Is your weekend calendar looking a little drab? Sagging in spots? Lacking a good "fun"dation?
There's plenty going on throughout Valley Forge and Montgomery County, Pa., this Saturday and Sunday. With the recommendations below, do-it-yourselfers in "The Pursuit" of a makeover to their same-old, same-old weekend should be able to nail it.
For a quick and inexpensive furniture rejuvenation, swap out the drawer pulls; exchanging ceramic hardware for, say, something in brass can brighten an entire piece. Speaking of brass, there's plenty on display (76 trombones, perhaps) at the Methacton Community Theater's production of The Music Man, which runs July 19-27. Check back with Tuesday's edition of The Pursuit for a closer look at how the show's scenic designer used modern technology to create the musical's period look.
Interior makeovers aren't anything new. Our 19th century ancestors brightened up glass surfaces on clocks and mirrors by painting them with interesting designs. Learn how at the Mennonite Heritage Center on Saturday, July 20. The technique is demonstrated by artisan Sandra Coldren, a member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. You'll leave with not only an appreciation for this skill but also your own painting on glass, ready for framing.
Mismatched silverware can be repurposed into everything from frames to wind chimes. But if you prefer your silverware solely for eating, focus your fork on Ambler Restaurant Week, July 21-28. More than a dozen Ambler-area eateries offer wonderful specials and prix-fixe menus, giving you the chance to savor, sample and salivate over a wide array of cuisines.
Brick walls may sound like a design challenge, but with other elements to soften the look - tapestries or draperies - they can become showpieces. Celebrate one of classic rock's most famous brick walls at the Sunnybrook Ballroom on Saturday, July 20. Since its inception in 2007, the band Beyond the Wall has been using lights, video, sound FX, scrupulous attention to musical detail and five musicians with 100+ years of collective experience to bring Pink Floyd concerts and albums to life. Cue the marching hammers.
If all this remodeling sounds intimidating, it might be time for a professional consult. TV's Taniya Nayak (House Hunters on Vacation, Restaurant: Impossible) will be at the King of Prussia Mall on Saturday, July 20 at the HGTV pop-up showroom. You can ask Taniya for tips and advice and check out the chic design combos of paints, fabrics, accents and furniture that HGTV has on display. Taniya shared her sunny personality and a few behind-the-scenes stories on her television career with The Pursuit, here.
With this information in your toolkit, you should easily be able to cobble together a good time. Or at least keep yourself from getting board.
