Mill Creek: Stream of Consciousness rolls by Developmental Tumbleweeds and Dust Bunnies

1400 Mill Creek Rd. is unused industrial space bordered by parkland.

A weekday evening in high summer is a fine time to take to the back roads of Gladwyne and Penn Valley. Hang a sharp right off 23 onto Mill Creek Rd and follow the quiet road and creek through taller trees and downwards towards the Schuylkill.

On the left is the old  Barker Mill, for 200 years astride Mill Creek and one-time home to a munitions factory, textile mill, work space and recording studio for Boyz II Men, etc...

Vacant for almost a decade and moderately dilapidated for age and unuse, it's a grand setting to snoop or set down by the creek and ponder new incarnations for the forested fortification. A parking turnout is directly across from the property entrance, which is unprotected by a collapsing fence. About halfway back is a portal down to a small but rewarding waterfall.

The current owner, O'Neill properties had imagined morphing the industrial-sized, Class 1 Historic property into a 34-unit apartment complex. Given the breath-taking beauty and relative inaccessibility of the setting, this seems the most viable commercial enterprise. But the housing market collapse and other complexities of the project have seen O'Neill lose interest in the project and a buyer has been courted for nearly a year.

For now, the mill sits silent, and that's not a bad thing at all. Acres of Lower Merion parkland are directly adjacent to the site, including Rolling Hill Park, which features a great ridge-side trail that spills into the sleeping mill's parking lot. Climb the nearly two-mile trail that runs through woods and emerges into delightful hilltop meadows home to the Lower Merion Conservancy.

Gladwyne and Penn Valley offer many homeowners million dollar views and opportunities to commune with a lushly vegetated and wonderfully eclectic topography. Perhaps someday Barker Mill will become that place for a charmed few more. Until then, the peaceful spot is pleasantly aloof and vulnerable to having its pleasures pillaged via public access borders.

Ardmore Restaurants: Barbacoa is Latest of Expanding Options

Ardmore's Barbacoa: Highest Quality Comfort Food in Town.

Barbacoa is the latest of ever-evolving Ardmore's  affordable refreshment outposts to emerge in the summer of 2012. Located at 64 Rittenhouse Place, the Menu features a variety of lean and delicious slow roasted meats, including chicken, ribs, pulled pork and brisket, served as either platter or sandwich. I feasted on the half-pound brisket platter slathered in tangy barbecue sauce with ample side dishes including homestyle coleslaw and thick wedge fries with exceptionally deep potato flavor.

Sentiment Posed By Barbaco's Decor

The Boy also got the brisket, but his was piled high on a fresh Sarcone's roll with a side of tres sincere macaroni and cheese. Heather went for the grilled chicken sandwich and melt-in-your-mouth cornbread pudding. The three of us heartily strapped on the feedback and chowed-down mightily for about 40 bucks. Despite packing in the grub, we waddled out feeling full and enthralled without that bloated sensation one gets from less-than-the best, sodium laden meats and sides.

The atmosphere at Barbaco is quasi-hacienda and pleasantly laid-back, but the dining area is limited so be prepared to wait or indulge in the many Take-Out specials designed to feed a whole family or just yourself. R5 recommends popping into the Rittenhouse Deli next door and picking up a takeout six-pack from their large and well-priced selection. BYOB is welcome at Barbacoa and the staff was happy to keep our standby brews on ice until summoned.

Barbacoa is typical of the enterprising, positive spirit of the Ardmore commercial district these days, making it an increasingly exciting place to live, invest, or visit. There's a reason Ardmore keeps coming up in this blog. No other area on the Main Line is its equal as  a magnet for innovation, experimentation, diversity and fun.

New Ardmore Brew Pub Pours Progressive Refreshments

R5Realty Says: Thumbs Up forTired Hands

Don't be fooled by its relatively non-descript facade and unassuming location at Lancaster and Ardmore Avenues. The Tired Hands Brewing Company (16 Ardmore Ave., Ardmore, Pa.), is the most exciting drinking/dining development Ardmore  has seen in years. The brainchild of youthful brew-master Jean Broillet IV, Tired Hands presents a delightful brew pub experience that is bound to become a cherished cove for refreshment and tasting exploration.

While this space is primarily reserved for topics related to R5-area Real Estate and not Mystery Muncher reviews, R5Realty News&Notes observes that Quality of Life is key to residential real estate values and desirability. We assert that Tired Hands Brewing Company boosts quality of life on the lower Mainline.


With its Portlandian ethos, vibe and decor, THBC is the essence of Relaxed Craftsmanship and dedication to a high standards. Its specialty is the French/Belgian Farmhouse Ales brewed onsite and available on tap in serving sizes (4oz. only $2), which encourage experimentation and adventure. Whether its Broillet or one of the knowledgeable staff behind the bar, the alchemy of what's flowing is made accessible and interesting for the both the lay-quaffer and the afficianado alike.

Owner Broillet at airy Upstairs Bar

THBC's culinary model is inspired by the fare of the traditional Belgian/French cafes . The menu is inexpensive, simple and satisfying, consisting primarily  of cheese and charcuterie plates and sandwiches. Ingredients are sourced locally, within 100 miles whenever possible and include cheeses and meats from locales such as Chester Springs and Warminster. I sampled the Lancaster Bologna and Cheese pannini with a side of tangy gazpacho, which went great with

Come to the Tired Hands Brewing Company with friends, something engaging to read, or a willingness to engage your fellow patrons. The first-floor pub space is handsome but kind of a tight squeeze when crowded; however, the wide-open upstairs room offers ample and airy space to unwind. By design there is no Television in the brew pub. Like I said, its a throw-back place but in a progressive kind of way. 


Broillet sums up THBC's ethos on the establishment's website:
"We value local over imported, small batches over mass production, and striking a successful balance between giving back to our community and personal profit.  Localization guides everything we do, from sourcing raw ingredients and materials, to employing area talent."

http://www.tiredhands.com/

The Rock Sculpture Ruminations of a Narberth Real Estate Agent

One of many pleasantly-vexing, Main Line Rock Sculptures

Leaving the General Wayne Inn,  I passed by the Lankenau Hamper Shop  and noticed a man doing some maintenance on the small rock sculpture steps from Montgomery Avenue. For at least a year or so, these pint-sized megaliths - which are scattered throughout R5/Main Line-area neighborhoods and environs - have been a source of pleasant vexation for me.

I've always imagined these stone mini-strosities might have been inspired by the Delaware Valley's Welsh settlement roots. As noted in Wikipedia, The Main Line area was first resettled by Europeans in the 1600s, when William Penn sold a tract of land, called the Welsh Tract, to a group of Welsh Quakers for ten cents an acre. This accounts for the many Welsh place-names in the area, as well as some the Welsh-related traditions, including that of creating large piles of stones or boulders, like the one gracing the hillside and demarcating the Radnor exit to I-476.

Blue Route cairn is Smaller.

These man-made heaps of stone, also called Cairns, have been a mainstay in Wales for hundreds and hundreds of years. Some were created as landmarks or guideposts for travelers, some are property-line or burial markers, and some may even have astronomical significance. What motive, I wondered, could the middle-aged man on Montgomery Avenue have behind his mini-liths?


Turns out a handful of local newspapers and bloggers have already Uncovered The Story  behind these sculptures, which grace several train stations and at least one excellent sushi restaurant in Lower Merion and Radnor Townships. Ed Bassner, a longtime Wynnewood resident and local dentist, is the man who creates and maintains these delightful stone creations. Bassner told the Main Line Times that no motivation, historical, cultural, or anything other than purely aesthetic, are imbuing his efforts.

 But there are wonderful stories related to the location, creation and maintenance of each funky, contemporary Cairn, and Bassner shares them on his very entertaining blog and photo gallery,  Rock Sculptures.

Bassner's forms may not possess the gravity of a Stonehenge - or the backstory and unfortunate tradition of sneakers hanging from telephone wires - but his work and dedication exude a sense of grace and elegance that is timeless, mysterious, peaceful and fun.

R5 Lower Merion Sledding Spots

Sledding in Valley Forge is much  more fun than War

It's no Killington or Vail but there are quite a few prime sledding spots in the area, most notably Valley Forge National Park. Closer to R5-country, Gladwyne Elementary School offers a nice steep incline and a very picturesque setting. Parking is easy, too, but beware - when you get to the bottom of the hill - you might hit a back-breaking final bump, just when you thought the ride was over. Nice quiet setting as well.
Shortridge Park in Wynnewood is another beautiful place for sledding. Perhaps not as steep as Gladwyne but still a fine ride and worth the trip. Parking is generally easy here as well and there's plenty of room for non-sledders to kick back and watch the show.
Lankenau Hospital is a somewhat less desirable venue as parking is a bit awkward and the ride can end up in a slushy mess if you go too far toward the creek at the bottom of the hill. Nevertheless, a good time can still be had and there's no more convenient location to the ER should things go awry.
Bryn Mawr College has slopes behind the library and by the track which I am told are good as well. Penn Wynne Park and General Wayne Park in Merion are other sanctioned sledding site in Lower Merion, as well The Willows Park in Radnor Township.
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Philadelphia's Dangerous Delight

It's a Saturday morning in the winter of 1981 and the Drivers Ed classroom at the CenterCity 3As school for wanna-be-wee-wheelers is deathly silent. The instructor has just switched-off the clickety-clackety 16mm projector and we teens are awash in sober quiet, with images of blood and flayed-flesh marinating our minds.

We've just witnessed  "Drink, Drive, Rationalize," featuring the brutal automotive-artery-dicing deaths of a half-dozen fictional yet similarly judgement-challenged peers.
"Do you know the most dangerous road in Philadelphia?" the instructor boomed rhetorically.
"It is Lincoln Drive and  it is a raceway of death! Do you hear me?!"
We did. And, of course, we couldnt wait to find out for ourselves as soon as we were licensed. Nearly 30 years later, the Lincoln Drive hammer and sickle brigade has yet to come calling, despite the ongoing irresistable urge to cruise its slender, tight curves at suspension-shifting speeds.
Yes it's wrong, Yes it's stupid, Yes its the closest I can get to reliving my all-time peak Farfegnugin driving-experience some 20 years ago in the Napa Valley. So here's to you Lincoln Drive, with your soaring Wissahickon/Henry Avenue Bridge and easy access to Weaver's Way Coop.
With respect to the residents who suffer the mayhem along your curbs, you are an engineering and driving delight worthy of awe and respect.

Area Colleges Enrich Lower Merion and Philly

While between homes recently, we rented a rennovated twin in Ardmore, not far from the wooded area at Spring and Holland Avenues, which is the perimeter of Haverford College's luxurious campus. Campus grounds include an extensive nature trail, duck pond, acres of athletic fields, quality collegiate sporting activities, cultural activities, theater, movies, classical music, a-level lectures, recitals, cafe, student center.

The neighborhoods and communiities with walking proximity to any of the various Small universities along the R5 offer many perks, as indicated above. Haveford College is only one of the R5-friendly educational oasis' which offer everything from state park level, sculpted grounds to occassional world-class entertainment. just a stroll from your backdoor. Others include: Harcum College, Bryn Mawr University, Rosemont College St. Joseph's University, Villanova Universisty, Eastern College Philadelphia Community College. University of Pennsylvania, Drexel. Each are served by the on-campus or nearby R5 stations including 30th Street Station, Penn Center, Market East, Overbrook, Merion, Ardmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Rosemont, Villanova, Radnor.

Residing in a desireable setting close to a university can offer many recreational and entertainment options which not only offer a richer quality of life, but also help to insure and enhance your home's value.