Photos courtesy of Courtney Apple Photography
Click here for an online tour of the Little Apple on Facebook

A fresh face on Manayunk’s Main Street, Molly Cygan’s The Little Apple

A little piece of the O.C. has landed on Manayunk’s Main Street! Entrepreneur and Southern California native Molly Cygan opened The Little Apple boutique in February with an Etsy meets Anthropologie feel to the charming, and now popular, shop. Cygan, a 2006 Berkeley grad who boasts an art history degree, was inspired years ago by her boarding school days at Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. “The seeds were definitely planted when I was at boarding school at Exeter. Here we were-lots of young kids in a small town with disposable cash—but nowhere to spend it. I was determined when I went back for my five year reunion (at Exeter) to start looking into opening a little boutique. And, of course, when I returned the downtown was packed with great shops-so clearly a few other people had the same idea! So, I kind of gave it up at that time but still wanted to pursue opening my own shop when the time was just right,” explained Cygan.

That time came last fall. After Berkeley, Cygan lived in New York City briefly before moving to Philadelphia this past October with her fiancé, who is in medical school at Drexel. (They will be tying the knot at her parent’s house in Cal July 3rd.) It was then that she started to rethink the idea of her own storefront. “I started to check out some spaces around the city and nothing seemed to be a fit. Then, some of my fiancé’s friends suggested that I look into Manayunk and that’s when I found this space on Craig’s List. It needed some serious TLC but I could see the potential,” said Cygan. Read the full story

By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of Belle Vie Photography

The perfect pony party!

Like any busy mom, Linda H. was late getting started on the logistics of her daughter Lily’s third birthday party. So, in a time crunch, she went to the best source of inspiration: her child. “I asked Lily one afternoon what type of birthday party she would like and she did not hesitate for a second. She turned to me and said, ‘A pony party Mommy!’ Then of course that set the stage and that is really all I needed for my creative juices to start flowing,” recalled Linda. “I think she picked ponies because we are zoo addicts, and she loves to ride the ponies there. Lily picked the color too…I showed her three horses to choose from and she picked the brown pony. Alas, pink and brown became her colors for the day!”

Linda, a Penn Valley native and Notre Dame Academy grad, moved back to the area after over two years in Montana with husband Kevin-whom she met there. Lily was born in Big Sky, a gorgeous albeit less populated place Linda and Kevin, a Mississippi native, were accustomed too. “Montana was amazingly beautiful, but we had to drive baby Lily an hour each way just to go to the pediatrician…we knew it was time to come back to the east coast,” she explained.
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By AML Publisher
Photos courtesy of Belle Vie Photography

Bryn Mawr’s Verdad was the sophisticated setting for Wednesday Night Whinos’ successful launch party.

AroundMainLine.com kicked off an exciting new ladies social club, Wednesday Night Whinos, at Bryn Mawr’s Verdad on the evening of March 3rd! Over 40 ladies from our AML Facebook fan page and Twitter group came out to Verdad to connect and celebrate the launch of Whinos, enjoy wonderful tapas food and Spanish wine and win fantastic prizes.

Verdad head chef Nick Farina, formerly of Bryn Mawr’s Blush, is a good friend of the AML family. In October of 2008, AML hosted our emagazine’s launch party at Blush and have been working with Farina ever since. Verdad proved the perfect central location for the Whinos kickoff party with delicious tapas food served all night long in the bar area. Read the full story

By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of Katie Reim/Cultivar

Cultivar hairpieces and bouquets are ideal for brides, bridal parties or the Main Line fashionista who wants to embrace her inner Coco Chanel. Photo courtesy of Mary Kate Timbers (kateslens.com)

Katie Reim came about the idea of using recyclable materials for hair pins and Victoriana headpieces in February 2009 while recovering from brain surgery. One year later, Reim has a clean bill of health and a successful Etsy shop. Reim is also a local artist with a line of perfectly charming illustrations of some of the Delaware Valley’s most beloved landmarks and events. I chose Cultivar, Reim’s booming accessory business on Etsy, as party of AML’s ongoing series, Etsy Phavorites. Her gorgeous clips, headbands and pins are irrestible and so SJP, I knew my AML gals will appreciate the selection!

Each piece of the Cultivar collection is constructed by hand using cleaned, recycled fabrics (mostly acquired at a Philadelphia Salvation Army) and buttons, in addition to new and reclaimed beads. Want to check out the designs in person? Look for Cultivar pieces at Manayunk’s new chic boutique, The Little Apple. Read the full story

By AML Publisher
Shop photos courtesy of Belle Vie Photography
Cupcakes Gourmet photo courtesy of Cupcakes Gourmet

Whinos in Wayne is almost here! What to expect? An amazing night of networking at Beethoven Wraps with prizes, fab food and new friends, great shopping and tons of fun!

Wednesday Night Whinos, AML’s official Main Line ladies social club, is hosting its second event in downtown Wayne! Whinos’ April 14th evening of fun and networking will be at the popular Wayne boutique, Beethoven Wraps. For more than a decade, Wraps owner Donna Martella has offered Main Liners unique gifts and distinctive, customized gift baskets for some of the region’s most prestigious corporations. Martella’s shop is named after a beloved stuffed animal her son, Artie, now sixteen, carried around as a toddler—during the time of the popular children’s movie Beethoven.

The shop carries select table top gifts and dinnerware ideal for hostess, welcome and wedding gifts. Several popular lines include Lilly Pulitzer stationery, candles and accessories; elegant stainless serveware and flatware by Mariposa; Thymes bath, body and home products; Spartina handbags; Robeez children’s shoes and more. In addition, Beethoven Wraps has an extensive selection of gourmet foods and Souderton’s Asher’s chocolates. “I think we have something for everyone in here. We can really help our customers find a great gift for a hostess or birthday party and then customize it in a fun way with our wrapping. Every gift should have a personal touch—so we always work with that customer to find creative ways to put a present together. For my corporate clients and their gift baskets, we are really an extension of that company’s marketing and image. Presentation is really important. So, we will work with them to make the basket a collaboration of their ideas and logo and something remembered,” explained Martella. Read the full story

By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of High Street Market

Fly Like an Eagle
From Robson’s personal collection, an extra large 48" vintage cast metal wall eagle, $125

Interior designer Kelly Galvin Robson has a love of everything vintage. Her prolific Etsy site is brimming with irresistibly preppy, distinguished home accents-from an old set of German framed bird prints to cocktail glasses, Vera linens, milk glass, a vintage large brass horse head door knocker, McCoy pottery and more. If you are a fan of the AMC series Mad Men (the Golden-Globe winning series which depicts the lives of a group of Madison Avenue advertising executives in the ‘60s) then you will fall in love with High Street Market’s uber-chic retro collection. “I love the Philadelphia area, and I just love the creativity here among the design community. When I worked for a very high profile interior design firm in L.A., our clients always challenged us to find these amazing, one-of-a-kind pieces. They were not interested in hiring us for a living room that ended up filled with mass produced items. Every day there was the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of discovering special items for their home,” explained Robson.

But, Robson, an Orange County native, found the scarce amount of L.A. flea markets impossible to source regularly for those perfect vintage treasures. So when she and her husband moved to Bucks County a little over a year ago, she was thrilled. “I love how easily I can go to a bunch of flea markets and antique stores in one afternoon here. It was not that convenient in L.A., they were not that prolific and just working through the traffic was nuts! The Philadelphia suburbs are a treasure trove for me as a designer.”
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By AML Publisher
Photos by Jubilee Photography

“My life is full; full of interests, friends, and family. But, I hope to add a special someone to share the laughter and experiences of life with,” said Bowersox.

Toni Bowersox is a self-proclaimed tomboy. And, for the 53-year-old, Wilmington native she would not have it any other way. The AML sensational single, with an adorable pixie cut and personality to match, always found playing with the neighborhood boys growing up more intriguing than hanging with the girls. And, that playfulness and outgoing part of her rings true today. “I’ve always been on the periphery – not a follower, nor a trendsetter, but someone who is comfortable in her own skin being unique, following my own style. As a young girl, I climbed trees with the neighborhood boys—pretty much a tomboy, but yet held on to my feminine charm and character. To this day I am very at ease with men and attribute this to being a part of their play from an early age,” explained Bowersox.

The mother of one whose daughter, Taylor, is a nineteen-year old with special needs and whom Bowersox calls her “greatest teacher,” Toni was married for over twenty years before divorcing in 2008. Bowersox comes from a childhood where her own parents divorced when she was eight-but family ties remained important. “As a young girl, many of my weekends were spent at the homes of my Italian relatives playing with my many cousins. I have fond memories of Saturday dinners followed by games with cousins, aunts, and uncles. And on the Polish side, we gathered as a family on Sundays at my maternal grandmother’s home. This was a much more sedate gathering, but none the less fostered that love of family, tradition, and closeness,” said Toni.
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By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of Amy Wren

The Big Deal Casino Night-Unmask the Possibilities is the Philadelphia Junior League’s fourth annual gala.

When you think of Philadelphia’s most esteemed service organizations, undoubtedly the Junior League comes to mind. For almost a century, the Junior League has been making a positive impact in the Greater Philadelphia area. Over 950 volunteers have contributed more than 75,000 service hours annually.

To celebrate this female organization’s commitment to promoting voluntarism, the League is gearing up for its fourth annual winter gala. This year’s theme is The Big Deal Casino Night—Unmask the Possibilities. The evening is black tie optional, and the hundreds of anticipated party-goers are encouraged to accessorize in keeping with the Mardi Gras theme.
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By AML Publisher
Photos by Belle Vie Photography

Chef and ‘Mommy Martini Night’ hostess Olga Sorzano is available for private parties and functions around the Main Line and Delaware Valley.

Chester County chef Olga Sorzano wants her clients to consider her “a party chef, not just another caterer. I am bringing the experience of a gourmet restaurant and my love of people into your home,” insisted the former personal chef and house manager to a prominent Chester County family. Sorzano, mother to daughters Tessa, 15 months, and Kira, 2 months, left quite an impression on AML staff photographer Heather Berkenstock recently when the two met up in the checkout line at the Downingtown Wegman’s. With a shopping cart brimming with gourmet food (enough to feed dozens), a curious Berkenstock struck up a conversation with the 33-year-old statuesque blond. Turns out, Sorzano was preparing for a private holiday party she had been hired to cater in December. A brief business card exchange and a follow up email from Sorzano and AML had happened upon one great connection.

Sorzano, who grew up in Siberia, has been a successful figure in the local restaurant scene for years. She is a graduate of The Restaurant School of Walnut Hill College and studied in Italy, Thailand and Switzerland. Most notably, Olga trained with renowned Chef Jim Coleman of Normandy Farm in Blue Bell. She continues to work with Chef Coleman with television appearances and occasional cooking classes at the Dilworthtown Inn.
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By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of Belle Vie Photography

Meridith’s in Berwyn, one of the Main Line’s finest restaurants, was the perfect setting for AML’s January 11th business networking event.

Berwyn’s popular Meridith’s American Bistro was the perfect setting for AroundMainLine.com’s first ‘Monday Night Meetup,’ a new free business networking series for Main Liners to meet, make great connections and new friends. Over 70 attendees, 80% of whom were AML Facebook fans, enjoyed fine food and company on the evening of January 11th. “It was really a great group to network with, we were very pleased with the turnout” enthused owner Meridith McLoughlin.

As Philadelphia’s first emagazine, AML has established a very strong, loyal local following with over 1,000 Facebook fans and 1,600 followers on Twitter. Our successful night of networking was exclusively marketed via these social media channels. The vast majority of our attendees told us they had seen the event via our Facebook fan page or via a tweet/retweet from our Twitter account!
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