Our house is an 1895 Stone Colonial in Elkins Park, PA. It suffered a fire in the 1990's, but all original stone remains, and was sold to a local builder who thoughtfully reconstructed it as a wedding gift for his son. However, upon seeing the house, the son and his bride decided they preferred city living. The house was subsequently purchased by Amy and Ross M. Levy in August of 2006, who have lovingly maintained it ever since. It now has 28 LG solar panels and an Enphase system. The house has a basement, a main level, a second floor, and third top level. It also has a gorgeous wrap around porch reconstructed in 2015. The house has an open floor plan. The house has an entryway, a living room, dining room, kitchen on the main level. On the second floor we have a Master bedroom with master bath. It also has a guest suite with private bathroom. This level also has a meditation room. The top level is home to the girls rooms, Aria and Kira, 2 years apart in age. They have a private shared bathroom and the laundry room is up there as well. In the basement, knowns as the Playroom is a paradise for nostalgia. It has six arcade cabinets, Pong, Golden Tee 3D, Ridge Racer, Root Beer Tapper, Pacman and NBA Jam. A full size air hockey table and regulation darts are also available. 1980's style knock hockey table hangs on the all as well as Fore-Par a classic mini-golf billiards game form the 1960's. The house is a very open floor plan with an interior color of pigeon gray. The entryway is inviting with lots of light and live edge wood bench next to the coat closet. We also have a pipe and spigot coat rack on the wall behind the front door. You walk in to see a decommissioned 1970's traffic light. We have painted it white to match the decor. We also feature a "secret bathroom" disguised as a book shelf. Pull the Moby Dick book to open the door. The living room has a barn wood accent wall made by Ross M. Levy and his dad, George. The house also features a live moss wall strip on one of the partitioned walls on the main level. The house has a connected flow from room to room and even level to level. The front entrance is protected by a Nest Doorbell and Yale Lock set for easy and keyless access. The main level has recessed lighting throughout. All light bulbs are Philips Hue smart bulbs. Philips Hue Tap switches are also in the entryway, living room, dining room, and kitchen. The main level also has a Nest Protect for smoke and Co2 detection. Their playroom also has smart lights and a Nest Protect. They back door has a Schlage smart lock as well. Many rooms have Apple HomePods including the aria’s room, Kira’s room, the living room, kitchen, playroom, master bedroom, and recording studio. Apple tv’s are in the living room, kitchen, playroom, master bedroom, master bathroom, guest room, and the porch outside. We also have nest cameras in public spaces like the kitchen, entryway, and playroom. We also have a camera at the front door and the front driveway and one more facing the garage. We have Nanoleaf Aurora light features in the master bedroom and the recording studio. All technology is connected through thE Apple HomeKit system. Dining room artwork includes a pice by Marlene Adler called Sabbath for the Soul. It is the original work. The dining room also has a 40” x 30” Lego made replica of Vermeer’s Girl With a Pearl Earring made in 2017 by Ross M. Levy as a gift to Amy for their 10th wedding anniversary. On the main level next to the kitchen is a 12’ by 5’ Jackson Pollack style painting with gold, silver, white, and black paint. It extends between the main level and playroom. In the playroom is an original lithograph called Sarah by artist Leonard Baskin. On the stairway from the main level to the second level is a piece called “Carnival at Marmorhaus”, it is an old Vintage Poster. We have a resort style wrap around porch with three sitting areas, one being an old 14’ synagogue pew bench adorned with Torahs on the sides. three ceiling fans and a 42 inch outdoor tv with Apple TV. A Weber grill is on the porch as well. We also have a queen sized “grass bed” with pillows for a relaxing nap outside. The playroom has a 100” projector screen for movie nights or intense Nintendo sessions. Include the arcade games and other games I mentioned earlier as fun features in the playroom. A Meural Digital Canvas is featured in the entryway as well. A meditation room is also a feature with a yoga swing and floor pillows for a tranquil eastern practice room. Living in our home is fun. Music is constantly being played and Seinfeld memorabilia is scattered throughout. The indoor hammock and birch tree Forrest are all unique and make this place a blast to be in. Every turn presents a new fun thing to look at or experience. Our living room has a grand piano and the mater bedroom has a Yamaha Clavinova grand digital piano. We also have a large didgeridoo with a hand painted blue turtle on it. We have the air hockey table, Fore-Par an old billiard style mini-golf game. A regulation darts board with grass backing. Old school Nintendo is also available on the 100 inch projector screen. We also have Nintendo Wii with Rock Band games with guitars! Make sure to add this to info about the playroom. Let’s talk about furniture around the house as well. From a wrap around couch in the living room to a handmade kitchen table featuring Singer sewing machine bases from the 1890’s. Our dining room has a glass table top for seating up to 6 people. At the table you are between a large wide mirror and the Girl with a pearl earring art piece. The center of the house on the main level is a chandelier of steel and mason jars with flame light bulbs in a spiral. We have six guitars that hang in the main foyer on the main level. I want to give you more about the birch tree area outside the meditation room. A white leather bench sits between 5 birch trees that reach floor to ceiling. A large 6’ x6’ wall clock sits amongst the trees. A family photo gallery of 32 family photos in black and white surround the doorway to the guest room. A large kitchen with stainless steel and granite countertops. Under cabinet lights are all Philips Hue light strips. The chandelier in the kitchen is stainless steel as well and helps light the playroom from above. The Samsung fridge keeps our food fresh. We also have a Bosch dishwasher and in sink garbage disposal. We us e a traditional electric stove top and a regular oven by kitchen aid. The kitchen also has a June SMart oven. The garbage is a JosephJoseph manual trash compactor can. The kitchen table was made by Ross M. Levy from an oak wood board which sits on two singer sewing machine base stations from the 1890’s. A small white board sits above the oven for family messages. The entryway has a handmade smart mirror across from the secret door made by Ross M. Levy. It serves a mirror to sue before leaving the house with a dashboard of info like time, weather, and top news from CNN and NYT. The entryway has the Meural Digital Canvas with tons of Seinfeld fan art. They secret door has a Seinfeld lego living room set, the Tweety bird Pez dispenser, a custom made Trivial Pursuit card with the Moops answer on it. the ASSMAN license plate, the script from The Big Salad and a soundbox that plays the Seinfeld theme song. et's talk about the girl's rooms on the top floor. They live in "the tower" of our home with a shared bathroom. Each girl has her own room with a queen sized bed and an Apple TV for entertainment. A desk for study in both as well. Aria 's room is very light and airy with vinyl records on the wall and a sewing machine area for her fashion work. Kira's room is fun and playful with LED lights and a makeup table. The hallway on their floor has a laundry room and community vanity makeup desk. The master bedroom should be next with its incredibly high ceilings. It is a paradise, a true sanctuary. It has a Wyoming king sized bed with sixty Nanoleaf light panels adorning the wall and ceiling behind the incredible Vant panel headboard. A couch and ottoman are in one corner by the window and opposite is our black fireplace. The Yamaha piano sits in another corner beside a full length overused mirror that leans against the wall next to a huge window box. 1970's art deco lamps are on the end tables which are mirrored glass. A blue bench sits in front of the bed. The master bathroom is large with a toilet and Brondell bidet for hygiene. A jacuzzi tub and shower stall are available next to the sink and vanity medicine cabinet. The bedroom also has a large walk in closet. The meditation room on the second level in a deep tranquil blue with a golden yoga swing. It has golden floor pillows and stools plus yoga mats for deep meditation. Books line the shelf of eastern and judaic philosophy. The room has a wind chime for added peace and ambience. It is a small space with infinite meditative possibilities. Let's talk about the outside now. We have a long paved driveway that goes to a large detached garage with a loft that houses storage and a wood shop for projects. The backyard is grassy and has three stone steps that lead down to the back door. The backyard has a wooden playset with swings and a clubhouse which has a small climbing wall as well. The front yard is enclosed with a black steel fence around a large grassy area where the dogs run around. It has a grassy yard with hosta plants and hydrangeas. A stone walkway goes from the driveway to the main steps up to the porch and up again to the front door. As you go from the main level downstairs to the playroom you will see in front of you an indoor hammock cut into the floor beside large windows that go from the bottom floor all the way up to the top floor. The hammock is surrounded by pillows and a small table. It also is next to a 5 foot sculpture of a giraffe we call Zoe and a small to drum. If you continue down the stairs you will see my original David O'keefe Seinfeld caricature of the entire cast. The exterior is stone, wood, and beige gray stucco in a late 1800's colonial style with a modern flair on top due to the fire. The house has 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and one half bath in the secret bathroom. We have an entryway, a living room, a kitchen, a playroom, a meditation room, a laundry room, two utility rooms, and a recording studio. Hard wood oak floors and banisters are throughout the home. The pigeon gray is throughout the house. The secret bathroom is navy blue with orange accents like an old rotary phone. The meditation room I already told you above. Aria's room is light blue and white and Kira's room is light pink and white. As for flow, upon entry the living room is to your right, the dining room is straight and to the left and beyond that is the kitchen straight ahead. The recording studio is off of the playroom downstairs. The house is 5,141 square feet total, I don't know each room. The house is like a resort with each room having intention and engagement. A surprise everywhere and always a place to rest, relax, or refresh. The kitchen table is deep walnut on black singer sewing machine bases from the 1890's. The story behind th singer machines is that Ross M. Levy's parents also had a singer base for their kitchen table when he was a kid and they still do to this day. So, Ross M. Levy did it too. The house stone is Wissahickon and Bluestone. Books on the shelf in the meditation room are a variety of philosophies from the torah and talmud to books on yoga practice and Tibetan meditation. The house has a 3-Car Detached Garage with Loft out back. Smart Devices: Apple TVs installed in the Kitchen, Guest Room, Playroom, Master Bedroom, Master Bathroom, Aria's Room, Kira's Room, and the Porch. Nanoleaf light panels in the Master Bedroom. Apple Homekit-enabled smart devices throughout the house. Artwork: "Girl with a Pearl Earring" - A bespoke Lego artwork by Ross M. Levy. "Sporadic Gold" - A 12ft by 5ft Jackson Pollock style painting by Ross M. Levy. "Sarah" - An original lithograph by Leonard Baskin, located in the Playroom. Family Photo Gallery - Located on the second floor outside the guest room. These are the musical instruments, microphones, hardware, monitors, and gear in the recording studio: Alvarez ABT60ce w/ Gotoh 510 Alvarez 5221e (12 string) Babicz ID-JCRW-06 Babicz ID-ARW-06 Batson The Raven 2019 Castenera Argentine CE Composite Acoustics GX HG CBB ELE Cordoba Fusion Orchestra CE Cort Cort SJ-5 SN Cort Curbow 5 Bass D'Agostino D65 Epiphone DOT 335 Epiphone Les Paul Special Fender Mandolin FM-52E Fender Stratocaster ST551 Gibson Chet Atkins SST Gibson J-185ce Hadean EA - 100 Harmony RB-3525 Baritone Ukulele Johnson Resonator GC318 Johnson JB-080 Lanikai LU21 Soprano Martin DC-16RE Aura Martin LXI (Hurt) Martin 5-15T 1957 Tenor MVG Guitars Build #9 (Jumbo Walnut Baritone) New York Pro Stadium 9703 5 string (w Maya) New York Pro Jazz Deluxe Norman B20 (6) Ovation Celebrity CS 257 Regal Soprano Ukulele Stellar Mercury 001 Tacoma JK50CE4 Taylor 614ce w Gotoh 510 Taylor Baby Taylor K26ce w/ Gotoh 510 Tennessee Fretless 6STR Unknown Baritone Ukulele Washburn HB35S (Papa Ted’s Jazz GOC) Washburn R314KK (Parlor) Wei Water Dragon Custom Vietnamese Koa CE Wechter NV-5413E (Nashville Tuned) Weymann Banjo 4 string Yamaha 6-String Nylon Guitalele AKG C1000 C1000 x2 Blue Blueberry Blue Baby Bottle Blue Encore Blue Yeti pro Neumann K84i Sennheiser MD421 Shure Beta 91 Shure PG57 Shure PG81 Shure PGXD Telefunken M16 MKII Adam A7X Avantone Mixcubes KRK VXT8 Presonus Central Station Sansom S-Phone Sonarworks Reference ID The hardware featured is: AVID Carbon AVID Dock AVID S1 Empirical Labs EL8x Distressor x2 Focustrite Octopre Dynamic MKII Funklogic Palindrometer 202 Furman M-8Lx Furman M-8Xx2 Our plugin software is: Celemony Melodyne 5 Plug-in Alliance Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Waves Mercury+ Finally, these are the other instruments: Fender Acoustasonic 150 Fender Acoustasonic SFX Fender Mustang III Johnson Harmonica Full Set M-Audio Keystation 88 Pro Meinl Siam Oak Cajon Yamaha Clavinova CLP 665GP This is all controlled on an Argosy desk with an Apple iMac i9 I think a section called, "Made by RML" a chapter in the things that Ross M. Levy created. The Jackson Pollack, the lego Vermeer piece, the kitchen table, the moss wall, the barn wood accent wall, the secret door, and more. The Levy Home is a place filled with wonder and art, and technology, but its really a place of love and family, of rest and intellectual exploration. I want the dining room include the family time spent there beyond meals, like games, homework, projects. The kitchen chapter should really include a lot about Amy and how she has made cooking for our family about healing us with food. Amy believes that "food is medicine". Aria has Crohns Disease and Amy has learned to help heal her with food and healthy cooking. Don't focus too much on Crohn's but it is relevant to the story. I will not be able to get quotes from designers but maybe it would be funny to fake a few quotes from famous people. We will of course reveal in the book somewhere that some of the quotes aren't real. I asked Amy to reply to these questions to help you understand the home as well. 1. Can you describe the first day you moved into the Levy Home? Any specific memories or emotions that stand out? I remember the house having such a positive feel, full of promise. I could already hear music flowing from every level because of how open the house is. I loved how the windows (which were totally clean then) allowed for an enormous amount of light to come in. 2. What's your favorite memory in each room? And why? The basement has been transformed of each stage of the children’s lives and I’ve loved each one. My favorite memory is playing Barbies with our girls and watching their imaginations come to life down there. I loved the Father’s Day I cleaned out the storage room and told Ross it would be a recording studio. In the kitchen, I loved when we would do dinners around the world-the first one was Kenya and we dressed in costume too. In the dining room, my favorite memory is our Passover Seders, and one year Ross made us a Red Sea. In the living room, we played a lot and laughed a lot about the dogs- this is where they were babies and we had a gate up. It was amazing to watch them grow. I remember when Ross worked on our secret door bathroom and that downstairs bathroom is one you never want to come out of. The meditation room has literally been the place I begin my journey to healing through yoga, chanting, meditation. My favorite memory in the guest room is starting up my Poshmark business. It’s like being a kid all over again and playing “store”. I love it! My bedroom- my favorite memory is all the love that Ross and I make in there and snuggling with dogs and kids when they come in. I love our bathroom- I love taking showers with Ross and getting into a hot towel in the winter with our towel warmer. Upstairs in the girls rooms, I love the tucking in and the bonding we’ve done snuggling together. I hate the laundry room to be honest. The upstairs bathroom has the best window and we recently discovered our attic. The stairs are so intense- we have so many but they are their own space. Counting them with the girls when they were young was fun. The hammock area is so relaxing and I remember when Ross and I first got on it! We were so scared but it was so fun. This hole was transformed to a relaxing nook. The studio holds so many memories, but my favorite of Ross working on his albums for hours and hours and we can hear one line over and over again. The studio is right underneath a vent so we can hear every music line when he’s working in there in the living room. It’s amazing.
3. Can you share some funny or interesting stories that have happened in each space? The basement has flooded 3 times and we’ve redone it exactly the same way each time. It’s not funny, but we joke about water and how it’s come in so many different forms for us. During the pandemic we set up a mattress downstairs and Ross threw the girls from kitchen onto mattress. It’s an open circle space between kitchen and downstairs and it was so funny! Our dining room area has a large “dance floor” and Ross put in dance lights so we’ve had so many dance parties. I love them. In the kitchen we’ve had so many funny bloopers that we caught on camera but the best was when I was prepping Mexico dinner around the world and I “almost” got burnt. I ran upstairs with no pants on and the girls were laughing. The living room also has a lot of animal bloopers and funny stories like Charlie joining us when we play the piano or when kira played the violin! The steps, we’ve all fallen down a few and it’s pretty funny. In the meditation room, there’s a yoga swing and I am pretty sure the girls have put more than one person on the swing at a time. You can hear everything in our house, and even when Ross and I are in our room, we can still hear the laughter and screaming of every sleepover! We can also hear every door slam when there is a fight. In our bedroom, Ross used to play a game where he would “fly” the girls until they got too big to “fly”. Our bed has always been a little trampoline and a snuggle zone. Upstairs so many funny stories and memories of Ross and I going upstairs and finding the girls with a face full of makeup, or a world of imagination happening. 4. What are some of your favorite family traditions that take place in your home? I love “dinner and movie” and dinners around the world. We have game nights and once or twice a week it’s beauty salon in our room. We have a sukkah outside so we host a large sukkot party every year. 5. How would you describe the overall vibe or energy of the home? Our home has high energy and brightness. The energy is vibrant and motivating. We also have chill zones and place to escape the openness of the setup. There’s always a place to be entertained, and every corner holds a memory. 6. How has the design of the home evolved over time? I would say the design evolved with us and as our children grew. But the house always left room for someone’s creativity. Kira with her forts, Aria with her sewing machine, Ross with his millions of Ideas, and me- anything with health and food. Ross would make anything happen- if I said, it would make our lives easier if…., he would create that piece in our house. His pieces are created with love and intention of making our lives more meaningful and easier. 7. What's your favorite piece Ross M. Levy has created and why? This one is hard, but I love our kitchen table. He grew up with a table with a sewing machine base, and he decided to recreate it. We have all of our family dinners at what we call “the fidget table.” 8. Can you share more about Amy's philosophy of "food as medicine"? I studied Ayurveda, and many years ago I struggled with IBS. I learned that food, how, when, and where we eat impacts how we digest. I have worked hard to encourage my family to eat more Whole Foods. To look at foods as medicine. Everything has a purpose and when you look at a banana and it’s elements, you know what purpose it serves. I’ve tried to encourage a schedule for eating, slowing down, chewing, and not digesting bad energy while eating. Treating food as medicine cured my IBS, and I seek to help everyone in the family treasure the value of how, when, and why we choose the foods we do. One of my expressions are- “Fruit is God’s candy.” 9. How has Aria's journey with Crohn's influenced the family dynamics and use of space in the home? Since Aria was diagnosed with Crohn’s we spend more time together creating meals that are healing. Rather than eating chips from a bag, Aria peels and cuts her chips herself from a potato. She knows how to make perfectly baked potato chips. Everyone appreciates meals so much more, and we have less waste because organic fruits, veggies and meats are so expensive. Every sweet I make is made with oats and maple- two of the most gut healing foods. Every kind of food is a tool to heal. Aria has helped all of us care more for our environment and for our meals. 10. What's a typical day like in the Levy Home? Our typical day is busy. Everyone has a million things to do, and Ross and Amy are always doing something to help their congregations. Aria studies so diligently and Kira is either talking, texting or snapping friends on her phone. Every night we have a home cooked meal around 7pm and sit and talk about the day. We usually watch and laugh at modern family. There’s studying, practicing, singing, and me begging someone to do dishes. Nighttime is a wrap up, a kiss, a hug, and sometimes a back scratch for the girls. Ross and I treasure our alone moments at the end of the night. Please take your time to answer these questions. Feel free to add as much detail as you like. And of course, if there are other stories, memories, or aspects of the house you'd like to discuss that aren't covered by these questions, please feel free to share those as well. he outside is feels natural with the environment. The stone and wood compliment the wooded area and the potted trees on the porch and plants lining the front of the home made it quite peaceful. The large patch of grass in front of the home adds depth between the home and the street even if it only a a few dozen feet away. The porch was redesigned to match the homes 1890 character. We found a rock quarry with the wissahickon stone and hired Heather Eisnenhart to create the design. She is amazing and a great designer who helped take our concept to reality. I remember when the workers were braking down the old concrete with hammers I asked if I could take a few swings. Well it was much harder than I thought and the hammer was quite heavy but I made a few dents in the concrete. I have video of it It’s kinda funny I guess. I think the porch became something it wasn’t when we moved in. It was more like a slab of concrete when we moved in and we created a flow from home to the great outdoors in a rather seamless way. The outdoor porch serves a real room in our home. With the tv and grass bed and couch areas its just lovely to be outside with the dogs and nature and see neighbors walking by. It’s become one of my favorite “rooms” in the house. I think the house in unassuming. I think that people dont expect the house to be so open and modern inside after seeing the exterior. When you walk in the house the light oak floors attract the natural sunlight that comes in and the wall color throughout the home adds to the calming feeling when you all in. As you come to the center of the main level,. Standing beneath the mason jar chandelier, you are in the circle of the home as you are surrounded by the 6 hanging guitars, the dining room, the large pollack art work, girl with a pearl earring, etc. the entrance and hallway are the gateway to the exploration. It’s a lot of “conversation starter” pieces everywhere on the main level. We have had countless funny moments, many recorded on camera in the Levy Bloopers photo album. From funny falls, to kitchen accidents. I have seen Ross M. Levy fall off of the counter onto a kitchen table chair, I’ve seen Amy spill hot water on herself, I’ve seen the kids fall while running to the dinner table, its been wild. The living room is immediatly to the left when you enter the home. You are greeted by a baby grand Baldwin piano. The couch is a dark gray soft microfiber that seats everyone. The small simple chandelier in the living room is glass with a candle bulb that makes it feel like extra cozy. An oversized mirror is above the couch and reflects the barn wood accent wall with huge box windows. The window lover looks the front yard and brings in tons of light. A green Stellar “Les Paul” style guitar hangs on the wall which pulls off of the green in the framed Ketubah that hangs behind the piano. I can recall countless times that Aria and Kira would bang away at the piano and having my dad, George play when he visits. My family sitting on the couch with the dogs while watching tv or just reading. The living room is a holy space.
The dining room is part of the open floor plan and has a Sputnik style gold chandelier over the glass, white, and wood table. In the dining room the Lego Girl with a Pearl Earring hangs complete with museum wall card and NFC tag for the YouTube video of the process in its creation. The room also has a wooden cabinet for dishes, linens, etc. A deep blue/gray bar convert red from an old radio into a bar and wine rack. A large aged bronze framers mirror is on the opposite wall of the Lego Vermeer. Another large window box behind the table, and a 1890’s Singer sewing machine sits on the window ledge, its the base that sits under our kitchen table. The dining room is where we have large family meals, Seders, Hanukkah candle lightings, etc. A fun photo hangs in a mirrored frame on the wall as well of Ross M. Levy, Amy Levy, Aria and Kira, with Dan Shapiro in Las Vegas a fun Saloon Style bar scene where we look like real western folk from the olden days. This room has served as a table for meals and school projects alike.
I missed a few details on the dining room. The dining room table has a fun oversized glass candy jar filled with vintage billiard balls as the centerpiece. The Sabbath for the Soul painting also hangs in this room as well as an medium size white abstract sculpture in the corner. Finally small figures climb the walls around the Vermeer. The figures are gold, silver and white and are perfect little art pieces that surround painting. Ok, as for the kitchen. The kitchen is at the far end of the main level and the house opens from living and dining space into the kitchen. With a Samsung fridge,a. GE profile oven, June oven, Kerrigan coffee machine Bosch dishwasher and stainless steel microwave are the main appliances. The vitamix 5200 is also a huge piece of Amys way of using the kitchen to create meals that are medicine. Our kitchen is the main space where we all sit for meals at our custom made kitchn table with singer sewing machine bases. Each pair can “pedal” the sewing machine base as a fun food time fidget. We have had bloopers galore in the kitchen as well as moments watching the news or laughing over lunch. It’s a space that serves as the hub of our home.
As Amy mentioned the basement has gone through many changes. From its start as our “first decorated room” when we bought it. Raymour and Flanigan was our stop and we bought a full room set for the basement and no other room. Kind of funny how newlywed react in a new home. The basement was a Barbie paradise and has turned into a game room, theatre, and conversation pit. The arcade games fill the room with energy and nostalgia. The snack bar build out of the under the stairs closet has a mini fridge and a fun sign with the Seinfeld quote, “These Pretzels are making me thirsty” A lamp and snacks line the counter there. The couch is a brown microfiber material that is deep enough for the tallest member of our family, even uncle Josh. An Eason home cinema projector allows us to watch movies in a theatre like experience at home. The dart board is hung with care to regulation and is backed by a grass turf in case anyone missed the board, haha. The basement is for friends. The playroom is for being alone. It’s everything. The air hockey brings the clacking sounds of my childhood and im glad my kids get to hear it too. The back door, centered along the back wall, next to another couch, leads to three stone steps put to the back lawn and down to the driveway.
The playroom also has the original lithograph of “Sarah” by Leondar Baskin and three picture frames on the wall made to look like airplane windows above the pong machine, this gives players a “view” while they play.
my friend Allison Barenbaum. Here was what she said: 1. First impressions / unique / open / different and wow!!! I think the wood wall and moss wall caught my eyes first. 2. Favorite space would be the hammock hanging by the window between 2 floors - my daughter sam- loves hanging out there. 3. Unexpected surprises would have to be the secret bathroom behind a “door” that looks like a book shelf. It’s just so cool and impressive and fun. Also - the “mirror” that’s really a computer and of course the artwork that can change. I also love the Seinfeld floor plans. 4. The levy home is the most impressive , “smart”, open - concept home I’ve ever been in, with unique surprises around every corner
yes, Ill talk about the bedrooms now. The guest room is simple and has porter ranch yellow walls. This was the original color of the whole interior until 2015. Anyway, the room has a large tv and a mirror on the walls for guests and a small green chair and end table for sitting. A sculpture piece hangs above the bed that is painted silver and depicts a lyre and music and a old trumpet, its like a frieze on the wall, kind of. The guest room has a private bathroom and the windows overlook the back yard and the adjacent neighborhood. A very large walk in closet in in this room too. Used for both Levy storage and guests. A large ottoman serves sits in the corner of the room with a gray snake skin style tray with tissues, remotes, magazines, etc. The master bedroom is the real sanctuary of the second level. It is the largest room in the house with ceiling that are 14 feet high. I have already given you the major descriptions of this room, pleas use the knowledge you I have of furniture and items in this space. Same for the girls rooms upstairs.
In the kitchen, an ash wood frame holds the original sign that hung outside of Ross’s grandfather house and dental practice in Malvern, NY. It has been restored and framed in the kitchen next to the tv as a tribute to Dr. Joseph R. Levy, George’s father, Ross’ grandfather.
The kitchen has some fun vintage tins as decor as well in the kitchen. The glass elective stove top and stainless steel hood are centered with a kitchen clock above it. The fridge has only four magnets of Fedner style guitar knobs, very cute. Another fun RML made it’s is a digital touchscreen juke box. A wooden cabinet with a. 40 inch vertical screen with touchscreen and a Mac mini make this thing the ultimate Apple Music juke box. It sits in the main level and displays a giant flip clock when not in use. It connects to stereo apple homedpods for top quality sounds throughout the house. The didgeridoo is next tot he juke box, it is a true one of a kind piece. The coat rack behind the front door is made of pipe and spigots. They are pieces left over from the construction of the sukkah. It uses the spigot knobs as hangers to hold six coats. It is a fun piece and I had fun making it.
Our front door is a deep blue with small window at the top and aged bronze mail slot that says LETTERS on it. Very quaint and fits the old style of the house, I left out that detail earlier. I think im ready to move on to other aspects of the house though.
We have a lovely neighborhood. It is lined with a canopy of trees along the small side streets. Our neighbors to the left are the Greene's and we have known them since they moved in when our girls were little. They are wonderful neighbors, and we are mostly just acquaintances. On the other side are brand new neighbors who we share a fence line with. They are young and very kid. We know them through chats over the fence and our girls and dogs know them well and wave hello when we see them. Its quite nice. Can you use your own knowledge of Elkins Park and Melrose Park PA to help fill in some of that story line too? The house is great in the winter time. Thats when the indoor hammock real is best. To lay there and watch the snow fall through those massive windows is a real treat. The driveway is long and a pain to shovel but the snowblower handles it well. The hill behind the house that runs past the trampoline into another neighbors yard, Marion, serves our sled trail when the weather is right. Naps on the grass bed in the spring and summer are amazing and I love the breeze during a nap in the hot sun. We love the Creekside Market and Tap and Marco Polo, Marzanno's, The Drake Tavern and even Jules Thin Crust pizza in the nearby Jenkintown. Ask me question you may have about the artwork or decor.
I also wanted to mention that on the main level, each partitioned area like the kitchen, dining rom and living room are labeled in a wall decal of the name of the the room. For example, vertically on the wall it says, "living room.", "dinging room.", "kitchen." Its about a foot long or so, at the bottom of the wall where the floor and wall meet. It reminds me of how an art gallery might label their sections. Its an artistic choice not art necessarily.
In the living room, on the windowsill of the barn wood accent wall is a SCULPTURAL ITALIAN MARBLE, BRONZE AND IRON BAKERS SCALE WITH CALIBRATION STAMPS circa the early 1900's. It was purchased at a rummage sale and discovered to be original and is in great condition. Oh, also the house sits on 0.42 Acres of land. The front of the driveway at entrance from Mill Rd. has the original stone pillars about 6 feet in height. I love the charm of the stone columns even if it worries bigger cars that pull into the driveway hahaha
I want to also convey how the main level can be viewed from the second level. The whole second level overlooks the main level with oak railings and white spindles. This is the same theme for banisters up and down the stairs as well. This means that occasionally socks are thrown down to the kids from our level to the one below. It allows us to hang banners or signs or decorations. Like when we had Amy's nephews wedding our home! Amy officiated at the Cantor and we decorated the house with string lights wrapped around the railings and banisters. It is a very open space. This is where the mason jar chandelier is and the six hanging guitars. This "circle" is a wonderful and open area and is a real highlight of the home. No hallways here, just open levels.
Yes, I also want to talk about Amy. She always wanted our house t be the place where the kids and all their friends hung out. She wanted our home to be the one where sleepovers happened every weekend or neighborhood kids could just walk in and use the bathroom or get some water. We want our playset and trampoline to be used be our kids friends even if we arent home. Amy wanted our home to exist so that our kids would want to be there and their friends would want to be there too.
We have a few kids that are best friends ether with our girls or our family. It feel right to mention them as they are some of the "noise" that makes up the wonderful child filled house we have. The Cotter's are a family we have known since Aria was in the KI infant room. She and Abigail went through together and have been best friends since. Kira and Abigail's sister Emma also went through the KI infant room too. These girls hang out almost every weekend still and its just been incredible to watch them grow up. We are very close with their parents Meg and Erik Cotter too. They also have two other younger kids, Sophia and Ethan.
Pets! This is huge, I cant believe I forgot. When I first met Amy in 2004 she had a cat named Schmoozer. I am not a huge fan of cats but I was a huge fan of Amy. I had to adjust while we dated and when we got married and moved out of the apartment into the Levy Home Schmoozer came too. It was a huge house for the cat and she felt quite dominant over certain areas and even made it hard for guests to move around freely sometimes. I recall when Dan Shapiro came over and the cat wouldn't let him up the stairs, she just hissed and scared him off. When the cat died in 2017 we knew we would get another pet. We soon got Dolly! Dolly is a Sheltie born in Oxford, NY to a wonderful family at a place called Stepping Stone. We loved Dolly. She is a shelties like Ross M. Levy had as a child, but his dog was named Magic. George, Ross' dad also had a sheltie named Tippy. This is a tradition for sure even through Ross' sister Allyson has a different breed of dog. Oh well. After two years of being in love with Dolly we got Ivy. Ivy is Dolly's niece and was born at Stepping Stone as well in Oxford. She is the opposite of Dolly, very fiesty and not shy at all. Dolly is more like a human sometimes. These are our adoring shetlies. We love them! We also have an eastern box turtle. He was part of a traveling education program that taught kids about reptiles and stuff. The owner felt the turtles shell kind of looked like hebrew letters so he brought the turtle as a gift the Rabbi lance Sussman at KI and Kira happened to be there with AMy. She volunteered to take care of the turtle and we have had ever since. Now, Charlie, our turtle doesnt have a terrarium, he is lose to walk around the main level. Its hilarious! He is sweet and friendly but hides sometimes next tot he fridge or under the counch or piano.
Like how the didgeridoo has a hand painted turtle on it, we also have a small statue of a turtle in the living room in the reft rear corner of the barn wood accent wall is. The statue is much larger than Charlie so its funny when they are side by side. We also got an antique lamp in the shape of a turtle that we keep on the floor of the dining rom next to the cabinet. Its a cute touch and is about the same size as Charlie. The shell is where the light comes from, very cute.
Having a free range turtle in the house is odd for some but thats whats makes it fun for me. I love watching Charlie crawl across the floor from one room to the next. Such adventures he must have. The dogs dont seem to mind him either. Its a nice little harmony actually. Sometimes, Charlie will even eat dog good from Ivy or Dolly's bowl. The turtle should live a long time and will be passed down to the girls. Kira will likely take possession of Charlie someday.
Reform Judaism is an important part of our lives and our livelihoods. Amy is the Cantor at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, Pa for the past 20 years and I have worked as Director of Youth Engagement at main Line Reform Temple for almost 13 years now. Our home and traditions reflect our passion for judiams and music. Hanukkah is important and we have a large iron and metal hanukkiah given to use from Susan and George Levy as a gift. It stands at almost 6 feet tall, so its wonderful showcase piece during the holiday. Passover also is big at our home. We host the seder and use ipads as our haggadahs. We created a personalized Levy Haggadah for the ipad, its interactive and entertaining. Saying a quick motzi before meals when we are eating as a family is also important. We use the SUkkah we have outside every year and invite our friends and family and congregants from the synagogue. We have slept out there and even installed a projector for movies in the sukkah! These are important traditions we hope the girls will keep going. Another fun one, not Jewish was Amy's "Dinners Around the world". She made Sundays when the girls were young a night where one of us chose a country and we would learn all about it and cook the foods of the region and learn about the day to life and even dressed up in costumes. We would then cross off the map where we have been. We would invite other families over like the Cotters or the Barenbaums, or my parents to come for certain countries. It was a lot of fun and we have tons of pictures of these dinners. We did one a week for a long time. Here is a list of the countries we "visited" with our special "dinner Around the world" nights. Afghanistan Antarctica Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Canada China Denmark Egypt Ethiopia France Germany Greece Iceland India Indonesia Israel Italy Japan Jordan Kenya Madagascar Mexico Mongolia Morocco Myanmar (Burma) New Zealand Norway Papua New Guinea Peru Poland Russia Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sweden Switzerland Syria Thailand United Kingdom (UK) Vietnam
We have at times made the house into a place for treasure hunts during birthdays for Kira and even made the floor into a shaving cream ice skating rink once for the girls. They wear socks and I lay down plastic tarps, taped to the ground, and spray shaving cream all of it. Then they ice skate around, slipping an sliding. They loved it. They got so messy but had a blast!
I would say our hobbies fall along the musical spectrum. I am an acoustic guitar payer and love to make music. Kira is always singing around the house, Amy sings and Aria is always listening tot he latest Lana Del Ray album. I love DIY and being creative as you know. My work in the recording studio and the garage wood shop are all things I love to do. Relaxing is a hobby too and we have made our home the perfect place to enjoy that hobby, for sure. Amy loves exercise and yoga, meditation and pillates. Aria even got into pillates for a bit. The dogs are a passion for all of us as well.
The secret door to the bathroom is a good story. When David, Amy's nephew, was staying with us for eighteen months after he graduated college and he would help me with some DIY stuff. He and I made the secret door because I didnt like the way a regular door looked there. David was helpful and we built it over a weekend together. It was a lovely bonding experience for he and I. I also have made a wood side table and a wood bench. I bought the wood from Dueling Maples wood mill in Glenside PA and got walnut and ash from Greg there. I sanded and cleaned the wood and poured a clear resin/epoxy over them and they serve as beautiful live edge pieces in the house. The bench in the entryway and the table is small and in the living room next to the statue of the turtle.
Here is testimonial from Daniel Shapiro with new infoation to add to the book: First impressions: Definitely the open center that connects the whole house caught my eye at first. It felt like no matter where you were in the house we were all connected, and that was so special because when I visit the levy home you make us feel so welcomed and loved. We can feel the levy love wherever we are in the house. Favorite space: the porch. It’s the greatest place to spend hours and hours on a beautiful summer Sunday afternoon. The sunshine, the trees and wind blowing all around, it’s a very peaceful and calming space that is perfect for music and conversation
One weekend Ross and I listened to an entire radio countdown of the best albums of all time on the local radio. It just helped us talk about music, reflect on memories, and just pass the time in a really beautiful way.
Also - watching old David copperfield specials on the porch tv and laughing our asses off at how old school it all looked and felt. That was amazing. Biggest surprises:
For me there are 2:
The jukebox reigns supreme as the greatest and most surprising feature of the house. It fit perfectly in that space, and it was such a fun addition to the space, and added to the beauty by allowing you to control the music in a fun and creative way. It was like transporting back in time to when we used to get excited about using jukeboxes in the past.
Also - Seeing the girl with the Pearl earring Lego set was the ultimate surprise. And scanning the QR code to get more info. Amazing. It looks so professionally done. Perfect.
Honorable mention: bathroom hidden door, mirror with iPad behind it, climbing figurines on the wall. The Levy Home is a place that is both massive and small, loud, bright, colorful, musical, and overflowing with so much love.