Organized by the local LGBTQ+ community, the Pocono Pride Committee and the Sherman Theater, the Pocono Pride Festival creates a welcoming environment for all individuals to celebrate together.
The festival schedule includes the kickoff to Pride month in the Poconos, drag show performances, live bands, and solo artists taking the stage to showcase their talent and spread the message of acceptance and unity. The divas known as Clan Ann will emcee the event.
More than 50 vendors will provide diverse offerings from food trucks, craft beers from Shawnee Craft Brewing Company, and a curated selection of artisans with unique treasures. Information on local and regional LGBTQ+ resources and services and other educational opportunities will also be available.
Street parking is free throughout the day in the borough of Stroudsburg. The Pocono Pride Festival invites members of the LGBTQ+ community, supportive allies and friends to celebrate and stand united for diversity and inclusion.
For more information and updates, follow the Pocono Pride Festival social media accounts or visit PoconoPrideFestival.com.
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Election Day 2024: Elixir Health and Wellness Offers Free Red Light and Compression Therapy to Encourage Voter Turnout on Election Day
Election Day 2024: Elixir Health and Wellness Offers Free Red Light and Compression Therapy to Encourage Voter Turnout on Election Day
ELIXIR Health and Wellness, Bethlehem’s premier destination for non-invasive, anti-aging therapies, is excited to announce a special Election Day initiative to promote community engagement and support voter turnout. On Tuesday, November 5th, all voters across the Lehigh Valley are invited to stop by Elixir Health and Wellness, located at 1021 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA, for a complimentary session of red light or compression therapy between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
“At Elixir Health and Wellness, we believe in the power of caring, both for the body and the community,” said Yuliya, owner of Elixir Health and Wellness.
“We’re thrilled to offer this special opportunity as a way to give back to our neighbors who make their voices heard on Election Day. Voting is one of the most impactful ways to shape our community, and we want to support everyone who takes the time to participate.”
To take advantage of this Election Day offer, individuals simply need to show proof of voting, such as an “I Voted” sticker. Those who voted early are welcome to participate as well. Elixir Health and Wellness will be open all day to provide red light and compression therapy sessions that can help rejuvenate individuals after casting a ballot.
For those registered near Elixir Health and Wellness, the nearest polling location is:
College Hill Moravian Church
72 W. Laurel St.
Bethlehem, PA 18018
Whether you’re looking for a wellness boost or a relaxing break, Elixir Health and Wellness invites the Bethlehem community to experience its renowned anti-aging therapies and celebrate the importance of civic engagement.
For more information about Elixir Health and Wellness and this Election Day event, please visit our website at www.elixirlv.com.
Lehigh Stunned by Sweet Innovation From America’s #1 Cookie Brand
Biggest Cookie Innovation Ever, Chips Ahoy Big Chewy Cookies! From America’s #1 Cookie Brand
The cookie experts at Chips Ahoy! are at it again – this time showing up bigger than ever before.
Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie
Introducing the Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie – an entirely new product line from America’s #1 chocolate chip cookie brand.
Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie
As the brand that is “Here for Happy,” this innovation from Chips Ahoy! brings cookie lovers an offering that is over three times the size of Chips Ahoy! Regular Chewy in an individually wrapped pack, making it the ideal go-to snack for splitting with a friend.
These new Chips Ahoy Big Chewy Cookies will up the ante in snack aisles and convenience stores across the country. Designed with Gen-Z Chips Ahoy! lovers in mind – this oversized treat is perfect for on-the-go snacking during their busy lives or to split with a friend.
Boasting chocolatey chips over four times larger than the iconic Chips Ahoy! Chewy cookie for a bigger, more chocolatey bite, the cookie itself clocks in with a diameter over three times the size, and will be available in three delicious flavors:
- Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie: Delivering classic Chips Ahoy! Chewy flavor now bigger and with the just the right amount of chocolatey chips to compliment the larger cookie and its soft-baked texture.
- Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie, Chocolatey Brownie: A decadent brownie-flavored base takes indulgence up a notch and delivers an extra chocolatey bite for even the biggest sweet-tooth.
- Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie, Chocolatey Caramel: Delicious caramel-flavored chips blend with the iconic sweetness of the Chips Ahoy! chocolatey chips to create a delicious mash-up of caramel and chocolatey flavors to deliver a big, indulgent bite.
“From our original cookies to our newest innovations, Chips Ahoy! fans have long enjoyed our iconic brand and mouthwatering flavors,” said Jen Levin, Senior Brand Manager for Chips Ahoy! US. “For over 60 years, Chips Ahoy! cookies have been the go-to cookie for chocolate chip cookie lovers of all ages. Now, with the launch of Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookies, we’re excited to be their on-the-go cookie choice as well, offering indulgence and happiness in each big, delicious bite. And perhaps the best part of all? Their bigger size means you have enough Chips Ahoy! deliciousness to share with a friend!”
Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie will begin rolling out to retailers nationwide starting in October. Each 2.5 oz pack will be available for an SRP $2.29 at convenience stores. For more information on Chips Ahoy! Big Chewy Cookie, follow @chipsahoy on Instagram and @theofficialchipsahoy on TikTok to follow the latest Big Chewy Cookie news.
Lehigh Invaded with Scary-good whiskies this Halloween: J. Mattingly 1845 Welcomes Fall with New Whiskey Offerings
Scary-good whiskies this Halloween: J. Mattingly 1845 Welcomes Fall with New Whiskey Offerings
J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery is debuting scary-good whiskies this fall, with its first fall spiced Bourbon 31 Blended Bourbon and the ability to customize your own whiskey for your Halloween festivities through its J. Mattingly 1845 craft your bottle program.
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Bourbon 31 Blended Bourbon is a play on the brand’s Bourbon 30 Bourbon brand and this limited-edition release was created for the Halloween season.
Bourbon 31 is a blend of three whiskies which have all undergone J. Mattingly 1845’s Double Staving™ process and the blend consists of 51 percent Bourbon, 29 percent Light Whiskey and 20 percent Rye Whiskey. Double Staving is a proprietary process used by J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery that gives the whiskey inside the barrels additional surface exposure to charred barrel staves to impart more flavor and color.
The Double Staved Classic Bourbon used in this blend has just scored a 96 from famed Whiskey Bible author Jim Murray.
The Bourbon 31 Blended Bourbon was created by J. Mattingly 1845’s team of expert blenders to reflect the flavors typically associated with fall. “When we blended these three whiskies, we were looking for a flavor profile that reflects flavors typically associated with fall, such as pumpkin and cinnamon while matching the light-hearted fun we’re having by changing the brand name from Bourbon 30 to Bourbon 31 to celebrate the Halloween season,” said Harry Richart, president, J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery.
Tasting notes for this bourbon describe it as having a nose of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and walnut, with the flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon, and fall baking spices on the palate. On the finish, pumpkin bread, baker’s chocolate and seasoned oak are prevalent.
Bourbon 31 is available online and at the J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery in Frankfort, KY. Suggested retail pricing is $60 for a 750 mL and it is 98 proof.
J. Mattingly 1845 Custom Whiskey Program is the “Choose Your Own Adventure” of the whiskey world by allowing the buyer to choose between double staved™ bourbon, light whiskey or rye whiskey recipes, select their bottle shape, customize their own label, and even choose their own wax color from every color of the rainbow! This program is available online and in person at the Distillery and can result in some frighteningly fun labels and Halloween-themed wax colors. Imagine expressing your innermost devilish (or angelic) thoughts on the bourbon bottle you give your favorite boo.
Pricing for the custom bottles start at $120 for a 750 mL bottle and shipping is available to 46 states.
About J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery
The Mattingly family has been synonymous with distilling in Kentucky for more than two centuries, having a hand in the development of at least nine separate distilleries in the Commonwealth.
It all started in 1845, with John Graves Mattingly’s first distillery in Marion County, Kentucky, Registered Distillery #2.
In 2010 Jeff Mattingly took up the family mantle and started his own craft bourbon business. Today, Jeff’s son Cameron has joined the team as Vice President of Production, continuing the legacy into the latest generation for J. Mattingly Distillery 1845 in Frankfort, Kentucky. Together father and son offer their proprietary double staving process as well as a custom bourbon blending experience unparalleled in the spirits industry, available on-site in Frankfort or online at https://jmattingly1845.com/build-a-bottle/
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Winter Restaurant Week is here! Amazing deals on Hellertown and Lower Saucon’s best bites from Jan 15 – Jan 21
Winter Restaurant Week is here! Amazing deals on Hellertown and Lower Saucon’s best bites from Jan 15 – Jan 21.
The Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce, a proud partner of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, is kicking off 2023 in the most delicious way possible with their annual Winter Restaurant Week!
Winter Restaurant Week from Jan 15 – Jan 21
From Sunday, January 15th – Saturday, January 21st, food lovers from across the Lehigh Valley can get a taste of everything that the Hellertown-Lower Saucon food and beverage scene has to offer. Participating locations will offer a variety of specials that include, but are not limited to, “set-price” or “prix fixe” menus, gift card deals, and discount opportunities.
Healthy shakes from The Vibe Nutrition
Patrons will have a chance to return to their favorite spots with added incentives or try new eateries during Winter Restaurant Week.
As of January 1st, thirteen outstanding restaurants and eateries are participating, with more to come.
There are so many wonderful, hard-working restaurants and eateries in the Borough of Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township, and this is a great way for them to gain the exposure they deserve. There is a wide range of dining options, something for everyone!
Winter Restaurant Week is also a great opportunity for the community to come together
Winter Restaurant Week is also a great opportunity for the community to come together and break bread with one another, all while supporting the local economy and reinforcing the wonderful communal feeling of the Hellertown – Lower Saucon area, and is something fun to spice up the winter months.
Yum! Tacos from Wings on Main
Kat Brown of Yianni’s Taverna adds:
“We are looking forward to welcoming guests in the new year to experience our authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.”
Yianni’s Taverna will be offering a three course, pre fixe menu for $39.
Lauren Musselman, owner of The Vibe Nutrition, located at 650 Main Street in Hellertown, expressed her enthusiasm:
“We are excited to be participating in Winter Restaurant Week.
It is a big incentive for us because we want the community to see how important good nutrition is. Everyone has a New Year’s resolution, and we have the solution for you. The Vibe has everything for you, from weight loss to weight gain, energy needs, and we can’t wait to serve you in the new year.” The Vibe Nutrition will be offering 15% off any meal combo during Winter Restaurant Week.
Special thanks to our Winter Restaurant Week Bronze Sponsor, Lindsay O. Albert, Taxes and Accounting for her support of this local initiative.
Lindsay is an advocate for a vibrant Hellertown community. Also thanks to B104, our Marketing Sponsor, for sharing the excitement of this weeklong event.
Finally, another enticing opportunity is the chance to be a winner! Check our Hellertown-Lower Saucon Facebook page for a chance to win gift cards to the participating eateries and listen to WAEB and B-104 on your radio or iHeart app for a chance to call in and win gift cards.
Participants (as of 1/5/2023):
- The Hellertown Crossroads Hotel
- The Springtown Inn
- The Vibe Nutrition
- Yianni’s Taverna
- Nick’s BBQ
- Vassi’s Drive-In
- PA House
- Wings on Main
Participants’ Specials: Offers can be viewed at Hellertown Lower Saucon Winter Restaurant Week as they are added.
Pricing Information: Varies depending on each establishment’s offer.
Sponsors (as of 1/1/2023):
- Bronze Sponsor: Lindsay O. Albert E.A.
- Marketing Sponsor: iHeart radio/ B104
For more information on this event and any upcoming events, visit the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Facebook page, or the Affiliated Chamber’s Instagram or LinkedIn pages.
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Lettuce Plays Penn’s Peak Thursday, November 2, 2023
Penn’s Peak is proud to announce Lettuce, Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 8pm.
Unify. The eighth studio album from Lettuce, it’s also a third consecutive record made at Denver’s Colorado Sound Studios, completing a loose trilogy starting with 2019’s Grammy-nominated Elevate, and continuing with 2020’s Resonate.
“Dealing with the pandemic, being in separate places, trying to survive without our best friends, without touring, not to mention the political divide in this country,”
says Lettuce drummer
Adam Deitch.
“We really needed to unify.”
Reunited with Colorado Sound’s esteemed engineer, Jesse O’Brien, Unify is a totally collaborative effort full of the highest of highlights, including its centerpiece track “Keep That Funk Alive,” inspired by the venerable Parliament-Funkadelic bassist, Bootsy Collins, and featuring Collins on bass and vocals.
It’s, as well, a benchmark moment for the sextet- Adam Deitch (drums), Ryan Zoidis (saxophone), Adam Smirnoff (guitar), Erick Coomes (bass), Nigel Hall (keyboards/vocals), Eric ‘Benny’ Bloom (trumpet)- approaching thirty years since its humble Boston beginnings.
“We’re just getting tighter and tighter,” says Coomes. “Really, these are the first records made with the six of us as a team, and it’s the best the band has ever been: live and in the studio; the funkiest and the most fun.”
16 songs. Pure Lettuce. Unify will teleport you to a funky galaxy far, far away, where all life coexists as one in peace, love, harmony, and music!
Tickets on sale Friday, July 14th at 10:00AM at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant and Bar.
Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only, no phone orders.
General Admission
Advance: $35.00
Day of Show: $40.00
About Penn’s Peak
Penn’s Peak, a beautiful mountaintop entertainment venue located in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, can comfortably host 1,800 concertgoers. Enjoy a spacious dance floor, lofty ceilings, concert bar/concession area and a full service restaurant and bar aptly named Roadie’s. Complete with a broad open-air deck for summertime revelry, Penn’s Peak patrons enjoy a breathtaking overlook of nearby Beltzville Lake, plus a commanding, picturesque 50-mile panoramic view of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains. Choose Penn’s Peak for your next wedding, banquet or special event and treat your guests to an event truly “Above the Rest”.
Geographically convenient to residents of major population zones in Hazleton, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Stroudsburg, the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and New York City, Penn’s Peak is an ideal location for any event. It is located only four miles from Exit 74 of the northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
For more information on Penn’s Peak, go to www.pennspeak.com or call 866-605-7325.
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Bookstore Speakeasy Brings Memorable Style and Flavor to Bethlehem’s Bar Scene
Bookstore Speakeasy brings memorable style and flavor to Bethlehem’s bar scene.
As the name suggests, Bookstore Speakeasy brings us back to the Prohibition era speakeasy times. The owners and staff work hard to recreate the look and style of the area and deliver incredible tastes.
According to their website, reservations are suggestions. They’re being modest.
Reservations are pretty much mandatory unless you want to wait over an hour. So, make a reservation. It’s worth it.
Also, since this is a “specialty” restaurant, please check out my tips at the bottom of the article.
You enter through a non-descript door on a plain-looking street. At first, I didn’t think I was at the right place. And, of course, this is all planned on-purpose to match the business’s theme.
Bookstore Speakeasy’s lobby
You walk down the steps into a different world.
The world of a prohibition-style speakeasy. The owners have done a thorough and detailed job on design and it pays off.
Bookstore Speakeasy’s specialty drink list
In the lobby you wait with other guests until you’re called by the hostess, and then your full party enters yet another world: the bar / seating area. It’s even more dense with speakeasy design.
Cuisine
The drinks are excellent. The food is excellent.
They have a full bar, but also offer custom drink specials.
Bookstore Speakeasy’s bar
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Their drinks aren’t traditionally straight forward. Rather, they’re almond infused, maple-infused, etc. Everything I tasted was “a little bit different” than what I expected.
I could see some people loving that detail. I could see others being very frustrated. The barstaff doesn’t want you to be frustrated, so ask questions.
Once I started asking more and more questions, the bartender (Ry) was very helpful and friendly. He ended up pouring me several small samples until I could figure out what I’d like.
The food was plentiful and outstanding. If you’re a foodie, it’s worth a visit for the food alone.
Ambiance
You’re there for the vibe and it pays off immediately and consistently.
The scene is locally award-winning and very well-crafted.
A mostly-finished Old-Fashioned with 2 samples
I would’ve expected dates, seduction and romance. To me, the vibe was swanky, lounge-y romantic. (maybe that says more about me).
Inside, there was a college-aged date at the bar, a Moms Night Out at one table and older couples (55+) at two other tables. A private group party cozied off in a secluded corner.
Made it hard to figure out the bar’s demographic as tonight’s crowd was very mixed. However it felt like a local hang, as “Lehigh” and “Moravian Academy” were both overhead several times.
For me, I’d travel from well outside the area to have this experience.
There is a corner of the room for a live band and supposedly there’s live music most nights. The overall area seemed too small for that, like the sound would dominate everything.
If you’re a live music lover, maybe that’s great news. Out for dinner, drinks and conversation, maybe that’s not great news.
Service
So here’s where I messed up. It’s not really a “walk-in and grab a quick drink” bar. You really want to make reservations ahead of time. This is “suggested” on their website, but it should be required.
The bar seems to be maintained at a quarter full. The restaurant is steady at ⅔ full.
So, I received rushed service. The hostess worked to squeeze me into their packed schedule. Once seated, the bartender was very helpful. I had a quick drink and a bite and moved on quickly enough to fit their next scheduled seating after me.
Hospitality
All in all, it reminds me of a mini-version Los Angeles’ Magic Castle. At the Castle their rules are very straightforward, respected, must be followed, and the venue is a better place as a result. If anyone asked my opinion, I’d suggest the Bookstore lean more into “rules”.
Bookstore Speakeasy can easily be a special night worthy of driving from anywhere in Eastern PA (roughly 30-45 mins). I’d go back again, but this time I know the rules.
Tips:
- Make a reservation
- Walk in with an adventurous palette
- Sit down expecting to spend some money. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it.
- Know there’s an automatic 25% gratuity added to your bill. Order accordingly.
- Ask the bartenders and waiters questions. Have fun with the experience.
Bookstore Speakeasy is delicious, memorable and helpful.
For more info and to make a reservation: https://www.bookstorespeakeasy.com/
