Hatch co-owner Dr. Radhi Kakarla, Executive Director Kelly McBride and Theresa McVan, RN, an intake concierge at Hatch.
Pregnancy or new motherhood getting to you?
Join the club.
Literally.
Just open in Wayne: Hatch: A Sanctuary for Motherhood, an upscale, membership-based Mecca for expectant and new moms.
Because motherhood has its bumps – and they can’t all be covered in maternity tops.
Also because Dr. Spock and What to Expect When You’re Expecting are SO last century.
The Hatch method: an array of programs to help you “Grow, Glow and Know.” The goals: Get physically and mentally fit and get educated. Baby and hubby will thank you.
- GROW fitness classes work to “align, restore and strengthen” moms, keeping you in fighting shape and warding off yucky stuff like fallen pelvic floors and backaches. Moms-to-be and new moms can choose from seven different small-group or private classes on Pilates Reformer machines or mats.
- GLOW fortifies you with mental tools – and yes, a lovely massage counts.
- KNOW more with Hatch’s 25 classes and workshops, with titles like “The Stick Turned Blue, NOW What Do I Do,” “Happiest Mommy on the Block,” “Survive & Thrive in Your Postnatal Period,” “Return to Work with Ease & Flow,” “Get Your Glow on,” “Secrets of Sleep” and “Clean Home/Clean Body – Toxins.”
Another member perk: A Maternal Health Concierge (nurse) to “curate your needs” and answer all your mommy questions.
Goes without saying that there’s free, on-site child care.
So who hatched this rather remarkable baby? Lots of folks but biggest players are a woman physician and a businessman: Dr. Radhika Kakarla of Villanova and David Fox of Haverford.
An ob-gyn in Paoli, Dr. Kakarla tells SAVVY she started itching for a side gig when she hit her 40s.
David Fox is the former CEO of the dental care company, DenTek.
Seems the doc and the dental guy saw a hole in the holistic pregnancy space, did their homework, and nine months later – no kidding – Hatch was born.
Hole filled.
The Hatch team is 18 strong: three highly-credentialed doctors – a psychologist and a pediatrician in addition to Dr. Kakarla – and 15 “experts” in such fields as mommy fitness (led by Kelly McBride, former owner of Belly Pilates in Rosemont), physical therapy, massage, yoga, lactation, baby signs, nutrition and personal empowerment.
Exec. Director and maternity and new-mom fitness expert Kelly McBride in Hatch’s Pilates room.
The nest is nice, too: a suite of serene and clean spaces near Verge on Lancaster Ave.
There’s even a patio for peaceful, post-class kibitzing while baby’s in babysitting.
As ambitious as it is, the Wayne Hatch might be but a baby step, according to Dr. K and Kelly.
The long-term plan is to be fruitful and multiply elsewhere. Grow, Glow, Know – and Go.
Hatch: A Sanctuary for Motherhood, 250 Lancaster, Ave. Suite 110, Wayne, 484-367-7671. $149/month introductory memberships (thru April); $25 to drop in to any fitness or one-hour education class.
Speaking of babies, anyone catch Merion Station’s youngest Internet sensation – aka The Hairy Baby – on “Ellen” the other day?
After a video of seven-month-old Theo Cherkas and his astounding long and lush locks went viral on ellentube, the talk show host invited Theo and mom Adrianna on her show.
What we learned: No, it’s not a wig. And no, it’s never been cut.
Ellen’s parting gift: a tiny black/heavy-metal KISS costume.
Rock on, Baby Theo.
So you can’t put additions on your historic mansion without getting permits and approvals first.
Well, duh.
But that’s exactly what a well-heeled hotel developer apparently tried to do to his 7,300 sq. ft. Wynnewood home. For the last ten years.
Wynnewood Civic Association photo shows recent renovations to the estate.
Jay Shah, CEO of Hersha Hospitality Trust (owners of the Rittenhouse Hotel, among 54 others), added a bunch of brick veneers and started work on a backyard terrace and a large rear addition to his century-old estate on Gypsy Lane, designated a historic resource by Lower Merion township.
But – oops – he never got the official green light to do so.
Historic preservation, community groups and some neighbors cried foul. The “improvements” were out of character and violated impervious surface codes, they said. The township issued a stop-work order last spring and it’s been stuck in legal limbo ever since.
Until Wednesday night.
That’s when the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners ruled unanimously to demand that Shah walk back many, but not all, of his renovations.
Ordered banished from the property: the brick veneers, the huge bluestone terrace, the paved circular front drive (to be replaced by gravel) and a patio pergola (to be replaced by a structure more in keeping with the home’s history).
Allowed to stay: the unfinished in-law suite at the rear of the garage, which apparently complies with zoning codes.
According to the township, Shah has forked over $13,000 in fines and permit fees. But the township’s assistant manager says the mess has actually cost the hotelier $100,000 in legal, architecture and engineering fees.
Sure didn’t help his case that Shah, an Episcopal Academy Trustee, is a former real estate attorney. I mean, c’mon.
(Post Script: Mr. Shah has publicly apologized for his mistake. Lesson learned.)
La Colombe’s co-owner/Gladwyne guy Todd Carmichael is sending care packages to the White House – but they’re not going to the Oval Office.
Todd and his wife, singer-songwriter Lauren Hart, and Brian Hart on opening day of the La Colombe Café in Bryn Mawr.
A self-professed “news junkie,” Todd’s shipping cases of his coffee to the White House press corps to go with the espresso machine sent by Tom Hanks.
Enclosed with the first La Colombe shipment: a note urging reporters to drink up so they can stay awake and “keep fighting for the truth.” Todd told Philly.com he’s a citizen first, a coffee man second.
Whatever his politics, Todd sure has hit pay-dirt with his newish Bryn Mawr café.
Turns out no WiFi is no problem. The Main Line’s been more than happy to unplug and chat. Well, fancy that.
We cleaned up at the SATs.
Again. (But somehow this news never gets old.)
Main Line public schools cracked five of the top 15 spots for highest average SAT scores in PA last year. Here’s how they finished: Great Valley was #15, Lower Merion was #7, Radnor was #6, Harriton was #5, and – drum roll – Conestoga was #3.
But Stoga’s really #1 because the top two – Downingtown STEM Academy (#2) and Masterman (#1) – are charter schools and select their students. Just so we’re clear.
A SAVVY sighting. Look who SAVVY reader Marybeth Christiansen ran into at Trattoria San Nicola in Paoli Saturday night…
Yup, that’s Lori Greiner of Shark Tank, the Queen of QVC, who was out supping with her TV team.
Lori “couldn’t have been more gracious and FUNNY!” Marybeth says.
Making the encounter even sweeter: Marybeth’s son (SJU ’17) just accepted a job offer from QVC.
We hear the Chicago-bred shark – she’s just 47 and already holds scores of patents – flies in on a private jet for her two-hour show.
Of course she does.
We’re wearing green this week, but we’re about to GO RED real soon.
Hope you will, too.
Special message to all you savvy gals out there: Come join us at Paint the Town Red, a girls’ night out on Wed. April 5 at Aronimink, where yours truly will emcee the festivities.
Cocktails. Canapés. Conversation. And Shopping. Lots of [Great] Shopping. Fun Surprises, too.
Proceeds benefit the Women’s Heart Initiative at Lankenau Hospital, a group that’s leading the charge to educate local women about heart disease.
Because pink ribbons notwithstanding, heart disease is our number one killer, ladies. It’s sneaky, confusing and downright deadly.
Please click here to order your $45 ticket. (Hint Hint: Prices go up when you make it a game-time decision.)
One more plug: exactly one week before we whoop it up with Main Line Health, SAVVY will host a quick Facebook Live at Aronimink. We’ll be chatting with two local heart disease survivors with super-compelling stories: Susan Lawhead and Andrea Cardwell. (So mark your Outlook or iCal for Wed. March 29, 8 p.m. sharp on SAVVY’s Facebook page.)
A SAVVY shoutout to high-flying Hailey Leon.
The seventh grader at T/E Middle and her cheerleading team, Frost, (an Upper Merion All Star team), just won gold – and a trophy almost as tall as they are – at the UCA International All Star Competition in Orlando. They’ve got spirit, yes, they do.
SAVVY readers may recall the improbably story of T/E teacher-turned-rapper LeRoi Leviston, aka Roi Lush.
The former Conestoga quarterback and T/E phys ed/health teacher now raps as Roi Lush.
An update: LeRoi’s headed to LA shortly to chase his musical dreams. Meanwhile, he just launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund his second album, Lush Life.
Kickstarters are all-or-nothing propositions. If enough folks don’t kick in by April 15, he gets nothing.
If they do – and his $3,500 goal is crowdfunded by April 15 – he gets the money. (His funders have to pony up.)
Writes LeRoi in an email: “The LARGER goal is to be able to come back to the community that raised me and help others achieve their dreams. There is nothing more important to me than giving back. The Main Line is my home. I miss it already and I will always love the people who live there!”
Click here to help jumpstart the career of this exceptional young man.
And finally, with March Madness upon us, we can’t resist sharing a short video from Nova Nation’s tiniest Superfan, Keenan.
This snippet from @keenansnovaworld was filmed on “Dress the Wright Way” day. He took it one step further. Do yourself a solid: follow this little guy. Then sit back and enjoy the show.
Excellent job, once again! Would it be possible to mention we had to reschedule the Polka Dots shopping event for the benefit of DHSCF Foundation to Tuesday, March 21? Darn snow!
Just put it as a “p.s.” on SAVVY’s Facebook page. And now it’s in the comments so it’s part of the post – thanks to you! I plan to stop by and do hope the day is a big success!
Hatch is such an interesting concept. No longer does it “Take a village”, all you need is Hatch!
Thank you for reporting on information about our area that I would never have known about if I hadn’t read Savvy. Great knowing what is going on…You have created such a great venue for news.
So glad you’re getting something out of SAVVY. (Hope you’ll tell your friends about us…)
Thanks Caroline, Love learning about all the events going on around me.
Please join Caroline and the Women’s Heart Initiative team for our annual Paint the Town Red event. It will be a fun filled evening and all for a very worthy cause. As a heart attack survivor, I hope everyone will take the time to understand the risks associated with this serious health issue. Please register today.
Yes, you have a most remarkable story, Carol. As Main Liners, we are SO lucky to have your leadership in spreading awareness of this frightening disease. I do hope women come out to support this important cause! Knowledge is POWER!!!