Having lived in Baltimore for many years prior to our move to Philadelphia, one large difference between the two cities can be found in the number of high quality entertainment venues just outside of the city limits. One thing I love about Philly is that you can step just outside the confines of the city and find art, music and theatre venues just as culturally rich (if not more) as those in the city; I would argue that the Philadelphia suburbs are better for it.

 

As a former city dweller, I often wanted a night out without entering the downtown scene. The Philadelphia outskirts and outlying metro area offer many historical entertainment venues that make city dwellers feel at home and give suburban residents a slice of the city [without having to step foot into city limits]. I like to enjoy a nice meal when I see a show or an exhibit, so I try to find an area restaurant that’s doing food a little differently and providing an atmosphere worthy of a night out. Take a look at some of my “must visit” picks:

Keswick Theatre

Built in 1928, the Keswick Theatre has had several incarnations, serving as a film house before being reopened as a theatre in 1981. An historic theatre known for its superior acoustics and comfortable seating, the Keswick remains a go-to entertainment venue, drawing diverse musical acts, comedians and stage productions that appeal to all tastes and interests (my husband has seen The Pixies, The Eels, Todd Rundgren, among many other talented musicians at the Keswick).

Located in Glenside, just minutes outside of city limits, the Keswick is accessible by SEPTA rail, making travel from Philadelphia proper a breeze.

Where to eat:

While you can’t grab a cocktail, you can BYOB to Humpty’s Dumplings. Have fun sampling dumpling flavors such as Magic Mushroom and Cranberry Beef, or if dumplings aren’t your thing, try one of the many noodle dishes they offer — Coq Au Vin or Cheesesteak, anyone?

Ambler Theater & Act II Playhouse

Also opened in 1928, Ambler Theater was opened by Warner Bros. as an outlet for showing mainstream movies in the heart of downtown Ambler, Pa. After being purchased by a nonprofit organization in 2001, the Ambler Theater underwent a pricey restoration to restore the theater to its former grandeur.

Today, Ambler Theater is a destination for showings of independent and classic films, in addition to screenings for local filmmakers, featuring Q&A sessions. If you’re not into independent or classic films, you’ll be happy to know that the Ambler Theater does regularly show Hollywood films in its lineup. As a nonprofit, the Ambler Theater offers membership with levels of benefits for its patrons (most notably reduced admission to the Ambler and affiliated local theaters, and invitations to special events and advance screenings).

If musicals, plays and comedic acts are more your speed, Ambler also offers Act II Playhouse, just a block from the theater on the main street. Founded in 1998, the Act II Playhouse is a relative newcomer to the area arts scene, but has accrued an impressive number of awards since opening.

Easily accessible by SEPTA and other public transportation, you can make an entire day out of your visit to Ambler, browsing the array of shops on the main street, sampling the fare from one of the many choices available in their thriving restaurant scene, and then catching a show.

Where to eat:

Forest & Main

Perhaps Ambler’s best kept secret, Forest & Main is tucked off of the main thoroughfare in a quiet restored Victorian. A “Best of Philly” winner since their doors opened, Forest & Main offers brews and a menu featuring a bevy of locally-sourced ingredients. Co-owner Gerard Olson’s wife, Mira Kilpatrick, supplies some of Forest & Main’s produce from her organic farm, The Humble Huckster.

The Lucky Well

If you’re in the mood for barbecue and live music, you need only cross the street from the theater to step into Chad Rosenthal’s The Lucky Well. You may recognize restauranteur Rosenthal from Food Network Star fame, but in these parts he’s known for his Memphis-style barbecue.

https://www.instagram.com/p/9wJvfFPj-Y/?taken-by=ardmoremusichall

The Ardmore Music Hall

Like many of the older theaters, The Ardmore Music Hall has held multiple names, but has always been a venue for great music. Located in Philadelphia’s Main Line, The Ardmore is accessible by public transit and SEPTA rail. Past artists include The Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, The Ramones, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and many more. Today, The Ardmore presents a live music lineup, featuring music styles as diverse as the audience it attracts — rock, funk, jam, roots, adult contemporary, Americana and more.

Where to eat:

Tired Hands Brewing Company

Offering local, small batch craft brews, Tired Hands Brewing Company is not your average brewpub. Here you’ll find a menu just as carefully crafted as their beers, offering ingredients sourced from within a 100-mile radius of Tired Hands. You won’t find 5-course meals at Tired Hands, but you will find small plates, comprised of premier ingredients, perfect for noshing, allowing the craft brews to take center stage.

These are just a few of my favorite places to relax on [now only occasional] kid-less nights out with my husband; what are some of your favorite places to go around Philly?

 

 

As most of you are already aware, I am now working (almost full time) as a freelance writer. Because so much of my published writing is about parenting, most of the jobs I’m offered are within the parenting realm. I was blessed to be asked to write for Care.com this past year, and met so many wonderful people through contacting and conducting interviews for the articles I was assigned.

While writing for Care.com, I got to explore topics I was already interested in — cloth diapering, breastfeeding, pediatric sleep — and learn more about topics I had little to no prior knowledge, such as baby developmental stages and social media safety. In August, I took my parenting writing up another level when I was asked to write for ChildVantage, a non-profit organization providing legal services for children.

The articles I write for ChildVantage are cutting-edge, well-informed, thoroughly researched and unbelievably fascinating for me. Not only do I get to pitch and write about topics I’m passionate about, but I also get to delve deeper and learn more about pressing topics dealing with early childhood and parenting.

One evening, my husband and I were discussing my current projects and I lit up when I began telling him about the pieces I was writing for ChildVantage. The more I spoke to him about the articles, the more impassioned I became. I suddenly realized why I was so excited — for the first time in my writing career I was immensely proud of the content I was producing.

That’s not to say that I’m not proud of other pieces I’ve written, because I absolutely am (especially the pieces I’ve written about miscarriage and PPD), but it was a pride stemming from looking back on my writing career. I feel that each parenting article I’ve written, each blog I’ve drafted, prepared me for writing for ChildVantage. The parenting blogs I’ve written for my blog and other large outlets, the network of professionals I’ve developed over the past two years, the interview skills I honed while writing for Care.com — all of these, I feel, prepared me to do the writing I do for ChildVantage.

 

I am proud of what I’m writing, and feel that I’ve found a “writing home” there. I will truly be sad when the contract ends. Until that time comes, I’ll be sharing some of the articles with all of you. Without further adieu, here are a few of the pieces I’ve written thus far:

Teaching Kids May Be As Easy As Telling Stories

I highlight a recent study that found that storytelling at an early age is a crucial building block for developing early literacy skills. I got to work with my graduate school mentor on this piece, whom I’d not spoken with in ten years, and I was happy to be able to reconnect.

Laughter And Learning: Giggles Are Beneficial For Both Child And Parent

In this piece, I highlight a recent study showing the link between a toddler’s laughter and increased retention. I was thrilled when Dr. Tovah Klein, author of How Toddlers Thrive and head of The Toddler Center at Barnard College, agreed to be interviewed for her thoughts on the the study’s findings.

Cheering On Kids With Cancer

A recent news article, highlighting the donation and installation of a bell at UNC Children’s Hospital inspired me to delve deeper into the world of pediatric cancer. I was honored when Sarah Butler, owner of the cloth diaper company Buttler Bottoms, agreed to share her daughter’s story with me for this article.

I have many more pieces I’m proud of, but the above articles are a few of my favorites. I’m passionate about two things, writing and learning, and ChildVantage allows me to tap into both. I hope you’ll come along with me for the ride!

So, here’s a fact that you may not know about me — I am a cat lover. I’ve had cats my entire life and love them [and their fickleness]. However, I’ve not owned a cat in three years — the longest I, and my fellow cat-loving husband, have gone without a little furball skittering around the house. My longtime kitty partner, Chaucer, went into kidney failure when my son was just three months old and we had to lay her to rest.

Devastated doesn’t even begin to touch upon how I felt — for well over a year after my sweet Chaucer was gone, the mere mention of her, or even thinking of her, brought tears to my eyes.

I adopted Chaucer when I was in college, and she was my buddy. We braved cross country moves, multiple homes and apartments, and she was also my constant travel companion — where I went, she went (and she traveled really well!). Chaucer was a fiercely loyal alpha cat, who would bully whatever cat or dog she encountered (even in their own homes!). While she was assertive, she was an unbelievably sweet cat who slept with me every night (often right on top of me!).

Why am I talking about my cat? Well, I had the opportunity to write about cats this summer for Care.com. You know how you get “baby fever”? Well, all of this talk about cats kicked my “cat fever” into high gear this summer — so much so, that I had my husband promise that we could rescue TWO cats when the time was right for our family.

I also had the opportunity to interview Chaucer’s veterinarian for a couple pieces, and the piece I wrote about kidney failure really hit home. Walking into Chaucer’s old vet to interview her veterinarian brought back painful memories and I found myself in tears in the office (seriously). But I’m happy to have had the opportunity to write a piece and remember my kitty.

I wield a mean flea comb, have administered long term medication (Chaucer had Thyroid Disease her last 5 years), battled ear mites, cleaned up hairballs and cat vomit, and have even expressed anal glands — all with love. Without further adieu, my friends and fellow cat lovers, here are the cat articles I wrote for Care.com this summer — I hope you find them informative! Me-ooow!

Cat Dander: How To Relieve Your Allergies

Care for Cat Ear Mites: Signs, Symptoms and Relief

The Scoop On Blood In Cat Urine

Kidney Failure In Cats: What You Need To Know

UTI In Cats: Here’s What To Look For

…and they’re worth every penny! $75 may not seem expensive for three pairs of panties, but for me, a self-proclaimed savvy shopper who won’t spend more than $5 for a pair of panties, $75 is a lot of money. So, what is so special about these panties, you ask? Well, they’re THINX Period Panties.

I’d read a couple of articles about this business (and the more recent subway ad “scandal”), was intrigued by what period panties were and, more importantly, what they would look like. I was pleasantly surprised to find that THINX panties looked nothing like the “granny panties” people often refer to. So, why period panties? Well, let me tell you a little tale…

I began my menstrual cycle when I was eleven years old, like, literally on my eleventh birthday right before three of my girlfriends arrived for a sleepover (joy). Thankfully, my first cycle was more like spotting, so nothing crazy. The next month, however, my period came in full force while I was away spending a week out-of-state with my 70-something grandmother.

I was mortified. Cramps, heavy flow, I had no idea what to do because I was completely unprepared, and the last time my grandmother had a period she likely wore a sanitary belt (the kind we read about in Judy Blume books). I did what any 11 year old girl would do. I called my mom from my grandmother’s rotary phone, whispering my predicament. My mother chuckled and then told me that she’d call my college-aged cousin to see if she could help (my grandmother didn’t drive, so I was literally stranded without sanitary napkins). I headed to the bathroom to, again, accordian-fold my fixed-income grandmother’s tissue paper-thin toilet paper. As I got myself together and headed out from the bathroom, my mom called back to tell me that my cousin would be heading over with supplies. She arrived a little later with a brown paper lunch bag [full of pads] and a smirk.

 

As if an out-of-state call and phone chain wasn’t bad enough, I was blessed with a ridiculously heavy menstrual period from the start. Middle school was a nightmare, my purse packed tight with heavy pads and embarrassingly asking to use the restroom, with said purse, each class period. I quickly learned to wear dark pants and a dark sweater to school that time of the month, so that I could tie my sweater around my waist when I had an accident (and I had many). The school nurse knew me well because I often had to go down there due to heavy cramps, accidents and reinforcements when my menstrual pad stash ran out. It flat out sucked to be me on my cycle in middle school.

So, of course I was curious when I heard about THINX period panties! I’ve tried many different menstrual products, including a menstrual cup (which I really do like), so period panties were a given. THINX’s website is hip and easy to navigate when you’re new to the world of period panties. I ordered one of each design available in July (Hiphugger, Cheeky and Thong), though they’ve recently added a new design called Sport. Here’s the thing — THINX period panties are in high demand, as in three-month wait demand! I ordered in July and received my panties at the beginning of October. But ladies, let me tell you, THINX are well worth the wait.

The timing of my THINX panties arrival couldn’t have been better, as they arrived on the first day of my cycle…three days after I had a cast put on my dominant hand (I broke my wrist at the end of September). Think about that for a moment. Menstrual period, loss of use of dominant hand. Let’s just say that there was NO way I was going to be able to use my menstrual cup, and using tampons would be tricky, at best.

With THINX period panties, you don’t need to mess with other menstrual products. THINX Hiphuggers are designed for heavy days and hold up to two tampons worth of menstrual blood. With designs ranging from light (Thong) to heavy days, THINX has your cycle covered. And guess what? THINX period panties are not your mother’s panties! I ordered all of mine in black and they are sexy, silky & comfortable — no more granny-panty-periods! The best part? With THINX, I no longer have to worry about accidents during my cycle, especially if I use THINX as a backup to my menstrual cup or tampon.

When you buy THINX panties, you’re not only making your monthly cycle more manageable, but you’re also helping another woman across the globe with her menstrual period and more. For each pair of THINX panties you purchase, THINX donates to AFRIpads, a non-profit organization teaching women to sew and sell reusable menstrual pads, ensuring affordable menstrual products for Ugandan women, allowing them to go to school and work [while on their periods].

So, yes, I spent $75 on three pairs, and now that I’ve found out for myself that THINX are definitely worth the hype, I’ll be going back to outfit myself with even more period panties (maybe I’ll order them in nude this time).

Since I’ve already tried them out, I have a handy referral link for you to save $10 off of your first order! You can thank me later 🙂