Columns

The shortest month of the year is packed with so many events that before you know it, February is gone in a flash! Groundhog Day! February 2 It’s mid-winter. Cabin fever has set in. Across Lancaster County, fingers will be crossed that the local groundhogs won’t see their shadows, which signifies an early spring. If...

Meet Mary and Kirk Reider  Residents since 2023, the Reiders love their home in the Gatehouse Lane area of the community. They found its size (1,900 square feet) and layout very accommodating to the furniture and heirlooms that are meaningful to them.  Mary and Kirk Reider relax in their second-floor loft that is decorated with...

In early December 2018, I was invited to a celebration of Dick Stoll’s 85th birthday. The last master distiller at Michter’s Distillery in Schaefferstown had gone on to become the first half of the Stoll & Wolfe Distillery in Lititz, where the event was held. A concurrence of extraordinary rarities commemorated the occasion, including a...

Over coffee, on a sunny day in the city, two writers speak of the beauty of Lancaster’s architecture. I am chatting with architect turned author, Gregg Scott, about Cassius Emlen Urban. And I am discovering how deep another writer will dig to unearth a story with veins touching almost everyone who strides upon the Red...

The year was 1983. Sally Ride became the first American woman to go to space. We were listening to Michael Jackson’s Beat It and Billie Jean. Shoulder pads, large belts and oversized sweatshirts were fashion statements. For casual wear, men took their cue from tropical shirts worn by Tom Selleck on Magnum, P.I. Cabbage Patch...

When Listrak’s owner, Ross Kramer, dreams, he dreams big. Just check out the 93,000-square-foot headquarters he and his father, Howard Kramer, built at 100 West Millport Road in Lititz. It’s a sprawling, modern center of technology and talent, laser-focused on helping Listrak’s 1,000-plus clients deliver email, text and marketing messages to promote their brands and...

October 2020 The coronavirus lockdown has provided an opportunity for us to spend more time in our gardens. Weeding is an expected chore, obviously. But, analogous to a virus, some weeds are far more “contagious” than others. I’d caution you to be aware of several annual weeds that are attacking the resilience of our treasured...

I’m a sucker for weddings and have always enjoyed working on the January issue of the magazine. I’m a devoted fan of Say Yes to the Dress and have probably seen each episode at least five times. Interviewing the show’s Randy Fenoli (twice!) was a thrill of a lifetime. In doing research for this year’s...

During my annual trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I discovered my new favorite eatery: Duck Donuts. Who knew the company with the quirky name has a Central Pennsylvania connection? The idea for Duck Donuts began on the shores of the Outer Banks. Russ DiGilio and his family from Cumberland County regularly vacationed...

1 Through August 31 | Music in the Vineyards Nissley Vineyards If you appreciate music and wine, then you will want to attend this musical concert series. Bring a picnic (food vendors will also be on hand), buy some wine and dance the night away. The lineup for July is as follows: July 6: Vinyl...

Take one determined and talented young woman with a master’s degree in business, add a pinch of direct-sales experience, blend in a loving husband and business partner, mix into that the joy of serving an overlooked measure of consumers, and you have all the ingredients that make up Alisha Thomas’ online business, Mrs. Pound Cakes,...

Have you ever visited a beautiful winery and with a delicious sip of wine thought to yourself, “I would love to own a winery.”? I have – many times. My husband and I dream about what grapes we’d grow, who we’d court as investors, what our tasting room would look like and what we’d name...

Make tracks in the snow for a good cause this month by taking part in the Sierra Club–Lancaster Group’s fifth-annual Polar Bear 5K Trail Run/Hike on Sat., Jan. 17 starting at 10 a.m., with registration kicking off at 8:30 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the overall top three male and female finishers, as well...

I’m pretty sure that Hannibal Lecter wasn’t talking about beef, but all in all, he was on to something with his passion for liver, fava beans and a fine Chianti! Some of the most underrated types of meats are the offals, or organ meats. Granted, organ meats are sort-of icky looking, which may explain why...