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1
Glenside Stories
Stories compiled in and around Glenside
to foster community and encourage connectedness…
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Our Staff
***********
Production Editor: Francesca Mayr
Editors: Jennifer Clark
Emily Locke
Paula Marsala
Alisa Thammavong
Kathlene Williams
Writers: Kim Canfield
Amy Carpenter
Brandon David Crossland
Chris Hammes
Sarah Kanavy
Rachel McGarvey
Ashley Parker
Mara Quigley Grizel Rivera
Photography: Jennifer Clark
Professor/ Advisor: Nancy Walsh
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The Glen Francesca Mayr
The glen, a “small, narrow secluded valley” flanked by fire and foe
Of the modern, strife-filled, chrome-enshrouded world
A safe space, a smooth cool pace, a place where folks gather at the tavern to hear
blues once in a while
Where Jazz refuses to die and Dunkin Donuts proudly serves free coffee the day
after an Eagles’ win
And, my have the Eagles won this year (just ask anyone in town)
Where the sometimes-obnoxious orange and pink of that same Dunkin Donuts
(shared with Baskin Robbins)
Is tempered by the warm smiles found therein
Where an out-of-towner can feel like he experienced Philly by getting a Philly soft
pretzel
Walk around, feel the brisk autumn air, and pretend to be a colonist
For, it seems a fitting thing to be
Where trees are numerous and chimneys sing
Where little streets turn into neighborhoods, turn into weird-nowhere-lands
And you find yourself outside of the glen
Cold and harsh with too-fast cars and buildings that feel like they house healthcare
companies
But you return
To Elcy’s café with a 1940’s style train-bag and a fascinator on your well-traveled
head
You take your cup of coffee to a world of stars! and shine! and big deal stuff!
Only to return to the deep maroon of someone else’s home
that you just may be able to call yours
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The Great Outdoors Brandon David Crossland
1250 W. Church Rd. Wyncote, Pennsylvania
I have once heard the Curtis
Arboretum described as a "zoo for trees."
I can say that it was probably the most
accurate description I ever heard, but it
doesn't really capture the beauty of the
place. Now, I am not from around these
parts. I hail from a small town in York
County, Pennsylvania. My house is
surrounded by trees on some sides, and
farm land on the other. Moving to the
Glenside area was a huge change for me.
I didn't like that I was always
surrounded by buildings, that I couldn't
see the stars in the night sky, and that
the only wildlife around was squirrels.
The change of environment made
things hard for me my first semester, but
I eventually got use to it. However, I still
missed the beauty and peace of nature
that I could find at my home.
During my second year at Arcadia,
I made a wonderful discovery with my
girlfriend. Just down Church Road,
maybe a mile or so, was Curtis
Arboretum. My first visit there was
wonderful as we took a long walk
through the forest and over the green
hills. We continue to make trips there
and we have found that it is a perfect
place for a picnic. The arboretum used to
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be the property of what I can only
assume was a very rich family. Some of
the buildings still remain on the property
as well as some of the original gardens.
There are beautiful stone walls and
terraces with ivy growing on them. It is a
place I can go to just get away from all
the hustle and bustle of the suburbs of
Philadelphia.
The more I explored the
arboretum, the more I discovered. At the
lower part, there are two shimmering
ponds with a creek running between
them. One of the ponds has a huge
fountain in the middle that is a sight to
behold. Walking along the creek
eventually brings you down to the dog
park area. Many of the people who bring
their dogs to walk at the park are so very
nice and will easily strike up a
conversation with you, especially if you
talk about how cute their pet is. If dogs
are your thing, this is the place to go.
More recently, I have done some
geo-caching at the park. If you don't
know what geo-caching is, you're missing
out. Basically, people hide small parcels
all over the world. Some are hidden very
well, and others easier to find. On the
website, you are given the coordinates to
these packages and then you track them
down and sign the log book inside. If you
are really into it, it can take you to some
amazing places. Because of it, I was able
to explore the park more and truly see all
that it has to offer. There is no doubt in
my mind that the Curtis Arboretum
offers me a little piece of home. I love
going there and just getting away for
awhile. If you ever are feeling stressed,
tired, worried, bored, or just want to
explore, I would highly recommend
checking out the arboretum. Maybe I'll
see you there.
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Ice Cream Dreams Rachel McGarvey
33 E Glenside Ave Glenside, PA 19038
It was the beginning of September,
my second or third weekend at Arcadia.
The school was new to me, the campus,
the classes, the surrounding area; they
were all unfamiliar. One Sunday, myself,
my roommate Kristen, and our friend
Andre decided to walk into Glenside. We
explored Glenside by going into every
shop that looked interesting. The
multiple thrift shops and antique shops
were fascinating and we spent a while
going through the never ending piles of
clothes and household items. Upon
Andre’s suggestion, we turned off of
Easton Road and onto East Glenside Ave.
Our destination was Dreams, an ice
cream shop, to satisfy our hunger on this
hot day where ice cream prevailed over
an actual lunch.
The store was tiny and inviting.
Although there was no one else there,
this did not make me question the
quality of the homemade ice cream, as
everything in the two big cases looked
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delicious. The one person working there
at the time turned out to be the owner,
and he was the friendliest, helpful, and
most talkative store owner I have had
the opportunity to chat with in a long
time. My friends and I found out that the
owner had just opened up the store this
year, 2013, after an ice cream shop under
a different name closed down. Although
he said there was no discount for Arcadia
students then, he would be giving them a
twenty percent discount in about a
month! Andre and I ordered a root beer
float and split it, while Kristen ordered a
waffle cone and had it piled high with
two scoops. The owner ended up giving
us all a ten percent discount anyway. It
seemed clear that he was happy for the
business from Arcadia students. While
we were sitting outside on the bench in
front of his shop, the owner came outside
and asked us if he could take a picture of
us with our ice cream. A little surprised,
but more than happy to do so, we agreed,
assuming it was for the business’s
Facebook page or website.
That was the perfect end to my
first day in Glenside with friends. I had
to share my experience at the ice cream
shop with someone else, because I felt
that it was such a great find. Since the
store is not right on Easton, I don’t know
if a lot of people know it exists. When my
friend Jason suggested we go to Rita’s
one day during the week, I persuaded
him to walk into Glenside to Dreams
instead. When we arrived, the owner
asked us to write our names and emails
on an email list to get promotions. I
asked him where the picture he had
taken of my friends and I had ended up,
and he said he hadn’t posted it online or
in the store yet but he has plans to. This
time, more into the fall spirit, I got a root
beer float with pumpkin ice cream. This
choice was questionable to everyone, but
I had a feeling it would be delicious. The
owner promised that if other people
ordered it and liked it, he would make it
one of the specials on his chalkboard and
call it by my name. There was a special
deal doing on so Jason got a huge ice
cream cone, and then got an extra free
scoop of ice cream in a cup. On top of that
we got Arcadia student discounts,
making us happy spenders. Since I did
not have the chance to return between
that day and the season close of the store
in October, I am not sure if my pumpkin
root beer float ended up on the board.
Whether it did or not, I cannot wait for
the store to open back up in the spring
time, so I can get some amazing
homemade ice cream and converse with
one fantastic Glenside store owner.
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Farmer’s Market Sarah Kanavy
Easton Rd. and Glenside Ave. at Glenside Station
One Saturday morning, I finally
decided to walk to the Glenside Farmer’s
Market at the train station. I was in
desperate need of some fresh fruits and
vegetables, and wanted to try something
besides the produce store. It was a
beautiful day to walk into Glenside. The
sun was shining and people were running
in and out of all the different shops. I
couldn’t help but smile as the wind blew
across my face; despite the bustling of all
the people, it was so peaceful.
During my walk, I thought about
all the days I spent with my family at the
Bloomington Farmer’s Market this
summer. It is such a neat place full of so
many interesting people. I miss seeing all
the arrangements of brightly colored
vegetables lining the tables, the sound of
local musicians busking throughout the
aisles of produce, and buying a bag of
freshly made kettle corn out of the
ginormous copper kettle that the Amish
would bring with them. Most of all,
however, I missed the community that
revolved around the Farmer’s Market
each Saturday morning. So many people
from different backgrounds would come
together to share two beautiful things
with each other: food and stories.
Everyone was so excited to learn about
the food they were buying and the stories
of the vendors themselves.
I had my own expectations of what
a Farmer’s Market should be like, and I
was preparing myself for the worst,
thinking the Glenside Farmer’s Market
could not possibly compare to
Bloomington’s. However, as I approached
and saw the small crowds of people
gathered around various assorted tables,
my heart immediately lifted. I browsed
through the different stands, thrilled to
once again see the bright assortment of
tomatoes, beans, potatoes, eggplant,
squash, apples, and more. When I saw
the honey stand, I smiled and
remembered how excited my niece and
nephew get when they get to pick out
honey sticks for a treat. There was also a
meat vendor, a jeweler, a baker, and a
whole table devoted to an assortment of
jams.
It was small relative to what I was
used to, but it still had an abundance of
everything I was looking for and more.
As I walked from table to table, I heard
all of the different conversations between
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vendors and customers. Vendors offered
advice on how to best use their products
when cooking meals, and customers
asked the vendors how their weeks had
been. Due to the sincere friendliness of
everyone at the market, the atmosphere
was upbeat and carefree. I came across a
vendor named Rachel Swartz who was
selling homemade granola. She was
giving away free samples, so I happily
tried some. It was delicious! It was the
first time I had ever seen granola sold at
a Farmer’s Market, so I asked her about
it. Smiling, she told me how it was her
very first day selling her homemade
granola, and she was very excited about
finally having the chance to share it with
people. It wasn’t a family recipe, but
instead was something she had been
interested in concocting on her own. After
some tinkering, she was finally able to
perfect it! The family and friends who
had come to support her for her Farmer’s
Market debut all agreed it was one of
their favorite things to eat.
I loved seeing that this kind of
community exists so close to me. Even
though it was different than what I’m
used to, it still had the same sense of
belonging and connection to people that I
had come to adore. I also appreciated
that the market does not just consist of
the same vendors who have been
participating for years, but includes
vendors like Rachel who are just starting
out. This market has been around for
years, and it is still growing just like the
Glenside community is growing. I think
it is great how they are trying to impact
Glenside in such a positive way, and it is
vendors like Rachel who take the time to
give to their community in a unique
manner that make Glenside a cohesive,
family unit. Unfortunately, the market
closes at the end of November, so I will
have to wait until April to continue my
weekly visits to get fresh food, support
local farmers/artists, and integrate into
the Glenside community.
10
An Adventure at Hibbert’s Grizel Rivera
142 S Easton Rd, Glenside, PA 19038
The first thing I noticed when I passed
Hibbert’s was the table of DVDs outside
his shop. I was overwhelmed with joy and
when I saw the prices, I was completely
in awe. For any movie lover/fanatic,
Hibbert’s is the place to go. I went inside
and there was so much more. He has a
wide range of genres and classics.
However, Hibbert’s is not only a
movie store. It is a store with multiple
purposes; all your needs are here. There
are engravings, rubber stamps, trophies
and awards, signs and banners, music
CD’s, passport photos, video transfers,
and photo copies and fax. If I had known
he does passport photos, I would have
taken mine there instead of somewhere
else.
I made my way through the DVD’s
and started looking around. I found the
CD collections along with some records.
He has a vast assortment of music. From
classical to rock to blues, there is a
selection for any type of music you prefer.
From the music aisle, I made my way to
the middle. There were different objects
that included tape, folders, etc. The back
room is where you can order trophies,
awards and other items. Then you would
go back there to pick them up.
This store offers a great deal. For
me, it is the abundance of movies that
are at reasonable prices. For others, it
might be the engraving and the award
making. I ended up buying a season of
Glee for five dollars. It made my day. No
matter what your needs are, I feel
Hibbert’s can help you with anything.
11
The Global Treasure Hunt Sarah Kanavy
When I was a kid, I always loved a
good treasure hunt. It was a thrill to
follow clues in hopes I might discover a
hidden object. I may have gotten older,
but my love of treasure hunting has
never ceased. Thankfully, I am not alone.
Over 4 million people across the world
are actively searching for hidden
treasure and leaving some of their own.
This phenomenon is called Geocaching.
The way it works is that someone will
create a “cache” by hiding a container
anywhere they want, and then they
upload the coordinates of the location to
the Geocaching website. Currently, there
are 2,268,645 active caches worldwide.
You may be asking, “What is the
point of Geocaching?” Geocaching is a
fun, unique game that allows people to
travel to new places or even just
somewhere in their hometown where
they have never been before. It can be
played any day, anytime, anywhere that
a cache is hidden. All you have to do is
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located the nearest Geocache with your
GPS and you’re off on an adventure! One
of the coolest parts about Geocaching is
you never know what you’ll find. Located
at each cache is a written log for you to
record your name in and a handful of
items. When a cache is discovered, it is
intended that the player take a piece of
hidden treasure and leave something of
their own that has equal or greater value
to what they took.
My sister is responsible for first
introducing me to Geocaching while I
lived with her in Indiana this summer.
Several nights after dinner, we would all
pile into the car are drive off to search for
a new Geocache. It was so much fun
walking through woods, turning up
rocks, and looking in hollow trees for a
hidden cache with my niece and nephew.
My favorite cache we encountered was a
hollowed out, magnetic piece of fake
chewed gum. Because we made so many
great memories this summer, I wanted to
continue Geocaching when I returned to
Arcadia. Once I got here, I figured there
might be one or two nearby. However,
when I searched for coordinates on the
Geocaching mobile app, I discovered
there are several located in Glenside.
There is even one on Arcadia’s campus!
As I went Geocaching in Glenside, I
began to discover Glenside itself. Once I
found a cache near the library, I finally
had the motivation to actually go inside
and explore the local library. In the same
way, I discovered an amazing rock
formation at Curtis Arboretum. So far, I
have been lucky enough to avoid the
questioning looks of other people as I look
in trees, in stone walls, on guardrails,
etc. I have also found some really neat
pieces of treasure. I have walked away
with bouncy balls, a bracelet, playing
card, and more! For me, this global
treasure hunt was also a local treasure
hunt. Because of Geocaching, I was not
only able to entertain the child within
me, but I also interacted with my local
community in a very unique way. Even
though I have now found most of the
caches in Glenside, the game is not over.
I will still continue to visit the places the
hidden caches led me to; I have already
made several weekly trips to the library!
If anyone is looking for motivation
to explore Glenside, they need not look
any further. Geocaching is the perfect
way to do so as long as you have a small
token to leave behind and a great sense
of adventure.
13
A Girl Walks
into a Game Store Ashley Parker
111 S. Easton Rd. Glenside, Pennsylvania 19038
I walked into Game Junkie on a
quiet Monday afternoon, hoping to arrive
when there were a lot of people there so
that I could quietly observe from the
back. Things didn’t work out too well as I
came in after the local kids had left and
before the responsible adults had gotten
out of work. There weren’t too many
people when I came in so the game music
that plays every time the door is opened
blared through the store. Just my luck,
they had actually turned off the constant
soundtrack of game music that is
normally playing in the store right before
I had gone in. So basically, I felt really
awkward for the first 10-15 minutes I
was there. I wandered around the
surprisingly expansive store, trying to
get a feel for the place.
The store is filled to the brim with
games, both old and new. Game art is
interspersed on the wall, just in case you
weren’t sure what kind of store you had
walked into. There’s a Pacman table by
the entrance for people who are really
looking for that classic gaming
experience without having to spend the
big bucks or worry about actually
standing to play the game. There’s a
closed off gaming area in the back for
those who, like myself, would like to act
out their nerdiness in an enclosed area.
Have I mentioned that there are a
lot of games, like way more games than I
thought existed? I wandered down the
aisles in almost bewilderment at how
much there was in the store until finally,
I worked up the courage to actually, you
know, talk to the people I came here to
see. Turns out, that all my freaking out
had been for nothing. The boss was a
really cool, friendly guy working in the
back, intermittently yelling commands to
the guy working the counter, who was
willing to tell me what Game Junkie is
like.
It turns out that Game Junkie is
pretty popular with some famous people
in the game/nerd community. He told me
that a certain famous flash game making
company is up the street from Game
Junkie and they come into the shop every
once in a while, which blew my mind for
a few moments before I could move on.
Apparently this place is also popular
with a couple of famous game bloggers
who have tweeted about the store in the
past.
He also explained to me that
besides famous people, a huge variety of
people come into the store, that it lends
an almost reality show like quality to the
shop. The store is a place for nerds and
geeks to have a fun time and find
interesting games but it’s also a place for
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kids and their families to start out their
journey into nerddom. It’s a place for
Arcadia students to come down to hang
out and get games to play, no matter
their skill level or interests. The place is
for everyone and is going to be growing to
be even more inclusive and interesting
than before, with new and different
inventory coming in, like apparel,
novelties, posters and action figures.
Game Junkie is a game store that is for
both gamers and beginners alike and I’m
glad that I walked in on that slow
Monday afternoon.
Dana Hot Yoga Mara Quigley
2278 Mt. Carmel Ave. Glenside, PA 19038
Although I myself have yet to
participate in a class at the Dana Hot
Yoga Studio, I was fortunate enough to
speak with fellow Yogi and Arcadia
University student Nenetzin Allen-
Caballero on her experiences at the
studio. If I had to choose one word to
describe vinyasa yoga it would most
Nenetzin, the vinyasa yoga taught at the
Dana Hot Yoga Studio is no exception.
Walking in to the studio itself is like
walking into an oversized sauna, both in
appearance and the actual physical
feeling of the place.
Upon first glance, the studio itself
intimated me- the entire front window is
glass. I imagined it to be like a giant fish
tank that all the cars rushing past on
Easton road could gaze into if stuck at
the intersection during rush-hour traffic.
When I asked Nenetzin her thoughts on
this, however, she said she barely even
noticed the window was there in the first
place because she was too focused on
keeping up with the instructor and trying
not to overheat in the sauna-like studio.
As far as the yoga itself goes,
Nenetzin informs me that it was
definitely a challenging yet doable
workout; it’s perfect if you just want to
sweat something out of your system. For
Nenetzin, a very fit college athlete, to say
that it just goes to show how tough of a
workout it really was. This was
Nenetzin’s first experience at the studio,
but judging from the way she enthused
about it, I’m sure it will not be her last.
Yoga means something different to
everyone. I think most people that try it
keep coming back; it sparks an impetus
for change within their life, whether it’s
to become more fit, more centered, or just
to make more time for relaxation in a far
too hectic schedule. After talking with
her and listening to her show enthusiasm
about her experience. I think this spark
ignited a little bit of change towards all
three of the above in Nenetzin.
15
The Blue Comet Amy Carpenter
106 S. Easton Rd in Glenside Pa.
When I was a sophomore my
grandparents came to the area to visit
me and asked me where I wanted to be
taken for dinner. I didn’t know the area
at all and told them that we should just
walk down Easton Road until we found
someplace to eat. We ended up at the
Blue Comet on a Sunday night with a
rockabilly band playing old standards
from my grandparent’s youth and great
burgers. I instantly fell in love.
Over the years the Blue Comet Bar
and Grill became a staple for me and my
friends whenever we wanted to eat out.
In addition, my appreciation for the kind
of atmosphere and community at Blue
Comet has grown over the past few years.
After I turned 21, I got to make use of the
“bar” in the name of the restaurant.
Sitting at the bar in the Blue
Comet was an experience I’ll not soon
forget; the bartender took my ignorance
of alcohol in stride and turned out to be a
biology fanatic like me. We spoke
enthusiastically about salamanders for a
bit and then she told me about working
at the Blue Comet. The bar is celebrating
its 18th birthday this year and over those
years it has accumulated a number of
loyal patrons.
Scott, the owner of the Blue Comet,
spoke proudly of the number of couples
who have met or gone on their first dates
at the Blue Comet. He spoke of the
number of proposals that have taken
place in the dark paneled booths and
around the smoky fire pit out back and
then the bracing shots (on the house) he’s
had with nervous groomsmen on their
way to the church. Most bars don’t like it
if you bring young children into them, but
the Blue Comet allows it under certain
circumstances; such as when new parents
who met through the Blue Comet
introduce their child to the owner and
waitstaff. Whether I’m there on a
Monday night for dinner with friends or
on a Sunday night for rockabilly, I always
enjoy any time I spend at the Blue Comet.
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Failing to Plan… Chris Hammes
138 S. Easton Road, Glenside PA 19038
A staple of college dining is without
a doubt Chinese food. There are plenty of
takeout Chinese places that you can order
from, but one day I decided to venture
down Easton Road and happened to
stumble upon Jasmine Asian Bistro. I
went in expecting a run of the mill shop
but was pleasantly surprised to find a
quality sit down restaurant. I found many
of the stereotypical dishes on the menu,
but I didn’t expect the spread that comes
complimentary on every table. I, myself,
am a snack person, but nothing I have
ever tasted quite hits the mark as those
crunchy noodles that they put on the
table. I don’t know the name of what they
were and neither do I want to disrespect
the deliciousness by assigning some
strange and wildly inaccurate name. The
appetizer was good, but what makes the
experience unique is the metal pot of tea
that is set down. I've had tea at a
restaurant plenty of times, but never
have I received it for free in something
that looks like it came right off of a wood
fire. Jasmine took all of my expectations
of an Asian place and blew them out of
the water from the food- to the décor- to
the service. What speaks the loudest at any
restaurant is the food. As with any
Chinese restaurant, you have to start
with rice. What I loved about my time
there was the fact that there was a
communal rice plate. When I go to a
restaurant I am a sharer, and the fact
that you have to share the rice makes it
a group meal. This technique makes you
become more engaged in the meal and
your company.
I personally had the General Tso's
chicken, and that chicken turned into one
of the greatest mistakes of my life.
General Tso's chicken is known to be a
spicy dish, and, justly so, is accompanied
by some peppers used to give it that fiery
kick. After having finished the spicy
chicken, my hubris took hold and
convinced me that I could handle eating
one of those fiery buggers. I took a bite
and triumph coursed through my veins
while my mouth remained cool as ice.
Sadly, that ice melted rather quickly and
I am almost certain I melted my brain.
My entire skull erupted in heat as I
grasped for anything to save me from the
torture I was enduring. I’ll always
remember the laughter of my dinner
companions and the blazing heat, but
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what sticks with me most, was not that
blazing pepper, but rather the beauty on
the corner of my plate.
Among the fiery sauce there was
something gentle and delicate- a flower.
A bright orange flower, not from a plant
but, constructed of sliced carrots. The
sheer beauty of this is what I remember
most of that entire experience. They did
not just give me food, they gave me art.
As previously mentioned, Jasmine breaks
the norm of what a Chinese restaurant is
and provided a stellar experience.
Oh and remember everyone:
"Failing to plan is planning to fail."
Memories and the Return A Bar Down the Road
Ashley Parker
106 S. Easton Rd in Glenside Pa.
Memories
My memories of Blue Comet are
shaded with brown, the brown of the
wood paneling in our booth, my friend’s
hair as she turns to talk to the waiter,
the chili nachos that we devour while we
laugh about some joke. The bar itself is
not really clear in my mind but it doesn’t
really need to be: for me, the place is a
memory of good times and good friends
rather than of things or items.
What I do remember is that there’s
something about the setup of this place
that invites a conversation to be started.
I remember the small doorway and my
trouble getting the door open, I
remember walking the narrow lane
between the bar and the wall until I get
to the small alcove in the back, cozy and
comfortable, where you can see
everything that’s happening in the small
bar. I remember sliding into my seat,
back up against the wall, a smile on my
face as I continue my conversation with
my friends who are joining me. This is
what Blue Comet is to me: a comfortable,
fun evening with my friends.
The Return
I went back to Blue Comet on a
Monday with a close friend of mine who
had also wanted to return to Blue Comet.
My memory of the place was not
disappointed by what I found when I
returned: a quiet, comfortable, old-
fashioned bar where the staff was
friendly and attentive without being
pushy. It was a little more spacious than
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I remembered, and as I was looking at it
with new eyes, I saw that there was a lot
of space in the bar for a larger group
than just the two of us. The walls are
covered in old advertisements, many for
local items that wouldn’t be found
anywhere else. The bar looks like it’s
almost out of a noir scene, all dark wood
with some lit mirrors behind. Turner
Classic Movies plays silently on the TV
above the cash register. The whole place
is dark without being drab and lends
itself a cozy atmosphere that makes me
want to curl up with a drink a talk about
anything and everything with a group of
friends.
I came in right before happy hour,
which is five to seven all week, and sat in
a booth that let me see the whole bar as I
waited for my friend to arrive. A few
people were at the bar, probably people
who had stopped in on their way home. A
couple was sitting on the end near me,
regaling the two waitresses of how they
had met previously at a party at the bar.
I remembered hearing from my friend
who had spoken with the owner
previously that something like over
seventy couples had either met or gotten
engaged at the bar. My friend arrived a
little after I did and the waitress came
right over and got us our drinks and food.
We both got appetizers and talked about
random things while we ate. Moving to
the bar, we ordered French martinis,
which were delicious and sweet.
The bartender, whose name I
didn’t catch, told us about the bar and
how passionate everyone is about this
place, that it’s a place that everyone
cares about and takes pride in. She and
our waitress showed us their Blue Comet
tattoos to show us just how much they
cared about this place. They gave us
some background about the place, like
that it’s been open for about eighteen
years now with the outdoor back area
being open for two. They told us a story
of a couple who had met at Blue Comet,
gotten engaged there, and were still
bringing in their kids to the bar to show
them this bar that was a central part of
the story of their lives. The bar is really a
comfortable place that is welcoming to
everyone, even families, and has become
a major chapter in the story of my own
life and in the lives of many others.
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Apollo’s
Kim Canfield
112 S Easton Rd, Glenside, PA 19038
Being on a college team means
that free time is scarce. There is little
time for homework, little time to nap and
even little time to cook. As an athlete,
life goes by in full throttle. Meals need to
be quick, but still healthy in some
way. That’s why when my teammates
and I are in a rush to eat, we always end
up deciding to order pizza. Not just any
pizza, but Apollo’s Pizza.
As the name implies, the owner of
the pizzeria is Greek. He always seems
to answer the phone when we call in our
order. Like a daily customer, he knows
what we are about to order even before
we say anything: a large plain pizza with
a side of garlic knots and a
salad. Although he knows the meal is for
four, he seems to comment every time,
“wow, so much food for a little
girl!” Within 15 minutes, my roommates
and I have our dinner.
Apollo’s Pizza is one of our favorite
“go to” meals. The owner is extremely
nice, and even threw in an extra garlic
knot or two a few times. He especially
enjoyed when our whole team used him
for pizza after a soccer tournament that
took place at Arcadia University. After
establishing being a regular, we told our
coach to try using Apollo’s to eat for
dinner. Our coach ordered about 40
pizzas between two teams. Remarkably,
the delivery man made it within 15
minutes, as usual. I don’t think there
was one slice left over that night.
Being that the season is over, I
hope to spend more time at the actual
restaurant instead of knowing the owner
only through the phone. Although I have
more free time, I’m sure the amount of
pizza I eat from Apollo’s will not change.
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The Brew-Through Chris Hammes
240 S Easton Rd, Glenside, PA 19038
When I turned 21 during my first
year at Arcadia, I expected my way of life
to change; I had no clue what things
would reveal themselves to me. Not long
after my 21st, a group of my older friends
and I decided to use my newly acquired
social status and pick up a case of beer.
Being new to the area and not privy to
places to buy beverages, I had no clue
where to go. The simple response from all
of them was “the Brew-Through.” I
couldn’t process the concept but upon
some persuading I was urged into the car
and we began our journey. Traveling
down Easton Road, the sign for Easton
Beer suddenly peeked out of the row of
buildings but that wasn’t a sign to stop.
We continued to drive right up to this
lackluster building and continued on into
the beer themed drive through. I could no
longer use the expression "like a kid in a
candy store"- from that point on the only
way that I could explain that wide-eyed
wonder is "like an adult in a beer store".
Beer lined the walls, creating pillars that
lined the path for the cars of legal
drinkers. Although the experience only
took a minute, my mind continued to
process the event for hours afterwards.
The best part was that moment of
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purchase. It was that moment- that
wonderment- even though it was nothing
more than a swipe of a card and a flash of
ID. The masses of new and interesting
brand names, most of which I had never
even heard of, still toss around in my
mind today.
Although the consumption of
alcohol may be an adult privilege,
however, by no stretch of the imagination
does that mean a sip of beer cannot
change the imagination of a young
person. With our liquid gold in hand,
thoughts of playing pranks coursed
through our heads, providing an idea
that to this day I still consider tempting.
Before you leave, the kind staff of Easton
Beer offers to place the product in your
trunk- but what if they had a surprise
waiting for them when they simply aimed
to fulfill the duties of their jobs? The
stroke of genius that occurred to us was
nothing but a slew of surprises held
within the trunk. No amount of money
could compare to seeing the of face
someone when they open the trunk and
someone jumps out and runs away
screaming "I'm finally free!". Or, even
better, what if someone took the case,
thanked the nice man and shut the
trunk. There are so many ways to get a
laugh at the expense of the people that
work the Brew-Through and I cannot
wait to try my hand at making Glenside
a little happier.
22
The Glenside Library Brandon Crossland
215 S. Keswick Ave. Glenside, PA 19038
I remember when I used to have
time to read. I would spend hours upon
hours at the library. For several years, I
volunteered at my local library as a
reading buddy and restocking shelves.
Every summer I participated in the
summer reading program, and I enjoyed
every minute of it. The people at the
library were always so fun and nice, and
best of all, it was full of books! Books allow
my imagination to run free, inspire me,
and impart knowledge to me beyond my
wildest dreams. Back in Junior High, we
would have competitions about who could
read the most books each marking period,
and I never found it hard to win
Even though reading and the library
were such a huge part of my life growing up,
college gave me different priorities. I can
honestly say that over the past few years, I
have probably only completely read were all
things that I had missed. Looking around
the library, I found that they had more than
enough sci-fi and fantasy books. They also
had a huge selection of films, many of which
can't be found on Netflix. The best thing
about it all is that it is completely free! What
a great deal. Since I was at the library I
decided to go ahead and get myself a library
card. The librarian was the sweetest lady
who seemed so excited to be giving library
cards to college students, and I was excited
to finally be getting another one! I spent the
rest of my time at the library trying to
calculate how much candy corn was in a jar.
Despite my calculation of volumes and
quantities, which took a lot of
measurements, I ended up not winning.
Either way, it was a great trip to a place
that I hope to continue to visit. I know that
the Glenside Library will bring me much joy
and memories from home.
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Anne’s Kitchen Table Grizel Rivera
11 Wesley Ave, Glenside, PA 19038
The first time I stepped foot in
Anne’s Kitchen Table was a year ago for
a scavenger hunt. My team and I bought
a brownie and it w
as absolutely amazing. For some reason,
until this project, I never went again.
Anne’s was my first choice because I
remembered how good that brownie was.
I went to eat there around 2:30pm
on Friday November 8, 2013. The first
thing I noticed was how small the place
was. It might have been small but it was
very homey. I felt at ease and warm. The
place was covered with decorations and
family friendly pictures; I am guessing
the people in the pictures were her
family.
I was not really sure how things
worked there, so I asked if I should just
sit and order. The ladies greeted me and
gave me a menu. She told me to just grab
a drink, find a seat, and they would be
with me. The waitress came and took my
order. She was very friendly and
welcoming. I ordered New England clam
chowder and a junior size grilled chicken
Caesar salad.
While I waited for my food, I
listened to the music. They had a bell
that rang every time the door opened and
it added to the atmosphere. The soup was
brought out quite fast; it was rich,
creamy, and amazing. I was still eating
the soup when the salad came out.
Apparently, Anne makes her own Caesar
salad dressing; I never tasted anything
like it before. As I was eating, I noticed
an older lady dancing to the music. She
felt comfortable enough to start dancing
alone for all to see. This is the
atmosphere of Anne's Kitchen Table. You
can be yourself, feel at home and sit
down to comfortably enjoy a delicious
meal.
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Elcy’s Amy Carpenter
1 West Glenside Avenue Glenside, PA 19038
When I walked into Elcy’s on
Friday morning my first thought was
that of gratitude for the miracle of
central heating, for the November winds
had torn at me all the way down Easton
Road, and I was not properly dressed for
the weather. As I stepped over the
threshold, the blast of coffee-scented
warmth enveloped me and I could feel
the rush of blood to my cheeks and
fingertips. Like any good coffee shop,
Elcy’s invites you in every way possible to
sit down and watch the world outside go
by; I ordered myself some coffee and let
myself fall under Elcy’s spell.
If you’re like me, and sometimes
like to melt back into the woodwork of a
place and observe, then Elcy’s is a great
place to be. Almost always thriving with
activity, its clientele can range from the
two elderly gentlemen sitting together
sipping soup, to the mother with her
young son playing further on down the
long wooden that runs along the back
wall. His giggles while playing are
distinct amidst the steady background
hum of the workers behind the counter
chatting pleasantly amongst themselves.
The smell of fresh cut fruit wafted over to
me and I reconsidered my plans to buy
some breakfast.
The sky outside was gray but it
couldn’t dampen the cheerful atmosphere
and I took another sip of coffee. By now it
has warmed my whole body, starting in
the center of my chest and now even my
toes have recovered from the chill. There
are a few more minutes to spare before
my train and I settle back against the
wall to enjoy them here.
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Keswick Tavern Kim Canfield
294 N Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA 19038
Monday, November 4th, The
birthday of one of my best friends. On
this day, after three hours of running
around on the turf at soccer practice, four
friends and myself walked off the field
starving. Collectively, we decided to go
to the Keswick Tavern right down Easton
Road. It was a perfect choice because not
only were we all able to fulfill our
cravings of hamburgers, but my one best
friend could also buy her first legal drink.
After scarfing down our meals, my
best friend went to the bar to buy her
first drink. One of my other friends, who
went with her, announced that it was her
birthday. Upon hearing her
announcement, the bar tender said, “Oh
so this is your first legal drink? Here,
have one of our specialties; it’s on the
house! Happy birthday!” With that, my
friend got her first drink for free!
While she was at the bar with my
friend, my other friend and I were
making conversation with our
waitress. We were both not allowed at
the bar because we are only 20. The
waitress was really friendly, asking
about our soccer season and how we liked
our school. She told us that she wish she
had the privilege to go to college. Her
dream was to one-day gain a college
education, but cannot at the time because
she has to pay her own way. Working as
a waitress was only one of the jobs she
had to help save money. Her dream job
is to someday become an artist. I was
interested in what pieces of work she had
created, if any, and she was very willing
to show us some photos of her works.
She loved to paint with
watercolors and thicker paints. She
explained, “I love how the colors can mix
and create something so unique that it
cannot be replicated even if I tried.” Her
favorite piece of work however, was her
charcoal drawing. This was also my
favorite piece of the ones she showed
us. The contour and shading looked so
realistic my friend and I were mind
blown.
Finally, our two friends returned
from the bar, ready to leave. As we
gathered our things, we thanked our
waitress, and wished her all the best on
her future endeavors. I was really
surprised how friendly the service was at
KT. I can’t wait for my parents to visit
soon so I can take them to Keswick
Tavern. I know they will really enjoy the
food and the service.
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Making Friends
at the Nail Salon Rachel McGarvey
238 N Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA 19038
One day I accompanied my friend
into Glenside to find a store to get her
nails done. We did not have a nail salon
picked out when we left, but we ended up
at Lisa’s Glenside Nail Spa in Keswick
Village. While we were there, I met the
owner’s sister and the owner’s daughter,
who were both working that day.
The daughter, named Diana, sat
my friend down and started her
manicure. She encouraged me to sit right
next to them. Over the course of a half
hour, I learned a lot about Diana as she
talked about the college she attends, her
husband, her baby, and the family
business. I found out that this is the nail
spa’s fifteenth year in business. A middle
aged woman came into the store at one
point, greeting everyone warmly. She
was clearly a regular and sat down at a
table, opening her laptop. She too was
extremely talkative and asked me what
my major was and how I liked Arcadia. I
found out that this woman was a
Glenside local and had simply stopped
into the spa for a place to sit to send an
email and chat. At the end of our visit,
my friend’s nails looked great and the
prices were very reasonable.
My second visit to the nail spa
resulted in a similar experience. I met
the owner, Lisa, who told me about her
future plans for the nail salon to attract
more customers. She hopes to make a
bar-like section where people can order
juice and hang out while getting their
nails done. I talked to another Glenside
local who was getting a pedicure. She
raved about the nail spa and how great
her nails come out. The rest of our forty
five minute talk revolved around my
experience at Arcadia and plans to study
abroad next semester.
I had never expected to go into a
nail spa and meet people who were so
nice, talkative, and genuinely interested
in my life and open in talking about
theirs.
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My previous encounters in nail
salons only involved polite and often
awkward chatter. I left feeling happy
about the welcoming, personal, and
comfortable experience I had just had
with people who had very recently been
strangers. I wish that I had more time for
getting my nails done, because I wouldn’t
mind regularly experiencing the
atmosphere of Lisa’s Glenside Nail Spa. I
am thankful to have met great people
and I will definitely pop in to say hello
next time I am in Keswick Village.
At the Keswick Coffee House Maura Quigley
285 N Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA 19038
As I sat nestled in the cozy back
corner of the Keswick Coffee House on
one of the many well-loved couches, I
witnessed an eclectic array of people
as colorful as the warmly painted
walls come in and out of the small
coffee shop. A tattooed, long-haired,
flannel-wearing 20-something (“JP”,
as I was later informed) sat in one
corner with Beats headphones on,
jamming to music that was clearly not
the smooth jazz floating through the
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speakers in the shop. To my left sat a
young professional woman dressed to
the nines in business attire (on a
Sunday morning, mind you) typing
away furiously at her computer
working on something presumably
very important.
Just as I was walking in, two
middle aged bikers exited the shop,
decked out in ripped leather vests and
faded rock T’s and each holding a
small steaming coffee cup. The two
men were laughing jovially and
seemed to be in very good moods as
they greeted their friend on the street,
whom I had just walked past, and
gave his pit-bull a friendly scratch on
the ear.
As I found my place on an open
couch, two other gentlemen (who the
owner later referred to as Dave and
Rich) walked in, very much in contrast
to the bikers who had just exited.
These older men were both in jeans,
large comfy sweaters, and beanies.
The older gentleman behind the
counter greeted them with a wide
smile and asked how they were doing.
As they struck up a conversation, he
busied himself making their drinks.
After he handed the one a small
cappuccino and the other a medium
latte, they made small talk for a while,
finally exiting the shop with a friendly
wave.
The next patron, clearly yet
another regular, waltzed in and
instantly owned the room. She was
robed in a baby pink sweat suit, with a
matching pink scarf. As she flounced
through the door she announced
“Hello everybody, how are you? My
name is Barbara.” After receiving a
few greetings, waltzing to the other
corner and plopping herself down on
one of the many comfy couches in the
back, she immediately struck up a
conversation with the man behind the
counter about a diner she had been to
this past week.
After busying himself with
various tasks behind the counter, the
man walked around the shop and
stopped to talk to the young
professional woman, offering to clear
her dish and asking if she enjoyed the
pastry she had been eating. At this
time, a piano rendition of Willa Wonka
and the Chocolate Factory came on,
further adding to the eccentricity of
this adorable little coffee shop.
At noon, the manager came
through the door with his wife and
their young daughter. I introduced
myself to him, and he told me his
name was Joe, and his wife and
daughter were named Pam and Olivia.
For the next hour, I struck up a
conversation with Joe about
everything from how his business
began, to where they’re hoping to head
in the future. As a result, without
even trying he convinced me to aspire
to become one of the regulars they so
lovingly treat as family.
Joe warmly enthuses about how
The Keswick Village area in which the
coffee chop is nestled in is like a little
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family. His daughter Olivia fondly
refers to one of the other managers as
Auntie Jan, and Joe’s own nephew
even works on web design and
marketing for the entire Village.
Olivia, in fact, is sort of a local
celebrity among all the business
owners on the block- known for her
adorable looks and charming
personality, I’m sure. The very reason
Joe had wanted to own a coffee shop in
the first place was for this very reason:
to build a local keystone of the
community, when strangers become
family. If you have ever watched the
popular sitcom Friends and know
what the Central Perk is, then you
will have a very good idea of what it is
like to go to the Keswick Coffee House.
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Thank you!
The Glenside Stories team would like to thank all of the small businesses who gave
of their time and energy to make this possible. A special thanks to those who
provided gift certificates for our launch event!
Including:
Blue Comet , Not Just Antiques, Anne’s Kitchen Table, Game Junkie, Lisa’s Nails,
The Dovetail Artisans, and Hibbert’s
We would also like to thank Professor Nancy Walsh, our advisor for this project,
whose encouragement, dedication, and thoughtfulness is an inspiration for us all!
And, of course, thank you to our readers! Now go enjoy Glenside!
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Hope you had as much fun as we did!