April 11, 2018

VOL. 35 / PUB. 38

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HODGEPODGE Vol. 35/Pub. 38

April 11 - April 17, 2018

Friday, 6 -6,11noon a.m.

Friday,May April

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EVENT OF THE WEEK A LITTLE LUNCH MUSIC Join us in WHQR’s MC Erny Gallery for a casual lunchtime mini-concert and discussion with three extraordinary Wilmington musicians: Robert Nathanson, Nancy King, and Danijela Zelzelj-Gualdi. Musical selections include Prelude and Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 by Heitor Villa Lobos, Open the River by contemporary classical composer Andrew York, and Baroque selections performed by Robert Nathanson on his Baroque replica guitar.

We’ll be recording the concert for an upcoming Communique story. Free!

AZALEA FEST 2018 You’ve seen the blooms all over town, which means one thing: Azalea Fest time! encore has you covered on events taking place throughout the week, including concerts from Friday night’s 38 Special (page 10) to unofficial events, like the Alt-Zalea Fest shows on 4th Street on Saturday (page 11). We have the rundown of all events on pages 40-41, and an interview with the Cape Fear Garden Club’s chair, Sydney Penny, on page 42. Start it off with Gwenyfar Rohler’s memories of Azalea Fest in youth and what it has grown to mean as an adult in this week’s Live Local, pages 4-5. Above: Azalea Queen 71, Beth Troutman.

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MUSIC>> 38 Special is bringing their arena rock to the downtown Azalea Fest stage in the CFCC parking lot on Friday night.

Read Shannon Rae Gentry’s interview with lead singer Don Barnes on page 10. Courtesy by Carl Dunn

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Editor-in-Chief:

Assistant Editor:

Shannon Rae Gentry // music@encorepub.com

Art Director/Office Manager:

Susie Riddle // ads@encorepub.com

Chief Contributors: Gwenyfar Rohler, Anghus,

PG. 10

Tom Tomorrow, Chuck Shepherd, Mark Basquill, Rosa Bianca, Rob Brezsny, Linda Grattafiori, Bethany Turner, John Wolfe

<<THEATRE

Photo by Pineapple-Shaped Lamps

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FOOD>> Pizza! Pizza! NY-style pizza, in fact! Rosa heads to Crispino’s on Market Street for a slice of decadent pie and other Italian treats. Read all about it on page 29 Photo by Ashley Wixon

EDITORIAL>

Shea Carver // shea@encorepub.com

Chase Harrison talks about his third play in the Madness Trilogy, “In Sanity,” which focuses on the concept of haunted houses, only in an asylum (starring Brendan Carter, left).

PG. 18

To enter events on encore’s new online calendar, generated by SpinGo, head to www.encorepub. com/welcome/events-2. Events must be entered by every Thursday at noon, for consideration in print and on our new app, encore Go. E-mail shea@ encorepub.com with questions.

Interns: Nikki Kroushl, Jessica Russell SALES>

General Manager:

John Hitt // john@encorepub.com

Advertising:

Glenn Rosenbloom // glenn@encorepub.com Ashley Wixon // ashley@encorepub.com John Hitt // john@encorepub.com Shea Carver // shea@encorepub.com Published weekly on Wednesday by HP Media.

Opinions of contributing writers are not necessarily the opinions of encore.

PG. 29

INSIDE THIS WEEK: Live Local, pgs. 4-5 • News, pg. 6 • News of the Weird, pg. 9

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Music, pgs. 10-15 • Theatre, pgs. 16-18 • Film, pgs. 20-21 • Dining, pgs. 22-29 Extra: Best Of, pgs. 30-39 • Extra: Azalea Fest, pgs. 40-43 • Extra: Books, pg. 44 Crossword, pg. 49 • Calendar, pgs. 46-61

6700 Netherlands Drive, Ste. A, Wilmington, NC 28405 P.O. Box 12430, Wilmington, N.C. 28405 email@encorepub.com • www.encorepub.com Phone: (910) 791-0688 • Fax: (910) 791-9534

WILSON C E N T E R

Come See

Peter Gros from the Original Mutual of Omahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wild Kingdom

Saturday, april 28 at 3:00 pm Ticket Central 910.362.7999 www.CapeFearStage.com

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NEWS>>LIVE LOCAL

LIVE LOCAL, LIVE SMALL:

Gwenyfar reflects on NC’s Azalea Festival and the flower that began our economic boom BY: GWENYFAR ROHLER

CELEBS OF 71ST AZALEA FEST: (L. to r.) Azalea Queen Beth Troutman is an Emmy Award-winning television personality and motivational speaker; Virginia Wright-Frierson is the official artist of the NC Azalea Fest, 2018, whose bottle house in Airlie Gardens is a revered local monument to ILM artist Minnie Evans; Chef Vivian Howard of Kintson’s famed Chef and the Farmer and ILM’s own Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria, as well as Peabody and James Beard award-winner for “A Chef’s Life” on PBS will be a featured guest at this year’s event. Courtesy photos

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hey have horizontal snow in Canada right now,” Jock reported. “I sent them some pictures of the azaleas to make them feel better.”

Somehow I thought it might not be the spirit with which the pictures were received after close to seven months of snow.

Every year I fall in love with the city all over again in the first two weeks of April.

Everything bursts into bloom and color; it just takes my breath away that we live in such a beautiful place.

One of my friends commented recently how part of why she loves azaleas so much is the ephemeral nature of them: you don’t really have them delivered by a florist. You pretty much have to enjoy them on the plant during the brief period

of their blooming, or not at all. It is not common to see them grown in a hot house and shipped in December or February for floral arrangements. It feels like every year conversations abound about whether or not we will have any azaleas for the festival, should they have peaked by the garden party. The same friend pointed out in her yard, the azaleas in the shade usually make it to the festival date, even if the ones in the sun have finished their display.

It is believed azaleas first came to the American South in the 1830s by way of a plantation outside of Charleston called “Magnolia on the Ashley.” Now known as Magnolia Gardens, it is open to the public, similar to our own Airlie Gardens. From the beginning, the azalea’s popularity and ability to thrive in our climate spread.

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Azalea festivals, in some form or fashion, take place in several cities in the South.

Of course, Wilmington is the home of the North Carolina Azalea Festival.

Walking around Greenfield Lake this time of year shows the drama of nature unfold in story form. All around us the beautiful display of color informs how Mother Earth is waking up from her slumber—celebrating the return of her daughter with the gifts of spring. It is downright infectious: I find myself slobbering over seed catalogs the same way I used to pore over the Sears and JCPenney’s catalogs when I was little.

Massive landscaping and gardening plans take shape in my head. Beautiful waterfalls of color await to burst forth in my yard; I can feel it just beneath the surface of the ground.

Way back in time, humans admitted we were dependent upon nature for survival: food, shelter, water, etc. Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman observed in “Good Omens” that “almost the entire drive of human history has been to get as far away from Nature as possible.” Given the revelations about the state of our river and drinking water in the last few years—from coal ash spills, hog lagoon breeches and the GenX situation—clearly, we are in denial as to how connected we are with that large ribbon of wet stuff that looks so picturesque next to Water Street.

But we used to be more honest with ourselves about the interdependency, instead of behaving like an abusive partner in our relationship with the planet. Spring fertility festivals were common to celebrate the

return of the food-producing part of the year and to hope for a successful crop in the coming year. Frequently, a beautiful young woman would be crowned the queen of the festival and attended by a group of young ladies whose youth and beauty all reminded people of the promise of a fertile year ahead. A fair might be part of this celebration with dancing and singing and hopefully good parties and feasts.

I remember the first year our school went to watch the Azalea Queen arrive.

We particularly were excited because that year it was Phylicia Rashad, who we knew as Mrs. Huxtable from “The Cosby Show.”

It was before the Henrietta II or III riverboats were running on the river, when the Azalea Queen would come in on the fire boat, surrounded by her court. The downtown riverfront was filled with beautiful girls in Azalea Belle costumes.

The daughter of one of our teachers was a belle that year—and we were all beside ourselves to see her holding a parasol and twirling in a beautiful dress. We caravaned to one of the garden parties and watched the ribbon cutting. One of my classmates brought a bouquet to give the queen, but of course we never got within five feet of her.

If he had gotten to shake Mrs. Huxtable’s hand and give her the bouquet, I don’t know if our class could have survived the excitement. For 5- and 6-year-olds, it was possibly the best day ever. Many of our parents had tickets to the big concert at Trask Coliseum over the weekend, but all we could talk about on Monday morning was the street fair—with funnel cakes, balloons and knick knacks galore.

The parallels are pretty obvious.

But so is the money.

The Azalea Festival continues to be a huge draw economically for the area, with people traveling to see the gardens, celebrities and big concerts. This year they include country artist Billy Currington with Drake White and Kenton Bryant, along with classic-rock icons 38 Special with Tuesdays Gone (see page 10), and of

course, rap artist Ludacris.

As my landscape friend Dagmar Cooley of Dagmar’s Designs reminded me, people come for the garden and home tours too.

Dagmar should know; she has two clients on the garden tour (see page 43) this year.

It is a draw that appeals to folks who just want to enjoy the beauty, to those as nearby as Brunswick Forest and from areas all around us who can see our city in its most colorful light.

Who can blame them?

The area is beautiful and we put on an amazing show. We manage to bring people far and wide to spend money here; that is the modern equivalent of a successful and fertile harvest.

How much money are we talking about, though?

UNCW conducted an economic impact study of the Azalea Festival in 2011 and concluded $48.3 million was spent by locals and visitors combined during the course of the festival. They estimated close to 6,000 households visited from outside the area for the festival. The parade alone is estimated to bring over 100,000 people to view and participate in it.

“Fertility” is an awkward term in modern America. It conjures up images of pregnancy (wanted and unwanted) and all sorts of thoughts about the female body—which somehow continues to be a contentious and controversial topic (in spite of having shared the planet for the same length of time as the male body). Fertility of the soil, though, is essential for our survival, physically (food to eat) and financially. To a large extent, it is what we are celebrating with the return of spring: a return of hope and fertility, birth, new life. It is certainly the return of the tourists who are the bread and butter of so many businesses in the area.

Maybe this year, while we are walking around, enjoying the beauty of the area and the collective excitement that comes with Azalea Festival, we could spare a few thoughts for the natural resources we are celebrating and exploiting. Or we might not have them in the future.

We have issues....

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NEWS>>FEATURE

A DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE: Remembering the legacy of Dr. King, 50 years later

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“America freed the slaves in 1863, through the Emancipation Proclamation of Abraham Lincoln, but gave the slaves no land, or nothing in reality, as a matter of fact, to get started on. At the same time, America was giving away millions of acres of land in the West and the Midwest. Which meant that there was a willingness to give the white peasants from Europe an economic base. And yet it refused to give it’s black peasants from Africa—who came here involuntarily, in chains, and had worked free for 244 years—any kind of economic base.

BY: JOHN WOLFE

ifty years ago last week, America lost one of its strongest voices for nonviolent resistance, for racial and social justice and equality, and for the power of ideas over the power of physical force.

Last Wednesday marked the fifth decade since the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In one of those strange near-misses of which history is full, Dr. King was scheduled to have been in Wilmington the night he was murdered in Memphis, but he elected to remain in Tennessee to assist with a sanitation worker’s strike. The Williston Middle School Auditorium, unfortunately, will never get to hear his powerful voice.

Williston did hold a memorial service in the auditorium on the night of the anniversary. NC Governor Roy Cooper, who gave the keynote speech at the ceremony, spoke of the need to “keep fighting for a North Carolina that works for everyone—for a North Carolina that Dr. King would be proud to see.” Other political leaders outside of Wilmington commented on the occasion. President Donald Trump tweeted a video which praised Dr. King as a national hero, whose cause “gained strength and force and power with the passage of time.”

Former President Barack Obama, in a video with Rep. John Lewis, said, “If you are speaking on behalf of social justice, then by definition, there’s going to be some controversy. Because if it wasn’t controversial, then somebody would have already fixed it. Dr. King was controversial, but he studied and fought and crafted what he had to say. And he knew when he spoke, he was expressing a truth as well as he could know … Being on the right side of history isn’t always popular.”

Fifty years is a milestone which ought to make us reflect as a nation. In the five decades that have passed, what is the state of Dr. King’s dream in our country today? We can perhaps look for success in the presidency of Barack Obama, in the growing black middle class, and in the greater awareness of social issues by the citizens of our country. However, we can’t overlook the too-numerous shootings of unarmed black men— Danny Ray Thomas in Houston and Stephon Clark in Sacramento, both of which happened at the end of March. We can’t overlook the fact the current White House cabinet is nearly three-quarters white men, or, locally, the case of Vincent Iventosch, the black man run over by three white men in a truck on Racine Drive

“So emancipation for the Negro was really freedom to hunger. It was freedom to the winds and rains of heaven. It was freedom without food to eat or land to cultivate, and therefore it was freedom and famine at the same time.

PEACE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS: The memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in D.C. Photo

by Shea Carver

in February (a recording taken by Iventosch’s fiancée contained suspiciously unfair characterizations of Iventosch’s friends by the officers investigating the case, and so far the driver has not faced criminal charges).

I won’t pretend to be able to speak for the experience of black Americans—or have the answers to these questions. Nor would it be fair for me to ask a few of my black friends, and presume their individual experience somehow represents all people of color in our country.

So this week, as a small sort of memorial, I’m passing the mic to the good Reverend Doctor himself, who can explain his own experiences with far more eloquence than I could ever conjure. May his words remind us of his unifying vision, and may their echo inspire us to continue to build a better, fairer world. * * * * * “White America must see that no other ethnic group has been a slave on American soil.

That is one thing that other immigrant groups haven’t had to face. The other thing is that the color became a stigma. American society made the Negro’s color a stigma.

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“When white Americans tell the Negro to lift himself by his own bootstraps, they don’t look over the legacy of slavery and segregation.

Now I believe we ought to do all we can, and seek to lift ourselves by our own bootstraps, but it’s a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.

Many Negroes, by the thousands and millions, have been left bootless as a result of all of these years of oppression, and as a result of a society that deliberately made his color a stigma, and something worthless and degrading.”

–NBC interview in Atlanta, Georgia, 1967. * * * * * “The issue is injustice… Somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for rights. And so just as I said, we aren’t going to let dogs or water hoses turn us around. We aren’t going to let any injunction turn us around.

We are going on…

“Well, I don’t know what will happen now.

We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live—a long life; longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land.

I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I’m happy, tonight.

I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

– His final speech in Memphis, TN, April 3, 1968. * * * * * “Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life’s final common denominator—that something we call death.

We all think about it and every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don’t think about it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself what it is that I would want said and I leave the word to you this morning.

“If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy tell him not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want him to say.

“Tell him not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell not to mention that have 300 or 400 other awards— that’s not important. Tell him not to mention where I went to school.

“I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I’d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody.

“I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe the naked. I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. And I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

“Yes, if you want to, say that I was a drum major. Say that I was a drum major for justice.

Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness.

“And all of the other shallow things will not matter.

“I won’t have any money to leave behind.

But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that is all I want to say. If I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a well song, if I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain.”

—A recording of his words played by his request at his funeral

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ing him with a paddle,” Spector told FOX13 News. She later required stitches, antibiotics and rabies treatment. It was the second otter attack in two days, and Florida Fish and Wildlife has now posted signs about the “aggressive otter” near the area.

[FOX13 News, 3/6/2018]

THE LITIGIOUS SOCIETY AN ESCALATING SITUATION

Things went from bad to worse for 30-year-old Isaac Bonsu on March 6 when he was charged in Alexandria, Virginia, with felony hit-and-run involving an unlikely victim. Fairfax County Police pulled Bonsu over for an equipment violation, but he apparently forgot to put it in “park” before exiting the vehicle. Bonsu can be seen on police dashcam video running in front of the car and then being struck by it. Unhurt, Bonsu jumped up and kept running, but police were able to catch him.

The Associated Press reported that Bonsu was charged with driving while intoxicated (his third) and possessing marijuana along with the hit-and-run. [Associated Press, 3/6/2018]

AWESOME!

Environmentalists decry all the debris washing up on beaches around the world, but a discovery in January near Perth, Australia, has historians thrilled. The Washington Post reported that Tonya Illman and a friend were walking along the beach when she spotted “a lovely old bottle.” Inside was a damp note, tied with string. “We took it home and dried it out ... and it was a printed form, in German, with very faint German handwriting on it,” she said. Experts at the Western Australia Museum have determined the note was 132 years old -- 24 years older than the previous record for a message in a bottle. The note was dated June 12, 1886, from a ship named Paula.

Further study revealed that a German Naval Observatory program was analyzing global ocean currents in the area be-

tween 1864 and 1933, and an entry in the Paula’s captain’s journal made note of the bottle being tossed overboard. Thousands of other bottles were released into the sea as part of the program, and only 662 have been returned. The last one discovered was in January 1934. [The Washington Post, 3/6/2018] It may not be the oldest ever found, but the message in a bottle found by 12-yearold Joseph Vallis of Sandys Parish, Bermuda, certainly traveled an impressive distance -- more than 1,000 miles. The Royal Gazette reported that Vallis and his Warwick Academy class were picking up trash around Bailey’s Bay on March 10 when he came across a green bottle with a plastic bag inside. He and his father, Boyd, uncorked the bottle and found a note dated April 2014 that had been set adrift from a French sailing yacht crossing the Atlantic.

The note included an email address and invitation to contact the authors, but as of press time, the Vallises were still awaiting a response. [The Royal Gazette, 3/12/2018]

THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES

Kayaker Sue Spector, 77, was out for a leisurely paddle on the Braden River in Florida with her husband and friends on March 4 when someone remarked, “Oh look, there’s an otter.” No sooner had the words been spoken than the mammal with a playful reputation jumped onto Spector in her kayak and began clawing and scratching her arms, nose and ear. “He wouldn’t let go and I kept screaming. I kept beat-

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Neldin Molina of Denver is dragging Hamburger Mary’s restaurant in Tampa, Florida, to court with a $1.5 million lawsuit alleging she was injured there by a drag queen’s breasts. According to WESH TV, Molina was visiting the restaurant in May 2015 with friends and family when a drag show began. Molina said drag queen Amanda D’Hod pointed at her and began to approach her, but Molina turned her back to signal she didn’t want to participate in the show. The suit, filed in early March, alleges that D’Hod then walked in front of Molina, grabbed her head and shook it, pounding it violently against the performer’s fake breasts. The complaint said Molina began to experience headaches and neck pain and later went to the emergency room at Memorial Hospital of Tampa. The lawsuit also notes the restaurant failed to notify patrons of possible danger from the drag show. [WESH-TV, 3/9/2018]

OOPS!

The Carelse family of Lakewood, Colorado, picked up some groceries at the Walmart in Littleton on March 5, including a box of Quaker 100 Percent Natural Granola with oats, honey and raisins. When they sat down for breakfast the next morning, they told KMGH TV, Anthea Carelse noticed that the “best by” date on the box was Feb. 22, 1997 -- more than 21 years ago. Her husband, Josiah, ate his full bowl and didn’t suffer any unpleasant consequences, but Anthea stopped after two bites. Josiah planned to return the box to Walmart.

[KMGH TV, 3/7/2018]

TOOT YOUR OWN HORN

March 3 was a big day in Key West, Florida, as competitors sounded off in the 56th Annual Conch Shell Blowing Contest. For 70-year-old Mary Lou Smith of Panama City Beach, winning the women’s division was topped only by a marriage proposal (which she accepted with a hearty honk from her shell) from fellow competitor Rick Race, 73, also of Panama City Beach. The Guardian reports that the large shells were used in the 19th century by seafarers as signaling devices, and dozens of entrants show off their skills each year at Key West’s Oldest House Museum. [The Guardian, 3/6/2018]

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ARTS>>MUSIC

ARENA ROCK IN BLOOM:

38 Special brings classic hits and new works to the downtown stage Friday night BY: SHANNON RAE GENTRY

“S weather.

pring has sprung there, huh?” 38 Special lead singer Don Barnes observes of Wilmington’s local

Well ... sort of.

About a week before their arrival in Wilmington, Barnes shares his hopes our fickle spring season—known for swift turns and jumps in and out of hot and cold temps—remains warmer for 38 Special’s Azalea Festival appearance on Friday, April 13. Either way, folks can count on a heartwarming set of nostalgic anthems of youth and new rock for the soul.

When it comes to transporting us back to the past—unforgettable moments, people, places—music often compels the crack of a smile, laugh or shed a tear or two. This is what Barnes sees among thousands of fans they play for year after year.

“We do about 100 cities a year—trying to

be 19 years old again,” he quips of their longevity. “It’s the greatest job to bring joy to people out there every night. . . . We play those songs with just as much passion and conviction as the day we recorded them because we see what it does. We see the instant reaction of people.”

38 Special’s current show is a unique blend of their chart-topping arena-rock pop hits (“Hold On Loosely,” “Rockin’ Into the Night,” “Back Where You Belong”) with some new songs and surprises. “We start off big with a big, explosive beginning,” Barnes tells, “and we keep climbing, and somewhere in the middle we give the audience a break with ‘Second Chance’—a big popular ballad— and we just keep climbing for a big explosive finish. [Audiences] are exhausted [by the end] and we’re exhausted with them.”

They’ve added tunes from film soundtracks like “Back to Paradise” (“Revenge of the Nerds,” 1984) and “Teacher, Teacher” (“Teachers,” 1984), all of which were produced

by A&M Records. A&M was sold to Polygram Records in 1989 and every record that was in production was shelved, including Barnes’ solo album he cut with them.

“It’s a cruel business—and you have to have a thick skin,” he says matter-of-factly about dealing with the harsh reality of songs being locked away—where they would remain for roughly 30 years. Though, it turned out to be a bit more complicated.

“I thought [the album] was in a vault somewhere and turns out they destroyed the master,” he explains. Luckily, Barnes had song copies of his own and was finally able to release “Ride the Storm” in June 2017.

Barnes was a young man with “a lot to prove” with “Ride the Storm.” He worked on his solo album for about a year-and-a-half with producer Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts); Alan Pasqua on keys; Toto’s drummer Jeff Porcaro and his brother Mike on bass; Sammy Hagar’s keyboardist Jesse Harms; and former Heart drummer Denny Carmassi.

“Sadly, they didn’t all live to see the release,” he says, referring to the passing of Jeff and Mike Porcaro, “but I was thrilled to work with these guys on this record . . . and it was an excellent project.”

Nevertheless, while he would have pre-

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an ex-girlfriend and it came at a time in 38 Special’s career where they were commissioned to write an album, and hadn’t written a single note with about a sixmonth deadline looming. “I was dating this woman and said, ‘I can’t get any work done, I’m just so caught up in you all the time.’ And a light bulb went off in my head,” he tells.

HOLD ON AND DON’T LET GO: 38 Special prepares to bring a heavy arsenal of classic rock and new hard hitters to Azalea Fest this weekend.

Courtesy photo.

ferred to have released the record decades ago, there’s a certain amount of satisfaction that comes with knowing a record written and recorded almost 30 years ago can still carry significance and relevance. Barnes describes the title track as monstrous. “Ride the Storm” embodies the same approach of being bigger and tougher, and embracing the aggressive nature of rock. “Making people hear you,” he adds.

All 38 Special songs have a life of their own, and each emerged from true stories of love and love lost, or something in between.

Most are ultimately about relationships, in some way or another. However, Barnes admits, when he and his bandmates first started out, they spent less time focusing on their own truths and more time trying to echo music that seemed to work with others.

“We got advice from Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd years and years ago,” Barnes remembers. “He said, ‘Stop being a clone of what’s already happening. Take all of that what and find what makes your own heart sing.’”

And that’s literally all she … err, he ... wrote.

Once committed to writing their own songs, learning about structure and what works from other peers and emerging greats of the time (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Janis Joplin, et al), Barnes and company got to work. “Then you start getting cocky and thinking you can write your own songs,” he says with a laugh. “That’s when you go starved for 10 years.”

Turns out, Barnes and company struck on themes that would remain relatable for decades to come. “Caught up in You” is about

“Hold On Loosely” is an example of a lasting anthem and positive take of sorts coming out of a negative situation. Barnes wrote it with Jim Peterik of Survivor (“Eye of the Tiger”) about Barnes’ marriage at the time that had gone south.

“She was trying to keep me under her thumb and I was trying to be somebody,” he says. “It was one of those things where I felt stifled. . . . We used to sit around and talk about each other, and I said, ‘What is it about people that can’t just celebrate each other’s differences? They always try to change the other person.’ . . . And I said, ‘What do you think about the title Hold On Loosely?’ and he said, ‘Oh, yeah, but don’t let go.’ And it was the perfect bookend to the title and we were off to the races—wrote it in one day.”

38 Special has a studio in Atlanta, Georgia, in which they’ve been cutting demos for several new songs in the works. Some are throwbacks to earlier bigger, hard-rock sounds.

Barnes and company also have re-imagined Chicago’s 1973 horn-heavy “Feelin’ Stronger Everyday” with a heavier electric guitar/rock version.

“There’s one song called ‘All I Haven’t Said’ and it’s such a great perspective,” he tells of a recent song. “It sounds like a love song, but it’s really a story of how a lifetime of love ends. Basically, if you had to say goodbye, how would you say it?”

38 Special plan to release a new album later in the year. Until then, festival-goers can catch them first on Friday night.

DETAILS:

38 Special w/ Tuesday’s Gone

April 13, 7 p.m. • $23 CFCC Parking Lot • 701 N. Front St. www.ncazaleafestival.org

ARTS>>MUSIC

AN ALTERNATIVE ROOT:

Alt-Zalea Fest returns for its fourth year with more venues and artists

“[Snyder’s] been a great champion for local artists and that’s why I agreed to help how I could,” Anna Mann of Carolina Pine Productions explains. Mann, one AltZalea’s organizers, has worked with Snyder to plan the event each year. The two handle all booking and promotion, but Mann also helps take photographs of performers while they are on stage.

The festival has still grown since its creation. For its first two years, Alt-Zalea was only held at three locations: Folk’s on 4th (now The Brooklyn Café), Hair Slayer (now Boombalatti’s) and Snyder’s own Detour Deli & Cafe. For 2018 the festival will extend its reach to venues like The Foxes Boxes, The Brooklyn Café, The Goat & Compass, Edward Teach Brewing, and Bottega. “With added venues and memories of sore feet from years past,” Mann recalls, “I’ll be bringing a bike this year.”

band also features the musical talents of Ross “Raws” Paige on percussion and Peter Boscaljon on bass. The group will take over Goat & Compass, along with A Different Thread and The Yard Dogs. It marks the band’s second year performing at Alt-Zalea.

“We were fortunate to play in the festival last year as a three-piece at Bottega, which was an awesome venue, with a great atmosphere and sound,” Sutherland remembers.

“This year we will have the full band and are looking forward to performing our original music.”

Tumbleweed is eager to share Sutherland’s “Can’t Stop” and King’s “Place I’m Going.” Both songs boast haunting harmonies. Another tune they hope to play is Glasgow’s “Sweetest Dream,” a sentimental ditty, with the ability to “take you to higher Of the 35 performances, multiple genres ground” with its constant instrumental and will fill the BAD. In the past, the festival vocal build. showcased talents focused on folk, jazz, “It feels great [to be part of the festirock and experimental, among others.

Alt-Zalea 2018 will showcase much of the val],” Sutherland mentions. “For us, music same, but with even more varieties thrown is about sharing stories and emotions with other people. It makes us feel like we are into the mix, like symphonic metal. part of the larger music movement in this Tumbleweed is a group, in particular, eacity, which is full of amazing talent. It was a ger to perform. The local folk band consists great time last year, so we are looking forof singer-songwriters Jordan Sutherland, ward to doing it again.”

Amanda King and McKay Glasgow. The

Like Tumbleweed, Schauble plans to share her original music. Her favorite song to perform is “Where the Sidewalk Ends”; writing it came so naturally to her.

The song hits home as it describes a woman on the run with a wealthy man she could fall back on if needed. The woman represents Schauble chasing her dream through wary circumstances, and the man is the stable lifestyle awaiting her back home. Instead of giving in to the temptation of safety, though, Schauble chooses to confidently run in the direction of her dream.

“With every performance, my goal is to make the audience feel like they know me,” she notes. “I try to portray that through my voice and show the audience how I feel by the way I play the song. I try to let the music speak for me. Each performance is a little different and that’s what’s beautiful about live music.”

Talents like Tumbleweed and Schauble will perform for Alt-Zalea Fest on April 14 in the Brooklyn Arts District. Locals and tourists alike can enjoy the alternative fest’s variety and support smaller artists and businesses in their endeavors.

“I hope it inspires locals to seek out more music locally because we really have a lot of great talent here, and if you’re not part of the music scene, you might miss it—and

Saturday, April 14 Brooklyn Arts District Participating venues and bands: See flyer Free https://www.facebook.com/ events/1750759014958008/

WED

Allister Snyder, owner of Detour Deli, started the festival in 2015 to help promote Wilmington’s local talent as Azalea Festival brings in masses of people to the area. Ever since, Alt-Zalea has taken place annually on the Saturday of the Azalea Festival weekend.

Alt-Zalea Fest

4/11withFREE WINE & CHEESE TASTING 6-8:00PM art by Samantha & Miller, Music by Teak

THURS

“I was contacted about Alt-Zalea Fest for 2017 and thought the idea of having a sort of ‘side festival’ to showcase local musicians and venues was a great way to promote the more hidden side of downtown,” Schauble says. “I love Azalea Festival and I attend every year, but it’s gotten so big you can get lost in the tourism of it.

Alt-Zalea offers a local, communitydriven breath of fresh air—away from the crowds and chaos. So, when they asked me to be part of it, I didn’t even have to think about it.”

DETAILS:

4/12 ILM LOCAL FARMERS MARKET 4-8PM Makers & Growers Weekly Famers Maket is back!

LIVE MUSIC BY JARRETT RAYMOND 5-7PM THIRSTY THURSDAY $3 SELECT PINTS ALL DAY A&M’s Red Food Truck, 5-8pm

FRI

W

hile crowds gather over the weekend to attend larger concerts, like Azalea Fest’s 38 Special, Billy Currington and Ludacris—not to mention Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings on Thursday night and Dark Star Orchestra on Sunday—local businesses along 4th Street in the Brooklyn Arts District (BAD) continue boasting a localized flair to the springtime festival: Alt-Zalea Fest. The volunteer-run musical showcase features local singer-songwriters and bands all day on Saturday. Featuring 35 different groups and individuals, they’ll play at six different venues, and the best part: Alt-Zalea is completely free.

that would be a shame,” Schauble suggests. “I’d love to blend the two worlds, and this could be a good start. I hope it makes tourists feel more welcomed and part of our community. I want to represent Wilmington well and leave them with a good impression of what we’re all about.”

4/13 JARED MICHAEL CLINE & BACON GREASE Sandwiches & Tacos Tour

8-10PM

Yehmon51 Food Truck, 5-9pm

SAT

Another artist showcasing their talent at Alt-Zalea Fest 2018 is Cara Schauble, a 23-year-old singersongwriter from Asheboro. Schauble started singing when she began speaking as a child and has not stopped since. When attending UNCW she was part of the university’s a cappella group, the Seabelles, and has since started performing locally around Wilmington. She looks forward to performing at the recently opened Edward Teach Brewing.

BY: JESSICA RUSSELL

4/14BRICK AZALEAOVENFESTPIZZAS BEER GARDEN GETAWAY 2-9PM & PINTS! $4 pints, board & beer garden games & local art.

Live music & Mama Dukes Brick Oven Pizza on site all day

721 Surry Street Wilmington waterlinebrewing.com

Located Under The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Free parking & brewery tours.

Wine & cider are available.

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 11

A PREVIEW OF EVENTS ACROSS TOWN THIS WEEK

1423 S. 3rd St. DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON (910) 763-1607

THE SOUNDBOARD

Tuesday __________________________________________

KARAOKE

w/DJ Damo, 9PM

2 KILLIANS • 4 MAGNERS

$ 50

$ 00

Thursday ________________________________________

TRIVIA

8:00 P.M. • PRIZES! • $250 YUENGLING DRAFT $ 50 3 FIREBALL SHOTS

Friday & Saturday __________________________

LIVE MUSIC 2 BUD & BUD LIGHTS

$ 00

Sunday ___________________________________________

BREAKFAST BUFFET 9:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. • $4 MIMOSA’S

v Writers Night Mondays: $4 red wine specials v Starving Artists Tuesdays: $2 sangria, $2-$4 beer v Singer/Songwriter Open Mic Wednesdays: 9pm-midnight v Karaoke Thursdays: 8pm ‘til v Jazzy Fridays: with James Jarvis, 8-11pm v Drum Circle Saturdays: 5-8 pm v Second and Fourth Saturday Poetry v Sunday Funday: 4pm ’til: $4 mimosas

723 N 4th St.

YEARS TOGETHER: Critically-acclaimed artists Gillian Welch and David Rawlings have performed together since 1992 and continue to do so over two decades later. They bring their americana and country styles to the Brooklyn Arts Center on April 12. Photo by Henry Diltz

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11

—The Whiskey, 1 S. Front St.

Trivia from Hell’s (7:30pm; Free)

—Hoplite Pub and Beer Garden, 720 N. Lake Park Blvd.

THURSDAY, APRIL 12

Will Daube Live (6pm; Free; Singer-Songwriter)

Jazz Night with James Jarvis (8pm; Free)

Trivia Night w/Party Gras Ent. (7pm; Free)

Jazz Piano with James Jarvis (7pm; Free)

—The Blind Elephant, 21 N. Front St. Unit F

Trivia with Sherri ‘So Very’ (7pm; Free)

—Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, 11 Van Campen Blvd.

The Jillettes (7pm; $3; Variety) • 16 NC brews on tap • 8 big screen TV’s • Sports packages

• Bar games • Free popcorn machine

Ch eers!

Trivia Night & FREE Wings Every Tuesday @ 9pm Sip & Spell Adult Spelling Bee Every Wednesday @ 9pm Free Hot Dog Station and Pot Luck Every Sunday 106 N 2nd Street

(Located next to 2nd Street parking deck) Hours of operation: Mon. - Fri. 2:00pm-2:00am Sat. & Sun. noon-2:00 am

—Ted’s Fun on the River, 2 Castle St.; 910-231-3379

Barry Langston & Sylvia Ritchie (8pm; Free; Piano) —Tails Piano Bar, 115 S. Front St.

Extreme Music Bingo w/ Party Gras Ent. (10pm; Free) —Fox and Hound, 920 Town Center Drive; 910-509-0805

CBDB (10pm; TBD; Rock)

HOW TO SUBMIT A LISTING:

—Wrightsville Beach Brewery, 6201 Oleander Drive

Big Al Hall (6pm; Free; Folk)

—Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

Jared Cline (6:30pm; Free; Singer-Songwriter)

—Bill’s Front Porch Pub & Brewery, 4238 Market St.

Billy Currington (7pm; $45; Country)

—Cape Fear Community College, 411 N. Front St.

Bryan Toney (7pm; $3; Singer-Songwriter) —Ted’s Fun on the River, 2 Castle St.; 910-231-3379

An Evening with Gillian Welch & David Rawlings (7pm; $37.50-$42.50; Singer-Songwriter) —Brooklyn Arts Center, 516 N. Fourth St.; 910-538-2939

Trivia Night w/Party Gras Ent. (7:30pm; Free) —Fox and Hound, 920 Town Center Drive; 910-509-0805

—Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.; 910-763-4133 —Tails Piano Bar, 115 S. Front St.

Fire Drums & Tarot Thursdays (8pm; Free)

—Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.; 910-763-2223

Trivia (8pm; Free)

—The Harp, 1423 S. Third St.

Tubafresh, Coastal Collective and The Phryg (8pm; TBD; R&B, Hip-Hop, Funk) —The Whiskey, 1 S. Front St.

Wonky Tonk w/Sean & Her Dilemma (9pm; TBD; Folk)

—Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern, 1415 S. 42nd St.; 910-799-6465

FRIDAY, APRIL 13

Dr. Bacon Weekend (6pm; TBD; Funk, Rock) —The Calico Room, 107 S. Front St.

All Soundboard listings must be entered onto our online calendar, powered by SpinGo, each Wednesday, by 5 p.m., for consideration in the following week’s entertainment calendar. All online listings generate the print listings, as well as encore’s new app, encore Go. Venues are responsible for notifying encore of any changes, removals or additions to their weekly schedules.

12 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

38 Special (7pm; $23; Rock)

—Tails Piano Bar, 115 S. Front St.

Zion Rootz (7pm; Free; Reggae)

—The Monk, 417 S. College Road

—Cape Fear Community College, 411 N. Front St. —Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry Lane

John Toppings (7pm; TBD; Singer-Songwriter)

The Nightcap and Jared Sales (9:30pm; Free; HipHop)

Exacta Duo (7pm; Free; Rock)

The Flannel Rebellion (10pm; TBD; Grunge)

—JohnnyLukes KitchenBar, 5500 Market St. #130 —Bill’s Front Porch Pub & Brewery, 4238 Market St.

Port City Trio (7pm; $3; Variety)

—Ted’s Fun on the River, 2 Castle St.; 910-231-3379

Piano Jazz (8pm; Free)

—Bottega Art & Wine, 723 N. Fourth St.

The Fustics (8pm; Free; Rock)

—Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

Gene Gregory (8pm; TBD; Americana) —Rusty Nail, 1310 S. Fifth Ave.

Just Yesterday (9pm; Free; Grunge)

—Local’s Tavern, 1107 New Pointe Blvd.

David Fair (9pm; Free; Singer-Songwriter) —The Harp, 1423 S. Third St.

Sibilant Sounds (9pm; Free; Alternative)

—Satellite Bar and Lounge, 120 Greenfield St.

The Come On, Slomo Dingo and D&D Sluggers (9pm; TBD; Rock)

—Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern, 1415 S. 42nd St.; 910-799-6465

Donna Merritt (9pm; Free; Piano)

—Tails Piano Bar, 115 S. Front St.

Feebs (9:30pm; Free; Variety)

—Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.; 910-763-4133

Alternative Vision (9:30pm; Free; Rock)

—Wild Wing Cafe, 1331 Military Cutoff Road

Mac and Juice Sextet with After Funk (10pm; TBD; Rock, Soul) —The Whiskey, 1 S. Front St.

—Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess St.; 910-763-4133 —The Whiskey, 1 S. Front St.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15

Books, Beer & Jazz Piano (3pm; Free)

—Old Books on Front St., 249 N. Front St.; 910-76-BOOKS

D.H.I.M. (3pm; Free; Reggae)

—Wrightsville Beach Brewery, 6201 Oleander Drive

Uncle Hairy (4pm; Free; Rock)

—Bluewater Waterfront Grill, 4 Marina St.

Dark Star Orchestra (4pm; $35-$40; Rock)

—Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 1941 Amphitheater Drive

—Reel Cafe, 100 S. Front St.; 910-251-1832

Ludacris (7pm; $46; Hip-Hop)

—Cape Fear Community College, 411 N. Front St.

End of the Line (7pm; $3; Folk)

—Ted’s Fun on the River, 2 Castle St.; 910-231-3379

Loose Jets, Warboys and Street Clones (8pm; $7$10; Rock) —Reggie’s 42nd St. Tavern, 1415 S. 42nd St.

No Dollar Shoes (8pm; Free; Country) —Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

Dave Fields (8pm; $5-$7; Blues, Rock) —Rusty Nail, 1310 S. Fifth Ave.

Elliot Smith (9pm; Free; Singer-Songwriter) —The Harp, 1423 S. Third St.

Cafe Nouveau (9pm; Free; Jazz)

—Satellite Bar and Lounge, 120 Greenfield St.

Tom Noonan (9pm; Free; Piano)

FRIDAY

$2.75 Michelob Ultra $3.25 Stella $4.50 Lunazul Tequila All Floors open SATURDAY

$3 Fat Tire & Voo Doo $5 Jameson • $2 Tacos Pub Trivia on Tuesday Live music from Rebekah Todd

$3 Miller Lite $4 Deep Eddy Lemon Drop shots $5 Deep Eddy Grapefruit and Soda All floors open

$2.75 Miller Lite • $4 Wells, 1/2 price bottles of wine $2 off a dozen oysters Live music from Jeremy Norris

$3 Corona/ Corona lt • $4 Mimosa $4 Bloody Mary Live music from L-Shape Lot duo 3pm and Clay Crotts 8pm

WEDNESDAY

SUNDAY

5607 Carolina Beach road Monkey Junction (910) 399-3980 FB: @slaintemj

Donna Merritt (7pm; Free; Piano)

—Tails Piano Bar, 115 S. Front St.

Sunday School Underground (8pm; Free; Electronic) —Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St; 910-763-2223

MONDAY, APRIL 16

••• Sunday •••

$5 Mimosa • $5 Bloody Mary • 1/2 Price Wine

••• Monday •••

$5 Jameson • $4 Irish drafts $2 Domestic (bottles or cans)

Port City Trivia w/Dutch (7pm; Free)

••• TueSday •••

Trivia from Hell’s (7:30pm; Free)

••• WedneSday •••

—Buffalo Wild Wings, 140 Hays Lane #B15 —Hell’s Kitchen, 118 Princess Street; 910-763-4133

Comedy Bingo (6pm; $2)

The Drum Circle with Drum & Dance Downtown (7:30pm; Free)

TRIVIA TUESDAYS @ 7:30

$4 Yuengling, Red Oak, Harp, Miller Lite & Bud Light Drafts 25% OFF Select Irish Whiskey

$3.50 Red Oak Draft $4 Wells 65 Wings, 4-7pm $3.50 Sweetwaters $4.50 Absolute Lemonade Cheeseburger & Pint $12

$3.50 Sweet Josie $4 Margaritas

Pie & Pint $12

$3.50 Pint of the Day $4 Fire Ball $5 Mimosas $5 Car Bombs $5 Bloody Mary’s & Mimosas *Drink Specials run all day

••• ThurSday •••

$3 Pint Guiness • $6 Car Bomb $5 Spiked Lemonade

••• Friday •••

Live Music • Select Drink Specials

(910)-452-1212

Trivia Night w/Party Gras Ent. (7pm; Free)

Jazz Piano with James Jarvis (7pm; Free)

—The Blind Elephant, 21 N. Front St. Unit F

Trivia with Sherri ‘So Very’ (7pm; Free)

—Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, 11 Van Campen Blvd.

Laura McLean Singer/Songwriter Showcase (7pm; $3) —Ted’s Fun on the River, 2 Castle St.; 910-231-3379 —Tails Piano Bar, 115 S. Front St.

Dave Tamkin (9pm; Free; Singer-Songwriter)

—Juggling Gypsy, 1612 Castle St.; 910-763-2223

Extreme Music Bingo w/ Party Gras Ent. (10pm; Free) —Fox and Hound, 920 Town Center Drive; 910-509-0805

WEDNESDAY

sunday Wednesday Miller Light Pints $150$ Coronoa/ 5 All$2Flat 50 Breads 1/2 off Nachos Corona Lite Bottles $ 50 $4 Bloody$ Marys 1 Domestic Pints Margaritas/Peach Margaritas 4 Pints $ 50 $ 50 1 Domestic 2 Corona/Corona Lt. $ 5 White Russians $ 50 4 Margaritas on theTHURSDAY Rocks Visit our $website Appletinis $4, RJ’s Painkiller 5

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18

—Hoplite Pub and Beer Garden, 720 N. Lake Park Blvd.

www.RuckerJohns.com VISIT WWW.RUCKERJOHNS.COM FOR Friday Monday DAILY SPECIALS, MUSIC & EVENTS Select Appetizers halfMONDAY off $ 4 Cosmopolitan $ 2 Big Domestic Draft Beers $550 Caramel Apple Martini ALL DAY $ 95 22oz. Domestic Draft $ 4 RJ’s Coffee 3 Sam Adams and Blue $5 Pizzas Moon Seasonal Bottles Tuesday TUESDAY 1/2 off Select Bottles of Wine saTurday LIVE(sugar JAzz IN THE BAR $ 5 Absolut Dream rim) $ 6 All Price Bottles of Southern Wine Shiners $ 3 NC BrewedHalf Bottles $ 50 3-22oz Blue$2Moon Draft • Pacifico Absolut Dream (Shotgun, Buckshot, High $$550 2 Select Domestic Bottles Roller and Hoppyum)

Thursday www.RuckerJohns.com $ 50 2 Red Stripe for Bottles $ 50 daily specials, music and 2 Fat Tire Bottles $ 50 2 Fat Tire Bottles upcoming events $ 00 3 22oz. Goose Island IPA $ 95 FRIDAY 4 Irish Coffee 5564 Carolina $ 50 Cosmos $4, 007 Beach 3 Road 1/2 off ALL Premium $ Red Wine Glasses Guinness Cans 3

—The Calico Room, 107 S. Front St.

Motel Radio & Quiet Hollers (8:30pm; $8-$10; Rock) Daniel Korzelius (8pm; Free; Piano) —Bourgie Nights, 127 Princess St.

TUESDAY

—Bill’s Front Porch Pub & Brewery, 4238 Market St.

—Dead Crow Comedy Room, 265 N. Front St.

Drivin’ N Cryin’ (6pm; $15-$20; Rock)

$2 Select Domestic • $3 Draft $4 Flavored Bombs 1/2 Price Apps Live Music from Tony and Adam

Trivia with RJ (7pm; Free)

—Wrightsville Beach Brewery, 6201 Oleander Drive —The Calico Room, 107 S. Front St.

MONDAY

—Satellite Bar & Lounge, 120 Greenfield St. 910-399-2796

TUESDAY, APRIL 17

Dr. Bacon Weekend (6pm; TBD; Funk, Rock)

100 S. FRONT ST. 910-251-1832 LIVE MUSIC in the courtyard 7 days a week

$2.50 PBR 16oz cans $3.50 Sam Seasonal and Hoppyum IPA draft $5 Redbull and Vodka 1/2 price wings Live music from Josh Solomon

Bluegrass Sunday (6pm; Free)

SATURDAY, APRIL 14

Cosmic Groove Lizards (3pm; Free; Americana)

THURSDAY

Just Yesterday (9:30pm; Free; Grunge)

40 BEERS ON TAP

#TAPTUESDAY...THE BEST DAY OF THE WEEK: $3 SELECT PINTS & TEAM TRIVIA

Island Sunsets $5 SATURDAY Baybreeze/Seabreeze $4 22oz. Blue Moon Draft $3 Select Domestic Bottles $2 SUNDAY Bloody Marys $4, Domestic Pints $150 Hurricanes $5

5564 Carolina Beach Road, (910) 452-1212

Outdoor Concert Series

THURSDAY, APRIL 5 MYKEL BARBEE FRIDAY, APRIL 6 JENNY PEARSON SATURDAY, APRIL 7 THE MOTOS

Offering a variety of craft beer, ciders and wine

7324 Market Street • 910-821-8185 www.ogdentaproom.com OPEN 7 DAYS AWEEK

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 13

Azalea Festival Home Tour presented by Delinda Harrelson and Associates

Eleven gorgeous historic homes will be open for you to explore April 14 from 1-6 p.m. and April 15 from 1-5 p.m.

Stops on the Tour: CUTTING N O B B I R NY CEREMO 0 12:3 April 14 at n House, Poisso lie n a D e h t at nt St. o r F .

S 5 1 3 EEN

RY QU FREE DAI AM ICE CRE

Daniel-Poisson House 315 S. Front Street (1866) Parker-Saunders House 401 S. Front Street (1844) Edward Payson Willard House 15 S. 4th Street (1908) Miles Costin House 20 S. Fifth Avenue (1855) May and Eugene Cook House 816 Dock Street (1910) Charles O. McNair House 402 N. Seventh Street (1915) Bowdoin-Moore House 617 Red Cross Street (1904) Wolf-Webb House 412 N. 14th Street (2006) Register-Lawhorne House 1919 Wrightsville Avenue (1919) Soverel House 221 Brookwood (1928) Sutherland House 112 Colonial Drive (1940)

TICKETS ARE GOOD BOTH DAYS!

Tickets: $30 in advance â&#x20AC;˘ $35 during the weekend of the tour Available at historicwilmington.org and at many fine retail partners.

Also available onsite, at all homes of the tour, cash or check.

14 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

There will be docents at each location to share house highlights and history.

CONCERTS OUTSIDE OF SOUTHEASTERN NC

SHOWSTOPPERS

CARRY ON THE LEGACY: Dark Star Orchestra continues the Grateful Dead concert experience with performances at both Greenfield Lake and The Fillmore in Charlotte. Courtesy photo NEIGHBORHOOD THEATRE NORTH DAVIDSON ST., CHARLOTTE, NC (704) 358-9298 4/11: JoJo Hermann 4/13: Savannah Conley and Brent Cobb & Them 4/14: Stanton Moore and Kenneth Crouch 4/20: The Brummies THE FILLMORE 820 HAMILTON ST., CHARLOTTE, NC (704) 916-8970 4/12: Blackberry Smoke 4/13: Dark Star Orchestra 4/14: Arcangel 4/19: Bush 4/20: Eric B. & Rakim THE UNDERGROUND-FILLMORE 820 HAMILTON ST., CHARLOTTE, NC (704) 916-8970 4/13: The Hunna and Coasts 4/14: Hey Johnny Park 4/16: Morbid Angel 4/17: Kamelot 4/19: Social Club Misfits 4/20: Dude Ranch and the Girl at the Rock Show MOTORCO MUSIC HALL 723 RIGSBEE AVE., DURHAM, NC (919) 901-0875 4/11: Waxahatchee and Hurray for the Riff Raff 4/12: Blue Cactus and The War & Treaty 4/13: Jooselord and 3AM 4/14: The Grassroots Vinyl Lounge 4/16: Flash Chorus 4/17: Walker Lukens and Professor Toon 4/18: The Nth Power and ZOOCRÜ 4/19: Great Peacock 4/21: Surfer Blood and Winter

LINCOLN THEATRE 126 E. CABARRUS ST., RALEIGH, NC (919) 821-4111 4/12: Slim Wednesday, JoJo Hermann, Kalu and more 4/13: Dirty South Party and Trap Karaoke 4/14: The Soul Psychedelique and Love Tribe 4/17: Ty Segall and The Dead Bedrooms 4/18: Ghost Light, Holly Bowling and Tom Hamilton CAT’S CRADLE 300 E. MAIN ST., CARRBORO, NC (919) 967-9053 4/11: Yo La Tengo 4/11: Travis Marvin and Jake Jandreau (back) 4/12: Jukebox the Ghost and more 4/12: Mo Lowda & The Humble and more (back) 4/13: Tyrone Wells and Gabe Dixon (back) 4/14: Dumbfoundead, Year of the Ox and more 4/14: Hardworker, Rachel Kiel and more (back) 4/15: Split Ends (back) 4/15: Saba, Joseph Chilliams and Jean Deaux 4/16: Wolf Alice and The Big Pink 4/17: Thank You Scientist (back) 4/18: Dr. Dog and Kyle Craft 4/18: Mir.I.am and DJ Wade Banner (back) THE ORANGE PEEL 101 BILTMORE AVE., ASHEVILLE, NC (828) 398-1837 4/11: Brother Bluebird, LT and Clair Brockway 4/12: The Black Angels and Black Lips 4/13: Judah & The Lion, Colony House and Tall Heights 4/14: Gramatik, Møme and Balkan Bump 4/17: M. Ward and Laura Veirs HOUSE OF BLUES - MYRTLE BEACH 4640 HWY 17 S, NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (843) 272-3000 4/13: Blackberry Smoke

Yoshi Sushi Bar and Japanese Cuisine is offering something the greater Wilmington area has never seen before: True New York Style Sushi to Wilmington, with classic sushi and sashimi, as well as traditional rolls and some unique Yoshi Creations.

We offer a variety of items, including Poke Bowls and Hibachi - and we also are introducing true Japanese Ramen Bowls! Come try it today!

Happy Hour Sun.-Thur., 4-6pm.

Featuring discounted appetizers and select sushi rolls!

Regularly priced menu items only

Displayed is our Saketini, the Princess Peach, and behind that (from left to right) is a bowl of Ramen in the Tonkostu (pork) broth. Next to that is our appetizer, Takoyaki, which is an fried round of octopus. Beside that is a Salmon Poke bowl. Beneath is the dinner portion of steak and chicken Hibachi!

260 Racine Dr, Wilmington, NC 28403 (910) 799-6799 Hours: Mon. - Sat. 11am - 10pm Sunday 12pm - 10pm encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 15

ARTS>>THEATRE

MORE THAN APPEARANCES:

‘Love, Loss, and What I Wore’ explores memories and life, stitch by stitch

BY: GWENYFAR ROHLER

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ig Dawg Productions continues its stunning season with “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” by Nora and Delia Ephron, adapted from Ilene Beckerman’s book. Structured as a series of short scenes and monologues, it utilizes clothing as a vehicle for exploring memories and stages of the characters’ lives.

Chris Miller portrays Gingy, based upon Beckerman, whose appearances create the spine of the show. We follow Gingy from the beautiful dresses of her childhood through major life changes, marked by specific clothes: dresses her father bought her for the last birthday she spent with him; the dress she wore when she discovered her husband was cheating on her; the suit she was wearing when she met her third husband. The clothes are jumping-off points for recounting some of the more poignant moments of life, but they also showcase changing attitudes toward women in the 20th century and are powerful symbols of the armor we wear to face daily life. Miller captivates onstage at every turn. From little girl en route to ballet practice, to a new young divorcée, to the sharp ad exec, we can’t help rooting for her to succeed. Perhaps it is the wistful hopefulness she projects into every memory she shares with the audience that makes her so relatable.

Clothing remains one of the most complex and subtle symbols humans use to communicate with each other. For women, especially, there are rites of passage associated with clothing that shape and define our lives, like our first bra. There is life before it, there is life after it, and never will you forget the first one and the life change for the better or worse. In addition to Gingy’s stories, several “Clothes-

a young teenager experiencing all the excitement for the first time.

lines” pepper the show: essentially round tables with multiple characters weighing in on topics— and the first bra had to be a topic.

Tyana Rumbeau lights up the stage every time she enters. Seriously, everyone of these women are a delight.

Rumbeau has my heart, though. The simplicity of her statement how finding the right bra was a matter of getting felt up in a utility closet by a well-meaning sales person and that it changed her life, was just perfect. It also was a stark contrast to her delivery of the story about physically attacking a little girl on the playground who had inherited her favorite dress as a hand-me-down. The contrast between the visceral events is really well-manifested.

The struggle of finding something to wear, something that doesn’t make a woman look fat, or feel awful, and is appropriate to the occasion, is one for every woman to comprehend. However, Teri Harding closes act one with the most perfect performance of the feeling. In one helpless collapse of desperation and disappointment, she gives vent to the inner screams of anguish felt around the globe.

Alexandra Harris takes us on a tour of the worst aspects of the ubiquitous purse: the crumpled-up Kleenexes, bags of snacks from airplanes and other miscellany that quickly gravitate into the orbit of a handbag. She recounts a saga of disappointment and shopping that includes a purse purchase costing more than a car.

Harris is so vehement about her distaste for the most functional of fashion items, it triggers all the latent resentment buried about the purse. Though she touches on many aspects of the “purse problem,” no one mentioned just how hard it is to load or unload drywall while carrying a purse— something I have yet to see a man struggle with. But I digress.

Harris is filled with righteous indignation I wish was channeled toward something of great worth—like our water crisis, for example—rather than purse struggles. Until I remember my own struggles of having to shop for a purse. Then reality hits—and,

16 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES: Gina Gambony, Susan Auten, Tyana Rumbeau, Christina Miller, Michelle Reiff, Linda Wall, and Teri Harding.

Photo by Steve Bevels

actually, her anger is pretty dead-on. It impacts every aspect of a woman’s daily life.

How can she be so controlled and calm in her anger? I wondered. That’s when the enormity of her performance hits home.

Susan Auten directs the show and also appears in two monologues. Though the first is heartbreaking, it is her piece toward the end about getting to have a lacy white underwire bra for the first time in her life that sat with me for days. The sacrifice she makes for it—which no one would wish for anybody—is unfortunately all too close to the lives of many. She could make it a plea for pity, or an anger-infused look at the demands and sacrifices of cancer. Instead, she rides waves of complexity and creates a much more realistic and human depiction of her journey.

Lauren Busch gives audiences many memorable characters, among them, the absurd psychiatrist trying to help Teri Harding gain weight and save her crumbling marriage. That she can deliver facile lines with such commitment is a surprise in and of itself. That we can still find sympathy for her is even more amazing.

Though, I certainly wouldn’t want to be her patient, and it is such a relief when Harding finally tells her off.

Linda Wall’s discovery of how the perfect sweater really is life-changing—for good or for ultimate disappointment— leads the audience through young desire and incredibly unexpected life lessons.

She is so sweet and elated, her delight is infectious. It is easy to believe she is

Gina Gambony has a great talent for comedy. Indeed, most people would applaud this skit most. Gambony’s a woman finding true love—with a man headed to prison.

The monologue goes through the machinations they get up to, in an effort to subvert the system and gratify their desires in difficult circumstances.

She sells it with humor, genuine warmth and a sense of discovery.

However, her monologue about high heels, and having to choose between wearing heels or being able to think—because the pain they caused was so blinding she actually could no longer think—is my favorite. It is a journey of desperation and frustration cloaked in comedy, so audiences laugh to keep from crying. She very believably convinces us of the struggle of giving up high heels and what it can do to a woman’s life—not just professionally but otherwise.

The Ephrons have put together a script that could provide for a humorous evening with a small amount of emotional material, weight and gravitas. But instead it shows great depth with comedic relief thrown in to make the weighty topics palatable and approachable. Auten’s direction and talented cast breathe it to life for an evening to remember, encompassing a range of human experiences that mines nuance at every turn.

Frankly, the Ephrons owe Auten and the cast a debt of gratitude because they make the writing sparkle, shimmer and come alive. More so, they give us an evening that focuses on more than just appearances.

DETAILS:

Love, Loss, and What I Wore

April 12-15, 19-22, 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.

Tickets: $18-$25 Cape Fear Playhouse 613 Castle St. www.bigdawgproductions.org

ARTS>>THEATRE

COLORFUL AND SOMETIMES UNSAVORY: Latest TheatreNOW comedy has its ups and downs, highlights and struggles

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but less memorable. Deike is mellow in his portrayal of a father who can’t accept a gay son. His laid-back vibe doesn’t jive with such heavy-handed attitudes apparent in the script.

BY: SHEA CARVER

have a confession: I have many mixed feelings about Southern-fried humor. You know the kind—where every cliché and stereotype mocks us kinfolk of the South as bassackward, whether in dialect (i.e. mispronunciation of words) or a “bless your heart” scenario that colors us two-faced and haughty. Part of the reason stems from truth; it hurts to watch people paint a picture of a demographic that hits close to home, especially when such portrayals aren’t very flattering.

Such is apparent in local playwright Joel Perry’s “Azalea Fest Queen,” now showing at TheatreNOW through April and directed by his husband James Bowling. Watching the comedy was part heart wrenching and part funny.

When it comes to a family from the South dealing with heavy issues, like acceptance of a gay son, it’s hard to find the funny in those who ostracize him, care more about their money and reputation, and struggle with even bare niceties rather than pure love for a child.

The rest of the family seems like they’re only there to serve as punching bags to the Jonathans. Aside from a few colorful, unsavory lines and actions (i.e. Wilbur’s incestuous praise for his niece; grandmaw’s scowl and cane-wielding disdain), we don’t really see why everyone hates each other. We’re only told why, usually through dialogue, which tips its hat to Southern colloquialisms that did tickle me pink in some ways (“pot liquor,” “lying like a no-legged dog”).

AZALEA-TORN FAMILY: (l. to r., back to front, clockwise): Rich Deike, Kathy Cagney Rossi, Elizabeth Skip Maloney, Kitty Fitzgibbon, and Elizabeth Michaels star in ‘Azalea Fest Queen.’ Photo

by James Bowling

show up to the annual festivities in her belle gown, in the end of it all she just runs away and leaves the family scrambling to figure out Alas meet the Jonathan family. Thanks to what to do. Basically, they connive and hide in selling their pig farm in Burgaw, they are hellshame from having a no-show princess they bent on paying their way to the top of high sodamn-well paid good money for. ciety in Wilmington. They have a big five-bedThough the Jonathans are new to riches, room house, with four-and-half bathrooms, and even their own sewing room to boot, not they certainly aren’t to progressive ways of to mention a very large, ostentatious chande- thinking. They are stuck in praying to Jesus lier in the foyer (“for-yay” not “for-yer,” as it was for their sins, and within five seconds degradpronounced when they lived on farm land). ing their son to “man up”—maybe go to the Their ticket to ride comes with some half- Citadel instead of having fanciful, girly dreams cocked idea from Momma Jenny Jonathan of owning his own hair salon. Just as well (Kathy Cagney Rossi), who finds that buying Momma Jenny is very boastful of all their new her dear daughter Jackie’s (Heather Costello) “things” and more than willing to rub it in her crown as Azalea queen will be just the way to family’s faces—a family she despises and hob nob with and finally be accepted by the often drops jokes of killing rather frequently— creme dé la creme of Wilmington. And, so, including her sister, Aunt Tillie (Elizabeth Mishe sends Daddy Jim Jonathan (Rich Deike) chaels), her mother (Grandmaw, played by to the Azalea Fest committee, which puts on Kitty Fitzgibbon) and brother Wilbur (Delbert the annual beauty pageant, so he can bargain Skip Maloney). his way to the top with one of many 0’s filled The Jonathans, essentially, are the living, out in his checkbook. However, the Jonathan’s breathing sentiment of “bless your heart”— nouveau-riche status really means nothing to only others are saying it about them. They the old South. The Jonathans are outbid by try oh-so-hard to have class; but as the sayanother family with more bucks, which knocks ing goes: You can’t buy class. Instead, they’re down their daughter’s Azalea queen title to buying crass, weaseling their way into high sofirst princess. ciety and attempting to fill in the gaps of their Jackie is none too thrilled about her parents shallow hearts with sparkly, shiny things and plan. She just wants to graduate from Duke bombastic reputations. It’s all an out-right faso she can marry the backwoods boy she’s çade that will eventually backfire. And it does, in love with—much to her mom’s dismay, who thanks to their children. would rather her daughter be with that rich boy Costello as daughter Jackie is has a bounalcoholic who has a name for himself. Though cy outlook despite her parents’ insanity. Her Jackie attempts to put on a good face and youthful naiveté may seem dunce at the on-

set, but by the end, she proves the only one with any sense, and for that I praise her.

But the biggest problem with the play is it doesn’t really show the audience about this family’s long-term rift; it only tells them. I want to see the constructs of the world being crafted, and with nuance, which the “Azalea Festival Queen” lacks. Everything is overdone here: the jokes, the one-liners, the quips, the acting. It doesn’t quite pass for camp in my book, to appreciate it overblown ethos; also it’s = somewhat predictable. Yes, I laughed a few times, but in the end, it didn’t feel very satisfying—not even when Jerry gets his payback.

It’s hard to get behind laughter when the whole joke feels rooted in spite and hatefulness rather than love and mercy.

Rossi ups the drama tenfold as the matriarch central to all the collusion. I’m unsure her character could have enough of anything, honestly. She’s played as less of a caring mother and more like a Queen B. Thus it’s not too farfetched her son would mimic her over-the-top But have mercy on Denise Gordon for savscandalous ideas, with his own retribution by ing grace. Her Southern-inspired three-course the show’s end.

Nicholas Taylor plays the gay son with ex- meal shows up right on time. Creamy mac ‘n’ treme feminine characteristics that also paint cheese soaks up all sad feelings of realizing him cliché gay. Actually, I couldn’t help but there are still families who do not accept the wonder if the time period was supposed to be differences of their own kin. Gordon reminds set in the ‘80s—a time when everyone thought us why soul food is known as comfort food, a gay man had to be overtly feminine. If so, with hearty homemade biscuits, stewed tomamaybe I can see the dated ideals at play here, toes (perfectly reminding me of my own grandwhere acceptance equals a slander on reputa- mother’s kitchen) and smoky pintos (which tion. Though I know our nation still struggles honestly scream for cornbread, but beggars with acceptance of marginalized citizens to- can’t be choosers). day, we’ve come a very long way from 30, even 20 years ago—which this show seemingly doesn’t get. It’s confusing, too, for an audience who sees a rotary dial phone and some questionable hair-dos (side pony tails, anyone—definitely ‘80s) but then also sees a modern-day Azalea Fest commercial as part of the show that markets Ludacris as a headliner.

What?

“Azalea Fest Queen” will play through April on Friday and Saturdays, and certainly will find a niche in town who can laugh at attributes of the South that make it haunting sometimes. I just don’t think I am one of them.

DETAILS:

Azalea Fest Queen

Through Apr. 28, Fri. and Sat., 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $28-$42 (latter with threecourse meal) TheatreNOW • 19 S. 10th St. The other cast members are noticeable www.theatrewilmington.com

The problem fis It hurts the suspense of disbelief. However, Jerry is the one the audience applauds at the end for his one-uppancy—and for that we can’t help but love him.

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 17

ARTS>>THEATRE

PERSONAL INSANITY:

Chase Harrison wraps up ‘Madness Trilogy’ with haunted-house piece

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BY: SHEA CARVER

ll local writer Chase Harrison ever wanted to be as a child was a “Master of Horror.” His love for the genre begun with the real Master of Horror, John Carpenter, whose work on “Halloween” captivated Harrison in the ‘80s. Harrison studied all the horror tropes and mores apparent in Carpenter’s movies, as well as those told in the stories of evil icons Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger.

In a short three years, 2015-2018, Harrison has taken his childhood passion and turned them into a “Madness Trilogy,” as he calls it, for Wilmington audiences. The playwright oversaw “Wendigo” (which focused on ghost stories) at the now-defunct Browncoat Theatre in 2015, and just last October, “TheaTerror” (about a serial killer) made its debut on the TheatreNOW stage. Each won Harrison accolades at the StarNews Theater Awards in 2016 and 2018. Up next: “In Sanity,” a show focused on the concept of the haunted house. Harrison found a lot of inspiration in Kubrick’s “The Shining”—but with one caveat: had it been directed by Lucio Fulci (“Four of the Apocalypse,” “Zombi 2”).

nals (Brendan Carter and Hal Cosec). While waiting for their ransom, an “evil cursing of the land” arises, which then takes the story into the future when a paranormal investigator and her students (Erin Hunter, Jordan Vogt, Emily Gomez) head back into the halls of Jarvis Thompson to find the root of evil. The show moves between timelines and goes back to the beginning in Act 3.

“We jump all the way to the last night in which the Home of the Un-Calm was a functioning hospital, when the riots broke out,” Harrison explains, “to meet the head orderly Sig Suggs (who might be the most vile character I’ve written so far), played

by David Heck, and the newest staff hire, Dwight Combs, played by Phill “Fulci films have a wonderful unsettling air Antonino.” about them, where a sense of dread not only Harrison’s haunted-house focus for “In exists, but it’s expanding out, consuming and Sanity” is to shine a light back on the concorrupting us and our world,” Harrison tells. cept of human nature creating evil—unlike Harrison set “In Sanity” in an asylum—the ghosts trying to reconcile deeds of their life Jarvis Thompson Home for the Mentally Un- on Earth. The characters are not lost souls Calm—which closed due to riots that ensued in this show. one fated evening. Made up of three acts, the “No, it’s a personification of humanity’s audience is courted through various stages of own terrible, evil nature turned on us,” Harthe hospital and how its nefarious reputation rison clarifies. “This ‘House of Hell’ knows grew. It starts with the kidnapping of heiress what makes us tick ‘cause it is made of what Asia Fulci, who’s captured by career crimimakes us tick.”

After wrapping his show in November, Harrison dusted off the script and got back to work—something he calls the real insanity of the process, balancing the close proximity between closing and opening a new show. He threw out roughly 80 percent of the first draft and began rewriting new characters, plot points, character arcs, a new spirit, and setting.

“It was daunting to think in three months, I’d have to audition for this show and I’m throwing out most of what I have,” Harrison recalls. “But I did—and for those next three months, it was life inside the Jarvis Thompson Home for the Mentally Un-Calm.”

RAW EMOTION: Jessica Farmer is evil brought to human form in local playwright Chase Harrison’s final play in his madness trilogy, “In Sanity.” Courtesy photo

Misplaced and raw emotions, often disturbed and twisted, become sealed in the walls of the asylum. Then they become sentient, according to the playwright. “It has turned the hospital into a living beast itself . . . [and] takes shape in Jessica Farmer reveling in the role of evil brought to a human form— tempting, torturing and killing all who have the misfortune of entering her domain.”

He took it to the PSL writers’ room, each of whom offered notes on the script. It was a new process for Harrison to have his script workshopped. “But [I] found it to be very helpful.” he says.

“From there we had what I think is a pretty tight tale of terror, by taking a new look at the old dark house in the neighborhood.”

The PSL production will be Harrison’s biggest show to date. It will be heightened in depth of character and story, but also in effects, from sound to visual. The team has been simpatico in their overall goal.

“Eddie Key has come onboard, who designed and built an outstanding funhouse of a set,” Harrison says. “The MVP of ‘TheaTerror,’ Nicole Horton, has come back to handle the galore of gore for the production.With Harrison originally planned for “In Sanity” to them, mixed with the PSL team, this show be completed and shown two years ago, ac- has been amazing to work with and really tually as the second play in his “Madness Tril- strives to bring the artists work to stage.” ogy.” Though completed in 2015, he shelved it until Wesley Brown of Pineapple-Shaped Lamps asked Harrison to direct it as part of PSL’s 2018 season. Harrison was in the In Sanity middle of auditioning for “TheaTerror” when April 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 8 p.m.; Brown approached him.

Sun., 3 p.m.

DETAILS:

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18 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

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“After writing it and directing, and all the stress of putting on a show,” he tells, “I wasn’t ready to go right back into the heat of it. . . . [but] if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: Never doubt the power of the Pineapple.”

Tickets: $15-$22 Front St. Theatre 21 N. Front St., fifth floor www.pslcomedy.com

WHAT’S HANGING AROUND THE PORT CITY

GALLERYGUIDE ARTEXPOSURE!

22527 Highway 17N, Hampstead, NC (910) 803-0302 (910) 330-4077 Tues. - Sat. 10am - 5pm (or by appt.) www.artexposure50.com

One-man show “Escape into Plein Air” features Robert Rigsby. The show will highlight oil paintings from Rob’s 6 month trip visiting all fifty national parks. Rob also wrote a book about his journey and it is available under the same name on Amazon.

ART IN BLOOM GALLERY

210 Princess St. Tues. - Sat. 10am - 6pm (or by appt., Sun. and Mon.) (484) 885-3037 www.aibgallery.com

“Ink on Paper” by Bob Bryden” & Photographic Reflections by Harold Hodges” combines the work of two artists working in very different media. The art exhibit continues through April 28th. Meet the artists on Fourth Friday Gallery Night, April 27, 6-9 pm.

Join us for a visual art exhibit, “Jewish Art: Diverse Cultures” during the Wilmington Jewish Film Festival, April 22nd - May 6th. The art exhibit will be in Art in Bloom Gallery April 22nd - May 6th with pop-up exhibits at Thalian Hall on Sundays and Mondays during the film festival. All proceeds from art sales will benefit the nonprofit Wilmington Jewish Film Festival, Thalian Hall, and contributing artists. Preview art at https://aibgallery.com/artist/jewish-art-exhibit/.

Scanographs by Susan Francy” at Platypus & Gnome Restaurant, 9 S. Front St.

CHARLES JONES AFRICAN ART

311 Judges Rd., Unit 6-E cjart@bizec.rr.com (910) 794-3060 Mon. – Fri. 10am - 12:30 pm 1:30 pm - 4 pm Open other hours and weekends by appointment www.cjafricanart.com

African art: Museum quality African Art from West and Central Africa. Traditional African art for the discerning collector.

Cureent Exhibition: Yoruba beadwork and Northern Nigerian sculpture. Appraisal services, curatorial services and educational exhibitions also available.

Over 30 years experience in Tribal Arts.

Our clients include many major museums.

EXPO 216

216 N. Front St, Wilmington, NC (910) 769-3899 Wed. – Sun., Noon – 6 PM www.expo216.com

http://cfcc.edu/danielsgallery

Wilma Daniels Gallery would like to welcome the first show of 2018, The Photo Invitational: Out of the Pines. Out of the Pines features work in photography by instructors from North Carolina Colleges and Universities. Featured artists are: Erin Arsenault, Kevin Eams, Dhanraj Emanuel, and Jay Capers, Randolph Community College; Jeff Murphy, Heather Freeman, Aspen Hochhalte, and Ann Kluttz, UNCC; Rose Jerome, Winston-Salem State; Courtney Johnson, UNCW; Daniel Josip Kariko and Angela Franks Wells, ECU; Larry Lean, University of Mount Olive; Jennifer Mace, CFCC; Leigh Ann Parrish, Western Carolina University; Richard Tichich, Western Carolina University; Charity Valentine, Pitt Community College; Will Willner, Wake Forest University; Joe Young, Catawba Vally Community College; Scot Taylor and Ryan Adrick, Carteret Community College.

Over 5,000 square feet in historic downtown of thought-provoking art and fashions! Expo 216’s one-year expositions are theme-driven: currently addressing Death & Dying. Works by local artists, Joan McLoughlin, Niki Hildebrand, Chad Starling, and many more will intrigue you. Fashions, such as Flatliner and The Cyclist’s Widow, will stun you. Exhibits, such as The History of Funeral Care and Mourning Practices, provide an educational element.

NEW ELEMENTS GALLERY

271 N. Front St. (919) 343-8997 Tues. - Sat.: 11am - 6pm (or by appt.) www.aibgallery.com In addition to our gallery at 210 Princess www.newelementsgallery.com

ART OF FINE DINING

Street, Art in Bloom Gallery partners with local businesses to exhibit original art in other locations. Current exhibits at other locations include: “Between You and Me: Bradley Carter at The District” with paintings at The District Kitchen and Cocktails,1001 N. 4th St. “In the Light: New Paintings by Debra Bucci” & “Art Explosions by Jeffery Geller” at Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry St. “Water and Sky” with paintings by Janette K. Hopper at Pinpoint Restaurant,114 Market St. “Ordinary Beauty, Closely Observed:

New Elements has been offering the best of regional and national fine art and craft since 1985. We invite you to learn more about the artists we represent, featured exhibitions, and gallery news. We regularly update the work available online, so return often to view our many different selections if you can’t drop into the gallery.

WILMA W. DANIELS GALLERY 200 Hanover St. (bottom level, parking deck) Mon.-Fri., noon-5pm encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 19

ARTS>>FILM

A DIFFERENT KIND OF RE-ENACTMENT Feature about 1898 riots gets theatrical screening at Stone Theaters

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ing a 33-minute orchestra score while he was in graduate school at the University of Southern California.

BY: NIKKI KROUSHL

n 2005 Nelson Oliver, then a UNCW student, walked alongside the Cape Fear River when a friend mentioned the 19th-century race riots that had occurred nearby in downtown Wilmington. Oliver was intrigued; aside from the fact it was the only coup d’état in U.S. history, his father, a local history buff, had never heard about the riots either. Months later, when the Wilmington 1898 Race Riot Commission published a comprehensive report of the history, Oliver pored over the documents, and absorbed every detail.

“That’s when I fully decided, ‘All right, I am committing myself to creating a narrative experience, a dramatization of the events of 1898 Wilmington,’” Oliver remembers. He chose narrative over documentary because of an experience in high school while watching “Schindler’s List.”

“It impacted my classmates so much, a few people in class started crying,” Oliver recalls. “We were transported instantly out of our classroom, from 2002 to 1942. I decided I was going to create an emotionally engaging experience in history.”

Thirteen years later, his decision has manifested “The Red Cape,” a 40-minute feature film. Following Willy, a precocious black child, and his tenacious father, Monroe, the film explores the prosperous late19th-century black community of Wilmington. In events later known as the 1898 Wilmington Race Riots, orator and white supremacist Alfred Waddell led the charge to overthrow Wilmington’s biracial political leadership and destroy and disenfranchise the black community. The conflict and massacre is the only proven successful coup in

“The Red Cape’s” first screening (and an encore screening) took place at the Cucalorus Film Festival in 2016. It was also screened at the 2017 Charlotte Black Film Festival and Milledgeville Film Festival. “[We’re] beginning to present it to people in Wilmington as it was designed to be presented,” Oliver says. “I really could not be more excited about it on the big screen for an entire week in Wilmington; I don’t know how often this would happen, if ever again.”

HISTORICAL FEATURE: Nathaniel Cullors as Willy in “The Red Cape,” a feature about the Wilmington 1898 Riots. Courtesy photo

U.S. history.

“The historical characters involved are Waddell, who really started the coup and led the coup, as well as the mayor he overthrew,” Oliver explains. “I took very few liberties. Most of their words are things they were documented saying. It did take a lot longer to develop the black side of the story.”

Willy and Monroe are fictional characters, but their narrative rings with truth. Oliver uses them to showcase the tragedy of the events. They also provide the ethos of the story. “[But] anything they interact with that’s historical is as accurate as we could possibly make it,” Oliver clarifies Following two years of research and de-

velopment and a $30,000 Kickstarter campaign, filming for “The Red Cape” began in 2008 and continued through July 2010.

It was done in sprints because Oliver was working a couple of part-time jobs to fund what the Kickstarter could not.

“I actually had to move in with my parents during that time,” Oliver recounts. “I would travel to Wilmington, and we would shoot for a weekend. I would go back home till I could make enough money for us to film again.”

Oliver and his team researched the burning the building of The Daily Record, Wilmington’s black-owned newspaper. Oliver secured permission from the city, police department, fire department, and the church on the lot next door to reconstruct The Daily Record’s building and destroy it in a controlled burn. They utilized the skills of Will Purcell (“Hunger Games” and “Home Alone”).

“The greatest success was how engaged the local community of Wilmington became around bringing this history back to life,” Oliver continues. “There were hundreds of people who volunteered their time without ever expecting any payment. We had over 100 people on set just that one day for the burning scene. It really did create a familial unit . . . Everyone involved felt a similar compulsion and responsibility to recreate history faithfully.”

From April 15 to 21, “The Red Cape” will be shown at The Pointe 14 at Stone Theatres. It will play at 11 a.m. from April 15 to 19 and at 6:30 p.m. on April 20 and 21.

Cast and crew members from the production, including Oliver, will be available for Q&As after the evening screenings on April 20 and 21.

The April 20 showing also will feature one-day-only post-screening Q&A appearances from LeRae Umfleet, the film’s lead historian, and Nathaniel Cullors, who played Willie and is currently performing in Las Vegas as a young Michael Jackson in “Legends in Concert.”

“No matter what race or ethnic background somebody comes from, everyone the world over understands the perspective of a child,” Oliver says of his protagonist.

“To me, beyond the political coup, beyond the unknown body count of people murdered, it was the removal of the promise of a future, the removal of prosperity, that impacted people across lifetimes . . . to see that through the eyes of a 6-year-old child who experiences all these promising opportunities, only to live the remainder of his life in a world of intolerance and segregation—that, to me, was the greatest tragedy of 1898.”

DETAILS:

“The Red Cape” (2016)

Directed by Nelson Oliver The Pointe 14 at Stone Theaters April 15-19 11 a.m.; April 20-21, 6:30 The visual effects were a huge feat: re- p.m. with post-screening Q&A moving power lines, modern structures, Tickets $10 and other elements of 21st-century Wilm- theredcapemovie.com/screenings ington. Oliver and his crew filmed more than 200 shots.

20 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

He finished the project by commission-

ARTS>>FILM

BAFFLING AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE: Spielberg lost his way with ‘Ready Player One’

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I’m often amused by people who try to call out a movie as a significant social marker.

“Wonder Woman” can’t just be an entertaining movie; it has to be a monolith to inclusivity. This would be fine except for the people with unrealistic expectations. There were grown, adult people who were upset “Wonder Woman” wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.

Take a moment; let that sink in. There was actual indignation and outrage because a bythe-numbers superhero blockbuster movie wasn’t considered a crowning achievement in filmmaking. I expect the same thing to happen with “Black Panther,” which was a fine movie but in no way deserving of major-award consideration. For some people, the fact it was good and made a boatload of money won’t prevent disappointment when Chadwick Boseman isn’t nominated for best actor.

99 percent of the movies we see are simply two hours of entertainment engineered as a bit of escapism. Our culture has devolved into a sad cult of fandom—a place where the movies we love are seen as part of our identity. It felt apt as I watched Steven Spielberg’s terrible “Ready Player One,” a film about a dystopian future. Here, reality is sidestepped for the pleasures of an online world called the “Oasis.”

Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) is a kid living in “the stacks” of Columbus, Ohio—because it is a world where Columbus is now the fastest growing city. Anyone who has ever been to Columbus will understand what a frightening scenario this is. Wade’s life sucks: His parents are dead. His aunt’s abusive lovers smack him around. He escapes into the Oasis where, and I quote, “You can be anything you imagine”— which is kind of true—so long as the limits of imagination are restricted to things that existed

films this week MAYFAIRE TOWNE CENTER

900 Towne Center Apr. 12, 6:30 p.m., $12

BY: ANGHUS

very movie doesn’t need to be a movement. These are wise words spoken by one of cinema’s most prolific and revered voices: myself. Such deep wisdom was uttered sometime around the turn of the century when everyone was freaking out about the tragedy of “Star Wars: A Phantom Menace” and praising “The Matrix” as the future of cinema. Film fans are a hyperbolic lot.

They’re constantly looking at movies to be something more than two hours of entertainment and weigh the film’s significance in the pop-culture landscape. We’ve seen it happen with “Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther.”

People want to gloss over a movie’s entertainment value and speak about what the success of what it means to society.

REEL TO REEL

One-night only screening of the locally produced documentary film, “Sharecrop.” The film conveys what life was really like for cotton sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta, tobacco sharecroppers in the Carolinas, and others. “Sharecrop” explores their lives, the way they worked and highlights the resilience of the South’s forgotten farmers. www.tugg.com/events/sharecropdhli.

MOVIE MONDAY POP-CULTURE OBSESSION: Teens obsess over all-things ‘80s and ‘90s in Spielberg’s latest flick. Photos from De Line Pictures

in the 1980s and 1990s.

The film is a hodge-podge of movie, television and video-game references, most tied to the 1980s: The era where the creator of the Oasis, Halliday (Mark Rylance) found all his inspiration. So in the Oasis, all teenage kids obsess over the same stuff Halliday did: Atari, “Back to the Future,” “The Shining,” and other kitschy bits of pop culture that happened in the tackiest decade. Halliday has passed away and left a series of clues for players to solve to win an Easter egg which gives them control of the Oasis and the future of mankind.

For the film’s first 20 minutes or so, I felt confident I was going to watch something passable or at least marginally entertaining. We get to meet the characters, hear them squawk exposition at one another, and meet the villain (Ben Mendelsohn) who wants to take over the Oasis for his own nefarious reason: corporate greed.

What a bastard. I felt relieved I was watching a predictable piece of pop-culture piffle, but then as the movie went on, my feeling of content painfully washed away, like removing salt from my eyes with a bucket of lemon juice and tea tree oil. Oh, did it sting.

As the movie went on, I found myself mildly irked at the amount of middle-aged male geek references but majorly frustrated with how bad the movie was. “Ready Player One” contains some of the most cringe-inducing cinematic moments I can remember—terribly written lines read passionately by mediocre actors and directed without an ounce of imagination.

I was shocked how terrible it was.

I’ve got to be honest: The guy is way off his game—and anyone who says otherwise can only be labeled an apologist.

I went full Zoidberg in the theater; as the credits rolled, I shouted, “This movie is bad, and you should feel bad.” “Ready Player One” makes “Hook” look like “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” It would be easy for me to try and make the movie into a movement—talk about how it represents the kind of lazy, uncreative, unoriginal endeavor killing theatrical experiences. I suppose there could be an argument to make there, but it’s not why I hated “Ready Player One.” I hated the movie because it was poorly put together. I hated the terrible, one-dimensional acting. I hated the paper-thin, superderivative pop-culture-referential script. And I hated the direction, which went back and forth between baffling and incomprehensible.”

I was stunned how a movie about a world where anything can happen felt so limited and grounded. The Oasis didn’t look like someplace fun. It looked like the weird, constricted dream of someone who spent too much time watching movies and not enough time living life. Strangely, the movie tries to make that point in an act of irony so blunt it could be used to club the concept to death.

DETAILS:

Ready Player One

Rated PG-13 Directed by Steven Spielberg Starring Tye Sheridan, Olivia I realize a lot of people give Spielberg a pass Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn

for his earlier contributions to the art form, but

Northeast Regional Library 1241 Military Cutoff Rd. Apr. 16, 2p.m., free

Catch a free matinee at Northeast Library! Visit the online calendar at www.nhclibrary.org for movie title, rating, and length. No registration is necessary for these free film screenings. The audience is welcome to bring light snacks to enjoy during the movie. For information contact Kelly Colacchio at KColacchio@nhcgov. com or 910-798-6371.

ACE FILMS

Lumina Theater 601 S. College Rd. Apr. 20, 9 p.m., free

“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” follows four teenagers, who get sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.

PG-13

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 21

SOUTHEASTERN NC’S PREMIER DINING GUIDE

GRUB & GUZZLE

Oceans Restaurant located in this oceanfront resort is a wonderful find. This is the perfect place to enjoy a fresh Seafood & Steak dinner while dinning outside overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Chef Eric invites you to experience his daily specials in this magnificent setting. (910) 256-2231. 1706 N. Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach.

■ SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER: Sun.-Sat. ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach ■ FEATURING: Waterfront dining ■ WEBSITE: www.holidayinn.com HOPS SUPPLY CO. The combination of chef-inspired food and our craft bar makes Hops Supply Co. a comfortable and inviting gastropub that attracts guests of all types – especially a local crowd who can feel right at home whether ordering a classic favorite or trying a new culinary delight! At HopsCo, we are dedicated to the craft of excellent cuisine and delivering hops in its most perfect form, exemplified by our selection of craft beers. As hops are the heart of flavor for beer, our local seasonal ingredients are the soul of our culinary inspired American fare.

5400 Oleander Dr. (910) 833-8867.

■ OPEN: Mon-Thurs 10:57 am - 10 pm; Fri-Sat 10:57 am - 11 pm {Serving Brunch 10:57am – 3pm & bar open until midnight}; Brunch ALL DAY Sunday 9:57am – 10pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.hopssupplycompany.com

STEAM RESTAURANT AND BAR • www.steamrestaurantilm.com

AMERICAN

BLUEWATER WATERFRONT GRILL Enjoy spectacular panoramic views of sailing ships and the Intracoastal Waterway while dining at this popular casual American restaurant in Wrightsville Beach. Lunch and dinner are served daily. Favorites include jumbo lump crab cakes, succulent seafood lasagna, crispy coconut shrimp and an incredible Caribbean fudge pie. Dine inside or at their awardwinning outdoor patio and bar, which is the location for their lively Waterfront Music Series every Sunday April - October.

Large parties welcome. Private event space available. BluewaterDining.com. 4 Marina Street, Wrightsville Beach, NC. (910) 256-8500.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon-Fri 11a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sat & Sun 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach ■ FEATURING: Waterfront dining ■ MUSIC: Music every Sunday in Summer ■ WEBSITE: www.bluewaterdining.com BLUE SURF CAFÉ Sophisticated Food…Casual Style. We offer a menu that has a heavy California surf culture influence while still retaining our Carolina roots. We provide a delicate balance of flavors and freshness in a comfortable and inviting setting. We offer a unique breakfast menu until noon daily, including specialty waffles, skillet hashes and unique breakfast sandwiches. Our lunch menu is packed with a wide variety of options, from house roasted pulled pork, to our mahi sandwich and

customer favorite, meatloaf sandwich. Our dinner features a special each night along with our favorite house entrees: Braised Beef Brisket, Mojo Pork and Mahi. All of our entrees are as delicious as they are inventive. We also have a full beer and wine list. Come try the “hidden gem” of Wilmington today. 250 Racine Drive Ste. 1, Wilmington 910-523-5362.

■ SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER: Monday to Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Breakfast served until noon each day!

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Daily Specials, Gluten Free Menu, Gourmet Hot Chocolates, Outdoor Patio, New Artist event first Friday of every month and Kids Menu.

■ WEBSITE: www.bluesurfcafe.com CAM CAFÉ CAM Café, located within the CAM delivers delightful surprises using fresh, local ingredients. The café serves lunch with seasonal options Tuesday thru Saturday, inspired “small plates” on Wednesday nights, an elegant yet approachable dinner on Thursday and brunch every Sunday. Look for a combination of fresh, regular menu items along with daily specials. As part of dining in an inspiring setting, the galleries are open during CAM Café hours which makes it the perfect destination to enjoy art of the plate along with the art of the museum. 3201 S 17th St. (910) 777-2363.

■ SERVING LUNCH, BRUNCH & DINNER: Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 11am-2pm; Thursday evening, 5pm-9pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.camcafe.org

22 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

courtesy photo

ELIJAH’S Since 1984, Elijah’s has been Wilmington, NC’s outdoor dining destination. We feature expansive indoor and outdoor waterfront dining, with panoramic views of riverfront sunsets.

As a Casual American Grill and Oyster Bar, Elijah’s offers everything from fresh local seafood and shellfish to pastas, sandwiches, and Certified Angus Beef selections. We offer half-priced oysters from 4-6 every Wednesday & live music with our Sunday Brunch from 11-3. Whether you are just looking for a great meal & incredible scenery, or a large event space for hundreds of people, Elijah’s is the place to be.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun-Thurs 11:30-10:00; Friday and Saturday 11:30-11:00 ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown Wilmington Kids menu available HENRY’S A local favorite, Henry’s is the ‘place to be’ for great food, a lively bar and awesome patio dining. Henry’s serves up American cuisine at its finest that include entrees with fresh, local ingredients. Come early for lunch, because it’s going to be packed. Dinner too! Henry’s Pine Room is ideal for private functions up to 30 people. 2508 Independence Boulevard, Wilmington, NC. (910) 793.2929.

SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun. - Mon. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Tues.- Fri.: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sat.: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Daily blackboard specials.

■ WEBSITE: www.henrysrestaurant.com HOLIDAY INN RESORT

JOHNNYLUKES KITCHENBAR Good eats, good drinks, and great times is what JohnnyLukes KitchenBar is all about. JohnnyLukes KitchenBar serves Wilmington, NC a variety of 19 rotating craft beers on tap, a hand selected eclectic American wine list, fun cocktails, and of course, exceptional food. Our two-story layout brings the best of both worlds under one roof. Downstairs at JohnnyLukes KitchenBar pair your beer or wine with our Parmesan Crusted Pork Chop, Chicken Pot Pie, Ribeye, or one of our many main entrees and sharable plates. Or, join us upstairs at JL’s Loft and pair a beer with one of our multiple burgers, JL’s roast beef sandwich, meatball sandwich, or one of our many appetizers (we recommend both!). So next time you are looking for a new and exciting restaurant in Wilmington, NC where you can experience both great craft beer and amazing food, be sure to head over to JohnnyLukes KitchenBar and JL’s Loft! 5500 Market Street, Suite 130.

(910)-769-1798 ■ OPEN: JohnnyLukes KitchenBar: Mon to Sun: 11:30am to 10pm; JL’s Loft: Mon to Sun: 11:30am to 2am ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: North Wilmington ■ WEBSITE: www.johnnylukeskb.com KURE BEACH DINER George and Frankie Turner opened the Kure Beach Diner in 2012. Once located beside the old 1923 Kure Beach Pier, once Hurrican Hazel wiped out the two-story building, the pier house tackle shop moved across the lane and housed the Seaside Café. The stories of the original days and of the beach in a bygone era are still told on the Kure Beach Diner’s walls, which today is known for some of the best grits and hushpuppies around. The laid-back local joint prides itself on its old-school vibe, serving American food from morning to night. 101 K Ave, Kure Beach, (910) 458-8778 ■ SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER: Breakfast is served 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. daily. Lunch and dinner are served 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Kure Beach

■ WEBSITE: wwwfacebook.com/Kure-Beach-Din- ingredients. They are located at in the old Saltworks building on Wrightsville Avenue and open at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast er-276729072381968 and lunch, and 5:00 p.m. for dinner. Breakfast is served 8:00 THE LAZY PIRATE a.m. - 11:30 a.m., lunch from 11:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Look The Lazy Pirate is a place where the food will hold your for daily specials and other important information online at tastebuds down and tickle them silly, as drinks flow like an www.facebook.com/roadhousewilmington, or call (910) 765ice cold river. The menu is delicious—not pretentious. After 1103. Please, no reservations. having an ice-cold beverage—virgin or not—you can start a ■ SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER: 8 a.m. breakculinary safari with one of our delicious homemade appetizfast and lunch; 5 p.m. dinner ers. The epicurean’s adventure will continue with a main en■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown tree, ranging from stacked juicy burgers to fresh seafood, ■ WEBSITE: facebook.com/roadhousewilmington as well as exquisite specialty items. The diner’s last stop on this tantalizing trip, which is literally the icing on the cake, will SPOONFED KITCHEN & BAKE SHOP come with a plethora of scrumptious homemade desserts Newly opened Spoonfed Kitchen & Bake Shop is bringing only Willy Wonka could match. It’s all to be enjoyed inside their love for great food and customer service to Wilmingor in our outside courtyard, where games and activities will ton! Spoonfed Kitchen & Bake Shop specializes in creating make you feel like a kids again! 701 N Lake Park Blvd, Caro- wholesome, delightful foods to feed your lifestyle. Please join us in our cafe for breakfast, lunch & weekend brunch. lina Beach, 458-5299 ■ SERVING LUNCH AND DINNER: Open Monday through We offer coffee & pastries, great foods to go from our deli Thursday, 5-10 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, noon - 11 & freezer cases (appetizers, salads, entrees & sides), bakery items (scones, cinnamon rolls, cookies, brownies, pies p.m. through April 30, 2018. & more), gluten-free bakery items, and specialty market, ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Pleasure Island cheeses & beverage. Catering is also available for all budets ■ WEBSITE: www.lazypiratesportsgrill.com from personal to corporate to events. #feedyourlifestyle.

■ WEBSITE: www.littledipperfondue.com 1930 Eastwood Road, Suite 105, Wilmington, NC 28403, NICHE (910) 679-8881. Open Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sat. - Sun. Niche Kitchen and Bar features an eclectic menu, a large 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. wine list, and a warm and inviting atmosphere. Close to Caro■ SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH lina Beach, Niche has a great selection of dishes from land ■ SERVING BRUNCH: Sat. & Sun. 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. to sea. All dishes are cooked to order, and Sundays features ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach a great brunch menu!

■ WEBSITE: www.spoonfedkitchen.com Niche’s heated covered patio is perfect for anytime of the year and great for large parties. And their bar has a great THE TROLLY STOP Trolly Stop Grill and Catering is a four store franchise in assortment of wines, even offered half off by the glass on Tuesdays-Thursdays. Open Tues. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. North Carolina. Trolly Stop Hotdogs opened in Wrightsville Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling Beach in 1976. That store name has never changed. Since the Wrightsville Beach store, the newer stores sell hotdogs, 910-399-4701.

■ OPEN LUNCH AND DINNER: Tues.-Sun., 11 a.m. - 10 hamburgers, beef and chicken cheese steaks, fries, hand dipped ice cream, milk shakes, floats and more. p.m.

Our types of dogs are: Southern (Trolly Dog, beef and ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington pork), Northern (all beef), Smoke Sausage (pork), Fat Free ■ WEBSITE: www.nichewilmington.com (turkey), Veggie (soy). Voted Best Hot Dog in Wilmington PINE VALLEY MARKET for decades.

Pine Valley Market has reigned supreme in servicing the Check our website trollystophotdogs.com for hours of Wilmington community for years, securing encore’s Best-Of operations, specific store offerings and telephone numbers, awards in catering, gourmet shop and butcher. Now, Kathy or contact Rick Coombs, 910-297-8416, rtrollystop@aol.

Webb and Christi Ferretti are expanding their talents into com serving lunch in-house, so folks can enjoy their hearty, homeWe offer catering serving 25-1000 people. Franchises made meals in the quaint and cozy ambience of the market. available Using the freshest ingredients of highest quality, diners can enjoy the best Philly Cheesesteak in Wilmington, along with ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER numerous other sandwich varieties, from their Angus burger ■ LOCATIONS: Wilmington, Fountain Dr. (910) 452-3952 to classic Reuben, Italian sub to a grown-up banana and peaWrightsville Beach (910) 256-3921 nut butter sandwich that will take all diners back to childhood.

Southport (910) 457-7017 Served among a soup du jour and salads, there is something Boone, NC (828) 265-2658 for all palates. Take advantage of their take-home frozen Chapel Hill, NC (919) 240-4206 meals for nights that are too hectic to cook, and don’t forget ■ WEBSITE: www.trollystophotdogs.com to pick up a great bottle of wine to go with it. 3520 S. College Road, (910) 350-FOOD. ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon.-Fri.10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed Sun. HIBACHI TO GO ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Daily specials and take-home frozen meals Hibachi To Go is a locally owned, family business serving only the freshest ingredients with three locations. We invite you to ■ WEBSITE: www.pinevalleymarket.com try our menu items at either our Hampstead drive-thru locaRISE tion, where you can walk-up, take-out, or call in and pick up Serving up the best dang biscuits and donuts in Wilmington, your meal or our Ogden location with dine-in or take-out opRise is not any typical breakfast spot. Our donut menu in- tions. Our new Wilmington location (894 South Kerr Avenue) cludes an assortment of ‘old school, new school, and our offers dine-in, take-out or drive-thru service. We’re conveschool’ flavors; and our buttery, flaky biscuits filled with coun- nient for lunch and dinner. Open 7 days 11 am - 9 pm. Our try ham, bacon, sausage, fried chicken, and fried eggplant popular Daily Lunch Specials are featured Monday-Saturday “bacon” are crave-worthy. Lunch is on the Rise with our new for $4.99 with selections from our most popular menu items! chicken sandwiches on potato rolls and fresh salads. 1319 We always have fresh seafood selections at Hibachi To Go, Military Cutoff Rd. (910) 239-9566 like delicious hand peeled shrimp, fresh local flounder and ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon.- Sun. 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. always a fresh catch fillet in-house. We scratch make every ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach item on our menu daily. We offer your favorite hibachi meals ■ WEBSITE: http://risebiscuitsdonuts.com and some of our originals like our pineapple won tons. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for the most up to ROADHOUSE OF WILMINGTON Roadhouse is an American-style restaurant and focuses date information on Hibachi To Go. Always fresh, great food on homemade, classic dishes, cooked to order, using fresh at a super good price. Hampstead Phone: 910.270.9200. • Ogden Phone: 910.791.7800 Wilmington Phone: 910-833-

8841 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Open 7 days 11am-9pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown, North Wilmington, Hampstead ■ WEBSITE: www.hibachitogo.com INDOCHINE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE If you’re ready to experience the wonders of the Orient without having to leave Wilmington, join us at Indochine for a truly unique experience. Indochine brings the flavors of the Far East to the Port City, combining the best of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine in an atmosphere that will transport you and your taste buds. Relax in our elegantly decorated dining room, complete with antique Asian decor as well as contemporary artwork and music. Our diverse, friendly and efficient staff will serve you beautifully presented dishes full of enticing aromas and flavors. Be sure to try such signature items as the spicy and savory Roasted Duck with Red Curry, or the beautifully presented and delicious Shrimp and Scallops in a Nest. Be sure to save room for our world famous desert, the banana egg roll! We take pride in using only the freshest ingredients, and our extensive menu suits any taste. After dinner, enjoy specialty drinks by the koi pond in our Asian garden. Located at 7 Wayne Drive (beside the Ivy Cottage), (910) 251-9229.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Tues.- Fri. 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.; Sat. 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. for lunch. Mon.- Sun. 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. for dinner.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.indochinewilmington.com NIKKI’S FRESH GOURMET For more than a decade, Nikki’s downtown has served diners the best in sushi. With freshly crafted ingredients making up their rolls, sushi and sashimi, a taste of innovation comes with every order. Daily they offer specialty rolls specific to the Front Street location, such as the My Yoshi, K-Town and Crunchy Eel rolls. But for less adventurous diners looking

for options beyond sushi, Nikki’s serves an array of sandwiches, wraps and gyros, too. They also make it a point to host all dietary needs, omnivores, carnivores and herbivores alike. They have burgers and cheesesteaks, as well as falafal pitas and veggie wraps, as well as an extensive Japanese fare menu, such as bento boxes and tempura platters. Daily dessert and drink special are also on order.

Check out their website and Facebook for more information. 16 S. Front St. (910) 771-9151.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon.-Thurs., 11am10pm; Fri.-Sat., 11am-11pm; Sun., 12pm-10pm. Last call on food 15 minutes before closing.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ WEBSITE: www.nikkissushibar.com/ OKAMI JAPANESE HIBACHI STEAK HOUSE We have reinvented “Hibachi cuisine.” Okami Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse is like no other. Our highly skilled chefs cook an incredible dinner while entertaining you on the way. Our portions are large, our drinks are less expensive, and our staff is loads of fun. We are committed to using quality ingredients and seasoning with guaranteed freshness. Our goal is to utilize all resources, domestically and internationally, to ensure we serve only the finest food products. We believe good, healthy food aids vital functions for well-being, both physically and mentally. Our menu consists of a wide range of steak, seafood, and chicken for the specially designed “Teppan Grill.” We also serve tastebud-tingling Japanese sushi, hand rolls, sashimi, tempura dishes, and noodle entrees. This offers our guests a complete Japanese dining experience. Our all-youcan-eat sushie menu and daily specials can be found at www.okamisteakhouse.com! 614 S College Rd. ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Mon.-Thurs., 11am2:30pm / 4-10pm; Fri., 11am-2:30pm / 4pm-11pm; Sat., 11am-11pm; Sun., 11am-9:30pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.okamisteakhouse.com

The most authentic Greek food in town.

• Gyros slow cooked on a spit

ASIAN

• Greek salads fresh made to order

FAST • HEALTHY • AUTHENTIC encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 23

SZECHUAN 132 Craving expertly prepared Chinese food in an elegant atmosphere? Szechuan 132 Chinese Restaurant is your destination! Szechuan 132 has earned the reputation as one of the finest contemporary Chinese restaurants in the Port City. Tastefully decorated with an elegant atmosphere, with an exceptional ingenious menu has deemed Szechuan 132 the best Chinese restaurant for years, hands down.

419 South College Road (in University Landing), (910) 799-1426.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Lunch specials ■ WEBSITE: www.szechuan132.com YOSAKE DOWNTOWN SUSHI LOUNGE Lively atmosphere in a modern setting, Yosake is the delicious Downtown spot for date night, socializing with friends, or any large dinner party. Home to the never-disappointing Shanghai Firecracker Shrimp! In addition to sushi, we offer a full Pan Asian menu including curries, noodle dishes, and the ever-popular Crispy Salmon or mouth-watering Kobe Burger. Inspired features change weekly showcasing our commitment to local farms. Full bar including a comprehensive sake list, signature cocktails, and Asian Import Bottles.

33 S. Front St., 2nd Floor (910) 763-3172.

■ SERVING DINNER: 7 nights a week @ 5PM; Sun-Wed until 10pm, Thurs until 11pm, Fri & Sat until Midnight.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ FEATURING: 1/2 Price Sushi/Appetizer Menu nightly from 5-7, until 8 on Mondays, and also 10-Midnight on Fri/Sat. Tuesday LOCALS NIGHT - 20% Dinner Entrees.

Wednesday 80S NIGHT - 80s music and menu prices.

Sundays are the best deal downtown - Specialty Sushi and Entrees are Buy One, Get One $10 Off and 1/2 price Wine Bottles. Nightly Drink Specials. Gluten-Free Menu upon request. Complimentary Birthday Dessert.

■ WEBSITE: www.yosake.com. @yosakeilm on Twitter & Instagram. Like us on Facebook.

YOSHI Yoshi Sushi Bar and Japanese Cuisine offers something the greater Wilmington area has never seen before. We are seeking to bring true New York Style Sushi to Wilmington, with classic sushi and sashimi, as well as traditional rolls and some unique Yoshi Creations. We offer a variety of items, including Poke Bowls and Hibachi - and we also are introducing true Japanese Ramen Bowls! Come try it today! 260 Racine Dr, Wilmington 28403 (910)799-6799 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun. 12pm-11pm, Mon.-Thurs. 11am-10pm, Fri.-Sat. 11am-11pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.yoshisushibarandjapanesecuisine.com

BAGELS

BEACH BAGELS Beach Bagels is the best spot for breakfast and lunch in Wilmington. Serving traditional New York Style Bagels is our speciality. We boil our bagels before baking them, which effectively sets the crust and produces a perfect bagel made with love. Don’t forget about our selection of custom sandwiches that are always made to order. Try out our breakfast options like The Heart Attack filled with Egg, Country Ham, Bacon, Sausage, and American Cheese, or the Egg-White Dun-Rite with Egg Whites, Avocado, Pepper Jack Cheese, Spinach, and Tomato. Our Boar’s Head meats & cheeses are the perfect accoutrements for assembling the perfect sandwich, every time! Check out our Cuban Chicken Lunch Sandwich, complete with Boar’s Head Chicken Breast, Ham, Swiss, Pickles, Lettuce, Mayo, and Yellow Mustard. You can also make your own! Not in the mood for a bagel? Don’t worry, we have ciabatta bread, croissants, Kaiser rolls, biscuits, wraps, salads, bowls, omelettes, and more! Make your lunch a combo for $1.50 more, and get a small drink, potato salad or chips, and a pickle spear. Visit us at 5906 Oleander Drive or 7220 Wrightsville Avenue right before the drawbridge to Wrightsville Beach. Look out for our third location, coming to Monkey Junction soon!.

40 BEERS ON TAP

■ SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown and Wrightsville Beach ■ FEATURING: Homemade bagels, biscuits, croissants, sandwiches, and more!

■ WEBSITE: www.BeachBagels.biz ROUND BAGELS AND DONUT Round Bagels and Donuts features 17 varieties of New York-style bagels, baked fresh daily on site in a steam bagel oven. Round offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch bagel sandwiches, grilled and fresh to order. Round also offers fresh-made donuts daily! Stop by Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., and on Sunday, 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

■ SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Homemade bagels, cream cheeses, donuts, sandwiches, coffee and more ■ WEBSITE: www.roundbagelsanddonuts.com

CARIBBEAN

JAMAICA’S COMFORT ZONE Tucked in the U-shape of University Landing, a block from UNCW is Wilmington’s fave Caribbean restaurant, serving diners for over nine years. Family-owned and -operated, Jamaica’s Comfort Zone provides a relaxing atmosphere along with a blend of Caribbean delights. Our guests have graced us with numerous compliments over the years: “explosive Caribbean culinary experience”; “every year we are here on vacation—you are our first stop”; “flavors just dance in my mouth.” From traditional Jamaican breakfast to mouthwatering classic dishes such as Brownstew chicken, curry goat, oxtail, and jerk pork, our selections also include many vegetarian and select seafood options. Student meal options are $6.99, and catering options are available. University Landing, 417 S. College Road, Wilmington SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Tues-Sat., 11:45am9pm. Closed Sun. and Mon. NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown WEBSITE: www.jamaicascomfortzone.net, and follow us on Facebook or Twitter JAMAICA HOUSE SPORTS B A R AND GRILL Jamaica House provides diners with the real taste of the island! They offer a wide variety of Caribbean dishes, such as oxtail, curry goat jerk chicken, rice and beans, steamed cabbage, beef or chicken patty, and more! Their chefs and staff are dedicated to give you a real Jamaica experience every single time you walk through the door. 2206 Carolina Beach Rd. (910) 833-8347 SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Buffet hours are Tues. Thurs., 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sun., 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington

DINNER THEATRE

Great beer needs some great food to go along with it, and we’ve got both! We also have a Lil’ Tappers Kids Menu, so bring the whole family to OTap.

7324 Market Street 910-821-8185

Monday - Thursday: 11:00 am - 12 midnight Friday - Saturday: 11:00 am - 1:00 am Sundays: Noon - Midnight

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THEATRENOW TheatreNOW is a performing arts complex that features weekend dinner theater, an award-winning weekly kids variety show, monthly Sunday Jazz Brunches, movie, comedy and live music events. Award-winning chef, Denise Gordon, and a fabulous service staff pair scrumptious multi-course themed meals and cocktails with our dinner shows in a theatre-themed venue. Dinner theater at its best! Reservations highly suggested. 19 S. 10th Street (910) 399.3NOW (3669). Hours vary.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Dinner shows, jazz brunches, and more ■ WEBSITE: www.theatrewilmington.com

FONDUE

THE LITTLE DIPPER Wilmington’s favorite fondue restaurant! The Little Dipper specializes in unique fondue dishes with a global variety of cheeses, meats, seafood, vegetables, chocolates and fine

wines. The warm and intimate dining room is a great place to enjoy a four-course meal, or indulge in appetizers and desserts outside on the back deck or in the bar while watching luminescent jellyfish. Reservations are appreciated for parties of any size. Located at the corner of Front and Orange in Downtown Wilmington. 138 South Front Street. (910) 251-0433.

■ SERVING DINNER: 5pm Tue-Sun; Seasonal hours are open 7 days a week, Memorial Day through October ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ FEATURING: Tasting menu every Tues. with small plates from $1-$4; Ladies Night every Wed; $27 4-course prix fixe menu on Thurs.; “Date night menu,” $65/couple with beer and wine tasting every Fri. and half price bottles of wine on Sun. ■ MUSIC: Mondays and Memorial Day-October, 7-9pm THE MELTING POT Fondue is a meal best enjoyed with friends and family, so bring them along when visiting The Melting Pot. At our gourmet fondue restaurant, we provide a full four-course finedining treat for hungry guests. We are an excellent choice for diners looking who want to have a few drinks with bites of chocolate and cheese. No matter the mood, we have something for all tastes. The dining adventure starts with a bubbling pot of cheese, blended and seasoned table-side.

Seasoned veggies and artisanal breads can be dipped into a choice cheese, while freshly made salads cleanse the palate.

Entrees are customizable, and we finish off the evening with decadent chocolate fondue. What’s not to love? 855 Town Center Dr., (910) 256-1187 ■ SERVING LUNCH AND DINNER: Open Mon. - Thurs., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m., Fri., 4 p.m. - 11 p.m., Sat., 12 p.m. - 11 p.m., and Sun., 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: North Wilmington, Mayfaire ■ FEATURING: Fresh veggies and meats, cheeses and breads, chocolates and other sweet treats for dipping evening of dinnertime fun.

■ WEBSITE: www.meltingpot.com

IRISH

THE HARP Experience the finest traditional Irish family recipes and popular favorites served in a casual yet elegant traditional pub atmosphere. The Harp, 1423 S. 3rd St., proudly uses the freshest ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible, to bring you and yours the most delicious Irish fare! We have a fully stocked bar featuring favorite Irish beers and whiskies. We are open every day for both American and Irish breakfast, served to noon weekdays and 2 p.m. weekends.

Regular menu to 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 p.m. weekends.

Join us for trivia at 8:30 on Thursdays and live music on Fridays – call ahead for schedule (910) 763-1607. Located just beside Greenfield Lake and Park at the south end of downtown Wilmington, The Harp is a lovely Irish pub committed to bringing traditional Irish flavor, tradition and hospitality to the Cape Fear area.

■ SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Greenfield Lake/Downtown South ■ FEATURING: Homemade soups, desserts and breads, free open wifi, new enlarged patio area, and big screen TVs at the bar featuring major soccer matches worldwide.

■ WEBSITE: www.harpwilmington.com SLAINTE IRISH PUB Slainte Irish Pub in Monkey Junction has traditional pub fare with an Irish flair. We have a large selection of Irish whiskey, and over 23 different beers on draft, and 40 different craft beers in bottles. They have a large well lit outdoor patio with a full bar also. Come have some fun! They currently do not take reservations, but promise to take care of you when you get here! 5607 Carolina Beach Rd. #100, (910) 399-3980 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: 11:30 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington, Monkey Junction

■ FEATURING: Irish pub grub, whiskeys, beer, wine, and fun.

■ WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/slaintemj

a.m.)

■ NEIGHBORHOOD DELIVERY OFFERED: Monkey Junction and near Independence Mall ■ WEBSITE: www.antoniospizzaandpasta.com

HOPLITE IRISH PUB AND RESTAURANT Now in its eighth year, Hoplite Irish Pub and Restaurant is Pleasure Island’s favorite neighborhood spot for great food, gathering with friends and enjoying drinks. Their outdoor patio fills with sounds of local musicians on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as karaoke on Tuesdays and trivia on Wednesdays.

Offering reasonably priced homemade comfort-style pub grub, folks can dine on chicken salad sandwiches, Shepard’s Pie, Angus beef burgers, veggie burger, shrimp ‘n’ grits, homemade mac ‘n’ cheese balls, fresh-battered onion rings, fresh-made daily desserts, and so much more.

720 N Lake Park Blvd., (910) 458-4745 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until midnight.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Pleasure Island ■ WEBSITE: www.hopliterestaurant.com

THE ITALIAN BISTRO The Italian Bistro is a family-owned, full-service Italian restaurant and pizzeria located in Porters Neck. They offer a wide variety of N.Y. style thin-crust pizza and homemade Italian dishes seven days a week!

The Italian Bistro strives to bring customers a variety of homemade items made with the freshest, local ingredients.

Every pizza and entrée is made to order and served with a smile from our amazing staff.

Their warm, inviting, atmosphere is perfect for “date night” or “family night.” Let them show you why “fresh, homemade and local” is part of everything they do. 8211 Market St. (910) 686-7774 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Sun.brunch, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Porters Neck ■ WEBSITE: www.italianbistronc.com

ITALIAN

ANTONIO’S Serving fresh, homemade Italian fare in midtown and south Wilmington, Antonio’s Pizza and Pasta is a family-owned restaurant which serves New York style pizza and pasta.

From daily specials during lunch and dinner to a friendly waitstaff ensuring a top-notch experience, whether dining in, taking out or getting delivery, to generous portions, the Antonio’s experience is an unforgettable one. Serving subs, salads, pizza by the slice or pie, pasta, and more, dine-in, take-out and delivery! 3501 Oleander Dr., #2, and 5120 S. College Rd. ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Sun., open at 11:30

FAT TONY’S ITALIAN PUB Fat Tony’s has the right combination of Italian and American influences to mold it into a unique family-friendly restaurant with a “gastropub” feel. Boasting such menu items as Veal Saltimbocca, Eggplant Parmigiana, USDA Prime Sirloin, and award-winning NY style hand-tossed pizzas, Fat Tony’s is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Their appetizers range from Blue Crab Dip to Grilled Pizzas to Lollipop Lamb Chops.

Proudly supporting the craft beer movement, they have an ever-changing selection of microbrews included in their 27-tap lineup – 12 of which are from NC. They have a wide selection of bottled beers, a revamped wine list, and an arsenal of expertly mixed cocktails that are sure to wet any whistle. Fat Tony’s offers lunch specials until 3pm Monday through Friday and a 10% discount to students and faculty at CFCC. They have two pet-friendly patios – one looking out

onto Front Street and one with a beautiful view of the Cape Fear River. With friendly, excellent service and a fun, inviting atmosphere, expect to have your expectations exceeded at Fat Tony’s. Find The Flavor…..Craft Beer, Craft Pizza!

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Monday-Thursday 11 am10 pm; Fri.-Sat., 11 am-Midnight; Sun., noon-10 pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ WEBSITE: www.fatpub.com ■ FEATURING: Daily lunch specials until 3pm and late night menu from 11pm until closing.

SLICE OF LIFE “Slice” has become a home away from home for tourists and locals alike. Our menu includes salads, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, homemade soups, subs and, of course, pizza. We only serve the freshest and highest-quality ingredients in all of our food, and our dough is made daily with purified water. Voted “Best Pizza” and “Best Late Night Eatery.”All ABC permits. Visit us downtown at 125 Market Street, (910) 251-9444, in Wrightsville Beach at 1437 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 101, (910) 256-2229 and in Pine Valley on the corner of 17th and College Road, (910) 799-1399.

■ SERVING LUNCH, DINNER & LATE NIGHT: 11:30 a.m.-3 a.m., 7 days/week, 365 days/year.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown, Downtown and Wilmington South.

■ FEATURING: Largest tequila selection in town!

■ WEBSITE: www.grabslice.com FREDDIE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT Freddie’s Restaurant has been serving the Pleasure Island area since 1995. While well-known for their large portions of classic Italian food, anyone who has dined at Freddie’s will recommend their staple item: a large bone-in pork chop. It’s cut extra thick from the center and has become the signature dish, served in a variety of ways, such as with cherry peppers and balsamic glaze. With traditional red -and-white-checkered tablecloths, Frank Sinatra playing in the background, Freddie’s has the reputation as one of the

area’s most romantic eateries. And they’re open year-round, seven days a week at 4:30 p.m. Call for reservations for parties of five or more. 111 K Ave., (910) 458-5979 ■ SERVING DINNER: Opens daily, 4:30 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Kure Beach ■ WEBSITE: www.freddiesrestaurant.com A TASTE OF ITALY Looking for authentic Italian cuisine in the Port City? Look no further than A Taste of Italy Deli. Brothers, Tommy and Chris Guarino, and partner Craig Berner, have been serving up breakfast, lunch, and dinner to local and visiting diners for twenty years. The recipes have been passed down from generation to generation, and after one bite you feel like you’re in your mamas’ kitchen. Along with the hot and cold lunch menu, they also carry a large variety of deli sides and made-from-scratch desserts. Or, if you’re looking to get creative in your own kitchen, A Taste of Italy carries a wide selection of imported groceries, from pasta to olive oils, and everything in between. And last but certainly not least, allow them to help you make any occasion become a delicious Italian experience with their catering or call ahead ordering.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Monday-Friday 8:00am8:00pm, Saturday 8:30am-7:00pm, Sunday 9:30am4:30pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.atasteofitalydeli.com ■ FEATURING: Sclafani goods, Polly-O cheese, Ferrara Torrone and much, much more!

MEXICAN

LA COSTA MEXICAN RESTAURANT With three locations to serve Wilmingtonians, La Costa is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m with lunch specials. Their full dinner menu (from 3 p.m. on) offers the best in Mexican cuisine across the city. From top-sellers, like fajitas, quesadillas and burritos, to chef’s specialty items, like molcajete or borrego, a taste of familiar and exotic can be enjoyed. All of

The German Cafe

is the perfect lunch or dinner destination during the Azalea Festival!

Conveniently located in the Cotton Exchange

Hours

s St Red Cros

N 3rd St

2nd St

Grace St

Front St

N Water st

Cape Fear River

Walnut St

Chestnut St

Mon-Sat 11am-2pm

Tues-Sat 5pm-8pm Call (910)-763-5523 for reservations!

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La Costa’s pico de gallo, guacamole, salsas, chile-chipotle, enchilada and burrito sauces are made in house daily. Add to it a 16-ounce margarita, which is only $4.95 on Mondays and Tuesdays at all locations, and every meal is complete.

Serving the Port City since1996, folks can dine indoors at the Oleander and both Market Street locations, or dine alfresco at both Market Street locations. 3617 Market St.; 8024 Unit 1 Market St.; 5622 Oleander Dr. ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun-Thurs until 11 a.m. 10 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. until 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown and Ogden ■ WEBSITE: www.lacostamexicanrestauranwilmington. com LOS PORTALES Taqueria Los Portales has been open since 2006, and serves street food from their heritage. It’s a perfect stop for diners looking for a great traditional Mexican dinner, with fast service in a family friendly atmosphere! The variety of meats used to prepare their tacos is the characteristic that sets the taqueria apart from other Mexican restaurants!

1207 S. Kerr Ave. 910-799-5255 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Daily 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: www.taquerialostportales.com

ORGANIC

LOVEY’S NATURAL FOODS & CAFÉ Lovey’s Natural Foods & Café is a true blessing for shoppers looking for organic and natural groceries and supplements, or a great place to meet friends for a quick, delicious and totally fresh meal or snack. Whether you are in the mood for a veggie burger, hamburger or a chicken Caesar wrap, shoppers will find a large selection of nutritious meals on the a la carte Lovey’s Cafe’ menu. The Food Bar—which has cold, organic salads and hot selections—can be eaten in the newly expanded Lovey’s Cafe’ or boxed for take-out. The Juice Bar offers a wide variety of delicious juices and smoothies

made with organic fruits and vegetables. Specializing in bulk sales of grains, flours, beans and spices at affordable prices.

Lovey’s has a great selection of local produce and receives several weekly deliveries to ensure freshness. Lovey’s also carries organic grass-fed and free-range meats and poultry. wheat-free and gluten-free products are in stock regularly, as are vegan and vegetarian groceries. Lovey’s also carries Wholesome Pet Foods. Stop by Lovey’s Market Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 am to 6 p.m.. Located at 1319 Military Cutoff Rd in the Landfall Shopping Center; (910) 509-0331. “You’ll Love it at Lovey’s!”

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Café open: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.(salad bar open all the time). Market hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: North Wilmington in the Landfall Shopping Center ■ FEATURING: Organic Salad Bar/Hot Bar, Bakery with fresh, organic pies and cakes.

■ WEBSITE: www.loveysmarket.com

SEAFOOD

CAPE FEAR SEAFOOD COMPANY Founded in 2008 by Evans and Nikki Trawick, Cape Fear Seafood Company has become a local hotspot for the freshest, tastiest seafood in the area. With its growing popularity, the restaurant has expanded from its flagship eatery in Monkey Junction to a second location in Porter’s Neck, and coming soon in 2017, their third location in Waterford in Leland. “We are a dedicated group of individuals working together as a team to serve spectacular food, wine and spirits in a relaxed and casual setting,” restaurateur Evans Trawick says. “At CFSC every dish is prepared with attention to detail, quality ingredients and excellent flavors. Our staff strives to accommodate guests with a sense of urgency and an abundance of southern hospitality.” Cape Fear Seafood

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Company has been recognized by encore magazine for best seafood in 2015, as well as by Wilmington Magazine in 2015 and 2016, and Star News from 2013 through 2016. Monkey Junction: 5226 S. College Road Suite 5, 910-799-7077. Porter’s Neck: 140 Hays Lane #140, 910-681-1140. Waterford: 143 Poole Rd., Leland, NC 28451 ■ SERVING LUNCH AND DINNER: 11:30am-4pm daily; Mon.-Thurs.., 4pm-9pm; Fri.-Sat., 4pm-10pm; Sun., 4pm8:30pm.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown, north Wilmington and Leland ■ WESBITE: www.capefearseafoodcompany.com CATCH Serving the Best Seafood in South Eastern North Carolina.

Wilmington’s Native Son, 2011 James Beard Award Nominee, 2013 Best of Wilmington “Best Chef” winner, Chef Keith Rhodes explores the Cape Fear Coast for the best it has to offer. We feature Wild Caught & Sustainably raised Seafood. Organic and locally sourced produce & herbs provide the perfect compliment to our fresh Catch. Consecutively Voted Wilmington’s Best Chef 2008, 09 & 2010.

Dubbed “Modern Seafood Cuisine” we offer an array Fresh Seafood & Steaks, including our Signature NC Sweet Potato Salad. Appetizers include our Mouth watering “Fire Cracker” Shrimp, Crispy Cajun Fried NC Oysters & Blue Crab Claw Scampi, & Seafood Ceviche to name a few. Larger Plates include, Charleston Crab Cakes, Flounder Escovitch & Miso Salmon. Custom Entree request gladly accommodated for our Guest. (Vegetarian, Vegan & Allergies) Hand-crafted seasonal desserts. Full ABC Permits. 6623 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28405, 910-799-3847.

■ SERVING DINNER: Mon.-Sat. 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: North Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Acclaimed ■ WEBSITE: www.catchwilmington.com

Wine

List

DOCK STREET OYSTER BAR Voted Best Oysters for over 10 years by encore readers, you know what you can find at Dock Street Oyster Bar. But

we have a lot more than oysters! Featuring a full menu of seafood, pasta, and chicken dishes from $4.95-$25.95, there’s something for everyone at Dock Street. You’ll have a great time eating in our “Bohemian-Chic” atmosphere, where you’ll feel just as comfort able in flip flops as you would in a business suit. Located at 12 Dock St in downtown Wilmington. Open for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. (910) 762-2827.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: 7 days a week.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ FEATURING: Fresh daily steamed oysters.

■ WEBSITE: www.dockstreetoysterbar.net MICHAEL’S SEAFOOD’S RESTAURANT Established in 1998, Michael’s Seafood Restaurant is locally owned and operated by Shelly McGowan and managed by her team of culinary professionals. Michael’s aspires to bring you the highest quality and freshest fin fish, shell fish, mollusks, beef, pork, poultry and produce. Our menu consists of mainly locally grown and made from scratch items.

We count on our local fishermen and farmers to supply us with seasonal, North Carolina favorites on a daily basis.

Adorned walls include awards such as 3 time gold medalist at the International Seafood Chowder Cook-Off, Entrepreneur of the Year, Restaurant of the Year and Encores readers’ choice in Best Seafood to name a few. 1206 N. Lake Park Blvd. (910) 458-7761 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: 7 days 11 am – 9 pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Carolina Beach ■ FEATURING: Award-winning chowder, local seafood and more!

■ WEBSITE: www.MikesCfood.com OCEANIC Voted best seafood restaurant in Wilmington, Oceanic provides oceanfront dining at its best. Located in Wrightsville Beach, Oceanic is one of the most visited restaurants on the beach. Choose from a selection of seafood platters, combination plates and daily fresh fish. For land lovers, try their steaks, chicken or pasta dishes. Relax on the pier or

dine inside. Oceanic is also the perfect location for memorable events, such as wedding ceremonies & receptions, birthday gatherings, anniversary parties and more. Large groups welcome. Private event space available. 703 S. Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach. (910) 256.5551.

■ SERVING LUNCH, DINNER & SUNDAY BRUNCH: Mon – Sat 11am – 11pm, Sunday 10am – 10pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach ■ FEATURING: Dine on renovated Crystal Pier.

■ WEBSITE: www.OceanicRestaurant.com THE PILOT HOUSE The Pilot House Restaurant is Wilmington’s premier seafood and steak house with a touch of the South. We specialize in local seafood and produce. Featuring the only Downtown bar that faces the river and opening our doors in 1978, The Pilot House is the oldest restaurant in the Downtown area. We offer stunning riverfront views in a newly-renovated relaxed, casual setting inside or on one of our two outdoor decks.

Join us for $5.00 select appetizers 7 days a week and live music every Friday and Saturday nigh on our umbrella deck.

Large parties welcome. Private event space available. 910343-0200 2 Ann Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm, FriSat 11am-10pm and Sunday Brunch 11am-3pm. Kids menu ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Riverfront Downtown Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Fresh local seafood specialties, Riverfront Dining, free on-site parking ■ MUSIC: Outside Every Friday and Saturday ■ WEBSITE: www.pilothouserest.com SHUCKIN’ SHACK Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar has two locations in the Port City area. The original Shack is located in Carolina Beach at 6A N. Lake Park Blvd. (910-458-7380) and our second location is at 109 Market Street in Historic Downtown Wilmington (910833-8622). The Shack is the place you want to be to catch your favorite sports team on 7 TV’s carrying all major sports packages. A variety of fresh seafood is available daily including oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, and crab legs. Shuckin’ Shack has expanded its menu now offering fish tacos, crab cake sliders, fried oyster po-boys, fresh salads, and more.

Come in and check out the Shack’s daily lunch, dinner, and drink specials. It’s a Good Shuckin’ Time!

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Carolina Beach Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am-2am; Sun: Noon-2am, Historic Wilmington: Sun-Thurs: 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat: 11am-Midnight.

■ NEIGHBORHOODS: Carolina Beach and Downtown ■ FEATURING: Daily lunch specials. Like us on Facebook!

■ WEBSITE: www.TheShuckinShack.com SOUTH BEACH GRILL South Beach Grill has served locals and guests on Wrightsville Beach since 1997 with consistent, creative cuisine— Southern-inspired and locally sourced, from the land and sea. Diners can enjoy a great burger outside on their patio for lunch or experience the unique, eclectic, regional dinners crafted by their chef. The chef’s menu highlights the bounty of fresh Carolina coastal seafood right at their front door.

South Beach Grill overlooks the scenic anchorage on Banks Channel, located on beautiful Wrightsville Beach, NC, located across from the public docks at Wynn Plaza. The best sunsets on Wrightsville Beach! The restaurant is accessible by boat! Serving lunch and dinner daily. Limited reservations accepted. 100 South Lumina Ave., Wrightsville Beach, (910) 256-4646 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Open daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Mondays.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Wrightsville Beach ■ FEATURING: Homemade, Southern-inspired fine cuisine, with the freshest ingredients, for both lunch and dinner.

■ WEBSITE: www.southbeachgrillwb.com STEAM RESTAURANT AND BAR Steam is bringing American cuisine to Wilmington using locally sourced goods and ingredients. With an extensive wine and beer selection, plenty of cocktails, indoor/ outdoor seating, and beautiful views of the Cape Fear River, Steam is the area’s new go-to restaurant. Reservations recommended. Open seven days a week!, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

9 Estell Lee Pl, (910) 726-9226 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Lunch: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Dinner: 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. Bar: 11 a.m.-Until. Menu Bar: 3 p.m.

- 5 p.m.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ WEBSITE: www.steamrestaurantilm.com

SANDWICHES

HWY 55 BURGERS, SHAKES AND FRIES Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries in Wilmington—on Carolina Beach Rd.—is bringing a fresh All-American diner experience with never-frozen burgers, sliced cheesesteaks piled high on steamed hoagies, and frozen custard made inhouse every day.

Founded in Eastern North Carolina in 1991, Hwy 55 reflects founder Kenney Moore’s commitment to authentic hospitality and fresh food. Lunch and dinner is grilled in an open-air kitchen, and they serve you at your table—with a smile. 6331 Carolina Beach Rd., (910) 793-6350 ■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Monday - Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. .

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: South Wilmington ■ FEATURING: Delicious burgers and homemade shakes!

■ WEBSITE: www.hwy55.com/locations/wilmington-carolina-beach-rd J. MICHAEL’S PHILLY DELI The Philly Deli celebrated their 38th anniversary in August 2017. Thier first store was located in Hanover Center—the oldest shopping center in Wilmington. Since, two more Philly Delis have been added: one at Porters Neck and one at Monkey Junction.

The Philly Deli started out by importing all of their steak meat and hoagie rolls straight from Amoroso Baking Company, located on 55th Street in downtown Philadelphia!

It’s a practice they maintain to this day.

We also have a great collection of salads to choose from, including the classic chef’s salad, chicken salad, and tuna salad, all made fresh every day in our three Wilmington, NC restaurants. 8232 Market St., 3501 Oleander Dr., 609 Piner Rd. ■ OPEN: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday - Saturday.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Porters Neck, North and South Wilmington, ■ WEBSITE: https://phillydeli.com MUNCHIES The most unique restaurant in Wilmington is Munchies. Located adjacent to the UNCW campus, Munchies provides a new take on classic American fare. Selling items unavailable anywhere else such as the famous “Fat Sandwiches”, decadent milk shakes, and fried desserts set Munchies apart, while the incredible flavor of traditional items such as burgers and wings make Munchies stand out. Open until 3 am daily, and offering dine in, take out, and delivery options, as well the choice of ordering online, Munchies is a new American classic for todays modern world. Perfect for lunch, dinner or a late night snack, and totally customizable, Munchies makes sure you get your food, your way, all day. 419 S. College Rd., Unit 35, 910-798-4999. Dine in. Delivery. Take out ■ OPEN LUNCH AND DINNER: 12pm - 3 am daily ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ WEBSITE: munchiesfoodco.com ON A ROLL Roll on into OAR—a fusion of American-Jewish-Italian deli fare, interspersed in seasonal specialties with a Southern accent.

Every customer will receive freshly made-to-order sandwiches, wraps and salads, with the freshest of ingredients, all to ensure top quality. And when the place is hopping, it is well worth the wait.

Whether choosing to dine in or take out—we deliver!— On a Roll is the downtown deli to enjoy homemade grub.

Come make us your favorite! 125 Grace Street, (910) 6222700 ■ SERVING LUNCH: Open Mon-Sun., 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 24hour catering available.

SPORTS BAR

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ WEBSITE: Check us out on Facebook!

SOUTHERN

CASEY’S BUFFET In Wilmington, everyone knows where to go for solid country cooking. That place is Casey’s Buffet, winner of encore’s Best Country Cookin’/Soul Food and Buffet categories.

“Every day we are open, somebody tells us it tastes just like their grandma’s or mama’s cooking,” co-owner Gena Casey says. Gena and her husband Larry run the show at the Oleander Drive restaurant where people are urged to enjoy all food indigenous to the South: fried chicken, barbecue, catfish, mac‘n’cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, chicken‘n’dumplings, biscuits and homemade banana puddin’ are among a few of many other delectable items. 5559 Oleander Drive. (910) 798-2913.

■ SERVING LUNCH & DINNER: Open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesdays.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: Pig’s feet and chitterlings.

■ WEBSITE: www.caseysbuffet.com RX RESTAURANT & BAR Located in downtown Wilmington, Rx Restaurant and Bar is here to feed your soul, serving up Southern cuisine made with ingredients from local farmers and fishermen. The Rx chef is committed to bringing fresh food to your table, so the menu changes daily based on what he finds locally. Rx drinks are as unique as the food—and just what the doctor ordered. Join us for a dining experience you will never forget! 421 Castle St.; 910 399-3080.

■ SERVING BRUNCH & DINNER: Tues-Thurs, 5-10pm; FriSat, 5-10:30pm; Sun., 10am-3pm and 5-9pm ■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown ■ WEBSITE: www.rxwilmington.com

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CAROLINA ALE HOUSE Voted best new restaurant AND best sports bar of 2010 in Wilmington, Carolina Ale House is the place to be for awardwinning food, sports and fun. Located on College Rd. near UNC W, this lively sports-themed restaurant. Covered and open outdoor seating is available. Lunch and dinner specials are offered daily, as well as the coldest $2 and $3 drafts in town. 317 South College Road. (910) 791.9393.

■ SERVING LUNCH, DINNER & LATE NIGHT: 11am-2am daily.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Midtown ■ FEATURING: 40 HD TVs and the biggest HD projector TVs in Wilmington.

■ WEBSITE: www.CarolinaAleHouse.com

TAPAS/WINE BAR

THE FORTUNATE GLASS WINE BAR The Fortunate Glass is an intimate venue showcasing globally sourced wines, plus creative small plates and craft beers. The serene ambiance is created by the beautiful wall mural, elegant glass tile bar, castle rocked walls and intimate booths. There are wines from all regions, with 60 wines by the glass and 350 wines available by the bottle. The food menu consists of numerous small plates, fine cheeses, cured meats and decadent desserts that will compliment any wine selection.

■ SERVING DINNER & LATE NIGHT: Tues. - Thur., 4 p.m.

- midnight; Fri., 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.; Sat., 2 p.m. - 2 a.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. - midnight.

■ NEIGHBORHOOD: Downtown, 29 S Front St. ■ FEATURING: Weekly free wine tasting Tues., 6 - 8 p.m.

Small plates, and wine and beer specials.

■ WEBSITE: www.fortunateglass.com

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614 South College Road | 910.399.3366 | www.okamirestaurant.com encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 27

New Orleans Beignets Alt - Zalea Ollie's Old Fashioned Donuts Fest on Assorted Fare April 14th Vegan Options Available Coffee Music from Espresso 12:30 to 8 PM Cappuccino Latte Frappe 706 N 4th St, Wilmington, NC 28401 â&#x20AC;˘ 910.399.1676 Smoothies BrooklynCafeNC Craft Beer and Wine

28 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

NIP SIP

GRUB & GUZZLE>>REVIEW

CRISP, INDEED:

foodtastic events

Crispino’s is slinging authentic NY-style pies and Italian classics

T

AFTERNOON TEA

Apr. 21, 2 p.m.

Church Of the Good Shepherd

BY: ROSA BIANCA

515 Queen St. •(910) 763-6080 goodshepherdchurchwilmington. com

hin-crust pepperoni pizza and an icecold Peroni? OK, OK ... twist my arm.

There’s not exactly a shortage of Italian eateries in Wilmington, so when I spotted a new restaurant sign with the image of the Statue of Liberty between the words “NY Style: Pizza, Pasta, Subs,” I didn’t immediately jump for joy. After sampling just one single-topping slice from this Market Street spaghetti spot, I can say without hesitation: Crispino’s is worth jumping for.

Don’t trust me? That’s fair. I get it, dear readers: You don’t even know my real name, so go ahead and trust your peers. One skim through the interwebs, while searching for Crispino’s critiques, will lead to rarely a negative comment. Also “best pizza in Wilmington” comes up quite a lot, for that matter.

Quite the accolade for a newbie. Seems like with more northern transplants moving to our neck of the woods, Wilmington is upping its pie game. For many of us Southerners, even bad pizza is pretty good pizza. And bad pizza is often drunk pizza, which means I’m really not judging the quality of cheese or how yeasty a dough is when I’m simply trying not to drop the damn thing on the street after a night of imbibing.

With having just watched a documentary on pizza several days before my review, personal expectations were slightly elevated. From the first look at Crispino’s simple pepperoni slice sitting atop its metal dish, I could tell I was looking at pizza perfection. If a thick, chewier crust is your slice, take their Sicilian for a ride. If a New York-style crackly thin-base is what you’re after, Crispino’s classic won’t be a let-down.

I flipped over my fresh-out-of-the-oven slice, gave the sturdy bottom a flick, and was immediately pleased with the golden-brown crust. Although other local pizzerias produce a decent thin crust, they also pile on the toppings and create a soggier, doughy surface that sits heavy in the stomach. Crispino’s has all of the components of a light, satisfying slice: a crisp infrastructure ideal for folding, a light but zesty sauce, and just the right amount of mozzarella. Throw on a few pepperonis for an added unctuous bonus of grease; it’s an expert harmony of fingerlicking and crust-snapping. There are plenty of specialty toppings to go around, but with a dough this good, I suggest keeping it simple.

Owner John Crispino put over a year of time into renovation and staff training and it shows. The interior isn’t trying too hard to

This is an English High Tea Experience. It includes tea, crumpets and live musical entertainment.

Glamorous hats and splendid attire are encouraged. Email goodshepherdtea@gmail.com.

THIN DELICIOUSNESS: Crispino’s tosses thin-crust pies to adore, NY-style, topped any way you want, including traditional pepperoni and cheese. Photo by Ashley Wixon

push its Italian café-ness—no red-checkered tablecloths in sight. Overall, the dining area is clean, spacious and straightforward. Ordering is counter-style, but, thanks to a fridge full of beer and a small, elegant lineup of wines, diners can go from quick lunch date to intimate Italian evening with the pop of a bottle.

As for service, the younger girl taking our order was new and we happened upon the register on her first day. Even with a handful of menu items and a few substitutions, she handled it like a pro. The employees gave a nod to the homemade items and happily nodded “yes” when we asked if there was a real Italian in the back—friendly folks all around.

The prices? Beyond reasonable for a place serving mostly from-scratch cuisine. Folks will pay twice as much downtown for a similar menu item that’s likely not made in house.

Six dollars for a hearty meatball sub from a real Italian? Yes, please. The generously sized 6-inch sandwich (only $10 for the full foot) comes on crusty, Italian bread, smothered in marinara and mozzarella. I saved the majority for lunch the next day, and it was just as good if not better reheated.

When I hinted toward ordering eggplant Parmigiana for dinner, the girls behind the counter rave of its freshness. Sold. I swapped the pasta for a salad with Caesar dressing.

Heads up, side-Caesar lovers: Diners can only order a large, but Crispisno’s will hook it up with a smaller version of the house and put the dressing on the side. The mixture is creamy and peppery and—although it seems to be missing the sharpness of raw garlic—it is light and hits the spot.

cately breaded and juicy on the inside. There is no skimping on the portions here. The Parm platter comes in a round tin-foil container (great for reheating) and touches every side of the to-go vessel. Cheese, freshly fried and baked eggplant, and a zippy red sauce that could have easily fed three people for $12? That’s what’s up!

My husband, half-Italian blood and a true noodle nerd, zoned right in on something his mama used to make: pasta with garlic and oil. This Italian classic may sound mundane, but true aglio e olio ain’t easy to pull off. It requires expertly al dente pasta, a heavy but not overwhelming amount of aromatic garlic and superior olive oil. He opted for the addition of broccoli (as noted on the menu) and grilled chicken for a boost of protein. The fruity, rich olive oil coated each thin strand beautifully and finished with a savory, garlicky bite that kept both of us going back for more. My husband did feel the need to add a pinch of salt (and I wouldn’t have minded seeing some fresh parsley), but the broccoli was tender, the noodles cooked flawlessly, and there wasn’t a trace left in sight.

Most importantly, I’m certain my mother-inlaw would have given her sassy Italian stamp of approval. Grazie, Crispino’s!

DETAILS:

EDIBLE SCIENCE Apr. 28, 9 a.m.

Children’s Museum of Wilmington 116 Orange St. Tickets: $5-$10 playwilmington.org

Join us for our first ever Edible Science event! From doughnuts to Diet Coke, the museum will be filled with all sorts of food and drink experiments. Learn about how much sugar is in soda, create a fruit print, and make ice cream in a bag! Say hello to some community partners and make sure to come with an empty stomach!

Groupons and coupons not accepted during event. Free for ACM and anytime members; $9.75 per person; $8.75, military and senior; $4.87, weekday members.

Crispino’s Pizza

5031 Market St. (910) 399-5769 Mon. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Sun., noon - 9 p.m.

The thin, layered eggplant slices are deli- www.crispinospizza.com encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 29

2018 WINNERS — AS VOTED ON BY ENCORE READERS! The annual encore Best Of awards were given out on Saturday, February 24, at Brooklyn Arts Center, in our annual celebration of 141 winners!

The part was a fundraiser for DREAMS of Wilmington—the winner of 2018’s Best Local Nonprofit—which works with at-risk youth in arts education, teaching dance, music, art, media, and so much more. We are happy to annoounce we raised $8,000 for them. Over the next five weeks, encore will write about every 2018 winner and publicize pictures from the party, courtesy of Chris Brehmer Photography.

Below is the list of every winner! Cheers and congrats to all!

RADIO STATION THE PENGUIN 98.3

media, arts, entertainment

RECORD STORE GRAVITY RECORDS TATTOO PARLOR ARTFUEL INC. THEATRE COMPANY THALIAN ASSOCIATION

BOOK STORE OLD BOOKS ON FRONT ST.

KIDS CLOTHING STORE ONCE UPON A CHILD

BOTTLE SHOP FERMENTAL

LAW FIRM DAVID & ASSOCIATES INJURY ATTORNEYS

CAR WASH CRUISERS CAR WASH AND DETAIL CENTER CHIROPRACTOR SITO CHIROPRACTIC

MASSAGE THERAPIST MARY BETH REDMAN MASSAGE/BODYWORK AUTO MECHANIC BLACK’S TIRE & AUTO SERVICE

ARCADE/GAME ROOM THE BLUE POST

THEATRE PRODUCTION YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

ART GALLERY BOTTEGA ART & WINE

THEATRE VENUE THALIAN HALL

ARTIST SARAH RUSHING

THESPIAN TONY RIVENBARK

BAND/PERFORMER L SHAPE LOT

TOURIST ATTRACTION NC AQUARIUM AT FT. FISHER

BOWLING ALLEY CARDINAL LANES SHIPYARD

TOUR OF WILMINGTON HAUNTED PUB CRAWL

COMEDY TROUPE PINEAPPLE-SHAPED LAMPS

WEBSITE PORTCITYDAILY.COM

DANCE CLUB IBIZA NIGHTCLUB

WRITER GWENYFAR ROHLER (ENCORE)

ESTHETICIAN MARCELLA HARDY (TANGLEZ)

PERSONAL TRAINER LAMAINE WILLIAMS (TRAIN WITH LAMAINE)

DJ DJ BATTLE

WRITE-IN CATEGORY PARTY ENTERTAINER: NO SLEEVES MAGIC

FARMERS’ MARKET RIVERFRONT FARMERS’ MARKET

SHOPPING PLAZA MAYFAIRE TOWN CENTER

PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE THE LITTLE DIPPER

PRINT SHOP DOCK STREET PRINTING CO.

FLORIST JULIA’S FLORIST

REAL ESTATE INTRACOASTAL REALTY

GARDEN STORE THE PLANT PLACE

SHOE STORE SOUL SHOETIQUE

GIFT SHOP BLUE MOON GIFT SHOPS

SPA HEAD TO TOE DAY SPA & SALON

GOLF COURSE BEAU RIVAGE GOLF & RESORT

SURF SHOP SWEETWATER SURF SHOP

GOURMET STORE PINE VALLEY MARKET

TANNING SALON TANGLEZ OF WILMINGTON

GYM O2 FITNESS

PLACE TO BUY USED CAR AUTO WHOLESALE

HAIR SALON ROCKIN’ ROLLER SALON

VETERINARIAN COLLEGE RD. ANIMAL HOSPITAL

HEALTH FOOD STORE TIDAL CREEK CO-OP

WEDDING VENUE AIRLIE GARDENS

HOTEL BLOCKADE RUNNER

WOMEN’S CLOTHING ISLAND PASSAGE

FILMMAKER MEGAN PETERSEN INDEPENDENT FILM WE ONLY WENT OUT AT NIGHT PLACE TO BUY MUSIC INSTRUMENTS FINKELSTEIN’S PLACE FOR KARAOKE THE REEL CAFE POOL HALL THE BLUE POST LIVE MUSIC VENUE GREENFIELD LAKE AMPHITHEATER MORNING RADIO SHOW MORNING CHILL (PENGUIN, 98.3) MUSEUM CAPE FEAR MUSEUM LOCAL NEWSCAST WECT (NBC) LOCAL NEWSCASTER FRANCES WELLER (WECT) RADIO PERSONALITY BEAU GUNN (PENGUIN, 98.3)

humanitarian & environmental ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP KAREN BEASLEY SEA TURTLE RESCUE & REHABILITATION CENTER LOCAL HUMANITARIAN BO DEAN NONPROFIT DREAMS OF WILMINGTON

goods & services ADULT STORE ADAM & EVE

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE THE HEMP FARMACY ANTIQUE SHOP THE IVY COTTAGE PLACE TO BOARD A PET PUPS PLAY AND STAY BOARDING, DAYCARE & GROOMING

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CONSIGNMENT/RESALE - CLOTHES THE FAIRY CIRCLE CONSIGNMENT/RESALE DECOR THE IVY COTTAGE DENTIST BOZART FAMILY DENISTRY DOCTOR DR. HOLDSWORTH (WILMINGTON HEALTH) DOG GROOMER

VON BARKEE’S DOG SPA & BAKERY

JEWELER PERRY’S EMPORIUM

MEN’S CLOTHING BLOKE APPAREL & SUPPLY MORTGAGE COMPANY ALPHA MORTGAGE MOVING COMPANY TWO MEN AND A TRUCK NAIL SALON LUXE NAILS PLACE TO BUY A NEW CAR STEVENSON HONDA

food & drink

APPETIZERS FRONT STREET BREWERY

ATMOSPHERE, RESTAURANT OVERALL, THAI RESTAURANT INDOCHINE THAI & VIETNAMESE

BUFFET, CHICKEN, SOUL FOOD CASEY’S BUFFET BURGER, FRIES PTS OLDE FASHIONED GRILLE BURRITO FLAMING AMY’S BURRITO BARN

BAGEL BEACH BAGELS

CATERING SERVICE, GOURMET STORE PINE VALLEY MARKET

BAKERY, DESSERTS APPLE ANNIE’S BAKE SHOP

CHAIN RESTAURANT PANERA BREAD

BARBECUE JACKSON’S BIG OAK BARBECUE

CHEESESTEAK J. MICHAEL’S PHILLY DELI

BAR SATELLITE BAR & LOUNGE

CHEF KEITH RHODES (CATCH )

BARTENDER TRISTA NICOSIA (GOAT AND COMPASS)

CHINESE RESTAURANT DOUBLE HAPPINESS

BEER LIST CAPE FEAR WINE & BEER BISCUIT, DINER THE DIXIE GRILL BREAKFAST CAST IRON KITCHEN BREWERY WILMINGTON BREWING CO. BRUNCH SWEET N SAVORY CAFE

FOOD TRUCK CATCH THE FOOD TRUCK

OYSTERS DOCK STREET OYSTER BAR

FRENCH FOOD CAPRICE BISTRO

PIZZA, LATE-NIGHT EATERY SLICE OF LIFE PIZZERIA & PUB

HOT DOG TROLLY STOP

RIBS POOR PIGGY’S BBQ AND CATERING

ICE CREAM KILWIN’S ICE CREAM, CHOCOLATES & FUDGE

SALADS CHOPT CREATIVE SALAD CO.

INDIAN FOOD TANDOORI BITES

SEAFOOD CAPE FEAR SEAFOOD CO.

ITALIAN OSTERIA CICCHETTI

SPORTS BAR THE COPPER PENNY

JAPANESE RESTAURANT YOSAKE DOWNTOWN SUSHI LOUNGE

STEAK PORT CITY CHOP HOUSE SUSHI NIKKI’S SUSHI

MEDITERRANEAN FOOD OLYMPIA

COFFEE SHOP BITTY & BEAU’S COFFEE

TACOS K38 BAJA GRILL

LATIN/MEXICAN K38 BAJA GRILL

DELI A TASTE OF ITALY

VEGETARIAN SEALEVEL CITY GOURMET

DONUT BRITTS DONUT SHOP

LUNCH, SUB/SANDWICH SHOP, HOMEMADE SOUP CHOP’S DELI

FAST FOOD CHICK-FIL-A

NEW RESTAURANT SAVOREZ

FINE-DINING EATERY RX RESTAURANT AND BAR

OUTSIDE DINING BLUEWATER WATERFRONT GRILL

WAITSTAFF THE COPPER PENNY WINE LIST THE FORTUNATE GLASS WINGS HELL’S KITCHEN

Thank you for voting us

BEST AUTO MECHANIC 4 LOCATIONS in Wilmington!

Dependable Auto Service and the Best Price on Tires!

Wilmington 1417 Castle Hayne Rd. (910) 763-4601

Wilmington 5311 Market St. (910) 799-1611

Wilmington 2828 Carolina Beach Rd. (910) 791-0056

Wilmington 2015 Oleander Dr. (910) 763-3324

www.blackstire.com encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 31

goods & services

CHIROPRACTOR: SITO CHIROPRACTIC As anyone with back and spine pain knows, a good chiropractor can be a lifesaver. A bad back can keep someone out of work and from doing the activities they once enjoyed. With the help of physicians like Sito Chiropractic, though, a bad back does not stay a nagging problem that alters day-to-day life.

Sito’s motto is simple: “A place to well and stay well.”

The group of dedicated staff commits to getting patients back on their feet and staying on their feet. Their main focus is the identification of spinal misalignments or subluxation. Subluxations put stress on the body’s nervous systems and do not always present symptoms. With over 25 years of experience, the staff at Sito are experts in locating and treating issues.

Dr. Brian Heer at Sito grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Richard Stockton College with a degree in human biology.

Heer then moved to Georgia to attend the Life University School of Chiropractic to obtain his Doctorate of Chiropractic. His main goal when helping patients is to expand health awareness and spread the message of lifelong wellness.

Dr. Ashly Smith attended UNCW for his

SHOE STORE: SOUL SHOETIQUE TATTED UP... Brian Wren accepts the award for Artfuel Inc., who has taken home the “e” for seven years in a row now. Photo by Chris Brehmer Photography

41% votes

TATTOO PARLOR: ARTFUEL INC. When it comes to engraving Mom’s name across a bicep, or enduring a transformation from that pesky ex-girlfriend’s initials into, say, a badass dragon you’ve always wanted across your shoulder blade, Artfuel, Inc. is who to trust for serious skin ink.

Owned and operated by Sarah Peacock and Dave Tollefson, the tattoo parlor at 165 Wrightsville Ave. has taken the coveted “e” for seven years in a row now.

“We are always looking for better and strive to do so,” Peacock tells us of her business philosophy. “Without the support of the greater Wilmington community, we would be nothing.”

Their atmosphere puts everyone at ease as customers are surrounded by calm artistry, from the first greeting at the door to the engaging exchanges between the tattoo artists. “Everything we do, we try to give our clientele a good product, and a very relaxed and friendly experi-

ence,” Peacock continues. “It’s something that is reflected in our artists that work alongside us.”

Aside from providing always impeccable work from its staff, Artfuel welcomes guest artists frequently‚ many of whom are known worldwide. One to two guest artists take up shop at a time. Readers can check Artfuel Inc.’s Facebook page for updated info.

The parlor also hosts numerous art shows a year, from local painters, illustrators, photographers, and the like.

Opening receptions are held with live music and grub from local eateries.

As well, Artfuel’s mission includes community and charity. For example, Peacock works with breast-cancer survivors, creating nipples for women postmastectomy.

Other tattoo parlors on the poll are Jade Monkey (35%) and Hardwire (24%).

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When putting together an outfit, shoes are as important as any other article of clothing. They tend to tie together the overall look. Such a thought is exactly why Michaela Batten opened her own women’s shoe store, Soul Shoetique.

Batten grew up right here in Wilmington before heading to New York City to attend Parsons School of Design. She graduated with a degree in design and management. After, Batten headed back South to Wilmington to open her own shoe store.

As a child, Batten always loved footwear. Such love carried on into adulthood and helped inspire her business. More than a mere shoes store, Batten enjoys having the ability to boost her customer’s confidence when finding the perfect pair of shoes. It’s what helped her win Best Shoe Store among encore readers.

“Shoes transform women,” Batten explains. “It puts them on a pedestal and gives them a confidence like nothing else.”

Soul Shoetique carries a variety of different of styles, as well as a variety of prices, so anyone can find a pair within their budget. From boots to heels, flats to sandals, wedges to platforms. They even

38% votes

bachelor’s in biology and graduated in 2004. He went on to obtain his Doctorate of Chiropractic from the National University of Health Sciences in Illinois. He also completed an internship at the university and worked at a family practice within the state and the Salvation Army Hospital of Greater Chicago before returning to Wilmington.

Smith also became certified in the application of Kinesio tape and is also a member of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture.

Sito Chiropractic provides myriad services, including adjustments in a variety of techniques, physical therapy modalities (like Smith’s application of Kinesio tape), decompression therapy, laser therapy, massage therapy, and custom orthotics.

With multiple five-star reviews and 21 years of providing Wilmington with the finest care possible, it is no wonder Sito won the Best Chiropractor award among encore readers, and not just for the first time.

They also scored the most votes in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014.

Other chiropractors twisting onto our poll are from Active Care Chiropractic (31%) and Feel Better Now Chiropractic and Massage (31%).

49% votes carry kids shoes.

Batten’s shop also provides a selection of accessories for customers to match with their new shoe purchase. Jewelry, sunglasses, purses, scarves, T-shirts, and phone cases align racks and wall space.

Batten participates in what she refers to as “Soul-ful Sundays,” too, wherein her store transforms into a community hub. Local organizations, groups, charities and nonprofits can set up a table within Soul Shoetique for the day to discuss their mission and raise awareness with customers. Batten also donates 15 percent of proceeds made during the day to the cause. Interested organizations can email the shop at soulshoetique@ gmail.com to find out more.

Soul Shoetique is located at 7110 Wrightsville Ave. B7 before the Wrightsville Beach bridge. Folks who can’t make it into the store in person can visit Soul Shoetique’s website, www.soulshoetique.com, too, as the shop offers both domestic and international shipping.

Coastal Kicks (30%) and Monkee’s of Wilmington (21%) also kick up their heels onto our readers poll in 2018.

DOCTOR: DR. HOLDSWORTH

39% votes Medicine, with a medical degree from the University of Virginia, Dr. Holdsworth has been practicing for roughly 20 years. He treats diverse healthcare needs of children and adults at Wilmington Family Physicians (4141 Shipyard Blvd.), which joined Wilmington Health. They offer services in adolescent care, adult medicine, dermatology, gynecology, routine care, sports medicine, and urgent care, among others.

Prospective new patients can learn more about Dr. Holdsworth, and even watch his introductory video, at www. wilmingtonhealth.com/profile/dr.-jeremyp.-holdsworth. He speaks fondly of loving and excelling in math and science early on while growing up in Richmond, Virginia.

BLOSSOMING GOLD: Airlie Gardens takes home the award again for Best Wedding Venue in Wilmington. Photo by Chris Brehmer Photography

WEDDING VENUE: AIRLIE GARDENS

Board Certified by ABFM in Family

Other doctors with standing appointments on our poll include Dr. Brian Lanier from Promina Health (23%) and Dr. Paul Kamitsuka from Wilmington Health Associates 38%).

47% votes

A couple’s wedding day is one they never forget. For some it’s the cake, flowers or color scheme that matter most. For others it’s all about location, location, location.

dozens of events a month from March through October. In fact, they book about 18 months out in advance, so there’s little chance to get in for a lastminute spring or summer wedding.

Living in a beach town, we’ve got destinations for weddings in spades. From the river to the sea, there are dozens of venues perfectly capable of providing the most magical backdrop for a day to remember. However, Airlie Gardens has remained number one on our readers poll since 2014 for Best Wedding Venue.

Future brides and grooms can take a tour of the grounds to gather details from Airlie organizers. For couples who would like to secure the grounds for their special day, Airlie offers a rehearsal time the day before all ceremonies, golf-cart transportation day-of and an additional 2-hour bridal portrait opportunity.

Among its historical gardens are live oaks that overlook Bradley Creek.

There’s a sculpture garden and the famed Minnie Evans Bottle House, hand-crafted by Virginia Wright-Frierson (the official artist of the 2018 Azalea Fest). Airlie Gardens is uniquely suitable for large and small outdoor weddings, but their Pergola Garden is the most sought after place for nuptials.

Airlie does not restrict outside vendors in hosting events, but folks can inquire more at www.airliegardens.org/ rentals-weddings. As well the gardens’ most recent weddings and featured vendors can be found on their wedding blog (airliegardenweddings.wordpress.com) or on Instagram @airliegardensweddings.

The lawn surrounding the great Airlie Oak (growing since 1545) is most popular for receptions. It can easily hold a crowd up to 300, in fact. We’ve entered wedding season, too, and Airlie expect

Dr. Jeremy Holdsworth is used to getting top marks from patients. He practices family medicine at Wilmington Health and boasts an almost five-star rating.

He’s also taking home this year’s Best Doctor award, of which he is no stranger to receiving. He was the winner of the category when it debuted on encore’s poll in 2015.

“After spending some time with my own doctor, I knew he was someone I wanted to be like,” Dr. Holdsworth recounts in the video. “I went back to Richmond for medical school and now have two kids in medical school . . . and we settled in [Wilmington] 10 years ago.”

Brooklyn Arts Center (28%) and Wrightsville Manor (25%) also checked off as popular weddning venues on the readers’ poll.

A Taste of Award-Winning Seafood VOTED BEST SEAFOOD

BY ENCORE, STAR NEWS AND WILMINGTON MAGAZINE READERS!

WITH THREE LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU...

Monkey Junction 5226 S. College Road Suite 5 Wilmington, NC 28412 910-799-7077 Porters Neck 140 Hays Lane #140 Wilmington, NC 28411 910-681-1140 Waterford 143 Poole Road Belville, NC 28451 910-399-6739 CAPEFEARSEAFOODCOMPANY.COM

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 33

arts, media, entertainment WEBSITE: PORT CITY DAILY Local News. Brews and Bites. Business.

Health. Lifestyle. It’s pretty easy to navigate PortCityDaily.com when searching for what’s relevant in all-things local.

Last year Port City Daily was putting finishing touches on a more modern template for their award-winning website, which took home the “e” again for Best Website in 2018. Managing editor Michael Kane estimated these updates would make the site easier to navigate, as well as include a new health section. Here, they cover the latest news, tips and alerts in local health issues (seasonal allergies, GenX, cancer rates, etc.). They were also working to add a few more beats in technology and science.

43% votes “The news staff itself is in discussions on the best way to utilize the new tools we will be handed,” Kane added. “How do we want to deliver a story? Each presentation can be as unique as the story itself, and we want to try different ways of engaging our consumers. And it all starts with the new template.”

While their continued evolution may help keep PortCityDaily.com saved in thousands of browsers, Kane credited their popularity to reputable reporting. Not to mention, their tight-knit relationship with 2018’s Best Radio Station 98.3 The Penguin. While using a successful online platform to tell the stories

TECH WINS! PortCityDaily.com: Michael Kane and Benjamin Schachtman of PortCityDaily.com show off their award for Best Local Website. Photo by Jessica Russell

has worked well for six years, they’ve also capitalized on their relationship with radio.

“Having trusted DJs who read the articles and talk about it helps to remove a layer of skepticism new readers may approach smaller news with,” Kane said. “The ability for reporters to go on the air when needed,

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such as when a big story is unfolding, connects the reporters to the audience a little more than usual.”

Folks also frequently log on to whatsonwilmington.com (31%) and encorepub.com (26%).

44% votes

encore (e): Tell readers when you de- ated thus far? cided to be a filmmaker and why?

MP: The first short film I was involved in Megan Petersen (MP): I have always was inspired by an improvised scene in a had a love for the arts and especially act- Meisner class. It is called “One Saturday ing. Growing up in the theater, I found a Morning” and with our coach, Ron Fallica, passion for being on stage and behind-the- we made the film one weekend in the “Duscenes—anything I could do to help tell a plass” style. story.

From there, Hannah Black and I created When I moved to Wilmington, I immediately got involved in the film industry. After getting some experience on set, I began taking class at Actor’s Arsenal, and that is when everything really took off for me.

I began auditioning for speaking roles and bonded with other classmates. We were inspired to begin creating our on content when we heard a talk by Mark Duplass from SXSW Film Festival. He encouraged everyone that, with technology today, there is no reason you can’t be making films on the weekends with your friends.

a short film called “IF,” which has played in a several festivals. I’ve also helped a lot of friends with casting and producing their projects, which is so much fun. Most recently, Hannah and& I directed “Watch & Learn,” a companion short film to the feature “Drought.”

e: We understand “Drought” is next on the list; can you tell us about this project and what inspired it?

MP: Back in 2015, Hannah Black and I were meeting each week to work on creating short films. She brought an idea to me With that inspiration and the desire to tell that would end up being “Drought,” and we stories that would move people or change knew right away the story deserved to be someone’s perspective, we began to help told in a longer format. each other with writing, casting, directing, Hannah was a teacher for children on and producing short films here in Wilmington. I have to say that encouragement of the autism spectrum, and she was very Ron and Allie at Actor’s Arsenal is what ul- inspired by how hard they work and their timately gave me the courage to begin film- unique perspective on the world. In addition, she found their siblings were often making. the un-sung heroes of the family. With that e: What have you made/overseen/cre-

PARTY ENTERTAINER: NO SLEEVES MAGIC When Michael Rosander was 5 years old, his great grandfather showed him his first magic trick. It sparked a hobby he began to explore at 17 when he worked as an actor at Tweetsie Railroad. He began studying the craft more and more, and now, all grown up and rearing his own family, the hobby has become a career.

Rosander owns and operates No Sleeves Magic, a kids camp and family entertainment program that allows him and his staff to perform over 250 events a year.

“Currently we offer six completely different, including the magic tricks within, family shows to choose from whether it is a birthday party, school show or big public event,’” Rosander tells. “We have and are continuing to develop a magic curriculum that is licensed out and can be used to teach magic classes and camps. All custom magic props and lessons are used to empower kids building their character, confidence and communication skills for life. The program is called Discover Magic and is exactly what we are using in our magic camp programs.”

The shows are the most fun part of Rosander’s job, whether he’s proving he can show which card his participants have chosen from a deck or what fruit is in a sealed aluminum can. But folks can learn the tricks behind the trade as shown in their kids activity fun book created sold at Learning Express. It includes over 150 magic tricks, puzzles, games, and more.

Plus, they have have developed a small

48% votes

And while folk who aren’t easily persuaded only need one trick to be conformed from Rosander. A true performer, he not only can pull the rabbit out of the hat, so to speak, he also understands the value of being trusted by an audience.

“There are a lot of magician hobbyist that can make magic corny and don’t put a lot effort into practicing or their presentation,” he tells. “To them it is all about the trick. This is where some people might see magic and have a misconception of what it is like. Where we set the bar high is that we believe it is all about the people and the story we tell. Our primary emphasis is on creating fun entertainment that will make memories and keep people talking about their experience, the magic is thoroughly practiced and thought out to really well.”

TRICKS FOR THE TRADE: Best Party Entertainer is a new write-in category for 2018, which was won by No Sleeves Magic, founded by master magician Michael Rosander who performed at the 2018 Best Of Awards Party on Feb. 24 at BAC. Photo by Chris Brehmer Photography

line of magic to be used as souvenirs at Halloween or birthday parties, as rewards at medical offices or even student prizes (www.tricksinsteadoftreats.com).

as the inspiration, we created the story of Sam and her younger brother, Carl, who has Asperger’s. They are living in a small town that is going through a drought, but Carl is fascinated by weather and storms.

In order to create a better life, they take an ice-cream truck to go storm-chasing with their estranged older sister, Lillian, and best friend, Lewis.

e: When are you slated to shoot? Who all is cast?

MP: Last summer, we were at a place with the script that we felt it was ready to be made, but we didn’t know how it was going to happen. Then Hannah saw an email come across her screen that said “The Duplass Brothers Want To Fund Your Next Feature.” What!? The Duplass Brothers are who inspired us from the start.

e: Are you a filmmaker full time? If not, let us know what else you do? Career?

Hobbies? Passions? How does it fuel filmmaking?

e: You won a contest to help with “Drought”; tell us about it.

We entered the competition, which was through Seed&Spark, a crowdfunding site specifically for filmmakers. For 30 days last fall, we ran a campaign, along with 72 other teams from across the country, to raise funds and gather followers. Lots of followers. The top 15 teams then pitched to the Duplass Brothers in a 30-second video. We were one on those teams! On Nov. 4, Emily Best of Seed&Spark, with Mark Duplass, announced the winners live. We found out we won the grand prize, which included additional funds and Mark and Jay Duplass on board as executive producers. It is such an honor and we are still pinching ourselves!

speak] at different companies and even consult on magic.”

No Sleeves doesn’t only perform for the little ones either. They host adult parties and include tricks (www.RosanderMagic. com) that will turn even the keenest, most skeptical eye into a believer. “This is something a lot of people don’t know about because we keep it separate from the kids stuff,” Rosander tells. They do corporate parties and even travel to perform. “[I

The Best Party Entertainer was a new category our readers voted on in the Write-In category on the 2018 poll. Other votes for write-in went to Best Tackle Shop: Intracoastal Angler (45%) and Best Nutrition Company: Summerfield Custom Wellness (7%).

MP: We are working with Team Duplass on polishing the script and making sure the story is the best it can be. Our hope is to shoot late this summer. We will be shooting in and around Wilmington. At this time, Hannah Black is cast as Sam, and I will be playing her sister, Lillian. Once our script is set, we will begin the casting process. Stay tuned!

MP: Beginning in March, I started focusing on filmmaking full time. I work at Actor’s Arsenal now, where it all began—taping auditions and teaching classes.

Of course, I love going to the movies with my super awesome husband, Lucas.

When I’m not writing and collaborating with Hannah, you are likely to find me at trivia [nights] in town. I have a crazy love for solving puzzles and collecting random knowledge. I believe my love to learn and find solutions is so helpful in filmmaking. I also just really have a passion to see people go for their dreams and love helping others figure out how to tell their stories, too.

Other filmmakers taking home votes include Nakia Hamilton (23%) and Nick Westfall (34%).

Two locations to serve you!

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food & beverage

JAPANESE: YOSAKE DOWNTWON SUSHI LOUNGE Most people don’t know there are more Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan than any other country. While YoSake Downtown Sushi Lounge doesn’t have one (mainly because Michelin only recognizes restaurants in the USA in Chicago, New York City, DC, and San Francisco), they do have several “e’s” to their credit, including this year’s win for Best Japanese food.

After a past win in the category, owner Bekah Smith told us that, outside of sushi (for which they also have won several encore awards for in the past) and sake, they’re not technically even a Japanese restaurant. In essence it makes their win “quite a coup.” They describe their menu as being more panAsian than strictly Japanese. One can find elements of cuisine from Thailand, India, Vietnam, and Korea, in addition to sushi, which is among their most popular choices.

Located on the second floor of the historic Roudabush building, YoSake turns 12 years old this month, no small feat of longevity in Wilmington’s everchange food scene. They describe their unique decor as “Tokyo-vogue,” which

BARTENDER: TRISTA NICOSIA, GOAT AND COMPASS Tucked over on North 4th Street, the Goat & Compass is nonetheless hard to miss because of the bright blue paint on it bricks and the classic, parchmentstyle lettering over the door. Those who venture inside will find a cozy spot to order their favorite drinks and listen to live music. Behind the pine, Trista Nicosia— voted Wilmington’s best bartender for 2018—is ready with a grin.

“I got into bartending, more or less, by surprise,” Nicosia recalls. After scoring what she thought was a serving gig at Pedro’s Cactus Cantina in Oxford, OH, she reported to her first gig. “The manager told me, ‘Oh yeah, by the way, you’re behind the bar and it’s Margarita Madness, so keep up. There were two other bartenders there that night. They ‘trained’ me in about 5 minutes and we proceeded to run our butts off for the next eight hours. Two weeks later, they both graduated and moved away, and I was suddenly head bartender.”

Even in a casual interview, she’s showcasing one of the beloved bartender’s talents: the ability to spin a story. Nicosia also listens to stories. “I try to get to know my regular customers, beyond their names and what they drink,” she says. “If they have something exciting or important going on in their lives, I ask them about it—I want them to know I truly care.”

Nicosia’s hospitality is only one of

38% votes many traits that keeps her top of mind as a great bartender. She has a particular warmth and sense of humor, not to mention she crafts a fine cocktail.

48% votes

They noodle bowls, including udon will make perfect sense to readers who and Ramen, as well as fried rice, like frequent YoSake. The artwork was cretheir popular shrimp-pineapple variety, ated by local artist Johnny Bahr III. plus curries galore, a kobe burger, and Their menu is unique and ever-chang- pad Thai. Every appetite, whether veging, owing to the inventiveness of their etarian or carnivorous-based will be hapkitchen crew and their focus on using pily sated. local, seasonal ingredients. Some favorAnd what’s a good bite without a deites will be staples always, including their lightful sip to go with it? YoSake is known always-popular Shanghai Firecracker for their cocktail program. They have a Shrimp (tempura shrimp, tossed in spicy variety of famous mojitos, including the Shanghai sauce) and a local favorite, Pomegranate Ginger one, which inbahn minis (grilled pork, chicken, or tuna cludes ginger-infused pomegranate juice on a crispy baguette with spicy mayo, ciand light rum, muddled with lemon, mint lantro, and pickled vegetables). and candied ginger.

SUSHI: NIKKI’S SUSHI BAR AND RESTAURANT Nikki’s Sushi Bar and Restaurant has quite a few locations across Wilmington, from their steak house and sushi bar on Military Cutoff, to the recently renovated downtown location, to the mall location and even one in Southport. It’s no wonder folks continue to adore their sushi selection, since it hits all corners of our southeastern NC home. encore readers have again voted Nikki’s as Wilmington’s Best Sushi for 2018.

Open for lunch and dinner, Nikki’s has everything from simple tastes, a la tuna and avocado rolls, to more adventurous daily sushi roll specials that go beyond traditional Japanese expectations.

(They’ll even take special requests.) Sushi, sashimi, bento boxes, samplers ... diners have a variety of ways they can order their fresh fish.

“My specialties include sangria and Bloody Marys,” she says. “I love makTraditionlists will appreciate the chiing sangria because it reminds me of the rashi—straight up fresh cuts of seafood time I spent in Spain for a study abroad over tangy sushi rice. It’s enough to feed program.” more than one person with 18 pieces of Other bartenders whipping up the best fish: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, red snapspirits in town include Mike Belies at Tav- per, eel, smoked salmon, white tuna, ern Law (26%) and Brandy Tomcany at clam, octopus, shrimp and crab.

Slainte (36%).

Larger parties will ooh and ahh over Nikki’s sushi boat: a wooden serving ves-

BAR: SATELLITE BAR AND LOUNGE Satellite Bar and Lounge once again takes top votes for providing barflies across ILM their favorite space to throw back spirits, craft beers and wines any ol’ day of the week. The bar’s specialty themed nights— like movie night every Monday and Tuesday at sundown, or bluegrass Sundays, wherein families are welcome to dance to their favorite bands—make for fun-filled adventures at every turn.

“People just can’t get enough of the bluegrass jam,” Tuki Lucero told encore of their 2017 win as well—and it continues jamming on in popularity.

Plus, live music on weekends are completely free! Bands play every Saturday

36 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

40% votes sel, decorated with cuts of sushi, sashimi and rolls, all to equal 39 pieces of fish to be exact.

Plus, they have begun to serve poke bowls (like salmon, tuna, and white tuna on a bed of sushi rice, topped with seaweed salad, cucumber, asparagus, avocado, Japanese dressing, sesame seeds, and powdered seaweed, or eel on a bed a sushi rice, topped with seaweed salad, cucumber, asparagus, avocado, eel sauce, Japanese dressing, sesame seeds, and powdered seaweed).

Folks who steer away from raw fish can nosh on vegetarian rolls, or order from their large hibachi and teriyaki menus (chicken, shrimp, beef, tofu). Not to mention some of the restaurants have extensive sandwich menus, to help feed folks who wish for a variety of American fare, like burgers (turkey, vegetarian or beef), Philly cheesesteaks, wraps, and more. Sides and appetizers abound, too, whether wanting edamame or miso soup, dumplings or fresh fried hot chips, ginger salad or a four-piece California roll.

Other sushi restaurants making the cut include Bento Box (30%) and YoSake (30%).

63% votes night at Satellite. Plus, the bar also takes holidays seriously—specifically Halloween and Christmas. Each October they do 31 Nights of Horror, and showcase scary movies at dusk every night of the month. They also hold a Halloween dance party with a DJ and prizes. “We spend days putting up decorations in October and December to totally transform the bar,” Lucero said.

In 2017 they opened Block Taco in the back of Satellite as well. People order the freshest tacos in town at a walk-up window, as well as chips and salsa (queso or guacamole). Flavors include pork and seafood, as well as vegetarain hits like Brussels sprouts and green beans.

Paired with delightful beers from Wicked

Weed and fun ciders, like a cucumber ginger or mango habanero flavor from Blake’s Brewing, it makes the upcoming summer months already feel cooler.

The breezes will keep flowing, whether seated in their garage-style, open-air seating at the front of the bar, or on the side lines where folks play cornhole or putt a few golf balls while waiting for tacos.

“It’s such a great space,” Lucero praises. “We have a big, beautiful yard. Dusty [Ricks, owner] is always tweaking details in design and landscaping so it doesn’t get stale. We’re family and dog-friendly, too.” encore readers also belly up to the pine at Lagerheads Tavern (17%) and The Brewers Kettle (20%).

To make matters even more tempting YoSake offers half priced bar menu on famed appetizers, bahn minis, dips, and sushi, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., daily, in addition to 10 p.m. - midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Plus, Monday mojitos are $6, to go along with $5 small plate features. Tuesdays are Locals’ Night, with 20-percent

INDIAN: TANDOORI BITES Tandoori Bites has been churning out besties for nine years now, taking home Best Indian Cuisine in Wilmington. They’ve continued heating up lunch and dinner tables for many locals, with a plethora of traditional dishes from their most popular tikka masala and tandoori chicken dishes, to desserts like gulab jamun (milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough and garnished with dried nuts).

“We serve around 1,500 customer a week,” says TJ Singh, owner of Tandoori Bites, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Simran. “Quality food and customer service is our key [to] success, and we never sacrifice quality ingredients.”

Their buffet opens at lunch daily and features a variety of flavors suitable for every diet, from vegetarians to carnivores. At night their extensive menu features malai kofta (veggie balls), veggie korma (sauce made of nuts and spices), tarka dal (ginger and garlic yellow sauce), butter chicken,

off all entrees. Wednesdays are ‘80’s night, with select menu items at ‘80’s prices, and Thursdays offer build-yourown curries starting at $12.

Other Japanese eateries rolling out the votes are Okami Japanese Steakhouse (20%) and Hiro Japanese Steakhouse (32%).

72% votes to goat curry and vindaloo. They serve rice specialities, like lamb or shrimp biryani and masalas, and have fresh Indian breads, like naan, parantha and kulcha, baked and served with favorite spreads, like raita, papadum and mango chutney. And don’t skip the starters! Their vegetarian samosas, chili paneer and onion bhajia will start off every meal to perfection!

“We have great support from our loyal customers, who support us and enjoy our cuisine,” Singh praises of his clientele— one that will continue to grow and expand beyond Wilmington. Singh will operate a Tandoori Bites in Fayetteville and are opening one in Raleigh in July, too. “It will be with an open kitchen concept,” Singh says, “with local and organic menu.”

Nawab Fine Indian Cuisine (28%) also sauces up the poll.

CHINESE: DOUBLE HAPPINESS Locally-owned, family-run, authentic, delicious Chinese with American hospitality—that’s the M.O. for Double Happiness.

The restaurant is making its first appearance as a winner on encore’s poll, taking home Best Chinese Restaurant.

Though it opened in 2006, current owners Jamie Zheng and May Chen purchased the restaurant in 2010. The couple’s goal was to make Double Happiness Wilmington’s only authentic gourmet Chinese restaurant. Thus, Double Happiness serves classic Chinese dishes in addition to traditional meals, like dim sum, ginger scallion shrimp, Shanghai-style rice and more.

“Double happiness” is a translation of a Chinese phrase from an old legend. The myth follows a young man who, on his way to take a minister’s exam, fell ill and was nursed back to health by an herbalist and his daughter. The young man got well and went on his way, but not before falling in love with the daughter and receiving a token of her favor: a piece of paper with a line of poetry written on it. At the young man’s exam, the emperor asked him to complete a couplet, and the young man realized his lover had given him the second half of the puzzle. The young man recited it and assumed the ministerial position and a place of honor. When the young man and the herbalist’s daughter were married, the symbol for happiness was duplicated and etched on red paper. This double happi-

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48% votes ness symbol became known throughout the country and stood for life-long harmony and love—an atmosphere that Wilmington’s own Double Happiness aims to emulate. They’ve done so well in the last eight years they’ve owned it that just last month they opened their second location on Market Street in front of the new Publix. The owners are celebrating the opening of the new Ogden location with a free gift certificate when you dine in—just draw a fortune stick from the bamboo bucket to find out how much you can save.

Zheng and Chen’s good-eats goals don’t come easily. The harmony of taste and texture emerges from a balance of fan foods—or rice, noodles, grains, etc.—and t’sai foods—or veggies, meat, poultry, seafood. Double Happiness chooses the finest ingredients and outlaws MSG from the kitchen. Each dish is beautifully presented from the servers, and never scooped from a buffet table—always made-to-order in individual or family portions.

Double Happiness is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner, and you can visit either of its locations on Wrightsville Avenue or Market Street in Ogden.

Other Chinese eateries making an appearance on the poll are Szechuan 132 (37%) and Lucky Star (15%).

the

BEST EAK T S E S E E CH to g accordinaders e encore r

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 37

NEW RESTARUANT: SAVOREZ Opening a new restaurant is no small feat. It’s not as simple as renting a spot, putting up a sign and hopping into the kitchen. Every little detail counts, from the obvious like menu and staff, to the less obvious, like types of napkins and bathroom soaps to use. Each customer is a new customer, and restaurateurs only get one chance to make a good first impression.

36% votes

They also offer vegan and vegetarian options, including bangin’ empanadas and a chile relleno that will knock off the socks of

At Savorez, this year’s winner for Best New Restaurant, it’s clear owner Sam Cahoon has paid attention. The small downtown spot has kept locals coming back already in its infancy.

Cahoon, a Wilmington native, has worked in local restaurants for over 12 years, and graduated from Cape Fear Community College’s culinary program with honors. Savorez is spanish for “flavors,” and to put it bluntly: Cahoon’s restaurant has plenty of it.

Rosa Bianca, encore’s restaurant reviewer, calls the restaurant “a bold union of spicy Latin American fare and a tiny twang of the South.” She goes on to give a rare endorsement that diners can’t go wrong with any item on the menu, adding that “Cahoon’s fresh, local ingredients speak for themselves on each stunningly vibrant plate. Cahoon’s fresh, local ingredients speak for themselves on each stunningly vibrant plate.”

Even the starter/small plate menu is in-

loin over black bean-bacon puree, warm pork belly and a two-bean salad, wilted arugula, and pickled root vegetables), and Jefe’s Arroz Con Pollo (jerk-braised chicken leg with coconut rice, black beans, chipotle sauce, pineapple salsa, pickled shallots, chimichurri ranch and avocado).

DELI: A TASTE OF ITALY Who has the best eggplant parm in town?

A Taste of Italy.

SAVORY TO THE MAX: Downtown’s Savorez owner Sam Cahoon is cooking up the best in our Best New Restaurant category for Savorez. Website. Photo by Chris Brehmer Photography

ventive, featuring BLT Arepas (fried corn cakes with Balsamic glaze, bacon-jalapeno jam, avocado, tomato, micro greens and cilantro oil) and Langousta Y Coco (lobster ceviche in citrus coconut-ginger marinade with avocado, cilantro, red onion, red bell pepper and habanero). T The dinner menu features flavor-packed dishes,, like Tres Cochinitos (grilled pork

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Who has the best chicken salad in town?

A Taste of Italy.

Who has the best cheesesteak in town?

A Taste of Italy.

Seeing a pattern?

Readers of encore do.

Customers who dine at A Taste of Italy would agree with encore voters who continuously put TOI on the Best Of Readers’ Poll. This year they’re taking home Best Deli. Chris Guarino says their most popular dishes, as noted above, are all made with the freshest ingredients and a load of love.

“Eggplant parm is always a hit,” he admits. “I would assume it is because, unlike most other places, we skin it and slice it super thin before we fry it—then our classic tomato sauce layered in with cheese.

Nothing better!”

Chris and his brother, Tommy, founded the delicatessen/market/restaurant more than 20 years ago. They started it by utilizing their mother’s family recipes. “Over the years we have learned what works best for our business,” Chris says, “and have made changes where needed—without

all tastebuds. They may be new, but based on the praise from diners and critics alike, Savorez will be around for a long time.

Other new restaurants opening doors in ILM this year and churning out decadent dishes to our voters’ content are Wrightsville Beach Brewery (30%) and Smoke on the Water (34%)

55% votes taking out the core of each one. I do love to branch out a little and get creative.”

Customers can eat up the delicacies on A Taste of Italy’s hot bar. Whether ordering baked ziti or huge homemade meatballs or chicken parm, offerings run the gamut.

More so, their customers aren’t just full from their order, but feel like they’re getting a home-cooked meal their own mom would make.

“Our quality ingredients (like all-white meat chicken and Hellman’s in our chicken and tuna salads) really make our customers, new and old, appreciate the food,” Chris continues.

Their desserts continue to tempt, too: chocolate mousse, Tiramisu, NY-style cheesecake, all made in house.

The restaurant caters six to eight lunches daily, and they continue to increase this sector of their business. They also cater private parties and weddings. TOI has better priced meal deals that change weekly, alongside discounts on wine by the case.

On top of it all, they continue to give back back to the community by donating to schools, law enforcement and civic organizations, as well as nonprofits.

Other delis impressing readers on our poll are Chop’s (34%) and Midtown Deli and Grill (11%).

VEGETARIAN: SEALEVEL CITY GOURMET When it comes to clean eating, Sealevel City Gourmet restaurant anad Bar on Kerr Ave. gets made props for providing the best eats—especially to specialty dieters, like vegans and vegetarians. Their varied menu offers more than a salad or side of veggies as a meal option.

Their menu is large, and offers everything from dairy-free to gluten-free varieties. Popular items include their lentil burger, as well as veggie dogs, topped a variety of ways, from Carolina- to German-style.

Plus, they do a bevy of flavors worldwide, like the Mediterranean pita (black-eyedpea hummus, carrot shreds, lettuce, mayo, tomato, falafel) or a Korean take on a veggie-based Jewish favorite, kimchi tempeh reuben (sour kraut, kimchi, tempeh, Russian dressing, sprouts, rye, jack cheese).

42% votes

And don’t even think about skimping their sushi menu. They bring in fresh fish daily to roll spicy crab and avocado roll or a spider roll (soft shell crab). They also do tons of vegan sushi, with ingredients not found on a lot of local menus—like the yamagobo roll, which has burdock root pickle, or a kampyo which comes with Calabash gourd.

Sides abound like Latin American-flavored refried lentils and fried plantains, or Asian tastes, as enjoyed in a seaweed salad or Mediterranean tabbouleh.

Led by Chef Nikki Spears, who opened the restaruant in 2013, the menu continues to draw from fresh local produce and (Sealevel continued next page)

MEDITERRANEAN: OLYMPIA The so-called “Mediterranean diet” is known for being health—heavy in vegetables and good carbs. Luckily, it’s also delicious. At Olympia, also known as Wilmington’s 2018 pick for Best Mediterranean, Wilmingtonians have been able to get their Greek food and seafood fixes since 1994.

The first Olympia restaurant opened in New York in 1980, and Nick and Doreen Voulgaris followed 14 years later in the ILM. Customers can expect all the classics of a Greek joint, from juicy lamb and tzatziki sauce dripping from pita-wrapped gyros to feta- and olive-topped salads. Olympia boasts a variety of salads and traditional Greek appetizers, like spanakopita and hummus, as well as seafood snacks: fried calamari, sauteed shrimp and mushrooms, or Olympia crab cakes. (The Zeus Platter, a sampling of all the appetizers, is truly the “food of the gods” the restaurant’s slogan talks about.) It also has a menu full of seafood dishes and a plethora of Greek and Italian pasta options, from shrimp santorini to chicken Alfredo. Among daily specials, customers can find fresh-caught fish, handcrafted soups of the day, and lunch bargain platters.

ITALIAN: OSTERIA CICHHETTI Best Italian Restaurant is one of the most hotly-contested categories yearafter-year, with winners flip-flopping between Wilmington’s popular Italian eateries. One restaurant that is always in the mix is this year’s winner, Osteria Cicchetti. One of the member restaurants of Ash Aziz’s successful group of restaurants, The OC, as locals call it, has two locations, one in the Forum and another in Monkey Junction, and both locations offer the same high-quality traditional Italian fare.

And when I say traditional, I don’t mean the spot on the corner with greasy pizza and red sauce on everything (although there’s certainly a place in my heart for those places). The OC’s menu starts off with cheese and charcuterie options from their cold plates menu (try the Artichokes Francaise). It continues to their cicchetti plates, or small dishes and side items (try the stuffed cherry peppers), and insalate (try the roasted beet salad).

You can make a meal out of the starter options alone, but the main courses at the OC offer endless unique and tasty options. The wood-fired pizza selection ranges from the Classico with mozzarella and pizzaoli to more adventurous

39% votes Located just off Oleander, Olympia can be spotted by the geometric white whorls in the windows and bright blue awnings. Inside, the décor is old-fashioned, giving the impression diners are walking into a hidden gem.

Beyond the flavor of the food, Olympia is a place for fellowship and family. The restaurant contains a large party room that’s free to book and frequently filled with birthday parties and holiday shindigs.

Of course, no party would be complete without a full bar, which Olympia runs as well. Tuesday offers $6 martini and $5 pizza and Thursday comes with half-price bottles of wine.

On special nights, Olympia pairs a recommended wine with a decadent pasta dish and features live music. Dine in for lunch or dinner, or take it with you home to the family for a night of authentic cuisine without the effort of making it yourself.

Other Mediterranean hotspots in town include Peno Mediterranean Grill (28%) and The Greeks Gourmet (33%).

47% votes choices like the Melanzane with eggplant, goat cheese, tomatoes and olives.

Main courses include classic pasta dishes you’ll recognize like the Spaghetti Cicchetti (meatballs, Italian sausage, and pomodoro), as well as more traditional, seafood-centric dishes like Zuppa di Pesce (fish, clams, shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamari, spaghetti, and red broth). If you’re still hungry after all that, try one of their desserts like cannoli or white chocolate croissant bread pudding.

While each location’s menu varies slightly, the OC in Monkey Junction offers specials like a 3-course prixe fixe menu every Sunday and Monday for $19.95; half-price select pizzas on Tuesdays; half-price select bottles of wine on Wednesday, and a discounted app menu at the bar every day from 5-7. The Monkey Junction also offers family-style dining, which includes starters, entrees and dessert served in the traditional Italian fashion for only $21.99 per person with a four-person minimum.

Other Italian eateries rolling up the best pasta in town include A Taste of Italy (34%) and Tarantelli’s Ristorante Italiano (19%).

(Sealevel continued)

seafood to craft something truly for every palate: sushi, tacos, sandwiches, pitas, organic veggie-burgers, Southern-style seafood, hush puppies, and a wide variety of housemade desserts. They’re open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sun-

day and serve dinner Wednesday through Saturday 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).

Other vegetarian restaurants turning up happy diners on our poll are Epic Food (29%) and Lovey’s Market (29%).

environmental and humanitarian HUMANITARIAN: BO DEAN What exactly does it mean to be a humanitarian? There are varying answers, but for Bo Dean, there is but one. “Care about people,” he explains. “Be joyful, participatory, intentional, and ever mindful about the success/welfare/life of others.”

Being voted as a best humanitarian was the farthest thing from Dean’s mind as a child. Yet, as an adult, he has helped the community through numerous groups and projects. One group, in particular, is Access of Wilmington and its Miracle League program, where people of all ages and all abilities can come together for a fully inclusive opportunity. Dean worked as the director for the organization from 2012 until 2014 where he served as a project manager, fundraiser and spokesperson.

“It is way humbling and so very meaningful to know some folks feel this [about winning the award],” Dean mentions. “I know there are a lot more qualified and I work with a ton in public service every day who deserve this so much more, but what a cool platform to be able to share what I know about the good around us and the good folks who make our community and hopefully inspire others to do good and care.”

Being the Access of Wilmington’s director is not the only experience Dean has felt powerful about, though. In 1998, he graduated from UNC with a degree in Secondary English Education. For 11 years he worked as the program manager for UNCW’s Honors Scholars Program before taking a job as the director of development at Cameron Art Museum in 2011. Now, he works as a human resources analyst for New Hanover County.

“All the activities I have the absolute honor to be involved in touch people in ways that create better wellness better means to live,” Dean notes. “I have been given so

47% votes much help in my own life, so much love and encouragement, but also so many powerful examples around me of how much a little time, a little giving, a little caring can mean so much.”

Other groups which Dean devotes time to include the Heart Association, Carousel Center, Coastal Horizons, The Kelly House, The What Clinics, and Nourish NC. He feels a strong pull toward such groups to help the community in issues like mental health, substance abuse, subsistence, and wellness for families and children.

One of the projects Dean hopes to see expand and grow in the future is Wilmington’s dedication to our public schools. Dean regularly sits on boards with the UNCW Watson College and SWAIN Center, and recently acted as a spectator to the D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy laboratory school proposal. Previously, there was talk of shutting down D.C. Virgo, but now it will become “one of the most innovative public schools” in our region.

“Our children and their children not only deserve it, they need it,” Dean emphasizes.

“I want everybody to focus on all our public schools. But this one, support it, nourish it.

If we care, if we know our biases (and Lord knows if I got one finger pointing out I got three pointing back) and are willing to overcome and work through, we can do such amazing things. What keeps me going every day is that I have seen amazing things and I don’t expect that amazing, blessed, wondrous, phenomenal and powerful things won’t keep happening. We just have to be willing.”

Other folks who are giving back to ILM and who voters recognized on the encore poll are Jock Brandis (21%) and Judy Girard (32%).

READ ABOUT ALL OF THE 2018 BEST OF WINNERS ON OUR WEBSITE

WWW.ENCOREPUB.COM encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 39

EXTRA>>FEATURE

FLOWER FEST IN FULL BLOOM:

The North Carolina Azalea Festival returns with new events and favorite traditions

I

BY: JESSICA RUSSELL & SHANNON RAE GENTRY

t’s spring in the Port City. Y’all know the drill: Wear layers at all times, as it goes from 40-80 faster than Dale Earnhardt Jr. on race day. Stock up on decongestant if you’re sensitive to pollen’s unrelenting assault on the senses. Dust off your garden hats, stock up on cocktail mixers and batten down the hatches for Wilmington’s biggest flower fest: it’s the 2018 North Carolina Azalea Festival. encore has this week’s Azalea Festival activities from April 11-15 all broken down

AZALEA TUNES festival concerts Billy Currington w/ Drake White and the Big Fire, Kenton Bryant April 12, 7 p.m., $45 CFCC Parking Lot 701 N. Front St.

38 Special w/ Tuesdays Gone April 13, 7 p.m., $23 CFCC Parking Lot 701 N. Front St.

Ludacris with Childish Major April 14, 7 p.m., $46 CFCC Parking Lot 701 N. Front St.

Old School Concert at GLA April 14, 4-6 p.m., $25

Greenfield Lake Amphitheater 1941 Amphitheatre Dr.

Dark Star Orchestra April 15, 5 p.m., $30-$35

Greenfield Lake Amphitheater 1941 Amphitheatre Dr.

for readers, including an interview with 38 Special’s lead singer Don Barnes (page ??); a bouquet of beautiful homes and gardens featured in this year’s Garden Tour (page ???); and for folks looking to break out of tradition, this year’s Alt-Zalea Fest is back at BAD (Brooklyn Arts District) on page ???.

Here are the rest of this year’s Azalea Festival happenings in full bloom, with more details found at ncazaleafestival.org.

Juried Art Show and Sale

April 7-11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., April 12-14, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., April 15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Free

Azalea Festival’s “Official Art Show,” created by the Wilmington Art Association, started April 7 and is ongoing throughout festival week. More than 100 artists from North Carolina and across the U.S. will present fine-art creations at the 36th annual art show and sale at Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center (120 S. 2nd St.). It’s free and family friendly.

Queen’s Tea & Coronation

Tea: April 11, 1-2:30 p.m., $30 Coronation: April 11, 3:30-4 p.m., Free

Each year NC Azalea Festival organizers put on events fit for a queen—which is probably why they crown one each year.

Enter Beth Troutman, 2018’s Queen Azalea. Troutman was the first woman to run for Congress in NC-8 District at 27, and has since won two Emmy Awards, has grown as a TV personality (“FOX News Rising,” “The Balancing Act,” “Right This Minute”), and is a motivational speaker.

The UNC-Chapel Hill grad has been the main anchor of NBC-Charlotte’s evening newscasts since 2015, but most recently shot a series of short documentaries while living at an orphanage in Haiti.

Folks can meet Troutman at Azalea Fest’s latest event, the Queen’s Tea with VIP Coronation Processional on April 11.

While tickets include an hour long meet and greet with Queen Azalea (and hold her crown before the official Coronation at 3:30 p.m.), other guests include the Festival Princess, Miss North Carolina and the Queen’s Court. Ticket holders can enjoy tea, lemonade and light hors d’oeuvres with special guests, like “Tales of an Edu-

40 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

MULTICULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT: Azalea Fest offers up more than fun spring shows, each event on the Multicultural Stage is sure to be as educational as entertaining. Courtesy photo.

cation Debutante” blogger Adrian Wood, celebrity chef Vivian Howard of PBS’s “A Chef’s Life” and recently opened Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria in Wilmington, Azalea Festival’s official artist Vivian Wright-Frierson, and more. The processional walk starts from Hotel Ballast to the Coronation together at Riverfront Park, with VIP seating for ticket holders.

Airlie Luncheon Garden Party April 13 Private VIP Event

While the Airlie Luncheon Garden Party is a private function for partners of Azalea Fest, Bluewater Grill in Wrightsville Beach helps puts the “party” in VIP for everyone.

So no one need to miss out on big hats, seersuckers and the Citadel Summerall Guards performance! The Bluewater Garden Party VIP package includes one ticket into the Airlie Luncheon Garden Party (a $175+ value), free shuttle from Bluewater to Airlie Gardens and back, and a Bluewater food voucher (includes a non-alcoholic beverage, appetizer, entree, and a des-

sert) up to $65 and good for Friday, April 13, 11 a.m. -11 p.m.

After Garden Get Down April 13, 2-6 p.m., Free

The After Garden Get Down at Bluewater in Wrightsville Beach is a chance for a bit of free fun at dockside party with a VIP feel. Open everyone an immediately following the closed Airlie Luncheon Garden Party, guests can enjoy Bluewater’s waterfront bar and patio (voted Best Outdoor Dining of 2018 by encore readers), live music, food and drink specials.

Queen Azalea will be there, too!

Waterfront Street Fair

April 13, 6-10 p.m., April 14, 10 a.m.10 p.m., April 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Free

There are more than 250 vendors lined up for this year’s street fair, which sprawls out across downtown’s Water Street and even overflowing out to the Music & Beer Garden on Second Street. Shoppers can find anything from uniquely handcrafted pieces to commercial products while munching on traditional fair fare like kettle corn, gyros and funnel cakes, or get a taste of Maine lobster rolls, French beig-

nets or Southern BBQ. Not to mention, there’s an art walk, Multicultural Stage of performances, and children’s area with educational games, crafts and interactive exhibits. A complete schedule of Waterfront Street Fair activities and shows can be found at ncazaleafestival.org.

Parade

Multicultural Stage

Viewing areas are provided all along 3rd Street, from Market Street to Bladen Street.

Viewing along the route is free, but bleacher tickets are available for purchase at the Azalea Festival Ticket Office for $5-$7 in advance or $7-$10 the day of the parade.

April 14, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Free

The annual Azalea Festival Parade makes its rounds through downtown once again for its 71st year on Saturday. With multiple giant character balloons, floats and bands marching through the streets, the parade is quite the sight to see.

April 14-15, Free

The Street Fair Multicultural Stage is back at the Azalea Festival to celebrate and showcase the different cultures making up the Greater Cape Fear Region. The stage will show off authentic costumes, dances, and music by local ethnic performing groups. The line-up for 2018 includes music from places like China, the Middle East, Mexico, Polynesia, Hawaii, Japan, Latin America, Ireland and many more.

The Multicultural Stage also will make an appearance within the festival’s parade during the “Multicultural March for Nations.” The march will include multiple ethnic marchers, performers and band members dressed in traditional costumes, as well as a float decked out in international flags.

Children’s Area

April 14-15, Free

GTV8 broadcasts the parade live, but also provides streaming to connected devices from their website at www.wilmingtonnc.gov/departments/city-manager/gtv8.

Fireworks

April 14, 9-9:30 p.m., Free

ON THE RUN: Azalea Fest is in full sprint this week, literally, with the Parade Mile Run on April 14.

Courtesy photo.

Ready for some friendly sparring? The North Carolina Azalea Festival Boxing Tournament hosts some of the top national and international boxers from across the country, ranging in ages 8-16 and 17-34 and a Master Boxer competition for athletes 35 and up. The tournament attracts fans from all over, but also sees appearances from Queen Azalea and VIP celebrity guests throughout the two-day event.

The Children’s Area returns to the Azalea Festival to provide family-friendly fun made just for kids at The Cotton Exchange. The area provides educational games, crafts, interactive demos and exhibits to excite and entertain children of many ages. The area also provides eye Coin Show screenings from Wilmington Eye and den- April 14-15, Free Looking to teach the kids about curtal screenings from Colgate Bright Smiles. rency? The annual Coin Show at the Elks Parents and children alike can enjoy Lodge (5102 Oleander Dr.) will offer a bounce houses, dance troupe performanc- family event, wherein kids are given free es, and meet and greets with local celebri- foreign coins for a unique learning expeties from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday rience about special coins, medal, gold, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. silver and paper money from around the world. Plus, families can pan for their Waterfront Street Fair Music & own gold with Gold History Corporation.

Beer Garden Whether a new spectator or old numismatApril 13, 6:30-10:30 p.m., April 14, ics pro, more than 30 dealers will be on 12-11 p.m., April 15, 1-5 p.m., Free hand to appraise, buy, sell and trade coins The Wilmington Grill Music Stage and and more. beer garden will be open to the public for free day and night. Aside from hours of back-to-back tunes from local and region- Historic Home Tour al favorites like Jenny and the Hatch Bros April 14-15, $30 (Friday, 6:30 p.m.), L Shape Lot (Saturday, Take a walk into the past with the Histor5:30 p.m.) and Stray Local (Saturday, 7:30 ic Home Tour held by the Historic Wilmingp.m.), folks can play outdoor games and ton Foundation each year. Event proceeds enter a raffle to win a Cape Fear Deluxe help the Historic Wilmington Foundation in Grill ($2,287 value) all weekend. (Winner their mission to preserve the irreplaceable will be announced Sunday.) historic resources of Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear Region. With help from event proceedings in the past, the foundaBoxing Tournament tion successfully saved more than 200 hisApril 14-15, Free

The annual fireworks show lights up the Azalea Festival once again for 2018. The Tickets are $30 and purchasable online show is completely free and provides a or through any local Harris Teeter location spectacular- end to the day. Pick your spot or the Azalea Festival Office. Included in early to have the best viewing experience. your ticket purchase is an invitation to the ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick off the Festival Finale tour and free ice cream provided by Dairy April 15, 4-8 p.m., Free Queen.

Bluewater Grill hosts the Festival Finale as part of their Waterfront Music Series on Sunday. Uncle Hairy performs at the finale Riverwalk Shag Contest where guests can enjoy food, entertainApril 14, $1 The Riverwalk Shag Contest returns to ment and plenty of giveaways. The event the Azalea Festival to crown the ultimate is free and the last event of the Azalea shag dancer at the Hilton Wilmington Riv- Festival, so make sure to head out. toric properties from demolition.

erside. Raffles, vendors, shag demonstrations, line dancing and more will be available during the contest and cash prizes will be awarded to contest winners.

The very first Riverwalk Shag Contest After Party happens from 7:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. following the contest. DJs Fred Rouse and Mike Worley will co-host the event and play music ranging from the oldies to newer genres.

MGC Parade Mile Run

April 14, 8:30 a.m., $15-$20

Local law firm McAngus Goudelock & Courie partner with Go Time to bring the Parade Mile Run back to the Azalea Festival for 2018. The run covers a portion of the parade route, which begins shortly after the runners cross the finish line.

Each year, proceeds from the run benefit a different charity and 2018’s recipient is the Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center. Proceeds will the center continue their mission to provide a humanitarian services campus of nonprofit organizations which offer hope, opportunity and empowerment.

OTHER BLOOMS unofficial events Poor Man’s Garden Party April 12- 13, 4-7 p.m Goat & Compass 710 N. 4th St.

Alt-Zalea Fest April 14, 12-9 p.m., Free Brooklyn Arts District Various locations

Azalea Festival Firecracker Cruise April 14, 7:30-9 p.m., $55 Wilmington Water Tours 212 S. Water St.

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 41

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EXTRA>>FEATURE

BLOOMIN’ BEAUTIFUL:

Sydney Penny talks Cape Fear Garden Club’s annual Azalea Garden Tour

T

BY: SHEA CARVER

he annual NC Azalea Festival won’t be complete until the ribbon cutting at the Queen’s Garden Party takes place at Greenfield Park Amphitheater on Friday, April 13, 10 a.m. Officially kicking off the Azalea Garden Tour, its theme for 2018 is “Bloomin’ Beautiful.” The Cape Fear Garden Club (CFGC) hosts the annual tour, which takes place through Sunday; folks can meander through 11 gardens (nine private and two public) to see thousands of flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamentals at their own leisure. With around 400 members organizing and volunteering, the club is made up of stewards of the community who give back by donating to various projects in money and time.

“We expect over 4,000 visitors and anticipate being able to grant upward of $75,000 back to the community,” says the club’s chair, Sydney Penny, who also was the 52nd annual Azalea Queen. Penny starred in popular soaps “All My Children” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and moved to ILM from L.A. after visiting and falling in love with the warmth and hospitality of our Southern abode.

“Being queen was the very best way to see this town,” she remembers. “From the Azalea Fest’s athletic events to concerts— and all with a police escort! I remember cutting the ribbon that year at Mr. Rehder’s garden on Oleander. His azalea bushes were in full bloom, and everyone was dressed in bright spring colors. It was a lovely start to an exciting weekend.”

We spoke with Penny about the annual tour and her return to our southeastern corner of the world to oversee the largest garden club in the nation. encore (e): What brought you back to ILM and when?

e: Can you tell me how and why you got back involved with the garden tour?

SP: I joined the Cape Fear Garden Club

As always the Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Belles will be present to greet our visitors. The young women who apply are high-school juniors and seniors who are our ambassadors, and personify the blooms the festival is named for, and for a new season of hope and promise.

We partner with many dynamic organizations in the county, such as Habitat for Humanity, DREAMS, Cape Fear River Watch, North Carolina Coastal Federation, as well as provide[e] scholarships to Cape Fear Community College and UNCW. We’ve been able to grant over $1 million to the community, most in the last decade, thanks to the popularity of the garden tour and generosity of our garden owners.

We have recently established a scholarship for young women who wish to be a Belle but may have difficulty meeting the cost of the dress rental and cleaning.

Dragonflies has generously offered some of the proceeds from the beautiful Pandora charm, depicting an Azalea Belle they sell, to help us fund it.

One of our more notable grants in recent years was to fund some of the landscaping for 3rd Avenue. We bring our shovels if there’s a spot that needs to be planted, like the intersection of Independence and Wrightsville, or the bike path around UNCW. We do an annual litter sweep on 17th and fill a boat full of trash from Bird Island every year, even rescuing ailing birds.

Also, one of our standing grants goes to Audubon, to maintain safe habitats for migratory birds.

We established the Cape Fear Garden Club Beautification Endowment, [which] has almost reached $100,000. It’s a way for us to continue to beautify New Hanover County, even after we are long gone. We will receive grant applications in June, review them over the summer and present the grant monies in the fall. Our grant application is available on our website, and we look forward to discovering new partnerships and opportunities to serve our community.

Beyond mere monetary grants, our club members invest countless hours working with senior citizens and children, trash pick-up, planting, and advocating for responsible stewardship.

The Cape Fear Garden Club created a program that benefits the New Hanover County Parks Conservancy. The purchase of a gift card for $15 goes directly to purchase azaleas for the parks, in memoriam, or to celebrate an event or a loved one.

We’ve been able to help the county plant hundreds of azaleas. The CFGC also has established youth gardening programs to share an understanding of our ecosystem, flowers, vegetable, and insects with el-

e: I understand plein-air painters will be returning to the gardens this year, and Todd Carignan has done the official artwork for the tour.

AZALEAS IN BLOOM: Todd Carignan’s artwork is

the official representation for the 2018 Azalea Garden Tour and Plein-Air Paint Out. Courtesy photo

ementary school children. e: What’s new on the tour this year?

SP: The Cape Fear Museum will be offering free admission to Azalea Garden Tour ticket holders. The CFGC granted proceeds to the museum to help create their museum park, so we are delighted to feature it on our tour this year.

SP: Todd Carignan created the fabulous watercolor images, featuring our gardens in our ticket booklet. He is such a talented artist, and recognized as such by the Oil Painters of America. He’ll be painting in the gardens during the weekend as part of Plein-Air Paint Out, along with a couple dozen other top-notch artists, working in a variety of media. Then on April 15 at Cape Fear Museum we will host a “Wet Paint” sale of the works made throughout the weekend. A portion of the proceeds go to benefit our grant program.

DETAILS:

Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour

April 13-15 Various Gardens Tickets: $25 www.capefeargardenclub.org SP: We have a great variety of gardens, www.ncazaleafestival.org

e: What are some of the more nontraditional gardens that stand out in your opinion and what do they contain? What about traditional ones? from large to small, meticulously landscaped to whimsical and even one whose owner’s main concern is her dog’s happiness! This year visitors to Airlie Gardens will be invited to tour the charming Lebanon Chapel. Tour-goers will see magnificent outdoor living spaces with delightful personal touches in all the gardens, including architectural elements used as focal points, and unique plants that our horticultural experts label for the edification of avid gardeners.

The Tree Commission also highlights some of the individual trees that contribute to our community, not just in oxygen and beauty, but in actual dollar amounts.

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Sydney Penny (SP): We moved here in 2005. I was returning to “All My Children,” which shot in New York. We didn’t want to be bi-coastal, so we sold our house in L.A. and bought a house here to fix up, since that is one of our crazier hobbies. When the house was finished and our son was starting school, we decided to stay, rather than go back to the West Coast.

in 2011. I love to garden and wanted to be a part of Wilmington’s charitable organizations. The CFGC is a major proponent of conservation and education at the local level, as well as one of the driving forces to maintain the beauty of our landscape, even as our community grows.

encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 43

EXTRA>>BOOKS

CARPE LIBRUM:

Fitzgerald’s ties to North Carolina illuminate in his lost book of short stories

BY: GWENYFAR ROHLER

W

ilmington’s literary community keeps gaining accolades (two National Book Awards nominees in 2015) and attention in the press. With multiple established publishers in the state (Algonquin, John F. Blair) and new smaller presses gaining traction (Eno, Bull City), it is timely to shine a light on discussions around literature, publishing and the importance of communicating a truthful story in our present world.

Welcome to Carpe Librum, encore’s biweekly book column, wherein I will dissect a current title with an old book—because literature does not exist in a vacuum but emerges to participate in a larger, cultural conversation. I will feature many NC writers; however, the hope is to place the discussion in a larger context and therefore

examine works around the world.

I’d Die For You and Other Lost Stories By: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Edited by Anne Margaret Daniel

Simon and Schuster, 2017, pgs. 358

F. Scott Fitzgerald is arguably one of the most famous and successful writers of the 20th century. Though he is largely remembered for his novels, especially “The Great Gatsby” and “This Side of Paradise,” he actually made his living during his lifetime primarily from selling short stories. It is hard to believe a writer of Fitzgerald’s fame and success had work he couldn’t get published, but Anne Margaret Daniel has put together a collection of his “lost” stories—those that even he couldn’t get into print in his life-

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time. Most are actually from later in his career, when he was struggling against his own success. Magazine editors and the public had a firm idea of what they wanted F. Scott Fitzgerald’s stories to be. But he was no longer in his early 20s, looking at the world with wide eyes.

He was married with a child and had responsibilities. Responsibilities included providing for his wife, Zelda, to stay in private mental institutions and, toward the end of her life, receive electric shock treatment. He was no longer the happy, unfettered, young man with the world at his feet.

Daniel opens the book with a quote from one of Fitzgerald’s letters, which states he just can’t write stories of young love anymore. Actually, the title story in the collection, “I’d Die for You (The Legend of Lake Lure),” is set in western North Carolina at Chimney Rock. It explores a sort of suicide pact, involving a young starlet shooting a film on location in the North Carolina mountains. The Fitzgeralds actually spent a good deal of time in the western part of our state, which was a popular place to escape the summer heat before air conditioning.

I admit, in my early 20s, I went through a Fitzgerald stage and read almost everything of his in print. Yes, many of the stories start to feel formulaic, as he writes what he knows will sell. In the notes for this book, he laments the exact problem, essentially becoming a victim of his own Eventually, Zelda would settle in a success. But “I’d Die For You” shows us mental institution in Asheville for the rean entirely different writer. mainder of her life. The following story Many of the stories were considered “Day Off From Love” is also set in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is interesting to too racy at the time—even for the chronisee such settings through the eyes of a cler of The Jazz Age. For example, “Sawriter we associate with the cosmopoli- lute to Lucy and Elsie” involves the agetan splendor of New York, Paris and the old question of where the responsibilities Rivera. Here, instead, we see a reflective lie with regards to premarital sex. Is she observer taking in a world that seems fro- trying to trap him into marriage? Or is he zen in time, compared to the fast-moving taking advantage of her? By today’s stanmetropolis that usually attracts him. He dards, it is incredibly tame. But, in 1939, also introduces us to his family’s Civil it was too much to print. If anything, I owe War history, beginning with the story of Daniels a thank you for showing me what “Thumbs Up,” inspired by an ancestor I sought for in Fitzgerald—and needed. who was strung up by his thumbs near the Mason-Dixon line.

Daniel opens each chapter with several pieces of ephemera to provide context.

First, she includes some sort of picture from the era of Fitzgerald. So we see him sitting on a mountaintop, looking at the view; in another, he is standing in front of the Grove Park Inn, and then in another, he is at Chimney Rock. She also includes a facsimile of one page of each story— which frequently show his hand-written notes about the work.

In addition, she presents the history of

44 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

each piece: where he sent it, in an effort to secure publication, what sort of response it got, what else was occurring in his life at the time, and who in his real life any characters might have been inspired by. For fans of Fitzgerald, it provides more insight into aspects of his life that have been shrouded in mystery than those that have made him famous. But for writers, both aspiring and established alike, the opportunity to look into his process—especially later in life feels irresistible. The idea the F. Scot Fitzgerald could fail to publish multiple stories—when he was a household name—is simultaneously hard to believe and incredibly reassuring. Or as my friend John Wolfe put it when we were discussing it, “wow, then none of the rest of us should be upset if that can happen to Fitzgerald.” Ah, but we still will be. That’s what writers do, after all—doubt and dwell in paranoia and disappointment.

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HAPPENINGS & EVENTS ACROSS WILMINGTON

TO-DO CALENDAR

events

AZALEA FESTIVAL

Apr. 11-15: Come and join us in celebrating our 71st North Carolina Azalea Festival! The North Carolina Azalea Festival is Wilmington’s annual community celebration and the largest festival of its kind in the state. Founded in 1948, the Azalea Festival has emerged as Wilmington’s premier event. Each April, a full week of natural beauty, big-name entertainment, festive galas, fun family events and Southern hospitality come together to showcase the charms of the Wilmington

area. For community pride and springtime pageantry, the North Carolina Azalea Festival has no equal! Price may vary depending on what event. We have free events and tickets events such as concerts.

BEACH, BACON AND BEER FESTIVAL

Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce is presenting the Inaugural Beach, Bacon & Beer Festival on April 14, 11:30am, at the Carolina Beach Lake Park. Winners announced at 4:30 pm. Beach, Bacon and Beer Festival will feature selected local and regional restaurants to offer their selected dish that must include bacon. The friendly,

culinary competition pits the creativity of local chefs to present the most unique and tasty bacon-inspired offerings. Prizes will be awarded for People’s Choice-Best Bacon Entry and Best Non-Entre/Dessert, as well as Best Decorated Tent and Most Enthusiastic Tent. Local Breweries and Vineyards will offer signature brews and grapes for the discerning public to enjoy. The Breweries and Vineyards will compete for the People’s Choice – Best Brew or Grape. $5 admission; incl. samplings while they last. Music from Uptown Easy, KIdZone, non-profit exhibit space, domestic beer tent.

AZALEA FESTIVAL HOME TOUR

Climb the porch, cross the threshold and enter in to a very special part of Wilmington and its history. Eleven beautiful homes will be open for you to explore. As part of Wilmington’s Azalea Festival, the Historic Wilmington Foundation’s Home Tour, presented

by Delinda Harrelson & Associates, will take place April 14, 1-6pm, and April 15, 1-5pm.

From cottage to mansion, tour is not to be missed. Ribbon-cutting ceremony will kick off the area’s largest Home Tour on Sat., April 14, 12:30pm, Daniel-Poisson House, 315 S. Front Street. Join city and county dignitaries and the Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Belles as we cut the ribbon, explore the home and enjoy free ice cream provided

by Dairy Queen. Tickets are good for the full weekend. Tour-goers can attend either or both days, and can start or end at any point along the route. Tickets: www.historicwilmington.org/azalea-festival-home-tour

CAPE FEAR GARDEN CLUB AZALEA TOUR

Apr. 14-15, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., $25—New Hanover County Cape Fear Museum Park welcomes the 2018 Azalea Garden Tour.

The NHC Museum Park’s interconnected landscape and interactive exhibits introduces visitors to some of the ways that people have interacted with the region’s land and water resources through time and how these interactions have shaped the history of the Lower Cape Fear region. Visitors to the park can engage with hands-on exhibits, explore gardens featuring native and adaptive plants, and view historic objects and images. Garden tour ticket holders receive free admission to the Cape Fear Museum from 9 am – 5 pm during the three-day tour.

For information and tickets, visit http://www. capefeargardenclub.org/azalea-gardentour/. Cape Fear Museum, 814 Market St.

AZALEA FESTIVAL FIRECRACKER CRUISE

Apr. 14, 7:30pm: Wind down after the Azalea festivities and join us for an exciting night on the river. This is the perfect way to celebrate and watch the fireworks at Wilmington’s funfilled festival. We will go on an hour cruise and then come back to the dock, so you can enjoy the fireworks either from the boat or on the dock. There will also be appetizers available from Bon Appetit Catering. Tickets are $55. Seats fill up fast, so make sure to make a reservation either online at www. wilmingtonwatertours.net or call us at (910) 338-3134. Wilmington Water Tours LLC, 212 S. Water St.

STAR PARTY

Apr. 20, 7-10pm: Free! Cape Fear Museum, Carolina Beach State Park and other community partners for a fun-filled evening of stargazing and astronomy-themed activities. This year’s Statewide Star Party theme is “Anyone Out There?” as part of the 2018

46 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

North Carolina Science Festival. Be part of an event that is happening statewide! And bring a flashlight! CB State Park, 1010 State Park Rd. FLYTRAP FROLIC

Apr. 21, 9am: Flytrap Frolic is a free community education event featuring native carnivorous plants that thrive in southeastern NC. Activities include: a plant identification scavenger hunt, flytrap-themed craft, feelybox exploration, live animal exhibits. Participants will have a chance to tour the garden and learn about the special wetlands that are home to these amazing, native carnivorous plants. Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden, 3800 Canterbury

DANCIN IN THE PARK

Apr. 21, 10am: New Hanover Regional Medical Center and the YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina are sponsoring Dancin’ in the Park, a free and fun 8-week outdoor fitness celebration in Wilmington. Locally organized health initiative has a mission of promoting physical activity, healthy lifestyle choices, and community relationships within the Northside community of Wilmington. The public is invited to attend. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., ending May 5. Dancin’ in the Park will feature fitness instructors showcasing styles like Zumba, line dancing, hip-hop, and more. The team of instructors teach for a variety of clubs across Wilmington and enjoy working with diverse ages and fitness levels. Their energy is contagious and will keep attendees smiling and moving at their own pace the entire time. Celebration is open to all ages and fitness abilities and will include music, giveaways and food. All events held at Portia Hines Park, 400 N. 10th St.

HDWM ARTISAN MARKET

charity/fundraiser THIRD DREAM BUILDERS: ARTISTS WHO INSPIRE

Featuring visual art and performances from the amazing teaching artists of DREAMS of Wilmington, a nonprofit dedicated to serving youth in need through high-quality,freeof-charge arts programming. On display through Apr. 15 in The Ruth & Bucky Stein Theatre at Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St.

RECYCLING RALLY

Apr. 12, 7:30am: Verizon employees and contractors will host its 6th Recycling Rally to help residents get rid of their unwanted electronics and other household items in an environmentally friendly manner. This Recycling Rally, which is free and open to the public, is part of Verizon’s commitment to protect and preserve the environment by enabling employees and the public to be

WALK MS WILMINGTON

The Wilmington Walk for Multiple Sclerosis will be Saturday, April 14, at Hugh McRae Park. It is a three-mile walk, with one-mile course option. Registration is open for individuals, teams and volunteers at www. walkms.org or call 1-855-372-1331. Registration is free, but tax deductible donations and sponsorship by individuals and groups are encouraged. Walk MS is an annual event to raise funds and awareness to find a cure for MS. Walk is 10 a.m., with 9 a.m. checkin. Drinks and food provided. All ages and pets welcome. The event is sponsored by the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the National MS Society.

2 locations to serve you 7220 Wrightsville Avenue 910-256-1222

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www.beachbagels910.com

PAWS FOR PEOPLE HAT PARTY

Apr. 19, 5pm: Come kick off our 4th Annual Derby4Dogs Event at J.McLaughlin in Wilmington, NC for a Derby Hat Swap! Donate and trade your old hats for a new one to debut on May 5th! We hope to see you there!

J.McLaughlin, 1900 Eastwood Rd.

PAWS PLACE DOG RESCUE OUTING

Apr. 21, 9am: Miss out on this fun-filled, highly-attended annual event on one of North Carolina’s hidden gem golf courses. Plus, you’ll score with fun features like mulligans and par busters. After golf, join us for lunch and a chance to win great prizes in our raffle or bid on great live auction items! 9:00 a.m.

Shotgun Start—Captain’s Choice Format. $80 per golfer—includes 18-hole game plus lunch. To sign up visit our website: www. pawsplace.org and click on “Spring Golf Outing. If you have any questions please email info@pawsplace.org. Lakes Country Club, 591 S. Shore Dr.

5K RACE FOR THE PLANET

Apr. 22, 8am: 5K Race for the Planet welcomes racers of all skill levels. Serious runners take advantage of the flat course for a fast pace. First-timers appreciate the oncourse encouragement. The fun, no-pressure atmosphere make it a great choice for families and walkers. The seaside portions of the course offer sweeping views of the Atlantic ocean for all. Our goal for this race is to plant the seed for eco-conscious living and raise

! s l a de .com

Join us every Sunday from April 22nd until October 28th along the scenic, historic Wilmington riverfront for a weekly artisan market featuring some of Wilmington’s finest artists and crafts people.You’ll find everything from fine art to functional with a diverse assortment of painters, illustrators, woodworkers, metal workers, upscale crafts and more! Located at Riverfront Park on N. Water Street between Market and Princess from 10:00 am - 3:30 pm every Sunday, weather permitting. This is a City of Wilmington event. Riverfront Park, 5 N. Water S

green at work and at home. Supplier disposing of the discarded items will adhere to Verizon’s zero-landfill objective, meaning materials will be reused or recycled so that they do not end up in a landfill. Items eligible to be recycled can include glass, plastics and aluminum cans; laptop and desktop computers; CRT (cathode ray tube) and LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors and televisions; computer cables, mice and keyboards; gaming consoles; telephones and answering machines; stereo and audio equipment; paper shredders; alarm clocks; printers; cameras; conferencing equipment; remote controls; earphones; small electronic appliances (such as coffee makers, toasters, toaster ovens and can openers); microwave ovens; vacuum cleaners; and electronic toys without batteries. Hard drives will not be wiped, and all batteries should be removed prior to turning in any items. Items that will not be accepted include hazardous waste (such as batteries, inks/toners, mercury bulbs); units containing fluid (such as motors and pumps containing fluid); refrigerators and freezers; medical waste, and radioactive material such as X-ray equipment. 3601 Converse Dr.

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funds for the Aquarium’s educational programs and green initiatives.The 5K Race for the Planet starts and ends at the Aquarium.

The flat, mostly asphalt course runs through scenic Fort Fisher with amazing views of the ocean, maritime forest and historic Fort Fisher Civil War site. Before, $35; Race day, $40. NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Rd.

WSO DON GIOVANNI

April 21, Opera Outreach Projectwith Ronald Holmes as Don Giovanni. Mozart’s opera about the exploits and demise of Don Giovanni threads a path between comedy and serious drama, tied together with the insight into human character that Mozart was able to achieve through music. Tickets: 910-362-7999. Wilson Center, 703 N 3rd St

music/concerts

theatre/auditions

SUNSET MUSIC CRUISES

AZALEA FEST QUEEN

Live music along the Cape Fear River aboard Wilmington Water Tours at the sunset; various musicians and cruises weekly. www.wilmingtonwatertours.net or call us at (910) 338-3134. 212 S. Water St.

EVENING WITH GILLIAN WELCH

Tickets available online through: http://ticketf.ly/2FIQlYW or 877-435-9849. All ages; GA. Tickets are $37.50 ($5 increase day of show). Show at 8pm. http://gillianwelch. com. Brooklyn Arts Center, 516 N. 4th St.

GOOD SHEPHERD GOLF TOURNEY

Good Shepherd Center will host its 15th annual Golf Tournament and Games Day on Apr. 21-23, at Country Club of Landfall. Tennis Mixer will be held on Sat., Apr. 21, at the newly renovated Sports Complex. The Tee Off Dinner on Sunday night will feature live entertainment from Kyle Garris band, cocktail hour, dinner, live and silent auction. New this year, we’re featuring mobile bidding where anyone can participate in the silent auction from their mobile phone. Games Day and the Women’s and Men’s Golf Tournaments begin on Monday, April 23. Golf registration includes the Sunday night Tee Off Dinner and cocktails plus 18 holes of golf with carts and practice range. Card and board game enthusiasts can sign up for everything from Duplicate and Party Bridge, Mah Jongg and Mexican Train, to Poker and Hand & Foot. All proceeds from the events benefit Good Shepherd Center, which celebrates its 35th year of providing muchneeded food, housing, and assistance services to hundreds of homeless men, women, and families with children. goodshepherdwilmington.org/2018/01/15th-annual-goodshepherd-golf-tournament/. Stacy Geist, 910.763.4424, ext. 113 or sgeist@goodshepherdwilmington.org. Landfall Country Club, 800 Sun Runner Pl.

See page 17

HEDDA GABLER

April 12-14 and 19-21, 2 p.m. April 15 and 22 at the Mainstage Theatre in the Cultural Arts Building, UNCW campus. $15; $12 for seniors, UNCW employees and alums; $6 for students. What will Hedda do? Returning from a boring honyemoon, Hedda has married an aspiring but middling academic she loathes. Fireworks begin when her old flame returns to town as a rival for her husband’s once assured university position. Ruthlessly manipulative, Hedda is cruelly single-minded—leading to fatal consequences. Ibsen’s masterpiece features one of the towering female characters in dramatic literature in a new translation by Richard Eyre. Tickets are $15 for members of the general public, $12 for seniors, UNCW employees, and alum, and $6 for students (sales tax included.)

Kenan Box Office: 910-962-3500 or https:// uncw.edu/arts/tickets.html. Tickets can also be bought in person an hour before the show on show dates.

IN SANITY

The third full-length play by Chase Harrison, the two-time Wilmington Theater Award-winning playwright of “Wendigo” and “TheaTerror”! A nightmare brought to life in front of your very eyes, “In Sanity” takes you down the dark rabbit hole of madness and shows you that, when there is no hope, the only place to hide ... is in sanity. not suitable for children; crass language, adult situations, heavy simulated violence. April 12-14, 1921 and 26-28, and 3 p.m. April 15, 22 and 29 at North Front Theatre, 21 N. Front St., downtown Wilmington. $15-$22. PSLcomedy.com.

PRIMTEIME VARIETY SHOW AND OPEN

Apr. 11: Join comedian Wills Maxwell (WWAY’s “What Did We Miss?”, Late Fear)

48 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

as he welcomes some of the best entertainers in the Southeast to TheatreNOW! Don’t miss a night of live music, stand-up, improv, and poetry for just $5. This month we’re teaming up Superstar Academy and raising money to provide arts programs for children. Open Mic Sign-up at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. Theatre NOW, 19 S. 10th St. LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE

Big Dawg Productions presents Nora and Delia Ephron’s play, based on the book

by Ilene Beckerman. An ensemble piece, played by a handful of women of all ages and backgrounds, who take on death, love, loss, and more. April 12-14 and 19-21, 8 p.m., and 3 p.m. April 8, 15 and 22. Cape Fear Playhouse, 613 Castle St. $18-$25. 910-367-5237 or BigDawgProductions.org.

SOUVENIR

Meryl Streep played “Florence Foster Jenkins” in the 2017 movie about a famous socialite who loves the arts but can’t sing worth a lick. Tony-winning 2006 play features music by Stephen Temperly, and follows Cosme McMoon, Jenkins’ longtime, long-suffering accompanist, through his relationship and partnership with Jenkins. Michael Lauricella plays McMoon, Cindy Colucci plays Jenkins and Tom Briggs directs. 7:30 p.m. April 1921, 26-28 and May 3-5; 3 p.m. April 22, 29 and May 2 at Thalian Hall’s Ruth and Bucky Stein Theatre, 310 Chestnut St. 910-6322285 or ThalianHall.org.

HAMLET

Wilmington’s Mouths of Babes focuses on works for young actors and will present Shakespeare’s classic tragedy with Em Wilson leading the helm. April 19-21 and 2628, 7:30 p.m., and April 22 and 29, 2 p.m., DREAMS Garage, 901 Fanning St. $8-$15.

910-975-3134 or MouthsOfBabesTheatre. com

UNFILTERED

Premieres Apr. 17, 7pm: A look at national issues pertaining to social justice with 3rd annual autobiographical performance presented by UNCW Performance Studies and COM 211: Storytelling and Culture. Interactive production features students who used autoethnography, a research method, to explore cultural phenomena through personal experiences, to bring their own histories and relationships to the course and ultimately to the production. The production aims to create a discussion about the moments of injustice people witness and how they can speak

up not only for themselves, but also for their neighbors. Old Brooks on Front Street, 249 N. Front St. Free and open to the public. Dr. Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock, (207)-991-8393 or scottj@uncw.edu.

SUMMER STOCK THEATRE AUDITIONS

Apr. 21, 9:30am: Completely teen-driven production per castingyouth performers, ages 14-19 years. Directed by Emilia Torello, choreography by Wilker Ballantine, and musical direction by Preston Lennon. Jun 2223, Fri/Sat, 3pm & 6pm, Thalian Hall. “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Revised)” is a fresh approach to the all-time 1967 classic, based on the beloved comic strip by Charles Schultz. Seeking 6 Principals only, prepare to sing your own 32 bar cut of a song for the initial audition a capella, not a song from the show (unless you are auditioning via video— choose song from show that the character you’re auditioning for sings). You will be asked to sing songs from the show at callbacks (become familiar). Auditions are Saturday, April 21, 9:30am sharp, Community Arts Center, 120 S Second St. PerformanceClubKids.com

film RED CAPE SCREENING

Apr. 15-21: Ten years in the making, “The Red Cape” marks the first successful dramatic recreation of the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot on motion picture film. The 40-minute dramatization will embark on its first theatrical screening series in Wilmington, NC. Special screenings will conclude with Q&As involving members of the cast, crew, and special guest, LeRae Umfleet, Principle Researcher of the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission’s Final Report and author of A Day of Blood: The 1898 Wilmington Race Riot. Stone Theatres The Pointe 14, 2223 Blockbuster Rd. www.theredcapemovie.com

SHARECROP FILM SCREENING

Apr. 12, 6:30pm: One-night only screening of the locally produced documentary film, SHARECROP. The film conveys what life was really like for cotton sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta, tobacco sharecroppers in the Carolinas, and others. SHARECROP explores their lives, the way they worked and highlights the resilience of the South’s forgotten farmers. https://www.tugg.com/events/ sharecrop-dhli. Mayfaire Theatre, 900 Towne Center

CROSSWORD

Creators syndiCate CREATORS SYNDICATE © 2017 STANLEY NEWMAN

THE NEWSDAY CROSSWORD

WWW.STANXWORDS.COM

4/16/17

Edited by Stanley Newman (www.StanXwords.com)

CURMUDGEONLY QUOTES: From Bierce’s “Devil’s Dictionary”

by S.N. ACROSS 1 Software update 6 Purina sister brand 10 Actress Rene 15 Thing to spring 19 Our Town bride 20 Innocent escapade 21 At minimal power 22 Nature walk 23 One of Santa’s fliers 24 WWII VIP Bradley 25 Nightclub 26 Peruvian of yore 27 HARANGUE: __ 31 Rhinelander’s refusal 32 Fill with cargo 33 Hot saisons 34 Doesn’t attend 37 __ chi (martial art) 39 Abut on 41 British biographer Fraser 43 Replace for airing 47 TWICE: __ 49 Stew server 50 Genesis 4 name 53 “Dapper” dressers 54 76 Across supply 55 Margins 56 Stateroom quarters 59 Former treasury secretary 62 Barnyard bleat 63 Chestnut horse 64 Sundial numeral 66 Shoebox stat 67 SELF-ESTEEM: __ 76 Watering hole 77 Honey qty.

78 Fails to be 79 Tease 80 Elite invitees 85 Mingle, à la the Wizard of Oz

87 Frigidaire rival 89 __ Fernando Valley 90 Transportation secretary 92 Tilling tool 93 Choir platform 94 ALONE: __ 99 Troupe group 101 Funnel-shaped flowers 102 Mesmerized state 105 Supporting 106 Atlantic City director 107 Very small thing 108 Artifice 110 Poetic spheres 114 CAVILER: __ 119 Author Quindlen 121 Herb in pesto 122 Sphinx, in part 123 Undemanding course 124 Letters on Sputnik 125 :-(, in words 126 Take notice of 127 Oust 128 Ballet pivots 129 Senior members 130 Takes notice of 131 Roxie, in Chicago

13 14 15 16 17 18 28 29 30 35 36 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 51 52 57

DOWN 1 Praline ingredient 2 Entertain 3 Melanie Griffith’s mom 4 Customer list 5 Stevenson villain 6 “Hi” or “Bye” 7 Mu preceder 8 Said grace, e.g.

9 Creole cooking staple 10 Operating automatically 11 New in the box 12 Minor miscues

58 60 61 63 65 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 80

Explorer de __ Actor Wilson Consider Venerable dog star Pedigree registry org.

Casserole morsel Cut short Noble gas This, in Barcelona Recital performance More judicious Iowa State locale Sudden impact Top-drawer Most intrusive Service academy rookie Speed gauge of a sort Award for mystery writing Just not done Place for a price Boyfriend Physicist Mach One of the largest land mammals Quick drink Casual top Sewed border Du Maurier novel One of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” Spy missions, for short Bolt holder Volcanic product Dilbert intern Not up yet Scratch out Number spoken by pilots Some ski lifts The way you see me

The Great Caruso star Equilibratory Pi followers “I am __” (Green Eggs and Ham beginning) __ Mawr College River near the Leaning Tower Stove neighbor, maybe Frame seller

81 82 83 84 86 87 88 91

95 96 97 98 100

RENDERED THUS Elk cousin Happy Days hangout Artless person Opposite of “numerous” 103 Big game-show prize 104 Second-smallest continent 107 Beethoven’s __ Solemnis

109 Many HDTVs 111 Cellist’s accessory 112 Ron Howard’s acting daughter 113 Go rollerblading 115 Citation abbreviation 116 Docile 117 Soccer cheers 118 __-do-well 119 Work in a cast 120 Lt. subordinate

Reach Stan Newman at P.O. Box 69, Massapequa Park, NY 11762, or at www.StanXwords.com

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MOVIE MONDAY

Apr. 16, 4pm: Catch a free matinee at Northeast Library! Visit the online calendar at www.nhclibrary.org for movie title, rating, and length. No registration is necessary for these free film screenings. The audience is welcome to bring light snacks to enjoy during the movie. For information contact Kelly Colacchio at KColacchio@nhcgov.com or 910798-6371. Northeast Regional Library, NHC, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd.

BRADLEY CARTER ART RECEPTION

art MEET LOCAL ARTISTS

Meet working artists, and see their works in progress. Everything from sculptures to fine jewelry in this unique location. Free parking, fun for everyone. Over 45 artist’s works to enjoy. Free, and we participate in the 4th Friday Art Walks, 6-9pm, 4th Fri. ea. mo. theArtWorks, 200 Willard St.

FOURTH FRIDAY GALLERY NIGHT

Fourth Friday Gallery Nights, Wilmington’s premier after-hours celebration of art and culture, 6-9pm, fourth Friday of ea. month.

Features art openings, artist demonstrations, entertainment and refreshments. Administered by the Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County, numerous venues participate. Full list: artscouncilofwilmington.org

HOLDING ON TO TRADITION

“Holding on to Tradition: A View of Changing Cultures,” photographer Barbara Michael and painter/photographer Evin Leek explore cultural changes in pre-war Yemen and post-

• • • • • • •

war Guatemala. Through paintings, photographs, and displays of traditional clothing, these artists offer a view into the daily lives of two unique cultures. Although they are geographically distanced, both communities share a common desire to preserve fading traditions. This exhibition tells the stories of survivors, and gives insight into the challenges they face on the brink and in the aftermath of tragedy. On display through Apr. 13. MC Erny Gallery at WHQR, 254 N. Front St. Abstract expressionist paintings of Bradley Carter in“Between You and Me: Painting” will be on view until May 21 at The District.

Free and open to the public. 910-769-9300.

Carter is an award winning, international selling artist who grew up pursuing his passion for art in Virginia before moving to the North Carolina in 2007, where he currently resides in Wilmington. He predominately works in the medium of painting with his passion in Abstract Expressionism, but his works also include collage, paint skins, and furniture.

1001 N. 4th St.

MIKE WATERS ART OPENING

Local painter Mike Watters has spent his entire life connected to the ocean. With his newest series, “Vanishing Depths,” Mike has fine tuned his niche within the nautical realm.

These striking and ghostly paintings of fish bones speak to the decline of animals in their natural habitats. Kickoff Watter’s solo exhibition while Bob Russell and Arepa St. dish out jazz and Venezuelan street food. Watters’ work will be on display through April 30. Flytrap Brewing, 319 Walnut St.

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NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE

Journey through this mirror-lined chamber housing an array of LED lights. The viewer walks toward a light but at the last minute is diverted to the main room. Lethe, chance art

by Leslie Milanese, depicts the first recorded NDE (Plato, 381 BC). Expo 216 gallerium, 216 N. Front St. | Wed-Sun, noon-6pm, 910769-3899, www.expo216.com

WAA ANNUAL SPRING ART SHOW & SALE

The official art show of the Azalea Festival.

See and purchase some of the finest original artwork of regional artists at this 36th Annual juried arts event sponsored by the Wilmington Art Association, an all-volunteer organization. Meet and mingle with artists; New this year--a special Fine Art Drawing--take chance on winning the art of your choice!

Open daily, Saturday, April 7, through Sunday, April 15 (10am-5pm). Extended evening hours; Wednesday through Friday, 5pm7pm. Closing, Sunday, April 15 at 4pm. Free and open to the public. Save these dates, share in the festivities, and support your local arts community! Hannah Block Community Art Center, 120 South 2nd St.www.wilmingtonart.org

SPRING SENIOR EXHIBIT

Apr. 12, 5:30pm: Senior Exhibition is the culmination of study in studio art. The exhibition is juried by the studio art faculty and mounted by graduating seniors. It is the capstone event for studio art majors. CAB Art Gallery Cultural Arts Building UNCW, 601 S. College Rd.

MEET THE ARTIST

April 14, 10am: Spend your afternoon watch-

ing art in action! Enjoy light refreshments while you watch Martha and Shane transform metal, wood and who knows what into wonderful pieces of art for your home. A few other artists will be here to keep the fun going all day! Eclipse Artisan Boutique and Blue Moon Gift Shops, 203 Racine Dr.

dance CAPE FEAR CONTRA DANCERS

Come on out for two hours of energetic, contemporary American country dancing with live music by Box of Chocolates band—fiddle, percussion, guitar, dulcimer, bass, mandolin and more! Dress cool & comfortable, soft-soled shoes. All ages. 2nd/4th Tues, 7:30pm. United Methodist, 409 S. 5th Ave.

LINE DANCING CLASS

The Dance Element presents classes for adults and seniors w/Sheryl Pacelli on Mon., 1-2pm, in the Ogden Business Park. No previous experience Is necessary; no advance enrollment required. Drop in for inrto session which runs 7 weeks through Mar. 19. $7-$35. thedanceelement.com. 7211 Ogden Business Ln. #205

ADULT HIP-HOP CLASS

Adults in the Wilmington NC area are invited to join Dance Instructor, Krystal Smith for a weekly dance party, in this FUN hour of fitness, wellness, and Happy (Hip Hop) Dancing! No previous experience needed. These classes provide both exercise and enjoyment for “Beginners” as well as experienced dance students. “Drop-In” to enjoy this fun

Italian Sandwiches • Meatballs Spaghetti • Party Catering Breakfast All Day 1101 S College Rd. • (910) 392-7529 www.atasteofitalydeli.com

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Call us at 910.392.0078 www.Computer-Medics.biz help@Computer-Medics.biz

Azalea Firecracker Cruise Saturday, April 14th 7:30pm â&#x20AC;¢ $55

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BEST OF 2 0 1 7

W I N N E R

Visit us on the Riverwalk!

212 S. Water Street

910-338-3134

Complete Schedule: wilmingtonwatertours.net

info@wilmingtonwt.com

Heavy apps, narrated cruise & excellent spot for viewing firework display

Civil War Cruise

Sunday, April 22nd 9:00am 3 hour cruise with Dr. Chris Fonvielle from UNCW

Black River Cruise

Sunday, April 29th â&#x20AC;¢ $49 4 HOUR EXCURSION IN COMFORT UP TO BAR ON BOARD WITH BREATHTAKING SCENERY ALL ABC PERMITS **Photographers / Nature lovers dream cruise We will cruise up this wonderous river enjoying the variety of wildflowers, wildlife HANDICAP Follow and spectacular trees. Come on board and sit back and enjoy this narrated cruise. us ACCESSIBLE Bring your binoculars & cameras and get ready for a memorable cruise. encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 51

opportunity at your convenience, and only pay for the classes you attend. $12 for 1 class; $50 for 5; $80 for 10. $80. www.thedanceelement.com. 7211 Ogden Business Ln. #205 HOGGARD HIGH DANCE

Apr. 19-20: Hoggard Spring Dance Concert at Minnie Evans Performance Arts Center.

Featuring choreography by students, all of which is profound, sophisticated, technically strong and artistically moving. In addition, local choreographers such as Kate Muhlstein, James DeVita, and Jason Aycock, have set original choreography. Free.

SATURDAY NIGHT CONTRA

Apr. 21, 7:30pm: Rip the Calico is a high energy contra dance band from the Triangle area. “Their music is interesting and high energy without sacrificing any of the elements that dancers need like good phrasing, great tempos and a solid beat. Some bands give dancers what they need. Other bands give dancers what they want. Rip the Calico gives them both!” (Tom Hinds, caller). Dress cool and comfy with soft-soled shoes that will slide a bit. All ages welcome - if you can walk, smile, and know left from right, you can contra dance! $10 at the door, $5 w/ student ID, $7 for CFCD members.

Welcome session for newcomers, 7:30pm, dance from 8-11pm. Hannah Block Community Arts Center, 120 S. 2nd St.

comedy OPEN MIC

The wildest open mic in town ... anything goes. (except cover songs). Stand-up comedy, slam poetry, video, live music, odd talents—performances of all kinds. Hosted by 6-beer Steve. Sign up, 8pm, and runs all night. Juggling Gypsy 1612 Castle St. ILM, (910) 763-2223 daily after 3pm for details. www.jugglinggypsy.com.

COMEDY BINGO

Brent Blakeney headlines comedy bingo at Dead Crow, Tuesday nights, 8pm. Free show featuring the best comics from all over the Southeast, all while playing bingo along with the words they say! Win prizes and enjoy discount tacos! Hosted by Louis Bishop with in-booth side kick comedian Lew Morgante.

Dead Crow Comedy Club, 265 N. Front St.

GRUFF GOAT COMEDY

On the first Wed. ea. month, Gruff Goat Comedy features Three Guest Comics Under a Bridge. No Trolls. Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry Lane

PRIMETIME COMEDY

Come see some of North Carolina’s best stand-up comedians in a world class venue!

This month our super talented performers are: Brett Williams, Cordero Wilson, Grant Sheffield, Louis Bishop, and Tyler Wood.

Hosted by: Wills Maxwell. N Front Theatre (formerly City Stage), 21 N Front St.

CAROLINA COMEDY CUP

52 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

Wed. 9pm: Comedy King of the Carolina’s, Louis Bishop, will be bringing the Carolina Comedy Cup to the Lazy Pirate again this year. Louis started this well-anticipated Comedy Show here over 6 years ago and it is now the longest-running independent Comedy Competition in the Carolinas. More than 50 aspiring comics will be competing for beloved CCC Trophy and a grand prize of $500. For more details on the show and how to compete contact Louis Bishop. facebook. com/louisbishopcomedy. Lazy Pirate Island Sports Grill, 701 N Lake Pk Blvd.

LUCKY JOE COMEDY SHOW

First Sat. ea. month is free comedy show at Lucky Joe Craft Coffee on College Road presented by Regretful Villains. The show features a new style of stand-up called Speed Joking. Come enjoy a night of laughs and find your Comedic Soulmate! 1414 S College Rd.

museums CAMERON ART MUSEUM

State of the Art/Art of the State: (through July 8): Focusing on contemporary art by artists currently living in, or native to, the state of North Carolina. Artists bring a single work of art to be installed in the museum, delivering the work within 24‐hour period. No fee. During this time frame, four curators from North Carolina institutions greet each artist and talk about their work. The design of this project provides any participating artist equal oppor-

tunity to meet a significant curator working in the field of contemporary art today. CAM organized with a visual schematic for reference to the over 600 intensely installed artworks. • CAM Café open and serving delicious menu with full bar, 5pm-9pm. Tues.-Sun., 11am2pm; Thurs. nights, 5pm-9pm 910-395-5999. cameronartmuseum.org. 3201 S. 17th St. WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH MUSEUM

WB Museum of History, housed in the turn of the century Myers Cottage, exists to preserve and to share the history of Wrightsville Beach. Visitors to the cottage will find a scale model of Wrightsville Beach circa 1910, exhibits featuring the early days of the beach including Lumina Pavilion, our hurricane history and information about the interaction between the people and our natural environment which have shaped the 100 year history of WB. (910) 256-2569. 303 W. Salisbury St. www.wbmuseum.com.

WILMINGTON RAILROAD MUSEUM

Explore railroad history and heritage, especially of the Atlantic Coast Line, headquartered in Wilmington for 125 years. Interests and activities for all ages, including historical exhibits, full-size steam engine and rolling stock, lively Children’s Hall, and spectacular model layouts. House in an authentic 1883 freight warehouse, facilities are fully accessible and on one level. By reservation, discounted group tours, caboose birthday parties, and after-hours meetings or mixers.

Story Time on 1st/3rd Mon. at 10:30am, only $5 per family and access to entire Museum.

Admission only $9 adult, $8 senior/military,

$5 child, ages 2-12, and free under age 2.

505 Nutt St. 910-763-2634. wrrm.org.

LATIMER HOUSE

Victorian Italiante style home built in 1852, the restored home features period furnishings, artwork and family portraits. Tours offered Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm, and Sat, 125pm. Walking tours are Wed and Sat. at 10am. $4-$12. Latimer House of the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society is not handicapped accessible 126 S. Third St.

BELLAMY MANSION

One of NC’s most spectacular examples of antebellum architecture, built on the eve of the Civil War by free and enslaved black artisans, for John Dillard Bellamy (1817-1896) physician, planter and business leader; and his wife, Eliza McIlhenny Harriss (18211907) and their nine children. After the fall of Fort Fisher in 1865, Federal troops commandeered the house as their headquarters during the occupation of Wilmington.

Now a museum, it focuses on history and the design arts and offers tours, changing exhibitions and an informative look at historic preservation in action. 910-251-3700. bellamymansion.org. 503 Market St.

BURGWIN WRIGHT HOUSE

18th century Burgwin-Wright House Museum in the heart of Wilmington’s Historic District, is the oldest museum house in NC, restored with 18th and 19th century decor and gardens. Colonial life is experienced through historical interpretations in kitchen-building and courtyard. 3rd/Market St. Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm. Last tour, 3pm. 910-

762-0570. burgwinwrighthouse.com.

CAPE FEAR MUSEUM

See NC through the eyes of Wilmington-born photographer Hugh MacRae Morton (19212006). His captivating images will be featured in the traveling exhibit “Photographs by Hugh Morton: An Uncommon Retrospective,” is now open at Cape Fear Museum. The exhibit is on loan from the UNC Library’s North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives and will be on view through September 2018.

To create Photographs by Hugh Morton, Stephen Fletcher, photographic archivist at UNC Library’s North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, selected images from the library’s collection of Morton’s estimated quarter-million negatives and transparencies. Shows experiences as a photojournalist; as a soldier in the Pacific Theater during World War II; and as owner and operator of Grandfather Mountain tourist attraction in Linville. Exhibits more than 50 images feature dozens of his lesser known or unpublished photographs, as well as some classics. Will feature brochures, postcards and prints. www.capefearmuseum.com/programs. $20 for members; $30 for non-members. CF Museum, 814 Market St.

EXPO 216

Newly opened exhibit feat. end-of-life issues.

Enter Grandma’s House and address the elephant in the room. Pick up an advance directive. Review the History of Hospice . Contemplate individual responses of compassion in the arena. • Expo 216 gallerium, 216 N. Front St. Wed.-Sun., noon-6pm. expo216.com.

kids stuff SATURDAY STORY HOUR

Miss Shannon will lead interactive story hours for kids ages 3-6 on the first and third Saturdays of May at the Main Library in downtown Wilmington. Saturday Story Hour is free and no pre-registration is needed. Opens with a picture book and end with a project or activity at the end, and include time to play, learn, and laugh in between. Ea. child should bring a participating adult. Shannon Vaughn: 910798-6303. 201 Chestnut St.

HALYBURTON LITTLE EXPLORERS

4/19, 10-11am, Fri, 4/20, 10-11am or 11:3012:30pm. Pre-reg rqd for programs: www.

NHCLibrary.org.

STEM ACTIVITY DAY

A free day of hands-on learning experiences for students of all ages based in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) content areas! Events will include 3D printing, virtual reality, robotics and more!

Union Station Building, 502 N Front St.

ART CART

Apr. 11, 3:30pm: Kids ages 5 to 12 are invited to get creative with art supplies and self-paced craft activities at Pleasure Island Library. Participation is free and you don’t need to register in advance. Meaghan Weiner at mweiner@nhcgov.com or 910-7986385. NHC Pleasure Island Library, 1401 N. Lake Blvd.

MUSEUM EXPLORERS

Apr. 14, 2pm: Free for members or with general admission. Ignite your curiosity! Discover history, science and cultures of the Lower Cape Fear through hands-on exploration and unique artifacts. Activities are designed to stimulate curiosity and encourage families to have fun together. Themes vary.

Ideal for ages 5 and up. Approximately 45 minutes each time slot. Adult participation is required. • Apr. 21, 2pm. Wonders of Light, Cape Fear Museum, 814 Market St. MESSY HANDS TODDLER ART

Apr. 19, 10am: Toddlers and their adults are invited to enjoy a messy, hands-on art experience where they focus on exploring art materials and processes, rather than on the end product. Messy Hands is for children ages 2 to 4, and each child must be accompanied by an adult. Everyone should make sure to wear clothes that can get messy.

Free but space is limited and advance registration is required for each session. Please register on the calendar at www.nhclibrary. org or by calling 910-798-6303. NHC Main Library, 201 Chestnut St.

SPRING FLING

Fri., Apr. 20, 9am-noon. Activities will include outdoor easel painting, a special project, games and a snack. Fit For Fun Center, 302 S. 10th St. Ages: 5/under Cost: $5/child Adults: Free. 910-341-4630

LITTLE EXPLORERS: THE DEEP BLUE

Apr. 20, 10am, free: Meet your friends in Museum Park for fun hands-on activities!

Enjoy interactive circle time, conduct exciting experiments, and play games related to

13 stages of " traditional plus" music STEEP CANYON RANGERS & FRIENDS

with special guest STEVE MARTIN KRIS KRIS TOF FERS ON

JAM JOH EY NSO N

THE MAVERICKS

BELA FLECK AND ABIGAIL WASHBURN

and Steak House at Military Cutoff

merlef

i n t west we o

e ks !

ROBERT EARL KEEN

Plus many more performers!

On the campus of Wilkes Community College Wilkesboro, NC

APRIL 26-29, 2018

MerleFest.org 800-343-7857

Thank you readers for recognizing Nikki’s as the best sushi in wilmington!

Offering the highest quality fish ••••••••••••••••••••••••• Biggest selection of Asian imported beers Great for birthdays Accepting reservations 1055 Military Cutoff Rd., Ste 100 910.509.8998 www.nikkissushibar.com encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 53

SEAHAWK CLUB

11th Annual Golf Tournament Presented by:

Owens Insurance Agency & Financial Services, Inc. 5704 Oleander Dr, Ste 101 Wilmington, NC 28403 910.392.1985

www.stephenowensagency.com

11th Annual Seahawk Club Golf Tournament Monday, May 21, 2018 at River Landing in Wallace, NC Shotgun Starts: 8:30 a.m. & 2 p.m.

Registrations: 7:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

Format: Captain’s Choice Lunch: 12:30 – 2 p.m.

Deadline to enter: May 14, 2018 The Seahawk Club’s primary goal is to raise funds for student-athlete scholarships at UNCW. All athletic scholarships are privately funded.

We rely heavily on the support of alumni, fans and the corporate community to help fund these scholarships. One of the biggest fundraising events we host each year is our annual golf tournament. We invite you to enjoy a fun-filled day of golf with other Seahawk faithful while having the opportunity to interact with UNCW coaches and athletics staff.

Participants will have the opportunity to win par 3 prizes as well as a longest drive competition. Rucker Johns will provide lunch for all contestants.

“The opportunity to represent UNCW and the city of Wilmington is a tremendous honor. It’s a great feeling to know you have the entire Seahawk family supporting you.”

Pat Cover Men’s Golf

Thank you for your continued support of UNCW Athletics and each student-athlete.

11th Annual Seahawk Club Golf Tournament Registration Participation Level £ Corporate Fee: $700 includes team entry fee, exclusive hole signage, lunch and 4 UNCW logo tumblers £ Team Entry Fee: $600 includes team entry fee, lunch, 4 UNCW logo tumblers

UPCOMING EVENTS: TUESDAY, APRIL 10 | 6:00 P.M. Softball vs Coastal Carolina WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 | 6:00 P.M. Baseball vs #4 NC State

Game sponsored by Northwestern Mutual

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL 12-APRIL 15 Women’s Golf participates in the CAA Championship at St. James Plantation

54 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 14 | 10:00 A.M. Women’s Tennis vs College of Charleston SATURDAY, APRIL 14 | 2:00 P. M. Men’s Tennis vs USC Upstate SUNDAY, APRIL 15 | 11:00 A. M. Women’s Tennis vs Towson

£ Individual Entry Fee: $150 includes cart and green fees, lunch, UNCW logo tumblers £ Hole Sponsor: $100 signage on tee £ Mulligans: 2 for $20 (maximum two per person) Corporate/Team Name ____________________________________________________________________________ Shotgun start preference (20 teams per shotgun start)

8:30 a.m. _____ 2 p.m. _____

Player #1

Player #3

Name ___________________________________________

Name ___________________________________________

Address _________________________________________

Address _________________________________________

City _____________________ ST ______ Zip___________

City _____________________ ST ______ Zip___________

Phone_______________________ Handicap__________

Phone_______________________ Handicap__________

Email ____________________________________________

Email ____________________________________________

Seahawk Club Member Y N

Seahawk Club Member Y N

Player #2

Player #4

Name ___________________________________________

Name ___________________________________________

Address _________________________________________

Address _________________________________________

City _____________________ ST ______ Zip___________

City _____________________ ST ______ Zip___________

Phone_______________________ Handicap__________

Phone_______________________ Handicap__________

Email ____________________________________________

Email ____________________________________________

Seahawk Club Member Y N

Seahawk Club Member Y N

**Please make checks payable to: UNCW Seahawk Club.

Include SHC Golf Tournament in the memo line.

Email registration forms to wadet@uncw.edu

Checks and registration forms can be mailed to: UNCW Seahawk Club 601 S. College Road Wilmington, NC 28403-5913

a weekly theme. Perfect for children ages 3 to 6 and their adult helpers.Cape Fear Museum, 814 Market St. SKATEBOARD CLINICS FOR BEGINNERS

Apr. 21, 10:30am: ages 7-12. Cost: $10/ clinic. Class will be split into small groups to facilitate personalized instruction. Each clinic will be taught by Skatepark staff.

Includes one free day pass. Skater will become familiar with his/her equipment.

Identify potential safety hazards. Begin to understand the “setup” of a Skatepark. Establish and begin to develop fundamental skateboarding skills. Register: www.greenfieldgrind.com Call 910.362.8222. Greenfield Grind Skatepark located at Greenfield Lake behind 302 Willard St.

outside/recreation BLACKWATER ADVENTURE CRUISE

Two-hour cruise up the Northeast Cape Fear River, still largely unchanged and underpopulated as it was when Wilmington was colonized in the late 1600’s. Cruising through the Castle Hayne Aquifer and by the Bluffs of the Rose Hill Plantation. A narrated cruise based of the history and ecology of the area. 910-338-3134. ILM Water Tours, 212 S. Water St.

HARBOR CRUISE

Weds, 3pm: Set sail on the Shamrock for a cruise around Wrightsville Beach’s Harbor Island—the island which separates the barrier island of the beach proper from the mainland. Locations of historical, ecological and cultural note will be featured. Learn what year the first buildings on Wrightsville Beach were built. Additionally, learn about the different types of marsh grasses, shorebirds, and fish we have teeming in the water surrounding the beach. RSVP rqd. $15-$25.

WB Scenic Tours, 275 Waynick Blvd.

DANCIN IN THE PARK

New Hanover Regional Medical Center and the YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina are sponsoring Dancin’ in the Park, a free and fun 8-week outdoor fitness celebration in Wilmington. Locally organized health initiative has a mission of promoting physical activity, healthy lifestyle choices, and community relationships within the Northside community of Wilmington. The public is

invited to attend. Instructors will showcase styles like Zumba, line dancing, hip-hop, and more. Open to all ages and fitness abilities and will include music, giveaways and food.

Every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., through 5/5. Portia Hines Park, 400 N. 10th St. PARADE MILE-NORTH

Apr. 14, 8:30am: Local law firm McAngus Goudelock & Courie partners with Go Time and the North Carolina Azalea Festival to put on a one of a kind road mile race that takes place ahead of the North Carolina Azalea Festival Parade. Course is an out and back through a portion of the parade route on 3rd street starting and finishing in front of the Parade Reviewing Stand of the North Carolina Azalea Festival Parade. Proceeds from the 2018 race will benefit The Harrelson Center, a nonprofit campus in Downtown Wilmington that partners with local nonprofits, and MGC will select a different charity for the race to benefit each year. https://its-go-time. com/%20azalea-festival-parade-mile.

Admission: http://mgcparademile.itsyourrace. com/event.aspx?id=8766. Wilmington City Hall, 102 N. Third St.

QUICKSILVER WATERMAN’S CUP

Apr. 18--22, 8am: Quiksilver Waterman Carolina Cup at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach features five days of Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) clinics and expos, and a weekend of stand up paddle board competitions. The official start of SUP race season, the Carolina Cup includes a kid’s course, Harbor Island Recreational “fun” race, the Money Island Open Race, and the ultimate challenge of the 13.2 mile Elite Graveyard Race. http://wrightsvillebeachpaddleclub.com/carolina-cup/. (910) 620-1835. mark@wrightsvillebeachpaddleclub.com. Blockade Runner Beach Resort, 275 Waynick Blvd.

Water Tours LLC, 212 S. Water St

HOMESCHOOL FENCING CLASSES

classes PAPERMAKING CLASSES

Wed., 6pm: Adults explore different papermaking techniques so you can make each sheet of paper unique. All materials included, but we encourage bringing in some of your own materials that you can include into your paper—such as flat mementos and plants.

See samples on our Facebook and website.

Adult and children classes held on Sat., 2pm.

Sign up: www.alunaworks.com. Aluna Works, 603 Castle St.

MAMA AND ME YOGA

Apr. 11, 1:30pm: Cape Fear Fencing Association 8 week beginning fencing class for homeschool students starts April 11th at 1:30 pm in the basement of the Tileston gym.

Class will meet for approximately 1 hour on Wednesdays. All fencing equipment provided, students should wear loose fitting clothing and sneakers. Class covers history, footwork, bladework, tactics, and rules, Olympic Fencing history, and finishes with an in class tournament Appropriate for ages 8 - 18. Cost is $40 plus a $10 membership to USA Fencing good until July 31, 2018. Taught by Internationally accredited instructor whose students have won gold medals at world championships. Tileston Gym at St. Mary, 5th and Ann

Join Alyssa, owner of Chasing Sol Yoga at INTRO TO FUNDRAISING Apr. 11, 2pm: Does your nonprofit agency The Bump and Beyond for and 6-week Momneed help planning and organizing its fundmy and Me yoga series. March 1st-April 5th: raising efforts? This introductory class covers Thursday’s at 11am, enjoy an hour to connect the basics, including making your case for to your body, breath and baby! For babes support, diversifying your fundraising base, ages 6 weeks- crawlers! Cost for 6 weeks, and creating a plan of action. Workshop is $60. 10 spots available. Drop-in rate in there free but space is limited. To make sure you are spots open, $12. Bump & Beyond, 890-3 have a seat, register on the calendar at www.

S. Kerr Ave. NHCLibrary.org or by calling 910-798-6301.

INTRO TO FUNDRAISING Natasha Francois at nfrancois@nhcgov.com Apr. 11, 2pm: Does your nonprofit agency or 910-798-6301. NHC Main Library, 201 need help planning and organizing its fundChestnut St. raising efforts? This introductory class covers ART CLASSES W/LOIS DEWITT the basics, including making your case for Monday Morning Still-Life Drawing, 10am. • support, diversifying your fundraising base, Monday Afternoon Watercolor Basics, 2pm • and creating a plan of action. Workshop is Tuesday Afternoon Watercolor, Beachscapes, free but space is limited. To make sure you 2pm • Wednesday Morning Sketching, 10am have a seat, register on the calendar at www.

• Thursday Afternoon Still Life Painting, 2pm.

NHCLibrary.org or by calling 910-798-6301.

• Saturday Morning Sketching, 10am. Sign NHC Main Library, 201 Chestnut St. up: www.free-online-art-classes.com/wilming-

CIVIL WAR CRUISE

Sit back, relax and embrace the wondrous scenery of the Cape Fear waterways as we embark on this special cruise. Don’t miss this spectacular, one-of-a-kind adventure.

Relax and enjoy the comfortable seating, sipping on your drink of choice, the afternoon breeze and all the relaxation that Cape Fear holds!There will be Discussion by our local Civil War expert who will bring the Civil War to life on the Cape Fear River. Seats are limited so we recommend reserving your seats. wilmingtonwatertours.net or 910-3383134. Adults, $50; kids, $25. Wilmington

• Doughnuts • Real New York bagels • Coffee • And More

113 Village Road, Leland • 910-399-7548 Tuesday - Sunday 6:30am-2pm

Do not despair, we can make the repair...let us fix separation anxiety Full Service Shop ~ Insured Award Winning Custom Interiors 910.799.8746 (TRIM) 6609 Windmill Way

Fast Turn-around Time

Let our experts turn your old, drab furniture into exciting new decor.

Ask about our “re-purposed” furniture encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 55

tonncartclasses.html Sun Room Studio, 6905 Southern Exposure YOGA 101

Phyllis Rollins is a certified intermediate Iyengar teacher and practitioner of yoga for 37 years. Her classes incorporate the philosophy of yoga and the role of the mind in practice. She enjoys working with students on their individual difficulties to find avenues for growth. Phyllis is the founder of the first yoga studio in Charlotte. $30 per class. All four, $110. Friday night required for Sat. classes due to progressive nature.

COMPUTER CLASS: FACEBOOK BASICS

Apr. 16, 5pm: Hands-on computer class at the downtown Library will walk you through the basics of setting up and using a Facebook account to connect with friends. Class is free but space is limited, so please register on the calendar at www.nhclibrary.com or by calling 910-798-6301. Natasha Francois at nfrancois@nhcgov.com or 910-798-6301.

NHC Main Library, 201 Chestnut St.

SIMPLE DIVORCE CLINIC

Apr. 19, 2:30pm: Legal Aid of North Carolina offers this free informational clinic for people filing divorce actions. The webinar will be shown at both Myrtle Grove and Northeast Libraries. Preregister on the calendar at www.nhclibrary.org or by calling 910-7986301. Participants at the clinic will learn the requirements for filing a simple divorce action in North Carolina, and how to complete the paperwork necessary to represent themselves in court. www.legalaidnc.org. NHC Main Library, 201 Chestnut St.

E-RESOURCES WORKSHOPS

Bring your smartphone, tablet, or eReader to Northeast Library, and get your device set up to read and listen to books, browse magazines, and view films. All of this is free with your New Hanover County Public Library card! Workshop on eResources at New Hanover County Public Library is free but space is limited, so please register on the calendar at www.nhclibrary.org or by calling 910-7986371. Make sure to bring your device, cords, and library card with you. Annice Sevett at asevett@nhcgov.com or 910-798-6371. NHC Northeast Library, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd. HIP HOP YOGA

Apr. 18, 6pm: Opposites attract. Yin + Yang.

Light + Dark. White Rabbits + Neon Foxes...

Addie Jo Bannerman of Whiet Rabbit Trips will guide us through these oposing forces in an all-levels, weekly yoga practice that taps into the party girl or guy in us all who likes to put the hip in hop, bust a move on the dance floor. After we’ve moved + grooved, we’ll break on through to the other side. Our happy yin-ding will take us to the deeper, reflective side––the one that thrives inside the rabbit hole, makes moves through stillness.

All levels welcome. Please B-Y-O-Mat. Water.

Props (if needed). Neon Fox Studio, 201 N. Front St.

VETERAN SERVICES

Apr. 20, 9am: Carolyn Moss, Veteran Disabled Outreach Specialist with the Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Solutions, will be at New Hanover County’s Main Library to advise veterans about benefits and resources for medical care, housing, food, and other necessities. Consumer Health Li-

brarian Mary Ellen Nolan at 910-798-6307 or mnolan@nhcgov.com.

lectures/literary

LATINOS, RACE, & WORK IN DEEP SOUTH

BEGIN THE CONVERSATION CLINICS

Lower Cape Fear Hospice will host free Begin the Conversation clinics from 10-11 a.m. the third Fri. of ea. mo., Phillips LifeCare & Counseling Center, 1414 Physicians Dr. Free, 18 and older, will provide attendees information and resources to think about and plan for future healthcare decisions. Attendees will receive specific strategies for initiating conversations that can significantly reduce family stress and improve quality of care.

Advance directives supplied so healthcare instructions can be legally documented. Jason: 910-796-7943. jason.clamme@lcfh.org.

LET’S TALK BOOKS

Join a different kind of book club! Weekly meeting, Wed., 11am, offers book lovers a chance to meet and compare notes about favorite books and authors. Attendance is free and advance registration is not needed, just drop in! Teresa Bishop at tbishop@nhcgov. com / 910-798-6385. NHC Pleasure Island Library, 1401 N. Lake Blvd.

GENRE BOOK CLUB

add to your list of books you might want to read. Annice Sevett at asevett@nhcgov.com or 910-798-6371. Northeast Regional Library, NHC, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd.

Apr. 12, 1pm: Genre Book Club members will talk up fantasy novels they’ve read on April 12 at Northeast Library. Readers are invited!

Instead of all reading the same book and discussing it, Genre Book Club members each pick their own book to read, within the genre announced for the month, and everyone reports at the meeting. The goal is to

Apr. 16, 5pm: Angela Stuesse, a cultural anthropologist at Chapel Hill, will be giving a talk on the evening of Monday April 16 as part of our Anthropology Speakers Series. She will be discussing her acclaimed recent book “Scratching Out A Living: Latinos, Race, and Work in the Deep South” (University of California Press 2016). It deals with themes of immigration, immigration enforcement, labor organization, and safety and health risks at a poultry processing plant in Mississippi.

UNCW Cameron Auditorium, 601 South College Rd.

WESTLAW BASICS

Apr. 17, 5pm: Westlaw Client Manager Sharon Cole will demonstrate how to locate legal information using Westlaw, a major online legal research tool available in the Law Library at New Hanover County’s Main Library. Ms. Cole will be able to assist both beginning and experienced legal researchers to use the Westlaw Key System and other features of the database to increase the efficiency of their searches. Event is free but space is limited, so please register on the calendar at www.nhclibrary.com or by calling 910798-6301.Natasha Francois at nfrancois@ nhcgov.com or 910-798-6301. NHC Main Library, 201 Chestnut St.

THE MASK YOU LIVE IN

Apr. 17, 7:30pm: Mask You Live In follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay

Port City Java is a proud community supporter. We donated over $30,000 in 2017 to the following organizations.

Check out our daily/weekly specials Always a vegan/vegatarian/gluten free option

125 Grace Street • (910) 622-2700 Mon-Sat., 11 a.m. - 4 p.m

sammies. soups. salads. sides. wraps

Hope Abounds, Inc. • UNCW 5K • Azalea Pre Fest • NHRMC Founders Ball • Saltwater School • Pancakes for Rich • Night to Shine • Polar Plunge • NHRMC • GallantFew • Good Shepherd • NC Aquarium Volunteers • Alpha Phi • Hunks & Hounds • Ashley JROTC • Healthy Start Breakfast CIS • Heart Ball • CIS • Beard & Mustache Competition • CFA • Canines • Issac Bear Early High School • UNCW Conference • Wilmington Girls Choir • Good Shepherd • Anderson Elementary • SaludHonda • Blue Tie Gala • NHCS Field Day • Harrelson Center • Light it Up Blue • Murray Middle PTA • Power of the Purse • Hoggard Golf Tournament • Winter Park Elementary • ILM Rotary • My Brothers Keeper • Pickleball Dink for Pink • Friends School • Carousel Center • paws4people • OasisNC • SP Kiwanis 5K • Azalea Belles • NCIAI • Leland Parks & Rec • NICU @ NHRMC • V. Williamson Elem. PTA • Covenant Church • NHRMC-RFL •

AND MANY MORE! FOLLOW US ON

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true to themselves while negotiating America’s narrow definition of masculinity. Pressured by the media, their peer group, and even the adults in their lives, our protagonists confront messages encouraging them to disconnect from their emotions, devalue authentic friendships, objectify and degrade women, and resolve conflicts through violence. These gender stereotypes interconnect with race, class, and circumstance, creating a maze of identity issues boys and young men must navigate to become “real” men. Experts in neuroscience, psychology, sociology, sports, education, and media also weigh in, offering empirical evidence of the “boy crisis” and tactics to combat it.

It ultimately illustrates how we, as a society, can raise a healthier generation of boys and young men. King Hall Auditorium, UNCW, 601 S. College Rd. DISCUSSION AND DISCOVERY

Apr. 18, 6pm: Discover women and femme identified writers! Come to our weekly book club and free write where no advance reading is necessary. Every week we will read excerpts from thought provoking essays, stories, and poems to expand our wheel house and continue our exploration of diversity. We will be selecting excerpts from books carried in-house and delving into discussions on themes and perspectives that we may have grasped from immersing ourselves in these texts. Don’t worry, no prior reading is needed! With titles changing weekly and free writing during our discussions, Discussion & Diversity is not something you’ll want to miss out on! Athenian Bookstore & Lounge, 2231 Wrightsville Ave.

WALK WITH A DOC

Join us the 3rd Sat. of every month at 9am for a fun and healthy walk--held at the Midtown YMCA. Each walk beings with a brief physician-led discussion of a current health topic, then he/she spends time walking, answering questions and talking with walkers. Choose your own pace and distance. Free and open to anyone. YMCA MIdtown, George Anderson Dr.

A CONVERSATION WITH FOUR BISHOPS

Apr. 23, 6:30pm: four Episcopal Bishops of North Carolina; The Right Reverend Jose Antonio McLaughlin of Western North Carolina, The Right Reverend Samuel Rodman of North Carolina, The Right Reverend Anne Elliott Hodges-Copple, Bishop Suffragan of North Carolina and The Right Reverend Robert Stuart Skirving of Eastern North Carolina will gather on April 23 at 7 pm in the Sanctuary at St. James Parish on Third and Market Street to discuss Signs of Hope in the Episcopal Church in North Carolina. Lecture is free and open to the public. www.StJamesP. org; Communications@StJamesP.org, or 910-763-1638 . St. James on Facebook. 25 S. Third St.

clubs/notices WILMINGTON FENCING CLUB

Adults meet Tues/Thurs, 7:45-9pm, and Youth meet Wed, 6:45-7:45pm. Class is open to the community, beginners welcome, and all equipment is provided! Sessions are 6 weeks long and the cost is just $5 per class!

Fencing incorporates agility, strength, co-

ordination, balance, and timing. In fencing, physical ability is just as important as having a strong mental edge. Competitors of a fencing match wear protective gear including a jacket, glove, and head gear. Sport of fencing features three different levels, which are categorized by the type of weapon used in each level. The weapons used include the epee, foil, and the saber. Fencing is an aerobically challenging sport. In order to condition one’s body, initial fencing training consists of challenging conditioning exercises.

Express YMCA, 11 S. Kerr Ave. ATHENIAN AT LARGE

Sun., 3pm: Athenian Press & Workshops is reintroducing its At Large series. Every Sunday, we will hold a town-hall style community meeting in which woman and femme creators (artists, writers, arts entrepreneurs, etc.) are invited to discuss current events. Provides an opportunity to connect with fellow creators and survivors of marginalization, and it offers a forum to use writing as healing. Each week the Athenian team invites its guest to participate in a writing prompt at the end of the meeting. Following will be Athenian Yoga with Heather Gordy, who curates a practice that allows guests to decompress, explore creativity, and reflect upon the discussion (although both events can occur independently if guests cannot attend both). Pomegranate Books, 4418 Park Ave.

SHAMANIC FLUTE MEDITATION

Apr. 12, 11am: The UNCW Meditation Club presents The Urban Shaman, Omar Ahmadzai for this very special meditation event.

With shamanic flutes, drums and multimedia

imagery Omar will guide us on an awakening journey through sight and sound. Suggested donation: Pay what you can/Love Offering.

UNCW, Lumina Theater, 601 S. College Rd. WILMINGTON HOBBY GREENHOUSE

Apr. 13, 8am: Bi-annual Plant Sale in Forest Hills, 2318 Metts Ave.

BRUNSWICK NEWCOMERS CLUB

April 13, 9:30am: Meet-and-greet gathering will begin at 9:30 am with snacks and refreshments, 10am. Guests who live in Brunswick County are welcome to attend. FYI Speaker will be from the Cameron Art Museum (CAM).

They will highlight the programs, services, and events held at and provided by CAM. Featured speaker will be Ms. Alisa Harris owner/producer of TheaterNow Productions, and a not-for-profit group, Theatre Network of Wilmington/Superstar Academy. Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way

LIT CLUB

Apr. 13, 6pm: Get LIT at Athenian lit club!

Come out and get your drink, dance and discussion on! We’ll be here hanging out, listening to tunes and getting down—come get groovy! Athenian Bookstore & Lounge, 2231 Wrightsville Ave.

CAPE FEAR GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB

Apr. 16, 6pm: Event is free and open to the public. Arrive at 6pm for social time and free pizza! Presentation begins at 6:30. Laura Tiblier, a native North Carolinian and resident and nurse in New Hanover County, is excited to share her experience as a recent graduate of the Al Gore Climate Reality Training. Laura completed the training along with 1,400 other new Climate leaders. Please join us for an en-

Giving money to panhandlers often supports drug and alcohol addiction. Wilmington has a variety of social service agencies that can help people in need.

Please give smart to ensure your donation has the most positive impact possible.

Donate at

www.GiveSmartWilmington.org or text “Heart” to 910.817.4301

Endorsed by: Rescue Mission of Cape Fear, The Salvation Army, The United Way of the Cape Fear Area, and Vigilant Hope

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gaging and informative evening.Halyburton Park Community Building. 4099 S. 17th St. TEEN ANIME AND MANGA CLUB

Apr. 17, Manga Club meets once a month, and is open to teens ages 13 to 17 with an interest in Japanese anime and manga. Participants are invited to suggest topics for discussions. Manga Club is a free library activity, and teens don’t need to register in advance to attend. Manga Club contact Shannon Vaughn at svaughn@nhcgov.com or 910-798-6379. Northeast Library, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd.

EXTENSNION MASTER GARDENER SALE

Apr. 19-22, 9am: Annual Extension Master Gardener Association plant sale, which takes place during the prime Wilmington planting season, will be held April 19-22. Here, plant shoppers can purchase a number of locally grown herbs, vegetables, flowers (including annuals and perennials), shrubs, trees, and even rose bushes, as they chat with master gardener volunteers for advice on planting and long-term care. Open to the public, with several acres of plants available to purchase, this annual plant sale has become a must-see for local and regional gardeners everywhere. Hours are Thursday-Saturday 9-5 & Sunday 12-5. NHC Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr.

ABILITY GARDEN MONTHLY PLANT SALE

Apr. 21, 9am: Our stock includes; Native Plants, herbs, houseplants and seasonal vegetable starts. Please support this unique therapeutic gardening program by coming out to purchase our high quality plants

grown by our participants. 100% of the proceeds go back into the Ability Garden.

Heather Kelejian, Ability Garden Director at hkelejian@nhcgov.com. 910-798-7682. NHC Aboretum, 6206 Oleander Dr. SPRING INTO SPRING VENDOR MARKET

Apr. 21, 10am: Join us for our 3rd Annual Vendor Market! We will have food, shaved ice, face painting, a bounce house, silent auction items, gift basket raffle and of course shopping with our many amazing vendors. All proceeds go towards playground improvements at the school! First Baptist Church of Leland, 517 Village Rd NE

culinary FERMENTAL

Free tasting every Friday, 6pm. Third Wed. of each month feat. musical and brewing talents alongside an open mic night, as well as the opportunity for homebrewers to share, sample, and trade their creations: an evening of beer and an open stage. PA and equipment provided. All genres and beer styles.

• www.fermental.net. 910-821-0362. 7250 Market St.

FREE BREWERY TOURS AND TASTINGS

3pm, 3:45pm, 4:30pm everyday at Front Street Brewery, 9 N. Front St. Learn how we brew our beer, meet brewers and get two free samples.

PORT CITY FARMERS’ MARKET

Tues., 5pm: Join us for a wonderful, exciting night of fun. Port City Farmer’s Market

at Waterline Brewing Co. 100% local, 100% handmade. Shop among some incredible local vendors, artists and farmers. Support small businesses in your area. Fresh local produce, beef and pork products, sweets, pickled items, handcrafted jewelry and art.

Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry Ln. SHAKESPEARE BRUNCH

Shakespeare Brunch, Sundays, 12-2pm. $20. ($8 Reading Only). Reserved seating.

Monthly featuring a greatly abridged reading of one of Shakespeare’s classic plays.

Brunch and dessert with choice of entrée included in your ticket. Drinks and gratuity not included. Portion of proceeds donated to Shakespearean educational outreach programs. Apr. 22: Hamlet; May 20: Two Gentleman of Verona; June 17: The Tempest. TheatreNOW, 19 S. 10th St.

SWEET N SAVORY CAFE

Every Wed. we uncork 5-7pm delicious wines from all over the world. You never know what we have planned for the week, but our weekly newsletter will keep you updated. • Tues. Couples Night: Purchase any dinner entrees & any bottle of wine to enjoy a free shared appetizer and a free shared dessert. • Fri.: $10 off all bottles of wine over $35 from 650+ wine selection. Epicurean Dinner Menu changes monthly—amazing dishes at affordable prices; full menu at sweetnsavory.cafe/epicurean-wilmingtonnc. $2 pints daily. www.sweetnsavory.cafe/ winetasting-wilmington-nc. Sweet n Savory Cafe, 1611 Pavillion Pl.

SMIFCO SEAHAWK LUNCHES

Join Steveiemack’s International Food Co. every Thurs., 11am, during the regular school year, at UNCW’s Fisher Student Center. We accept UNCW Food Dollars and Seahawk Bucks; as well as our normal payment methods. We offer delicious, fresh and healthy options along with some more decadent choices. UNCW, Fisher Center, 601 S. College Rd. BEER BINGO

Every Thursday night for beer bingo. No charge for cards. Great prizes. Food and drink specials. Capt’n Bills Backyard and Grille, 4240 Market St.

NEMA LOUNGE AND EATERY

Hump Day Happy Hour: 5-7 pm every Wednesday at NeMa Burger & Pizza Lounge! $5 Angus beef burgers and $2.50 16 oz Buds/Bud Lights. Martini Tastings every Friday and Saturday, 4-8 pm. 5 tastings + one small order of NeMa Fancy Fries, $20/ person. NeMa Lounge & Eatery, 225 S. Water St. Chandler’s Wharf

MEXICAN FOOD FAVES, $5

On the Border has announced the exciting return of the $5 Create-Your-Own Combo.

Guests loved them so much that we decided to bring them back for a limited time! Between now and April 8th, guests will be able to take advantage of this delicious offer for just $5. Select from a menu with more than 150 different combinations of fan favorites such as chicken tortilla soup, ground beef enchiladas, tacos and much more! www.ontheborder.com. On The Border, 1128 Military Cutoff Rd.

Join our loyalty program and earn credit towards future meals

$5 credit for every $50 spent.

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FARMERS’ MARKETS

Wrightsville Beach Brewery, 6201 Oleander Dr, Thursdays 2-6pm, year-round, excluding major holidays. Support local farmers and artisans in the beer garden Thursday afternoons. Shop for veggies, meat, eggs, honey and hand-made crafts while enjoying one of the Brewery’s many delicious beers. Stay afterward for live music! wbbfarmersmarket@ gmail.com • Riverfront Farmers, Sat., 8am: Market features all local produce, products and artisan works. A seasonal, open-air market located along the first block of North Water St. and in adjoining Riverfront Park in historic downtown Wilmington along the Cape Fear River. Locally grown and produced fruits and vegetables, baked goods, meats, plants, locally caught seafood, handmade artisan works, fresh-cut flower bouquets and more are available. 5 N. Water St.

support groups WILMINGTON PRIDE YOUTH GROUP

Middle school and high-school students: Wilmington Pride and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation have joined together to create and facilitate a youth group for children/youth (middle school and high school) who are LGBTQIA, plus straight allies. A safe space for kids to talk about orientation, gender, racial equality, political consequences, religion, self harm and self-care. Needed: youth facilitators, especially those who are trained to work with kids, and speakers to talk about important topics. Meets Thurs.,

7:30pm, UU Congregation of Wilmington, 4313 Lake Ave, (across from Roland Grise Middle School). Sue Graffius: dre@uufwilmington.org).

ANXIETY / OCD SUPPORT GROUP

Group meets 1st and 3rd Thursday, 7-8:30pm, of each month at Pine Valley United Methodist Church, 3788 Shipyard Blvd. Building B. Christopher Savard, Ph.D., with Cape Fear Psychological Services, gives a presentation the 1st Thursday of each month. The 3rd Thursday meeting is member led. Everyone 18+ welcome. Alayne: 910-763-8134

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Life Community Church, located inside Independence Mall, will have a recovery meeting every Monday evening at 6:30 pm starting with fellowship followed by a large group meeting at 7pm. Support groups for men and women follow at 8 pm. The meeting is in the Extension located across from Branches bookstore and the church auditorium. Jodie: 910-547-8973, 791-3859 or Lifecc.com. 3500 Oleander Dr.

LIVING WITH GRIEF

Lower Cape Fear Hospice is offering a no cost grief group for those coping with the loss of a loved one. Living with Grief: Growth and Education Group for Adults Coping with Grief will meet Wednesdays, April 11-May 23 (no meeting on May 2). There is no cost to attend. Preregistration is required; to register call 910-796-7991. Most of us have loved and lost special people in our lives and we understand that coping with grief is a challenging process. If you and/or your friends

Diamond Food Enterprises

and family are having difficulty dealing with the loss of a loved one, we are here to help.

Throughout the year, we offer compassionate care, educational and enrichment opportunities that support many types of loss in safe and familiar environments. Leland Library, 487 Village Rd. COPING WITH GRIEF

Lower Cape Fear Hospice is offering a no cost grief group for those coping with the loss of a loved one. Living with Grief: Coping with the Loss of a Parent will meet Wednesdays, March 14-April 18, 4pm. Free; prereg. is rqd; 910-796-7991. Dr. Robert M. Fales Hospice Pavilion, Conference Rm., 1406 Physicians Dr.

ANXIETY / OCD SUPPORT GROUP

Group meets 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Pine Valley United Methodist Church, 3788 Shipyard Blvd. Building B. Christopher Savard, Ph.D., with Cape Fear Psychological Services, gives a presentation the 1st Thursday of each month. 3rd Thursday meeting is member led. Everyone 18+ welcome. 910763-8134

WILMINGTON MS SUPPORT GROUP

Wilmington MS Support Group will resume regular monthly meetings on Thurs., Jan. 11.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center Campus, 2131 S. 17th St.

LUPUS SUPPORT GROUP

Meets third Saturday each month. Free; drop-ins are welcome. Group provides participants an opportunity to receive introductory info about lupus, encourage the expression of concerns, provide an opportunity to

share experiences, encourage and support positive coping strategies, and emphasize the importance of medical treatment. Guest speakers, DVD presentations and open group discussion. info@lupusnc.org or at 877-849-8271, x1. lupusnc.org. Northeast Regional Library, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd. PFLAG

First Mon/mo. at UNCW, in the Masonboro Island Room #2010, 7pm.

tours CAM WEEKLY EXHIBITION TOURS

Cameron Art Museum allows participants to explore current exhibitions with Anne Brennan, CAM’s executive director, in a new series of public tours. Free for CAM members.

Wed., 1:30pm. 3201 S. 17th St.

LITERARY HISTORY WALKING TOUR

Explore the rich culture of our talented Southern town with a 90 minute walking tour of the literary history of downtown Wilmington, NC. Visit “The Two Libraries.” Walk the streets of your favorite novels, and stand where Oscar Wilde did when he lectured here. Saturdays, 1:30pm, Old Books on Front. 249 N. Front St. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1282390

INSIDER’S TOUR

Explore the history of community at Cape Fear Museum. Take the Insider’s Tour offered the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 10am. Tours are free with admission and include a “behind the scenes” sneak peek.

Thank you Wilmington for voting us Best Fine Dining 2018

Catering All of Southeastern North Carolina Since 1991

Specials: TUES NIGHT: 1/2 Price wines by the glass WED NIGHT: 1/2 Price Draft beers

Dinner Daily: Tuesday - Saturday starting at 5pm Sunday Brunch: 10am-2pm featuring DIY Mimosa = 1 bottle of sparkling wine and a mason jar of hand squeezed OJ

www . rxwilmington . com

421 c astle s t • (910) 399-3080 F acebook : Facebook . com / rxwilmington / or Follow us on instagram rxrestaurantandbar encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 59

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Pre-registration is required: 910-798-4362 or cfmprograms@nhcgov.com. Free w/general admission or membership. Cape Fear Museum, 814 Market St. HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE TOURS

Narrated horse drawn carriage and trolley tours of historic Wilmington feature a costumed driver who narrates a unique adventure along the riverfront and past stately mansions. Market and Water sts. $12/adult, $5/child. (910) 251-8889. www.horsedrawntours.com

GHOST WALK

6:30 & 8:30pm. Costumed guides lead visitors through alleyways with tales of haunted Wilmington. Nightly tours at 6:30pm and 8:30pm. Admission charge. Water & Market sts. RSVP rqd: 910-794-1866. hauntedwilmington.com

BELLAMY MANSION

Guided tours start on the hour, as well as self-guided tours, which start at any time.

Mondays is only self-guided tours.* Follow curved oyster-shell paths through our lush Victorian garden shaded by 150-year-old magnolia trees. Climb the stairs to the elegant main entrance surrounded by soaring columns and gleaming windows. Hear the stories of the Bellamy family, as well as those of the free and enslaved black artisans who built the home and crafted intricate details throughout the house. Know that you are walking through history. Bellamy Mansion Museum, one of NCs most spectacular examples of Antebellum architecture. Adults $12; senior and military discount, $10; students, $6; children under 5, free. Bellamy Mansion, 503 Market St.

HISTORY WALKING TOUR

A two-hour exploration of downtown Wilmington with author Dan Camacho! A $10 donation is suggested. Email info@bellamymansion.org with any questions. Bellamy Mansion Museum, 503 Market St.

OAKDALE HORTICULTURAL TOUR

Apr. 21, 10am-12pm: The Friends of OakdaleCemetery will sponsor a horticultural tour which will be led by Eric Kozen, Oakdale Superintendent. Mr Kozen, who has decades of horticultural experience, will discuss the magnificent specimens of flora found in this rural garden cemetery. Tours are canceled in the event of inclement weather. Free for members of The Friends of Oakdale Cemetery; $10 for non-members. Oakdale Cemetery, 520 N 15th St.

ARIES (Mar. 21–April 20)

Eighty-three-year-old author Harlan Ellison has had a long and successful career. In the course of publishing hundreds of literary works in seven different genres, he has won numerous awards. But when he was in his 30s, there was an interruption in the upward arc of his career. The film production company Walt Disney Studios hired him as a writer. During his first day on the job, Roy Disney overheard Ellison joking with a co-worker about using Disney characters in an animated pornographic movie. Ellison was fired on the spot. I am by no means predicting a comparable event in your life, Aries. On the contrary. By giving you this heads-up, I’m hoping you’ll be scrupulous and adroit in how you act in the early stages of a new project—so scrupulous and adroit you will sail on to the next stages.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

ences and material resources and psychological support you need.

LIBRA (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

According to my analysis of the cosmic omens, your impact is rising. You’re gaining influence. More people are tuning in to what you have to offer. And yet your stress levels also seem to be increasing. Why is that? Do you assume having more power requires you to endure higher tension? Do you unconsciously believe being more worried is the price of being more responsible? If so, banish that nonsense. The truth is: The best way to manage your growing clout is to relax into it. The best way to express your growing clout is to relax into it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

The immediate future will challenge you to revisit several fundamental Scorpio struggles. For best results, welcome these seeming intrusions as blessings and opportunities, and follow these guidelines: 1. Your control over external circumstances will increase in direct proportion to your control over your inner demons.

2. Your ability to do what you want will thrive to the degree you stop focusing on what you don’t want. 3. Your skill at regulating and triumphing over chaos will be invincible if you’re not engrossed in blaming others.

Are you an evolving Taurus or an unevolving Taurus? Are you an aspiring master of gradual, incremental progress or a complacent excuse-maker who secretly welcomes inertia? Will the theme of your next social media post be “The Smart Art of Compromise” or “The Stingy Glory of Stubbornness”? I’m hoping you will opt for the former rather than the latter in each of the three choices I just offered. Your behavior in the coming weeks will SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) be pivotal in your long-term ability to animate your highest self and avoid I’m about to say things that sound extraordinary. And it’s possible they are in fact a bit overblown. Even if that’s the case, I trust there is a core of truth in them. lapsing into your mediocre self.

Rejoice in their oracular radiance. First, if you have been hoping for a miracle GEMINI (May 21-June 20) cure, the next four weeks will be a time when you’re more likely than usual to If you fly in a passenger jet from New York to London, the trip usually takes find or generate it. Second, if you have fantasized about getting help to address more than six hours. But on January 8, 2015, a powerful jet stream surging a seemingly irremediable problem, asking aggressively for help now will lead to across the North Atlantic reduced the time significantly. With the wind’s at least a partial fix. Third, if you have wondered whether you could ever retrieve extra push, several flights completed the trip in five hours and 20 minutes. a lost or missing part of your soul, the odds are more in your favor than they’ve I suspect you’ll have comparable assistance in the course of your upcom- been in a long time. ing journeys and projects, Gemini. You’ll feel like the wind is at your back.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Actor Keanu Reeves’ career ascended to a higher level when he appeared as a lead character in the film “Speed.” It was the first time he had been a headliner in a big-budget production. He turned down an offer to reprise his starring role in the sequel, “Speed 2.” Instead, he toured with his grunge band Dogstar and played the role of Hamlet in a production staged by a local theater company in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I admire him for being motivated more by love and passion than fame and fortune. In my estimation, Cancerian, you face a choice that in some ways resembles Keanu’s, but in other ways doesn’t. You shouldn’t automatically assume what your ego craves is opposed to what your heart yearns for and your soul needs.

tors syndiCate

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

The French government defines books as an “essential good,” along with water, bread and electricity. Would you add anything to the list of life’s basics? Companionship? Stories? Deep sleep? Pleasurable exercise and movement? Once you identify your “essential goods,” I invite you to raise the level of reverence and care you give them. Take an oath to treat them as holy treasures. Boost your determination and ability to get all you need of their blessings. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to enhance your appreciation of the fundamentals you sometimes take for granted.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Buckingham Palace is the home and office of the Queen of England. It has been the main royal residence since Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837. In earlier times, the site served other purposes. The 17th-century English lawyer Clement Walker described the building occupying land as a brothel, a hotbed of “debauchery”—before the space was a mulberry garden where silkworms tuned mulberry leaves into raw material for silk fabrics. I see the potential for an almost equally dramatic transformation of a certain place in your life, Aquarius.

Start dreaming and scheming about the possibilities.

A Leo sculptor I know is working on a 40-foot-long statue of a lion. Another Leo friend borrowed $30,000 to build a recording studio in her garage so she can pursue her quixotic dream of a music career. Of my other Leo acquaintances, one is writing a memoir of her time as a black-market orchid smuggler, another just did four sky dives in three days, and another embarked on a long-postponed pilgrimage to Slovenia, land of her ancestors. What about you? Are there any breathtaking challenges or PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) smart gambles you’re considering? I trust you can surf the same astro- Poet Carolyn Forché is a role model for how to leave one’s comfort zone. In her early career, she earned writing degrees at placid universities near her childlogical wave. hood home in the American Midwest. Her first book mined material about her VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) family; its first poem is addressed to her grandmother. Then she relocated to How sexy is it possible for you to be? I’m referring to authentic soul-stirring El Salvador, where she served as a human-rights advocate during the counsexiness, not the contrived, glitzy, counterfeit version. I’m alluding to the try’s civil war. Later she lived and wrote in Lebanon at the height of its political irresistible magnetism that wells up in you when you tap in to your core self strife. Her drive to expand her range of experience invigorated her poetry and and summon a reverent devotion to your life’s mission. However sexy it is widened her audience. Would you consider drawing inspiration from Forché in possible for you to be, Virgo, I suggest you unleash that magic in the com- coming weeks and months, Pisces? I don’t necessarily recommend quite so ing weeks. It’s the most reliable strategy for attracting the spiritual experi- dramatic a departure for you, but even a mild version will be well rewarded.

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Think your pet has star quality?

We want to see it! encore’s annual Pet Cover Contest is taking entries through April 17.

The winner will be featured on the April 25 cover of encore magazine, with a feature inside about the winner, along with cover photo and two (or more photos) featured inside the magazine. Winner receives a goodie bag of items from local pet-friendly businesses.

Top six runners up will have their photos featured as well.

HURRY! DEADLINE TO ENTER APRIL 17th

TO ENTER: • E-mail hi-res, large photos to ads@encorepub.com

by Apr. 17th.

• Include three various photos that are at least 10” wide at 200dpi.

• Pay your $10 entry fee (entry fee per 3 photos of same pet). You can mail

in check to Encore, P. O. Box 12430, Wilmington, NC 28405 or pay by debit/credit card (call 910-791-0688).

Proceeds going to a local pet rescue (to be announced the week of the contest)

Questions?

E-mail ads@encorepub.com

62 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com

CORKBOARD Available for your next CD or Demo

KAREN KANE MUSIC PRODUCTIONS 33 year veteran Producer/Engineer

NEW

CANNABIS HYPNOTHERAPY NOW AVAILABLE! CALL: 910-343-1171 Find Out What All the Buzz is About!

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Classes offered in Jan., Apr. and Sept.

Front Street Brewery 910.251.1935 9 North Front Street, Downtown Wilmington FrontStreetBrewery.com

AUDIO ENGINEERING CLASSES Music Recording, Mixing, Pro Tools, Studio Production

(910) 681-0220 or mixmama.com Want To Get The Word Out About Your Business...

ADVERTISE ON THE

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•Kitchens •Bathrooms •Entryways •Fireplaces •And More Free Estimates

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Dreaming Of A Career In The Music Industry?

with our huge menu that has over 70 food items Including our famous $6.99 Lunches & $8.99 Dinners

200 album credits

BARS & RESTAURANTS SPECIALS Just follow these three easy steps...

1 2 3

Go to www.encorepub.com and click on the CALENDAR tab.

Click the “Add an Event” button at the top right corner.

Fill out the event details and submit!

Savings for your sweet tooth, your appetite, your car and your hobby!

HALF PRICE DOZEN DONUTS: $7.50

HALF PRICE LUNCH: $7.50

HALF PRICE CAR WASH: $10.00

HALF PRICE ROUND OF GOLF: $32.50

JON DOUGH

ON A ROLL

SPLASH - N - DASH

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SIGN UP NOW FOR ENCOREDEALS.COM TO SEE THE SAVINGS! encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com 63

64 encore | april 11 - april 17, 2018 | www.encorepub.com