/**
 * First Leaf
 * - returns the first non-array element (singular or object).
 * - handy when you're not sure whether information has been stored 
 *   as a singular value ('item') or 1-element array (0=>'item'). 
 * - the key() function gives us the first key in the array.
 * - uses recursion to go deeper if necessary; if that's not 
 *   what you want, you may need a different solution. 
 */
public static function first_leaf ( $value ) {
   return !is_array( $value ) ? $value : first_leaf( $value[key($value)] );
}