Publisher’s Letter

Happy July! Our July issue includes the annual Guidebook, where we’re touring County Lines country and beyond and suggesting Family Fun and more in our Best Local Events coverage. Plus we’ve got what’s happening at farmers markets.

But first, some local history. In Brandywine Stories, Malcolm Johnstone writes about “The Teenage Revolutionary” — that’s Marquis de Lafayette — and his connection to Chester County. For more recent history, we cover the upcoming Blobfest 25th Anniversary in Phoenixville, July 12­­–14.

In our “Year-Round Guide to County Lines Country,” we start with the “Big Three”— Longwood Gardens, Brandywine Museum of Art, and Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. Then we explore hiking in Chester and Delaware Counties, touring mansions on the Main Line, and joining this summer’s Town Tours & Village Walks. Marci Tomassone’s got even more great places for outings — historic sites, parks, gardens and the like.

Also, our “Fall Guide to the Arts” previews summer concerts and what to expect in the coming season. Mark your calendars!

Carol Metzker tours Brandywine Valley flower farms for summer fun and festivities in “I Went to a Garden Party.” Meanwhile Shannon Montgomery has a different goal: cold beer. She found refreshing destinations in “Hoppy Trails: A Dozen of Our Favorite Local Beer Gardens.” And I share my research in “Happy Hour in Downtown Wilmington.” There’s beer, wine, drinks and food at fantastic prices. Plus there’s a small recap of some January issue Best of the Best restaurants and bars.

At home, Courtney H. Diener-Stokes visits a local farm raising grass-fed beef and heritage pork to share ideas to “Get Grilling with Wyebrook Farm.” Learn about unique cuts of meat and tips for preparing them.

Finally, new residents should check out our “Newcomer’s Guide,” featuring local businesses, services, schools and more — to help to get settled. Welcome!

Hopefully, you already have County Lines delivered to your mailbox. Save it for future reference. At CountyLinesMagazine.com, you can read the July issue online. At Issuu.com, you can read the digital issue. Or click Get A Copy on our website to find locations to pick up a print copy.

We hope you’d like to subscribe to County Lines. Do it on our website or call 610-918-9300. For single issues, try Wellington Square Bookshop, Main Point Books, or Reads & Co. Bookstore. Visiting an advertiser is also a great—and free—way to find copies!

Thank you for reading our July issue.

Ed Malet, Publisher

610-918-9300

Year-Round Guide to County Lines Country

We start with the Big Three: Longwood Gardens, with 1,100 acres and a magnificent four-acre conservatory; Winterthur, 175 rooms of the former du Pont mansion holding 90,000 objects in the country’s finest collection of American decorative arts and material culture; and the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art, highlighting the beauty of the Brandywine region’s art and nature.

From there, we explore hikes in Chester and Delaware Counties, take a driving tour of the mansions of the Main Line, a walking tour through Chester County’s history, and sample other great places for outings, amusements, nature centers and museums in southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Newcomers Guide

This guide includes a few of the great small businesses and organizations in our area that are here to help you. Please check our website, CountyLinesMagazine.com, and other issues of County Lines for more about valuable local resources to help you get settled in your new community. Welcome to our area!

I Went to a Garden Party

In summer, Chester County is alive with flowers and fresh vegetables. Many gardens and farms are holding events. We’ve got a list of our favorites in the Brandywine Valley: for instance, the SIW Field to Fork Dinners in Chadds Ford, Happy Hours at Pasture Song Farm, Midday Retreats at Wildflower Farm and others. There are almost a dozen for you to check out.