At event venue, families can Gather
Owners of Emmaus’ 29 Cooks open nearby site for special occasions
Santa’s gifts are great, but nothing quite beats catching up with friends and family over the holidays. Whether you’re looking to gather with loved ones around Christmas or reconnect with them throughout the year, a new private event venue in Upper Milford Township wants to host your special occasions — from weddings and family reunions to Sweet 16 birthday parties and 50th anniversary dinners.
Gather Meetings & Events, which opened
Nov. 11 at 5402
Chestnut St., offers 6,000 square feet of space to host “any and all kinds of events,” including church retreats, corporate functions and trade shows, said Cindie Feldman, who operates the business with her husband, Kevin.
The venue’s sister company is 29 Cooks, the Feldmans’ 4-year-old catering and culinary center — offering adult cooking parties, children’s cooking classes and more — two miles north in the township.
“When we started 29 Cooks, the catering aspect was just supposed to be quick drop-off and set-up,” Cindie said. “We weren’t planning to do weddings and huge events, but that’s what it turned into. Now, we have our own venue that allows our food to hold its quality and integrity while allowing us to be more creative.”
The facility, which previously housed Waterfalls Catered Affairs, was overhauled with new kitchen equipment, porcelain tile flooring, chandeliers, a leather granite bar and more.
Up to 216 guests (165 with a dance floor) can fill the space, which features farmhouse tables that Kevin built.
Cindie, with more than 30 years experience in the food industry, leads the culinary staff in preparing “upscale casual” dishes, with a focus on familystyle options.
Menu highlights include salads such as strawberry almond and Tuscan Caesar; sides such as 7-cheese orecchiette mac and cheese and roasted Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions and bacon; and entrees such as crab-stuffed flounder with lobster cream sauce and spiked honey whiskey peach barbecue brisket.
“Everyone seems to be fixated on their cellphones these days, so familystyle meals are a really good way to bring us together, especially if you don’t know people at your table,” Cindie said. “Now, you’re passing someone roasted carrots and it organically brings the conversation to food.”
The facility doesn’t have a liquor license, but people can bring their own alcohol — a “big draw” for people looking to avoid high prices associated with some venues’ packages, Cindie said.
Gather’s basic wedding package, priced around $106 a person, includes a cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres, grazing table, meals, bartending and service charges and more, Cindie said.
The 4-acre property, which also was previously home to a drive-in theater, skate park, miniature golf course and shooting range, features a landscaped outdoor space with pergolas and water features.
Skepton Construction owns the property and designs and maintains the outdoor space, Hilltop Gardens on Chestnut, Greene said. Info: gathereventspa.com. and event venue, Durham Springs Culinary Event Center and Cascade: The Restaurant at Durham Springs.
Dan Fehlig and Ian Humphreys, of Lower Saucon Township, bought the 5065 Lehnenberg Road property in April 2017 and spent much of this year renovating the 14,000-square-foot structure.
The first-floor restaurant, which debuted Friday, offers seating for 70 guests to enjoy “modern American cuisine” with an emphasis on seasonal dishes made with local ingredients, Fehlig said.
The menu changes regularly with opening selections including appetizers ($14-$21) such as Maine lobster cocktail and braised rabbit with semolina gnocchi, maitake mushrooms and Parmesan fondue; and entrees ($26$39) such as slow-cooked wild salmon and grass-fed, Rossini-style beef tenderloin.
A 10-seat bar offers five draft beers, craft cocktails and about 50 wines, with a sommelier and wine lockers for those wishing to store their favorite wines. There also is a bar bites menu ($10-$18).
Cascade’s executive chef is Francesco Martorella, a Palisades High School graduate who has worked at prominent Philadelphia restaurants such as Le Bec-Fin, Ciboulette and Bliss.
Additionally, Fehlig’s 35-year-old high-end catering company, The Upper Crust, now serves as Durham Springs’ off-premise catering division.
“We want to be the finest restaurant in the area, perhaps even the east coast,” Fehlig said. “This is our art and it’s not just about pushing to the bottom line for us. It’s about leading people through a wonderful dining experience and making them feel comfortable, so they come to eat once a week and not just for special occasions.”
The white-tablecloth restaurant, serving dinner Wednesday through Sunday, is supplemented by a newly constructed event venue, accommodating up to 300 people seated, on the second floor.
Parties larger than 200 people could utilize the whole floor, which includes a lounge and “dance box” party room.
The 30-foot-high main room features an adjacent deck and outdoor area for ceremonies, chandeliers that can be lowered or raised and windows overlooking the 33-acre property.
A bridal salon is on the second floor of the original 1730s farmhouse. Info: durhamsprings.com. and artwork.
There also will be all-natural soaps, chocolate-covered pretzels and other gifts.
“The idea is that a person having a bite to eat might also find a great item to buy and vice versa,” Greene said.
Executive chef Thomas Giardina, who previously worked at Easton Wine Project, will lead the culinary team in preparing small plates such as red wine chili nachos, colossal shrimp and a charcuterie board.
The BYOB business’ opening was scheduled for this weekend, but has been postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date, Greene said. Info: greenemarketplace.com.
For those in search of unique fashions, you may want to check out RC Moore Vintage & Millinery’s new store in Hellertown.
The business, which began as an online store in 2009, on Nov. 12 moved from its 1 ½-year-old storefront at 9 W. Fourth St. in south Bethlehem to 1561 Main St., near Frey’s Better Foods.
Operated by husband and wife Clayton and Rose Ellen Moore, it carries men’s and women’s fashions, from the 1800s to 1985, including one-of-kind coats and dresses, burlesque and belly-dancing apparel, steampunk costumes and vintage handbags and jewelry.
“We also make custom hats,” Rose Ellen said. Info: 570-854-0691.
Lastly, another hot spot for the fashion-forward shopper is Owl Be Beading, a full-service bead shop that opened a few months ago at 1278B Birchwood Drive in Hanover Township, Northampton County.
Owner Barbara Talijan of Bethlehem sells beaded jewelry, beads and beading supplies, which can be used to make ornaments and other decorative pieces.
Her products also are for sale at Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt, where she has been a vendor for 15 years.
“I also teach classes, from beginner to advanced,” said Talijan, noting free open beading classes are offered 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays. Info: 610-216-5995.
Retail Watch keeps track of new stores, restaurants and banks in the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com. Retail Watch appears every Sunday.