Did you know that National Take a Hike Day is observed annually on November 17?  Did you know that research has shown that hiking can have many health and social benefits? It can reduce stress, increase heart activity and reduce blood pressure. Join TLC on November 17 to Celebrate National Take a Hike Day. Carl Hutchinson, TLC’s assistant Land Manager will lead a hike around our hidden gem, the Marshall Bridge Preserve. Not only will you enjoy a good workout, but the fresh air will help you clear your mind and invigorate your soul. FREE, but please register.

Location: Chadds Ford Barn Shops with parking at the Branndywine River Museum of Art

Please join us for a new community tradition on Saturday, November 17 for the 2nd annual Potts Meadow Tree Lighting, presented by the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
The evening’s festivities will take place at the Chadds Ford Barn Shops beginning at 5 p.m. and will include:
• Musical performances by students from the Oxford Arts Alliance
• Hot chocolate, dinner, snacks and treats from Chadds Café, and wine for purchase
• The chance to begin your holiday shopping at the Barn Shops village businesses
• A surprise visit from Santa from 5–7 p.m.
• The lighting of the Potts Meadow holiday tree at 6 p.m.
Bring a chair to relax by the fire.
Parking will be available exclusively at the Brandywine River Museum of Art with free shuttle service to the Chadds Ford Barn Shops. No parking will be available at the Barn Shops

Join David Nelson Wren, author of Ardrossan: The Last Great Estate on the Philadelphia Main Line, for a screening of The Philadelphia Story followed by a brief discussion of Ardrossan and the Montgomery family who built it. The Montgomerys are best known as the family on which Philip Barry based his 1939 play, which later was produced as the film The Philadelphia Story. American film, architecture, and social history enthusiasts especially will enjoy a glimpse into another time and way of life. Copeland Lecture Hall. $10 per Member. $15 per nonmember. 

Did you know that the wild turkey may be America’s greatest wildlife conservation success story? Before your tables are set to enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving feast with family and friends, join TLC and Mike Hamilton, a long-time member of the National Wild Turkey Federation, in giving thanks for the wild turkey’s remarkable rebound and learn about the natural history and amazing adaptations of these fascinating birds.

The Chester County Youth Orchestra will be performing on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. at Fugett Middle School. The concert, featuring young Chester County musicians, will benefit Safe Harbor of Chester County.

Eclectic Variety Auction at Bunch Auctions

Preview November 19 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Auction November 20, 2018 9 a.m.

Features & Highlights

https://auction.bunchauctions.com/auction/2018-11-20-november-20th-eclectic-variety-auction-12305/lots

Enjoy a glass of wine, bask in the warmth and beauty of the holiday season, and listen to the melodic sounds of live jazz in the Galleries Reception Atrium every Wednesday during Yuletide. Cash wine and beer bar; fruit and cheese for purchase. Members free. Nonmembers, Jazz & Wine is included with Yuletide Tour general admission ticket. For nonmembers who are not purchasing a Yuletide general admission ticket, tickets are $15 and include live jazz, entry to galleries & exhibits. 

November 21, 5:30–8:00 pm
Music provided by: Cartoon Christmas Trio

This jazz trio plays the classic holiday jazz of Vince Guaraldi, composer of the Peanuts soundtracks. Jeff Knoettner on piano, Jimmy Coleman on drums, and Rob Swanson on double bass violin have played to sell-out crowds at the best regional venues (including Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center) for over 20 years.

This year A Longwood Christmas pays homage to the Christmas tree with an imaginative display featuring traditional favorites and inspiring new twists to the iconic holiday symbol. From festive firs suspended from above to towering tannenbaums adorned in unique ways, uncover the magic of the Christmas tree re-imagined November 22–January 6. Tickets are available now at longwoodgardens.org.

A Longwood Christmas is a festive display both indoors and outdoors. Inside Longwood’s warm 4-acre Conservatory, a forest of floating trees embellished with dazzling crystals, glass ornaments, and glittering baby’s breathe hangs from above. The Music Room is transformed into a book lover’s holiday haven, featuring a rotating 18-foot Fraser fir draped in a garland of books, with cleverly constructed trees fashioned from hardcover books and decorative folded book art adding to the holiday splendor.

Other ‘tree’mendous highlights in the Conservatory include a 24-foot tall concolor fir garnished with red ornament swaths amid a woodland of white frosted trees and winterberry holly. An ethereal glass “tree” made of 600 slivers of hand-cut green glass in various shades suspended over a meadow of red and white amaryllis, hellebores, and kalanchoe, while a whimsical 12-foot tall tumbleweed tree among an array of succulents evokes the spirit of the southwest.

More than 500,000 lights grace more than 100 trees throughout the outdoor Gardens. New displays bringing additional holiday cheer include the Main Fountain Garden as shimmering lit conical trees decorate the garden.

Two 6-foot southern magnolia trees are ornamented with natural materials found in the Meadow Garden, while the popular Wildlife Tree is reinvented as a 15-foot conical tree covered in 200 handmade birdhouses and decorated with edible ornaments for our furry and feathered friends. The always-anticipated Gardener’s Tree cleverly showcases the gardeners’ spin on the theme, featuring twirling ornaments, wind spinners, and whirligigs.

Created by Longwood craftsmen and local artisans, three fire pits, allow guests to warm up by the fire on chilly evenings, weather permitting.

In the Open Air Theatre, fountains dance day and night to holiday classics. Young and old will delight in Longwood’s outdoor train display as it travels past miniature Longwood landmarks lit for the holiday season.

Throughout the season, Longwood’s grand Ballroom hosts free and ticketed holiday-inspired performances as well as daily carol sing-alongs performed on Longwood’s grand 10,010-pipe organ. The Strolling Olde Towne Carolers add to the holiday charm on select evenings, while Longwood’s historic Chimes Tower plays holiday music every half-hour. For a complete listing of performances, visit longwoodgardens.org.

A Longwood Christmas runs November 22, 2018 to January 6, 2019. Admission to the Christmas display is by Timed Admission Ticket, with tickets purchased in advance for a specific date and time. Members require free, timed Member reservations every day if arriving after 2 pm. Gardens Premium Members do not require reservations. Tickets and reservations are available now at longwoodgardens.org.

About Longwood Gardens
In 1906, industrialist Pierre du Pont (1870-1954) purchased a small farm near Kennett Square, PA, to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, encompassing 1,083 acres of dazzling gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ, and 4.5-acre conservatory.  Longwood continues the mission set forth by Mr. du Pont to inspire people through excellence in garden design, horticulture, education and the performing arts. Longwood Gardens is on US Route 1 near Kennett Square, PA. For more information, visit longwoodgardens.org.

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You are Cordially Invited to a Complimentary Breakfast Seminar:

Wage and Hour Practices: The Most Common Mistakes Employers Make

Presented by Michael J. Torchia, Esq.

NEW DATE! Offered on Thursday, December 13, 2018

Due to our first event filling in minutes, we have added a second date.

This seminar will discuss various aspects of wage and hour policies including:

•    Employee status v. independent contractor
•    Exempt v. Non-exempt employee
•    Payroll policies that are actually illegal
•    Payment of overtime
•    Rounding policies
•    How to legally handle “slackers”
•    Payment of travel time
•    Rest and Meal Breaks
•    Why Pennsylvania is different than other states
•    Deductions from paychecks
•    What employees can get if they sue you

Complimentary breakfast will be served.

Registration/Networking: 8:00am | Seminar: 8:30-9:30am

This seminar is complimentary, but advance registration is required.

Please RSVP below by December 10th.

It is the season for giving thanks and we can certainly be thankful for the many ways that the natural world amazes, connects and sustains us. Are you looking to enjoy the outdoors with kids or an alternative to shopping on “Black Friday?” Do you have holiday visitors who want some local fun? Come to Bucktoe Creek Preserve to appreciate a day on the land with a lovely short hike as we gather items to make beautiful natural ornaments. If you have leftover, uncarved pumpkins, bring those along and we will show you how to decorate them for the next season!

https://historickennettsquare.com/event/2018-holiday-light-parade/

Brandywine Battlefield Park holds its annual Patriots’ Day this year on Saturday, Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 seniors and $8 for children 6-12. The event includes lectures and demonstrations on the colonial period and the War for Independence.

HOWARD PYLE STUDIOS

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24 

1305 N. Franklin Street, Wilmington, DE 19806

11 a.m to 3 p.m.

FREE

Come join us in 1305 N. Franklin Streetand sale of artwork with a “Red” theme by all our Studio Group Members. We will be serving holiday sweets and hot spiced apple cider. A raffle of two books written and illustrated by Howard Pyle will be held. Tour the historic buildings which will be decorated for the holidays.

HowardPyleStudio.org

302-656-7304

Listen to international opera singer Peter Campbell sing songs of the holiday season.

Success Circle is a private, interactive group that discusses various topics that are relevant to Today’s Family. It features expert stress coach and Chadds Ford Live Today's Family Columnist Kim Engstrom. The session runs from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. on Nov. 27 at Shoo Mama’s at Routes 202 and 926 in West Chester, with 9-9:30 for coffee and mingling. The first session is complimentary. Register at www.squareup.com/store/SuccessCircle

The annual Christmas in Miniature exhibition gets underway on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at Barbara Moore Fine Art Gallery in the Barn Shops in Chadds Ford Township. More than 40 artists — painters and photographers — will have smaller sized pieces on display for sale.

The exhibit runs from 1 to 8 p.m. the opening day. After that, the show runs Wednesdays through Sunday until Dec. 31.

Enjoy a glass of wine, bask in the warmth and beauty of the holiday season, and listen to the melodic sounds of live jazz in the Galleries Reception Atrium every Wednesday during Yuletide. Cash wine and beer bar; fruit and cheese for purchase. Members free. Nonmembers, Jazz & Wine is included with Yuletide Tour general admission ticket. For nonmembers who are not purchasing a Yuletide general admission ticket, tickets are $15 and include live jazz, entry to galleries & exhibits. 

November 28, 5:30–8:00 pm
Music provided by: The Ron Cole Trio

Featuring Tony Smith on trumpet, Mark Johnson on organ, and Wayne Morgan on drums, The Ron Cole Trio plays an array of musical styles of blues, swing, bebop, " back to the roots " soul, and of course, music for the holiday season.

Chester County residents encouraged to attend and take part in a public hearing on Landscapes3, the plan that will update Chester County’s priorities for how the county will balance growth and preservation over the next 10 years.

The Chester County Commissioners will hold the hearing on Thursday, November 29, 2018, at 7 p.m. at Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center, 226 N. High St., West Chester.

The public is invited to attend the hearing and provide testimony on the draft Landscapes3 plan. Upon its adoption by the Chester County Commissioners, the plan will establish a series of actions to be carried out by the county, its municipalities, landowners and other stakeholders.

Landscapes3 will guide the county and municipal governments, as well as developers, investors, consultants, preservationists, conservancies, transportation providers and others on balancing preservation and growth, while embracing the characteristics that make the county a cherished place to live, work, and play.

The county’s original award-winning Landscapes plan was completed in 1996. The updated Landscapes3 plan guides development and champions open space and farmland preservation programs. Landscapes3 will continue the partnership forged from the original plan between the public and private sectors.

Chester County has earned a number of accolades in the past related to planning, managing growth and quality of life, including being named in the top 10 list of best places in the U.S. to raise a family by Forbes.com and ranked one of the healthiest counties in Pennsylvania by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

Landscapes3 seeks to balance preservation with growth across the county’s landscapes through six goal areas: Preserve, Protect, Appreciate, Live, Prosper, and Connect. To continue to balance growth and preservation, Landscapes3 recommits to core principles that will position the county and its municipalities for success, including resource preservation, revitalized urban and suburban centers, housing diversity, transportation choices, collaboration, and resiliency.

To view the current Landscapes3 draft plan, visit http://www.chescoplanning.org/Landscapes3/.

A program on LGBT Jewish life in the United States and the United Kingdom with two speakers. Steven Henry Goldring, a San Francisco-based musician and AIDS activist who is living with HIV. In his memoir "Unbelievable," he reflects on his experiences of coming out to his family at age 21 and being the only Jewish family in his hometown, Orville, Ohio.

Surat-Shaan Knan, founder and manager of both Rainbow Jews and Twilight People. The Rainbow Jews project records Jewish LGBTQ history from the 1950s to today through oral history and archive creation. The Twilight People program chronicles and celebrates the hidden history of transgendered and gender variant people of faith. 7 p.m. in Sykes Student Center, 110 W. Rosedale, West Chester.

Three visual artists will exhibit pure abstract artwork during the December show at the Chester County Art Association.

“To liberally paraphrase Picasso, abstract art may not have a recognizable subject but it always has a story,” said Ken Vavrek, one of the featured artists in the exhibition.

Artist Donna Usher and coordinator of the exhibition added, “The creations don't incorporate a specific subject matter they do utilize similar elements such as line, color, shape, space and texture, conveying different stories with different visions.”

Usher of West Chester and Vavrek of Cape May, N.J., will be joined by Susan Melrath of Oxford.

The show will take place at the Chester County Art Association, 100 North Bradford Avenue, West Chester, from December 1, 2018, until January 3, 2019. The opening reception will take place on Thursday, December 6 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. An artists’ panel discussion will take place Thursday, December 13 at 6:00 p.m.

The art of the three artists demonstrate Picasso’s concept. Those viewing the artwork will see that while there is no concrete object to relate to in the works there is a place represented that has the sense of something occurring. The viewer is thus freely drawn into the world of the art and is allowed, even encouraged, to see the creations in their own way.

Melrath’s artistic roots are in illustration, although there is nary a trace of it in her current work. After graduating from a Philadelphia commercial art school, she was a successful freelance illustrator for years. “I discovered a world of magic and metaphor in a painting process that has become a way of life,” Melrath said. “I have been painting solidly for over a decade. Best of all, I have discovered my love of teaching, a vehicle for sharing the magic.”

Vavrek began experimenting using sculptural geometric space as the basis for imagery in 2008. He painted with glaze on the surface of platters. In 2012, Vavrek started his sectional wall works that explore this abstract world in a larger format with a freer major shape. He said, “Although the work is abstract in form, my objective is to create an image that gives the viewer a sense that some real dynamic is going on, that things are moving and are part of an event.”

Welcome the holiday season with a day of family fun when you join us for Enchanted Winter Day! Holiday decorations will adorn Enchanted Woods, the Follies in our outdoor exhibition, and the greenhouses as you enjoy a magical winter walk through the woods or hop on for our Garden Tram “sleigh ride," complete with holiday music. There will be plenty to do in the warmth of the indoors, including making kids’ holiday crafts and learning adult how-tos, marveling at magician Magic Tad’s tricks, watching The Muppet Christmas Carol family movie, and more! Included in admission is our famous Yuletide Tour—a wonderful way to get into the spirit as you marvel at H. F. du Pont’s mansion decked out in holiday splendor. The day is Members free; included with admission.

The day’s activities include:

• Crafts: Kids can make their own ornament and gift wrap to give to someone special as well as make a craft for themselves to keep.
• Adult How-Tos:
  • Christmas Tree ID – Learn about the different types of Christmas trees, which ones are best for what environments, how to care for them, and more.
  • Holiday Plant ID and Care – Learn about the different types of plants that are often given as holiday gifts (poinsettia, cyclamen, amaryllis, paper whites, etc.) along with tips for how to take care of them.
  • Wreath and Bow Making – On display will be a progression of the steps involved in making a holiday wreath and bows and what materials you’ll need to make your own.
• Family film: The Muppet Christmas Carol will be shown in Copeland Lecture Hall several times throughout the day.
• Performers: Be wowed by the sleights of hand of magician Magic Tad.
• Unique family holiday photo op: The Green Folly will be all decked out with holiday greens and decorations creating a unique setting for a family holiday photo.  A Winterthur staff member or volunteer will be on hand to take the photo so that all members of the family can be a part of it. There will also be an indoor holiday scene for photos in case of inclement weather.
• Yuletide Tour: An annual family favorite not to be missed, our magnificent holiday tour of Henry Francis du Pont’s mansion will fill your senses as you take in the breathtaking trees and dazzling room displays. Don’t miss our magical dollhouse, decorated in miniature holiday wonder just for the holidays.

*Please note that Enchanted Winter Day is reserved for Winterthur members or paying guests.  AHS, ROAM, and NARM reciprocity is not available on this program day. Thank you for your understanding!

The Chadds Ford Historical Society will host its traditional Candlelight Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 1. Admission is $15 per person; $10 for CFHS Members. Tickets can be purchased online at www.candlelightchristmasinchaddsford.com or at the CFHS Visitor Center beginning Nov. 16. Guests with online ticket purchases must pick up tickets at the Visitor Center before touring the houses.

Please Join Us for the 30th Anniversary of the West Chester Charity Ball

Join Us!

West Chester Charity Ball 30

December 1, 2018

A Marinelli & Sons Presenting Sponsor

Pops Goes The Holidays

Saturday, December 1, 2018 • 7:30pm

Auditorium, East High School
450 Ellis Lane, West Chester, PA

Michael Hall, Conductor and Music Director
Kara Mulder, Soprano
Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus

Celebrate the season with us as we perform some of your favorite holiday music. Joining us is the incomparable Kara Mulder, a rising star in the vocal world, who will serenade you with beautiful renditions of your favorite carols. Fresh off their joint performance with the Philadelphia Boys Choir, the Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus will add their voices to the festivities. A night full of holiday cheer.

Tickets:

Adults - $53, $45 in advance; $58, $50 day of concert
Students up to age 18 - $10
$6 order fee, per order

Program:

HOFFHEINS - A Christmas Overture
HERBERT - March of the Toys
HANDEL - Messiah: I know my Redeemer Liveth; Rejoice Greatly
TCHAIKOVSKY - Nutcracker Selections
SCHUBERT - Ave Maria
Arr. SHELDON - Most Wonderful Christmas
WILLIAMS - Somewhere in My Memory
Arr. BRUBAKER - How the Grinch Stole Christmas
WENDEL - A Celtic Nativity
STEPHENSON - I Saw Three Ships/Jeanette Isabella
ANDERSON - Sleigh Ride
TYSIK - What Child Is This
FINNEGAN - Sing A Long