August 16, 2007 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Local Life

Hill area teen singers on top while ‘down under’
by STEVEN M. FISHER

Some of the kids from the Chestnut Hill area who were on the trip: Connor McRory, 12, Kai Heen, 11, Tyler Robinson, 15, Noah Goldstein, 15, Jeremy Robinson, 15, Kyrie Georgiou, 16, Nick Kelly, 15, Jordan Thomas, 16, John Guest, 15,  and Thomas Case, 15.

The Keystone State Boychoir (many of whose members live in Chestnut Hill and adjacent communities) just returned from a concert tour to Australia. The boys were hosted by, and performed in the country’s major concert halls with the Australian Youth Choir. The itinerary included Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. In addition, KSB gave a command performance at the 2007 International Society for Music Education (ISME) in Perth, an opportunity that arose from the Boychoir’s acclaimed performance at the 2006 International Society for Music Education World Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. While in Australia, the boys attended an Aussie Rules Football game, watched a sunrise at Ayers Rock and got a close-up view of one of the Seven Wonders of the World when they snorkeled at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef.

Romantic Mt. Airy couple  wins free ‘green’ wedding
by DAVID CONRAD

Megan Heckert, 28, and Allen Rue, 31, of Mt. Airy, will bring a breath of fresh air to the summer wedding season with their ecologically responsible ceremony and reception, a highlight of the upcoming Greenfest Philly street fair along South Street on Sunday, Sept. 9.

A young West Mt. Airy couple will celebrate their love for each other and the environment in a most unusual way on Sunday, Sept. 9. While many weddings are mired in excess, this one will be refreshingly modest and ecologically responsible. And yet beautiful and memorable.

Megan Heckert, 28, and Allen Rue, 31, won their free “green” wedding to be held at Zagar’s Magic Mosaic Garden on South Street, the most popular public art installation in the city.  Caterer ChriStevens will serve a menu “greenly,” created according to the tastes of the couple, for 60 guests. The groom favors lasagna, and there will be three types at different butlered stations.

Mt. Airy couple sheds light  on candle-making business
by MANASEE WAGH

Kim Pacini makes the candles in her Mt. Airy home. (Photos by Erin Vertreace)

Upon entering the cozy Mt. Airy home of Joe and Kim Pacini, you wouldn’t guess that they run an industry in their house. Yet drawn by the delightful fragrance wafting from the basement, you would descend to find a three-part workshop and office devoted to the making and selling of handmade candles. Their business is called Wixwax.

Surrounded by posters of rock and roll concerts, a portrait of jazz musicians and boxes of supplies, Joe begins the process in the hallway’s wax-melting and mixing station.  He melts the wax grains in a heavy pot, then transfers the liquid wax to five tin pitchers that are heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining the temperature, he can create up to five different varieties at a time. You have to account for numerous factors while trying to create the ideal candle, says Kim. Use too much scent oil, and you’ll clog the wick, preventing efficient burning. Pour in too much pigment, and you’ll skew the perfect liquid balance of wax and color. By this point, the Pacinis have developed their own secret formula, made with natural raw materials, including palm and soybean waxes.

Newest Hill restaurant definitely takes the Cake
by PAT STOKES

Jacqui Anderson, Cake’s general manager and a resident of Mt. Airy, was formerly one of the managers at Chestnut Grill. (Photo by Pat Stokes)

It’s a little after 12 noon on what has to be the hottest day we’ve had so far. The summer sun is glaring down through a gray haze of heat, and the humidity level stifles any attempt at breathing.

But a phenomenon is happening here on the Hill, identifiable with just one sweet word, Cake. If you read the Local, you know we’re talking about the restaurant just opened in the gleaming glass conservatory on Highland Avenue that was originally built by Robertson’s Florist to house their extensive collection of plants. What’s phenomenal is that on this steaming day, the place is positively jammed with happy eaters, enjoying delicious food in cheerful, refreshingly different surroundings.

Those of you who’ve bought a plant or two there in the past no doubt remember the tall, pretty fountain in the center, still there, a perfect focal point. Now, three even taller palm trees surround it, their slender curving fronds moving slightly in the air from four big ceiling fans.

Hanging between the fans are huge henna-orange banners, their cheery color emphasized by one soft yellow wall and by bright yellow daily-type flowers on each table.

Columnist finding himself up a tree — literally!
by JIM HARRIS

I’ve decided to live in a tree. Please, don’t try to stop me. I appreciate your concern for my safety, but I’ve been planning this for quite some time and I am well prepared to meet the challenges of tree life head on.