By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of April Ziegler Photography, Bernadette Uzcategui Photography and Joe Craig Photography.

The Lockard Family Men: Fathers and Sons, Grandfathers, Cousins and Brothers all gather at a family wedding at the Cairnwood Mansion with bride Rhian White joining the generation.
Photo courtesy of Joe Craig Photography

Men sometimes make the best cheerleaders. And I’m not talking about the buffed co-eds who put on polyester, sleek-fitting university uniforms and twirl their female counterparts in the air on the sidelines of college football and basketball games. I’m talking about dads.

When I played field hockey at Archbishop Carroll in the glory days of my high school years (we dominated the Catholic League from 1989-92), one of my favorite parts of my game-day routine was waiting for my parents to take their place along the sideline fence. I knew they were always coming to the games to cheer me on, but seeing them arrive just gave me a feeling of reassurance.
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By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of MK Photo Studios, Chadds Ford, PA

Peonies are a very popular flower of choice for brides in 2009--from bouquets and boutonnières to simple but aromatic accents to centerpieces.

I’ve enjoyed the most magnificent cluster of powder pink, magenta and snow white peonies beautifully blossoming this time of year since 1982—when my mother (whose green thumb marvels Martha’s) planted 8 rows of these great, fragrant plants along the Wayne driveway of my childhood home. I saw the other day the buds were blanketed with an ensemble of ants—they will be in full bloom once again this week for my family to celebrate with their sensational aroma. Sweet and succulent and simply the most beautiful of late spring flowers, peonies are a personal favorite of mine. And, there is no better way to celebrate this great flower than during a summer or spring wedding…which leads me to my next point.

You may have noticed AroundMainLine.com has begun publishing some very exciting online wedding-related editorial. Today, brides are planning and researching for their weddings almost exclusively online-and relying on the internet more than ever before. And with the influx of limitless resources on the world wide web conveniently at their fingertips, who can blame them?! Long gone are the days of painfully paging through the dozen of wedding binders and 200-page costly wedding books or magazines.

Modern brides on the Main Line, and beyond, are utilizing blogs, wedding sites, discussion boards, Facebook pages, and more to help plan their big day. But we know, all those comprehensive, national sites with thousands of pages and dizzying amounts of information can get pretty daunting and overwhelming when the clock is ticking on planning your perfect day. That’s where AML is going to step in-as your local and targeted online resource for your wedding in the Delaware Valley, Jersey Shore or, perhaps, your parents’ own backyard.

So, join us as AML will be ramping up this ‘matrimonial’ focus throughout the summer months-from profiles of local engaged couples to wedding tips from experienced planners, to the Main Line’s most popular wedding cake connoisseurs, flawless wedding day makeup, local ceremonies, creative centerpieces and much more…the AML team has got it covered! And, with the help of the Philadelphia region’s finest wedding and lifestyle photographers, we promise to bring you breathtaking photos and content superior to any local newspaper or regional magazine. I’ve been keeping a sharp (and late night) eye on floral trends, hot gown designs and, the ‘buzz’ in the wedding industry. So, brides-to-be…stay tuned.

Last but not least, check out one amazing local wedding show: Wedding Inspirations 2009, Sunday June 7th from 12-4 p.m. on Liberties Walk hosted by our new AML friends Kendall Brown of Eclatante Designs and Donna O’Brien of Beautiful Blooms. Brown and O’Brien, megastars in the Philly wedding planning scene, recently opened dual retail spaces in Northern Liberties. Their chic, welcoming stores offer one-on-one custom consultations, sophisticated home décor, beautiful fresh and dried flowers and more.

Wedding Inspirations 2009 is free and will feature special guest Ann Chertoff, senior editor of Brides.com and formerly of Martha Stewart Weddings. The full details are below. And, if you are interested in being featured as one of our local engaged or recently married couples (or you know someone who would jump at the chance), feel free to send me an email at: info@aroundmainline.com.

Enjoy a summer full of romance and great expectations!

Sincerely, Sarah Lockard
ePublisher, AroundMainLine.com

Donna O’Brien of Beautiful Blooms and Kendall Brown of Eclatante Designs have joined forces to offer discriminating brides a dynamic duo of premiere wedding style. And, their new Northern Liberties retail spaces will soon offer classes on event planning, etiquette and floral design.

Donna O’Brien knows a thing or two about chic event planning-and floral design. The Philadelphia-based owner of well-known Beautiful Blooms, a full service floral and design company, started her entrepreneurial vision out of her home seven years ago. Look closely at the credits of the next breathtaking Philadelphia or Main Line wedding you see highlighted online, it most likely has O’Brien’s elegant touch. “I had a career in fashion and floral design for years and I began to recognize that people seemed to appreciate my taste level. It evolved into not just providing flowers for events, but into offering my clients a one-stop shop. I felt like Philadelphia was lacking a company that took fashion and design and combined it with floral expertise, and that is really how Beautiful Blooms has evolved. Now, in conjunction with Eclatante Event Design, we do lighting, draping, table accents, you name it,” explained O’Brien.

Wedding Inspirations 2009 is a unique wedding event being held on June 7th in Philadelphia's Liberties Walk. Local brides-to-be looking for amazing inspiration and exciting local vendors do not want to miss this opportunity! For more information, email: Leila@eclantantedesign.com or call 610-565-9977.

O’Brien has a 6,500 square foot space in Philly and, with business partner and Eclatante owner Kendall Brown, decided to open dual retail spaces on Liberties Walk last month. The strategic piece of real estate in a bustling area of Northern Liberties will be the exciting backdrop for their aforementioned first elegant wedding event on June 7th. Classes on event planning, etiquette and floral design are in the works.

Similar to my first memories and introduction into the world of peonies, O’Brien’s appreciation of beautiful blooms is steeped in her own childhood. “I grew up in England and then we moved to Bucks County when I was a young girl. I always remember my mother bringing in these massive fragrant bunches of peonies from her garden. They are so romantic and there was always that great scent in the house,” recalled O’Brien.

In early May, O’Brien worked on a wedding in which the floral focus was on an exciting new variety of peonies that were the most perfect shade of pale yellow. (O’Brien’s business partner is photographer Marie Labbancz and the wedding photos with the bride’s bouquet of yellow peonies are currently featured on her blog, artoflove.com). “The bride had pale yellow, her maids wore a gold-hued silk and they held (peony) bouquets that were white. It was simply magnificent,” said O’Brien. “Peonies are so special, our clients are always asking for them. I feel like I am breaking their hearts when a bride wants a bouquet of peonies in late August or September. They simply won’t hold up. They will always be one of my favorites and I am definitely seeing an increase in demand-from brides, to corporate events and bat mitzvahs, everyone seems to want perfect peonies this year while they are in bloom.”

Floral designs pictured courtesy of Beautiful Blooms, beautifulblooms.com

Wedding Inspirations 2009
A Unique Wedding Event

Hosts: Donna O’Brien/Beautiful Blooms, Kendall Brown/Eclatante Event Design

When: Sunday, June 7, 2009 12-4p.m.

Where: Liberties Walk, Philadelphia

Featuring: Anne Chertoff, Senior Editor of Brides.com

Showcasing: Eclatante Event Design, Beautiful Blooms Boutique, Two Paperdolls Invitations, Claudia Seyler Hair and Makeup, Marie Labbancz Photography, Max Hansen Catering, Eventions Productions, DVideography, Truli Confectionary Arts, Spa-East, The Little Candy Shoppe, The Flour Pot Cookie Boutique

Highlights: View spectacular table décor and fine jewels, taste exquisite hors d’oeuvres and cakes, learn from the very best experts in wedding style and function…leave inspired!

To RSVP: Contact Leila Miller, Eclatante Design, Leila@eclatantedesign.com or Call 610-565-9977. The new Beautiful Blooms Boutique, open and ready for business, is located at Liberties Walk, 1021 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA. Donna O’Brien, Owner and Creative Director of Beautiful Blooms, can be reached at 215-925-3111. www.beautifulblooms.com; www.beautifulblooms.com/blog

By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of Bernadette Uzcategui

“It's always a great party with fantastic food and sophisticated music. We look forward to it every year,” said Tak Papariello, General Manager of Main Line Land Rover and Jaguar. Pictured are Papariello and Jazz Fest Co-Founder Jennifer Bailer

Call it the ‘sixth’ year itch. Organizers of the annual Main Line Jazz and Food Festival knew this year it was due time to change up the format of their popular June event. The past five years the festival has been held on a Sunday afternoon in early June, along Wayne’s North Wayne Avenue. Jennifer Bailer of Main Line Jaguar and Land Rover, one of the original founders of the festival, said they wanted to change up the approach to keep the party atmosphere fresh. “We had always envisioned an evening event, under the stars with the Jazz Fest. Our sponsors, restaurants and guests’ feedback have confirmed that’s the way to go! Due to the heat and always having it on a Sunday, not being able to stay for the fabulous headliners, it’s now clearly a natural progression,” explained Bailer.

That ‘progression’ has been the talk of the Main Line since word has gotten out all restaurants on North Wayne Avenue will be serving alcohol (and food) outside all day long for the first time ever. North Wayne Avenue will be closed off starting at 7am the day of the event, Saturday June 13th, to allow the dozens of local businesses who are exhibiting to set up. All restaurants located on Wayne’s restaurant row will have tables and dining areas outside starting at 11am, in lieu of the previous five years where patrons were confined to a beer tent. “We’re hoping that holding the festival in the cool of the evening will garner bigger crowds and make performing a little more comfortable for the musicians, too. It helps that township regulations on outdoor dining changed, in our favor, last year. Now the restaurants on the street can put out tables and offer an enticing respite to concert goers,” explained Laura Munich, a local musician who is part of the exciting lineup and a Jazz Fest cofounder. “We’d always hoped to include some evening concerts and are thrilled that everything has come together to allow us to create an evening event. We envision the 100 block of North Wayne Avenue transformed into a European piazza, with bistro tables and umbrellas, friends and neighbors sharing delicious food and conversation under the twinkling lights strung across the street.”

Belgian Frites, Foam and a Fantastic Jazz Fest Await…Al Fresco For All Who Will Attend. AroundMainLine.com is the online media sponsor of the 2009 Jazz Fest. Come visit AML at our booth, beer in hand, on June 13th and say hello!

The new evening approach, which organizers hope will offer a more adult ambiance, will no doubt set the stage for a record attendance, anticipated in excess of 5,000 locales. The festival itself has become a Main Line tradition that offers local musicians a great stage to celebrate their talents. ”From the inception, the street itself, with all it has to offer, logistically and culturally was the perfect place for a food and jazz festival. We wondered why it had not been done before-the walking traffic, the Septa accessibility, the talent, and the restaurants. In these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to relax, in the cool of the evening and enjoy great food, music and company. By having the Jazz Fest on a Saturday with evening entertainment, it’s great for the attendees not to have to wake up early the next day,” encouraged Bailer.

And, for area jazz lovers and aficionados, the scheduled performers will not disappoint. This year’s lineup offers one of the most diverse groups of Philadelphia and local jazz musicians in the festival’s history. “We have everything from a Latin jazz dance band to nujazz-funk fusion to straight-ahead jazz,” said Munich who is part of the lineup. Munich adds the new approach for Jazz Fest 2009 will make it the most successful year to date. “With our eclectic musical and culinary offerings, our festival is the only event of its kind on the Main Line. Folks can really make a day, and evening, of it! Families can come out in the afternoon, peruse the art and craft vendors, then settle in for an evening of great live music that represents the full complement of jazz’s diversity and history. All that while you enjoy a great meal under the stars at any one of a number of the region’s best restaurants. What could be better?”

Deanna Muth, owner of Wayne’s popular gift shop The Pear Tree, will be open late for Jazz Fest.

Tak Papariello, of Main Line Land Rover, the presenting event sponsor and a 2009 exhibitor, says this type of community event is the ideal opportunity to connect and reap the benefits with potential and established clients in a personal and effective manner. “One of the key components of the ‘Land Rover Way’ is ownership experience. The relationship between the dealership and the client extends out into the community. The Main Line Jazz and Food festival is the kind of community event that attracts our neighbors and our Land Rover owners. Not only does the casual setting allow potential customers to experience the distinctive brand, it also gives us an opportunity to host a great event. It’s always a great party with fantastic food and sophisticated music. We look forward to it every year.”

Main Line Jazz and Food Festival 2009
Presented by Land Rover Main Line

When: Saturday June 13th, Noon to 9pm

Where: North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, PA ‘Restaurant Row’

Website: MainLineJazz.com

Dine Al Fresco: All restaurants on North Wayne Avenue will be serving drinks and food outside, for the first time, all day long starting at 11am.

Performers and Schedule:

Restaurants participating in this year’s 6th annual festival include: Christopher’s, Teresa’s Next Door, The Freehouse, Georges’, Margaret Kuo’s, and The Boathouse

4PM: Ellas y Amigos

Ellas y Amigos is a predominately female band featuring flute, saxophone, piano, bass, drum-set and congas, with vocals in English and Spanish. Philadelphia’s sizzling Latin Dance/Jazz Band, has won the hearts of audiences everywhere it has played. Specializing in Salsa, Latin Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Puerto Rican, Brazilian and Dominican music, their expertise is applying authentic rhythms to beautiful melodies and rich harmonies, thus creating theirunique and enchanting sound.

5PM: Laura Munich with special guest Larry McKenna

Laura Munich began playing piano at the age of five, the violin at seven and has been singing as long as she can remember. She has studied at the Settlement Music School and Temple University. The Philadelphia Inquirer praised her “mix of soulful, sultry jazz” and called her “a versatile singer who knows the mechanics of music”. Her quartet plays an eclectic mix of classic straight-ahead and Latin jazz as well as creative arrangements of contemporary pop and R&B.

Larry McKenna, a well-known Main Line community ombudsman and Wayne resident, is one of the leading jazz saxophonists in America and has performed as soloist with jazz stars such as Woody Herman, Clark Terry, Jon Faddis, Buddy DeFranco, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Bootsie Barnes, Frank Sinatra and many more.

6:30 PM: Highbrid

Highbrid, is a nujazz-fusion octet lead by vibraphonist, composer, and arranger Michael Cain. With intricate horn lines, soulful grooves and “de-rangements” of music by artists like Nirvana and Metallica, Highbrid brings the best of the Jazz, Jam, Rock and Soul together into a musical fondue. Led by percussionist/composer Michael Cain, the octet employs some of the most talented and versatile up-and-coming musicians in the region.

8PM: The Lars Halle Jazz Orchestra

The Lars Halle Jazz Orchestra was founded in 2000 by Lars Halle and has quickly become a highly regarded ensemble in the Philadelphia area. It consists of 17 of Philadelphia’s finest young musicians, ranging from 22 to 32 in age. The bulk of the repertoire is composed and/or arranged by Lars Halle who also leads the band from behind the drum set. The band also performs selections from the books of Count Basie, Thad Jones, Stan Kenton, and Rob McConnell.

“We envision the 100 block of North Wayne Avenue transformed into a European piazza, with bistro tables and umbrellas, friends and neighbors sharing delicious food and conversation under the twinkling lights strung across the street,” explained musician and Jazz Fest co-founder Laura Munich.

Transportation: Coming from the city or suburbs? Travel safely and responsibly with Septa’s R5—which will deliver Jazz Fest partygoers directly (and conveniently) off in the center of downtown Wayne.

Come Visit Us: As an online sponsor of the festival, AroundMainLine.com Inc. will have a welcome tent at the festival. Come by our booth and be sure to say hello!

Event Sponsors: AroundMainLine.com Inc., Joseph P. Melvin Company, CF Holloway III, Builders, Main Line Today, Wayne Jewelers, Mainline Print Shop, Wayne Business Association, Goddard School Strafford, Penn Liberty Bank, Your Next Step, MJM Builders, Albed Rug Company, TD Bank, Nolan Painters, Wayne Art Center, Wayne Presbyterian Church, Charles Schwab

Event Exhibitors Include (But Not Limited To): AroundMainLine.com Inc., Land Rover, Wayne Business Association, Penn Liberty, TD Bank, Wayne Arts Center, Cupcakes Gourmet, Maggie Moos, Charles Schwab, Main Line Today, Harmony Glass Works, Harmonia Spa, Music Workshop, Whitaker Eye Works

By K. Kittles/Main Line Meow columnist
Photos by BUP Photography

AML staffer K. Kittles is spearheading Main Line Meow, a new column bringing all the latest suburban business and people news to local desktops. Have a compelling tip for Kittles? Email him at: kittles@aroundmainline.com.

They say curiosity killed the cat. Well, not in my case. Let me introduce myself to the few of you (Main Liners most especially) who do not know me. My name is Kittles, K. Kittles, and I’ve been around these parts for the better half of eleven years. I’m a lucky little feline if you ask me. Besides my brilliant owners being hard core Villanova basketball fans (thus my clever moniker), they are pretty terrific people. Over a decade ago, I was hanging out at a local SPCA shelter waiting for someone to fall head over heels in love with me. At the time, I was still developing my looks and this handsome mug of mine—but I was pretty darn cute at five-months-old. So, a little coercing on my part behind the bars of my cage and a few coy little poses, and before I knew it I was whisked up, kissed an inordinate amount of times and on my way to my new forever and fabulous Main Line home.

Fast forward to today, May of 2009, and I guess you could say I’m a local celeb. There aren’t many people who don’t know me, or recognize my gorgeous green eyes, soft gray and black striped fur or sensational, confident strut. And, after ten years of hitting the streets (and I mean the streets), I pretty much have my paw on the pulse of what’s going on around these suburban Main Line parts.
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By AML Publisher
Photography courtesy of Mark Garvin Photography

Claire Inie-Richards as Primrose and Nathaniel Brastow as David in Y York’s EGGS based on the acclaimed novel by Jerry Spinelli. “I think Primrose just wants to be a kid and she doesn’t want to take care of anyone else, let alone her mother. Then, along comes David and the winds of change are put into motion,” said Inie-Richards.

In EGGS, People’s Light and Theatre company’s rendition of the popular book by Jerry Spinelli, which is enjoying an extended run through Sunday May 31st, 9-year-old David and 13-year-old Primrose are both pretty unhappy with life at home. David is sent to live with his grandmother after the death of his mother, and Primrose’s mom is a fortuneteller who barely notices when Primrose moves into the van parked outside their house. Nathaniel Brastow plays the role of David. “He is very sad that his mother has died and confused. The reason he is so mean to his grandmother in EGGS is that he feels like he has to save this space in his heart for his mother and without that space, the hope of his mother coming back is gone,” explained Brastow.
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By AML Publisher
Photos by Bernadette Uzcategui

Jen McGowan of Wayne’s Jackie’s Hat Box models one of her elegant creations. McGowan is spearheading the 2009 Ladies’ Day Hat Contest at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.

It’s one of the great traditions of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair—and now show organizers, with the assistance of AroundMainLine.com, are bringing the annual Ladies’ Day at Devon Hat Contest to another level!Lovely ladies (young, old and every age in between) can show off their fun, personable and eclectic style at the Main Line hat event of the year on Wednesday May 27th from 1-3pm on the Horse Show grounds. From Center City fashionistas (SJP fan alert!) to ‘rad’ Radnor Hunt fans, fashion forward Main Line moms and their teenage daughters, and everyone in between-all are encouraged to sashay out to Devon for some serious hat fashion competition.

Jen McGowan, CEO of Jackie’s Hat Box and PR director of this year’s hat contest, recommends bringing the ‘hat courage’ to all the ladies who will be showcasing their best. “Ladies’ Day at Devon is just great; I absolutely love this event and always thought it brought out part of the great intrigue and culture that just makes Devon so very special. Carson Kressley will be a judge, Dawn Timmeney from NBC10 and Caroline O’ Halloran from Main Line Suburban News. We’ve had the hat competition for over five years and I was so excited to spearhead it this year because I really feel it’s due time to take it up a notch,” enthused McGowan.
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By AML Publisher
Photography courtesy of Bernadette Uzcategui Photography

The brains and beauty behind a brilliant business model are Main Line moms and Tymel co-principals Melissa Parker (left) and Tyra Hodges (right).

If there are two idioms that ring true when describing a successful entrepreneurial business model in 2009 it is the following: 1) Necessity is the mother of invention. 2) Timing is everything. With so many Americans astutely aware of reducing their carbon footprint, the green industry is thriving with creative concepts that speak to the nation’s environmentally-cautious consumer. Despite a down economy, all signs point positively towards a growing demand for socially responsible business models.

In the case of Main Line entrepreneurs Tyra Hodges, 45, and Melissa Parker, 40, their invention-fashion forward reusable bags made from recycled materials-was inspired by some timely conversations they had with their children. Hodges was unpacking her groceries one evening in her kitchen last spring when her (then 11-year-old) daughter, Natalie, commented on the amount of plastic and paper she was wasting. Parker had received similar feedback from one of her daughters a few weeks earlier after she completed a school project on the importance of recycling.
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By AML Publisher
Photography provided by April Ziegler Photography, Bernadette Uzcategui and Stacey Granger/Life Art Imaging

My beautiful mother, Lisa Lockard, at a recent family wedding, dancing the night away. Photo courtesy of Joe Craig Photography www.joecraigphoto.com

It is one of the best holidays and a personal favorite—Mother’s Day! This year, the city and suburbs abound with so many great selections—classic and new—to consider for your special family celebration. Whether you are headed downtown, eyeing up the Main Line, or venturing out to the countryside, AML has done our due diligence to highlight thirteen terrific selections to choose from for Mother’s Day 2009. These are in no particular order…so sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy our suggestions for your important and fun celebration of the great women in your life. Whether you will be toasting with your own mom, an aunt, sister or dear friend, we wish you a meaningful and wonderful day filled with great memories and a whole lotta love.

Love You Mom!
Sarah Lockard
AML Publisher
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By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Bernadette Uzcategui

My Fair Lady
Owner and Milliner Jen McGowan of Jackie’s Hat Box

In the American classic Gone with The Wind, Scarlett O’Hara briskly tied the green ribbon of her oversized Parisian bonnet as she scurried off to the big summer picnic at the Wilkes plantation, Twelve Oaks, for her chance meeting with a dashing Rhett Butler. Former first lady and international style icon Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis made the pillbox hat one of the most fashionable style trends of the ‘60s. And, most recently, singer Aretha Franklin created a flurry of media attention when she wowed the nation with a customized grey felt hat, complete with Swarovski crystals, at the Obama inauguration. The running count on the Facebook fan page for Franklin’s hat is now over 100,000.

From first ladies to classic movie scenes to royal weddings, hats have been a key part of women’s fashion for hundreds of years. Now, a Main Line milliner is making a name for her stylish, custom-made hats. Jackie’s Hat Box is giving everyday social butterflies an opportunity to make a dramatic grand entrance at an upcoming cocktail party, spring fundraiser or, most importantly, the upcoming Devon Horse Show.
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By AML Publisher

Photos courtesy of Kevin E. McPherson

Sasso’s talent for custom construction evolved from a Columbia MBA and love of mathematics.

I first heard about Josephine Sasso while attending the late summer Main Line wedding of a dear family friend several years ago. The fashion buzz, aside from the bride’s stunning $10,000 dress, was that the bridesmaids’ gowns had all been custom created by the local fashion designer via several consultations in her Suburban Square boutique. One by one, the eight beautifully blond and seasonally tanned maids magically glided down the aisle of Saint Katharine of Siena’s Catholic church in Wayne. Each carried a perfect cluster of fragrant, magenta peonies. And each attendant wore a slim-fitting, shantung silk strapless cocktail dress in a slightly different shade of powder pink. It was elegant and unique—and long before the concept of customizing a style and dress to each member of your bridal party’s figure (and taste) was on trend.
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