Tough week to be a tourist at Valley Forge Park. The government shutdown has sent park rangers and staff home, The Visitor’s Center and all park buildings are closed. But you can still walk, hike, bike and enjoy those autumnal views. The National Park Service has been prepping for a possible government shutdown for weeks, sources tell SAVVY. The last government shutdown of our national parks in 2018 caused deteriorating conditions and vandalism. Here’s hoping this mess gets sorted out soon.
Two awesome additions to the Lancaster County Farmer’s Market:
Mad Anthony Wayne Café – a hit at the Wayne Train Station – just started selling its coffees, teas and goodies. We hear the paninis are perfection.
And this Friday, family-owned Seasons will begin peddling its award-winning artisanal olive oils, balsalmic vinegars and gourmet pantry items in the center of the far wall. Seasons isn’t just any ole oil store. It imports its Family Reserve Extra–Virgin Olive Oil from its own farm in southern Spain, partners with small-batch producers in the Mediterranean and South America, and supplies some of Philly’s top tables including John-Georges. Seasons has also earned shoutouts in Wine Spectator, the New York Times, and Southern Living.
Welcome news for families scrambling for childcare. A new preschool/childcare center opened in Tredyffrin this week. Celebree School in Evolve Corporate Center on Old Eagle School Road greeted its first wee ones Monday.
Assistant school director Olivia Chandler and School Director Kelly Earnshaw on Celebree’s first day in Wayne.
Owner operators are a father-son, Louis and Michael Sapperstein, who operate a successful Celebree franchise in Fishtown. Full- and part-time care for ages six weeks to five years are available.
Malvern fave The Buttery, is on the move up and down the Main Line.
The bakery/café opens in the Ardmore Farmer’s Market this week. A third location is currently under construction in the former Kindred Collective space in Bryn Mawr. And its 10-year-old Malvern flagship is in the midst of extensive renovations designed to return to its roots as a gathering space.
The Buttery’s two locations in Malvern: on King Street and at the train station.
The refreshed design will have 54 indoor seats, window seating and expanded outdoor dining in warm weather. For those unfamiliar, The Buttery serves scratch-made pastries, sourdough bread, sandwiches, savories and specialty coffees. The Ardmore location will introduce new items like a pastrami reuben, chicken katsu and bagels with homemade spreads. The expansion was made possible by the Buttery’s new Bakehouse in Norristown.
Good riddance. Life sentences for the trio behind that horrific home invasion in Wynnewood. Charles Fulforth, Kelvin Roberts and Jeremy Fuentes (we hate to even write their names) turned a wrong-home burglary into carnage last December, fatally shooting Andrew Gaudio and leaving his mom, Bernadette Gaudio, 62, paralyzed from the neck down. According to the Inquirer. Gaudio courageously confronted the burglars who stole her independence in court. “Now it takes me an hour just to get out of bed,” she testified.
After a long buildout, K9 Resorts will welcome human visitors (no pooches, please) to tour its new luxury petcare palace near the Wayne Acme Saturday, Oct. 11. Guests can ooh and ah over the marble countertops, Italian tile floors, chandeliers and luxurious doggie suites with flatscreen TVs showing DogTV. Furry friends will have to wait until Monday, Oct. 13 when the facility accepts it first day- and overnight boarders. If you missed it, our story about K9 Resorts Wayne is here.
They’ve done it again. Conestoga High School has the most National Merit Semifinalists in all of PA. Niche also named Stoga the #2 Best Public High School in PA … but who’s counting?
Two new spots to cluck about. Nanu’s Hot Chicken just opened its 13th outpost in the old Poke Ono space in downtown Ardmore. Nanu’s specializes in Nashville-style chicken, loaded waffle fries, shakes and smoothies. Meanwhile, a Love and Honey Fried Chicken franchise is in the works at 1111 Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr. We’ll try ’em and report back.
Color Pharmacy is now prescribing custom haircolor for men and women at 761 Haverford Ave. in Bryn Mawr. Basically, you come in for a precision consult but apply the color at home, saving time and money and – take note, guys – preserving your privacy.
Mangiamo and pass the pepperoni. Italian market/restaurant/kitchen store Eataly finally opens this Thursday, October 2. Meanwhile on the other side of the mall, the Netflix House buildout has been speedier. The mega-entertainment venue plans a November 12 debut in the old Lord & Taylor.
Calling all caregivers and the people who appreciate them! Join the Caregiver Connect Walk and Celebration Saturday, Oct. 4 at Charlestown Township Park. Free massages, Ritz Carlton snacks, hair and makeup artists, henna tattoos and more hosted by the Fighting Back Scholarship Program. Register and/or buy a tribute sign here.
Kicking it up a few notches at Nova. An entrepreneurial D1 Soccer player at Villanova is putting a fresh spin on soccer training. Luke Martelli, who lived in Chesterbrook during high school, is the proud founder of PTP (Players Teaching Players) soccer camp and training program. Instead of coaches, PTP trainers are college and pro players who share their experiences, confidence and mindset.
A SAVVY shoutout to two local moms on a mission to support people navigating the often turbulent foster care system. Sarah Todd of Ardmore and Katie Casey of Havertown, who each have two adopted kids, have formed Well Rooted, a nonprofit that offers mentorship and a supportive community to young people and families impacted by trauma and foster care.
Check out this video:
Well Rooted is currently seeking mentors for young adults who’ve aged out of foster care (sadly, 20% instantly become homeless), family-support partners, and donations to sustain their programs. “There’s so much need and we’re doing everything we can to meet it,” says Todd.
Get off your duff! The PGA is still looking for volunteers for the PGA Championship heading to Aronimink next May. Volunteers get a chance to go behind scenes to experience one of golf’s biggest weeks. Better yet, they get access to the grounds when they’re not working. Two not insignificant catches: you have to work at least three shifts and pay $270 for your uniform, parking, and inclusive food and drink.
Pumping it up in Berwyn. A handsome one-on-one fitness studio is now coaching women ages 45 and up. Owned and operated by longtime local Wendy Sedlak, Lift Strength and Fitness has been sprucing up the old James Webb training space near StudioFlora (below) since June. A new mural by Main Line Mural Arts’ artist Casey Saccomano has flowered on the side of the building. Soooo pretty.
Sedlak tells us she’s bringing her passion for fitness, wellness and nutrition to people looking for a “private, safe and friendly environment.”
A new medical practice for menopausal and perimenopausal women is up and treating folks on Summit Ave. in Bryn Mawr. MP Collective is a membership-based office that blends the latest medical methods with the pillars of health: fitness, nutritional and emotional well-being. Led by Kim Einhorn, an OB-GYN on the Main Line for 18 years, MP (“Menopause Personalized”) offers unrushed 90-minute doctor’s appointments – and a waiting room not packed with obstetrics patients. There’s also an on-site fitness center (The Collective Studio) for small-group and private strength training to boost bones and metabolism, yoga, nutrition, wellness and sexual health counseling and more. Annual memberships from $4,200.
False-ish advertising? Paris Baguette is en route to Ellis Preserve but guess what? The bakery café is a 100% Korean import with outposts around the globe. Hmmph.
Efforts to cull the deer population are paying off in Radnor. When the township’s collab with the USDA began 13 years ago, there were 101 deer per square mile with 84 killed by cars and another 67 causing accidents. More current numbers show just 31 deer killed by cars, according to Radnor Commissioner Kathy Agnew. The venison is being processed and donated to food banks.
Remember how trucks were regularly smashing into the King of Prussia Road bridge, causing traffic tie-ups and straining Radnor’s police and firefighters? From 2008 to August 2024, 150 trucks hit the bridge. Since those ganging chains have been installed, there have been zero strikes. Those chains aren’t pretty but they work.
Not up for a 5K or fun run? You can now WALK 2.3 miles at Elves on the Shelves, the annual benefit for Radnor Memorial Library. Register here.
Does your child suffer from anxiety? Check out the latest book for kids ages 9-14 penned by Berwyn school counselor Jennifer Licate. “My Anxiety is Messing Things Up” tells the story of Oscar, a hardworking student whose drive to succeed in school and sports earns praise but leaves him wracked with anxiety. Licate wrote the book to help children explore their anxious feelings and learn tools to relieve them.
Talk about big sports. “Nova Knicks” stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart picked up a $10,000 tab at Kelly’s Taproom Saturday, Sept. 21. The two former Natty Champs had promised to show at Kelly’s after a taping of their popular podcast, “Roommates Show,” at their alma mater. When they couldn’t make it, they said drinks were on them a few nights later, the Inquirer reported. Local legends Jason Kelce and Jay Wright were special guests on the episode.
The small-but-mighty Peter Strid Art Gallery next to Christopher’s in Wayne went dark Sept. 22. A self-taught pop artist whose works often mix pop culture with luxury brands, Strid knew it was a temporary gig when he took over the old Pat’s Barber Shop. Christopher’s is expanding into the space and plans extensive renovations of its popular Wayne restaurant and bar. Strid plans to reopen in a new spot TBD.
Iron Hill Brewery regulars are crying in their beer. The near 30-year old company is filing for bankruptcy and abruptly closed all 16 locations last week. Iron Hill closed its Ardmore brewpub in August of 2024.
Ten-hut: What to make of last month’s bombshell – the announced closure of Valley Forge Military Academy at the end of this school year?
This sign has been posted on campus for more than a year. Unfortunately, the school has not proven as tough as advertised. It’s believed that alum JD Salinger’s Pencey Prep in 1951’s A Catcher in the Rye was modeled after VFMAC.
First, the school tried like heck to save itself from bankruptcy but most efforts proved dubious.
Witness:
- a proposed military-themed charter school on campus shot down by Radnor Township.
- the lease of underused tennis courts to Dink City Pickleball only to have Tredyffrin shut them down because Dink was a for-profit venture on land owned by a nonprofit. The school now operates them.
- a spinoff school in Qatar that failed to move the needle financially.
Athletic facility leases to neighboring colleges like Villanova for its equestrian team weren’t big moneymakers either. The school started marketing its buildings for private events and weddings and trustees began kicking in their own money. Both initiaves helped but not enough to stanch the bleeding.
The biggest cash infusion has come from the selling off of its biggest assets: its primo real estate. The academy’s 120 acres is down to 70. Nearly 20 acres went to Eastern University in 2010, another 30 acres were sold to Wayne native Greg Lingo’s Rockwell Custom in 2022. Rockwell’s plans for a luxury senior living community, Oak Hill at St. David’s, are well underway.
There are also questions about spending amid plummeting fortunes.
While Eisenhower Hall and Mellon Hall were crumbling, trustees approved the construction of a new 3,000 sq. ft. Rockwell Custom home for VFMAC President Col. Stuart Helgeson and his wife, Stephanie, who is the school’s development director. Their home is across the street from campus, visible at right in the photo below.
Crossed Sabers, the president’s traditional home at the nearly 100-year-old military academy and junior college was rebuilt by Rockwell Custom in 2023. It’s now valued at nearly $2M.
What set off the death spiral? A cauldron of nasty scandals and alleged financial mismanagement which killed off enrollment, sparked faculty turnover, prompted expensive lawsuits and spiked insurance premiums.
Yes, the two-year junior college is staying put – but for how long? (Trustees legally split the junior and senior high school “academy” last year. Guess they knew this may be coming.)
Will the campus continue to be carved up for developers? Or will a savior emerge from Valley Forge’s illustrious alumni muster roll? One thing’s certain, the nearly 100-year-old school’s proud heritage is on the line.
PopUp Bagels is popping in to Suburban Square Ardmore but will stick around. The cult-fave bagel shop will replace the Juice Press near SoulCycle. Not since the coming of Kismet to Penn Valley has an incoming bagel store elicited such buzz. To explain PopUup’s eccentricities, we’ll start with what it doesn’t offer: No one offs – you must buy 3, 6 or 12 bagels at a time. No slicing – you rip and dip into a container of shmear or butter. And no sandwiches. PopUp’s puppies are light and soft, rather than chewy. The local owner-operator is Brian Harrington, the serial restaurateur behind City Tap House and Mission Grill, among others. The Ardmore store is one of eight planned in the greater Philly area. Some 300 franchise locations are currently planned nationwide.
Helmets on in Haverford Township or else. Under a new ordinance that takes effect in January, kids on e-bikes and e-scooters must wear helmets or parents or guardians could be slapped with $25 fines. Could other townships follow suit?
Starbucks has risen from its long siesta in Wayne. Years after it closed in the iconic round building on Lancaster Ave., Starbucks is pouring pumpkin lattes at the old Five Guys down the road. The chain just announced its closing a half dozen stores in Philly, but it continues to spread in the ‘burbs. Its former circular digs are the smashing home of World Wide Stereo. (See our story below if you didn’t catch it on our social channels.)
The Artful is now showcasing eclectic artists and craftspeople in the King of Prussia Town Center. The gallery owner and custom framer is longtime art curator Daniel Van Osten.
Radnor residents can now sign up for a Code Red alert system for local emergencies, weather alerts and township updates. Excellent.
This sounds … kinda creepy, kinda cool: a carnivorous plant show. The Mid-Atlantic Carnivorous Plant Society will host its first show and sale at Haverford College, Saturday Oct 17. Take home a killer plant! Tickets are $5.
Generosity is good medicine. Devon Prep is celebrating an $8 million gift from Class of ’87 alum and physician entrepreneur Keith Dunleavy to support STEM education and persuasive writing at the small Catholic boys school in Devon. A graduate of Dartmouth and Harvard Medical School, Dunleavy founded a multibillion cloud-based software and data analytics company that many say revolutionized health care.
Special treat in downtown Wayne. Philadelphia Orchestra Concertmaster David Kim will light up Wayne Presbyterian Church Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. The virtuoso violinist will present a pay-what-you-wish concert to benefit Cornerstone Christian Academy Orchestra.
Our hearts are full. Conestoga alum Patrick Hoey, the spinal cord injury survivor whose horrific accident and miraculous survival we’ve chronicled, has resumed his studies in the Happy Valley this fall. You can support Patrick’s HelpHopeLive campaign and ongoing recovery – he’s still paralyzed but making steady progress – at the 3rd Annual Hope for Hoey Cornhole Tournament, set for Sunday, Oct. 19 at St. Matthew’s Methodist Church on Walker Road in Wayne. Register here.
Radnor Township has its first career Fire & EMS Chief. James P. Smith Jr. served eight years in the same job in Ocean City, NJ where he also served as Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator. Running fire and emergency services these days is no picnic. Volunteers have dwindled as costs for equipment and personnel have risen. Best of luck to Chief Smith.
V Empanadas, those awesome authentic empanadas handcrafted by Ecuadoran-born Veronica Fitzgerald, is taking its savory show on the road with a shiny new food truck.
A staple at the Lancaster County Farmer’s Market in Wayne, V Empanadas has been rolling into such places as Life’s Patina barn sales in Malvern, a 40th birthday bash in Gladwyne, and last weekend’s Radnor Fall Festival.
Kudos to two tough guys, Renal Warriors Brian Clapp of Villanova and his son, Noah.
Four years after Brian donated his kidney to his son (above left), the two completed a grueling 316-mile “Rat Race” Challenge sponsored by the National Kidney Registry. The two ran, biked and kayaked from the Hudson Valley to NYC in September. Why? To prove that life after transplantation can be filled with adventure, power and purpose. Last year Brian Clapp summited Mt. Kilamanjaro to make the same point. The guy must be bionic.
Breastcancer.org will mark 25 years educating and empowering women with an evening fireside chat with founder Marisa Weiss hosted by Franny Abbott at her West Chester barn October 16. Tickets begin at $100.
Two smashing events for the White Lotus-obsessed among us. Maison Lotus in Wayne is hosting two Murder Mystery Dinners: Great Gatsby-themed “Death of a Gangster” on Wednesday, Oct. 22 and Venetian-themed “Midnight at the Masquerade,” Wednesday, Oct. 29. Your $150 ticket includes White Lotus-inspired cocktails, a three-course dinner and immersive live performance. Reserve on Resy.
A spirited night on tap in Tredyffrin. Author C.J. McGroarty will share ghost stories related to Historic Waynesborough, Anthony Wayne and other local landmarks. McGroarty’s latest book, The House on Chambers Road was inspired by Waynesborough. Hosted by Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust, McGroarty’s talk is set for Oct. 15 at Duportail House in Chesterbrook. Reception at 7, talk at 7:30. Tickets here.
2005-2006 were banner birth years in Tredyffrin/Easttown: two life-changing nonprofits entered our world.
Last month T & E Care celebrated 20 years of families helping families with a gala honoring indefatigable co-founder Sandi Gorman. Our recent story about her here.
Now it’s FLITE’s turn. The Foundation for Learning in Tredyffrin will mark 20 years with its first-ever gala October 18 at Overbrook Country Club.
Co-founder Tom Colman, who’s still a FLITE board member 20 years later, being interviewed by Great Dehn Productions Tuesday in Berwyn. FLITE’s founders enjoyed an emotional reunion during the filming of a special video by Emmy Award-winner Charlie Dehn which will debut at the Oct. 18 gala.
FLITE’s gala will also honor its founders, a veritable Who’s Who in TESD in those days. That committed group of do-gooders included the late great Valley Forge/Beaumont school principal Stodie Watts, the venerable Rev. Dick Streeter (also deceased), John Beatty, Tom Colman, Wendy DiRico, Mike Heaberg, Kathy Lieb, Hank Lloyd, Sheilah Vance and yes, Sandi Gorman. Closing the opportunity gap in TESD, FLITE supports 600 local students each year, funding academic programs that provide tools, support and enrichment. More info and tickets here.
The Main Line has lost one of its champions. Ray Hoffman, the local newspaper columnist (“Main Line Banter” and before that, “Berwyn Banter”) passed in late August after 93 impactful years. In addition to his musings on the Main Line, Ray was an active and engaged member of Daemion Counseling Center, T/E Parks and Rec board, Devon-Strafford Little League, Conestoga Gridiron Club, the Freemasons, the Kiwanis and the Baptist Church of Great Valley. A longtime adman who enjoyed writing, Ray’s last job was with BTC Marketing & Communications. A personal postscript: Ray was an avid reader and supporter of SAVVY Main Line. A rare gem of a human, he is missed by many.
LET’S DO LUNCH. You eat, I gab. [Editor’s Note: CORRECTED RESERVATION PHONE NUMBER BELOW]
Yours truly (Caroline Mangan O’Halloran) chats up Inquirer Sports columnist and Tasty Talk featured speaker Mike Sielski at a luncheon earlier this year. Next Wednesday, the tables will be turned.
Come nosh on a yummy family-style Italian lunch while I dish on my career, the Main Line and whatever else intrepid interviewer Mike Sielski (WIP show host, author and Inky sports columnist) lobs at me. No doubt local sports – Go Birds! Vs up! Red October! – will come up.
The beneficiary of this intimate Tasty Talk luncheon is one of my fave local charities, Surrey Services for Seniors, which helps older folks live independent, vibrant lives.
We’ve assembled awesome raffles including generous gift cards to:
- My brother’s local restaurants: Will’s and Bill’s Brewery in Berwyn, The Jockey Tavern in Malvern and The Crown Tavern in Glen Mills.
- My sister’s award-winning photo-organizing business, sheknowsfotos.com.
- A personal styling session/closet edit with celebrity stylist, Nancy Amoroso, aka my fashion fairy godmother. (Don’t know her? Here’s a story I wrote about my own makeover with Nancy during my Flair/fashion editor days at Main Line Media News. A framed paper copy still hangs in her style studio in Wynnewood.)
Tasty Talks with media personalities are hosted by realtor/foodie/community connector Michelle Leonard, aka the hat lady.
Tasty Talk Luncheon with Caroline Mangan O’Halloran, benefitting Surrey, is set for Wednesday, Oct. 8 at noon at Alfredo’s Italian Kitchen, Newtown Square. Tickets are $35 and include multi-course lunch, tax, tip and a donation to Surrey. Please bring $5 cash for raffle prizes. To reserve a seat, call Alfredo’s Special Event Coordinator Cheryl Boles (after 11 a.m.) at 610-517-3655.
SAVVY Pick***
Collin and Colleen Whelan, AKA The Two Cols, are a relentless husband-and-wife real estate team who bring deep local roots and unmatched expertise to the Main Line. High school sweethearts raised in Radnor and now raising their daughters in Wayne, they know this community inside and out. Together, they lead a Compass team while also running Poplar Construction + Design, giving clients the rare advantage of agents who understand homes from foundation to finish. Their multifaceted background means sellers get creative marketing that commands attention, while buyers gain insight into value and potential that others miss.
Connected to the pulse of the community, Collin serves on Radnor’s Design Review and Historic & Architectural Review Boards and the couple recently graced the cover of Main Line Today. Tireless in service, grounded in expertise, and local through and through, Collin and Colleen deliver results with precision and heart.
***SAVVY Picks are shoutouts & promos on behalf of our sponsors. To learn more about becoming a SAVVY Pick, email [email protected].
Hello, Fresh: Wayne Senior Center and Willows Park Preserve partner on farm-to-table meals
Wayne Senior Center Garden Club volunteers tend their tract at Skunk Hollow Community Garden. Seniors will soon enjoy the literal fruits of their labors, thanks to a Mariposa Wish Foundation grant. Jill Chambers, president of the Foundation, volunteers with the center’s garden club.
Most meals for older folks in group settings aren’t known to be farm-to-table fresh.
But that’s what’s on tables at Wayne Senior Center (WSC), thanks to a new, game-changing grant by a foundation started by a generous local, Jill Chambers.
Her Mariposa Wish Foundation, based in Radnor, has awarded $350,000 to WSC to transform its on-site and takeaway breakfasts and lunches.
In a budding partnership between two local nonprofits, the reimagined meal program is using organic produce grown by the senior center’s garden club at the Willows’ Skunk Hollow Community Garden and prepared in the new commercial kitchen at Willows Mansion. Meals are plant-forward and designed by a nutritionist.
The Mariposa grant will also fund a nutrition counseling program and cooking classes for the public.
Tastes, trends and nutrition have come a long way since Wayne Senior Center began offering meals 50 years ago, says WSC Executive Director Katie Mahon. “People today want choices, and they know that what they eat can improve their health. Thanks to the amazing generosity of the Mariposa Wish Foundation, we’ll be able to provide delicious meals that are nutrient-packed and accommodate a myriad of diets, tastes and preferences.”
Willows Park is a natural partner, says Willows Park Preserve Executive Director Will Nord. “Our similar values of health and wellness and focus on enhancing our community are why this collaboration makes so much sense.”
Wayne Senior Center has sharpened its focus on food as a vehicle for community connection in recent years, partnering with local chefs to offer cooking demonstrations and launching “Fresh Start” breakfasts with a $10,000 grant from neighboring Wayne Presbyterian Church. Wayne Senior Center, 108 Station Road, Wayne, is open to the public from 8:30 to 4:00.
Bippety Boppety Boo: Like Cinderella’s fairy godmother, Main Line Pumpkins turns orange beauties into blazing fall style statements
Style star Carson Kressley poses with Main Line Pumpkins owner Armen Caravantes after pumpkins were installed at Kressley’s Lehigh Valley estate.
Talk about smashing pumpkins! Have you seen the orange beauties gracing the entryways of some Main Line homes and businesses? More than a few were installed by Main Line Pumpkins, a new service that delivers pumpkins by the bushel and arranges them artfully.
A traditional mixed color display and an Eagles-themed green-and-white pumpkin installation.
The pumpkin-preneur is Wynnewood’s Armen Caravantes, who grew up in Lancaster and farms in West Chester. When he’s not installing pumpkin displays, he’s raising chickens, planting vegetables and supporting local agriculture and food systems in Southeastern PA.
“Homeowners want their homes to feel festive and welcoming but don’t always have the time, materials or creative eye to do it themselves,” Caravantes tells SAVVY.
A complimentary pumpkin pie with each installation sweetens the deal.
Packages range from $275 for a simple seasonal setup to $1,200 for more elaborate displays. A new Eagles-themed package is $550, 10 percent of which goes to the Eagles Autism Foundation. Nice.
Visit MainLinePumpkins.com to order.
Wayne’s new Pop Goes the Doodle solves a big problem: What to do with your kids’ artwork?
Pop Goes the Doodle blends storytelling with design. A wild and vibrant collage created during Chloe Proud’s childhood matches her personality.
Your fridge front is full and your keepsake boxes overflowing, but you can’t just throw away Johnny’s finger paintings, doodles and drawings, right?
Enter Pop Goes the Doodle, a new art studio in Wayne that transforms children’s artwork into striking, large-scale pop art for families.
“Our mission is to elevate children’s artwork into timeless design objects,” says Lauren Proud, Pop Goes the Doodle founder and artist. “Instead of keeping those piles of paper in storage, we create a singular piece of art that’s both deeply personal and visually impactful — a modern heirloom for the family and the home.”
Artist Lauren Proud, founder of Pop Goes the Doodle, with her two big kids, Chloe and Aidan, whose childhood art inspired her new business.
This Pop Goes the Doodle creation reflects Aidan Proud’s childhood fascination with travel and global culture.
Visit popgoesthedoodle.com to contact artist Lauren Proud about a commissioned work.
Star power! PA Conference for Women speakers offer hard-earned wisdom, inspiration
Your friendly neighborhood SAVVY Main Line editor Caroline Mangan O’Halloran with tippy-top podcaster, Mel Robbins, and former Today Show co-host Hoda Kotb at the 2025 Pa. Conference for Women at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
When the PA Conference for Women rolls up to Philly next fall, do yourself a solid and show up. (Men come, too.)
No doubt amazing folks will take the stage.
Past years have featured such luminary speakers as Michelle Obama, Martha Stewart, Gloria Steinem, Tina Fey, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Jessica Alba.
The cavalcade of stars continued last week with former TODAY show co-host Hoda Kotb, author of Joy 101 and its companion wellness app; podcaster/Let Them author Mel Robbins, “Wicked’ witch and 2025 Tony Awards host Cynthia Erivo; Jesse Israel, founder of The Big Quiet, and #1 NYTimes bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi.
On stage, Hoda Kotb admitted that leaving the Today Show – her dream job – was “super scary.” Preaching resilience, she recalled the 27 TV news directors who rejected her in 10 days when she was seeking her first job in TV. “It only took one person to give me that break.”
And adopting two daughters in her 50s – “the family I didn’t think I deserved”– taught her that “life happens right on time.”
And then this pearl: “Life is where you fix your gaze.”
She urged the audience to find meaning. “When you have your purpose, you’re in flow.”
Jump and find joy, she enthused. “Taking the jump is always worth it. If it doesn’t work out, it frees up space in your head.”
Mel Robbins talked about being $800,000 in debt and so depressed she struggled to leave her bed at age 41. Fifteen years later, she’s the hottest podcaster on the planet and the author of the runaway bestseller, The Let Them Theory.
In Philadelphia, she urged action “even when you don’t feel like it… There will always be an excuse not to do it. Fear creeps in. Fear kills action. But action kills fear.” Her other wise words: “It’s you against you… I had to learn to get out of my own way.”
Cynthia Erivo talked about responding to hate with empathy. When someone isn’t kind, she’s learned to say: “Who hurt you?” or “Are you OK? … I am acutely aware that everyone is going through something.” With a bald head and three-inch nails, she’s come to appreciate her own individuality. “I learned that accepting my own differences makes it easier for others to accept me.”
A special treat for locals, Main Line Today’s Managing Editor Gina Lizzo (below) introduced Hoda Kotb in a smashing suit from Posh in Malvern.
The conference also included empowering speakers on smaller stages, workshops, networking and career coaching and self-care opportunities, lunch, wine tastings, and a wrap-up party.
It will return to Philadelphia next fall. In the meantime, a virtual CFW with Nicole Kidman, Deepak Choprah, Martha Beck, Hoda Kotb, among others, is set for March 4, 2026.
Other HOT HEADLINES you may have missed. (Click headline to read):
Wayne welcomes World Wide Stereo, a next-level hub for the latest in home tech and entertainment
Legendary Eagles Coach & winemaker Dick Vermeil to headline longevity luncheon in Malvern. Aging Like a Fine Wine, hosted by Surrey
{Editor’s note: I’ll be moderating the discussion with Vermeil and an expert panel. Tickets still available. Details in our story above.)
Thanks for sticking with us to the end of this longish edition. Be sure to follow @savvymainline on Instagram and Facebook. Most of our stories and breaking local news are posted there first.
Happy Fall, y’all!
Dear CHO
Savvy’s great. Thanks so much. I grew up in Strafford, which is slowly disappearing from any references to Main Line towns. Witness: as kids we would say the ACME is in Strafford, not Wayne. Having a post office and lending your zip code (to:Strafford, Chesterbrook, Radnor) is, of course, somehow diminishing local towns” names and(?) existence. Lol By the way, dear editor, you’re stunning
Interesting observation about the town names disappearing. You’re right: 20 or 30 years ago Strafford was Strafford! And I would identify that Acme as being in Stafford. I know I refer to Radnor instead of speifying, say, St. David’s or the Villanova parts of Radnor. Maybe it’s about time a place like Chesterbrook got its own zip code!
My mom, Judy DiFilippo tried to get Chesterbrook its own zip code 30 years ago. Sounds like it might be time for someone to try again. 😉
Your mom is awesome! Just heard her speak about the history of Duportail House this week. Yes, let’s get her back on the case!
I’m curious; can you find out what the new development is between Devon Park Drive and RT 202, adjacent to the YSC Sports Complex?
is it on Swedesford Rd? Planet Fitness is coming to that area.
I was wondering what was being built across from YSC as well! The parcel is on Devon Park Drive, right along the Chester Valley Trail. My guess is a self-storage type of place but hoping it’s more interesting than that.
Planet Fitness in Berwyn shows an address of 200 Swedesford, by the McDonalds, so that doesn’t seem to be it.
I heard it is a parking lot for YSC, as the office park does not want YSC participants using their lot.
Another great edition of Savvy! I feel so up to date heading in to October. Keep tapping those keys Caroline.
Yes, sir! I’m excited to dive into your story soon, David Campli!
What is happening with the brick building 119 across the street from the horse show?
A service area for Mercedes Sprinter vans. I know – not the most exciting news but they gotta park ’em somewhere…
YES…. I TOO WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO THAT.. IT’S A SLLLLOOOOQQW-GOING PROJECT!!
Hey while Greg Lingo is my South Wayne neighbor he is NOT a native. Believe he played football for Upper Darby HS. Quite accomplished both here and there.
Yes, I know for a fact that he played for Upper Darby then Cornell. Good catch! I’ll revise to refer to him as a resident.
Great content and writing as always!