Out & About with Linda
Do you have a budding Van Cliburn in your family? Or maybe a Yizhak Perlman?
If so, there’s a summer music camp in Valley Forge that offers not only the training to encourage these musical talents, but it also offers wonderful access to the who’s who in the world of orchestral performances.
My niece, Allegra, actually my great-niece, participated in The Philadelphia International Musical Festival this past summer. A summer camp for the best of musical talents, ages 11-19, this summer program is an overnight camp affording the committed young musician to study, perform and experience alongside members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
As Allegra was so close, I was able to attend her final recital at the end of her summer session. How special! Youngsters of all ages walking the Valley Forge Military Academy and College Campus carrying their instruments, tuning up for their performances and then the thrill of it all, making beautiful music as a complete orchestra. (P.S. My very talented Allegra, at age 11 was elected Second Violin!!!)
Students come from all over the country. Auditions are required and application follow-through a must. Students can stay up to 4 weeks. It’s a total immersion in music education and performance training including private lessons, master classes, recitals, daily orchestra ensemble and chamber music rehearsals, all led by our very own, world renown Philadelphia Orchestra members. And of course, there’s time allowed for the students to have other kinds of camp-friendly activities. Allegra, really enjoyed her time at Valley Forge, making friends and pursuing one of her life-interests…. thus far!!
Applications, etc. are now being processed for their Summer 2023 programs. Contact information can be found at the end of this column… again, if you have a student who is so musically inclined and wants to stretch their wings musically, you and they might consider this program. It’s nearby. It’s a shortish overnight camp experience…. And it was clearly fun as was reported to me. It would be worth your investigation.
Have you ever heard of Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty? Located in the most unbelievably handsome old factory building (I think!) in Norristown, Crazy Aaron’s is home to the neatest “stuff.” I took my grandchildren, Yosef and Goldie, to check out this “Thinking Putty,” and boy-oh-boy… does it ever “think”!!! Walk in the company studio and the walls are covered with slabs of putty moving downwards VERY slowly. The putty adheres to the wood boards and does not separate or stick in the same manner that Silly Putty does. Aaron’s putty is a high quality silicone-based putty that is non-toxic, will never dry out and is safe. AND it’s made in the USA in a factory building directly across from the studio!
The putty comes in over 50 colors and “selections.” There’s one putty that is magnetic and really wowed Yosef. Hold the putty in one hand and hold a magnet in the other and watch the putty move towards the magnet. It’s a little creepy. All I could say was, “OIY!” There are scented puttys, heat sensitive puttys, sparkly puttys, you name it, there’s a putty just for you.
We visited Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty Showroom in Norristown where with the assistance of onsite staff, we got the grand tour of all the different kinds of putty available AND we were able to mix our own putty to take home. What a nice idea! Visitors are offered a small tin including 3 different kinds of putty and then guided on how to mix them to create the kind of putty you want. It was really fun. I would definitely recommend this for any young lady up to the age of 8 or 9. Yosef, who’s 8 years old, was intrigued by the magnet putty and then became more interested in a nearby vending machine!!! So, I would recommend this for young men up to 8…
Afterwards we purchased some larger tins of putty to take home and gift. I gave my sister a can of “Drama Queen.” I’m hoping it helps her to vent whatever is bothering her at the time!!! The smaller tins make great gifts, especially for adults who are looking for something to do with their hands.
Crazy Aaron’s is one of those places under the radar, but well worth a visit. It’s an easy visit. Parking is easy. The staff is welcoming and very good with the kids. And you learn/witness something really interesting. You can think wonderful things as you shape this putty and then watch it change as it “thinks” for itself!
Later on, cousins joined me for a visit to Pita Chip at Big Oaks Shopping Center in Yardley. Relatively newish to the area, Pita Chip has a loyal following among the college students in downtown Philadelphia. And by the looks of it, I think they’ve developed a loyal following in the heart of this Bucks County suburb!
We went on a weeknight when pick up orders were brisk. And no wonder. The food was good and budget friendly. Step up to a long counter, place your order and witness the fulfillment of what Pita Chip calls “Modern Middle Eastern” food. We went the full “Monty” and sampled a lot of different things. First on my list were the French fries. I can’t help it, I’m a French fry lady! It was accompanied with a garlic sauce. Delish! I did not want to leave a single piece!!! We ordered the falafel which was light inside and not real fried. My cousin Joyce approved wholeheartedly, and she’s not a falafel person. We also ordered the wrapped/stuffed grape leaves. Again, unlike so many other grape leaves we’ve tasted that are thick and heavy inside, these were light and yummy. A definite winner among my tasters.
Pita chips are ordered separately and we ate them with a buffalo sauce. Spicy, but not too spicy, we enjoyed the sauce with our more mild grape leaves. Jessica ordered one of their “bowls.” You can get these according to your preference. She ordered a half and half bowl… half yellow rice and the other half salad. Topped with Beef Shawarma, onions, tomatoes, etc., it was a HUGE entrée. In fact, Jess took half of it home. She loved the rice and the seasoned beef cut into small slivers, just like shawarma should be.
Go to Pita Chip and you can get vegan, vegetarian or gluten free options. It’s nice to know that such choices are available. You can dine in, like we did, at one of their comfortable booths…. or stop by on your way home and pick up something you’ve already ordered. That seems to be a popular option.
We had to check out dessert and ordered their baklava. We tasted their traditional option with crushed cashews. Our favorite was the Nutella baklava with a hint of chocolate. Hey, is there anything better than fries and chocolate?! We were finished with dessert and decided that Pita Chip earned a repeat visit. Check it out. Conveniently located near the Oxford Valley Mall, plenty of parking and well lit. See how good Modern Middle Eastern can be. And remember to tell them you read about them here, between our covers.
Pennsylvania International Musical Festival
Valley Forge Military Academy & College
1001 Eagle Road . Wayne, PA 19087
info@pimf.org
856-875-6816
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Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty
700 E. Main Street . Norristown
610-784-0607
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Pita Chip
Oxford Oaks shopping Center
1623 Big Oak Road . Yardley
267-573-4173
