In this issue - Bill Rothermel

issue 9, APRIL ’06
A Newsletter about
homes, you...and Bill
In this issue:
•Miscellaneous
Ramblings—
2005 in Review
•Odds & Ends
•Thanks for a
Great 2005
•Kitchen
Magicians
•Guest Chef:
Paul Fazzini
Bill Rothermel •
ABR,CRS,CSP,GRI • Associate Broker, Relocation Specialist
billr1@comcast.net • Office: 717-569-2222 • Direct: 717-581-4904
Associates of Lancaster
I think it’s pretty obvious; I don’t send Christmas
cards. After all, you get three newsletters per year to keep
you entertained. Nonetheless, thanks to one and all for
your Christmas cards, especially from our friends far and
wide who have departed the “big city” of Lancaster. Even
though you get newsletters, consider this my Christmas
2005 Letter to bring you up-to-date with what’s been happening in my life.
January 2005 was, fortunately, not a harbinger of
what was to come for the
balance of the year. Midlate January has become
a tradition for us to travel
south and go to the Ferrari
Cavallino at the Breakers
Hotel in Palm Beach. (1)
Yeah, I know another car
event. Actually it’s something to see, both the cars
and the people watching.
1
KT and our guests flew
home and I stayed at the house a couple of
2
extra days. Hey, it’s January in Florida, can
you blame me? I noticed a rash on my left arm
which I attributed to a bug bite or brushing up
against some plant outside to which I had an
allergic reaction. Fast forward to Thursday of
that week when I started to get the headache
to beat all headaches. It felt 3
like someone was in my
forehead with a bulldozer
trying to push their way
out for 23+ hours. To say
I have new-found respect
for those who suffer from
migraines would be an
understatement. I couldn’t
sleep that night due to the
pain, but I managed to get
on the plane that Friday
morning and make it home
to Harrisburg. I foolishly
drove myself home from
the airport and promptly
checked myself into the
E.R. at the new Heart of
Lancaster Hospital. I was
seen immediately and spent
the day being put through a battery of tests (including my
first spinal tap – fun!). The E.R. doc, Joe Mayberry, was
convinced I had meningitis, the question being whether or
not it was viral or bacterial. You see, they determine what
kind it is by running tests and making the determination
through a process of elimination. If it’s viral, it needs to
run its course; if it’s bacterial, it’s deadly! Four days of
quarantine and countless I.V.’s of antibiotics later, I was
released with the diagnosis that it was viral and I was not
2
contagious. I received great care from the entire staff at the
hospital and went back to work the Monday afternoon following my release. The good news: I’m okay with no repercussions. And, the H.O.L has Speed Channel which enabled
me to watch the entire coverage of the Barrett-Jackson Car
Auction, something I never would have been able to otherwise do. I guess one would call that making lemonade
from lemons!
May was much better as we made our
way “across the pond” in what turned out to
be the trip of a lifetime. I’ve always wanted
to experience a Formula One race in Europe,
so if we’re gonna do it, why not the Monaco
Grand Prix? Prior to the trip, I thought it
appropriate to brush up on my French from
30 years ago. Thanks to Cara Busque, a
client from French-speaking Canada (she,
husband Chris and kids, were transferred to
Lancaster and have since moved to Macon,
Georgia). I was tutored twice weekly for
the weeks before we left. A good decision it
would turn out to be. After several transfers
(long and boring story) we left
JFK in New York and began our
trip. Seated three rows behind
was Bill Murray (the comedianactor) and one row ahead to
our right was actress Jessica
Alba. Star struck? Hardly, but
it’s nice to know those
people look as bad as
us after eight hours
across the Atlantic
on an airplane! We
arrived in Nice, France
to be transferred to a
hotel where we were
to meet our fellow
racing enthusiasts.
Test #1— the driver
who took us from
the airport to the
hotel did not speak
English. Let’s say I
did okay. We had
pretty much all day
to spend checking out
Nice. The weather
turned overcast and
rainy toward late afternoon when we were to reconvene at
our hotel. Once we arrived at the hotel, we were met by a
group of about 35 or so enthusiasts and promptly put on
a bus with luggage to transfer to our sailing yacht. After a
short trip, we arrived at the port in Nice and transferred to
LePonant, a 300+ foot, three-mast sailing vessel (2). The
tour company had a meet-and-greet cocktail party so that
everyone would get to know one another prior to dinner
that evening. The French-speaking staff was great and real-
4
5
ly helped me with my
6
language skills by communicating with me in
French during our trip.
Overnight, we sailed to
the town of Portofino,
Italy, (3) which would
be our stop the next
morning. Our yacht’s
keel was too deep so
we tendered in to the
little town. Here’s what
I think of Portofino: I
want to move there!
Maybe it was the weather (spectacular that day)
or the colors, or the food, or what I’m not sure, but KT and
I are both crazy for this place! About mid-day, we walked
from Portofino about 6 miles to the next little town called
Santa Margherita Ligure (4) taking the ferryboat back to
Portofino to board LePonant. That evening we set sail for
Cannes, France,
7
home of the Film
Festival which was
taking place during
our visit. It was a
rough sail overnight
and once arriving in Cannes, the
harbor (due to all
the boat traffic) had
swells worse than
the Mediterranean.
Again, we tendered
in to Cannes (a wild
ride as our tenders were nothing more than rubber dingys
with outboard motors). We spent the morning touring the
city which was mobbed with people due to the Cannes
Film Festival. This would be the only day of cool weather
we would have our entire trip. That afternoon we set sail
for Monaco and the weather warmed up beautifully. About
5:30 p.m. we made the turn into the harbor in Monte Carlo
. . . and what a thrill it was! Pictures do not do it justice as
the city literally hangs on the hillside and the harbor was
jammed with yachts . . . mostly big ones! There is not one
iota of real estate that is not used in this tiny principality.
We docked in Monaco (5-6) for the remaining four days
of trip so we had plenty of time to explore. Our first evening
included a rooftop cocktail party at one of the casinos with
Christian Klein from Red Bull Racing. Pretty cool. The next
evening was a tour and then dinner at Prince Rainier’s car
collection which featured Gil de Ferran and Jensen Button.
Even cooler. We spend lots of time walking the hills of
Monte Carlo and visited the government buildings, munici-
pal gardens, the aquarium (highly
recommended) and the shopping
district. We had great seats adjacent to the harbor for practice and
qualifying laps as well as for a
Porsche Cup Race that took place
on Friday. (7) Test #2— We hired
a driver Saturday to take us to the
town of Eze (8) and Saint Paul du
Vance (9) for the day. What a great
day it was; however, our French
driver spoke very little English. I did my
best and managed to communicate with
him in French for most of the four hours
we were together.
Sunday was race day and we had
seats right across from the pits. Not as
good as our seats Friday, but the action
was still incredible to watch. The highlight was that the Williams BMW boys
finished the day in second and third
place; unexpected and the best finishes
for the team the rest of the season! (10)
That night we sailed back to Nice where
we boarded our flight back to the States.
A couple of observations: 1) The women on our yacht
were as passionate about racing and generally more knowledgeable than the men. 2) F1 is all about Ferrari and red is
everywhere. It’s no small wonder that Michael Schumacher
is the highest paid sports personality in the world. 3) There
we were in Monaco meeting people on our yacht from all
over the world, only to meet a couple from Valley Forge,
Tom and Helen Zern, with whom we have become great
friends. Small world. 4) The trip was booked through
Grand Prix Tours, a company which offers tours/events
to F1, NASCAR, the Indy 500 and others throughout the
world. Details are not their specialty should you find yourself working with them. They do, however, have access to
all the great events.
August
8
took us to
Greenville,
South
Carolina
courtesy of
BMW to the
645 Driving
Experience.
I think this
makes my
fifth visit
to BMW
9
3
10
Mecca in the United
States and I never tire
of going there. The
adventure began on a
Thursday with arrival
at the airport where
we were greeted by
an official from the
Greenville Marriott
who whisked us away
in a new 525i Sedan
to the host hotel. The hotel had undergone a total transformation; much improved from our previous visit three
years earlier having benefited from a total makeover from
lobby to guest rooms. That evening we decided to dine in
downtown Greenville, about a 10-15 minute drive from the
Marriott.
Downtown Greenville is worth the visit. As it was
Thursday night, the city closes Main Street to automobile
traffic turning it into a pedestrian mall. Lots of shops for
the shopper, and lots of great restaurants with both indoor
and outdoor dining perfect for the foodie in all of us.
There was an outdoor concert that same evening, a regular
Thursday night occurrence throughout the summer season.
Check it out if you find yourself in the area or visit
www.greatergreenville.com.
An early wake up call the next day found us along
with 12 other owners and their guests/spouses on a
motor coach for the short drive to the BMW Performance
Center. Nothing worse than a bunch of car nuts, let alone
BMW crazies at 8 a.m. discussing the minutia important
to no one but them. Booorrrring! Once arriving at the
Performance Center we were ushered into a meeting room
where introductions to each other and our instructors and
hosts began. After receiving a short list of don’ts and signing insurance waivers, we were escorted to our cars. For
the next three plus hours we spent time on one of three
different driving courses.
Our first exercise was to drive a 645ci coupe on a timed
course delineated by the ubiquitous orange cones (11). The
trick is smooth and steady, certainly not news to experienced autocrossers, but a lesson to be learned time and
again. Let’s just say, a woman in our group won; beating
her husband who had raced cars for the last forty or so
years! Next stop was the skid pad, a 300-foot circle of polished concrete with fountains of water
13
to replicate the sensation of driving on
ice (12). Our final track exercise was to
drive all the latest BMW’s on a short
road course in order to experience the
different driving personalities of all the
models.
After lunch we were escorted to a
fleet of new 6’s, half of which were in
BMW Black Sapphire and half of which
were painted Mineral Silver. We formed
two “color-keyed” caravans and began a circuitous drive
to our next destination, the Grove Park Inn in Asheville,
North Carolina. Normally, Asheville is a little more than
an hour’s drive, but we began a two and a half hour tour
of the Carolina back roads in order to experience the car
in real world conditions. Who knew there was so much
kudzu covering the Carolina countryside!?!
4
At the half-way point of our drive, we
stopped for a break at Chimney Rock Park
(www.chimneyrockpark.com) about 25 miles
southeast of Asheville, advertised as “Hiking
trails for the whole family, spectacular views,
towering cliffs, waterfalls and special activities—so many ways to find yourself breathless.” If you like the Carolina outdoors, this is
the place is for you.
About an hour later we arrived at the
Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa (13). The 510room hotel dates to 1913 and is built from native mountain
stone. It boasts a huge collection of Arts & Crafts furniture
and is decorated accordingly. Sweeping views of the Blue
Mountains with downtown Asheville in the distance are
nothing
11
short of
spectacular.
The twin
fireplaces
in the Main
Hall are so
large one
12
could easily
do jumping
jacks inside them. The
Spa was added in 2001
and it was to be our
next stop as BMW had
arranged for a complimentary massage after
our hard day of driving. The evening was capped off by cocktails on the hotel
veranda and dinner for all. Check out the Grove Park Inn
at www.groveparkinn.com or call 800-438-5800.
When in Asheville be sure to check out the downtown
and its Art Deco architecture. Galleries, shops and restaurants abound. Take a walk in the neighborhoods surrounding the hotel for a tour of homes second to none. And be
sure not to miss the nearby Biltmore Estate, America’s largest home. George Vanderbilt’s monument to himself has
no less than 250 rooms and is situated on 8,000 acres. It
boasts its own winery and offers special events throughout
the year. Information is available at www.biltmore.com or
1-877-biltmore.
Saturday began with a huge
breakfast buffet but we had the
good sense to pass. The participants
assembled for a group photo and
discussed the previous day’s antics
— mostly good. The cars were
loaded with luggage and we were
on our way in another fast drive
through the Carolina countryside.
Destination: LaBastide, a quaint
country French Bed & Breakfast in
Travelers Rest, South Carolina (14). Lunch was indeed
memorable. Put this on your “must check out list” if in the
area. Call (877)836-8463 for details. Our hosts provided us
with a tour of this beautiful facility and I hope we can visit
it some time again in the not-so-distant future.
The Performance Center was just a short ride back from
LaBastide, despite appearing as though “it was out in the
14
middle of nowhere.”
Once arriving at the
Performance Center, we
said our goodbyes to a
lot of really fun people
and transferred back to
the airport for a flight
home.
October took us to
the island of Bermuda,
our third visit there.
This time, however,
for a very different
reason. Good friends
Jim and Judy Sawhook
and Judy’s daughter Lisa and husband John, asked us
to join them on a celebration of Judy’s (40 plus 20th)
birthday and Jim and Judy’s 20th anniversary. Why not?
What are friends for? We sailed on the Royal Caribbean
ship Grandeur of the Seas out of Baltimore. The weather
en route was nothing to brag about, but turned warm
and humid when we reached Bermuda. We had a great
time re-visiting with our friends and re-experiencing
Bermuda. Jim and Judy had also planned to renew their
wedding vows as part of the trip, and I had the honor
of walking Judy “down the aisle.” (15) Congratulations
Princess Judy and Captain Jim (Judy will hate me for
this). Hey, what are friends for anyway?
Another trip was scheduled
15
for December—another trip
to the hospital, that is. Nine
years ago I had my right knee
scoped and the official diagnosis (in addition to arthritis)
was that my ACL was officially
done and gone. I was fitted
for a knee brace at that time
which I religiously wore to
play tennis. The walking in Europe up and down hills
on all those cobblestones bothered me a bit and made
me realize it was time for a reconstruction in the not-sodistant future. Hey, wait a minute. Didn’t I pay the big
deductible on my health insurance earlier in the year?
Let’s call Dr. Tom Renz to see if he can get me scheduled before the end of the year. And so it began with a
December 5 ACL reconstruction (from a cadaver). That
Monday morning was surgery and I was home by early
afternoon to begin physical therapy courtesy of Henry
Hershey using a machine to constantly exercise my knee.
I was back to the doctor on Wednesday for a check-up
and to have my knee aspirated (the most painful thing of
the whole experience). Once that was done, the crutches
were history. Thursday was my follow-up physical therapy appointment with Henry. Despite his initial skepticism of my quick recovery, he became a believer on
the success of my surgery (and my unwillingness to sit
still for days). By Friday I was driving again. I can’t say
enough about Tom and Henry and the staff at Lancaster
General who could not have been more helpful and positive. I was walking two miles a day within five days of
my surgery and never had to take one pain pill. Call me
lucky or the beneficiary of the work of some talented
people. Either way, I’ll take it. Life is good!
2005 also found me working on my first book. Yes, you
heard it here. I’ll not bore you
with the details of how this all
got started, but, with any kind
of luck, it will make it to print
by 2007. My love of cars has
been forever, so why not write
about something I purport to
know something about? I have
been doing research on a littleknown company in Lancaster
known as the Charles Schutte
Body Company on South West
End Avenue. The Schutte
Company (from about 1910-1926) received chassis and
engines from high-end car companies (Duesenberg,
Packard, Cadillac, Hispano-Suiza, Rolls-Royce, Bentley,
etc.) and designed and built custom bodies to customer
specifications. If you were a person of wealth in those
days, you had a car built just for you! This little company in Lancaster was one of those companies who created
these individual masterpieces and I am attempting to put
together the history of the company (in words and pictures). It has been a fascinating experience thus far, and I
am looking forward to the final result. It should be pretty
neat as the photos that I have been able to find thus far
are really interesting, even for the non-car person. (16)
The final
thing of note
for 2005 (really
2006) was a trip
to the Orange
Bowl. Eat your
heart out PSU
fans! We have
spent the last
(I forget how
many) few years
in Florida for Christmas and this time we decided to stay
for New Years, too. We had lots of company which made
for a great time. And thanks to Jerry and Pat Larish (and
Ron and Karen Flick) Orange Bowl tickets became a reality. KT (the PSU fan and grad) was not able to change
her flight (but I was) and I was joined by Phil Flipse and
Gwen Black (Gwen was guest chef in my last newsletter)
to experience
triple overtime
and what had
to be one of the
longest defensive games in
history. It was
really fun and
a fitting cap to
a great 2005
and hopefully, a
great 2006.(17)
16
17
5
W
hy would I feature a competitor’s
kitchen in my newsletter? Actually,
fellow realtor Darlene Fenstermacher (and
husband Dennis) have been friends for
many years. Darlene was one of my mentors when I was getting started in real
estate and we have, strangely enough, been
able to peacefully coexist as agents in the
BEFORE
AFTER
same office, despite knowing many of the same people.
Darlene and Dennis built their current home in
Manheim Township in 1982. Darlene, obviously, was the
realtor, enabling her to secure one of the prime lots in the
neighborhood. Dennis was the general contractor as he is
a master carpenter specializing in trim carpentry for Horst
Construction. Call them the dynamic duo of sorts. During
20-plus years many updates and additions have been
made to the house. They included a sunroom, a first floor
master bedroom suite and office, finishing of the basement, a pool, a garage and workshop, bathroom redos,
etc. The kitchen re-do, completed in 2005, is one of the
last things to be renovated.
Rather than remove the custom cabinetry (the
original cabinet maker is no longer in business) the
Fenstermachers chose to refinish and rebuild the
existing cabinetry. It was a golden oak which
had lost its favor with the family. Olde Hickory
Refinishing in Manheim (also no longer in business; the Fenstermacher kitchen was their last job)
was contacted to paint the cabinetry white. Next
to the fridge, a cabinet housing a wall oven was
removed and in its place new upper (with glass)
and lower cabinets were installed (the idea of
daughter Allison). The island cooktop was removed
and a smooth-top electric slide-in range with oven
below was put in place of the former cooktop. A
raised portion was built at the end of the island to
add function and to hide the cooking area from the
breakfast room. New barstools came from Pottery
6
Barn. Lighting over the
bar came from Home
Depot replacing the former pot rack. The end
run of cabinets closest to
the breakfast room was
also changed to include a
glass upper cabinet, new
end cabinet shelving, and
a pull-out trash receptacle
(the idea of daughter
Ashley). Previous to the
renovation, the family had purchased a stainless steel
fridge (with freezer on the bottom) in anticipation of the
remodel. The remaining black and almond appliances
were replaced with new stainless steel models to match
the fridge. New cabinetry hardware was installed to match
the stainless steel appliances as was a stainless steel sink
with a coordinating brushed nickel faucet.
Darlene dreamed of Carrera marble countertops,
but they were just not practical. Carrera marble is very
porous and stains very easily. Cornerstone Granite in
Elizabethtown recommended a granite surface called
“White Diamonds” which looks surprisingly like the
marble Darlene wanted but doesn’t have the durability
and care issues. Indoor City installed the striking white
subway tiles on the backsplash to compliment the new
countertops.
The adjoining breakfast room did not escape renovation. The existing cabinetry was painted black and sanded
and rubbed to replicate wear and use. The wicker loveseat was painted black and Corby Rambler of Manheim
was contacted to make the new toile cushions. The old
breakfast room table (which Dennis and Darlene purchased years ago as an unfinished piece) was refinished
in a darker stain while new chairs from Pottery Barn
were purchased to compliment the newly refinished table.
Phillips Paint and Wallpapering in Centerville created the
relaxed Roman shades. The columns separating the next1
door office were done by Dennis in a previous renovation
but really stand out in the new digs. Finally, oak hardwood
floors to match the rest of the first floor of the house were
installed to create a seamless look. (1)
Three items to note. 1) This was a family affair as twin
daughters Allison and Ashley were actively involved in
the design process offering
many ideas along the way.
2) The Fenstermachers
admit to getting many of
their ideas from seeing sets
on TV shows in addition to
things they would see on
HGTV. 3) When I asked the
name of the paint color on
the kitchen walls, Darlene
could only laugh. It was an
error; the painter used the
color as a primer. When
the actual paint color chosen was put on the walls,
Darlene indicated that she
liked the primer better and
asked the painter to go back to it. Sometimes the
best ideas happen by mistake. Nonetheless, I’m sure
you’ll agree it is a great transformation.
C
hris and Elisse Gaydos, three kids, and dogs
Bert and Ernie relocated to Lancaster from St.
Simons Island, Georgia. The family pretty much had
in mind a new house when they moved here and
settled on building in Manheim Township. Unlike
the Fenstermachers who worked with an existing
kitchen, Chris and Elisse built a kitchen (and home)
from scratch. Admittedly, the Gaydos’ choices hit
on many of the hot buttons of today’s homeowners:
maple cabinetry, hardwood floors, stainless steel
appliances, pendant lighting, and 42-inch upper
cabinets to compliment the nine-foot ceilings. But,
to give it their own twist, they hit on another of
today’s hot buttons—subway tiles on the backsplash, this time in black with a Kohler cast enamel
sink to match. Adair’s Brunnerville Carpet Shop did
the installation. To hide the code-required electrical
outlets on the backsplash, the outlets and outlet covers were done in black, too. The granite countertops
are Columbo Gold, cabinets are by Merillat, the
faucet is Moen, and appliances are by JennAir. The
Gaydos are especially pleased with their stove; a
dual fuel with gas burners and two electric convection ovens. It conveniently fits in a standard 30-inch
opening. Nice, don’t you think? (2)
Y
ou’ve seen their names repeated here before, but some
people just get it right and their ideas are worth sharing over and over again. Unlike the Fenstermachers who
worked with an existing kitchen design and layout and the
Gaydos’ who choose to build a new home, Don and Tara
Fausnaught chose to remove the existing kitchen of their
West Earl Township home down to the bare walls and start
all over. Tara gets the credit for creating an “old world”
atmosphere with the emphasis on comfortable and casual.
To say that she succeeded is an understatement!
The Fausnaughts contacted Mike Kauffman of
Kauffman Enterprises in Paradise to construct the new
maple cabinets awash in a ginger glaze. (3&4) Mike also
paneled the refrigerator (with
2
freezer on the bottom) to
match the cabinetry. The
kitchen was opened up to
the adjoining family room,
formerly nothing more
than a window-like passthrough over the kitchen
sink. Two different granites
from Fleming Tile & Marble
in Willow Street were chosen for the kitchen: “new”
Ubatuba Black for the main
“L” and Amazon Gold for the
peninsula. The square-topped
3 leather barstools are from
Pottery Barn.
Robert S. Kline
of Lancaster
served as the
general contractor and also
as tile installer
for the project.
Tara chose
14 x14-inch
porcelain tiles
for the floor
that resembled
4 stone (Tagina
Giomici Castelli
del Umbria)
and a parchment grout to
make maintenance easy.
The backsplash
was covered
with Majica
– Ambra Series
tiles with decorative accents.
A new stainless
steel undermount sink from Blanco and Moen faucet as
well as additional recessed lighting were installed by Haller
Enterprises. Decorative metal cornice accents from Ballard
Designs added a finishing touch to the walls separating
the kitchen and family rooms. The adjoining mud room,
powder room, and foyer were tiled and also remodeled to
match the new kitchen. Finally, the walls were painted
Glidden’s Camel Coat to pull everything together. Another
winner from the Fausnaughts.
7
s
k
n
a
h
T
for a
!
5
0
’
t
e
a
r
G
I would be remiss if I
didn’t say thanks to all of you
for helping to make 2005 my
best year ever in real estate.
It’s hard to believe that I am
approaching the 20-year mark,
but it’s right around the corner. I can’t tell you how much
I appreciate your continuous
referrals and recommendations
as validation of the job I do
in an attempt to help others. I
closed over $22 million in sales
making me the top salesperson
in my office and a RE/MAX
Platinum Award recipient for
the ninth time. Earlier in the
year I received the RE/MAX
Lifetime Achievement Award
for which I have you to thank.
I would also be remiss if
I didn’t mention how often I
hear from you with a request
to help friends involved in
a real estate transaction that
hasn’t gone so well. Most
times it’s too late. As in any
profession, there is good and
bad, and unfortunately, in my
profession there are a lot of
part-time, inexperienced and
unprofessional people. In real
estate, unlike with most purchases, you get to choose who
you want to work with. Make
your choice wisely and help
your friends, family members
and business associates to do
the same. I could care less how
big or small the transaction is,
and if it is not my area of specialty or geographic area, I’ll
put you in touch with who can
best help you. In short, call me
first and always remember to
call me. Thanks!
—Bill
8
A HOUSE FOR ONE
(OR MANY)
Cheryl Peck
1
and I first met
in 1999 when
she was referred
to me before
relocating to
Lancaster from
Breckenridge,
Colorado. We
worked together
on finding the
perfect new
home, ultimately designing
and building a
new home in
West Lampeter Township. Cheryl’s definitive good taste and desire for perfection was
quite evident from day one. She and I share the “I want to design and build a new
house” bug and hers bit again in 2005.
Cheryl purchased an orphan lot at the end of a quiet West Lampeter Township
street and set about designing her new home. Also, since first meeting Cheryl, she
indulged her house-fever by going to work for a builder, Dan Siegrist, of Custom
Home Group, Inc., (www.customhomegroup.com) Quarryville, after giving up life
in “Corporate America.” She serves as Director of Internal Affairs for the familyowned company which has been building custom homes in Lancaster, York and
Chester counties in
2
Pennsylvania and in
Cecil and Harford
counties in Maryland
for more than 20
years. The company completes about
twelve homes each
year.
Cheryl’s decision to
build was motivated,
in part, to move to a
3
smaller, more functional house that showcased her
two passions, music and cooking while allowing her
to share them with friends and family. She credits
designer Sarah Susanka, author of The Not So Big
House (a Taunton Press book) who likes her philosophy of building a truly personal space. It turns out
that the new house is not that much smaller than
her previous home, but at 2,600 sq. ft., it reflects
who Cheryl is and what she likes to do.
Outside, the house looks as though it has a
second story. In reality, the shed dormer and the
reverse gable on the front of the house are there to
bring light and drama into the living space. The two
bedroom, two and one-half bath home affords one-
floor living but also
includes a daylight, finished lower level. The
exterior is constructed
in a cottage-style and
is designed with lowmaintenance in mind
including Certainteed
vinyl siding, board
and batten shutters,
maintenance-free deck
and vinyl railing, brick
sidewalk, and maintenance free porch posts
and trim detail (1). A
special “designed-by”
plaque is embedded in
the corner of the house
honoring Cheryl’s
friend Jared (Custom Home Group’s draftsman/designer)
whose work in designing the house was his gift to her.
Step inside and the first thing you’ll notice is the openness of the space and the height of the ceilings—nine feet
throughout the first floor of the house, except the
cathedral great room which is a whopping 19 feet at
its high point. Next you’ll notice Cheryl’s exceptional
taste in decorating and the meticulous detail in the
finishes she has chosen. The entry foyer is floored
in black slate porcelain tile. Just off the foyer is a 12
x 10-foot office behind French doors, Cheryl’s concession to doing work at home. The dramatic great
room, dining area, kitchen and hall are covered in
Carlisle wideplank, random width heart pine floors
lending an air of casual comfort while providing a
4
was inspired by home decorating diva Martha Stewart
(3). The staircase is open to the lower level adjacent to
which is the music niche where space is shared by a
grand piano and violin (4).
The beadboard theme is echoed in the kitchen cabinetry. Zodiac countertops share space with a Viking
cooktop and hood. The center island which includes an
extra-deep stainless steel double-bowl sink with raised
eating area that has a furniture-grade finish. The backsplash is composed of glass tiles and pendant lighting
provides a dramatic accent. ‘Ya gotta love the 9 x 8foot walk-in pantry, perfect storage for all the food and
equipment this cook could ever use (5).
The cozy owner’s suite boasts five-foot high paneled
wainscoting (6). The adjoining bath is tiled and offers
Cheryl a private retreat with separate shower including
a Moen Vertical Shower Spa and Maax Pearl Designer
Yasui Perimeter Air Tub.
The sloped site required a daylight basement which
Cheryl used to her benefit. The lower level, built of ninefoot Superior Walls, includes a sumptuous guest quarters,
full bath, living room and outdoor patio (7). The unfinished
portion is used for mechanicals and additional storage.
5
6
visual unity to the large space (2). Also
providing unity in the house is a trio of
coordinating Duron colors called Garden
Gate, Hardware, and Svelte Sage. Trimwork
everywhere is a vintage, turn-of-the-century
style painted white and man, does it pop!
Rounded drywall corners with extensive
trimwork and wainscot and beadboard are
used throughout. Cheryl’s fireplace design
A wainscoted hallway with coat rack and bench leads
to a two-car garage. The floor of the garage is covered with
Granitite, a speckled maintenance-free epoxy finish.
It’s safe to say that Cheryl has accomplished her goals
in a magnificent way.
7
The photos, courtesy of Jeremy Hess
Photography, attest to
her obsession with creating her own personal
masterpiece. The devil
is in the details and
Cheryl has managed
to deal with them in
grand fashion.
9
In past newsletters, I called this column Bits and Pieces,
from decay
but I used that to describe the lead article in the last newsand come
letter. Odds and Ends is, realistically, a much better descripin amber,
tion for what lies ahead. Hey, it’s my newsletter and I can
colbalt blue,
change my mind if I like.
olive green,
and black.
Last Issue (#8), I featured red dining rooms. Correction:
They cost
Picture #9 (page 3) is described as ICI 121 Classic Burgundy.
from $6.75
The actual color is Benjamin Moore Raspberry Truffle.
to $21.50,
Thanks to Lori Stoltzfus at Garman Builders, Inc. for the
depending on size and attach by
correction.
using a clear adhesive. Check
Speaking of paint, I also mentioned the sample colout woodwayproducts.com for
ors offered by Benjamin Moore. Now Sherman Williams
the names of dealers. A neat
has gotten into the act and has them available for their
idea for an otherwise all-wood deck.
line of paint. Check out their website at www.shermanWhen’s the last time you got anything for free at
williams.com.
Home
Depot and Lowe’s? Both offer free, that’s right free,
When pouring paint, a funnel is the easiest way to pour
magazines for the consumer. Lowe’s is
paint from a can. But if you don’t have
called CreativeIdeas and you can get it
a funnel, try holding a pencil, pointAll of us have been caught by rising by calling 1-877-LOWES-2 and using
down, against the edge of the can
energy costs. No surprise there.
invitation code 5978 or by signing up
and pouring. The paint will follow its
on-line at LowesCreativeIdeas.com.
The
Edison
Electric
Institute
rectapered tip in a neat line into the new
Home Depot’s rag is called Style
ommends
the
following
to
save
up
container.
Ideas and you can subscribe by call% on heating bills.
to
58
If you are like me, you are relucing 1-800-234-0355 or on-line at
•Wrap your water heater tank in a pretant to get rid of old paint cans for
styleideas.com. They both highlight
cut insulating jacket to reduce heat loss
fear of needing to do the inevitable
their respective companies and the
through
the
walls
of
the
tank.
(up
to
9%
touch-up (that never seems to get
products they sell, but remember,
savings)
done). Reality is the amount of paint
these are free! Some good ideas at no
•Channel warm air only where you need
left in the can and the fading of colcost.
it by shutting doors and heating vents in
ors on the walls over time, makes
While on the subject of magaunused rooms (saves 3%).
the mismatched touch-up worthless.
zines,
one of my favorites (and
And, don’t think you are doing a
•Seal around joints in metal ductwork.
Cheryl
Peck’s) is Inspired House from
(saves up to 20%).
favor to the new homeowner by leavTaunton Press. I extolled the virtues
ing all those cans (unless you just
•Lower your water heater temp to 120
of this periodical in a previous newsrepainted). Check your local laws,
degrees (saves up to 15%).
letter, but alas, it is to be no more.
but for the most part, latex cans can
•Open curtains during the day to capture
I received a letter in the mail a few
go out with the trash once the lid has
the sun’s heat, and close them at night to
weeks ago from the publisher statbeen removed and the contents have
keep warm air from escaping (saves up to
ing that economics has forced them
dried. Oil-based
12%)
to discontinue the magazine. Too
paints should
•Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and bad, because it was easily one of the
be discarded
windows (saves up to 6%).
best. Taunton Press prints some great
at a household
•Replace your forced-air furnace’s filter
home reference books. Go on-line at
hazardous waste
(saves up to 15%).
www.taunton.com.
site.
Make no bones about it, I don’t
My final thought on paint has to
like to get my hands dirty. You know my motto: “Point and
do with yet another great idea from
pay. How much is it and when can you have it done?” KT is
George and Lori Rombold. Some
the gardener and one of her many idols is
people are just too clever and that
Don Houseal. Don has the proverbial green
describes the Rombolds who have
thumb . . . and then some. Whenever we
been featured in this newsletter
visit him and wife Julie, KT and I marvel
many times before. The painting the
at Don’s gardens, both here in Lancaster
couple wanted to feature over their
and at their beach house. Julie shared
fireplace just didn’t have enough size
pictures with me that I need to share with
to offer the accent they were looking
you of one of Don’s cactuses. I, too, have a
for. Solution: using a complimentary
cactus like this which has bloomed twice
shade to their existing wall color to frame the painting,
(I think a total of five flowers) in 12 or so
thereby giving it the punch they were looking for. Great
years. Look at this thing. It’s like a freak of
money saving idea!
nature! The blooms look like asparagus and
It’s soon the season to be outdoors and it’s time to spruce
they come out at night and last no more
up the deck. I saw a blurb in the recent issue of This Old
than a day. The Houseals don’t just have
House Magazine for a really cool idea – glass caps for fence
one of these, they have many and they are
posts, porches and decks. These caps protect wood post tops
really something to see!
10
4
How long have I
known Paul? I honestly
don’t remember, but it was
likely about 1991 when
Paul was a loan officer for
Parent Federal Savings Bank
assigned to my office. That’s
not fair, because Paul is the
kind of person who makes a
great first impression. I call
it the patented Fazzini smile—always positive and upbeat.
We pretty much became instant friends and the rest, as they
say, is history.
He is married to wife Anna and together they have two
daughters, Rachel and Morgan (best described as Anna, Jr.).
The Fazzini’s are classic Italian (or as we say in Lancaster
County, Eye-talian) in many ways, especially when it comes
to cooking and entertaining. Paul’s motto, the more the merrier, couldn’t be truer. He comes from an immigrant Italian
family and is one of ten children! Anna (whose maiden
name was Fortuna – she didn’t even have to change her
monogramming initials) was one of three siblings. She grew
up meeting Paul while in high school, subsequently dat-
TORTELLINI WITH CREAMY PESTO SAUCE
4 oz cream cheese
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup fresh basil, firmly
packed and minced
2 T olive oil
¼ cup grated parmesan
cheese
¼ cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb tortellini
¼ cup lightly roasted
pine nuts
FOCACCIA
BREAD
1 ¼ cup warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
2 T olive oil, plus 2 tsp
3 ½ to 4 cups
bread flour
(not all-purpose)
In a saucepan over low heat, melt
cream cheese; add garlic, basil, olive
oil, Parmesan cheese, cream, salt and
pepper to taste. Allow to cool slightly
and pour into a mixer or food processor. Mix well. In a pot of salted boiling
water, cook tortellini according to
package instructions. Transfer tortellini to a warm serving bowl. Top with
pesto and stir. If needed, add some
of the tortellini cooking water to the
pesto to give the desired consistency.
Top with lightly roasted pine nuts. ing, and then marrying him on April Fool’s Day (take from
that what you may). Paul is from Donora and Anna is from
Monongahela, both near Pittsburgh. It’s not unusual to be
at the Fazzini household and there are countless friends and
relatives visiting and staying for dinner. Dinner at the Fazzini
household can best be described as an event, rather than a
meal. And, while I’m extolling the virtues of Paul as a cook,
Anna is quite the accomplished chef, too. Both Paul and
Anna are avid runners and play us occasionally in mixed
doubles (when Anna, due to her net behavior, takes on the
name “Anna –mal”). Paul and I serve together on the Board
of the Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation of Lancaster County,
he as President and I as Secretary. Fortunately, we get to see
the Fazzini’s quite often, although we’re always available for
dinner together (hint, hint).
Paul’s family has created their own cookbook, simply
called The Fazzini Family Cookbook which his sister Ann
compiled in 2001. The names read like an episode of the
Sopranos, but that’s where the similarities end! It’s good
I have my own copy after that comment. Paul is a master
at pasta making and bakes a focaccia second to none. I’m
sure you’ll enjoy the recipes to follow which are some of his
favorites. Mangia! Mangia!
LIMONCELLO
Wash the lemons in hot water before
you start. Remove the peel with a
This is a fantastic (sweet) vegetable peeler, being careful to
after dinner drink
remove the lemon peels only- not
15 lemons
4 ½ cup sugar
2 bottles of
good vodka
5 cup water
Additional serving
suggestions:
Cokello:
1 oz limoncello,
1 oz light rum, Coke
the white pith. If any white pith is left
on the back of the lemon, scrape off
with a knife. Place peels in a 4 quart
mason jar. Add 1 bottle of vodka and
stir. Cover the jar and put it to rest in
a dark cabinet at room temperature
for 20 days. After 20 days, take out
the lemon-vodka mixture. In a sauce
pan over high heat, stir the sugar
and water together and boil for 5
minutes. Let the sugar syrup cool
completely. Add the sugar-syrup to
the lemon-vodka mixture along with
the second bottle of vodka. Stir well
to combine. Replace the cover on the
jar and allow to sit for another 20
days. At day 40, remove the limoncello from the cabinet. Strain the
mixture and discard the lemon peel.
Pour into clean, unused bottles with
caps or decorative corked bottles.
Store the bottles in the pantry, but
keep one bottle in the freezer until
ready to use. Serve ice cold in shot
glasses. A little goes a long way.
Lemon Sunrise:
Using an electric mixer with a dough
1 ½ oz tequila,
hook (or your hands!), whisk the yeast,
1 oz limoncello,
sugar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil,
½ oz grenadine,
warm water for 2 minutes to dissolve
2 oz orange juice
the yeast. Add the salt and 3 cups of
Pink Cello:
the flour. With the mixer on low, mix
½ oz limoncello,
until the dough starts to come together.
1 oz vodka,
Increase the speed to medium-high and
cranberry juice
mix until the dough comes away from
Lemon Fizz:
the sides of the bowl. If the dough is
½ oz limoncello,
overly sticky, slowly add the remain1 oz vodka, club soda
ing flour. Continue to mix for approx
5-7 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly
greased bowl, cover the bowl with
pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rest
plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free
for 1 hour. Bake the dough for 30 to 35 minplace until the dough doubles in size about 1 ½
utes or until the crust is golden brown.
hours (you can also make the dough the night
This is a very good “basic” dough. Prior to
before and place in a refrigerator overnight).
cooking, you can cover the dough with any
Grease a baking sheet pan. Turn the dough out
number of toppings. My “most requested”
onto a baking sheet. Punch the dough down
are: caramelized onions, spinach and feta
and press the dough out into the pan. Brush
cheese, pizza sauce and cheese, sliced roasted
the dough with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle
eggplant, olive oil and rosemary.
the dough with kosher salt. Lightly cover the
11
5
issue 9, APRIL ’06
A Newsletter about homes, you...and Bill
“May your
house always
be too small
to hold all
your friends.”
T
his spectacular former ironmaster’s residence built in 1871 is located on 7.4
Associates of Lancaster
Bill Rothermel, ABR,CRS,CSP,GRI
Associate Broker, Relocation Specialist
billr1@comcast.net
Office: 717-569-2222
Direct: 717-581-4904
acres with convenient access to Harrisburg, York, or Lancaster. It is loaded
with period details, yet affords the best of living demanded by today’s most
discriminating homeowner. In addition to 6 bedrooms and 5½ baths, this
grand residence includes a sweeping three-story staircase; fully finished
lower level; third floor ballroom; 40x20 Sylvan in-ground pool with adjacent
pool house/cabana; tennis court; three-car garage with loft storage; and lavish gardens. All major systems updated including central air conditioning.
$1,895,000.00
Bill Rothermel
Re/max Associates of Lancaster
100 Foxshire Drive
lancaster, PA 17601
Address Service Requested
ML#94093
FIRST CLASS
MAIL
U.S. Postage
PAID
Lancaster, PA
Permit No. 453