AroundMainLine.com - The Philadelphia Region's First Online Main Line Magazine » Devon

AroundMainLine.com 2011: The Year in Review!

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:53:48 +0000

Photos courtesy of Weld Photogtraphy and Betsy Barron Photography

“Thank you to everyone who made 2011 a very exciting and memorable year for AroundMainLine.com! I cannot wait to share the amazing projects we have in store for 2012 with all of you.” Sarah Lockard, AroundMainLine.com CEO and Publisher

2011 certainly was a memorable and very exciting year for AroundMainLine.com and our wonderful team. Where to begin? So many incredible memories, fantastic clients, events, parties and more to reflect upon…

First and foremost, I want to thank our outstanding social media audience of over 3,700 Facebook fans and over 5,100 Twitter followers. AML’s Twitter account is among the 10% most popular in the world now—and for me personally its been an exciting way to connect with thousands of new people weekly.

MAIN LINE RESTAURANT WEEK

2011 was the first year that we produced two regional Main Line Restaurant Weeks. Both the Spring and Fall events were phenomenally successful and drove thousands of new patrons to our wonderful participants. Our staff photographers of Courtney Apple, Betsy Barron, Weld Photography and Perretti Photography worked tirelessly to capture the incredible culture and cuisine that the western burbs have to offer. I am proud of the direction Main Line Restaurant Week is headed and we are in the fun planning stages for Spring Main Line Restaurant Week which will return Monday, April 23rd through Sunday, April 29th.

Over the last year we have been getting lots of requests from our Main Line Restaurant Week participants to add lunch to the dining experience. Ask.and you shall receive. Spring 2012 Main Line Restaurant Week will not only offer exciting values on prix-fixe dinners, but you can dine out during the day and enjoy a special lunch value as well. Dinner AND lunch all week long for Spring 2012 MLRW—now that’s great news for all our AML foodies!

A YEAR OF EXCITING EVENTS

AML was incredibly privileged and honored to partner with our new friends at QVC to host an inaugural event “AroundMainLine.com’s Holiday Shopping Night at Studio Park” on December 7th.

2011 also brought our first ever AroundMainLine.com Oktoberfest with the fine folks of Wegmans Pub in Collegeville as our host. It featured the region’s top breweries paired with the fantastic food Wegmans offers and was a HUGE success. Look for the second annual AML Oktoberfest coming to the burbs in the new year!

Wednesday Night Whinos, Philadelphia’s most popular ladies social club, continued to grow this past year as we hosted regular shopping and dining events around the western suburbs. One of the main reasons Whinos has been so popular is that, unlike other networking groups or business associations, Whinos is completely free to attend with no membership fees or obligations. Whinos first fun party in the new year will be Wednesday, January 11th from 6pm to 8pm at the Main Line’s hottest new restaurant, Ella’s American Bistro in Wayne!

In addition, I was incredibly privileged and honored to partner with our new friends at QVC to host an inaugural event “AroundMainLine.com’s Holiday Shopping Night at Studio Park.” Despite an evening of torrential pouring rain, wind and very cold temperatures, over 300 locals joined us December 7th at QVC’s very cool Studio Park store located at their West Chester headquarters. It was such a joy to work with the team at QVC and we are already working on additional AML/QVC event ideas…so stay tuned!

SPECIAL THANKS

I want to give special thanks to all the AML clients I had the privilege of working with this year. I am very grateful for your outstanding support.

In closing, AML would not be possible without the following VIPS who I want to highlight below.

Courtney Apple: Courtney’s incredible photos graced the pages of AML, our Facebook page and MainLineRestaurantWeek.com. Courtney’s talent is something very special and she also happens to be one of the most down-to-earth humble artists I know. I feel especially honored to work with Courtney and her creativity and artistic vision is so inspiring. You can also find many of Court’s fine work regularly in Philadelphia Magazine.

Betsy Barron: Betsy joined AML in March as a staff photographer and has been a fireball of energy, passion and friendship. Betsy’s photography business is thriving and I am excited to see what the new year brings this very special person I am proud to know and call friend.

Jessica and Bradley Weld: A recent addition to the AML photo family and a husband and wife team based in Media, PA, the Welds have become fast friends and AML regulars covering many of our recent events, especially our exciting first ever AML Holiday Party at Harvest Seasonal Grill in Glen Mills, PA last week. Jessica and Bradley consistently produce outstanding images and our clients have given us rave reviews who have worked with them. They are a dynamic duo I adore!

Felicia Perretti: Felicia and I connected via Twitter and after reviewing her breathtaking food photography, I was sold. Felicia and I tackled restaurant shoots for Main Line Restaurant Week and experienced the creepy, haunted walls of Eastern State Penitentiary together-one of my favorite shoots of the year! Look for Felicia and I to take on the Philadelphia dining scene together in 2012…exciting things to come!

ME Photo & Design: New AML photographer Meagan Ebersole is opening a brand new studio in downtown Media in January! In addition, Ebersole is focusing on growing her pet photography business-along with her thriving wedding clientele. Meagan is a joy to work with and recently generously donated her time to cover AroundMainLine.com’s charity event with ‘Give a Dog a Bone’ at Redhound Grille in Paoli.

Vance Bell: Our incredible web designer and one of the smartest, most talented business people I know. To work with Vance is an incredible privilege.

In closing, I wish you and yours a wonderful and blessed holiday season and I look forward to having you continue on the exciting AML journey with us in 2012.

Cheers!
Sarah Lockard
AroundMainLine.com CEO and Publisher

BE SOCIAL WITH AROUNDMAINLINE.COM

Facebook: Join AroundMainLine.com on Facebook.
Twitter: Follow AroundMainLine.com on Twitter.

Want to contact AroundMainLine.com’s Publisher Sarah Lockard directly? Drop me a note.

2011 Holiday Tree Guide

admin — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 23:10:27 +0000

Photos courtesy of Belle Vie Photography

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree…

Linvilla Orchards

137 West Knowlton Road
Media, PA
610-876-7116
Hours: Thru December 23rd
Monday thru Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday & Sunday 9am – 5pm
www.linvillaorchards.com

Cut your own Christmas tree and start your own Linvilla Orchards new, annual family tradition! With over 30,000 trees planted on thirty acres, your family is sure to find the perfect tree at Linvilla. You are provided with a saw and you actually cut the tree down. Staff will then haul it back to the market, wrap it, and secure it to your vehicle. If cutting your own tree is a bit much for you, there are plenty of pre-cut trees available in the Farm Market. Children can visit with Santa every Saturday and Sunday from Noon-3pm through December 24th.

The popular farm is decked head to toe in holiday garb and gorgeous greenery for the season! See their Christmasland display and visit with the animals in their winter coats. Linvilla’s Christmas Shop & Garden Center features wreaths, freshly cut trees, greens & holly, decorations, fruit and gift baskets, Christmas gifts, hot mulled cider & children’s crafts.

There is the final popular Caroling Hayride of the season Saturday, December 17th at 5 pm and 6:30pm where families can enjoy a hayride and then sing carols around the campfire while enjoying yummy apple cider and roasting marshmallows.

Bustard’s Christmas Trees

2210 Bustard Road
Lansdale, PA
610-584-4058
Hours: Open Daily 9am-9pm
www.bustardschristmastrees.com

Bustard’s Christmas Trees has been a family business since 1929. They care about their customers and strive to provide quality service and assistance in selecting the correct tree and greenery for your home. And, if you are not quite sure what greens or decorations you might need, they have knowledgeable staff members to assist you.

Bustard’s specialize in large trees and offer: Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Blue Spruce, Concolor Fir, Balsam Fir and Canaan Fir.

To insure the freshest trees, Bustard’s cuts throughout the holiday season. And, they offer free yummy hot chocolate on the weekends!

ShadyBrook Farm

931 Stony Hill Road
Yardley, PA
215-968-1670
Hours: 5-9pm
www.shadybrookfarm.com

Christmas trees have arrived at Yardley’s ShadyBrook Farm. They also have a huge selection of fresh wreaths, swags, and other greenery. You can find everything you need for a perfect holiday season! While at ShadyBrook, experience the magic of millions of lights illuminating acres of farmland during their popular Holiday Light Show with whimsical holiday displays and familiar characters. Drive through in the comfort of your own car or enjoy the show on a moonlit hayride.

In addition, ShadyBrook offers horse-drawn evening hayrides daily through December 30th (except 12/24 & 25) 5PM-9PM – $12/person. Please call 215-968-1670 for reservations. Private horse-drawn carriage rides are available as well. See their website for full details.

Last but not least, visit Santa’s Village where kids can tell Santa all of their Christmas wishes and have their picture taken. Then take a stroll through ShadyBrook’s Farm Market. They have everything you need for a great holiday!

Varner's country-chic Wreath Shoppe is filled with hundreds of adorable ornaments, wreathes, roping, holly, greens, swags and mistletoe!

Varner’s Farms

746 South Trappe Road
Collegeville, PA
610-489-8878
Hours: Christmas Tree Harvest thru December 23rd
Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm;
Closed Sundays
*Choose-n-cut fields close at 4:30 daily
Closed December 23rd at 4:30pm
www.varnerfarms.net

Varner’s Farms in Collegeville has a beautiful selection of Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, and White Pine this season. On Mondays thru Saturdays, along with tractor wagons, visitors can enjoy teams of Belgian Draft horses to take them to cut their own Christmas tree-weather permitting. Varner’s also has fresh cut trees available everyday. The fresh cut trees are harvested once a week throughout the season.
Varner’s country-chic Wreath Shoppe is filled with hundreds of adorable ornaments, wreathes, roping, holly, greens, swags and mistletoe. Don’t forget to see the new look in the train shoppe. Families and visitors can warm up and enjoy a complimentary cup of hot chocolate or hot cider, as they listen to Christmas Carols and choose the perfect tree.

Varner’s will have a Live Nativity Saturday, December 19th at 6:00pm and 7:00pm. Refreshments will be served and they will offer a special time of fellowship afterwards.

The farm will close on Friday, December 23rd at 4:30pm for the season and will reopen the Wednesday after Labor Day.

Wiggins Christmas Trees

1301 West Chester Pike
West Chester, PA
610-344-7822
Hours: Open Daily 9am-9pm
wigginschristmastrees.com

Wiggins Christmas Trees has been family owned and operated since 1972. All Christmas trees are proudly grown in Chester County. Table top trees start at $19.95. Wiggins Precut lot is a full service operation.

Customer just needs to select a tree(s).

Choose from thousands of trees
Trees are cut as needed on a weekly basis
Individually priced at reasonable prices
6′-10′ Douglas Fir – cut from our farms
6′-10′ Fraser Fir – grown in Pennsylvania
Balled Trees – individually priced

Or, customers can visit one of Wiggins’ Tree Farms and cut their own tree.
See Wiggins’ website for further details.

An annual beloved tradition at Merrymead is the Live Nativity with narration and song presented by a local church the weekend before Christmas. There will be two shows on Saturday, December 19th 6:30pm and 8:00pm and one show on Sunday, December 20th 6:30pm. The Live Nativity setting takes place outside, so be sure to dress warm!

Merrymead Farms

2222 Valley Forge Road
Lansdale, PA
610-584-4410
Hours: Mon – Sat: 8:00am-9:00pm
Sun: 10:00am-9:00pm
www.merrymead.com

Looking for the perfect fresh cut Christmas tree? Merrymead provides beautiful fresh cut local fir trees – Douglas, Fraser, and Concolor Fir. All their trees can be drilled for the Stand Straight tree stand.
They will shake, bale, and load your tree – all you have to do is pick out your favorite one! Their holly house is filled with a variety of wreathes – Balsam, Douglas Fir, Mixed Noble Fir, and Fraser Fir. Rolls of white pine roping and a mixture of swags, greens, door charms, cemetery sprays and holly are perfect for the Christmas season.

Buzz: Dressage at Devon Returns!

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:19:06 +0000

Dressage at Devon photos courtesy of Betsy Barron Photography

Dressage at Devon attracts more than 700 horses and 35,000 spectators each year over the six-day event.

The annual International Dressage at Devon Horse Show combines world-class dressage competition and the largest dressage/sport horse breed show outside of Europe with international Fall Festival shops, an array of food and the Ladies’ Day Hat Contest. Dressage at Devon will take place from Tuesday, September 27th through Sunday, October 2nd at the Devon Horse Show Grounds.

Dressage at Devon has been the premier North American Equestrian event since its founding by the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association in 1975, and became a separate organization in 2006. It combines world class dressage competition and the world’s largest open breed show with the international Fall Festival show and special activities for the entire family. The six-day event attracts more than 700 horses and 35,000 spectators each year.

This year an exhibition from the Australian horse whisperer Guy McLean promises to draw a large audience. The self-taught Australian has entertained, inspired and educated thousands worldwide in his horsemanship abilities. He is on tour for the first time in the USA with his team of four horses: Hope, Sequel, Pride and Spinnaby.

The Performance Division, which rounds out the week from September 29th to October 2nd, offers spectators the opportunity to see top riders from North and South America and Europe. The horses and riders are judged on their mastery of dressage training and the classes help qualify riders for events like the Olympics, Pan American Games and the World Championships. Locals will have the opportunity to cheer on breeders from Philadelphia and surrounding areas.

Dozens of shops are participating in Dressage at Devon-including Wayne’s popular Blue Horse Boutique!

But Dressage at Devon isn’t all about horses. With the recent interest in hats sparked by the royal wedding in England, the annual Ladies’ Day Hat Contest promises to be bigger and better than ever. Creative entries in the past have included hats adorned with everything from martini glasses to the occasional decorative squirrel. Fascinators are also expected this year!

Sponsored by Feather in Your Cap, The Ladies’ Day Hat Contest will take place on Friday, September 30th at 3pm. All ladies in fancy hats will be admitted to the show at no charge.

Of course, there are also refreshments. “Mimosas on the Midway,” an all-you-can-eat brunch, on Sunday, October 2nd from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Centerline Café, is often the focus of a relaxing day out. Spectators interested in something a little more casual can sample ice cream, funnel cakes, soups, sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, fries, micro-brews and wine and cheese.

Dressage at Devon tickets are $10 for general admission. Children under 12 are admitted free. Reserved seating is $25 on Friday, $35 on Saturday and $10 on Sunday and is available online at www.dressageatdevon.org. General admission is available at the door.

About Dressage at Devon

Dressage at Devon, a 501(c) (3) PA non-profit organization, benefits Thorncroft Therapeutic Horseback Riding Inc., the oldest and largest therapeutic riding program in the nation. Since 1991, Dressage at Devon has raised in excess of $1,000,000 for Thorncroft.

Buzz: Ladies Hat Contest at the Devon Horse Show

admin — Sun, 29 May 2011 16:25:49 +0000

Photos courtesy of Brenda Carpenter Photography

Magnificent millinery and fabulous fashion abound at one of Devon’s most popular traditions-the Devon Hat Contest!

Here ye! Here ye! Calling all marvelous Main Line ladies with a love of magnificent millinery! It’s time for the highly anticipated Devon Hat Contest.

Starting at 10am and sponsored by Cartier, the Hat Contest will welcome back celebrity emcee Carson Kressley. It’s part of the annual Ladies Day at Devon celebrations. This year’s fun and fabulous categories: “Mad Hatter”, for those who like to get a little wild and wacky in their choice of headwear; “Magnificent Milliners”, reserved for those in the trade; and “Most Lilly”, for the gal sporting her best Lilly Pulitzer look head to toe.

The event begins with registration at the Pavilion at 10 a.m, followed by a stroll along the promenade route passing the judges. This year’s judges are: Carson Kressley, Your OWN Show and long-time competitor; Lillian Vasquez, The Nate Berkus Show; Carmelita Martell, Carmelita Couture; John Wind, Maximal Art; Caroline O’Halloran; Brenda Waites Boling, Milliner Shops at the Plaza; Ginder Frisia Darcy, and Lisa DiCaprio and Darci Henry of Malvern’s Kiss and Makeup boutique.

For more information, please email jenmcgowan229@gmail.com.

In addition as part of Ladies Day, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the first 100 “Lilly’s” will be entertained by a Fashion Show in the Pavilion sponsored by Lilly Pulitzer!

Devon Hat Contest 2011

When: Wednesday, June 1st 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Where: The Gazebo at the Devon Horse Show

Sponsor: Cartier

Emcee: Carson Kressley of ‘Queer Eye for a Straight Guy’ fame

Where to Shop: Ladies looking for a hat to sport at the contest can find plenty to choose from at Devon’s popular Hats by Katie booth.

Buzz: Anthropologie’s Devon Horse Show Events

admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 15:23:31 +0000

Featured homepage photos courtesy of Belle Vie Photography. Article photo courtesy of Courtney Apple Photography.

Anthropologie’s Cottage is hosting five special shopping events at the Devon Horse Show.
Photo courtesy of Courtney Apple Photography

Anthropologie’s Cottage returns to this week’s 115th celebration of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. One of the Main Line’s most popular boutiques, Anthropologie is hosting five special events starting tonight and wrapping up Thursday evening, June 2nd.

Anthropologie’s Five Days of Celebration at the Devon Horse Show

Thursday, May 26
Devon-Aire Social
Savor wine and cheese with Anthro’s personal shoppers
6 – 9 p.m.

Sunday, May 29
Doggie Appreciation
Fetch your pup for an afternoon with Main Line Animal Rescue
1 – 3 p.m.

Monday, May 30
Shop For A Cause
Come dressed in your Anthropologie best!
10% of day’s proceeds will benefit Thorncroft Therapeutic Horseback Riding Inc.
10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Tuesday, May 31
Children’s Day
Bring your little ones for face painting and fun
3 – 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 2
Devon Grand Prix
Enjoy light fare and live music by local guitarist Scott Wham
7 – 9 p.m.

The 115th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair runs May 26th through June 5th.

Tickets for DHS are available over the phone, 610-688-2554, or via www.devonhorseshow.org.

Gates will open daily at approximately 8:00 a.m. and close at approximately 10:00 p.m. The Country Fair area opens around 10:00 a.m. for the Midway and Shopping. The first Sunday, the gates will open at 11:00 a.m. and the Horse Show classes will start at 1:00 p.m.

General admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and over. Reserved grandstand tickets are available ranging from $12 to $50 depending on the performance.

Buzz: The 115th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair!

admin — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:26:32 +0000

Featured photo and jumping photo courtesy of Courtney Apple Photography. Hat contest photo courtesy of Brenda Carpenter Photography.

Follow the Devon Horse Show on facebook for exciting updates and developing show details!
Photo courtesy of Courtney Apple Photography

The Main Line’s most beloved Spring tradition returns as the 115th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair runs May 26th through June 5th. The Horse Show, or as Main Liners refer to it ‘DHS,’ is the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed competition in the United States.

This year Devon welcomes Wells Fargo as its official presenting sponsor, and Wells Fargo will also serve as the title sponsor of the Grand Prix of Devon, held Thursday, June 2nd. The iconic Wells Fargo Stagecoach will perform in exhibition on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Devon benefits Bryn Mawr Hospital, to which it has donated nearly $14 million in the past four decades.

The show opens with the traditional Junior Weekend, featuring equitation classes on Thursday, with ponies and junior hunter and jumper classes contested Friday and Saturday.

Devon Horse Show 2011 Special Events

Thursday, May 26 – Family Day #1, Sponsored by Hartstrings. Children 12 and under will be admitted to the grounds at no charge. Free children’s raffle with drawings throughout the day! Specials at the fair and midway.
Saturday, May 28th, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Children’s Day. Free General Admission for the first 700 children (12 and under) courtesy of The Cambridge School. Everyone from toddlers to teens can enjoy a variety of activities in the Pavilion. The cost is $4.00 per activity. Meet at the back of the Picnic Grove next to the Pavilion (across from the Garden Café).
Sunday, May 29th, 1:00. Devon Doggie Parade – Free General Admission tickets to the first 300 children (12 and under) courtesy of Braxtons. Show off your pup in two categories; Pup/Human Companion Look Alike, and Devon Doggie Fashionista. Three prizes in each category. First place winners will be invited to parade in the Dixon Oval on Grand Prix evening!
Tuesday, May 31st – Family Day #2. Specials at the fair and midway.

- Sodas: popcorn BOGO, smoothies $1 off, Sodas 2/$3
- Hamburgers: $1/Devon special
- Midway: $2 off wristband
- Tea Cart: $2 off Devon Special & Tea Sandwich sampler

Ladies Day at Devon is on Wednesday, June 1st with the beloved Devon Hat Contest emceed by Carson Kressley.
Photo courtesy of Brenda Carpenter Photography

Tuesday, May 31st, 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. (ongoing). Guided Back Barn Tours. Go “behind-the-scenes” and visit some of the most interesting areas of the Show. Look through a barn, or tour an equine ambulance, all the while learning about Devon and its history. Meet for this walking tour at the back of the Picnic Grove (across from the Garden Café). Free.
Wednesday, June 1st, 10:00am -4:00 p.m. Ladies Day at Devon. Devon Hat Contest (10 -11:30 a.m.) sponsored by Cartier. The event begins with registration at the Pavilion at 10 a.m, followed by a stroll along the promenade route passing the judges.
Sunday, June 5th – Last Day of Country Fair! All flowers and plants used to decorate the Show grounds will be sold at special discount rates in the Dixon Oval. The sale begins at 12:30 p.m. – don’t be late for the best selection.

For more information on any of the following special events please call 610-525-2533.

Tickets for DHS are available over the phone, 610-688-2554, or via www.devonhorseshow.org.

General admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and over. Reserved grandstand tickets are available ranging from $12 to $50 depending on the performance.

Spotlight: Milliner Katie Whelan

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 03:18:24 +0000

By AML Publisher
Photography by Heather Berkenstock

Hats by Katie's most famous hat is the Mini-Topper (tm). This style has been worn by Lisa Singer, Suzy Stafford, Sharon Chesson and Lana Wright in all the many combined driving World Championships they competed in, both here and overseas.

Twenty years ago, having a difficult time finding hats that were attractive and that fit well, Katie Whelan started making hats as a sideline. As her carriage driving career developed, so did the variety of hats she made for family and friends. Eventually the Long Island native, who grew up in Sugarloaf, New York, evolved the interest into a full-time occupation. Hats by Katie launched in 1990 with Whelan utilizing her arts minor from Boston’s Regis College as the basis for beginning a millinery business that is now world-renowned. That success has evolved, most recently, into an appointment-only shop in nearby Paris, Kentucky. “The main reason I started making the hats is because I have a big head and a lot of hair. I could not find any hats that fit me or that I particularly liked,” explained Whelan. A recent highlight of her career was winning the “Best Booth” award at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, Windsor, England.

Katie has been driving for 30 years. She has been pinned Grand Champion at Devon and at Walnut Hill, she represented the US at the 2003 and 2005 Pony World Championships, and she has been both national four-in-hand champion and national single horse champion-so she is well aware of what hats work for the driving community, for both pleasure drivers and combined drivers. As for Devon, Whelan has been a beloved boutique and popular shopping destination for Main Line ladies for over a decade. Her works of art have been worn at the world’s most prestigious equestrian events including the Horse Show, Kentucky Derby, Royal Ascot (one of the world’s most famous race meetings dating back to 1711 and attended by the Queen of England), the Walnut Hill Farm driving show in Pittsford, New York-among others. Hats by Katie has been featured in Southern Living Magazine and O Magazine—in which, in 2006, she outfiitted Oprah and a group of Winfrey’s dearest girlfriends with hats for a garden party shoot, including Oprah’s lifelong friend Maria Shriver.

Hats by Katie’s Katie Whelan at her Devon Horse Show booth beautifully modeling a one-of-a-kind creation.

AroundMainLine.com: How do you make your hats?

Katie Whelan: A hat starts very much like a dress pattern.
We have ‘blocks’ as they are called and there is a special block for the brim, a special block for the crown. And, then you sew them together. A well made hat, if you turn it upside down and look underneath the sweatband, will be sewn in two pieces. A cheaper hat is sewn in one piece.

There is a whole process to it. You take the straw or the felt or Sinamay and start working with the design. (Sinamay is a very popular material in hat making and is a natural fiber produced from the banana plant.) Sinamay comes in bolts, very much like fabric, and you mold it over the block, you pin it down, and you place it in an oven with sizing on it so it molds itself around the form.

AML: Like an actual oven?

KW: Yep, an ‘oven’ oven. You repeat the process with the brim, you sew them together and then you start doing your trim work.

AML: Ok, interesting. How long does it take to create one of our gorgeous hats?

KW: One of my dressier ones can take six hours to a couple of days—it’s really an assembly line process.

AML: Each of your designs is so unique. Where does your inspiration come from?

KW: Usually Europeans are a bit ahead of us as far as colors and trends, especially England. So, I will get the color patterns from England. A lot of time I will take a blank hat and decide what I want to do with it—I’ll see a flower in my trim bin or a grouping of feathers. Other times I have an idea in my head where I am headed and begin the creative process from there.

AML: Are there trends in hat as there are trends in fashion?

KW: Sure! And, depending on what event I am designing for designates the style too. (Kentucky) Derby ladies are always big hats, no matter what is in style. If its carriage driving, a medium brim is appropriate. The coaching people like the big brims. Steeplechase people like feathers, felt and more fall-inspired hats. It’s very much a time and place kind of thing.

“The whole trick of the hat is that the hat does not wear you, you wear the hat. If you live by that phrase, you will be fine,” explained Whelan.

AML: Your hats are worn around the world at all the major equestrian events. That is amazing!

KW: I do a lot to Ascot. Now that I have started showing in Europe with my ponies, I sold one of my feather hats right off my head. When I traveled back and forth recently to Europe, I delivered two more.

AML: So, how does it work with an event such as Ascot? Or, for that matter a customer who wants a hat designed by you but is on the other side of the country or world? Since, obviously, everyone cannot meet with you one-on-one for a fitting.

KW: The Americans will come to me with an outfit and they will just take the hat over. Or some of the English people will email me, because I used to do the Royal Windsor show with my hats, and they let me know what they are thinking. They email me a picture of their outfit, head size and what they look like is important. If a customer is petite, I don’t want to do a hat so enormous in proportion to their body, it does not look right.

AML: Can any woman wear a hat?

KW: Yes, you just have to find the right one. That’s kind of a misnomer-they come in here during the Horse Show and say ‘Oh, I look terrible in hats.’ Well, first of all they are not wearing them correctly. The brim should be parallel to the ground. And the hat should be in proportion to your body. The whole trick of the hat is that the hat does not wear you, you wear the hat. If you live by that phrase, you will be fine.

Hats by Katie will be at the Horse Show through Sunday June 6th. Ms. Whelan has an appointment only shop in Paris, Kentucky. Kindly visit her website hatsbykatie.com, call 859-707-0818 or email: hatsbykatie@pinehurst.net

The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is one of the largest and most prestigious outdoor equestrian events in the country. The Country Fair offers boutique shopping, great food and fun for the whole family. Proceeds of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair benefit Bryn Mawr Hospital. For information please call 610-688-2554 or visit www.devonhorseshow.org. Join the Devon Horse Show Facebook page for daily updates.

The Special Days and Tradition of the Devon Horse Show

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:37:08 +0000

By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Brenda Carpenter Photography

The very popular Devon Hat Parade, with Horse Show enthusiast and celebrity Caron Kressley as emcee, is on Wednesday, June 2, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration begins at 12:30.

Two top notch exhibitions will add even greater variety to the Devon Horse Show, which already has a huge variety of horses competing, from hunters and jumpers to four-in-hand carriages, Saddlebreds, roadsters and Friesans among others. There will be a reining exhibition by Stacy Westfall on May 28-30, and the beloved Budweiser Clydesdales will perform in exhibition the last four evenings, Wednesday through Saturday, June 2nd through June 5th.

The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair has donated almost $14 million to Bryn Mawr Hospital over the nine decades of their association. It takes the efforts of over 2,000 volunteers, many of whom work year-round and all of whom work hours at the show, to keep the Country Fair ticking along. The Horse Show also has its volunteers, first and foremost Leonard A. King, chairman, and Wade McDevitt, president. But, it also has two professional horse show managers, David Distler and Peter Doubleday, as well as professional judges for its myriad divisions and a very competent office staff, including Amy Davis and Meg Wiederseim, who works year-round, and Kathy Gillmer who works from January through June.

There are 30 sky box holders and 436 box holders, some of whom share a box, and boxes are so prized that they are often handed down, generation to generation. An average of about 100,000 paying spectators attend the show annually, swelling the crowds of owners, riders, trainers and grooms that care for the approximately 1,500 horses that compete at Devon.

DHS opens with Junior weekend, including three days of equitation, hunters, jumpers, ponies and pony breeding classes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

A number of champions from previous years will be at Devon again this year, including Laura Chapot, who has ridden the Open Jumper Champions and has been Leading Open Jumper Rider for three of the past five years; Scott Stewart, who has had a strangle hold on Leading Hunter Rider for the past six years; Philip Richter, last year’s Amateur Owner Jumper Champion; Reed Kessler, Leading Junior Jumper Rider; and Jessica Springsteen, last year’s Junior Hunter Champion who will show in Junior Jumpers this year.

Preceded by their familiar music, the Clydesdale eight-horse hitch will enter the Dixon Oval for the final four evenings of the horse show, accompanied by their Dalmation dog mascot. The driver will demonstrate how a Budweiser delivery wagon would maneuver in congested streets of old, and back the conveyance up to a loading dock. The docking procedure is followed by the hitch pivoting 180 degrees to pull away from the dock and continuing with its demonstration. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be stabled at the Devon show grounds, and spectators are welcome to visit these gentle giants.

This is the 77th Anniversary of the Budweiser Clydesdales, which were formally introduced to August A. Busch, Sr., and Anheuser-Busch on April 7, 1933 by August A. Busch, Jr., to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. The first Clydesdales were brought to the United States by Canadians of Scottish descent that used the draft horses on their farms. To qualify for one of the five traveling hitches, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least 3-years-old, standing 18-hands, or six-feet, weighing between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds and be bay in color with four white stockings, a white blaze and a black mane and tail. Each harness and collar weighs 130 pounds, and an entire set is valued at over $54,000.

A blue ribbon at Devon…

Additional Special Events Calendar Devon Horse Show 2010

Family Day, Thursday, May 27th

This is the first of two Family Days for Devon, sponsored by Hartstrings. Children 12 and under will be admitted free and there will be free children’s raffle with drawings throughout the day.

Children’s Day, Saturday, May 29th

A variety of activities are planned in the Pavilion from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Devon Doggie Parade, Monday, May 31st

Children's Day is Saturday, May 29th, with a variety of activities in the Pavilion from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The Devon Doggie Parade will be on Monday, May 31 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. It is sponsored by Braxton’s and Wagsworth Manor, and there will be three categories; Look-a-Like, Devon Style, and Doggie Fashionista. A pre-registration event is at Braxton’s on May 22 from 12 to 3 p.m., with pre-registration continuing through May 26.

Family Day and Back Barn Tour, Tuesday, June 1st

The second Family Day is Tuesday, June 1st, featuring reduced prices on certain items.
The Back Barn Tour will be led on Tuesday, June 1, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Join in for a very fun “behind-the-scenes” look at Devon!

Devon Hat Parade with Carson Kressley, Wednesday, June 2nd

The very popular Devon Hat Parade, with Devon enthusiast and television personality Carson Kressley as emcee, is on Wednesday, June 2nd, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration begins at 12:30.

FUN FACTS ABOUT DEVON!
DEVON HORSE SHOW AND COUNTRY FAIR 2010

1896: First Devon Horse Show, a one-day show with 30 classes and prize money of $10, $5 and a ribbon

1919: First Country Fair, Devon Horse Show and Country Fair was incorporated, Bryn Mawr Hospital became the beneficiary

1923: Main grandstand built

2009: Paid attendance – 95,134

2009: $320,000 donated to Bryn Mawr Hospital

1919 – 2009: Over $13.8 million donated to Bryn Mawr Hospital

2009 prize money: $400,990

2009: 2,500 horses entered, only those qualifying will show

COUNTRY FAIR FOOD, 2009: 47,557 tea sandwiches, 1,600 pounds of fudge, 11,640 hamburgers sold, 21,600 pounds of potatoes for fries, 9,600 hotdogs

The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, May 27th to June 6th on Route 30 in Devon, PA benefits the Bryn Mawr Hospital. For additional information, kindly visit their website: www.devonhorseshow.org. For more information on these events, please call 610-525-2533. For ticket information, call 610-688-2554. The ticket office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to noon. Devon is also selling tickets through TicketLeap, but ticket packages and seats for the Grand Prix Thursday evening will not be sold over the internet in 2010.

Buzz: Devon Horse Show Preview

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:34:34 +0000

By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Brenda Carpenter Photography

The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is one of the largest and most prestigious outdoor equestrian events in the country.

The Devon Horse Show has been honored with the United States Equestrian Federation’s designation as a USEF Heritage Competition. A historic Pennsylvania equestrian event that has become a part of the fabric of the American horse show scene and a Main Line family tradition, Devon is only the fourth show to receive this honor. Devon opens Thursday, May 27 with a full day of equitation in the Dixon Oval and pony breeding in the Gold Ring. Children 12 and under will be admitted free on opening day, courtesy of Hartstrings, a locally headquartered children’s clothing company.

The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, May 27th to June 6th, benefits the Bryn Mawr Hospital, to which it has donated almost $14 million. New footing in the Dixon Oval at Devon has been installed by Equestrian Services International, which has provided the footing for the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong, and jumper riders are thrilled with it. A Devon favorite is Laura Chapot, who has ridden the Open Jumper Champion for three of the past five years and has also been Leading Open Jumper Rider three of the past five years. Chapot is bringing a new grand prix horse to Devon this year, Tsarin, a mare she got only recently in Europe. Chapot is bringing three additional horses, Bradbury, Valentia and Chili Pepper as well as a couple of young horses for the Five-Year Old, Six-Year-Old and Seven/Eight-Year-Old sections which will compete Tuesday and Wednesday, June 1st and June 2nd. Open Jumpers compete Tuesday May 31 through Saturday, June 5.

The Country Fair offers boutique shopping, great food and fun for the whole family-including the famous Devon Ferris wheel. Proceeds of the Devon Horse Show benefit Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Philip Richter returns to the Devon Horse Show to defend his championship on Glasgow in Amateur Owner Jumpers on Friday and Saturday, June 4 and 5. Richter qualified two horses to show in the Amateur Owner section, the returning champion Glasgow and Ray Ray. Glasgow is a former grand prix jumper who was campaigned very successfully by Norman Dello Joio that Richter has been riding for three years. “Riding Glasgow in High Amateurs is like taking a machine gun to a quail hunt,” said Richter. “He knows he’s so talented. He’s a real athlete and a real competitor, but he’s always a gentleman. He always tries to win.”

DHS opens with Junior weekend, including three days of equitation, hunters, jumpers, ponies and pony breeding classes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Junior hunters and jumpers and ponies compete Friday and Saturday, May 28th and May 29th, and the Carriage Pleasure Drive opens a week of adult competition on Sunday May 30th, arriving at the Dixon Oval at 2 p.m., followed by Pony Jumpers Sunday evening. Hunters compete Monday through Wednesday, June 1st through June 3rd, with Side Saddle featured Wednesday afternoon, and Saddlebreds, harness ponies, fine harness, Friesians, roadsters and coaching begin Wednesday, June 2nd. Breeding classes take over Thursday, June 3rd followed by “Devon at Sunset” at 4:30, featuring the piece de resistance of the Devon Horse Show, the $100,000 Grand Prix at 8 p.m. on Thursday night.

The beloved Budweiser Clydesdales will perform in exhibition the last four evenings of the Devon Horse Show, Wednesday through Saturday, June 2th through June 5th.

The Open Jumper’s Gambler’s Choice is Friday evening, June 4th, at 7:30 p.m., and the $50,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake, followed by the awarding of the Championship and the Leading Rider title are the last classes Saturday evening, June 5th. The $25,000 Hunter Derby, competed for in a two round format, begins at 10 a.m., Sunday, June 6th. There will be a reining exhibition by Stacy Westfall on May 28-30, and the beloved Budweiser Clydesdales will perform in exhibition the last four evenings, Wednesday through Saturday, June 2nd through June 5th .

For the first time, fans of the Devon Horse Show & Country Fair will be able to purchase tickets online. TicketLeap, the nation’s fastest growing online ticketing company, has partnered with Devon to power their ticketing for the 2010 show, which begins on May 27th and runs through June 6th. Meg Wiederseim, Ticket Chairman of the Devon Horse Show & Country Fair, shared her thoughts about the partnership. “We are very excited to be offering customers an online ticket purchasing option this year. TicketLeap, a local Philadelphia company, has provided us excellent customer support, and we look forward to a long relationship with them.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.thedevonhorseshow.org or by visiting devonhorseshow.ticketleap.com. All major credit cards are accepted for online transactions from both sites. Fans that purchase tickets online for any event over the course of the horse show will benefit from the opportunity to bypass the lines at the Gate.

Fashion at Devon is such a big part of the horse show culture. The Devon Hat Day continues, with emcee Carson Kressley, on Wednesday, June 2, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration begins at 12:30.

The Country Fair has redesigned and rebuilt some of its most public spaces, including the Garden Café Pavilion, the Souvenir and the Candy booths, expanded the picnic grove and renovated the interior of the Art Gallery. The Country Fair offers boutique shopping for sportswear, often appliquéd with a horse, dog or fox design, gorgeous hats, boots, beautiful gold and silver jewelry, again often with an equestrian design, paintings and prints, leather goods, collectibles and souvenirs.

Food to tempt any and all palates ranges from gourmet dining in the Garden Cafe to hot dogs and hamburgers and the famous Devon tea sandwiches, Devon fudge and lemon sticks.
Rides and games line the west end of the Fair and include the Ferris wheel, merry-go-round and all kinds of fun games with prizes. For ticket information, call 610-688-2554. The ticket office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to noon. General admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and over. Ticket packages and seats for the Grand Prix Thursday evening will not be sold over the internet in 2010.

Black Tie and Boots Ball at Bryn Clovis

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:50:08 +0000

By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Bernadette Uzcategui, BUP Photography

Click here to view a slideshow of the Ball on Facebook.

Download an invitation to the Black Tie and Boots Ball.

Carson Kressley, who starred in “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”, has ridden his gaited horses in the Saddlebred divisions at Devon for about twenty years. He will emcee the live auction at the ball again this year.

The fifth Black Tie and Boots Ball, featuring cocktails, dinner, dancing and a live auction, will be held Saturday, May 8 at Bryn Clovis, Brushwood Farm in Malvern. The Ball benefits the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Foundation, and limited tickets are available. Guest will spend a truly magical evening in a one of a kind setting. Enjoy cocktails and tasty nibbles under the centuries old oak trees overlooking the rolling paddocks at dusk. A buffet dinner, courtesy of Jimmy Duffy Catering, and dancing under a sparkling tent will follow.

For the second time, there will be a live auction with television star and long time Devon Saddlebred exhibitor Carson Kressley acting as emcee. Kressley, who starred in “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”, has ridden his gaited horses in the Saddlebred divisions at Devon for about 20 years.

There are some fabulous trips and tours going under the gavel. Some of the exciting prizes being offered this year are limousine transportation and a behind-the-scene tour of the Cartier Mansion in New York City; a trip to San Francisco with an insider tour of the Museum of Modern Art; a trip to Lexington to visit some of the famed stud farms; a tour of the Eagle Rare Bourbon distillery and a week in Boca Grande, Florida. The Ball features cocktails, dinner and dancing from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Enjoying last year’s Boots Ball at Bryn Clovis L to R: Nikki and Steve Maloney of Villanova; Claire Bailey Johnson of Wayne; Nicole Falcone of Newtown Square; and Steven and Liz Kania of Villanova

During the cocktail hour, the traditional Champion of the Year Award for service to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Foundation will be given to one person from the Horse Show and one from the Country Fair. “The Black Tie and Boots Ball started because we were celebrating our 110th anniversary and wanted something special to acknowledge it. It’s quite a cultural event. We call it Black Tie and Boots because people love to come and sport creative cowboy boots,” explained Devon Country Fair co-chair Mimi Killian.

Bryn Clovis is the thoroughbred breeding farm owned by Betty Moran, who has campaigned such champion race horses as Belmont Stakes winner Crème Fraiche, Aintree Grand National winner Papillon and I’m Sweets. In 2004, Brushwood Stable bred Hard Spun, who, in the colors of Rick Porter of Wilmington, Delaware, went on to finish second in the Kentucky Derby, third in the Preakness and fourth in the Belmont Stakes.

Only in its fifth year, BTBB (as many Devon supporters refer to it) has become one of the most highly anticipated late spring social events on the Main Line. The lead sponsor of this year’s event is once again Pepsi Bottling Group.

Kressley, who gained national fame with the popular BRAVO series, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and currently represents a clothing line on QVC, has been a Saddlebred competitor for more than twenty years. “I grew up in Pennsylvania, outside of Allentown and my grandparents were horse and pony breeders. It was always a dream of mine to show at Devon. And finally, when I was about 15 or 16 years old, we started showing. I show horses all over the country and world, including. Devon is not a horse show, it’s a lifestyle. It’s a great American tradition. And, I am very much vested in preserving it,” explained Kressley.

Stylish Devon supporters Michael and Jeanne Dechiario enjoy the backdrop of Bryn Clovis at last year’s Black Tie and Boots Ball.

Guests of BTBB are highly encouraged to incorporate boots into their black tie-optional attire-whether that is with a gentleman’s tuxedo and jeans or a formal ball gown-to play up the backdrop of Bryn Clovis. “Black Tie and Boots really opens itself up to being a whole lot of fun and not fussy, but a great celebration of the upcoming Horse Show,” added Ball Committee member Janet Heaton. “Fashion at the Devon Horse Show, and BTBB, is a key part of the culture and great celebration. People come out to celebrate, just like the Head of the Charles. It’s a great part of the tradition.”

Proceeds of the ball benefit the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Foundation. The Foundation is a non-profit organization that’s funds the maintenance and improvement of the historic Devon Horse Show and Country Fair property. “The Devon Horse Show is one of the preeminent equestrian events in the United States,” explained President Wade McDevitt. McDevitt is actively involved in the fundraising efforts of Devon and the evolution of a show that is over one hundred years old. “We have to constantly challenge ourselves to keep the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair a world class event while honoring traditions that have been part of our history for over a century. The Black Tie and Boots Ball is not only an opportunity to celebrate Bryn Mawr Hospital and the fundraising efforts of the Devon Horse Show, but also to reinforce Devon as a preeminent equestrian event.”

Download an invitation to the Black Tie and Boots Ball.

The 114th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair runs May 27th through June 6th. It is one of the largest and most prestigious outdoor equestrian events in the country, proceeds benefit Bryn Mawr Hospital. For more information, call 610-688-2554 or visit devonhorseshow.org.