FREE

ISSUE 046

SERVING BUCKS & HUNTERDON COUNTIES

 BUCKS COUNTY HERITAGE

BACI RISTORANTE
& Heart of Oak Pub
-EST 1997-

NOW OPEN
M O N D AY
4pm - 2 am
T U E S D AY - S U N D AY
11:30 am - 2 am

2559 Bogarts Tavern Rd. Buckingham PA (Routes 202 & 413)

 JENNIFER
HANSEN
ROLLI

creative and responsible design for every room and budget.

Washtub With Clippings

16 x 20” oil on canvas

4030 Skyron Rd, Suite K,

Silverman Gallery Doylestown, PA 18902
BUCKS COUNTY IMPRESSIONIST ART 215.489.0851
IN BUCKINGHAM GREEN on Route 202, just north of PA 413 www.buckscocabinetry.com
4920 York Rd., Holicong, PA • www.silvermangallery.com • 215-794-4300

Offering the work of today’s finest artists working in the New Hope Tradition!

TM
FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS,
WE WISH YOU A GREAT,
HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON.
SEE YOU IN 2019.
CONTENTS
ISSUE 046
COVER ARTIST
Mother Nature Provides All the Inspiration Needed for Mike Filipiak
20
10 MUSIC 38 HOMETOWN HEROES
They Might Be Giants: Still Finding The Mitzvah Circle Foundation:
Success by Breaking All The Rules Doing Good Deeds for Families
In Need
16 SPOTLIGHT
Bucks County Rock Steady Boxing 46 SPOTLIGHT
Helps Those with Parkinson’s Doylestown Bookshop Thrives
Disease Fight Back as a Community Hub
26 WHAT’S ON THE MENU 50 FOOD & DINING
Baci Ristorante & Heart of Oak Pub  An Ever-Changing Menu Keeps
Blue Moose the Restaurant of
32 PHOTOGRAPHY
Choice Among New Hope Locals
Michael Marks: A Thoughtful,
Unhurried Approach Reveals
Peaceful Beauty
Publisher: Pearson Publishing | Editor: Charlie Sahner | Art Director: Paul Rowlands | Photography: Stacey Crescitelli
Contributing Writers: Lela Casey, Susan Welsh, Beth Hauptle | Ad Design: Jared DiTrapano
To advertise, contact us at 267.544.5135 or via email at info@radiusmag.com.
For all editorial content, contact us at editor@radiusmag.com.
 LET

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 MUSIC MUSIC

THEY MIGHT
BE GIANTS
Still Finding Success by
Breaking All The Rules
BY LELA CASEY

When John Flansburgh and John Linnell started

They Might Be Giants in 1982, the internet was still
a distant dream. In order to be heard, musicians had
to gain radio time, and the predominant sound of the
era was guitar-driven rock. With their unusual subject
matter, sophisticated word play, and drum machines,
Flansburgh and Linnell seemed unlikely to become
stars the conventional way. Luckily for them and their
fans, They Might Be Giants have never had any trouble
doing away with conventions.

10 RADIUS I S S U E 046 11
 MUSIC MUSIC

I Like Fun
“Having a band like They Might
Be Giants that’s sort of this manic,
hyperactive thing was difficult for the
record labels,” recalled Flansburgh. “We
were already leaping over the fence as
far as they were concerned. And all the
things we were doing – that we thought
were creating interest in the band – to
them were just diluting their capacity
to make us really, really famous.”
One of the most innovative
approaches that Flansburgh and
Linnell took to reach their audience was
creating the legendary Dial-A-Song.
They took out an ad in New York’s
Village Voice displaying Flansburgh’s
home phone number and fans could
call in each day to hear a new song
on his answering machine.
The idea was bizarre, unheard of, and
quite successful.
The only overarching
thing we’re trying
to do is make
original music.
“Dial-A-Song gained us a pretty
sizable audience nationwide,”
Flansburgh said. “We were becoming
notorious as a band before we were
ever making albums, which you
would think would be fantastic.”
“But, to a major label, everything
is a branding project,” he continued.
“It’s all about pulling everything into
focus. And we were the kind of band
that was going in a lot of different
directions at once.”
Even as their success grew, They
Might Be Giants refused to be pinned
down to any one genre or style. They
wrote directly political songs like
“Your Racist Friend,” strangely
whimsical tunes such as “She’s An
Angel,” fast paced tongue-twisters
like “Istanbul,” and dreamy melodies
such as the iconic “Birdhouse In
Your Soul.” They also produced three
award-winning children’s albums, the
“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” theme
song, and the theme song for the sitcom
“Malcolm in the Middle.”
Although it is impossible to label their
vast array of music, there is an undeniably
dark theme that runs through even some
of their most upbeat songs.
“We started out on sort of a death trip
just to keep ourselves from being bored
as writers, and then as time went on,
disturbing things started happening
in the world,” Flansburgh noted. “As
we’ve gotten older, there’s been more
real tragedy and death and existential
angst in our personal lives as well.
What’s odd is that we were already sort
of stylistically writing in this happy-
go-deadly way, and then roll on top of
it all this other anxiety, and it becomes
what we are now. It’s kind of an unlikely
combination of impulses.”
It’s an unlikely combination that
continues to be successful. The band has
produced 20 studio albums and sold over
four million records. In honor of the fans
that helped support them throughout
their career, They Might Be Giants
recently brought back Dial-A-Song.
“We wanted to turn Dial-A-Song
into a living idea so that it stops being
this sort of mythical thing,” explained
Flansburgh. “It’s more fun to make stuff
and have it be alive than just talk about
the past.”
It’s that driving spirit of life and
creativity that keeps They Might Be
Giants moving forward. But after 36
years and hundreds of songs, creating
something new can be challenging.
“To this day, the only overarching
thing we’re trying to do is make original
music,” Flansburgh said. “There are
big superstar artists who write for
their audience and feel a very direct
relationship to them. But we have never
been that kind of band. I’m not saying
what we’re doing is a better way to work.
It’s just happens to be the only way that
we can work.”
The way Flansburgh and Linnell
continue to work best is by eschewing
the music industry’s focus on branding
and turning inward to make music that
resonates with the band itself.
“We work on a song as its own little
project and have ourselves as the
audience,” said Flansburgh. “And that’s
a big enough challenge. Immersing
ourselves in that world is still exciting
after all these years.”
Perhaps it is only through that
immersion that they are able to continue
to produce delightfully strange new
songs like the trippy “Lake Monsters,”
which imagines a world where creatures
emerge from lakes to vote on election
day, or the “By The Time You Get This,”
which was written as the words from
a time capsule buried over a thousand
years ago and intended to be read by
people in 1937.
These are not the kind of songs you
would expect a successful, established
band to be producing. But for a band
that never does what is expected, they
are just right.
Catch They Might Be Giants
at the Theatre Of Living Arts on
New Year’s Eve. | r
Theatre of the Living Arts
334 South St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215.922.1011
venue.tlaphilly.com

12 RADIUS I S S U E 046 13
 “Holiday Small Works”
Nov. 4 - Dec. 29 Winter Exhibition
Opening Reception Snowy Landscape and Seasonal Still Life
Sunday November 4; 1-4pm

Nearing Four-ish, a pastel by Michael Filipiak

47 West State Street, Doylestown, PA

215.348.1728 www.PatriciaHuttonGalleries.com

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 SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT

Testing has revealed that boxers

Bucks County Rock Steady Boxing are maintaining or improving their
overall function.
Helps Those with Parkinson’s JOANNE HAUG
Disease Fight Back
BY BETH HAUPTLE

J
oanne Haug and Anne Haneman
know a lot about Parkinson’s
disease (PD). They are both
licensed physical therapists that specialize
in the disorder. They understand the
importance of managing their patients’
symptoms, maintaining fitness levels and
helping them stay as active as possible.
“Research is confirming how crucial
exercise is for people living with
Parkinson’s disease,” explained Haug.
“As physical therapists treating many
people with PD, we realized that once
they were discharged from our care,
there were little to no options for
continued support physically, socially,
and emotionally.”
After learning about the Rock Steady
Boxing Program, Haug and Haneman
were convinced it provided just the
kind of comprehensive support their
patients needed.
Rock Steady Boxing is a nonprofit
organization based in Indianapolis,
Indiana, that has designed
a non-contact boxing-based fitness
curriculum specifically for people
with Parkinson’s disease. Haug and
Haneman took the training, became
certified coaches, and opened Bucks
County Rock Steady Boxing in April
2017. Since then, three more affiliates
have opened in Bucks County.
According to Rock Steady’s website,
studies conducted in the 1980s and 1990s
concluded that highly rigorous exercise
“emphasizing gross motor movement,
balance, core strength, and rhythm”
seems to favorably impact those with
PD. Improvements are seen in range of
motion, flexibility, posture and overall
physical strength. New studies at the
Cleveland Clinic are even showing
that certain kinds of exercise may be
neuroprotective, meaning they actually
slow the progression of the disease.
Haug and Haneman have seen first-
hand the benefits of this curriculum
among the 40 people in their program.
According to Haneman, participants
experience “improved balance, posture,
coordination, agility, and strength, to
name a few.”
She added that in addition to
the physical benefits, the program
encourages participants and caregivers
to share information and experiences.
“There is no Rock Steady like
this one due to the creativity and
resourcefulness of Joanne and Anne.
I am lucky and thankful to be in such
a program,” said 71-year-old Cameron
H. Craig of Carversville, Pa., who was
diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
in July 2015. He has been with the
program since its beginning.
“Rock Steady allows me to be
proactive against PD advances,”
Craig continued. “I am among people
who have become my friends and
supporters.”
“Anyone, no matter their physical
ability, can participate,” observed Haug.
“Testing has revealed that boxers are
maintaining or improving their overall
function. This is significant, considering
Parkinson’s is a progressive disease.”
Haug and Haneman encourage
anyone interested in the program to
contact them to observe a class. | r
Rock Steady Boxing Bucks County
Unbound Synergy
560 Union Square
New Hope, PA 18938
267.718.6823
buckscounty.rsbaffiliate.com

16 RADIUS I S S U E 046 17
 Exercise classes for people with Parkinson’s
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 COVER ARTIST COVER ARTIST

Mother Nature
Provides All
the Inspiration
Needed for
Mike Filipiak
BY BETH HAUPTLE

Mike Filipiak was just 11 years old

when he declared his intention to
become an artist.

“The first time I set foot on a Maine

beach and breathed the sea air,
I told my folks that when I graduated
from college, I was going to come
to Maine to live and be an artist,”
he said.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa.,

Filipiak made good on his promise,
moving to Kennebunkport for three
years after finishing college. It was in
that coastal Maine town that he met
his mentor, painter Frank Handlen.

“The subject matter and Shadow Dance

inspiration surround us every day.

20 RADIUS I S S U E 046 21
 COVER ARTIST
Frosted Bramble and Such
“It was meeting him and studying
his work and following his advice to
go straight to the subject matter that
inspired me, along with the Maine
coast itself,” Filipiak recalled. “But more
importantly, his urging me to paint
on site has made all the difference in
my development as an artist and how
I see what is around me. There are
limitations, and nature is not there
to make it easy for you, so part of the
journey and the reward is the constant
challenge it offers. But I love it!”
Another important influence was
Filipiak’s uncle, Robert Vislosky,
a public school art teacher. During
family gatherings, Uncle Bob would
share art supplies and provide support
and tutelage. Filipiak has always
remembered these four words his uncle
spoke to him: “When you look, see!”
“How often do people look at things
and not see, or if music, hear, but not
22 RADIUS
listen?” observed Filipiak. “Perhaps it
is up to the artist or the musician to
help us all see and listen, touching all
of our senses and reaching our emotions.
Influences are great to have, whether they
are other people in your life, artists and
their works, or Mother Nature herself that
taunts you to capture her. But at the end
of the day, it is your will and discipline
that has to pick up that brush or pastel
stick – no one else can do it for you.”
Patricia Hutton has shown Filipiak’s
work in her Doylestown gallery
since 2011.
“I find Michael’s work very poignant
and very poetic,” she said. “He is able
to translate the fleeting beauty of nature
into a beautiful work of art of the highest
quality. You can tell when you look at
his paintings that he has a strong love
of the natural world. His appreciation
of each lovely sunrise or breaking wave
translates clearly in his work.”
Come Morning
Hutton and her customers are
especially appreciative of the background
stories Filipiak writes and shares about
his paintings.
“He talks about the conditions,
the weather, the temperature, the
light, how he was feeling that day,”
said Hutton. “He explains his need
to record the scene. It makes the new
owner feel as if they were there with
him when he created the piece they
have chosen. His stories are wonderful
and personal.”
Filipiak enjoys sharing the inspiration
for his paintings with those who take
them into their homes.
“I have a need observe and to create,
and Mother Nature, in all of her moods
and splendor, provides everything she
can to meet that need, so you can’t help
being inspired,” he said. “Whether it
is a hayfield, or a salt marsh in early
June, or an October nor’easter on the
I S S U E 046
COVER ARTIST
“It is your will and discipline
that has to pick up that brush
or pastel stick – no one else
can do it for you.
January’s Ingression
coast of Maine, the subject matter and
inspiration surround us every day.”
Filipiak enjoys painting in the
afternoon or closer to dusk or dawn.
“I like to catch the twilight or a rising
new or full moon,” he said. “Fall and
winter are my favorite times of the year
to paint, but I could paint the sea at any
time of the year.”
Filipiak has participated in many
juried art exhibitions since 1996. His
work is exhibited locally at Patricia
Hutton Galleries. Filipiak lives in
Flemington, N.J, with his wife and son
and still roots for his home teams, the
Steelers and Penguins. | r
Patricia Hutton Galleries
47 West State St.
Doylestown, PA 18901
215.348.1728
patriciahuttongalleries.com
23
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 WHAT’S ON THE MENU WHAT’S ON THE MENU

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Located in Buckingham, Pa., (Rt. 202 & 413), Baci cucumbers in an
offers an extensive selection of imported beers on tap olive oil drizzle
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we also offer the finest steaks and freshest seafood,
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26 RADIUS I S S U E 046 27
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Catherine's monastery
Mount Sinai Egypt.”

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 PHOTOGRAPHY
MICHAEL MARKS
A Thoughtful, Unhurried Approach
Reveals Peaceful Beauty
BY LELA CASEY
A lot has changed since Michael Marks
built his first darkroom in his parent’s
basement almost 50 years ago.
The slow peacefulness of those days
has been replaced by a constant sense
of urgency. Because of that, most people
prefer the convenience of digital music
and photography to vinyl records and
prints. But have we lost something
by abandoning the old ways of doing
things? Marks believes we have.
“If you looked in my basement, you’d
see thousands of vinyls,” he said. “The
sound is richer to me in the same way
that print images seem to have more
beauty and depth.”
That depth is clearly evident in Mark’s
photography. The stark black and white
colors and natural lighting of his photos
draw out the cheekbones of a riverboat
captain in Wuxi, China, the softness
32 RADIUS
PHOTOGRAPHY
To live a photo-
graphic life, you
have to open your
heart to what you
wouldn’t normally
think about.
Wailing Wall, Jerusalem
of an elderly gentleman’s beard in Paris,
and the mischievous grins of children
in the West Bank. The photographs have
a warm, realistic feel that has earned
him international recognition. One
of his award-winning photographs
was recently featured at the University
of the Arts in Philadelphia.
But, it isn’t only about the images
themselves. Marks takes great pleasure in
the entire process of print photography.
“The process of making a photo
and a print by hand is very deliberate,”
he observed. “It can take a minimum
of several hours. But there’s a certain
magic that occurs in that space that’s
different from anything else.”
The process of photography reaches
far beyond the darkroom. Marks
teaches a class entitled “Living A
Photographic Life” at Delaware Valley Family, Beijing
I S S U E 046 33
 PHOTOGRAPHY
University in Doylestown in which he
instructs his students on approaching
life in an artistic way.
“To live a photographic life, you
have to open your heart to what you
wouldn’t normally think about,” Marks
explained. “There are scenes that the
great photographers have captured that
everyone else drives by a million times.”
Marks ensures that he doesn’t miss
the beauty around him is by focusing
Buffalo Evening News
34 RADIUS
“Using a more deliberate,
thoughtful process always
results in better images.”
on a limited geographic area. Though
he has taken photographs all around
the world, he has recently decided to
stay within a two-hour range.
“I know that I am fortunate to live
in such a great area as Bucks County,”
Marks said. “But I believe that anyone
can find beauty. The key is to really
look at the small things around you.”
Marks explained that sometimes he
stops on his own street to photograph
something interesting on the asphalt,
or wanders around the woods behind
Fonthill Castle in Doylestown to
explore an old building. Although
he brings his camera, he has advice
for making the most of cell phones.
I S S U E 046
PHOTOGRAPHY
“Treat your cell phone as if it
were a camera, and slow down,”
he said. “Using a more deliberate,
thoughtful process always results
in better images.”
No matter how deliberate, Marks
confessed that he still isn’t always able
to capture just the right image. But that
doesn’t bother him at all.
“When I was growing up in Buffalo,
New York, we’d strap poles on our bikes
and go out to a pier,” recalled Marks.
“We’d be there for several hours talking
to these old timers and hearing all these
great fish stories. Even if you didn’t
catch anything, it was a good day. That’s
kind of how I think of photography.
Sometimes I go out there and won’t
even make a picture, but I was still
out there, still thinking about it. And
often that’s enough.”
Marks says that it’s particularly
important to focus on beauty these days.
“The world moves fast, and there
are so many scary things happening,”
Marks noted. “Capturing a small
moment can really bring back some
of the peace we’re missing.”
Through his slow, deliberate
photographic process and keen eye
for beauty, Marks is doing his part to
help bring back some of that peace
every day. | r
The University of the
Arts Photo Review Exhibition
Sol Mednick Gallery
211 South Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19112
215.717.6300
uarts.edu/about/sol-mednick-gallery
michaelmarksphoto.com
35
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 HOMETOWN HEROES
The Mitzvah Circle Foundation
Doing Good Deeds
for Families In Need
BY LELA CAS EY
D
id you know that food stamps
can’t be used to purchase
diapers? For families who are
struggling financially, this can be an
enormous hurdle.
And it isn’t just diapers: toothpaste,
soap, pads, deodorant, and sunscreen
are all things that many impoverished
families have to do without. What might
seem like little things can actually
result in enormous difficulties. Work,
childcare, emotional wellbeing, and
even intellect can all be affected by an
insufficiency in basic supplies.
Fortunately for local families, the
Mitzvah Circle Foundation has stepped
in to fill in the gaps that other forms of
assistance often miss.
“About 20 years ago, our founder and
executive director, Fran Held, responded
to a family that was struggling with stage
four cancer,” explained Rachel Hurley,
38 RADIUS
HOMETOWN HEROES
Director of Community Engagement.
“Even though they were immersed in
trauma, they still needed diapers and
other necessities. She coordinated efforts
in the community to provide supplies
for them.”
Although Held did not formally start
the Mitzvah Circle Foundation for another
10 years, from that moment she became
the person people called when they were
going through a crisis. With nothing
more than her garage as a base, she began
working towards a larger vision.
Today, the Mitzvah Circle operates
out of a building in Harleysville, Pa.
Last year, they provided resources to
over 40,000 local people in need. Hurley
explained how something as simple
as giving a family a few more diapers
can change their entire trajectory.
“If you are a mother or father living
in poverty, you are only changing
I S S U E 046 39
 HOMETOWN HEROES
“Our goal has been to provide the basic necessities
for people in crisis, because if you don’t have these
things, you can’t participate in daily life and your
crisis is exacerbated.” – Rachel Hurley
your baby’s diaper a couple times a day,”
she said. “But a baby really needs about
eight to 10 diapers. So, the baby is crying,
and the parents respond to a baby
crying all day with increases stress and
guilt. This leads to toxic stress. And in
environments with toxic stress, there
aren’t positive interactions between
parents and babies. Those positive
interactions are what causes optimal
brain development.”
“Babies in poverty aren’t only
uncomfortable, their brains aren’t
developing as they should,”
Hurley added.
This early impediment in development
can lead to lifelong issues that often
help perpetuate a cycle of hardship.
The Mitzvah Circle works hard to break
this cycle.
40 RADIUS
“We’ve chosen to focus on providing
diapers because what seems like a small
thing is actually a monumental thing
for a family,” said Hurley. “Having those
extra diapers can give parents the peace
of mind and calmness they need to be
better parents and provide the baby
with a brighter future.”
Women and teenage girls going
through crisis have the additional
burden of requiring period supplies.
The term “period poverty” has been
coined to describe the crisis of females
missing school or work for lack of
proper supplies. The Mitzvah Circle is
committed to improving the situation
for local women, so they’ve joined with
a national alliance to provide thousands
of period supplies to schools and local
organizations.
HOMETOWN HEROES
“Delivering period supplies to women
in need helps them to continue to go
about their lives,” observed Hurley.
“From the beginning, our goal has been
to provide the basic necessities
for people in crisis, because if you
don’t have these things, you can’t
participate in daily life and your Babies in
crisis is exacerbated.” poverty aren’t
This time of year can be especially
difficult for families who are already only uncomfortable,
struggling. Hurley explained the panic
that can sometimes set in. their brains aren’t
“The holidays can make things worse, developing as
because not only can parents not meet
the daily needs of their families, but they should.
they also can’t show their children joy,”
Hurley noted. “Many times people can
become frantic.”
In order to alleviate some of that
stress, the Mitzvah Circle provides new
toys and gifts to all of the families that
they serve. This additional expense
requires more donations and volunteers.
Fortunately, the local community has and for the other volunteers who love
been supportive. the opportunity to work with young
“We have about 850 volunteers people,” Hurley said.
a month,” said Hurley. “They do such The Mitzvah Circle celebrated their
important work. We’re particularly 10th anniversary in January 2018. Many
excited about continuing to refine of the toddlers they provided diapers for
youth engagement programs to plant are now growing into young teenagers –
the seeds of service to the youngest teenagers who are stronger and better
children. We welcome kids ages six equipped to deal with the world because
and above to volunteer.” of the small kindnesses that were shown
Kids from grades four to eight are to them at an early age.
trained to become self-sufficient at Little things really can make a big
packing boxes for families, while older difference. Contact the Mitzvah Circle
teens are trained not only to work, but to find out how you can help. | r
also to train other new volunteers.
“What we’ve learned is that youth 1561 Gehman Road
have a lot of energy and enthusiasm, Harleysville, PA 19438
and when we can harness that, there’s a
lot of wonderful repercussions, not only 267.649.7610
for them, but for the people we serve mitzvahcircle.org
I S S U E 046 41
 Hearn’s

We Design, Print & Promote... You!

42
Years

451 NORTH MAIN STREET • DOYLESTOWN, PA 18901

PHONE: 215.348.7115 • FAX: 215.345.9406 • DAVE.MMP@VERIZON.NET

Hearn’s

31
Years

451 NORTH MAIN STREET • DOYLESTOWN, PA 18901

PHONE: 215.348.5750 • FAX: 215.345.9406 • SIGN.A.RAMA@VERIZON.NET

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 SPOTLIGHT
Doylestown Bookshop
Thrives as a Community Hub
BY BETH HAUPTLE
T
he large, bright storefront
windows, filled with seasonal
displays and recently released
books, beckon to passerby along
Doylestown’s quaint Main Street.
Once inside, one experiences a warm
and welcoming atmosphere and the
friendliest, most helpful booksellers
around.
In spite of the odds, the independent
Doylestown Bookshop has survived the
advent of Amazon and e-books, recently
celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Dial back to 1998: The Village Green
bookstore was about to close when Pat
Gerney, the shop’s manager at the time,
stepped up and purchased the bankrupt
business, renaming it the Doylestown
Bookshop. Gerney ran a successful
bookstore, but after 14 years, she was
46 RADIUS
ready to retire. Enter Glenda Childs, eager
to start a new career as an independent
bookshop owner.
Childs had worked in education as
a literacy coach, and had always
dreamed about owning a bookshop.
“I especially wanted to be part of
a community, serving its literary
needs through events, book clubs and
a knowledgeable, kind, and book-
loving staff,” she recalled. “Doylestown
has been a perfect community for
a bookstore – both supportive and
engaged. It’s been a dream come true.”
Today, Doylestown Bookshop is
a thriving community hub with more
than 100 events annually. These include
book club meetings, poetry nights, book
signings, author talks, and workshops.
About a year ago, Childs opened
a second store, the Lahaska Bookshop,
in nearby Peddler’s Village.
Childs is passionate about her
commitment to serving the community’s
needs and interests.
“Being an independent bookshop
means we have the ability to stock
the books and plan the events we feel
are interesting and relevant to our
customers,” she said. “We are also able
to work with local authors, donate to
the community and work closely with
schools, nonprofits and businesses to
bring literacy into their organizations.”
Asked about her favorite authors and
books, Childs finds it difficult to narrow
it down.
“Oh, there are so many!” she said.
“I love historical fiction and mysteries.
I also enjoy self-help psychology books
I S S U E 046
SPOTLIGHT
“Being an independent book-
shop means we have the ability
to stock the books and plan the
events we feel are interesting
and relevant to our customers.”
GLENDA CHILDS
from authors like Gretchen Rubin and
Elizabeth Gilbert. My favorite fiction
book of the year is ‘Where the Crawdads
Sing’ by Delia Owens.”
For a holiday gift tip, Childs is excited
about the Moleskine Smart Writing
Set, which gives users the advantages
of digital creativity while using
handwritten notes and sketches. | r
16 S. Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
215.230.7610 | doylestownbookshop.com
162A Peddler’s Village
Lahaska, PA 18931
267.544.5131 | lahaskabookshop.com
47
A woman’s and 6220 Lower York
men’s salon Road New Hope, PA

Find us
on social media
 FOOD & DINING
An Ever-Changing
Menu Keeps Blue Moose
the Restaurant of
Choice Among New
Hope Locals
BY CHARLIE SAHNER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATE ATTINELLO
T
ucked away on a historic side
street, just steps away from the
noisy throng on New Hope’s
happening South Main Street, is a
culinary gem beloved by local foodies
and in-the-know travelers.
Blue Moose boasts a creative, rotating
menu served up in a relaxed, slightly
offbeat atmosphere.
“It’s New American with a heavy
emphasis on seasonal ingredients,”
explained owner Skylar Bird, who along
with partner Kate Attinello, keeps
things fresh and exciting at the eatery.
Their rotating pre fixe menu keeps
the restaurant fresh and accessible for
many tastes.
“Our restaurant is casual fine dining,”
said Bird, “But we consider ourselves
to be a destination not just for a special
occasion dinners, but also a destination
for people to enjoy all the time. We have
50 RADIUS
a broad enough selection that we hope
everyone will find something they like.”
The European “prix fixe” style is
something Bird picked up in 2009
while visiting his sister in Lyon,
France. He was on a mission to expand
his culinary repertoire after opening
a youth-run weekend supper club
in Bucks County, and found a small
restaurant that would allow him to
apprentice during a four-month visit
to the city. What he learned in Lyon
inspired Bird to further his credentials
at the French Culinary Institute in
Manhattan, and to adopt the prix fixe
style when Blue Moose later opened
its doors in New Hope in 2011.
From the beginning, the restaurant
has scored perhaps the most consistently
positive online ratings around – in fact
it’s a challenge to find a single negative
comment.
“We’re very customer focused,”
said Bird. “We appreciate the tourist
business, but we’re not reliant on it.
One of the reasons our reviews are high
is because we listen to our customers.
We give our guests comment cards,
and we appreciate the feedback. We try
to make changes so can we improve
experience of our patrons.”
“It’s about making people feel
comfortable and at home, and any
way we can do that is part of our job,”
he added.
The atmosphere at Blue Moose is
relaxed and quirky, with exposed brick,
an open floor plan, eclectic artwork,
and lighting made from kitchen
implements. Bird believes that vibe is
essential to their goal.
“We want our space to have a
personality – we’re welcoming people
into our home,” he said.
I S S U E 046
FOOD & DINING
Bird also keeps the menu fun and
timely by changing the selection with
each season.
“People like to eat seasonally,”
he said. “It gives a little bit more
excitement and anticipation if you know
you’re having something that you can
only enjoy at a certain time of the year.”
Dishes that have been a hit with
patrons include a Pork Shank Ossobuco,
Jambalaya with Gulf Shrimp and Sea
Scallops, and Blackened Fish Tacos.
One very popular choice on the current
menu is the Flat Iron Steak, served
medium rare with creamy corn polenta,
French green beans, and a balsamic and
fig sauce. Another customer favorite
are the Seared Sea Scallops, with carrot-
parsnip puree, rainbow Swiss chard,
and a creamy citrus sauce.
Sought-after appetizers include
steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels
51
 FOOD & DINING
“We have a broad
enough selection that
we hope everyone
will find something
they like.”
Skylar Bird
52 RADIUS
in white wine with chorizo, roasted
fennel, and French bread, and Pickled
Beets and Goat Cheese with hand-cut
crostini.
“We try to keep the menu as diverse
as we can and cater to as many people
as possible,” explained Bird.
Brunch at Blue Moose is also in
demand year-round. Their puffy, egg
batter pancakes, known as Dutch
Babies, are baked and served in a cast
iron skillet with toppings like spiced
apples and caramel, or smoked salmon
and Boursin cheese.
Another popular brunch option is
the Corn Flake Crusted French Toast,
made with lightly fried challah bread
and topped with powdered sugar and
fresh fruit.
“All of our product is fresh,” Bird
said. “We’re a scratch kitchen, and we
make everything in house – French fries,
I S S U E 046
FOOD & DINING
“It gives a little bit more
excitement and anticipation
if you know you’re having
something that you can only
enjoy at a certain time
of the year.” – Skylar Bird
potato chips, soups, dinner breads, and
our desserts.”
And oh, what desserts! Standouts
include the Warm Cranberry-Apple
Crisp, with vanilla ice cream and brown
butter caramel, and Dark Chocolate
“Moose,” with nut brittle, fresh whip and
candied oranges.
It all adds up to a one-of-kind
experience at New Hope’s Blue Moose
Restaurant that keeps customers
coming back for more year after year. | r
9 W. Mechanic St.
New Hope, PA 18938
215.862.6800
bluemooseevents@gmail.com
53
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