Joann Spatola and her then-husband were living in a Horsham townhouse in 1990 when builder Nicholas Braccia came to them with a proposition.
He knew of a vacant piece of land near the Chalfont pizzeria the couple owned that would be the perfect place for a contemporary home they could help design.
“We’d only been married two years, and we wanted something of our own,” she said. So she and Braccia went over blueprints and basically designed the house together.
The great room.
She has spent 35 years in the four-bedroom, 3½-bathroom home.
But she is single now, and her kids are grown, so she is ready to downsize to an over-55 community in North Wales.
The house “has good bones,” she said. “They don’t make them like that any more.”
The kitchen was redesigned five years ago.
And she is particularly sad to lose the kitchen she helped design five years ago, with its quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. “But it’s too much upkeep for me,” she said.
The house has 2,671 square feet and is three stories, including the finished basement, which has been used as a home gym and includes a half bathroom.
The dining area off the kitchen.
The first floor has two bedrooms, a great room with a vaulted ceiling, the kitchen and dining room, and a full bathroom.
The second floor has the primary bedroom and bathroom, with the main closet in the bathroom, as well as a double-bowl vanity and sunken bath tub. There is another bedroom and bathroom on this floor. And there is a walkout attic.
The deck overlooks a large, landscaped yard with a gazebo.
Dining room
All mechanicals have been updated.
The house is close to parks, schools, and shopping. It is in the Central Bucks West School District.
It is listed by David Dupell of Coldwell Banker Realty for $799,999.
When Mick Abel, then the Phillies’ No. 8 prospect, made his major league debut in May, it was just for a spot start.
But he impressed enough in those six scoreless innings that the Phillies decided to give him a chance in the rotation two weeks later. After a tough 2024 season, Abel was a bit of a revelation for the Phillies early on as their fifth starter.
And while he was ultimately sent back to triple A in July to reset after some struggles with command, his turnaround continued to impact the major league club when he was traded to the Minnesota Twins as part of the package for Jhoan Duran.
Of the players yet to make their major league debuts, who could be the Abel of 2026? Let’s take a look at the Phillies’ pitching prospects who are the most likely to make a major league impact next season.
Andrew Painter struggled with his command in his return to the mound with Lehigh Valley following Tommy John surgery in 2023.
Andrew Painter
Plenty of ink has been devoted to the subject of Painter’s major league debut since at least 2023, when he was under consideration for the Phillies’ rotation at age 19.
A ligament sprain and subsequent Tommy John elbow surgery delayed that timeline. But once he returned to the mound in 2025, it was expected he would figure into the Phillies’ plans by the summer.
That didn’t happen, either.
The Phillies were pleased with the quality of Painter’s stuff and his velocity. But command is typically the last thing that returns to a pitcher after Tommy John surgery, and that’s what Painter struggled with the most in 2025. He had a 5.40 ERA and issued 3.9 walks per nine innings at triple-A Lehigh Valley, and the call-up never arrived.
“I think everybody was excited about getting him back,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said in September. “I think at the end of the day you look back on it, you say, ‘First time going through this, it usually takes two years for a guy to come back [from Tommy John].’ I think we can all look back and think, ‘Man, [we] probably should have expected this.’”
Given that he remains healthy, next season should be different. Painter will have a normal offseason and spring for the first time since 2023. He will again enter camp in contention for a rotation spot, and this time he isn’t a teenager; he’ll turn 23 in April.
There figures to be a place for him, too. Ranger Suárez is likely to command a big contract as one of the top left-handers on the free-agent market, and unless the Phillies outbid pitching-starved teams or make a splash elsewhere, that would leave an opportunity for Painter to break camp with the team.
“We’re optimistic that with a regular offseason training program and getting ready to come in the season, that he’ll be able to regain that [command],” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said.
Jean Cabrera had a 3.81 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over a career-high 137 innings last season with double-A Reading.
Jean Cabrera
At the general managers’ meetings last month, Dombrowski pointed to the 24-year-old Cabrera as the Phillies’ current minor league starting pitching depth beyond Painter.
“You never have enough starting pitching,” he said. “And really, for us, after you get past Painter, now you’re talking about Cabrera, [who] would be one of those guys. But we don’t have a lot of starting pitching, so that’s something we’re going to be cognizant of.”
Cabrera spent the 2025 season with double-A Reading, where he posted a 3.81 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over a career-high 137 innings. The right-hander allowed just 0.72 home runs per nine innings. Cabrera has been on the Phillies’ 40-man roster since 2024, when he was added as protection from the Rule 5 draft.
Cabrera was consistent in terms of workload last season. He made 26 starts and none was shorter than 4⅓ innings. In the event of an injury or if a spot start is needed, Cabrera provides the Phillies with crucial starting depth.
Alex McFarlane had a strong second half in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.
Alex McFarlane
McFarlane was added to the Phillies’ 40-man roster last month ahead of the Rule 5 draft, signaling the team’s faith in the 24-year-old righty.
Like Painter, McFarlane is coming off his first full season back after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. He had a stronger second half, with a 2.54 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in his last 39 innings compared to a 7.02 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in his first 41 innings.
That improvement also came with a move to the bullpen in August. McFarlane was promoted from high-A Jersey Shore to double-A Reading in September to finish out the year.
With a fastball that can touch 100 mph, McFarlane could be possible bullpen depth for the Phillies in 2026.
The Phillies left pitcher Griff McGarry unprotected in the Rule 5 draft for the second straight year.
Griff McGarry
It’s possible that McGarry could find himself in a new organization come Dec. 11, as he was left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft for the second year in a row.
Another team can pay the Phillies $100,000 to select McGarry, but he must remain on that team’s 26-man roster for the entire season or be offered back for $50,000. Last December, the Twins selected right-hander Eiberson Castellano from the Phillies in the Rule 5 draft, but he was returned in March. (Castellano elected free agency at the end of the season.)
McGarry built a solid foundation for 2026 with a bounceback 2025 season. The 26-year-old righty won the Phillies’ Paul Owens Award, an internal honor for their top minor league pitcher, after posting a 3.44 ERA in 83⅔ innings.
McGarry has struggled with command throughout his minor league career and was moved to the bullpen in 2024. Last year, though, the Phillies moved him back to a starting role. He cut his walks from 10.2 per nine innings in 2024 to 5.3 per nine in 2025.
“Heading into this year, early in the spring, they kind of made it known to me that I’d be back in a starting role,” McGarry said in September. “I think I definitely am capable of doing both. And I love starting; I love relieving. So it’s kind of wherever the Phillies want me, I’m willing to perform.”
McGarry spent most of the season at double-A Reading, but he finished the year on a high note with a final start back up in triple A.
“I think in years past in triple A, I’ve had my ups and downs there,” he said. “It’s good to really finish there and kind of finish the season how I wanted to, with a successful start.”
Gage Wood, the Phillies’ 2025 first-round pick, is likely to be on an innings limit in 2026.
Names to know, but unlikely for this year
Moises Chace was a deadline acquisition from the Baltimore Orioles in 2024 and had an intriguing fastball that missed a lot of bats. But the 22-year-old right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025 and is still rehabbing.
Since the Phillies drafted right-hander Gage Wood out of Arkansas — going the college pitcher route in the first round for the first time since Aaron Nola in 2014 — questions have swirled about how soon he could arrive in the majors.
But don’t bank on Wood following the breakneck trajectory of Pottstown’s Trey Yesavage, who went from starting games in single A to the World Series with the Blue Jays in four months. The Phillies plan to build him up as a starter, but Wood is likely to be on an innings limit in 2026, according to Dombrowski.
Wood didn’t experience a full starter’s workload in his college career. He pitched 37⅔ innings for Arkansas in 2025, missing almost two months due to a shoulder impingement. In his two college seasons before that, Wood was primarily a reliever for the Razorbacks.
Tonya Robertson was working one of her three jobs at a charter school in Chester when she broke down crying to a colleague: She was homeless, living in a domestic violence shelter with three children, and pregnant with twins.
Her co-workers suggested she talk to the school’s counselor, who gave her a stack of applications to apply for federally funded food support, at-home prenatal nurse visits, and maternal health resources, all coordinated through The Foundation for Delaware County.
The nonprofit has for almost a decade provided access to safety net programs such as Women, Infants, and Children, the nutrition program known as WIC; Healthy Start; and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the food program for low-income families. It also offers a menu of other support services for families, such as a program that provides at-home prenatal visits, housing assistance, legal aid, doulas, mental health resources for new mothers, and a fathers’ support group.
“They had so many resources — things I was scared to open up my mouth about, things I didn’t want to say I needed,” said Robertson, 39, of Marcus Hook.
She said she wishes she’d known about the organization sooner, during the years she struggled to raise her three older children as a single mother.
Now the foundation is rebranding its offerings as the Family Village, in an effort to raise awareness about the nonprofit’s full range of services. Foundation leaders said that in the past, people may have connected with the organization for a specific resource, such as WIC or SNAP, without learning about other programs they could benefit from. The idea of the Family Village is to make the foundation’s services more cohesive, wrapping around those in need.
The initiative has been years in the making, but is especially timely after the county’s largest health provider, Crozer Health, closed earlier this year when its for-profit owner filed for bankruptcy. The health system had long been an anchor for Chester and the surrounding communities, providing critical access to maternity, pediatric, and mental health services.
“Children don’t come with instructions. We all need a helping hand at some point,” said Joanne Craig, the foundation’s chief impact officer. “We have this great continuum of resources for families, but from the outside looking in, it wasn’t always easy to see and understand.”
An ambulance drove by the entrance to Crozer-Chester Medical Center, in Upland. This hospital closed earlier this year.
Filling gaps in Delaware County
The Foundation for Delaware County was formed in 2016, when the nonprofit Crozer-Keystone Health System was sold to Prospect Medical Holdings. When for-profit companies acquire nonprofit health systems, Pennsylvania law requires the nonprofit assets be set aside in an independent charity. Crozer’s nonprofit assets became the Foundation for Delaware County.
The foundation’s overarching mission is to support the health and welfare of Delaware County residents by coordinating government safety-net programs and creating its own offerings to help families in need. The foundation also provides millions of dollars in grants to nonprofits and charities to support public health, housing, and youth development.
With $53.9 million in net assets as of October, the foundation is the largest philanthropic organization in Delaware County, serving some 8,000 people a year.
Many of the foundation’s most used programs, such as Healthy Start, a federally funded prenatal and early childhood initiative, began before the foundation was spun out of Crozer, in response to the high infant mortality rate in Chester.
When Prospect said it would close the remaining Crozer hospitals, The Foundation for Delaware County was pressured by the case’s bankruptcy judge to take on part of the company’s debt to keep the hospital open until a new operator was found. The foundation shelled out $20 million to extend operations temporarily and later contributed $3 million to help former patients obtain their medical records.
The foundation’s new Family Village initiative can’t close all the gaps Crozer’s closure left — the area lost its largest emergency department and maternity ward, the only 24-7 mental health crisis center, and critical pediatric care.
ChristianaCare won an auction to take over five former Crozer outpatient locations in Broomall, Media, Glen Mills, and Havertown, and has plans to open two new micro hospitals in Aston and Springfield.
Delaware County in August selected Belmont Behavioral Health to establish a new crisis response center and expand mental health services.
But Craig said she hopes the foundation’s new approach will help families better access resources that remain available — and that they may not have known about.
Help without judgment
Before connecting with the foundation, Robertson was skeptical of organizations and programs that offered help.
Her grandfather, for instance, berated her for enrolling in SNAP and the at-home nurse program, warning her that she could end up losing her children, if coordinators decided her home and parenting weren’t good enough.
“I’m so scared to let someone in, let them come in my house and see that my house is not up to par, see that I’m struggling with this, or that I can’t feed them,” Robertson said.
“If I can’t feed them, they’re going to take my kids, and I’m going to go to jail,” she added.
Research has found that these fears are often justified, with social service workers deeming parents of color unfit at higher rates than white parents, and equating poverty with neglect.
Healthcare workers, social workers, and teachers are among so-called mandated reporters, who are required to report to Child Protective Services any suspicion of abuse. Only a fraction of reports are substantiated after being investigated, but they stoke fear and can dissuade families from seeking help.
But Robertson was working three jobs and still couldn’t feed her family, so she filled out the forms the school counselor had given her.
Her first prenatal visits through the Nurse-Family Partnership were at the domestic violence shelter where she was living.
Robertson was proud when she was able to afford to move her family into an apartment in Chester. But her nurse told her the gaping hole in the ceiling and mold growing in the corners were unsafe. She connected Robertson with the foundation’s Housing Opportunities Program for Equity, which helps people secure safe housing and navigate problems with landlords.
After her twins were born, the foundation’s Moving Beyond Depression program helped Robertson work through postpartum depression, which may have otherwise affected her ability to work and care for her children.
Two years later, Robertson said she still faces challenges. The recent government shutdown cut off the family’s food stamps, making for tough budgeting decisions earlier this month.
But now she knows where to turn for help, if the load ever becomes too heavy again.
Editor’s note: This story was updated with additional information on the foundation’s mission.
The holiday concert season in Philly is in full swing, with touring acts and local musicians capping off the year with plenty fa la la la la from now until Christmas Day.
This list of recommended shows includes pop, rock, R&B, country, hip-hop, EDM, gospel, and jazz, all in the end-of-the-year business of spreading musical holiday cheer.
Jane Lynch
Dec. 2, Keswick Theatre
Glee and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actor and comedian Jane Lynch put out an album called A Swingin’ Little Christmas in 2016, and she tours regularly in the holiday season. She sings along with The Office’s Kate Flannery and Glee vocal arranger Tim Davis with a 1950s and ‘60s Frank Sinatra-Andy Williams style Christmas repertoire. 8 p.m., keswicktheatre.com.
Aimee Mann and Ted Leo’s Christmas Show comes to City Winey Philadelphia on Dec. 3.
The Aimee Mann & Ted Leo Christmas Show
Dec. 3, City Winery
This offbeat music and comedy holiday duo teams up top shelf songwriter Mann, who released the excellent melancholy holiday album, One More Drifter in the Snow in 2006, and punk rock veteran Leo. They have a history of performing and recording together as the Both, and will be joined by Philly-born comic Paul F. Tompkins and utterly charming cabaret singer Nellie McKay. 8 p.m., citywinery.com/philadelphia
LeAnn Rimes
Dec. 6, Keswick Theatre
Veteran country singer LeAnn Rimes — who released her first album in 1991, when she was 9 — is on a Greatest Hits Christmas Tour. That means she’ll be singing Christmas songs from her multiple holiday albums, plus her biggest hits. 8 p.m., keswicktheatre.com.
Don McCloskey
Dec. 6, Brooklyn Bowl
Philly songwriter Don McCloskey is known for his 2008 Phillies fight song “Unstoppable,” his association with the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crew, and most recent album The Chaos and the Beauty. He and his eight-piece band — including singers Hannah Taylor and Sarah Biemuller — throw their annual “Holiday Office Party” in Fishtown. 8 p.m., BrooklyBowl.com/philadelphia
Work Drugs
Dec. 6, Double Nickel Brewing Company
Work Drugs, the smooth, soft rockers who self-identify as “Philadelphia’s premier bat mitzvah and quinceañera party band,” is throwing its 14th annual Holiday Spectacle, and has just released a cover of Alexander O’Neal’s ”Our First Christmas.” They’ll be joined by opener Nero Catalano for a free show at Double Nickel Brewing Company in Pennsauken. 8 p.m., dnbcbeer.com
V. Shayne Frederick performing at the University of the Arts in 2022. The jazzman will sing at South Jazz Kitchen on Dec. 6 and 7.
V. Shayne Frederick
Dec. 6, 7. South Jazz Kitchen
In 2022, Philly jazz vocalist V. Shayne Frederick released The King Suite, an album of songs associated with Nat “King” Cole filtered through the African musical diaspora. Cole sang the definitive version of Mel Torme’s classic “The Christmas Song,” so expect Frederick to have his way with it when he plays two “A Very V. Shayne Frederick Holiday” shows each night on Dec. 6 and 7. Times vary, SouthJazz Kitchen.com
Various artists at Chris’ Jazz Cafe
Starting Dec. 6 and through December
The Center City club will deck the halls all December long.
On Dec. 6, the Tim Brey Trio celebrate the 10th anniversary of the pianist’s holiday release Unwrap. Dec. 9, 16, and 23 are Holiday Soul nights with trumpeter Josh Lawrence & Friends. On Dec. 17, it’s the Peter Frank Orchestra’s Holiday Show. Dec. 18, the Laura Orzehoski Quartet plays Vince Guaraldi Christmas Classics.
The next night, it’s the Benny Benack Quintet Holiday Show featuring Michael “Sonny Step” Stephenson. The Anais Reno Quintet’s “White Christmas” Holiday show is Dec. 20, and Bruce Klauber Swings the Sinatra Christmas Songbook on Dec. 24. Times vary, ChrisJazzCafe.com.
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones bring their Jingle All the Way tour to the Miller Theater on Dec. 12.
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Dec. 12, Miller Theater
Virtuoso banjoist Bela Fleck and bandmates Howard Levy, Roy “Future Man” Wooten, and Victor Wooten recorded the reimagined holiday songs album Jingle All the Way in 2008. They’ve reunited for this tour, which will draw from their nonseasonal catalog as well. The quartet will be joined by both saxophonist Jeff Coffin and Tuvan throat singing ensemble Alash, so expect Christmas music unlike any you’ve heard before. 8 p.m., EnsembleArtsPhilly.org.
Santa Rave
Dec. 12, Brooklyn Bowl
Have yourself a very EDM Xmas at this Fishtown dance party, which promises holiday hits, “2000s and 2010s” remixes and dubstep, techno and dance grooves, courtesy of DJ Pad Chennington. 8 p.m., broooklynbowl.com/philadelphia
Laufey performs during the Newport Jazz Festival in 2024. She will sing at the Jingle Ball at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Dec. 15.
Jingle Ball
Dec. 15, Xfinity Mobile Arena
This annual holiday season pop star cavalcade is presented by radio station WIOQ (102.1-FM), better known as Q102. This year, it includes pop-rock sibling band AJR, Icelandic jazz singer Laufey, YouTuber turned “Ordinary” international hitmaker Alex Warren, and Texas country rapper BigXthaPlug, among others. 7:30 p.m., XfinityMobileArena.com
Ben Folds
Dec. 16-18, City Winery
In 2024, piano man Ben Folds released his first Christmas album, Sleigher, mixing chestnuts with new songs, including the gem “Christmas Time Rhyme.” His solo tour will being him to Philly for three Tis The Season shows this month. 7:30 p.m., citywinery.com/philadelphia.
Darlene Love
Dec. 17, Keswick Theatre
Darlene Love was dubbed “the Christmas Queen” long before Mariah Carey had any claim to the throne. She sang three songs on Phil Spector’s classic 1963 A Christmas Gift For You, including the unstoppable “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” which she performed annually for 28 years on David Letterman’s late night TV show before moving to The View on 2015. She brings her Love For the Holidays tour to Glenside this year. 8 p.m., keswicktheatre.com
CeCe Winans performing in 2019. Her Christmas with CeCe Wians comes to the Met Philly on Dec. 18.
CeCe Winans
Dec. 18, the Met
Beyoncé, Alison Krauss, and Aretha Franklin are the only women with more Grammys than CeCe Winans, who’s tied with Alicia Keys with 17. The daughter of Detroit’s first family of gospel released her second Christmas album, Joyful Joyful in 2024, and the powerhouse vocalist is headed to North Broad Street on her “Christmas with CeCe Winans” tour, accompanied by sisters Angie and Debbie Winans. 8 p.m., themetphilly.com
The Tisburys will be joined by Stella Ruze and Nervous Nikki & the Chill Pills on Dec. 20 at the Sellersville Theater in Bucks County. Left to right: Dan Nazario, Ben Cardine, Tyler Asay, John Domenico, Jason McGovern.
The Tisburys
Dec. 20, Sellersville Theater
Indie rock quintet the Tisburys, whose 2025 album A Still Life Revisited is one of the standout Philly releases of the year, will be playing holiday songs atop a ‘Tis the Season triple bill. The band will be joined by Stella Ruze and Nervous Nikki & the Chill Pills. 8 p.m., st94.com.
The Klezmatics
Dec. 23, City Winery
The musically adventurous klezmer band, the Klezmatics, has won a Grammy for a Woody Guthrie tribute album and has recorded with violinist Itzhak Perlman. Known for lyrics that comment on world affairs, the band’s Happy Joyous Hanukkah Tour — “a celebration of light in dark times” — arrives one day after the holiday ends. 7:30 p.m., citywinery.com/philadelphia.
Flying without a REAL ID is about to get expensive.
The Transportation Security Administration announced a new $45 fee for travelers going through security checkpoints without a valid REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification, such as a valid passport or passport card.
It’s part of the agency’s next phase of its long-winded rollout of REAL IDs as the federal identification standard.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is a REAL ID?
REAL IDs were created following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to enhance security measures. They’re treated as a universal form of federally accepted identification and are used for boarding domestic flights and entering certain federal buildings.
Enforcement for using them was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but ramped back up this year.
The agency says about 94% of travelers already use a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification.
What can I do with a REAL ID?
✅ Board domestic flights
✅ Enter federal buildings that require ID
✅ Access military bases
How much does a REAL ID cost?
A REAL ID in Pennsylvania costs a $30 onetime fee in addition to the standard renewal fee for your license or state ID ($39.50 in Pennsylvania).
This means it’s cheaper than TSA’s new $45 fee.
When does TSA implement the $45 fee?
Starting Feb. 1, 2026, travelers without a REAL ID or passport will be required to pay $45.
What will the $45 fee cover?
The $45 will cover travelers going through a biometric or biographic security checkpoint.
The agency said the fee covers administrative and IT costs associated with the ID verification program. It added that the purpose of the fee is to make sure the expense is covered by the specific traveler, not taxpayers.
The fee will also apply to travelers who arrive at the airport having lost or reported stolen their REAL ID or passport.
The fees cover access through the TSA checkpoint for up to 10 days. After that, if the person is traveling without a REAL ID or passport again, they’ll have to pay the fee again.
Can I pay the fee ahead of time?
Yes. And it’s recommended whenever possible.
Individuals traveling without a REAL ID or passport can visit TSA.gov and follow prompts to verify their identity and pay the $45 fee. From there, they’ll be emailed a confirmation to show TSA at the checkpoint.
The agency warns that travelers in the checkpoint line without a proper form of ID will be sent out of line to complete the online form.
How can I avoid the fee?
The most direct way to avoid the $45 fee starting next year is by ensuring that anyone traveling has either a REAL ID or valid passport before their next domestic flight.
For Pennsylvania readers, PennDot‘s website has additional details about applying, requirements, making an appointment, and more for a REAL ID. In New Jersey, information is available at the Motor Vehicle Commission website.
Talk about a great kick off to the holiday shopping season.
“I’m honored, proud, and excited,” Ellen Shepp said Monday morning. “I mean … I’m really over the moon.”z
Walking into a great clothing store, New York Times cultural trend reporter Steven Kurutz said, is like being “transported to a different world.” It “will make you think about who you are — and may change that perspective in real time.”
The interior of Joan Shepp at 1905 Walnut St. The 53-year-old store made the New York Times’ list of “50 Best Clothing Stores in America.”
And yes, walking into Rittenhouse Square’s Joan Shepp does feel like stepping into a sartorial fairytale, which you can leave holding a Yohji Yamamoto hoodie that doubles as a dress, or a perfectly tailored asymmetrical shirt dress from Sacai New York.
Everything is dreamy, but nothing comes cheap.
Back in the 1970s, Shepp opened her store to challenge the way the suburban career woman dressed in Philly and introduced her to designer wear, from Yohji Yamamoto to Maison Margiela. One of the earliest entrepreneurs to embrace the store-within-a-store approach to retail, Shepp made space for collections like Yamamoto’s Y-3 and Donna Karan’s Urban Zen.
The clothing sold alongside furniture, bedding, and candles, making Joan Shepp one of the region’s earliest concept boutiques.
Joan Shepp founded the store in 1971. She was a 30-year-old single mother of two young children in need of a flexible work schedule that allowed her time for school pickup and drops, to help her daughters with homework, and make them dinner.
Joan Shepp and her daughter Ellen Shepp, shown here in their Center City store.
“I have so much fun finding things that are new,” she said to The Inquirer in 2022. “I listen to everyone who comes into my store. I watch them go through the racks. And whether/if they are a customer or a person who wants to open a store down the street, I can pick up on it.”
Hers is the only store on the Times list from the Philly region.
The closest is 7017 Reign in Fort Lee, N.J., described by the Times as an “under the radar, street and high fashion” specialty store. There are a handful of stores from downtown New York, but most are in the Midwest and California.
To produce the list, the Times team selected 120 stores, and then sent reporters, editors, and contributors to visit each of them, sometimes more than once.
A videographer visited Joan Shepp in early fall, shortly after the store moved to its new home at 1905 Walnut St.
Noting that Joan Shepp has been in business for more than 50 years — the specialty boutique is in the midst of celebrating its 53rd year — Kurutz wrote “Shepp has flavors of Barneys New York in its heyday.”
The Barney comparison wowed Ellen Shepp. Christmas had no doubt arrived early for the boutique owner and her team.
“The whole time they were like, ‘Listen we don’t know whether/if you made this list,’” she said. “They kept it a mystery until right this second.”
The biggest question of Christmas isn’t whether Santa Claus exists. It’s whether to display a real or a fake Christmas tree.
Though many households in the United States have switched to artificial ones, for the purists who splurge each year on the real thing, it’s time to start shopping.
The Philadelphia region offers a number of farms where you can cut down your own tree or find a wide selection of pre-cut varieties — including delivery.
We’ve found farms across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, all within about an hour of Center City. And we’ve included a couple of options where you can buy a fresh-cut tree right in Philadelphia, too. Here’s where to get a real Christmas tree in the region.
Rocky Yo-Mo of South Philadelphia, owner of Rocky YoMo’s Christmas Trees, takes a photo with Britni Volkman of South Philadelphia, with the tree she purchased in 2019.
Looking for fresh-cut Frasier firs in Philly? Check out Rocky YoMo’s selection in South Philly at Front Street and Washington Avenue. Payments are done in cash. If you don’t have a car, you can still pick a tree and get it delivered to your home for free.
While most people buy their Christmas trees from nearby farms, this pop-up tree seller sources them from the places they’re native to. For instance, Trev’s Trees gets its Douglas firs from places like Oregon and Pennsylvania, its Fraser firs from North Carolina, and its balsams from near Lake Erie. This means you get high-quality pre-cut trees with ease. Typical sizes cost around $120 or less, but Trev’s also offers trees reaching 13- or 14-feet tall for up to $350.
The Christmas Tree Stand is a family business known for its delivery and setup services. They specialize in premium Fraser and Douglas firs, from cozy 3-foot apartment-friendly options to grand 15-foot showstoppers. Visit the Fishtown or West Chester locations to select your perfect tree, or schedule a Christmas tree delivery on the website. Next-day delivery options are available in most areas for orders placed by 4 p.m.
💵 $75 and up,📍Fishtown: 1727 N. Front St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19122 or 📍West Chester: 62 E. Street Rd., West Chester, Pa. 19382, ⌚ West Chester: Mon.-Fri., 1 p.m.-7 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.-7 p.m., or ⌚ Fishtown: Mon.-Fri., 4 p.m.-8 p.m., Sat.-Sun., noon-8 p.m. 🌐 thechristmastreestand.com
This Yardley farm offers a dozen varieties of trees. Swing by any day of the week, before 4:30 p.m., to choose your own tree for staff to cut, or select a pre-cut option. And if you need delivery, call to schedule. The farm makes fresh wreaths daily, too.
This Buckingham farm is entering its 62nd holiday season with a wide variety of trees. Visit the farm to pick a pre-cut tree or balled and burlapped tree and claim a free holiday mug while supplies last. Cut your own blue spruce, Fraser fir, white pine, or Norway spruce on the first two weekends of the season. There is also a holiday shop.
An hour west of Philadelphia is Clark’s Christmas Tree Farm, a 25-acre family business offering Douglas, Canaan, and Fraser firs, pre-cut or take a wagon out to cut one yourself. Prices are based on the tree height. Once there, you can check out the 3,000-square-foot gift shop, with more than 100,000 items including decorative ornaments like bearded dragons, horseshoe crabs, and dinosaurs.
Hop onto a wagon to the cut-your-own (saws provided) tree section of this 200-acre Chester County farm, which is open Friday through Sunday. Choose from a variety of firs, like Douglas, Frazier, and Canaan, as well as blue spruce and Norway spruce. Wreaths, decorations, and other items are available at the gift shop. Tree bailing and help loading your vehicle also offered, and pets on a leash welcome.
Take a tour across 55 acres, pick your favorite pre-cut or cut-your-own tree, and warm up with free hot cocoa. At any given time, at least four varieties of trees are for sale, as well as a selection of wreaths.
This family-owned business has two locations to cut your own tree plus a pre-cut tree lot. The West Chester farm offers Douglas firs averaging 7-feet tall, and the Cochranville location has trees up to 10-feet tall. The pre-cut lot in West Chester has Douglas and Fraser firs up to 12 feet available daily (Pre-cut lot: Mon.-Fri., 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 9 a.m.-9 p.m.) at 1301 West Chester Pike.
Cut your own Fraser, Douglas, Nordmann, concolor, or Canaan fir, or pick out a fresh-cut Douglas or Fraser fir at this Phoenixville farm. For folks looking for family-friendly activities, hayrides run every weekend 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Santa visits between noon to 3 p.m. on select weekends. Plus, enjoy a drive ($25-$30 per vehicle) or hayride ($15 per person) through the holiday light show a mile long across the 60-acre Christmas tree farm. There are so many lights that the owners lost count at well over 100,000.
Linvilla returns with free family hayrides to the Christmas tree fields, where you can cut your own trees daily (Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.). Most trees are Douglas firs ranging from 5- to 8-feet tall. Offering more varieties, Linvilla’s pre-cuts are also available daily with extended hours on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. Be sure to stop by Linvilla’s Farm Market, where you’ll find baked goods, gift baskets, and more. Make it an all-day adventure by visiting the winter makers market (Fri.-Sun., through Dec. 21) and the ice-skating rink ($13 per person). Santa will also make appearances.
Corkum Tree Farm has delighted patrons for more than 30 years. Enjoy hot cider as you take your pick of cut-your-own Douglas fir, white pine, and blue and Norway spruce trees. There are four varieties of pre-cut fir trees to select from. Inside the barn, you’ll find fresh wreaths and holly and hand-knit hats, scarves, and mittens, and fair-trade ornaments. A second farm location offers choose-and-cut trees up to 14-feet tall.
💵 $13 per foot, $60-$200 for balled and burlapped trees,📍Main farm: 797 Bridge Rd., Collegeville, Pa. 19426, or 📍 Second farm: 3934 Mill Rd., Collegeville, Pa. 19426 ⌚ Main farm: Mon.-Tues., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Wed.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun. 8 a.m.-6 p.m., or ⌚ Second farm: Sat.-Sun., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 📞 610-715-4640, 🌐 corkumtreefarm.com
About 30 miles from Center City, Hague’s offers cut-your-own Nordmann fir, Scotch pine, white pine, Eastern red cedar, white spruce, or blue spruce trees, and a variety of pre-cut trees. (Cut-your-own ends before 4:30 p.m. each day.) Be sure to shop the award-winning handmade wreaths and check out wreath-making and tree-decorating classes in the heated barn.
A fourth-generation, 160-acre farm, Westlake offers pre-cut and cut-your-own Canaan or concolor firs. Afterward, check out the Christmas Barn, where families can enjoy a complimentary visit with Santa (through Dec. 7), watch trains, and browse an assortment of ornaments and gifts.
You’d have to walk 13 miles to see every tree in this farm’s 16-acre field in Gloucester County. Cut your own with a provided saw or bring your own. All trees on the farm are available for purchase — all priced at $60 no matter the size. The farm strongly recommends that you arrive before 4 p.m.
Offering pre-cut and cut-your-own trees, Exley’s welcomes families to two locations for Christmas trees and holiday activities. On weekends at the Sewell farm, you can hop on a hayride to Santa Land and see holiday-themed houses. The Monroeville farm has a gingerbread house and other holiday attractions perfect for photo opportunities. Both farms feature visits with Santa on weekends.
💵 Depends on the size,📍 1535 Tanyard Rd., Sewell, N.J. 08080 or📍1512 Monroeville Rd., Monroeville, N.J. 08343, ⌚ Tues.-Sun., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for pre-cut; Fri.-Sun. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for cut-your-own, 📞 856-468-5949, 🌐 exleyschristmastreefarms.com
Pick a tree and enjoy a sleigh ride along a decorated path toward the Christmas trees at this small, family-owned farm in Gloucester County. Blue and Norway spruces and concolor and Canaan firs are available to cut yourself or get a pre-cut, with no tree more than 9 feet. Cash and Venmo only.
💵 $80 and under,📍 101 Idle Lake Rd., Franklinville, N.J. 08322, ⌚ Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 📞 609-685-6234, 🌐 facebook.com
This article has been updated since it was first published. Former staff writers Grace Dickinson and Jillian Wilson contributed to this article, as did Steven White.
The Washington Post’s opinion section enlisted nine writers to share which American city they think deserves the title of the nation’s best sports city.
Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Boston — even the likes of Kansas City and Cleveland got a mention. Which city was snubbed? Philadelphia.
Taking a look through the comments of their recent Instagram post promoting the list, not to mention the nearly 800 comments on the column itself, we’re not the only ones who raised an eyebrow at the exclusion of Philly from the list.
So we got nine of our own writers to argue why Philadelphia is the nation’s best sports city. Enjoy.
It means more to us
Mike Sielski, sports columnist
Philadelphia is America’s best sports city because sports — not national sports, not the Olympics, but the teams and athletes here — is the lingua franca of the town and the great connector of the city and its surrounding suburbs and communities. Do you flinch when someone says the name Chico Ruiz or Joe Carter? Do you smile at a random mention of Matt Stairs or Corey Clement? Then you know and love Philadelphia sports.
It’s America’s best sports city because Philadelphia is a provincial, parochial region where the love of and devotion to the teams’ histories and traditions are passed down from one generation to the next — a succession of unbroken bonds over a century or more. Did you sit out on your front stoop on a summer night and listen to Harry and Whitey call a Phillies game over the radio? Do you still sync Merrill and Mike’s broadcast to the TV telecast? Do you know who J.J. Daigneault is? Then you know and love Philadelphia sports.
It is America’s best sports city because you can walk down the street here after an Eagles loss or a Phillies loss or a Sixers loss and know that those teams lost just from the vacant looks on the faces of the passersby. Do you turn up the talk-radio station on those terrible Monday mornings? Do you remember where you were when Kawhi’s fourth bounce fell through the net? Then you know and you live and you die with Philadelphia sports.
Most of all, Philadelphia is America’s best sports city because people here care more and sports here matters more than it does anywhere else. If you don’t believe me, go ahead. Tell a Philadelphia sports fan that your city, your teams, your traditions are better. Go ahead. Dare ya.
Philly fans celebrate the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win in near City Hall.
Nobody parties like us
Stephanie Farr, features columnist
Philadelphia is undoubtedly the best sports city in the United States and it has everything to do with our fans, who are as passionate and dedicated as they come. Here “Go Birds” is a greeting, talking trash is an art form, and being a part of it all is totally intoxicating, even if you’re completely sober (which, to be fair, most of us aren’t).
Nobody celebrates a major win like Philly — by partying in the street with Gritty and Ben Franklin impersonators, dancing with Philly Elmo and his drum line, and climbing greased poles. When the Phillies won the NLCS in 2022, I watched Sean “Shrimp” Hagan climb a pole and shotgun seven cans of Twisted Tea thrown to him by the crowd. To his credit, at some point Hagan realized he was too drunk to get down safely and waited for firefighters to bring a ladder.
“It couldn’t have happened without the crowd being so [expletive] Philly,” he told me. “What other city’s first thought when they see a guy on a pole would be to throw him a beer?”
Do our Bacchanalian celebrations border on absolute lawless anarchy? Yes, but if you want to live safe and know how something will end, go watch a Hallmark movie. This is Philly, where we are fueled by the raging fire of a thousand losses — even when we win — and we thrive off the unpredictability of life.
In my early 20s, I lived in Tampa for a brief stint. The downtown area is small enough that all of its neighborhoods are in proximity to each other. My apartment was in a section popular among locals for its dining and nightlife scene. But it was close enough to the hotel district to be in the eye of the storm when the Eagles came to town.
One Saturday evening in late October, we were sitting at a popular outside bar when the place was suddenly overcome by a wave of midnight green. Everywhere you looked, there were packs of Eagles fans who looked like they hadn’t seen the sun in two months. They swaggered through the place in their Brian Dawkins jerseys with zero regard for humanity. They ordered their Bud Lights in multiples of two and yelled Eagles chants at each other as horrified young women clung desperately to each other and wiped errant sloshes of domestic Pilsner off each other’s going-out clothes. A friend of mine stepped off the patio to have a cigarette. He returned with a stunned expression on his face. “An Eagles fan just peed on my foot,” he said with a mixture of anger and respect.
Tampa got the last laugh the next day when Matt Bryant kicked a walk-off field goal from 62 yards out. But I always think of that weekend when people ask me if Philly sports fans are as crazy as their reputation.
An Eagles fan sits on top of the traffic light post at the intersection of Broad and Pine Streets after the team won Super Bowl LIX in February.
There are a lot of different prerequisites that a city needs in order to consider itself a great sports town. For instance, it must be an actual city, one with history and character that stands on its own even without sports. Furthermore, a great sports town requires a certain level of market penetration. Sports must sit atop the pedestal in a way that it doesn’t in places like New York and L.A. There must be a critical mass of folks who are born and raised, which eliminates pretty much any city south of the Mason-Dixon and west of the Mississippi. The list is a short one. Boston, Chicago, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Detroit, maybe Milwaukee.
From there, the thing that sets Philly apart is the people. They are a strange lot, prone to overexcitement and, every now and then, over-indulgence. But, man, do they care. You see it any time one of their teams hits the road. You hear it, too. There is an energy that is difficult to define but impossible not to feel. It’s the secret sauce of this place. And, yeah, it’s the best.
A veteran Eagles reporter wrote recently that last Sunday’s Eagles-Cowboys game was the Birds’ worst ever loss to their rival. They blew a 21-point lead, exposed some glaring flaws, and lost on a walk-off field goal. Fair point. But it was pushed back immediately on social media. You think this loss was bad? That’s what makes Philadelphia a great — maybe the greatest — sports city. We celebrate our wins like no other but we also wear our losses forever. This was a brutal loss but we still remember that botched chip shot on Monday Night Football in 1997. And that blowout loss in the playoffs while we were stuck inside during the Blizzard of ‘96. Oh yeah, remember what happened in 2010?
I don’t know if any city in the U.S. holds onto losses more than Philly. We do that because we care. We lose sleep when the Phillies blow a save, have a bad week if the Eagles lose, still can’t believe they didn’t call the Islanders offside, and are still waiting for Ben Simmons to dunk it. So yeah, that’s why it means more here when the teams do win. Because we care so much when they lose. You can have L.A., Seattle, and Kansas City. I’ll stay in Philly.
A Phillies fan holds up a sign paying tribute to another viral Phillies fan before the team’s 2025 home opener.
We feed off being underdogs
Julia Terruso, politics reporter
Look, I’m not pretending to be neutral here. I went to spring training in Clearwater in pigtails as a child. I fell in love at an Eagles tailgate and flew to London to watch the Phillies play the Mets on my honeymoon. But even non-Philadelphians would be out of their minds not to put us in the top three — let alone the top nine.
Rooting for the Phillies, Sixers, Eagles, and Flyers is a cross-class, cross-generation rite. We’re one of only eight U.S. cities with all four major teams, and our stadiums are actually accessible — yes, Los Angeles, I’m looking at you. Tickets are (mostly) affordable, the crowds are electric, and the fervor is real. We boo because we care. And unlike other cities, we don’t sneer at bandwagoners. The citywide greeting is “Go Birds,” and the uniform is fair game for the lifer who knows about pickle juice and The Process, along with the new Fishtown transplant who couldn’t diagram a wheel play but looks fantastic in kelly green — because everyone looks fantastic in Kelly green.
But the thing that really makes Philly a great sports town is our shared history of heartbreak and near-misses that drives us forward. We’re used to being underestimated. So go ahead, leave us off your list, WaPo. Underdogs run on disrespect, and we’ve got miles to go.
Stand on the South Street bridge at 7 a.m. and you’ll know the time of year, and that says it all. The rivers of medical professionals walking and biking back from their night shifts, and those heading to their morning duties, give it away in unison. Red caps? It must be October. Kelly and midnight green beanies? The NFL playoffs are coming. Blue or black starred jackets? The NBA playoffs are underway and our hearts will soon be broken, again.
I am a Philly transplant who comes from the tradition of European soccer, where rivalry between teams from the same city is the driver of passion. I always thought that there is nothing more electric than winning a derby game, and having your team crowned as the city’s best. But Philadelphia taught me that I was wrong. There is something more electric: a city united, together, declaring love to its teams in every nook and corner.
Jubilant Eagles fans dance around a fire on Broad Street after the Birds beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
Philadelphia isn’t just the best sports city in America (“next year on Broad?”), it’s an organism that breathes sports fandom unlike any other place.
The days of throwing snowballs at Santa or batteries on a hated player are far gone. This is the city that gave a struggling shortstop who just arrived in town a standing ovation, that travels in droves so E-A-G-L-E-S chants come through the broadcast of every away game, and has a community of sickos who rode with its Sixers through one of the weirdest experiments in NBA history.
The electric energy isn’t confined to the city lines. It’s a moment that every Philadelphian cherishes. Don an Eagles hat in any other city in America, or even abroad, and you are more likely than not to lock eyes with a stranger passing by.
“Go Birds,” they inevitably say.
“Go Birds!” you respond.
Nothing beats that. And if you don’t like it. All good. We don’t care.
The Washington Post’s opinion section has been having a rough go of it. Which makes me wonder if this list, too, had to be cleared by the Amazon overlord, and maybe Jeff Bezos just hates Philadelphia?
I mean … Cleveland?
The size and scale of the two recent Eagles parades speak for themselves. The fact that there used to be a jail in the bowels of Veterans Stadium speaks for itself. Attending one Phillies playoff game at Citizens Bank Park would speak for itself. “Go Birds,” is a passing “hello” to a fellow Philadelphian in another town, a phrase of familial camaraderie. Due respect to Los Angeles, a city I love to be and eat in. But the sheer number of sports that happen in a place doesn’t make it a good sports city. That’s not human. People and passion make a place.
The Penn Relays at Franklin Field are one of just a few annual sports traditions in Philadelphia.
We have much more than pro sports
Tommy Rowan, cheesesteak/Philly history expert
A criteria would have helped, but really, any discernible or coherent formula would have really pulled that Washington Post list together. Here, instead, are three reasons why Philadelphia is one of the cornerstone cities in American sports …
History: The fabric of American sport was woven here. The Heisman Trophy is named after John Heisman, who played at Penn. The Phillies are one of the key reasons fans are allowed to keep foul balls that land in the stands. All because an 11-year-old Phillies fan didn’t blink when the team had him thrown in jail for larceny.
Tradition: We’re more than pro sports. We’ve hosted the annual Army-Navy game, and the Dad Vail Regatta, and the Penn Relays. Tennis found an American foothold at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
Passion: Support is an undergarment. This city has passion. Fandom here is passed down from generation to generation, just like their houses. And sure they’re loud, and they generally take it the worst of any fanbafan base. But they’re vocal, they’re informed, and they care. These teams mean something to these people.
Sports fans start young in Philly, as fandom gets passed down from generation to generation.
We know our stuff
Ariel Simpson, sports trending writer
Oct. 9 was a tragic day for Philly sports fans. The Phillies season ended with a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Eagles suffered a devastating 34-17 loss to the New York Giants, and the Flyers dropped their season opener to the Florida Panthers.
That very next day, I wandered the streets of Philadelphia in what felt like a walk of shame. The heartbreak could be seen on each fan’s face as they still sported their favorite team’s colors. And when asked about the losses, each fan gave me a full breakdown of what needs to be done in order for the teams to be more successful.
That’s what makes Philly such a great sports city. Not only are the fans passionate, but they are knowledgeable when it comes to their sports teams. Sure, sometimes they may rush to call for a head coach to be fired or boo their own teams, but that’s only because they care so much.
They wear their heart on their sleeves and they expect more from each team. And when they do succeed, they show up and celebrate like no other. If you need an example, look no further than the city greasing its light poles in an attempt to stop fans from climbing them in celebration.
If you’re buying a home, refinancing your mortgage, or just want to know how much your home is worth, you’re probably going to need a property appraisal.
At its most basic, “an appraisal is an opinion of value for a home,” said Matthew Sestito, a Philadelphia-based appraiser who works throughout the five-county area for the national company Velox Valuations.
Lenders require borrowers to get them for mortgages and lines of credit against a home. Families get appraisals to assess the value of properties after a divorce or a loved one’s death.
Costs depend on the scope of work, the type of property, and the borrower’s bank, but appraisals can range from about $300 to thousands of dollars, Sestito said.
A lot of people don’t understand the appraisal process, he said, and they’re very nervous the first time an appraiser comes to their home.
“You don’t have to be nervous,” he said. “It’s an easy inspection.”
The Inquirer talked to Sestito, who has been a licensed appraiser since 2009, about what people should know about home appraisals. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
When you do an appraisal, what factors do you take into account?
The basic number of bedrooms, bathrooms. And then the amenities: decks, patios, garages. And then the overall condition: updated kitchens, updated bathrooms. And so on.
Location is always the No. 1 thing in real estate. The market dictates what is desired. And then there’s submarkets to each market. And what each market is looking for varies.
And then there’s different price points. A bathroom in a million-dollar home is different than a bathroom in a $300,000 home.
What the market is telling us is what we use to determine our opinion of value.
What should homeowners expect when an appraiser comes to their property?
The length of an appraisal depends on the size of the home. For example, if I were to do a standard South Philly rowhouse with two stories, three bedrooms, it takes about 15 minutes.
I’ll take a picture of the front of the house, the street view. And then when I come in the door, it’s a photo of the living room, dining room, kitchen, back of the house, backyard, bathrooms, each bedroom, then the basement.
Then I’ll take some measurements: the width of the house, the length.
I’ll talk to the homeowner and ask them anything they’ve done to the house, updates like kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, windows.
And then I’ll explain to them that I’ll type the report, give it to the lender, and then it’s basically out of my hands after that.
One of the common questions is: Do I get a copy of the report? The answer is no, from me. I’m not legally allowed to give you a copy of the report if this is for a refinance or a purchase. The bank is the client who orders the report, and legally, whoever orders the appraisal is the owner of the appraisal.
If they want to release it to you, they will. I don’t think I’ve come across a bank saying, “No, you can’t have a copy of it.”
What types of property design choices and features matter for an appraisal?
It goes back to the market. But you can’t go wrong with updated kitchens, updated bathrooms, flooring, windows, roof, driveway.
Parking, especially in the city, is almost No. 1. If you have a spot to park, that’s like gold.
And then adding a deck, a roof deck, patio, all those things add value to the house.
It’s all determined by what the market will be willing to pay.
How should a homeowner prepare for an appraisal?
You know, make the house look presentable. You’re showcasing your house.
I always tell people clutter doesn’t matter. I look through the clutter. So if there are toys on the floor, I don’t even see them. But it’s better to clean up.
Turn all the lights on. It looks better in the photos.
Lenders are looking for any safety issues: missing handrails, broken steps, anything that could cause a health or safety issue, any mold. Get them taken care of, because they will call for that repair. Missing handrails in the basement is one of the biggest ones.
And not having smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It just started recently within the past couple years that they started asking for those to be in the homes.
How do you choose and use comps (sales of comparable homes)?
Lining each comp up and seeing what each home has, how many bedrooms, how many bathrooms, and just comparing each home. If you have a three-bedroom house, I’ll start looking for three-bedroom homes.
I start out [looking] at [comparable homes that sold within] three months, then six months, then one year if need be.
Typically, within the city, you try to stay within a quarter mile. I’ll expand to a half a mile sometimes if I need comps. But you typically want to stay within a quarter mile of the home.
I’ll narrow it down to where I have some matches of the property that I’m trying to appraise. I look at a ton of houses every day.
What are common misconceptions people have about appraisals?
There are a lot of checks and balances when we hand in the report. The report runs through a computer software program. There are multiple reviewers. And they’re looking at everything. They’re asking why you didn’t use certain comps or why you did use these comps.
There are a lot of regulations that we have to follow. It’s not just as simple as taking photos and saying your house is worth this amount.
What happens if a house appraises differently than you expected?
There is a formal process. You can file an appeal and then you provide some comparables that you think the appraiser should have used. And there’s a review process.
Philadelphia didn’t take home any Nobel Prizes this year, but work illuminating how babies respond togarlic-flavored breast milk at Monell Chemical Senses Center did get recognized by its satirical counterpart, the Ig Nobel Prize.
Julie Mennella, a longtime scientist at the center in West Philadelphia, and Gary Beauchamp, Monell’s former director, won the prize earlier this fall for their 1991 study published in the academic journalPediatrics that disproved popular folklore around breastfeeding.
Their study examined whether eating garlic would flavor a mother’s breast milk and, if so, how a nursing baby would react to it.
At the time, breastfeedingwomen were often told to eat bland foods, for fear their babies would reject strong flavors. However, the study’s results showed the opposite: Babies savored the garlic-flavored breast milk.
“That simple, elegant study really showed how one of the first ways we learn about foods is through what our mothers eat,” Mennella said.
These early life experiences shape food preferences and influence cultural food practices around the world, she emphasized. Babies whose mothers come from cultures in which garlic is a defining flavor would have experienced garlic long before their first meal.
Mennella spoke with The Inquirer about the implications of her Ig Nobel Prize-winning work and her decades of research on flavor sciences and early nutritional programming.
The following conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What did you discover in your Ig Nobel Prize-winning study?
We found in this study that not only did the milk get flavored with garlic, but contrary to a lot of the folklore, the babies actually liked it. They nursed longer when the milk was garlic-flavored than when it was bland and devoid of garlic.
We went on to show that when women eat garlic, the flavor of amniotic fluid also gets altered.
Through these first exposures, babies are learning about what mom is eating, what mom has access to, and what mom likes before their own first taste of solid food.
What is the takeaway for breastfeeding mothers?
Eat the healthy foods that you enjoy because your baby’s going to learn about the food. Food is much more than a source of calories. In many cases, it defines who we are as a people.
What other flavors have you studied?
A wide variety of flavors, from vanilla to even alcohol if a woman drinks it, get transmitted and flavors the milk. If women smoke, the tobacco flavor does, too. So it’s not only what you eat, but what you breathe.
Why is it important for babies to learn about food this way?
There’s a great story about the European rabbit (an animal that nurses), where they tagged the mother’s diet with juniper berry. What they were able to show is that in a group where the mothers ate juniper berry during either pregnancy or lactation, once those young rabbit pups left the nest, they were more likely to forage on juniper berry.
So, she’s telling them, ‘These are the foods that are out there. I’m eating them. They’re safe.’ It’s really a very elegant, sustainable behavior, how moms transmit this information about the foods in the environment. She’s teaching her young and giving them an advantage early on.
How long do these flavors last in the milk?
Depending on the size of the chemical, some will get in fast. Garlic gets in a couple hours after the mom eats it, and then if she stops eating, it’s out of the milk like four or five hours later. The sensory experience of that baby is changing throughout the course of the day, day to day, depending on what she eats.
What research have you been up to since?
I’ve gone into so many different directions of looking at not only early flavor learning, but also nutritional programming. I also looked at the taste of medicine in children, looking at individual differences because taste is the primary reason for noncompliance. Children have a harder time because they can’t encapsulate the bad taste in a pill or tablet, so liquid medicines are particularly difficult.
One study where we looked at variation in the taste of pediatric Motrin (among adult participants) was really interesting. Some people experience a tingle when they taste it. Others don’t. It makes you think that how one child tastes Motrin isn’t like how another does. If you don’t experience the tingle, or this burning sensation, all you taste is a sweet liquid, and those are the children that may be at risk of over-ingestion.
What is your favorite project that you have worked on since the garlic study?
I serendipitously found that another flavor that gets transmitted is alcohol, and that became a whole new area of research.
We found that when women just have the equivalent of one or two glasses of wine or beer, not only did the alcohol get transmitted, but it flavored the milk. That became a lead article in theNew England Journal of Medicine.
At that time, there was talk about a folklore that women should drink when they’re breastfeeding, so they would make more milk. And contrary to that folklore, they actually made less milk.
How did it feel to win an Ig Nobel?
It was so nice to celebrate science. That’s really what that award does: It uses humor to teach about science.
