Ben Silver

2 days ago | mainlinetoday.com | Gina Lizzo |Hobart Rowland |Ben Silver |Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

Shallow and family-friendly, the Brandywine is easily navigable by canoe, kayak or inner tube—and so long as you put in and take out on public property and have transportation, you don’t need a guide. West Chester’s Northbrook Canoe Co. has been on the creek for more than 45 years and offers a variety of floating experiences ranging from an hour to more than two. All come out of the water at Northbrook’s camp. 1810 Beagle Road, West Chester,(610) 793-2279.

1 week ago | mainlinetoday.com | Ben Silver

Lori Shinal was never supposed to be an interior designer. After graduating from college in 1993 and moving back home to North Jersey with her parents, she worked catering jobs, espresso bars and eventually as a manager for Ralph Lauren’s former home collection at the Bellevue. Shinal remembers all the ways she’d try to innovate and sell her furniture in new and unorthodox ways. The manager at the time had her dress like an equestrian, despite working in an upscale boutique hotel.

1 week ago | mainlinetoday.com | Ben Silver

“Brand new look, same old Harry’s.” That’s how Madison Resorts wants guests to feel about its newly revamped property. Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille was founded by Polish immigrant Harry Hirsh and run by his children, Larry and Joseph, until they sold the property along with Montreal Beach Resort when coming out of the pandemic. Headed into the 2025 shore season, the eatery is bustling.

2 weeks ago | mainlinetoday.com | Ben Silver

The final expedition of the Association of General Celestial Observers took place in 1973. At the time, they were a handful of hardcore enthusiasts brought together by a shared interest. Three years later, key members of that group came together to form a new organization, launching the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers. Today, the DVAA has grown to 286 paying members who’ve made prolific astronomical discoveries, helping the region become something of a hotbed for astrophotography.

3 weeks ago | mainlinetoday.com | Ben Silver

A certain atmosphere hangs over Villanova University these days. The dorms, dining halls and lecture rooms have become somewhat sacrosanct. You’ll overhear students talking about how he ate there, worked there or slept there. Though until May 8, 2025, few knew who he was. When 1977 Villanova graduate Robert “Bob” Prevost became Pope Leo XIV following the papal conclave, a wave of attention hit the local institution.