Photo courtesy Chalit's Thai Bistro
1. More Space for More Friends
Chalit’s Thai Bistro opened eight years ago in Hampden Township. Serving authentic, flavorful Thai dishes, their small restaurant has always been packed. Chalit’s is a popular spot for BYOB dinners and business lunches. Since their lease was up at their current location, owners Chalit Kijcharoen and James McClain started searching for a larger location. Less than a mile away, they found a space to serve 80 customers with a much larger kitchen. They also added sustainable elements to the new location, including bamboo accents and efficient appliances. Patrons can look forward to the same relaxed ambiance as the previous location, now with room for even more diners.
Chalit’s Thai Bistro / 5517 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA / 717-695-9889 / chalitsthaibistro.com
Photo courtesy Joel Thomas Photography
2. Ballet Expanding to Enola
Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet has been the premier ballet studio in Central PA for more than 60 years. In September 2018, they expanded to a third location in Enola at the Capital Blue store. CPYB is a nationally recognized school of classical ballet with two existing locations in the Carlisle area. Alumni of the school go on to be part of renowned ballet companies around the US and the world. This new location brings new opportunities to the area in a more accessible format. The new studio is focused on children’s and primary ballet classes for ages three to nine. Class registration is currently open.
Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet / 4500 Marketplace Way, Enola, PA / 717-245-1190 / cpyb.org
Photo courtesy Harris Family Brewery via Facebook
3. Bringing Diversity to Craft Beer
The Harris Family Brewery is Pennsylvania’s first African-American-owned brewery. Shawn Harris, Timothy White, and Jerry Thomas came together and started home-brewing small-batch craft beer. Located in Allison Hill, Harrisburg, the brewery is currently securing licensing. ZeroDay Brewing Co. recently collaborated with the brewery on an Imperial Cream Ale named “It’s Poppin.” Additionally, Harris Family Brewery currently produces three beers: Formula 58, HF Lager, and Bando Black. A documentary focusing on PA’s craft beer scene, Poured in PA, featured Harris Family Brewery this spring. The founders recently attended Fresh Fest 2018, the first festival of African-American craft brewers, in Pittsburgh.
Harris Family Brewery / harrisfamilybrewery.info
Photo courtesy Tracy Pawelski
4. Once in a Lifetime Pilgrimage
Tracy Pawelski chose to step away from her corporate career and take time to reset and make a change. She walked the ancient pilgrimage trail named El Camino de Santiago. While walking 500 miles in 35 days with her daughter and experiencing the wilderness and solitude of the Spanish countryside, Pawelski wrote a daily blog for her loved ones. After her blog gained a large readership, she chose to share her story by writing a book called One Woman’s Camino. Her experience helped her reflect on important values such as trust, community, and gratitude. Now, Pawelski shares her story and continues to enjoy travel, trekking, and speaking to women about professional challenges.
One Woman’s Camino / tracypawelski.com