| Fashion News Pennsylvania |
Fund-raising fashion show for tumour sufferer
MODELS will be donning gladrags in Worcester tomorrow to raise money for a man battling a rare tumour.
Father-of-three Steve Mitchell, who owns Kidderminster clothing store Red, is undergoing cutting-edge treatment to reduce an inoperable tumour
on the left side of his face.
The radiotherapy course - called sybernice - is available only in the United States and every treatment costs £15,000, together with travelling and
accommodation costs of £5,000.
Mr Mitchell, aged 37, visited a clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in April, to have the first treatment which halved the fist-sized tumour - a
spindle cell sarcoma.
He is due to return to the States for the second course with his eldest daughter, Patricia, 13, in January, but must raise enough money first.
"I researched it myself but sent my medical records everywhere, not just to the United States," said Mr Mitchell.
"I'd been for chemotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and run out of options.
"The tumour is so near my eye, ear, nose and mouth that the surgeons cannot operate."
Becky Yardley, a regular Red customer, has organised a fashion show to raise money for Mr Mitchell's next treatment.
Miss Yardley, of Hartlebury, said: "I've known Steve for nearly four years and always brought my clothes from his shop and he's become a family
friend.
"I found out about his tumour and then he did a fashion show at Kidderminster Town Hall and I decided I wanted to help him out."
Miss Yardley has organised the catwalk show at the Slug and Lettuce pub in the Cornmarket, Worcester. The event runs from 7pm to midnight.
After the 40-minute show people will be chosen from the audience for a makeover by staff from Kidderminster beauty salon Hair Lounge and a
raffle will be held.
6:11pm Friday 14th December 2007
Fund-raising fashion show for tumour sufferer
By Lauren Rogers
Comment
MODELS will be donning gladrags in Worcester tomorrow to raise money for a man battling a rare tumour.
Father-of-three Steve Mitchell, who owns Kidderminster clothing store Red, is undergoing cutting-edge treatment to reduce an inoperable tumour
on the left side of his face.
The radiotherapy course - called sybernice - is available only in the United States and every treatment costs £15,000, together with travelling and
accommodation costs of £5,000.
advertisement
Mr Mitchell, aged 37, visited a clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in April, to have the first treatment which halved the fist-sized tumour - a
spindle cell sarcoma.
He is due to return to the States for the second course with his eldest daughter, Patricia, 13, in January, but must raise enough money first.
"I researched it myself but sent my medical records everywhere, not just to the United States," said Mr Mitchell.
"I'd been for chemotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and run out of options.
"The tumour is so near my eye, ear, nose and mouth that the surgeons cannot operate."
Becky Yardley, a regular Red customer, has organised a fashion show to raise money for Mr Mitchell's next treatment.
Miss Yardley, of Hartlebury, said: "I've known Steve for nearly four years and always brought my clothes from his shop and he's become a family
friend.
"I found out about his tumour and then he did a fashion show at Kidderminster Town Hall and I decided I wanted to help him out."
Miss Yardley has organised the catwalk show at the Slug and Lettuce pub in the Cornmarket, Worcester. The event runs from 7pm to midnight.
After the 40-minute show people will be chosen from the audience for a makeover by staff from Kidderminster beauty salon Hair Lounge and a
raffle will be held.
Two entrepreneurs develop traveling footwear party
Elizabeth Wellington
The Philadelphia Inquirer
December 20, 2007
PHILADELPHIA
Sleek patent-leather pumps, chunky-heeled metallics and we-want-them-now round-toed houndstooth wedges were artfully arranged,
two by two, on a Friday evening in a living room.
The buyers at Soles by NioShe, a traveling footwear party, squealed as their eyes took in everything from satin ballet flats to copper,
round-toe T-straps.
"I couldn't care less about clothes, but there is something about . . ." footwear, enthused Dee Greene-Hill, just moments before
entrepreneurs Shelly Johnson and Nioka Biggs-Wyatt got things started.
"I can't believe I haven't heard about more of these happening in other places."
She probably will soon. More and more, working women are supplementing their salaries by becoming on-the-side fashion
entrepreneurs.
This is by no means a new phenomenon. Long before Avon came knocking, Madame C.J. Walker sold hair-straightening products to
add to earnings as a maid.
Under-the-ankle overhead
Biggs-Wyatt, 31, and Johnson, 36, met at Philadelphia University eight years ago. Soles by NioShe -- a combination of the women's
first names -- spans three states. Biggs-Wyatt, who lives in Blackwood, recruits business in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, while
Johnson, who lives in Bear, Del., concentrates on her own state.
"I wanted to open my own boutique," says Biggs-Wyatt. "But the cost of the overhead was just too much. This is the next best thing."
"We saw this as a business opportunity," Johnson says. "We love it and our friends love it, so why not?"
Biggs-Wyatt, who graduated with degrees in fashion and apparel, ventured out on her own in May 2005, after working as a technical
designer at QVC in West Chester, Pa. Armed with the contacts she made there, she contacted several companies and spent $1,000 of
her own money on merchandise. Stilettos, pumps and T-straps, she says, are her secret passion.
For her one megasale, Biggs-Wyatt rented out a room at the Wyndham in Center City, Pa., printing out flyers and giving them to
friends. More than 200 people came.
"I was there for five hours and I made $6,000," she says. Now the two women visit footwear markets in New York twice a year, where
they order boxes of merchandise the same way free-standing stores do.
And twice a week, the women load up their SUVs with boxes of favorite mall brands: Steve Madden, Chinese Laundry and Two Lips.
Prices are reasonable, ranging from $25 to $60. The women usually split close to $1,000 a show.
It takes an hour for Biggs-Wyatt and Johnson to set up displays at the churches, offices or homes that call them for parties. Once they
are ready -- boxes marked sizes 6 to 11 neatly tucked under tables -- they wait for women to trickle in: oohing and aahing followed by
charging and check-writing.
A typical Soles by NioShe party looks like it could be in an upscale boutique -- so many stores in downtown Philadelphia these days
are set up to resemble family rooms -- but the scent of frying chicken drummettes downstairs makes it feel as if you are at a friend's
house.
This party is at Felicia El's home. El, 38, is a legal secretary and is friends with Johnson through a mutual acquaintance. If the party
brings in more than $300, El gets a free pair.
It takes about 20 minutes for the women, a group of mostly married professionals, to get settled. There are games, such as one where
Biggs-Wyatt holds up a card and the women scream out a well-known brand. And from the moment the guests walk in the door, no one
can say the "S" word (which is why Greene-Hill couldn't spell out her passion). If they do, they lose their chance to win a discount.
Before the shopping starts, Biggs-Wyatt gives a fall mini-trend report. Navy blue pumps are going to be big, she says, and every woman
should have a pair of sexy metallics. Other advice: Hippy women should stay away from stilettos. "Not enough support," Biggs-Wyatt
says as the women nod their heads in agreement.
Then the real event begins. Claire Johnson, 56, of Southwest Philadelphia, can't resist trying on a pair of metallics while Takiyah
Payne, 24, has a hard time choosing between brown espadrilles and the houndstooth round toes. She eventually decides on the
espadrilles.
"Oh, I know I have a problem," Payne says, laughing.
Top regional attractions
Top Regional Attractions
Philadelphia
Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; 215-299-1000. www.ansp.org. Indoor "Butterflies" garden reopens on
12/22. Pint-Sized Predators Weekend - Program on small predators. Naturalist programs, crafts & live animal presentations.
12/22-12/23 11 am-3:30 pm. Academy Greatest Hits Week: Animal Day - Live animal presentations & Amazon-themed games. 12/26 11
am-4 pm. Academy Greatest Hits Week: Dinosaur Day - Dinosaur informational programs, live animal shows, crafts & more. 12/27 11
am-4 pm. Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes & Other Riches - Exhibit on biodiversity, field research, resource management & Amazon
culture. Closes 12/31. $10; $8 seniors, students, military, children 3-12; free for children under 3. Mon.-Fri. 10 am-4:30 pm, Sat.-Sun.
10 am-5 pm.
> Atwater Kent Museum 15 S. Seventh St.; 215-685-4830. www.philadelphiahistory.org. Philadelphia at Your Feet - Sun., Wed.-Thu. 2
pm. Historical film footage screening. A Great Company in a Great City - Lithographs & paintings from the Cigna Corp. (formerly Ins.
Co. of N. America). Closes 12
31. The following close 12/31/08: How Philly Works: Streets as Barometers of Urban Life - Historical objects incl. street light, city
charter parchment, wampum belt & more; The Wonderful World of Radio - Vintage radios from museum, Philco & RCA Collections.
$5; $3 seniors & children 13-17; free for children under 12. Wed.-Sun. 1 pm-5 pm.
> Betsy Ross House 239 Arch St.; 215-627-5343. www.betsyrosshouse.org. Circa 1740 Georgian-style home of flagmaker. Joke &
Dagger - Staged sword fight & presentation on stage fighting. Sat.-Sun. 1 & 2 pm. Call for times on the following weekly events:
Colonial Crafters - Spinning & lacemaking demonstrations; Girl Wonder - Find out about the important contributions colonial women
made; Hammer Dulcimer Player; A Soldier's Story - Hear tales of the Revolutionary war era & see replicas. $3; $2 children under 13.
Tue.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm.
> Blue Cross RiverRink Penn's Landing Columbus Blvd.; 215-925-7465. www.riverrink.com. Now open for its 14th anniversary season.
Open 7 days a week thru 3
2. Call for info on closings due to inclement weather or private rentals. $6; $3 skate rental.
> *FREE*Christ Church 2nd & Market Sts.; 215-922-1695, ext. 30. www.oldchristchurch.org. Georgian architectural treasure attended
by founding fathers. Donations accepted. Mon.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm; Sun. 1-5 pm.
> Christ Church Burial Ground 5th & Arch Sts.; 215-922-1695, ext. 30. www.oldchristchurch.org. Final resting place of Benjamin
Franklin, other founding fathers, Revolutionary War heroes & famous Philadelphians. Mon.-Sat. 10 am-4 pm; Sun. noon-4 pm,
weather permitting.
> Civil War & Underground Railroad Museum 1805 Pine St.; 215-735-8196. www.cwurmuseum.org. Features the Abraham Lincoln
Collection, George Gordon Meade Collection, Ulysses S. Grant Collection & more. $5; $4 seniors; $3 students & ages 3-12; free under
3. Thu.-Sat. 11 am-4:30 pm
> *FREE*Eastern State Penitentiary 2124 Fairmount Ave.; 215-236-3300. www.easternstate.org. Winter Adventure Tours - One-hour
guided walk through the empty penitentiary complex & includes a cup of hot chocolate in the center surveillance hub. Daily at 11 am,
1 & 3 pm. Closes 3
31. $9; $7 seniors & students; $4 children 7-12. Open daily, 10 am-5 pm.
> *FREE*Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia 100 N. 6th St.; 866-574-3727. www.philadelphiafed.org. Money in Motion - History of
banking, money & Federal Reserve; interactive displays on currency circulation, counterfeit detection. Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-4:30 pm.
> The Franklin Institute 222 N. 20th St.; 215-448-1200. www.fi.edu. Giant Tinkertoys - Build stuctures using pieces up to 3-ft. long. 12
26-12/27 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Polar Express Replica - Display featuring a 30-foot-long Polar Express engine used for the film's premiere.
Closes 1/31. Identity: An Exhibition of You - Examines personal identity via cognitive, genetic & social science. Closes 4/28. A Sci-Pass
(basic admission) is $13.75 for adults, $11.00 for children & seniors; Sci-Pass plus IMAX is $18.75 for adults/$16.00 for children &
seniors. IMAX & other permanent exhibits open daily 9:30 am-5 pm.
> Franklin Square Sixth & Race Sts.; 215-629-4026. www.onceuponanation.org. America's most historic square mile reclaims green
space for area residents & further enlivens Historic Philadelphia. Features Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel, Philly Mini Golf &
more. Closes 1
1. Santa in the Square - Santa & Elfreth the elf, carolers, photos with Santa, Lightning Bolt Express train, free ride on carousel for
kids who bring Christmas list. Donation suggested: canned food item. 12/22-12/23 noon-3 pm. Daily 10 am-6 pm (closed Christmas Day).
> Independence Hall Chestnut St.; 215-597-8974. www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall-1.htm. Guided Tour - Explore this historic
example of Georgian architecture. Daily 9 am-5 pm.
> Independence National Historical Park 6th & Markets Sts.; 215-965-2305. www.nps.gov/inde. Carpenters' Hall - (Tue.-Sun. 10 am-4
pm). Congress Hall - (Daily 9 am-5 pm). Old City Hall - (Daily 11 am-5 pm). Visitor Center - Information on programs, activities, tours.
(Daily 8:30 am-5 pm). Most sites free. Daily 8:30 am-5 pm.
> Independence Seaport Museum 211 S. Columbus Blvd.; 215-925-5439. www.phillyseaport.org. Founder's Favorites - Treasured gifted
items from the museum's founder. Closes 3
30. Morris Rosenfeld & Sons: The Art of the Boat - Nautical photography. Closes 4/27. $9; $8 seniors; $6 children 3-12; free for
children under 3; free Sun. 10 am-noon. Daily 10 am-5 pm.
> Independence Visitor Center Sixth & Market Sts.; 800-537-7676. www.independencevisitorcenter.com. Breakfast With Ben -
Breakfast with an actor portraying Ben Franklin. $20; $13 children. 12
22 9-10:30 am. Open daily 8:30 am-6 pm.
> Laurel Hill Mansion East Fairmount Park; 215-235-1776. www.fairmountpark.org/LaurelHill.asp. Georgian-style mansion built in
1767 by Rebecca Rawle. Tours available. $5.
> *FREE*Liberty Bell Center 501 Market St.; 215-965-2305. www.nps.gov/inde. Home of the Liberty Bell - Exhibits on bell's origins &
role as symbol of freedom. Daily 9 am-5 pm.
> Masonic Temple One North Broad St.; 215-988-1900. www.pagrandlodge.org. Open for Tours - Built in 1873, this National Historic
Landmark is a magnificent example of architecture, art & history. Tue.-Fri. 11 am, 2 & 3 pm; Sat. 10 am & 11 am. Masonic Temple
Library - Esteemed collection for the study of American History & Freemasonry, featuring over 75,000 volumes & 30,000 documents,
prints, photos & manuscripts. $8, with individual & group discounts available. Tue.-Fri. 10 am-5 pm; Sat. 10 am-noon.
> Museum of the American Philosophical Society 104 S. 5th St.; 215-440-3400. www.amphilsoc.org/museum. UNDAUNTED: Five
American Explorers, 1760-2006 - Exhibition on five explorers with Philly connections who were part of the American Philosophical
Society. Closes 12
28. Roderick Coover: Outside/Inside - Videotaped segments of Brett Keyser's park expeditions. Closes 12/28. Winifred Lutz -
Mason-Dixon Lines: Past to Present - Parallel bands trace three different ways of looking at the PA/MD boundary line. Closes 12/28/08.
Donations accepted. Fri.-Sun. 10 am-4 pm.
> The Mutter Museum 19 S. 22nd St.; 215-563-3737. www.collphyphil.org. Over 200 wet & dry specimens, lantern slides, x-rays &
more. $12; $8 seniors, students, children 6-17; free for children under 6. Open daily 10 am-5 pm; until 9 pm Fri.
> National Constitution Center 525 Arch St.; 215-409-6600. www.constitutioncenter.org. First Ladies Tea Party - Delicious assortment
of beverages, pastries & finger foods. $35 includes general adm. 12
22 1-3 pm. Display of Entries for Gingerbread White House Contest - Visitors can submit their votes on the best entry. 12/26-12/27 9:30
am-5 pm. White House Winter Wonderland - Learn how presidential families have celebrated the holiday season throughout history.
Games, crafts, contests, hot chocolate, entertainment. 12/26-12/27 11 am-3 pm. First Ladies: Political Role & Public Image - Gowns,
clothing, personal belongings, White House furnishings, political campaign materials & other historical items. $15; $14 seniors; $9
children 4-12; free for military personnel & children 3 & under (includes admission to the Center's main exhibition, The Story of We
the People, including award-winning theater production "Freedom Rising"). Closes 12/31. First Ladies Audio Tour - 25 minute tour
examines impact these remarkable women have had on the country, ranging from policy to fashion. $3. Closes 12/31. $12; $11 seniors;
$8 children 4-12; free for children under 4 & military. Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-5 pm, Sat. 9:30 am-6 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
> National Liberty Museum 321 Chestnut St.; 215-925-2800. www.libertymuseum.org. Only museum in the U.S. that celebrates the
concept of freedom by honoring people of vision, creativity & innovation. Fabulous Friday Nights - Glass art, live music, dazzling
jewelry & more. 12
21 5-8 pm. Cards for Troops & Orphans Campaign - Make holiday cards to be sent to troops stationed overseas as well as orphans in
South Africa. Activity booklet given to each visitor. 12/21-12/23 10 am-5 pm. 12/26-12/27 10 am-5 pm. We the People - Musical tribute to
the spirit, ideas & energy that have defined America. Call for specific performance times & reservations: 800-822-8487 x441. $7; $6
seniors; $5 students; $2 children 5-7; free for children under 5 & for all on Sun. & after 5 pm on Fri. Self guided tours only. Open
Tue.-Sun 10 am-5 pm; Fri. evenings 5-8 pm.
> *FREE*National Museum of American Jewish History 55 N. Fifth St.; 215-923-3811. www.nmajh.org. Peter & Ellen
Michael Rosman/Mark Segal Puppet Theatre/Ken Fink From Wondergy. $5; free for children 3 & under. 12/25 noon-4 pm. Shaping
Space, Making Meaning - Visitors assist design team through three interactive experiences. Features design sketches,
computer-generated images, video & text. Closes 8/31. Mon.-Thu. 10 am-5 pm; Fri. 10 am-3 pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
> *FREE*PECO Energy Liberty Center 6th & Chestnut Sts.; 215-542-3789. www.lightsofliberty.org. Ben Franklin's Ghost - The
beloved scientist
inventor appears as a dramatic, life-size holographic image who answers questions about his life in this interactive exhibit. Daily 10
am-6 pm.
> The Philadelphia Zoo 3400 W. Girard Ave.; 215-243-1100. www.philadelphiazoo.org. Ongoing exhibits & attractions include the
popular PECO Primate Reserve, Dodge Rare Animal Conservation Center, Monkey Junction, Pachyderm House & more.
$12.95-$16.95; free for children under 2. Daily 9:30 am-5 pm.
> Ryerss Museum & Library 7370 Central Ave.; 215-685-0544. Asian art & artifacts as well as generations of family heirlooms &
paintings. Donations accepted. Fri.-Sun. 10 am-4 pm.
> University of Pennsylvania - Morris Arboretum 100 E. Northwestern Ave.; 215-247-5777. www.morrisarboretum.org. Holiday Garden
Railway Display - Twinkling lights & holiday décor adorn the Garden Railway. Closes 12
31. $10; $8 seniors; $5 youth 3-18; free for children under 3. 10 am-4 pm daily (hours may vary slightly throughout the year).
> University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology 3260 South St.; 215-898-4000. www.museum.upenn.edu. Three
gallery floors with art & artifacts from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia, the Americas, Africa, Polynesia & the ancient
Mediterranean world. Greg MacGregor - Lewis & Clark Revisited: A Trail in Modern Day - Features 60 dramatic black & white
photographs paired with images from Lewis & Clark's journals. Closes 2
10. $8; $5 students, seniors; free for children under 6. Tue.-Sat. 10 am-4:30 pm, Sun. 1-5 pm.
> Wagner Free Institute of Science 1700 W. Montgomery Ave.; 215-763-6529. www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org. Founded 1855, Institute
houses Wagner's natural history collection of skeletons, mounted animals, fossils, minerals. Guided tours: $15; $10 seniors; $5
children. Tue.-Fri. 9 am-4 pm.
>
Pennsylvania suburbs
Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site Route 1, Chadds Ford; 610-459-3342. www.ushistory.org/brandywine. 52 acres of woodlands,
meadows, Washington's headquarters, artifacts, weapons, uniforms. House tours: $5; $3.50 seniors; $2.50 children 6-17; free for
children under 6. Park free. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
> Fonthill Museum E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-348-9461. www.fonthillmuseum.org. Winter Wonderland - Display of holiday decor.
Closes 1
2. $9; $8 seniors; $4 ages 5-17; free for ages under 5. Mon.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm. Reservations recommended.
> Glencairn Museum 1001 Cathedral Rd., Bryn Athyn; 267-502-2993. www.glencairnmuseum.org. Saturday Highlights Tour - Tour
exhibits & collections focusing on religious history. Sat. 11, 11:30 am, 12:30 & 1 pm.
> Longwood Gardens Rte. 1, Kennett Square; 610-388-1000. www.longwoodgardens.org. Breakfast With Santa - Breakfast &
appearance by Santa. $30; $14 children 5-11; free for children 4 & under. 12
22-12/23 8 & 9:30 am. Ice Spectacular - Short, delightful skating vignettes performed by professional skaters. Closes 1/6. Regular
admission plus $4. A Winter Fantasy - Poinsettia displays, decorated trees, live music, strolling entertainers, over 500,000 holiday
lights & more. Closes 1/6. $16; $14 seniors (ages 62 & over); $6 students (5-22); free for children 4 & under. Open daily 9 am-9 pm thru
Jan. 6.
> The Mercer Museum 84 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215-345-0210. www.mercermuseum.org. Winter Lego Robotics Workshop - Kids can
build robotic machines out of Legos. $80. 12
26-12/27 8:30-11:30 am, 12:30-3:30 pm. Are We Dressed Yet - Accessories worn by Bucks County residents of the past. Includes try-on
activities & games. Closes 5/31. $8; $7 seniors; $4 children 5-17; free for children under 5. Mon., Wed.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm; Tue. 10 am-9
pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
> Pennsbury Manor 400 Pennsbury Memorial Rd., Morrisville; 215-946-0400. www.pennsburymanor.org. Recreated country home of
William Penn; provides a peaceful contrast to the hurry of modern American life. $5; $4.50 seniors; $3 children 6-17; free for children
5 & under. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
> *FREE*Pennypacker Mills 5 Haldeman Rd., Schwenksville; 610-287-9349. historicsites.montcopa.org. Turn-of-the-century mansion
& farm of PA's 25th Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker (1903-1907). Holiday House Tours - Holiday open house tours, Victorian
Christmas decorations, vintage holiday cards & more. Closes 1
6. I Lived Here Too: Hired Help at a Country Gentleman's Estate - Learn what the servants did here long ago. Closes 1/31. Tue.-Sat. 10
am-4 pm; Sun. 1-4 pm.
> *FREE*Pottsgrove Manor 100 W. King St., Pottstown; 610-326-4014. www.historicsites.montcopa.org. Built in 1752 for John Potts,
ironmaster & founder of Pottstown; reflects lifestyle & times of the Potts family. Holiday Yuletide Tours With a Twist - View
preparations for an 18th-century wedding against the background of colonial Christmas decorations. Closes 1
6. Tue.-Sat. 10 am-4 pm, Sun. 1-4 pm.
> Swedish Cabin 9 Creek Rd., Drexel Hill; 610-237-8064. www.swedishcabin.org. This piece of America's past, located along the banks
of Darby Creek, was over 100 years old at the time of the American Revolution & is believed to have been built (sometime between
1638 & 1655) by early Swedish settlers as part of the New Sweden colony. Call for group tours or appointments.
> Valley Forge National Historical Park Route 23, Valley Forge; 610-783-1077. www.nps.gov/vafo. Once Upon a Story: The Story of
Valley Forge Tour - 90-minute, open-air trolley tour. Once Upon A Nation storytellers bring history to life. 215-629-4026. Closes 12
30. $15; $9 students, seniors, military; $6 children 11 & under. Washington's Headquarters: $3. Daily 6 am-10 pm.
> Washington Crossing Historical Park/ Memorial Building Auditorium 1112 River Rd., Washington Crossing; 215-493-4076.
www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing. 55th Annual Christmas Day Crossing of the Delaware River - Historical reenactors will row
across the Delaware River in replica Durham boats. 12
25 1 pm. $5; $4 seniors; $2 children 6-17. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
> *FREE*Wings of Freedom Museum 1155 Easton Rd., Willow Grove; 215-672-2277. www.dvhaa.org. See some of the world's rarest
aircraft among this collection of over 15 restored jets & helicopters. Highlights include North America's only Messerschmitt Me262B
jet trainer, an experimental Navy YF-2Y jet seaplane, world class collections of aircraft models & flight gear, exhibits on women in
aviation, 100 years of flight, interactive exhibits for kids. Guided tours available. Wed. 10:30 am-3 pm; Sat.-Sun. 10:30 am-4 pm.
>
New Jersey
Adventure Aquarium 1 Aquarium Dr., Camden; 866-451-2782. www.adventureaquarium.com. Fishmas - Santa will swim with blue fin
tuna, cownose rays, sea turtles & more. Guests can also enjoy a scavenger hunt & other surprises. Closes 1/1. $17.95; $14.95 children
2-11; free for children under 2. Daily 9:30 am-5 pm.
> Battleship New Jersey Museum 62 Battleship Pl., Camden; 866-877-6262. www.battleshipnewjersey.org. The Holocaust & Genocide:
The Betrayal of Humanity - History of the Holocaust & its continuing legacy. Closes 6
15. $15-$19; $10.50-$13 veterans, seniors, ages 6-11; free active military in uniform, ages 5 & under. Daily 9 am-5 pm.
> New Jersey State Museum 205 W. State Rd., Trenton; 609-292-6464. www.newjerseystatemuseum.org. Art by African-Americans -
Selected works from the museum's collection. Closes 3
20. On extended view in Auditorium Galleries: Fossil Mysteries, the CSI of Paleontology; Cultures in Competition - Indians &
Europeans in Colonial America. Alcove Gallery exhibit: Trenton - Crucial Crossroads. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-4:45 pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
Donations accepted.
> Old Barracks Museum 101 Barrack St., Trenton; 609-396-1776. www.barracks.org. The Practitioners of Musick - 18th century music.
$20. 12
26 6 & 8 pm. Ah, Fatal Night: The Last Hours of George Washington - Living history vignettes chronicle the fatal illness & death of
George Washington. $10. 12/27 4-5 pm. The Music of Ben Franklin: The Glass Armonica - Acclaimed armonica virtuoso Cecilia Brauer
to perform. $30. 12/27 6-8 pm. Reservations recommended for all events. Daily 10 am-5 pm.
> South Jersey Museum of American History 123 E. High St., Glassboro; 856-442-0688. Includes artifacts from the Pre-Columbian
through the Colonial era, antique hand tools, glass & comprehensive Political History exhibit. Antique Toy Train Exhibit - Vintage
Lionel & Marx toy trains from the 1940's & 50's. Closes 2
2. $4; $3 children. Wed.-Fri. 10 am-4 pm; Sat. 10 am-3pm.
> Washington Crossing State Park 355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Rd., Titusville; 609-737-0623.
www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/washcros.html. Holiday Lantern Walking Tours - Guided tours of the Nelson House, Stone
Barn & Johnson Ferry House. $8; $4 seniors & children. 12
21 6:30 & 7 pm. Christmas Day Crossing Reenactment - Commemorate the 231st anniversary of Washington's famous Christmas
Night crossing of the Delaware. 12/25 1 pm.
> Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center 1501 Glasstown Rd., Millville; 800-998-4552. www.wheatonarts.org. The Handcrafted Gift: 11th
Annual Holiday Exhibition - Distinctive metal art ornaments, wall pieces, freestanding works for home & garden, wearable art & much
more. Closes 12
24. Celebrating Connections: Contemporary Glass by Mid Atlantic Artists - Works by over 60 artists on display. Closes 12/30. Beads
From Venice: Exhibit & Sale - Venetian glass beadmakers including the internationally recognzied work of Leslie Genninger. Closes
12/31. Defining Divas - Illuminates the early work of pioneering female American glass artists. Closes 12/31. Symbols & Colors of
Life: Beadwork Traditions - Focuses on various beadwork techniques used by folk & traditional artists of different cultural
backgrounds. Closes 12/31. $10; $9 seniors; $7 students; free for children 5 & under. Tue.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm.
>
Delaware
Delaware Museum of Natural History 4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington; 302-658-9111. www.delmnh.org. Dino Days - Animal
presentations, crafts, dinosaur experts, fossil dig & more. 12/27-12/28 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Microbes: Invisible Invaders, Amazing Allies -
Closes 1/6. $6; $5 children 3-17; $4 seniors; free for children under 3. Mon.-Sat. 9:30 am-4:30 pm; Sun. noon-4:30 pm.
> Hagley Museum & Library Rte. 100 & Buck Rd., Wilmington; 302-658-2400. www.hagley.org. Hagley at Fifty: Exploding With History
- Retrospective exhibit. Closes 12
31. Surprising Artistry: Francis B. Crowninshield Watercolors - Images of the three homes where Frank & Louise du Pont
Crowninshield dwelt. Closes 12/31. Christmas Display - Closes 1/1. $11; $9 seniors, students; $4 ages 6-14; free under 6. Daily 9:30
am-4:30 pm.
> Winterthur Museum & Country Estate Route 52, Winterthur; 800-448-3883. www.winterthur.org. Yuletide at Winterthur - Holiday
ambience & festive decorations of yore, including 18 fabulous rooms that interpret holiday celebrations from the 1700s-today. Closes 1
6. Pets in America: The Story of Our Lives With Animals at Home - Warm look at the history of Americans' relationships with pets
from the 1700s to the present. Closes 1/20. K is for Kids - Family-friendly exhibition explores intriguing objects in the Winterthur
collection & studies early methods of reading education. Closes 7/13. $15; $13 students & seniors; $5 children 2-11; free for children
under 2. Tue.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm.
MODELS will be donning gladrags in Worcester tomorrow to raise money for a man battling a rare tumour.
Father-of-three Steve Mitchell, who owns Kidderminster clothing store Red, is undergoing cutting-edge treatment to reduce an inoperable tumour
on the left side of his face.
The radiotherapy course - called sybernice - is available only in the United States and every treatment costs £15,000, together with travelling and
accommodation costs of £5,000.
Mr Mitchell, aged 37, visited a clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in April, to have the first treatment which halved the fist-sized tumour - a
spindle cell sarcoma.
He is due to return to the States for the second course with his eldest daughter, Patricia, 13, in January, but must raise enough money first.
"I researched it myself but sent my medical records everywhere, not just to the United States," said Mr Mitchell.
"I'd been for chemotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and run out of options.
"The tumour is so near my eye, ear, nose and mouth that the surgeons cannot operate."
Becky Yardley, a regular Red customer, has organised a fashion show to raise money for Mr Mitchell's next treatment.
Miss Yardley, of Hartlebury, said: "I've known Steve for nearly four years and always brought my clothes from his shop and he's become a family
friend.
"I found out about his tumour and then he did a fashion show at Kidderminster Town Hall and I decided I wanted to help him out."
Miss Yardley has organised the catwalk show at the Slug and Lettuce pub in the Cornmarket, Worcester. The event runs from 7pm to midnight.
After the 40-minute show people will be chosen from the audience for a makeover by staff from Kidderminster beauty salon Hair Lounge and a
raffle will be held.
6:11pm Friday 14th December 2007
Fund-raising fashion show for tumour sufferer
By Lauren Rogers
Comment
MODELS will be donning gladrags in Worcester tomorrow to raise money for a man battling a rare tumour.
Father-of-three Steve Mitchell, who owns Kidderminster clothing store Red, is undergoing cutting-edge treatment to reduce an inoperable tumour
on the left side of his face.
The radiotherapy course - called sybernice - is available only in the United States and every treatment costs £15,000, together with travelling and
accommodation costs of £5,000.
advertisement
Mr Mitchell, aged 37, visited a clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in April, to have the first treatment which halved the fist-sized tumour - a
spindle cell sarcoma.
He is due to return to the States for the second course with his eldest daughter, Patricia, 13, in January, but must raise enough money first.
"I researched it myself but sent my medical records everywhere, not just to the United States," said Mr Mitchell.
"I'd been for chemotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and run out of options.
"The tumour is so near my eye, ear, nose and mouth that the surgeons cannot operate."
Becky Yardley, a regular Red customer, has organised a fashion show to raise money for Mr Mitchell's next treatment.
Miss Yardley, of Hartlebury, said: "I've known Steve for nearly four years and always brought my clothes from his shop and he's become a family
friend.
"I found out about his tumour and then he did a fashion show at Kidderminster Town Hall and I decided I wanted to help him out."
Miss Yardley has organised the catwalk show at the Slug and Lettuce pub in the Cornmarket, Worcester. The event runs from 7pm to midnight.
After the 40-minute show people will be chosen from the audience for a makeover by staff from Kidderminster beauty salon Hair Lounge and a
raffle will be held.
Two entrepreneurs develop traveling footwear party
Elizabeth Wellington
The Philadelphia Inquirer
December 20, 2007
PHILADELPHIA
Sleek patent-leather pumps, chunky-heeled metallics and we-want-them-now round-toed houndstooth wedges were artfully arranged,
two by two, on a Friday evening in a living room.
The buyers at Soles by NioShe, a traveling footwear party, squealed as their eyes took in everything from satin ballet flats to copper,
round-toe T-straps.
"I couldn't care less about clothes, but there is something about . . ." footwear, enthused Dee Greene-Hill, just moments before
entrepreneurs Shelly Johnson and Nioka Biggs-Wyatt got things started.
"I can't believe I haven't heard about more of these happening in other places."
She probably will soon. More and more, working women are supplementing their salaries by becoming on-the-side fashion
entrepreneurs.
This is by no means a new phenomenon. Long before Avon came knocking, Madame C.J. Walker sold hair-straightening products to
add to earnings as a maid.
Under-the-ankle overhead
Biggs-Wyatt, 31, and Johnson, 36, met at Philadelphia University eight years ago. Soles by NioShe -- a combination of the women's
first names -- spans three states. Biggs-Wyatt, who lives in Blackwood, recruits business in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, while
Johnson, who lives in Bear, Del., concentrates on her own state.
"I wanted to open my own boutique," says Biggs-Wyatt. "But the cost of the overhead was just too much. This is the next best thing."
"We saw this as a business opportunity," Johnson says. "We love it and our friends love it, so why not?"
Biggs-Wyatt, who graduated with degrees in fashion and apparel, ventured out on her own in May 2005, after working as a technical
designer at QVC in West Chester, Pa. Armed with the contacts she made there, she contacted several companies and spent $1,000 of
her own money on merchandise. Stilettos, pumps and T-straps, she says, are her secret passion.
For her one megasale, Biggs-Wyatt rented out a room at the Wyndham in Center City, Pa., printing out flyers and giving them to
friends. More than 200 people came.
"I was there for five hours and I made $6,000," she says. Now the two women visit footwear markets in New York twice a year, where
they order boxes of merchandise the same way free-standing stores do.
And twice a week, the women load up their SUVs with boxes of favorite mall brands: Steve Madden, Chinese Laundry and Two Lips.
Prices are reasonable, ranging from $25 to $60. The women usually split close to $1,000 a show.
It takes an hour for Biggs-Wyatt and Johnson to set up displays at the churches, offices or homes that call them for parties. Once they
are ready -- boxes marked sizes 6 to 11 neatly tucked under tables -- they wait for women to trickle in: oohing and aahing followed by
charging and check-writing.
A typical Soles by NioShe party looks like it could be in an upscale boutique -- so many stores in downtown Philadelphia these days
are set up to resemble family rooms -- but the scent of frying chicken drummettes downstairs makes it feel as if you are at a friend's
house.
This party is at Felicia El's home. El, 38, is a legal secretary and is friends with Johnson through a mutual acquaintance. If the party
brings in more than $300, El gets a free pair.
It takes about 20 minutes for the women, a group of mostly married professionals, to get settled. There are games, such as one where
Biggs-Wyatt holds up a card and the women scream out a well-known brand. And from the moment the guests walk in the door, no one
can say the "S" word (which is why Greene-Hill couldn't spell out her passion). If they do, they lose their chance to win a discount.
Before the shopping starts, Biggs-Wyatt gives a fall mini-trend report. Navy blue pumps are going to be big, she says, and every woman
should have a pair of sexy metallics. Other advice: Hippy women should stay away from stilettos. "Not enough support," Biggs-Wyatt
says as the women nod their heads in agreement.
Then the real event begins. Claire Johnson, 56, of Southwest Philadelphia, can't resist trying on a pair of metallics while Takiyah
Payne, 24, has a hard time choosing between brown espadrilles and the houndstooth round toes. She eventually decides on the
espadrilles.
"Oh, I know I have a problem," Payne says, laughing.
Top regional attractions
Top Regional Attractions
Philadelphia
Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; 215-299-1000. www.ansp.org. Indoor "Butterflies" garden reopens on
12/22. Pint-Sized Predators Weekend - Program on small predators. Naturalist programs, crafts & live animal presentations.
12/22-12/23 11 am-3:30 pm. Academy Greatest Hits Week: Animal Day - Live animal presentations & Amazon-themed games. 12/26 11
am-4 pm. Academy Greatest Hits Week: Dinosaur Day - Dinosaur informational programs, live animal shows, crafts & more. 12/27 11
am-4 pm. Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes & Other Riches - Exhibit on biodiversity, field research, resource management & Amazon
culture. Closes 12/31. $10; $8 seniors, students, military, children 3-12; free for children under 3. Mon.-Fri. 10 am-4:30 pm, Sat.-Sun.
10 am-5 pm.
> Atwater Kent Museum 15 S. Seventh St.; 215-685-4830. www.philadelphiahistory.org. Philadelphia at Your Feet - Sun., Wed.-Thu. 2
pm. Historical film footage screening. A Great Company in a Great City - Lithographs & paintings from the Cigna Corp. (formerly Ins.
Co. of N. America). Closes 12
31. The following close 12/31/08: How Philly Works: Streets as Barometers of Urban Life - Historical objects incl. street light, city
charter parchment, wampum belt & more; The Wonderful World of Radio - Vintage radios from museum, Philco & RCA Collections.
$5; $3 seniors & children 13-17; free for children under 12. Wed.-Sun. 1 pm-5 pm.
> Betsy Ross House 239 Arch St.; 215-627-5343. www.betsyrosshouse.org. Circa 1740 Georgian-style home of flagmaker. Joke &
Dagger - Staged sword fight & presentation on stage fighting. Sat.-Sun. 1 & 2 pm. Call for times on the following weekly events:
Colonial Crafters - Spinning & lacemaking demonstrations; Girl Wonder - Find out about the important contributions colonial women
made; Hammer Dulcimer Player; A Soldier's Story - Hear tales of the Revolutionary war era & see replicas. $3; $2 children under 13.
Tue.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm.
> Blue Cross RiverRink Penn's Landing Columbus Blvd.; 215-925-7465. www.riverrink.com. Now open for its 14th anniversary season.
Open 7 days a week thru 3
2. Call for info on closings due to inclement weather or private rentals. $6; $3 skate rental.
> *FREE*Christ Church 2nd & Market Sts.; 215-922-1695, ext. 30. www.oldchristchurch.org. Georgian architectural treasure attended
by founding fathers. Donations accepted. Mon.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm; Sun. 1-5 pm.
> Christ Church Burial Ground 5th & Arch Sts.; 215-922-1695, ext. 30. www.oldchristchurch.org. Final resting place of Benjamin
Franklin, other founding fathers, Revolutionary War heroes & famous Philadelphians. Mon.-Sat. 10 am-4 pm; Sun. noon-4 pm,
weather permitting.
> Civil War & Underground Railroad Museum 1805 Pine St.; 215-735-8196. www.cwurmuseum.org. Features the Abraham Lincoln
Collection, George Gordon Meade Collection, Ulysses S. Grant Collection & more. $5; $4 seniors; $3 students & ages 3-12; free under
3. Thu.-Sat. 11 am-4:30 pm
> *FREE*Eastern State Penitentiary 2124 Fairmount Ave.; 215-236-3300. www.easternstate.org. Winter Adventure Tours - One-hour
guided walk through the empty penitentiary complex & includes a cup of hot chocolate in the center surveillance hub. Daily at 11 am,
1 & 3 pm. Closes 3
31. $9; $7 seniors & students; $4 children 7-12. Open daily, 10 am-5 pm.
> *FREE*Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia 100 N. 6th St.; 866-574-3727. www.philadelphiafed.org. Money in Motion - History of
banking, money & Federal Reserve; interactive displays on currency circulation, counterfeit detection. Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-4:30 pm.
> The Franklin Institute 222 N. 20th St.; 215-448-1200. www.fi.edu. Giant Tinkertoys - Build stuctures using pieces up to 3-ft. long. 12
26-12/27 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Polar Express Replica - Display featuring a 30-foot-long Polar Express engine used for the film's premiere.
Closes 1/31. Identity: An Exhibition of You - Examines personal identity via cognitive, genetic & social science. Closes 4/28. A Sci-Pass
(basic admission) is $13.75 for adults, $11.00 for children & seniors; Sci-Pass plus IMAX is $18.75 for adults/$16.00 for children &
seniors. IMAX & other permanent exhibits open daily 9:30 am-5 pm.
> Franklin Square Sixth & Race Sts.; 215-629-4026. www.onceuponanation.org. America's most historic square mile reclaims green
space for area residents & further enlivens Historic Philadelphia. Features Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel, Philly Mini Golf &
more. Closes 1
1. Santa in the Square - Santa & Elfreth the elf, carolers, photos with Santa, Lightning Bolt Express train, free ride on carousel for
kids who bring Christmas list. Donation suggested: canned food item. 12/22-12/23 noon-3 pm. Daily 10 am-6 pm (closed Christmas Day).
> Independence Hall Chestnut St.; 215-597-8974. www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall-1.htm. Guided Tour - Explore this historic
example of Georgian architecture. Daily 9 am-5 pm.
> Independence National Historical Park 6th & Markets Sts.; 215-965-2305. www.nps.gov/inde. Carpenters' Hall - (Tue.-Sun. 10 am-4
pm). Congress Hall - (Daily 9 am-5 pm). Old City Hall - (Daily 11 am-5 pm). Visitor Center - Information on programs, activities, tours.
(Daily 8:30 am-5 pm). Most sites free. Daily 8:30 am-5 pm.
> Independence Seaport Museum 211 S. Columbus Blvd.; 215-925-5439. www.phillyseaport.org. Founder's Favorites - Treasured gifted
items from the museum's founder. Closes 3
30. Morris Rosenfeld & Sons: The Art of the Boat - Nautical photography. Closes 4/27. $9; $8 seniors; $6 children 3-12; free for
children under 3; free Sun. 10 am-noon. Daily 10 am-5 pm.
> Independence Visitor Center Sixth & Market Sts.; 800-537-7676. www.independencevisitorcenter.com. Breakfast With Ben -
Breakfast with an actor portraying Ben Franklin. $20; $13 children. 12
22 9-10:30 am. Open daily 8:30 am-6 pm.
> Laurel Hill Mansion East Fairmount Park; 215-235-1776. www.fairmountpark.org/LaurelHill.asp. Georgian-style mansion built in
1767 by Rebecca Rawle. Tours available. $5.
> *FREE*Liberty Bell Center 501 Market St.; 215-965-2305. www.nps.gov/inde. Home of the Liberty Bell - Exhibits on bell's origins &
role as symbol of freedom. Daily 9 am-5 pm.
> Masonic Temple One North Broad St.; 215-988-1900. www.pagrandlodge.org. Open for Tours - Built in 1873, this National Historic
Landmark is a magnificent example of architecture, art & history. Tue.-Fri. 11 am, 2 & 3 pm; Sat. 10 am & 11 am. Masonic Temple
Library - Esteemed collection for the study of American History & Freemasonry, featuring over 75,000 volumes & 30,000 documents,
prints, photos & manuscripts. $8, with individual & group discounts available. Tue.-Fri. 10 am-5 pm; Sat. 10 am-noon.
> Museum of the American Philosophical Society 104 S. 5th St.; 215-440-3400. www.amphilsoc.org/museum. UNDAUNTED: Five
American Explorers, 1760-2006 - Exhibition on five explorers with Philly connections who were part of the American Philosophical
Society. Closes 12
28. Roderick Coover: Outside/Inside - Videotaped segments of Brett Keyser's park expeditions. Closes 12/28. Winifred Lutz -
Mason-Dixon Lines: Past to Present - Parallel bands trace three different ways of looking at the PA/MD boundary line. Closes 12/28/08.
Donations accepted. Fri.-Sun. 10 am-4 pm.
> The Mutter Museum 19 S. 22nd St.; 215-563-3737. www.collphyphil.org. Over 200 wet & dry specimens, lantern slides, x-rays &
more. $12; $8 seniors, students, children 6-17; free for children under 6. Open daily 10 am-5 pm; until 9 pm Fri.
> National Constitution Center 525 Arch St.; 215-409-6600. www.constitutioncenter.org. First Ladies Tea Party - Delicious assortment
of beverages, pastries & finger foods. $35 includes general adm. 12
22 1-3 pm. Display of Entries for Gingerbread White House Contest - Visitors can submit their votes on the best entry. 12/26-12/27 9:30
am-5 pm. White House Winter Wonderland - Learn how presidential families have celebrated the holiday season throughout history.
Games, crafts, contests, hot chocolate, entertainment. 12/26-12/27 11 am-3 pm. First Ladies: Political Role & Public Image - Gowns,
clothing, personal belongings, White House furnishings, political campaign materials & other historical items. $15; $14 seniors; $9
children 4-12; free for military personnel & children 3 & under (includes admission to the Center's main exhibition, The Story of We
the People, including award-winning theater production "Freedom Rising"). Closes 12/31. First Ladies Audio Tour - 25 minute tour
examines impact these remarkable women have had on the country, ranging from policy to fashion. $3. Closes 12/31. $12; $11 seniors;
$8 children 4-12; free for children under 4 & military. Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-5 pm, Sat. 9:30 am-6 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
> National Liberty Museum 321 Chestnut St.; 215-925-2800. www.libertymuseum.org. Only museum in the U.S. that celebrates the
concept of freedom by honoring people of vision, creativity & innovation. Fabulous Friday Nights - Glass art, live music, dazzling
jewelry & more. 12
21 5-8 pm. Cards for Troops & Orphans Campaign - Make holiday cards to be sent to troops stationed overseas as well as orphans in
South Africa. Activity booklet given to each visitor. 12/21-12/23 10 am-5 pm. 12/26-12/27 10 am-5 pm. We the People - Musical tribute to
the spirit, ideas & energy that have defined America. Call for specific performance times & reservations: 800-822-8487 x441. $7; $6
seniors; $5 students; $2 children 5-7; free for children under 5 & for all on Sun. & after 5 pm on Fri. Self guided tours only. Open
Tue.-Sun 10 am-5 pm; Fri. evenings 5-8 pm.
> *FREE*National Museum of American Jewish History 55 N. Fifth St.; 215-923-3811. www.nmajh.org. Peter & Ellen
Michael Rosman/Mark Segal Puppet Theatre/Ken Fink From Wondergy. $5; free for children 3 & under. 12/25 noon-4 pm. Shaping
Space, Making Meaning - Visitors assist design team through three interactive experiences. Features design sketches,
computer-generated images, video & text. Closes 8/31. Mon.-Thu. 10 am-5 pm; Fri. 10 am-3 pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
> *FREE*PECO Energy Liberty Center 6th & Chestnut Sts.; 215-542-3789. www.lightsofliberty.org. Ben Franklin's Ghost - The
beloved scientist
inventor appears as a dramatic, life-size holographic image who answers questions about his life in this interactive exhibit. Daily 10
am-6 pm.
> The Philadelphia Zoo 3400 W. Girard Ave.; 215-243-1100. www.philadelphiazoo.org. Ongoing exhibits & attractions include the
popular PECO Primate Reserve, Dodge Rare Animal Conservation Center, Monkey Junction, Pachyderm House & more.
$12.95-$16.95; free for children under 2. Daily 9:30 am-5 pm.
> Ryerss Museum & Library 7370 Central Ave.; 215-685-0544. Asian art & artifacts as well as generations of family heirlooms &
paintings. Donations accepted. Fri.-Sun. 10 am-4 pm.
> University of Pennsylvania - Morris Arboretum 100 E. Northwestern Ave.; 215-247-5777. www.morrisarboretum.org. Holiday Garden
Railway Display - Twinkling lights & holiday décor adorn the Garden Railway. Closes 12
31. $10; $8 seniors; $5 youth 3-18; free for children under 3. 10 am-4 pm daily (hours may vary slightly throughout the year).
> University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology 3260 South St.; 215-898-4000. www.museum.upenn.edu. Three
gallery floors with art & artifacts from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia, the Americas, Africa, Polynesia & the ancient
Mediterranean world. Greg MacGregor - Lewis & Clark Revisited: A Trail in Modern Day - Features 60 dramatic black & white
photographs paired with images from Lewis & Clark's journals. Closes 2
10. $8; $5 students, seniors; free for children under 6. Tue.-Sat. 10 am-4:30 pm, Sun. 1-5 pm.
> Wagner Free Institute of Science 1700 W. Montgomery Ave.; 215-763-6529. www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org. Founded 1855, Institute
houses Wagner's natural history collection of skeletons, mounted animals, fossils, minerals. Guided tours: $15; $10 seniors; $5
children. Tue.-Fri. 9 am-4 pm.
>
Pennsylvania suburbs
Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site Route 1, Chadds Ford; 610-459-3342. www.ushistory.org/brandywine. 52 acres of woodlands,
meadows, Washington's headquarters, artifacts, weapons, uniforms. House tours: $5; $3.50 seniors; $2.50 children 6-17; free for
children under 6. Park free. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
> Fonthill Museum E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-348-9461. www.fonthillmuseum.org. Winter Wonderland - Display of holiday decor.
Closes 1
2. $9; $8 seniors; $4 ages 5-17; free for ages under 5. Mon.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm. Reservations recommended.
> Glencairn Museum 1001 Cathedral Rd., Bryn Athyn; 267-502-2993. www.glencairnmuseum.org. Saturday Highlights Tour - Tour
exhibits & collections focusing on religious history. Sat. 11, 11:30 am, 12:30 & 1 pm.
> Longwood Gardens Rte. 1, Kennett Square; 610-388-1000. www.longwoodgardens.org. Breakfast With Santa - Breakfast &
appearance by Santa. $30; $14 children 5-11; free for children 4 & under. 12
22-12/23 8 & 9:30 am. Ice Spectacular - Short, delightful skating vignettes performed by professional skaters. Closes 1/6. Regular
admission plus $4. A Winter Fantasy - Poinsettia displays, decorated trees, live music, strolling entertainers, over 500,000 holiday
lights & more. Closes 1/6. $16; $14 seniors (ages 62 & over); $6 students (5-22); free for children 4 & under. Open daily 9 am-9 pm thru
Jan. 6.
> The Mercer Museum 84 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215-345-0210. www.mercermuseum.org. Winter Lego Robotics Workshop - Kids can
build robotic machines out of Legos. $80. 12
26-12/27 8:30-11:30 am, 12:30-3:30 pm. Are We Dressed Yet - Accessories worn by Bucks County residents of the past. Includes try-on
activities & games. Closes 5/31. $8; $7 seniors; $4 children 5-17; free for children under 5. Mon., Wed.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm; Tue. 10 am-9
pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
> Pennsbury Manor 400 Pennsbury Memorial Rd., Morrisville; 215-946-0400. www.pennsburymanor.org. Recreated country home of
William Penn; provides a peaceful contrast to the hurry of modern American life. $5; $4.50 seniors; $3 children 6-17; free for children
5 & under. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
> *FREE*Pennypacker Mills 5 Haldeman Rd., Schwenksville; 610-287-9349. historicsites.montcopa.org. Turn-of-the-century mansion
& farm of PA's 25th Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker (1903-1907). Holiday House Tours - Holiday open house tours, Victorian
Christmas decorations, vintage holiday cards & more. Closes 1
6. I Lived Here Too: Hired Help at a Country Gentleman's Estate - Learn what the servants did here long ago. Closes 1/31. Tue.-Sat. 10
am-4 pm; Sun. 1-4 pm.
> *FREE*Pottsgrove Manor 100 W. King St., Pottstown; 610-326-4014. www.historicsites.montcopa.org. Built in 1752 for John Potts,
ironmaster & founder of Pottstown; reflects lifestyle & times of the Potts family. Holiday Yuletide Tours With a Twist - View
preparations for an 18th-century wedding against the background of colonial Christmas decorations. Closes 1
6. Tue.-Sat. 10 am-4 pm, Sun. 1-4 pm.
> Swedish Cabin 9 Creek Rd., Drexel Hill; 610-237-8064. www.swedishcabin.org. This piece of America's past, located along the banks
of Darby Creek, was over 100 years old at the time of the American Revolution & is believed to have been built (sometime between
1638 & 1655) by early Swedish settlers as part of the New Sweden colony. Call for group tours or appointments.
> Valley Forge National Historical Park Route 23, Valley Forge; 610-783-1077. www.nps.gov/vafo. Once Upon a Story: The Story of
Valley Forge Tour - 90-minute, open-air trolley tour. Once Upon A Nation storytellers bring history to life. 215-629-4026. Closes 12
30. $15; $9 students, seniors, military; $6 children 11 & under. Washington's Headquarters: $3. Daily 6 am-10 pm.
> Washington Crossing Historical Park/ Memorial Building Auditorium 1112 River Rd., Washington Crossing; 215-493-4076.
www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing. 55th Annual Christmas Day Crossing of the Delaware River - Historical reenactors will row
across the Delaware River in replica Durham boats. 12
25 1 pm. $5; $4 seniors; $2 children 6-17. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
> *FREE*Wings of Freedom Museum 1155 Easton Rd., Willow Grove; 215-672-2277. www.dvhaa.org. See some of the world's rarest
aircraft among this collection of over 15 restored jets & helicopters. Highlights include North America's only Messerschmitt Me262B
jet trainer, an experimental Navy YF-2Y jet seaplane, world class collections of aircraft models & flight gear, exhibits on women in
aviation, 100 years of flight, interactive exhibits for kids. Guided tours available. Wed. 10:30 am-3 pm; Sat.-Sun. 10:30 am-4 pm.
>
New Jersey
Adventure Aquarium 1 Aquarium Dr., Camden; 866-451-2782. www.adventureaquarium.com. Fishmas - Santa will swim with blue fin
tuna, cownose rays, sea turtles & more. Guests can also enjoy a scavenger hunt & other surprises. Closes 1/1. $17.95; $14.95 children
2-11; free for children under 2. Daily 9:30 am-5 pm.
> Battleship New Jersey Museum 62 Battleship Pl., Camden; 866-877-6262. www.battleshipnewjersey.org. The Holocaust & Genocide:
The Betrayal of Humanity - History of the Holocaust & its continuing legacy. Closes 6
15. $15-$19; $10.50-$13 veterans, seniors, ages 6-11; free active military in uniform, ages 5 & under. Daily 9 am-5 pm.
> New Jersey State Museum 205 W. State Rd., Trenton; 609-292-6464. www.newjerseystatemuseum.org. Art by African-Americans -
Selected works from the museum's collection. Closes 3
20. On extended view in Auditorium Galleries: Fossil Mysteries, the CSI of Paleontology; Cultures in Competition - Indians &
Europeans in Colonial America. Alcove Gallery exhibit: Trenton - Crucial Crossroads. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-4:45 pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.
Donations accepted.
> Old Barracks Museum 101 Barrack St., Trenton; 609-396-1776. www.barracks.org. The Practitioners of Musick - 18th century music.
$20. 12
26 6 & 8 pm. Ah, Fatal Night: The Last Hours of George Washington - Living history vignettes chronicle the fatal illness & death of
George Washington. $10. 12/27 4-5 pm. The Music of Ben Franklin: The Glass Armonica - Acclaimed armonica virtuoso Cecilia Brauer
to perform. $30. 12/27 6-8 pm. Reservations recommended for all events. Daily 10 am-5 pm.
> South Jersey Museum of American History 123 E. High St., Glassboro; 856-442-0688. Includes artifacts from the Pre-Columbian
through the Colonial era, antique hand tools, glass & comprehensive Political History exhibit. Antique Toy Train Exhibit - Vintage
Lionel & Marx toy trains from the 1940's & 50's. Closes 2
2. $4; $3 children. Wed.-Fri. 10 am-4 pm; Sat. 10 am-3pm.
> Washington Crossing State Park 355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Rd., Titusville; 609-737-0623.
www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/washcros.html. Holiday Lantern Walking Tours - Guided tours of the Nelson House, Stone
Barn & Johnson Ferry House. $8; $4 seniors & children. 12
21 6:30 & 7 pm. Christmas Day Crossing Reenactment - Commemorate the 231st anniversary of Washington's famous Christmas
Night crossing of the Delaware. 12/25 1 pm.
> Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center 1501 Glasstown Rd., Millville; 800-998-4552. www.wheatonarts.org. The Handcrafted Gift: 11th
Annual Holiday Exhibition - Distinctive metal art ornaments, wall pieces, freestanding works for home & garden, wearable art & much
more. Closes 12
24. Celebrating Connections: Contemporary Glass by Mid Atlantic Artists - Works by over 60 artists on display. Closes 12/30. Beads
From Venice: Exhibit & Sale - Venetian glass beadmakers including the internationally recognzied work of Leslie Genninger. Closes
12/31. Defining Divas - Illuminates the early work of pioneering female American glass artists. Closes 12/31. Symbols & Colors of
Life: Beadwork Traditions - Focuses on various beadwork techniques used by folk & traditional artists of different cultural
backgrounds. Closes 12/31. $10; $9 seniors; $7 students; free for children 5 & under. Tue.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm.
>
Delaware
Delaware Museum of Natural History 4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington; 302-658-9111. www.delmnh.org. Dino Days - Animal
presentations, crafts, dinosaur experts, fossil dig & more. 12/27-12/28 9:30 am-4:30 pm. Microbes: Invisible Invaders, Amazing Allies -
Closes 1/6. $6; $5 children 3-17; $4 seniors; free for children under 3. Mon.-Sat. 9:30 am-4:30 pm; Sun. noon-4:30 pm.
> Hagley Museum & Library Rte. 100 & Buck Rd., Wilmington; 302-658-2400. www.hagley.org. Hagley at Fifty: Exploding With History
- Retrospective exhibit. Closes 12
31. Surprising Artistry: Francis B. Crowninshield Watercolors - Images of the three homes where Frank & Louise du Pont
Crowninshield dwelt. Closes 12/31. Christmas Display - Closes 1/1. $11; $9 seniors, students; $4 ages 6-14; free under 6. Daily 9:30
am-4:30 pm.
> Winterthur Museum & Country Estate Route 52, Winterthur; 800-448-3883. www.winterthur.org. Yuletide at Winterthur - Holiday
ambience & festive decorations of yore, including 18 fabulous rooms that interpret holiday celebrations from the 1700s-today. Closes 1
6. Pets in America: The Story of Our Lives With Animals at Home - Warm look at the history of Americans' relationships with pets
from the 1700s to the present. Closes 1/20. K is for Kids - Family-friendly exhibition explores intriguing objects in the Winterthur
collection & studies early methods of reading education. Closes 7/13. $15; $13 students & seniors; $5 children 2-11; free for children
under 2. Tue.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm.
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