Happy new year, neighbor and congrats on surviving the holidays! Treat yo self to a sweet mango treat, a last-minute babysitter and some retail (or red light?) therapy on King Street!
• Need a Sitter FAST?
When yet another sitter cancelled on Ashley and Michael Clark of Bryn Mawr, the couple took matters into their own hands and built an app for busy working parents like themselves. The Clark’s partnered with an app development company to launch FAST, which stands for “Find A Sitter Today.” FAST connects Main Line parents with qualified, vetted sitters from Narberth to Devon. Parents can book sitters for a last-minute date night or a standing gig.
All sitters undergo rigorous background checks and a Zoom interview; parents and guardians who join the app get verified by submitting identifying information. Users can view a map of available sitters, and a tracking feature alerts parents their sitter is en route. FAST also offers in-app messaging before and during the job for easy communication.
FAST sitters earn $24 per hour, and parents pay $29. (The $5 difference supports operations costs.) There are no subscriptions; all bookings are à la carte. FAST has garnered nearly 20 five-star reviews on the Apple Store, with many parents praising its ease of use and impressive rooster of sitters. (One parent found a sitter in under five minutes!)
FAST is available for download on iOS and Android. Tip: Type “Find A Sitter Today” into the search field unless you want to wade through loads of fasting apps!
• Game Over
21 Pips in Ardmore is doneso. The board game lounge and restaurant played its best hand—reinventing itself this past spring with new furniture, more games, a reimagined small plates and mocktail menu and a crew of “gametenders” to help patrons pick and play games—but the concept never fully caught on. The original location, Philly’s Thirsty Dice, closed last month as well.
• Mmmmango…
Berwyn’s Swedesford Plaza is home to a sweet new dessert shop called Mango Mango . Founded in New York’s Chinatown in 2013, the fast-growing chain is known for its mango-based menu of drinks and treats with Hong Kong influences. Specialties include smoothies, scented teas (think Lemon Chrysanthemum, Fresh Lavender and Rose) and classic desserts like waffles, crepes, cakes and sundaes.
Mango Mango Dessert is located at 416 Swedesford Road in Berwyn. Hours are Monday – Thursday & Sunday 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM and Friday & Saturday 12:00 PM – 10:30 PM.
• Spring to King!
Several new merchants have set up shop on Malvern’s King Street:
• Beem Light Sauna (233 E. King Street) – Indulge in various light therapies, including infrared saunas, chromotherapy and red-light therapy, to reduce stress, relieve pain, improve sleep and more. Go solo or book a “social suite.”
• Vida Beale Consignment (2 E. King Street) – Shop gently used women’s clothing and accessories from designer and fast fashion brands. New inventory arrives daily. Personal shopping and styling services available too!
• Bask Collective (304 E. King Street) – Maximize productivity and wow guests at this luxury coworking and event studio. Book the studio for a special occasion like a baby shower or luncheon or register for an upcoming workshop.
• The Indie Shelf (opening early February) – This independent, woman-owned boutique stocks clean beauty brands sourced from around the globe. Owner Sabeen Zia is a cosmetic chemist, toxicologist and founder of the lipstick brand Muskaan.
• Delco Takes Center Stage
“Delco: The Movie” celebrates its red-carpet premiere on January 17 at the Media Theatre. The coming-of-age dramedy follows three Delaware County high school seniors in 2004 as they try for one wild night out. The movie features several iconic Delco spots, including Wawa, the Media Theater and Sun Valley High School.
Director, producer and Delco native Chris Pierdomenico wrote the original script while attending Sun Valley High School. The movie stars Steve Harding, Jenna Kuerzi and Jeff Pleiffer with funding crowdsourced from Delco business owners and community members.
The Media Theatre is located at 104 East State Street in Media. Purchase tickets here.
• Skate. Sup. Sip. Repeat.
Beat the winter blahs with a spin around Kennett Square Creamery’s “Glice” Skating Rink , made of Swiss-engineered, eco-friendly synthetic ice. The rink is open to the public weekends through Sunday, February 16. Hours are Saturday 12:30 PM to 6:00 PM and Sunday 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM. Food and drink available for purchase!
The Creamery at Kennett Square is located at 401 Birch Street.
Got a scoop for In The Loop? E-mail kate@mainlineneighbors.com
We are also a new business on King St. (116 W.). How do we get a mention in this periodical? Thanks.
We are also a new business on King St. (116 W.). How do we get a mention in this periodical? Thanks.
View less