the wc press - december 2012 - section 1

VOICE OF THE BOROUGH DECEMBER 2012

Christmas issue

TO: West

Chest

er

FROM

: The

Staff

of

The

WC Pr

ess

2 the wc press | VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

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DeceMber 2012 | THEwCpREss.COM 5


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New Years EveNew Years Eve

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Dan Mathers normally takes this space to give “the team” condensend-ing jabs. To ring in the new year, we’ve decided it’s our turn. From his control-ling nature to his soaring ego, Dan is a natural-born leader. He knows what he wants and is never wrong, so don’t try arguing with him. If you don’t believe us, feel free to ask the Republican office next door. Already working a minimum

of 80 hours/week, Dan would run every aspect of the magazine if he had the time. He’s a writer, editor, ad creator, and his picture edit-ing skills have led him to believe he’s a photographer as well. Aside from his professional talents, Dan is exceptionally stylish. His fashion sense often has us questioning his perferences until we rememeber he’s married to a beautiful blonde Belarussian female. Together, they adopted a homeless dog named Odin whom Dan (surprise, surprise) trained and controlled into the lovable canine he is today. Dan’s urban-meets-intelligent attire goes perfectly with his luxurious head of hair. His different hair style every single month has given him the office nickname “Nicki Minaj of West Chester.” On this dynamic head of hair, Dan is slowly learning how to wear his crown modestly. His confidence, talent, style, and charisma are what make the magazine you’re holding so personal and awesome. In the end, he rightly earned himself “Boss of the Year” recognition with his tireless work ethic. Daniel has requested that if any of our readers have anything to add that they anonmyously handwrite it on a piece of paper and slip it underneath our office door.

editor’s Disclaimer: All of the above text is un-edited, in the exact form it was submitted by The WC Press staff.

The PressPublisher

Dan [email protected]

Advertising Managernick Vecchio

[email protected]

Staff Photographeradam Jones

[email protected]

Copy EditorKehan Desousa

[email protected]

Published Bythe WC Press

13 South Church StreetWest Chester, PA 19382

610-344-3463

Our Fearless Leader...

we just like to smile – smiling’s our favorite!


I normally don’t respond to these things, but what you wrote was pretty heinous in regards to your relationship and your boyfriend’s feelings. Did you ever consider the fact that you publicly castrated the guy by what you wrote prior? How would you feel if you were in his position and he graded the relationship as average or, better yet, the sex? Relationships aren’t something you can simply apply a “grade” to. Relationships aren’t academic, they are dynamic and without stan-dardized parameters.

So to grade a relationship is extremely petty and immature. It gives a true indication of a person’s character, the value they place on their partner’s contributions to the relationship and their ability to communicate problems with them. Do you grade your friendships as well? Maybe give gold stars to those that are improving this week, then grace them with your company when they reach 5 stars. I know athat was callous and insensitive, but this is exactly the attitude this article conveys. Throughout this entire article you come off as a bratty self entitled 20 something fem that believes men are constantly encroach-ing and demeaning your “success”. I can’t imagine how embarrassed your boyfriend must be as a result of your public castrations. You further pour salt into his wounds by stating you “stroked his bruised ego” while you wanted “secretly wanted to go live life like Billy Madi-son”. You write with a condescending tone as if your boyfriend is a child and doesn’t want nice things or to take you out to nice dinners. 100 to 1 says he does, and 1000 to 1 says if he could he would. Times are much different and too many things hang in the balance for many 20 somethings. Not everyone can be frivolous and careless with their finances. More importantly, people are foregoing the immediate plea-sure now for brighter and more secure days tomorrow. To be per-fectly honest, this isn’t even about the money. It is about the simple fact that you have no sense of respect, common courtesy, or tact in regards to your relationship. At the end of the article you attempt to rectify everything, but the damage is done. After everything you wrote, you end it with “he’s a great guy”. To be perfectly honest, if he’s a “great guy” you would air out your grievances with him instead of publicly. But hey who knows....maybe you’re preparing to be the author of WCPress’s newest section “20 Something and Alone”.. especially if you keep this shit up. –Jibouty Jones

I’m sorry you’re so strongly against my article, but I appreciate you taking the time to read it. But there is something you should know–two things, actually. The first is that you shouldn’t believe everything you read. My articles are exaggerated to keep the attention of my readers. Though the financial issue was a struggle, the article itself was embellished–I’m not that much of a bitch.

Second, I love my boyfriend. We’ve been together for a year now. We live together. We do things together (a little less than the average couple, but still...), and we are able to enjoy one another’s company. But he has known since we started dat-ing that I come with a disclaimer: I write about my dating experiences. I have been writing for the past two years on my personal blog, twentysomethingdating.net, and when we started dating I had just begun writing for The WC Press. He reads my articles. He laughs. He shakes his head. And then life goes on. My personal blog is a little more butterflies and rainbows, so you may enjoy that more.

Ultimately this article reflected how I feel, and I’m sorry you disagreed, but feel free to read this month’s article [November]. I think you’ll like it much better. Unless of course you hate the Phillies. In which case I’m sure you will email me about my choice of sports teams. –Kaela Mast

To the Editor...Airing grievances against “20-something Dating”


TwO-YEar annivErsarY ParTY Photos Paul imburgiaBilly Burger & Bakery celebrated a successful two years with free desserts and birch beer for all their customers. Congrats!

11/10

sally, Adrienne, billy, will, Linda

Lee Fisher

cy callaghan, Gabe Miller

chris, chip, ella and Dillon cronin

terri potrako, Jim potrako


TwO-YEar annivErsarY ParTY Photos Paul imburgiaBilly Burger & Bakery celebrated a successful two years with free desserts and birch beer for all their customers. Congrats!

11/10

bob Legg

suzanne and John betyIan, Missy, chris

Mark ciarns, bill Fitz patrick, Aileen GoldbergGabe Miller


as ChristMas quiCKly approaches, it’s important to remember the traditions upon which this religious holiday

and cultural phenomenon are based. Of-ten the true origins of the holiday get lost in our modern commercialization. We’d like to take a second to return this most wonderful time of year to its roots.

CHRISTMAS TREEsLet’s begin with the centerpiece of the hol-iday, the Christmas tree. Dating back to the 1860s, the idea of Christmas trees began in Germany during the winter solstice. They were cut down and brought into homes as a reminder of life. Christmas tree decora-tions began with apples, representing the garden of Eden, and other edible items such as nuts and sugar wafers. Popularity of the Christmas tree spread throughout Europe after Queen Victoria encouraged her German husband to decorate their tree as he did during his childhood. Their Christmas tree, decorated with sweets, ornaments, candles, and an angel, was featured in the London news, causing the

Seeking The Sources of

our most cherished

Holiday traditions

KnowYourRoots

Story Lexi Digiovanni

illustrations Kevin Fenton

By 1900, one in five American families had

Christmas trees in their homes. Today, more

than one hundred million Christmas trees

will be on display worldwide.

“ “

Christmas tree to spread like wildfire from the shores of Great Britain, throughout continental Europe, and beyond. By 1900, one in five Ameri-can families had Christ-mas trees in their homes. Today, more than one hundred million Christ-mas trees will be on dis-play worldwide.

CarolingCaroling originally had no association with Christmas. In fact, the songs were created and sung for other holidays, birthdays and wed-dings. It wasn’t until the 12th and 13th cen-turies that caroling became associated with religion, as did a whole lot of other things. Caroling began as church and Christmas songs that were tampered with as a way to sing outside of church control without being blasphemous. “Jingle Bells,” which dates back to 1850, was composed by James Pierpont in New England.

stockingsIt seems there’s no single, specific story explaining those stockings hung by the chimney with care, but there are many legends. One such legend has several variations, but the following is a good ex-ample: Very long ago, there lived a poor man and his three beautiful daughters. He had no money to marry off his daughters and worried what would become of them. Saint Nicholas was passing through their town when he overheard the villagers talk-ing about the young girls’ predicament. He wanted to help but knew the old man wouldn’t accept charity...at least not know-

ingly. Saint Nicholas set out for the man’s house late that night with a bag of gold coins for each girl’s dowry. He searched for a place in which to hide the gold for the girls and found their stockings hung over the mantel for drying. He dropped the gold inside each and snuck out into the night. We’re told this led to the cus-toms of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts

from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold, which is why three gold balls, some-times represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for Saint Nicholas.

NutcrackersWhile the history of caroling and Christ-mas trees makes sense, what the heck is a nutcracker? The first wooden nutcrackers were simply two pieces of wood fastened together by a leather strap or metal hinge. By the 15th and 16th century, wood carv-ers in France and England were creating beautiful wooden nutcrackers. Standing wooden nutcrackers in the form of sol-


diers and kings were shown in the Sonne-berg and Erzgebirge regions of Germany by 1800. By 1830 the term “Nussknacker” appeared in the dictionary of the Broth-ers Grimm. The original carved nutcrack-ers first seen in Germany were thought to have guardian-like properties because of their strong appearance. But the real ques-tion is, why has a fanciful device for crack-ing shells become such a clichéd symbol of Christmas? You can thank Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale “The Nutcracker”, as well as the the classic tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E.T.A. Hoffman which, of course, is the inspiration for the ever-popular ballet.

MIstletoeMany religions believe that this decoration protects homes from evil, lightning and fire. The traditional superstition says a girl standing un-der a mistletoe cannot refuse to be kissed, the kiss ensuring an undying love.

The Santa we know today was almost solely

created by minister and New York literature

professor Clement Clark Moore...“ “

This particular tradition traces its roots back to Norse mythology. As is often the case in Viking lore, the story is horrifically convo-luted, so I won’t bore you with the details. The gist of it is this: The goddess of love wept over the death of her son, the god of summer sun, who was killed by an arrow

Old World: Saint Nicholas, a 4th–century bishop known for gift-giving and leaving presents in stockings, and Sinterklass, the Dutch version of Saint Nicholas. Moore combined the two to create a jolly elf with a bag of toys for children who rode a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. Years later,

poisoned with mistletoe (don’t ask). She was somehow able to utilize that same mistletoe to bring him back to life, but only after her tears had fallen on the plant, turning into

blessed, pearly white berries. The ensu-ing belief is that anyone standing beneath mistletoe is bestowed with that same bless-

ing. As such, they’re entitled to a kiss as a token of love.

Santa clausSinterklass, Kris Kringle, Saint

Nick, Santa Claus, whatever you happen to call him, is a fo-

cal point in most Christmas traditions. But how did a jolly man in a red suit co-opt Christ’s birthday? The Santa

we know today was almost solely created by New York literature professor Clement Clark Moore, who utilized Santa Claus in his poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas,”

known today as “The Night Before Christ-

mas.” Moore took two inspirational figures from the

New York Magazine illustrator Thomas Nast created a more visual and detailed Santa. Year after year, he contributed to Santa’s story until today’s Mr. Claus was complete...at least as we NOW know him. Who knows what tomorrow brings.

the truth is, traditions are what we make of them. They’re prone to change (as Santa clearly illustrates), but

as long as we attribute meaning to them, there will always be a certain sentimentality to the season. Without that sentimentality, everything between the third Thursday in November and the 25th of December just becomes a juggernaut of overconsump-tion. In my opinion, what makes this sea-son great is the way we hold onto our tradi-tions–whether family-centered, faith-based or totally off-the-wall. WCP


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All Baking Done on Premises15 North Church Street 610-344-9674

Some of our favorite recipes for holiday treats

Yori’s ChurCh street BakerY Yule log

cake Ingredients: 1/2 c cake flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 c dutch process cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 c milk,1/2 c granulated sugar, 3 eggs seperated, 1/8 c 10x sugar, 1 1/2 c heavy creamcake Directions: 1. preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. Line with waxed paper. Grease paper. 2. sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. 3. Beat sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. At low speed, alternately beat milk and flour mixture into egg mixture. 4. Using clean beat-ers, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one third of beaten whites into batter. Fold in remaining whites. spread batter in prepared pan; smooth top. 5. Bake cake at 350°F for 12 minutes.6. Dust a cloth with confectioners sugar. Turn cake onto prepared cloth. Remove waxed paper. Trim cake edges. starting with a long side, roll up cake, jelly-roll style. Transfer, seam-side down, to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. 7. Unroll cake; remove cloth. spread whipped cream over cake to within 1 inch of edges. Re-roll cake. place, seam-side down, on serving plate.

Frosting Ingredients: 2 c heavy cream, 8 oz semisweet chocolate melted, 1/4 c room temperature butter Frosting Directions: In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream, melted chocolate, and butter to a boil over medium heat, stirring vigorously until blended. Remove from heat. Let stand until set. spread frosting over top and sides of cake.

15 North church street, 610-344-9674, yorisbakery.com

BillY Burger and BakerY CupCakes

cupcake Ingredients: 2 c sugar, 1 3/4 c flour, 3/4 c cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda,1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 c oil, 1 c hot water, 1 c milk

Directions: 1. Mix all the dry ingredients 2. Mix all the wet ingredients3. Mix all together 4. Fill lined cupcake tins 5. Bake on 350° for 20 minutes

Frosting Ingredients: 2 sticks of butter, 4 c 10 x sugar,2 tbsp–one at a time–of milk, 1 tsp vanilla or any other flavoring

Directions: 1. Beat until fluffy 2. pipe onto cupcakes

2 North Five points road, 610-431-3100, billyburgerandbakery.com

Cakes & Candies BY marYellen holidaY CakepopsIngredients: Your favorite cake recipe, 1/2 c ready-to-use white decorator icing, 1 bag (14 ounces) Candy Melts®Directions: 1. preheat oven to 350°F. spray one 13x9x2” sheet pan or two 8” or 9” round pans with vegetable pan spray. 2. prepare your favorite cake recipe. 3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 4. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling grid and cool completely. Divide cake in half; freeze one half for future use. 5. In large bowl, use hands to crumble cake until no large chunks remain. 6. Add icing; mix with fingers until well combined. Form mixture into cake balls. Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours. 7. Melt Candy Melts according to package directions. 8. Insert sticks into cake balls; let set. 9. wait until pop is completely firm before dipping in melted Candy Melts.

1332 west chester pike, 484-266-0710, cakesandcandiesbymaryellen.com DeceMber 2012 | THEwCpREss.COM 19


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Makeover

yaJaira is a Venezuelan actress who has been working at Calista Grand as an esthetician

for the last twelve years. Yajaira has recently returned to acting and can be seen in the production Mujeres de Par en Par New York through December 2. She is extremely excited to alternate between her career as an actress and her job at the spa.

Aliyah and Kate from Calista Grand gave Yajaira a fresh look in preparation for her debut on November 11th, with a cut and color, as well as the best makeup colors to complement her skin, eye and hair coloring.

Aliyah wanted to accentuate Yajaira’s thick, curly, voluminous hair with a cut that would give it shape and texture, but was also practical for everyday life. She took the tired ends off the length and added some long layers to the back. In the front she chose a long fringe combined with angles around the face to prevent the style from dragging Yajaira down. After blowdrying, Aliyah texturized to remove excess bulk from Yajaira’s hair. The Perfector was then used to enhance Yajaira’s new shape for a style that will last for days.

For Yajaira’s fresh new look Kate applied a brown smoky eye, the new BB Cream foundation and bronzed all over with a peach blush. She then highlighted Yajaira’s lips with a natural pink and a peach gloss and accentuated individual lashes to give Yajaira long, thick lashes. WCP

Photos adam Jones

calista Grand preparesan employee for her return to the stageand screen

Check out Yajaira’s production atfacebook.com/mujeresdeparenparny


“sHE LOvEs ME” Photos by Paul imburgiaBehind the scenes with the cast and crew of west Chester University’s production of “she Loves Me”

10/26

Justin caiazzo, Josh Yoder Nicole watkins, haley Akers, paige Malizia, Jeremiah bean, heather Kate carley, Lindsay brahl, Devon powers

chris trombetta, ben shaw

carlos Diaz as Ladislav siposben shaw, sarah evans, Ashley carlson, Katie stahl

stephen Keelder, Andrew French, ben “british” Deane, sean Vermeire, ben shaw, Jerimiah bean


“sHE LOvEs ME” Photos by Paul imburgiaBehind the scenes with the cast and crew of west Chester University’s production of “she Loves Me”

10/26

Jess Merkins

Lisa, richard and chelsea sharp

taylor, Felicia, Kerrie, Johnathan


20-something Dating

the holiDay season is one of my favorites: sip-ping hot chocolate, cuddling

while watching 24 straight hours of A Christmas Story on TBS, having a cookie-eating binge, and enjoying eggnog spiked with an extra little something to get through those con-tinuous hours of family bonding and

gifts of awkward, ugly sweaters. Typically I’ve spent the holidays making up excuses for why my boyfriend wasn’t able to attend family festivities and complaining that I’m out of Pinot grigio before 5pm. But this year I’ll be celebrating because I actually get to spend the holidays with my significant other–someone who has put up with a lot from me (as you’ve all been so lucky to read). I’m really excited, but there’s still one thing about the holi-day season I just can’t seem to get into.

On top of the pressure of meeting family members and stuff-ing your face in front of them, you have to tack on the stress of gift-giving. As much as I love giving gifts, I seem to hit a wall when it matters most. As I wander aimlessly around a mall full of chil-dren waiting to see Santa, snot dripping down their faces as they scream, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by the amount of pres-sure there is to find the perfect gift–especially for my boyfriend.

Maybe it’s just me, but gift-giving for a significant other is a lot harder than it should be. Then again, I do have the boyfriend who tells me he “doesn’t want anything” or to “just surprise him.” I like to think I’m excellent at picking presents. I put my heart and soul into each item purchased, all the way down to the wrapping paper. I wish I were exaggerating, but I’m not–my gifts are worthy of the cover spread in Good Housekeeping...or The WC Press. And yes, this is coming from the girl who can’t even cook pasta.

And let’s not discuss my ability to keep a secret. I get SO excited to give presents to people I love that I cannot contain myself. There are only two solutions I’ve found: one is give my boyfriend his gift early, like I had to do for his birthday; the other is waiting until the chaotic night before Christmas to risk my life venturing into the mall to find something. The latter tends to be the more stressful option.

And what about me? What is it I’m looking for this Christmas from my man? Well, besides a German Shepherd puppy? I just want to spend quality time with him. That’s what the holidays are sup-posed to be about: being with people you love. As you can see, it’s been a pretty stressful year in our relationship–just like every rela-tionship, ever. Sure, we have had some really awesome times and some pretty bad times, but overall, the one thing I want more of is time with him. So, whether I’m cuddling on the couch preparing for a movie marathon, or scouring the internet for great deals on items I know he’d love to rip open Christmas morning, what I want more than anything is to have him there by my side. For like, a really, really, ridiculously long time. [email protected]

Kaela Mast has a few reservations about holiday shopping for her significant other


Toby’s K-9 Kamp is West Chester ’s premier doggy daycare located just off of Westtown Road

He’s Your Best Friend; Give Him Nothing But The Best

705-B Westtown Road, West Chester, PA 19382 D 610.430.1330 D www.tobysk9kamp.com

Voted Best

4 Years Running


Xovivo JewelrY BY miChael Choishe’ll love this XOcandy Renew Necklace with dan-gling beads on hand-formed aluminum, soft resin tubing and a silver-plated bar chain choker.the 5 senses, 133 w Market st, 610-719-0170, the5senses.com

WC Shopping GuideSome of the best in the borough

for the favorites in your family

WC Shopping Guide

gift Cards for vintage JewelrYYou’re not entirely sure of your loved one’s taste? perfect! Malena’s is offering 20% off gift cards of $40 or more to be used on their vintage wares.Malena’s Vintage boutique, 101 w Gay st610-738-9952, malenasboutique.com

multi-strand neCklaCeThis sterling silver, silk and gem stone multi-strand necklace is one of the many unique designs avail-able at both Green Eyed Lady locations.Green eyed Lady, 132 w Gay st610-431-2474, shopgreeneyedlady.com

sterling silver tree-hugger CuffThis piece by skarlatti Art wear is a hand-forged, one-of-a-kind cuff weighing 4 ounces that’s cre-ated to resemble a lover’s heart carved into a tree. bella & betty, 117 w Gay st 610-719-3259, bellaandbetty.com

designer handBagsHandbags by designers like Gucci and Burberry can cost a fortune, but it’s a different story when you find those exact same bags on consignment.christine’s consignment, 105 westtown rd 610-692-9375, christinesconsignment.com


Our Family, your town, your florist since 1957

29 S. Church Street610-696-5200

www.halladayflorist.com




WC Shopping GuidehoneYJawn hoodieRegardless of age, enroll your friends in Hon-eyjawn University, the school that symbolically represents the fun of college life.honeyjawnuniversity.comfacebook.com/honeyjawnuniversity

holidaY Craft Beer‘Tis the season for breweries to roll out unique brews. Treat the beer drinker in your life to a case of craft beer he might not splurge to buy himself.spaz beverage, 1015 west chester pk610-696-6320, spazbeverage.com

BreakawaYink hoodieFormed in west Chester and now available across the Us, BreakawayINK’s urban-inspired designs are the best way to stay comfy AND look good.breakawayink.com, @breakawayinkfacebook.com/breakawayink

Casual luXurYGive the gift of looking good with this shirt by Bugatchi and wool zip-out hybrid jacket by Joseph Abboud. Top it off with a sciarpe Italiane scarf.Mainline Mens custom clothiers, 129 w Market st484-905-7098, mainlinemens.com

Custom Blizzard CakeFACT: Everyone loves DQ Blizzards. so, pick your favorite Blizzard (we recommend this month’s spe-cial, candy cane), then choose a cake size. Done.Dairy Queen, 703 e Gay st610-696-4678, dairyqueen.com


A top-notch salon with a very real feel.

610-585-0102Or you can reach your stylist directly...

Anthony Giunta - 610-585-0102 Laura McCallin - 484-364-6276 David Mumford - 484-753-1536

You can fi nd Salon Chemistry on Middle Alley between Walnut and Matlack Streets. Just head down Market Street and Salon Chemistry is in the lot to your left, behind the Salvation Army.

Salon




WC Shopping Guidesouthwest-patterned Coatward off the cold in this Davida coat by BB Dakota with a cozy shawl collar and a tie belt that adds a feminine shape.Nich boutique, 29 s high st610-436-8181, shopnich.com

tulle dress & CoatThis lined, double-breasted coat by Tulle comes in a must-have color for the season and is matched with a cinched-waist, pleated panel dress by Tulle.ObVI, 30 s high st610-696-2477, obvionline.com

holidaY CuBe arrangementperfect for the entire season, this arrangement of cedar, gold-tipped salal and twenty red roses is available in a variety of colors.halladay Florist, 29 s church st610-696-5200, halladayflorist.com

ornamental santaThis handmade santa, from santa’s workshop, has its own distinctive personality. It is just one of the many decorations to be found at penwick Design.penwick Design, 132 high street610-431-2739, penwickdesign.com


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WC Shopping GuideeleCtriC guitar starter kitThis Fender squier stratocaster comes packaged with an amp, an electric tuner, a guitar stand and an instructional DVD. perfect for beginners.taylor’s Music, 116 w Gay st610-696-1812, taylorsmusic.com

adult slip ’n’ slidewith a plastic sheet cover and a gallon of thick body glide, this kit contains everything you need for a fun night of slipping and sliding.Feminique boutique, 104 N church st610-551-3262, feminiqueboutiqueshop.com

dreamCatCherThis handcrafted dreamcatcher isn’t just good for keeping the nightmares at bay–it’s a year-round decoration sure to please.Moonflower, 130 w Gay street610-431-6607, facebook.com/moonflower

aCoustiC guitarAnd for those who already know what they’re do-ing, this Taylor 100 series with laminated back and sides is a versatile and durable full-size guitar.west chester Music, 310 s high st610-436-8641, westchestermusicstore.com


’Tis The Season!Book Your Holiday Party!

15 South High Street 610-696-1400 barnabyswestchester.com


Owners of the MonthJoe inzone is soft-sPoKen but about as

friendly as they come. He’s often behind the counter shaking hands, smiling and greeting customers by name. He and his

brother Sal run the show at Benny’s Pizza and, although most customers who pass through the door may not know, they’re some of the most giving people in this community–almost like West Ches-ter’s own Secret Santas. The two are always busy, so we sat down with Joe to learn more about their generosity while Sal prepped for the day and shouted interesting tidbits from the kitchen.

how long have you and sal been here at benny’s? Sal’s been here since the early ’80s, and I’ve been here since 2002.

Well, how did you end up here? I came in and bought out two other people who owned it, so now it’s just Sal and me.

What were you doing before? I was an account administrator for the Vanguard Group in their institutional branch. I handled big companies, not individuals.

Which is better? This one. I had a lot of personal interactions in the old job, but most of that was over the phone, and here I get to interact with people face-to-face. I’m a people person, so I like to interact with our clients. I’ve always been in customer service, but it’s better to be of service to a local client.

Well then i guess you fit right in here. i understand benny’s has always been very connected to the West Chester commu-nity. We used to be the only place that could safely deliver in the Oak Place projects, and we’re told that, during a riot in West Chester in the 1960s, Benny’s was the only storefront that was untouched. We have customers that have been coming here for three generations.

With just the two of you running the place, what’re your hours like? Oh geez. I’m in here five to six days a week, often work-

ing as much as 14 hours a day. Sal and I try to split up the time, so I’m not here every Friday or Saturday; we switch it up.

but you also have another job, right? I volunteer.but it does require a significant amount of your time,

right? I am a very active member of the Ridge Fire Company. I have worked as a fire police officer for 15 years. So, if there’s a fire in the middle of the night, I get up, hop in my car and rush to the site to help contain the situation and direct traffic. I also run the kitchen at the fire company for the 25 to 30 auctions that are held there each year. I do it so they can keep that money and put it towards the fire company.

Do you do anything for yourself? I believe that by doing things for other people, the reward you get in return will exceed that reward you’d get if you just focused on yourself.

Well, do you have free time? [Laughing] A little. I like to ride motorcycles in my free time.

so, that’s where the Chester County ride for heroes comes from. Can you tell our readers about that? It’s a ride we started two years ago that benefits the Chester County Hero Fund. The Chester County Hero Fund helps police, EMS and all the volunteers who are injured in the line of duty. The ride goes throughout Chester County and ends up back here at Benny’s Pizza where we offer free pizza and soda to the riders.

but that’s not the only way benny’s gives back to the com-munity. We’re big on helping police and fire rescue. We donate food to various organizations, like the Firefighters Cadet Camp, whose an-nual training lunch we cater. We also offer dollar giveback coupons where a dollar of your purchase goes to organizations like the Hero Fund and the SPCA–I’m a big animal lover. WCP

They don’t just make pizza at Benny’s. Joe and sal are all about giving back to the community... and not only during the holiday season. photo ADAM JONEs


rUnninG OF THE TUrKEYs Photos by nick vecchioKildare’s teamed up with John Debella of 102.9 wMGK to host a charity run in which participants carried a turkey for a mile

11/18

Devin brander, brent Ziobro

Allison and Kathy bates, Dana and Janna Keefer, Nancy bohn 20-something Dating’s chris DeMarco and Kaela Mast

Ivy Magrogan, hope Magrogan, Melissa ZIrolli, Dave Magrogan, Grady David Magrogan, John Debella heather and beth


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rUnninG OF THE TUrKEYs Photos by nick vecchioKildare’s teamed up with John Debella of 102.9 wMGK to host a charity run in which participants carried a turkey for a mile

11/18

britt brenner’s finally in the magazine!

Joe Lovell, travis barron, Kendra Davis, Devin brander

sarah christie, Jess sanford, patrick Mcbride, Dave Magrogan

Danielle and Makenna Johnsonrob and Molly Main

Dane, Darragh and stephanie Gray

Grady David Magrogan


a Trainer’s Tips

i’Ve hearD that tiMe seems to pass more quickly as we age, which is probably why I’m looking at the calendar and am shocked that we are yet again in the midst of another holiday season, a season synonymous not just with joy and love but with wanton glut-tony and indulgence. While reports on holiday weight gain over the years have

been exaggerated and lacking in scientific evidence, there are several truths about the holidays that we must confront:

1. The average gain is only one pound, but people who are already overweight tend to gain more. If over two-thirds of America is over-weight, most people gain more than just one pound at the holidays.

2. Most people don’t ever lose the weight they put on during the holidays, meaning it all adds up as the years pass.

3. It isn’t all about weight gain. Inflammation occurs as an immune system response when you consume substances your body cannot handle, such as grains, refined sugars and processed fats. This can lead to a laundry list of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.

To stay on track with your health and fitness goals this holiday season, here are three strategies that will help you make it through the next month without weight gain.

1. Set small, attainable goals you know you can achieve. That’s not to say we should never stretch our comfort zones. We need to challenge ourselves, but during a hectic, stressful, and indulgent time of year such as this, it is imperative to set yourself up for success. Simply commit to changing one thing about your diet a week. Cut out soda one week. Next week nix sugars. The following week stop eating grains (yes, even the multigrain stuff), and so forth.

2. Understand that every meal counts. We’ve all done it: you walk by your coworker’s cubicle and see that she’s brought in left-over birthday cake from the weekend. You know you shouldn’t eat it, but you have a piece anyway. And then you think, “Well, the day’s ruined. I might as well have a venti eggnog latte from Starbucks. It’s the holidays after all.” Don’t rationalize your behavior! Get back on that wagon and finish out your day strong.

3. Don’t be afraid to be the “weirdo” with healthy food. It isn’t easy being surrounded by people who don’t want to be healthy. The cultural draw of food is very strong, and eating differently from every-one else sets you apart as “other.” Try either ignoring the jabs about your eating or bringing your own healthy and outrageously tasty food to share. There are plenty of amazing healthy cookbooks and blogs out there to help in your holiday feasting.

Make it through the holiday season with your healthy lifestyle, and come New Years you’ll be the only one of your friends who doesn’t have to make a weight loss-related resolution. Remember: what sets you apart at the Christmas table will set you apart on the beach in just a few short months, which, like the entirety of 2012, will fly right by. [email protected]

christine Mooney is a certified fitness trainer and author of the health and wellness blog Beautiful-strength.com


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the wc press - december 2012 - section 1

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