The results are in! Here’s Susquehanna Style’s list of the best of everything in York as voted by our readers. And, as always, we’ve included a few Style Girl favorites.
Reader Favorites
Best Makeup Artist: Maggie King Makeup Artistry
If you attended a York wedding in the recent past, you’ve probably already seen some of Maggie King’s artistry. With a skilled hand and a whole lot of passion, King helps women to look beautiful on their big day and for many other special occasions. But, you might be surprised to learn that King’s interest in makeup stemmed from an entirely different career.
A York native, King spent time in the fashion industry in major U.S. cities: Philadelphia, New York, and Las Vegas. Gigs at Cynthia Rowley and Gucci brought her into fashion but also a world of photo shoots, models, and, of course, makeup. King found that her interest in art and design paired well with makeup artistry. “It’s rewarding to make someone feel beautiful, but I also love the artistic nature of it,” King explains. “With the colors, the pigments, it’s a true art form.”
Once she moved back to York, King’s connections to local wedding professionals made her transition into makeup artistry a successful one. Years of working with brides at the well-known Renaissance Bridals helped her hone the ability to determine how to make someone feel most beautiful on her wedding day. As Kings' popularity grows, so do her services. In addition to on-site makeup sessions, King will soon be offering one-on-one classes in her very own studio space.
Maggie King Makeup Artistry / www.mkingmakeupartistry.com / 702-885-9756
Best Cosmetic Enhancement Facility: Lébo Skin Care Center
When it comes to cosmetic enhancements, one has to be absolutely confident in the provider. Lébo Skin Care Center offers that assurance. You’ll never fear a botched procedure again, thanks to Lébo’s staff of estheticians talking you through every possible question before, during, and after your treatment. “Trustworthiness is important to us,” says Janice Bish, a licensed medical esthetician at the practice.
Bish explains that the individualized experience at Lébo starts with a free consultation where you can identify your skincare goals. Whether your concerns are fine lines, unwanted hair, or overall skin tone, they’ll recommend treatments (ranging from Botox to microdermabrasion), as well as a regimen that’s customized for your skin type. Lébo even has their own line of medical-grade skincare products, so you don’t have to worry about tracking down various brands.
The founders of Lébo Skin Care Center, Hillary Lebouitz-Schaefer and Heather Witmer, have been in the non-invasive skin care industry for the past sixteen years, and over that time their company has grown tremendously. They’ve expanded to two locations, York and Hanover, and this year they’re also expanding their offerings. Starting this summer, Lébo will be offering their first minimally invasive treatment, SmartLipo. Curious? Give the experts at Lébo a call to set up a consultation.
Lébo Skin Care Center / www.leboskincare.com / 1936 Powder Mill Rd., York / 717-747-9950 / 250 Fame Ave., Suite 205, Hanover / 717-646-9950
Best New Home Builder: Jeffrey L. Henry, Inc.
What’s inside your dream home? Tray ceilings? Marble countertops? Custom tilework? When it comes to building your forever home, Jeffrey Henry knows the importance of details and recognizes the time it takes to select all of the perfect design elements. “We communicate with our clients weekly and meet with them at least every week on the job site to talk about their selections,” Henry says. “There are no sudden decisions.”
Future homeowners have access to an array of experts, including Jeffrey and his son Justin, as well as a custom kitchen and bath designer. “They’re free to call us anytime they want to,” he says. And that is really saying something, considering Henry’s level of experience in the building industry. He’s been operating his own business since 1987, and has been helping on construction projects since childhood.
Jeffrey L. Henry, Inc., builds custom homes both inside developments and off-site, and Henry attributes much of his success in York County to the various York Builders Association events. Take a look at Henry's online portfolio to see the design details you could add to your dream home checklist.
Jeffrey L. Henry, Inc. / 2845 Springwood Rd., Red Lion / www.jeffreylhenryinc.com / 717-246-5509
Best Local Band/Musician: LIVE
If you had any connection to the Susquehanna Valley in the 1990s, chances are you’re already familiar with the legend of LIVE, this year’s reader-voted “Best Local Band/Musician” in York. Not just a local hit, LIVE reached national success after being discovered by Hilly Kristal, owner of the famous music club CBGB. “[She] turned Joey Ramone and Deborah Harry from Blondie onto us,” says LIVE guitarist Chad Taylor. “Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, and Michael Stipe [of R.E.M] … were our earliest champions.”
From that point, success came fast and furious for the band. Billboard-topping smash hits—including “Selling the Drama,” "Lightning Crashes,” and “The Dolphin’s Cry”—blared on radios across America. Still, decades of fame put stress on the band. “There was a tremendous amount of pressure to live up to the standard that LIVE set with hit album after hit album,” explains Taylor. Eventually, the tension caused the band to take a hiatus, ending in dissolution. However, in 2011, LIVE re-formed, this time with newcomer Chris Shinn as lead singer. “Shinn stood in as a friend to help us find our way back to making music—the real priority—and having fun doing it,” Taylor says.
Now, between touring and laying down tracks in their world-class recording studio, LIVE has shifted thier focus back home, paying homage to their York roots with various community initiatives. “Now we’re focused on putting York on the map,” says Taylor.
LIVE / www.freaks4live.com
Best Caterer: GingerBabies
It’s a catering business with a curious name and downright delicious eats. GingerBabies’ owner Joe Reed has been in the food industry for three decades, the majority of which has been spent operating his own catering company. So what’s with the name? Reed explains that it is an homage to his brother, who passed away twenty years ago at the young age of twenty-five. “While we were talking about the name, my brother’s dog came over and I said ‘Hey, Ginger, baby.’” With that, the business began.
Reed says many members of GingerBabies' team have been dedicated employees for years. “We aren’t a family business,” he says, “but we’re family-oriented.” This closeness helps the company operate smoothly and produce their catering menus efficiently at events, whether it’s a pig roast, buffet, or served dinner.
Speaking of served dinners, some of the tantalizing entrée options Reed can prepare for your next event include shrimp scampi with kumato tomatoes and basil, twin filets with rosemary cabernet sauce, or tequila and citrus marinated chicken with mango and black bean salsa. Whatever your desire, Reed emphasizes their flexibility and comfort working with you to customize the menu. With their help, your next celebration is sure to have guests craving more.
GingerBabies / 190 E. Ninth Ave., York / www.gingerbabies.com / 717-246-6300
Staff Picks: Our Favorite Things
York City Pretzel Company
Here in Central Pennsylvania, pretzel-making is not a task that is taken lightly. With years of heritage in this region, not to mention competition, we do not give accolades willy-nilly. Take note: York City Pretzel Company twists one mean pretzel.
Meagan Feeser, one of the owners of the business, explains that they did a lot of research and testing before unveiling their signature pretzel. The team of five partners—Philip Given, Jordan Pfautz, Benjamin McGlaughlin, Matthew Davis, and Feeser—settled on a traditional Bavarian-style pretzel that might be different than the ones you’ve tasted around town. “Most of the pretzels here are Pennsylvania Dutch style, which are sweeter and dipped in butter,” explains Feeser. “The Bavarian style is dipped in lye, which gives it that crunch.”
If you’re at all acquainted with the downtown York scene, you might recognize some of the partners as familiar faces of York City. So it’s no surprise that their flagship location is in the middle of town. The large, galley-like space was renovated with an industrial, rustic feel, incorporating many elements that were found in the historic building. Walk in, order your pretzel, and meander back to the open pretzel bakery, where you can watch the crisp creations being made.
Lots of changes are happening for the company, including a new location in Intercourse, a food truck, wholesale offerings, and packaged products (think flavored hard pretzel bites).
York City Pretzel Company / 39 W. Market St., York / www.yorkcitypretzelcompany.com / 717-467-3556
Foodstruck York
Calling all foodies! This September 6, prepare to salivate. The 2015 Foodstruck event is coming back to Penn Park, in the heart of York City. At this celebration of all things street food, food trucks from the tri-state area will be coming in for the day and dishing out everything from tacos to gyros, and even beer.
Philip Given, one of the organizers of the volunteer-run event, has been around since the very beginning. Coveting the food truck parks of larger cities, he and some friends came up with the idea of a small food truck event and started to plan. Thirteen trucks from around the region showed up, but the crowd numbered an overwhelming 2,000 individuals. “Thirteen trucks wasn’t enough, as it turned out,” says Given. So the next year, they expanded. At the last event, there were fifty trucks and over 10,000 hungry people in attendance.
We can expect all of the best parts of last year’s event at this year’s, including a beer garden in Penn Park. Live music will span throughout the day, providing tunes during the event hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Style insider tip: There’s a secret to a successful trip to Foodstruck: be sure to bring friends. “Divide and conquer,” recommends Given. Order items from each truck, then regroup, share, and get your food truck feast on.
Foodstruck York / September 6 / Penn Park, York / www.foodstruckyork.com
The Front Porch Café
Channel your inner Southern belle or beau right here in York. The Style Girls love dinner al fresco, and where better to dine than the wraparound porch of a historic local mansion?
Originally built as a home in 1885, the building that houses The Front Porch Café was rescued by owner Joseph Mueller just a few short years ago. After tireless restoration and conversion work, the restaurant opened in early 2013. “It took two full years just to restore the woodwork,” says general manager Mike McMonigle. That’s not surprising, given the interior. Delicately detailed wood trim flanks the fireplace, wraps up the bannisters, and cases the windows and doors, giving the place a homey, nineteenth-century vibe.
Besides the ambiance, visit The Front Porch Café for the menu of fine-dining favorites. Savor the seafood risotto with enormous bay scallops. Other top picks for dinner include filet mignon and roasted chicken roulade. The restaurant is open for lunch and breakfast, too. Try the omelet special, which rotates daily.
Remember to BYOB, McMonigle recommends. “Sit on the porch, drink your wine, and relax,” he says. “Here, we want you to eat at your own pace.”
The Front Porch Café / 55 S. Richland Ave., York / www.frontporchcafeyork.com / 717-848-8842
Perrydell Farm Dairy
Dairy is a family affair for the Perrys of York. Started in 1923 by Howard Perry, Perrydell Farm Dairy has now had three generations of family owners. Donna Perry—who works with her husband Tom and his brothers Greg and Chip to operate the dairy farm today—says the fourth generation, their children, are already hard at work scooping ice cream for the business.
What makes this farm unique to the Style staff, though, is the fact that they welcome visitors to tour the grounds, giving them a behind-the-scenes view of dairy life. Perry says visitors can take a self-guided tour from April through October, “anytime the sun is out and the store is open.” Here’s a insider tip: Though she says you can stay as long as you want, Perry says the best time to come is on a weekday around 4 p.m. At this time, kids and adults alike can see the calves being bottle-fed and cows being milked.
Groups of ten or more can call ahead to arrange a guided tour, a forty-five minute walk through each part of the farm, including a sample of chocolate milk and Perrydell’s famous ice cream. Speaking of ice cream, the super-fresh treat goes “from cow to cone,” says Perry. End your visit with your pick of their sixteen flavors.
Perrydell Farm Dairy / 90 Indian Rock Dam Rd., York / www.perrydellfarm.com / 717-741-3485
Escape Games Live
love riddles? Sudoku? Crosswords? The Style Girls have discovered a life-size brainteaser you might like to try, right here in York. After months of preparation to create the perfect games, Michelle Hill and Steve Shellenberger opened Escape Games Live in March.
Escape games, a trendy new genre of entertainment, are a fun way of working together with a group to solve a problem. But they don’t have the fear factor you might be imagining. “We want to reassure people that there is nothing even slightly scary about these games,” says Hill. “These are puzzle room adventures. They are wonderfully fun and often quite funny.”
Hill and Shellenberger got the idea from a trip to New York City, where they took the recommendation to try their first-ever escape game. “We just fell in love with the genre immediately,” Hill says. “We had a million ideas of what we would change and do better.” At the York location, one improvement includes a fifty-fifty escape rate, meaning that 50 percent of groups solve all of the puzzles to “escape” in sixty minutes. Additionally, unlike the larger city version, even if the group does not get out in an hour, they still have to opportunity to finish the game.
Right now, the game themes at Escape Games Live are “Escape the ‘70s,” “Escape the Precinct,” and “Sherlock’s Office.” Grab a group of four to six and book your trip to the game of your choice.
Escape Games Live / 147 W. Philadelphia St., York / www.escapegameslive.com / 717-870-4033
Best of York Winners
Food & Drink
Best Asian restaurant: Esaan Thai Restaurant Best barbecue: Baron Von Schwein Best bar food: White Rose Bar & Grill Best brewery: Liquid Hero Brewery Best brunch: White Rose Bar & Grill Best burger: Roosevelt Tavern Best burrito: Roburritos Best business lunch spot: White Rose Bar & Grill Best candy shop: Fitzkee's Candies Inc. Best casual date spot: White Rose Bar & Grill Best caterer: GingerBabies Best cheesesteak: Pepper’s Grille Best cocktails: The Left Bank Restaurant & Bar Best coffee shop: The Green Bean Roasting Co. Best craft beer spot: The Holy Hound Taproom Best cupcake shop: Just Cupcakes Best diner: Round the Clock Diner Best doughnuts: Maple Donuts, Inc. Best farmers’ market: Central Market York Best fine dining restaurant: The Left Bank Restaurant & Bar Best food truck: Baron Von Schwein Best grocery store: Giant Food Stores Best happy hour spot: White Rose Bar & Grill Best ice cream shop: Jim Mack's Ice Cream Best Italian restaurant: Victor's Italian Restaurant Best Mexican restaurant: El Rodeo Best neighborhood bar: The Holy Hound Taproom Best outdoor bar: Knickers Pub at Heritage Hills Golf Resort Best outdoor dining spot: Knickers Pub at Heritage Hills Golf Resort Best pizza: Brewvino Best sandwich shop: Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches Best specialty cake bakery: Providence Divine Cakes & Pastries Best sushi: Masa Japanese Cuisine Best winery: Allegro Vineyards & Winery Best wings: Arooga’s Family & Health Best bicycle shop: Gung Ho Bikes Best cancer treatment center: York Cancer Center, WellSpan Health Best cosmetic enhancement practice: Lebo Skin Care Center Best dental practice: Bowser Center for Advanced Dentistry Best fitness center: Gruver Fitness Outdoor Boot Camp Best hospital: York Hospital, WellSpan Health Best maternity hospital: York Hospital, WellSpan Health Best pediatric practice: Pediatric Care of York Best veterinary clinic: Shiloh Veterinary Hospital Best yoga studio: Lotus Moon Yoga Home & Garden Best appliance dealer: Romberger's Appliance, Inc. Best audio/video experts: Haller Enterprises, Inc. Best carpeting and flooring experts: Wecker's Flooring Center Best furniture store: Wolf Furniture Best furniture consignment store: Finders Keepers Best garden center: Stauffers of Kissel Hill Best heating and cooling specialists: Haller Enterprises, Inc. Best home cleaning service: Merry Maids Best home remodelers: Haller Enterprises, Inc. Best interior designer: Interiors Furniture & Design Best kitchen and bath designer: Haller Enterprises, Inc. Best landscaping company: Hively Landscapes, Inc. Best lighting store: Yale Lighting Concepts & Design Best mattress store: Wolf Furniture Best new home builder: Jeffrey L. Henry, Inc. Best outdoor furniture store: Stauffers of Kissel Hill Best painting and wallpaper professionals: York Wallcoverings Factory Store Best pest control company: B.J. Riley Pest Control Best plumber: Regal, Inc. Best pool and spa experts: Nemo Pools & Spas Best retirement community: Country Meadows Retirement Community Professional Services Best banking institution: Metro Bank Best car dealership: Apple Automotive Family Best credit union: First Capital Federal Credit Union Best law firm: CGA Law Firm PC Best motorcycle dealer: Laugerman's Harley-Davidson Best realty company: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty Best travel agency: Krouse Travel Best wealth management firm: Smith, Mayer & Liddle a Wealth Advisory Group at Janney Entertainment Best art gallery: YorkArts Best charity event: A Taste of York City Best DJ: Titus Touch Music Professional DJ Services Best event décor company: Flair Events Best fair or festival: The York Fair Best golf course: Heritage Hills Golf Resort Best local band/musician: LIVE Best local TV station: WGAL Best local TV personality: Ron Martin, WGAL Best mini golf course: Heritage Hills Golf Resort Best party planner: Flair Events Best party venue: Wyndridge Farm Best performing arts center: Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center Best radio station: 105.7 The X Fashion Best bridal boutique: Renaissance Bridals Best children’s clothing boutique: Collage Best consignment clothing shop: My Girlfriend's Wardrobe Consignment Store Best shoe store: Shoe Gallery Etc. Best women’s clothing boutique: Elizabeth & West Fashion House Little Luxuries Best B&B or inn: Grace Manor Bed and Breakfast Best barbershop: DiDi & Smiling John's Best florist: Butera The Florist Best gift shop: Kimman's Best hotel: Yorktowne Hotel Best jeweler: The Watchmaker's Daughter Best makeup artist: Maggie King Makeup Artistry Best photographer: Mudpies N Butterflies Best salon: Evangelin A Boutique Salon Best spa: Serenity Spa and Salon at Heritage Hills
