut for varying thicknesses. I discovered firsthand that piping bags can explode, deeming paper towels as essential equipment, so make sure not to cut the opening too narrow or squeeze less-viscus icing too hard. 

If you have a piping bag with an assortment of threaded tips, commonly sold at craft stores, a door opens to creativity. Iced textures adorn your gingerbread house and its surrounding landscape to create eaves of snow, icicles, snowflakes, green wreaths, red bows and intricate patterns. 

Slightly more advanced are fondant and fondant extruders, another creative implementation to elevate colorful, 3D designs.

Candy

Now, for the best part: candy! The magic of any gingerbread house awaits in the rainbow of blissful candy options. As vast as they are sweet, try not to eat them all during construction! A diverse selection of candy with different colors, sizes, shapes and textures guarantees personality; a creative fantasy will emerge with every design. 

For those of you still clinging to leftover Halloween candy that’s now bordering on stale, you might consider taking a more Hansel and Gretel approach. Elements such as licorice and candy corn could create a gingerbread house worthy of Jack Skellington, the stop-motion character from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

If your family is going to do the work of baking one gingerbread house, you might as well bake a few and look for candy in bulk. Grocery stores such as Stauffers have many options in their bulk food and candy aisles. Other sources include Candy*ology and Wilbur Chocolate’s retail store (both in Lititz), as well as Miesse Candies & Ice Cream and Sweetish Candy (both in Lancaster). A bit further afield, IKEA has a curious selection of candy at its Swedish Food Market.

Colorful Competition

During construction, as candy supplies dwindle, particularly of those precious-few pieces having the precise shape and color you need to complete your gingerbread masterpiece, bartering ensues. 

The Husted family’s colorful confectionery creations at The Baker’s Table.

“I wasn’t expecting it to become a competition but when it appeared that everyone was trying to make the most unique version they could of a traditional gingerbread house, it took our enjoyment to another level of fun,” says Linda. “As an activity, we decided to continue the gingerbread competition and have each person present their gingerbread house to the family with an explanation of their design. This became a funny sales-type pitch to win individual family members over and vote for the best gingerbread house.” 

When asked about the fate of their cozy gingerbread village, Linda reports, “Our gingerbread houses were displayed in the dining room when we took them home. We continued to nibble at them as we passed by them each day!”

My own gingerbread house met a similar fate. 

 

Keep on Rollin’

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When December approaches, hundreds of railroads – in almost every state in the country – dust off the cobwebs, blow the leaves off the tracks and welcome the tidings of the holiday season with themed rides and excursions. Pennsylvania offers “the most prolific collection of railroad attractions throughout the country” cites the train enthusiast entity American-Rails.com. Fortunately, Lancaster and neighboring counties have many options that have not been derailed this holiday season.

Trains became synonymous with Christmas during the Golden Age of railroading – late 1800s to post-WWI – when rail-riding families traveled home for the holidays. But, alas, the industry declined and railroads as a primary means of transportation were replaced by highways and skyways. 

The model train under the Christmas tree became a popular reminder of Christmas past, as have movies that excite the imaginative connection between the holiday spirit and the train. In Lancaster, we’re also fortunate to have The Choo Choo Barn, The National Toy Train Museum and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, which celebrate trains both large and small. 

Santa has been riding the rails at the Strasburg Rail Road for the past 60-plus years. This year he will be adding a mask to his trademark attire. Photo courtesy of Strasburg Rail Road.

Riding the Rails with Santa in Strasburg 

The nostalgia lives on through the themed events that are held at the Strasburg Rail Road, which is regarded as America’s oldest operating railroad. “Celebrating the magic of Christmas has been a tradition for more than 60 years at Strasburg Rail Road,” says Tony Gebbia, president of the popular attraction for both tourists and locals. “The tradition continues this year with added safety measures, including Santa wearing a mask, too, social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols aboard the trains and on our property.”

Beyond a masked Santa, the departure schedule is modified to allow for a designated cleaning and sanitizing time between trips. The capacity of each train car has been reduced by 50%, meaning no more than 34 people will be on any given car. Carolers and musicians, who normally stroll about the cars, are instead singing and performing outside in the mall area near the station. Safety is at the forefront of operations this year, Tony explains. His mission is to allow guests to enjoy four unique experiences in the safest way possible.

Santa’s Paradise Express, which runs through December 24, sees Santa Claus – who afterwards must get back to work at the North Pole – welcome passengers of all ages for a “truly magical steam train and Christmas experience.” The jolly old soul greets families onboard the 45-minute ride through the countryside and back and presents children ages 11 and under with special gifts. 

Santa’s Christmas Trolley (through December 23) is a bit more exclusive, as passengers young and old board the historic LO&S Motorcar for a visit with Old St. Nick; built in 1915, this Lancaster, Oxford & Southern railcar is one-of-a-kind. For this ride, children are able to meet with Santa individually during a 45-minute ride to Paradise and back. 

The Night Before Christmas Train (through December 22) recreates the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve. A performer in Victorian garb reads aloud the classic Clement Clarke Moore poem as the train rolls down the tracks. Passengers are treated to milk and cookies (because those snacks should not only be for Santa). 

If you haven’t already been aboard or made reservations for the Christmas Tree Train – described as Strasburg’s “Currier and Ives Christmas experience” – as it rambles to Leaman Place Grove and back toting pre-cut Fraser fir trees, then you probably need to plan ahead to next November. It ends December 4-5.

For dates, times, etc., visit strasburgrailroad.com.  

A Victorian Christmas in Jim Thorpe 

The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad resumed its scenic trips between Reading and Jim Thorpe in time for viewing fall color and plans to continue them through the holiday season. Photo by Seth Dochter.

Speaking of trees, this fall the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad (RBM&NR) restarted scenic trips to Jim Thorpe via Rail Diesel Cars. The trips allow shoppers and sightseers three hours at the popular destination before making the return trip to Reading Outer Station. (While the town’s annual Olde Time Christmas Weekends festival has been canceled for 2020, homes/buildings will be decorated and shops will be open.) 

The Jim Thorpe expeditions receive high praise from travelers, which is a good thing for a conductor hoping to stay on Santa’s “nice” list. Santa usually visits a handful of communities along the Reading & Northern line by means of a steam locomotive. The Santa Claus Specials are usually sold out in advance – even before social distanced seating became the norm on all railroads.

Something to think about for spring: from Jim Thorpe, the RBM&NR runs a special Lehigh Gorge Train through Lehigh Gorge State Park. The 16-mile (round-trip), narrated excursion winds along the Lehigh River, rounding curve after curve until reaching Old Penn Haven. The Lehigh Gorge line runs an open-air car, a circa-1932 standard coach, a gondola car and a 6-person caboose – that’s where I want to ride!

For dates, times, etc., visit rbmnrr-passenger.com. 

Hot Chocolate With Santa and an Elf in Kutztown 

The Allentown & Auburn Railroad, which departs from Kutztown, will be hosting Hot Chocolate with Santa events on weekends through Christmas. Photo courtesy of Allentown & Auburn Railroad.

The Allentown & Auburn Railroad, departing from Kutztown, will once again be running its Hot Chocolate with Santa trains every weekend until Christmas. This year, the sought-after tickets will be a bit harder to come by as seating capacity has been reduced to keep in line with COVID-19 sanitation and social-distancing standards. All railroad personnel wear face masks and each car is sanitized between runs.

The Elf Express will return on Saturday, December 5, in conjunction with Christmas in Kutztown activities. This one-day-only event is inspired by the popular The Elf on a Shelf and is a short run to Topton and back. The ride lasts about an hour aboard the Pennsylvania Doodlebug. (A Doodlebug is a self-propelled railcar used on smaller passenger-volume lines in the early 1900s.)

“We are trying to keep some kind of magic,” said railroad president Mike Bast before the first Elf Express run in 2019. “This is something new and different for us. Kind of like The Elf on the Shelf, except this is elf on a train.”

For dates, times, etc., visit allentownandauburnrailroad.com.

A Pajama Party in Boyertown

One of the area’s quaintest railroads, Colebrookdale Railroad in Berks County, offers two themed trains: Santa’s Polar Bear Express and ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Departing from the Boyertown station, Colebrookdale’s 8.6-mile route travels through the Secret Valley, home to unique geological formations filled with Native American lore.

Holiday events sell out quickly, says Director of Marketing Frank Buttaro, who has seen their popularity grow every year. This year, the holiday excursions have been reimagined “to be both virus-conscious and kid-approved.” Santa will be perched on an open-air car where children can visit and hand him their Christmas lists.

“We encourage families to come to the ’Twas the Night Before Christmas train in their pajamas, and frequently they do,” says Frank. The big kids will marvel at the trains themselves. Colebrookdale runs luxurious cars “restored to the golden age of railroading.”

For dates, times, etc., visit colebrookdalerailroad.com. 

Lancaster City’s Culliton Park Receives an Artful Renewal

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Southwest Lancaster’s Culliton Park (formerly Farnum Park) has been the home of many community art projects that have culminated in the newly renovated public space on Water Street. The new park, which will be unveiled with a ribbon cutting November 20 at 2 p.m., includes artful installations, play and sport areas, a rain garden, as well as a freshly muraled pavilion.

Photo by Michelle Johnsen

Be Like Water

The new mural, entitled Be Like Water, rendered on the exterior walls of the park’s pavilion, draws inspiration from many sources – most of all the park’s neighbors. Even through the constant challenges of a pandemic, artist Salina Almanzar was able to find ways to stay true to her community-based approach to public art (read our article on her previous work here). The mural includes renderings of the hands of Sandy Drakeford and Marie King-Linares, community elders, as they reach down to plant seeds. Neighbors were also invited to contribute their drawings of local flowers and plants, which Almanzar is in the process of incorporating into the mural as a finishing touch.

The artwork also hits on our community’s histories as well as the current obstacles we face with COVID-19. “[Be Like Water] honors what was lost through colonization of indigenous lands and the resilience of historically marginalized peoples as they behave like water: adapting and transforming their environments,” said Almanzar of her work.

Photo by Michelle Johnsen

The Space

Structural artist Mathew Geller, selected by the park’s neighbors, has been connecting with the local SoWe community and collaborating with RGS landscape architects to renovate the grounds of the park since 2018. Geller, in conjunction with Shrock Fabrication, created a unique fencing installation around the new playground section by incorporating upcycled scrap and parts in a wavy formation that invokes a sense of motion.

Geller also contributed unique spaces where people can come together while still maintaining social distancing, including a circular bench, extra-long picnic tables and tables for playing dominoes, which is a popular game in the neighborhood.

Photo by Sarah Code Kroll

The Process

Though the construction of the park took nine months, the city’s planning for the space began in 2017. In their efforts to create a park that best serves the folks in the neighborhood it inhabits, the city invested in sharing ideas and exchanging input and feedback with the SoWe neighborhood group as they developed their plans. Those efforts included commissioning Salina Almanzar to host Art Pop events in 2018 and 2019. Art Pop invited the community to participate in creating temporary art installations and to have conversations about the new park’s possibilities prior to its renovation. Those conversations contributed directly to the planning and execution of the new park on the whole. Art Pop also led to Almanzar’s award-winning mural in 2019, which is located on the side of the Water Street Mission building that faces Culliton Park.

Photo by Michelle Johnsen

For more information on Culliton Park, visit lancasterpublicart.com.

For more of Salina Almanzar’s work, visit salinaalmanzarart.com.

For more of Matthew Geller’s work, visit matthewgeller.com.

 

https://youtu.be/4HcYSZbPbK0

Prehistoric Conifers

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At this time of year, when I hear of 6-year-olds telling Santa they’d like to find T-rex action figures under their holiday trees, I’m reminded that there are different types of conifers in existence that predate even the dinosaurs.  

You read that correctly. There were conifers on the planet even before the first flowering plants appeared. (Those would be magnolias, since you asked.) And, they definitely don’t look like the familiar conifers – pines, spruces and firs – that deck the halls around Lancaster County at this time of the year. Unlike those evergreens, prehistoric trees don’t have “needles” and they are deciduous, in that they drop their leaves after a fall color display just like your maple shade tree does. They also display other seasonal changes in the garden, including interesting winter silhouettes and fresh spring growth.

The leaves of the ginkgo are fan-shaped with a central notch. The cultivar seen here is ‘Variegata.’

Maidenhair tree Ginkgo biloba  

According to fossil records, ginkgos, which are native to China, have been growing on the planet for over 200 million years. That means they actually preceded the dinosaurs. 

It’s Resilient …

The ginkgo (pronounced GINK-o) remains one of the toughest and most adaptable trees in the landscape. They can be grown throughout most of the U.S. They do best in full sun and are not fussy about soil types (they’ll tolerate salty but don’t like very wet conditions). They are free of pests and diseases. Their toleration of air pollution makes them great street trees (but they should not be put under power lines). In fact, some were noted to have survived the atomic radiation in Hiroshima.  

It is rather spare looking in youth but becomes wide-spreading as it grows slowly to reach 50 feet or taller. They can live 1,000 years or more.

The ginkgo’s fall color is dazzling.

It’s Distinctive …

The common name refers to the resemblance of the leaf outline to the shape of the maidenhair fern. The leaves are fan-shaped with a deep central notch, creating two lobes. Very fine parallel veins radiate from the base of the leaves, which are clustered in groups on stubby spurs. 

The buds emerge mint-green in spring and are apple-green in summer. They appear to swing in the slightest breeze. A notable feature is the fall color, which is a dazzling, saturated and uniformly yellow. Typically, the leaves drop from the tree all at once – often overnight – forming a circular carpet under it. Quite a sight! 

Leaves drop from a ginkgo in one swoop.

The bark is thick and gray-black in color with shallow fissures. 

Most woody plants have both sexes on the same plant. However, ginkgos are dioecious, meaning there are “male” and “female” plants, just like hollies. With hollies, one wants to grow the females, which display the colorful red berries (though botanically they are drupes, not berries), with just one male in the group for pollination.

However, just the opposite is true with ginkgos. It is very important to plant only male trees. Females produce fleshy fruit the size of a grape with an outer nasty-smelling (in truth, putrid) pulp enclosing a single seed often called a ‘nut.’ They fall to the ground in autumn and are considered by owners as the ultimate landscape nuisance. (It takes decades for ginkgos to begin producing the stinking droppings, thus taking some time before owners are unhappy to learn they have a female tree.) 

It is likely that your local fine nursery will carry only certified male cultivars. A good one is ‘Princeton Sentry.’ For a small garden, ‘Jade Butterflies’ and ‘Mariken’ are more suitable.

It’s Inspiring … 

Ginkgo is regarded as a sacred tree in Asia. It is a symbol of changelessness, hope, love, protection and longevity. The topknots worn by samurais and sumo wrestlers are shaped like a ginkgo leaf. The leaf pattern of ginkgo is often found in jewelry, art and ceramics. The wood of the ginkgo is of little economic value but is often used to make tea utensils and chessmen.

A ginkgo stands out against a backdrop of evergreens.

Ginkgo “nuts” – the edible seeds found inside the fruit of the trees – are eaten in some Asian cultures. The seeds are steamed until the shell cracks and then the kernel is removed and eaten or used in baked dishes. They are said to taste like baked potatoes or chestnuts. Roasted seeds are considered a delicacy and are often served at special events like weddings.

While supplements of ginkgo are sold in herb outlets, alleging benefits for improving brain function and memory, there is no convincing scientific evidence for this.

The dawn redwood’s leaves are soft and lacy and, in the case of the cultivar ‘Ogon,’ golden in color.

Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Dawn redwoods are not quite as old, probably dating back only 100 million years, according to fossil records. They were thought to be extinct until living specimens were discovered in 1941 in central China. Seeds collected by a group from Boston’s Arnold Arboretum were collected and distributed to all the major botanical gardens. Specimens from that original seed distribution are growing at Longwood Gardens in Chester County and the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. 

A Rediscovery…

Since its rediscovery, the dawn redwood has become widely used in home landscapes and is available at most nurseries.

This is a large and vigorous tree. It grows up to 4 feet a year, eventually reaching to 100 feet in height and 25 feet in diameter with a pyramidal shape. It will attain 40 to 50 feet in cultivation in fewer than 20 years. The broad conical habit is very orderly and uniform with a sharply pointed top on a central single stem. 

The fern-like, oppositely spaced compound leaves are soft and lacy. They are bright-green when they first emerge and become a shade darker during the growing season. The conspicuous autumn color changes from a yellow-brown to pink, even apricot, and then a copper-brown. It has a very distinctive winter habit when dressed with snow.

The bark is orange to russet-brown and becomes fissured with age and peels in long strips. The sometimes massive trunks are buttressed and fluted at the base. Children call it the “armpit” tree.

Buttressed trunks are one of the dawn redwood’s unique ornamental features.

It’s Not Finicky …

Very hardy and heat tolerant, they do prefer reliable moisture. I have several growing in areas that are very wet, even boggy, during the spring. Nevertheless, they will grow on dry sites once established. 

Like the ginkgo, the dawn redwood will accept pollution and urban conditions and are also pest- and disease-free. Although commonly called dawn redwood, Metasequoia is more cold-hardy than the western evergreen redwoods.

A dusting of snow makes the dawn redwood a picture-perfect choice for the winter landscape.

A really nice selection is the slower-growing golden dawn redwood, ‘Ogon.’ The spring foliage is a bright-yellow and remains greenish-yellow throughout the season. This cultivar does best with afternoon shade. It is sometimes listed as ‘Gold Rush.’

If you have the space, plant a dawn redwood, pull up a chair and watch it grow.

New mural in Lancaster city brings awareness to homeless women

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Following this year’s Extraordinary Give, there will be a new mural beautifying the streets of Lancaster city. In conjunction with the Nov. 20 event, artist Maria Tomassetti will be painting the mural at Hillrise Apartments as part of Revolution Lancaster’s ExtraGive fundraising efforts.

“Grow with what you got!” – @m_ssetti We’re here documenting the mural process. Photos by @jeremyhess_ of @premisestudio

Posted by revolution.lancaster on Friday, November 20, 2020

 

The theme of the mural is “Revolution of the Heart” and depicts a woman’s heart transforming from stone into a bouquet of colorful flowers. PPG Paints donated the paint and supplies.

“Revolution Lancaster appealed to Hillrise Mutual Housing Board of Directors and Management in that they are giving needed hope and purpose to the homeless women here in Lancaster,” says John Suarez of Hillrise Apartments in southeastern Lancaster. “We at Hillrise are here to provide housing to low-income families and this is an activity that we are proud to be in partnership with.”

Revolution Lancaster offers transitional employment through jewelry making to local women experiencing homelessness, specifically those in temporary housing at Water Street Mission or YWCA Lancaster. Workshops are held every week where Revolution’s makers handcraft jewelry that is sold at local retailers and online. Each participant typically leaves the workshop with between $10-$40 in cash. Childcare is provided during workshops; sometimes, this is the only opportunity the women get time for themselves in any given week.

Although most of the women in Revolution’s programs are experiencing homelessness, there are other barriers that hinder a woman from returning to the workplace like abuse, trauma, disability and mental health. Suarez says he is excited about the awareness the mural will bring to the issues affecting homeless women in Lancaster.

In view of the increase of those who have lost their homes this year, Revolution Lancaster is aiming to raise $30,000 during ExtraGive this year. This money will allow Revolution to train more women from local homeless shelters to create meaningful jewelry, which, in turn, helps the women gain confidence and hope for their future while building connections within their community.

Donate to Revolution Lancaster’s ExtraGive campaign here or shop their jewelry collection here. For continued updates on the mural’s progress, visit their Facebook and Instagram.

Let these local restaurants handle the cooking this Thanksgiving

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As we head into the colder months, health officials across the country continue to warn about an uptick in COVID-19 cases. This is especially concerning as we approach the holiday season, which is normally a time for family gatherings, quality time and shared meals.

This Thanksgiving is already shaping up to be an interesting one. The beloved Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which normally draws around 3.5 million people to the streets of Manhattan, will not allow any spectators this year. Big retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy are closing their doors on Thursday to prevent early Black Friday crowds.

Dr. Anthony Fauci told CBS Evening News that big Thanksgiving gatherings should be avoided this year. He said his own children, who live in three different states, will not be coming home this year in an effort to help protect his health.

Dr. Fauci advised Americans to evaluate the status of cases across the country and to consider members of the family that may be at risk due to their age or an underlying condition.

In Pennsylvania, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine is recommending residents keep their Thanksgiving celebrations to just those in their household. “That’s a tremendous sacrifice that we’re asking people to make, but it is absolutely necessary at this challenging time,” she said in late October.

If the weather is bearable, you could do an outdoor Thanksgiving gathering (Lancaster County Magazine explored the idea of a scaled-down, outdoor meal back in 2006).

Regardless of how you end up celebrating, local restaurants across the county are taking orders for Thanksgiving feasts. If you rather leave the cooking – and dishes – to someone else, support one of these local restaurants.

 

John Wright Restaurant is offering 4-person and 8-person dinners for pickup on Wednesday, November 25, from 3-6 p.m. The meal includes roast turkey, all of the fixings and pumpkin pie. Orders must be placed and paid in full by November 20. Call 717-252-1103 to order.

 

Hess’s BBQ & Catering has a take-out holiday menu. Choose two meats, three salads and two hot sides from their holiday menu for $18.65 per person. The meal also includes rolls, desserts, beverages and tableware. Call 717-464-3374 to order.

 

Eat in-person or order take-out from The Log Cabin Restaurant. Visit from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to dine from their special Thanksgiving menu. For take-out, choose from their various-sized turkeys and sides, including stuffing, yams, Brussels sprouts, autumn vegetables and more. To order, contact Peg Bragg at 717-626-9999 or mbragg@logcabin1933.com. Orders must be placed three days before Thanksgiving.

 

Cork and Cap Restaurant will also be hosting a dine-in Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will also have a take-out option. Order your “Turkey To Go” before 9 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, for pickup on November 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 717-735-2025 to order or reserve your table.

 

Cameron Estate Inn & Restaurant will host a Thanksgiving brunch and dinner. Brunch will begin at noon and their last seating for dinner will be at 5 p.m. The dinner includes a four-course meal with the choice between four different entrées. Be sure to make a reservation by calling 717-492-0111.

 

Lititz Family Cupboard Restaurant & Buffet is offering a family-style Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meals are priced at $23.99 for adults and $11.99 for children under the age of 11. Seating is limited so be sure to make a reservation by calling 717-626-9102. Take-out is also available.

 

Join The Fireside Tavern for a Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu is also available for take-out; they will take orders from November 5-20. For in-person dining, be sure to make a reservation by calling 717-687-7979 ext. 1.

 

Lititz Springs Inn & Spa will be hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner buffet. Tables will be spread across their ballroom, dining room and Bulls Head Public House to ensure social distancing. The buffet includes dinner and dessert. Meals are priced at $38.95 for adults and $12.95 for children. To reserve your table, call 717-626-2115.

 

Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord is offering Family Meal Packs for take-out. Order online and pick up your meal pack on Wednesday, November 25 (11 a.m.-7 p.m.) or Thursday, November 26 (11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.). Their smorgasbord will also be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Call 717-768-1500 to make a reservation.

 

Shady Maple Smorgasbord will also have Thanksgiving meals to go. The meals are $12.99 per person and include turkey, filling, mashed potatoes, vegetable, roll, cranberry relish and a choice of pie. Pickup will be from November 23-25 (11 a.m.-8 p.m.). To order, call 717-354-8222 ext. 698 or visit their customer service desk.

 

Iron Hill Brewery is offering a take-out meal for families of four for $50. Place your order by Saturday, November 21 and pick it up on Wednesday, November 25. Then, just warm and serve. Call 717-291-9800 to place your order.

 

Oregon Dairy’s Family Dinner Packages are available to take home and reheat. Order online here and choose a time slot to pick up your dinner packages from their grocery store.

 

The Greenfield Restaurant will be open for Thanksgiving from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They will be serving a special, a la carte menu, which they will announce in the coming weeks. They will also offer take-out. Make your reservation at 717-393-0668.

 

Let Wegmans do most of the cooking this year with their take-out Thanksgiving dinners. The food comes chilled with heating instructions provided. Choose from their menu of fully cooked turkeys, sides, appetizers, desserts and more while supplies last. Place your order online no later than noon on November 24. You can also call the Lancaster location at 717-358-9445. Meals will be available for pickup between November 21-26.

 

Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn is offering breakfast, a family-style Thanksgiving dinner and their smorgasbord. Reservations are required. Call 717-687-8635 ext. 716 to make a reservation.

 

Decades has a special Thanksgiving menu, with vegan options available. Order through Friday, November 20 by filling out this form. Once you place your order, they will follow up with you about payment details and pickup times. Pickup days include November 25 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and November 26 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

 

If you are looking to spoil your dog this Thanksgiving, order a holiday meal from Basset & Lab. The dinners include a Waldorf salad, roasted turkey and gravy, whole grain cranberry stuffing balls, cauliflower mashed potatoes, maple-glazed carrots, pumpkin pie and two cookies. The meals are $16.99 each. To order, call 717-288-1200 or email info@bassetandlab.com. They will be taking orders until November 18. Pick up your order on November 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

Where to get dessert

The Bake Shoppe at Country Table

Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Café

Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop

Pies Galore & More

Zig’s Bakery

Good ‘N Plenty (Be sure to order at least two days before Thanksgiving.)

Byers Butterflake Bakery

 

Click here to see United Way of Lancaster County’s list of free Thanksgiving meals.

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