Poet Kate Baer speaks truths for women, mothers
Two artists, 12 paintings, one fabulous exhibit
Welcome to my neighborhood! Where to next?
CONTENTS
b enchmark Media, LLC.
M AY 2021
12
24 May 2021 • Volume 27 No. 4
PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt doordt@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Christina Heintzelman cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com EDITOR Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
INSIDE
32
6
SIMPLY THE BEST VOTING
8
MOVING FORWARD
10 BARTENDER'S CHOICE 12 IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD 14 REVITTLE 16 SUPERWOMEN 24 BIRD WATCHING 28 LIKE NATURE? 30 PRESERVE AND CONSERVE 32 TAKE A HIKE!
ON THE COVER
36 PRIDE OF THE SUSQUEHANNA 37 CITY ISLAND 38 ARTFUL INSPIRATIONS: JEWELRY 40 ARTFUL INSPIRATIONS: PAINT 42 TASTE THIS FRIDAY
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE'S "SIMPLY THE BEST" 2019 CORPORATE SPONSORS:
PHOTO by ALISIA THOMPSON A moment in the life of poet Kate Baer and her children. To read more about Baer, see page 16
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laura Reich lreich@benchmarkmediallc.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Don Bair dbair@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Suzi Brown sbrown@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Mike Jurosky mjurosky@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jo Ann Shover jshover@benchmarkmediallc.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christina Heintzelman
Visit us online at: HarrisburgMagazine.com
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HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 3
If you want a perfect smile that's guaranteed for life, look no further than ISOIMPLANTS™. Why Implants? Implants are the safest and most effective treatment for missing or broken teeth, with a 96% thirty year survival rate. In the past, providers tried to do everything possible to try and save a compromised tooth. But, more times than not, this approach means weakening other teeth requiring additional treatments or procedures in later years. In today’s world, that is just not necessary. Technology has led us to better, stronger and safer solutions. With implants, we can keep a one tooth problem – a one tooth solution. What is an implant system? Every implant is comprised of three parts; the fixture, the abutment and the crown. The fixture and the abutment are the most critical. The fixture is the anchor that is embedded in the jawbone; the new root if you will. The abutment screws into the fixture and creates the base for the crown to be attached. The abutment holds the crown in place. The crown is the most visible part of an implant but endures the least amount of stress among the three components. The fixture and the abutment take on the most force and that is why it is so important that these components are made by the same manufacturers so the fit and stability can be assured and guaranteed for life.
Are there different types of implants? Yes - 90% of dental implants done today restore the tooth using parts that may not work well together and cause problems down the road. That is why the ISOIMPLANT™ quality assurance certification process is so valuable. ISOIMPLANT™ certified implants are guaranteed for life because the components are milled to the highest standards. This certification provides quality and assurance and puts the PATIENT FIRST. ISOIMPLANT™ dental implants are manufactured by two of the most respected and largest implant manufacturers in the world: Noble Biocare and Astra Tech. What happens if my provider uses knock-off components for my implant surgery? Unfortunately, there are many knock-off implants and components on the market today. These implants are less safe, less durable and can lead to significant issues including bone damage, fractures and
infections. The ISOIMPLANT™ quality assurance certification was created by professionals who had treated hundreds of patients whose implants were failing and needed to be replaced. No patient should have to endure the discomfort and the financial cost of a second surgery due to faulty parts. Is implant surgery more expensive than other options, such as bridge work or a root canal? No. In fact, over a patient’s life, implant surgery is much more cost effective. It is important to note that insurance plans and options vary, but the bottom line is that an ISOIMPLANT™ is the most cost-effective option available. A single ISOIMPLANT™ solution; implant, abutment, and crown that is guaranteed for life, can cost about $3,000 while a bridge can cost anywhere from $2,400 to $3,000 and a root canal with crown build up and crown on a single tooth can cost as much as $2,700. Crowns and bridges will also require additional treatments in future years and additional costs. A bridge, for instance, typically lasts on average 7.2 years. How can I determine if my provider is ISOIMPLANT™ approved? Check www.ISOIMPLANTS.com to see who is ISOIMPLANT™ approved in your area. Make sure they guarantee that they use an ISOIMPLANT™ certified lab – where your implant will be designed – as well as an ISOIMPLANT™ implant manufacturer. This way you will be guaranteeing your investment in your oral health. About ISOIMPLANTS™? Dr. Robert Myers pioneered the ISOIMPLANT™ in early 2018 from his practice, Wood & Myers OMS, in Central Pennsylvania. The ISOIMPLANT™ trumps other dental implants that are less durable and that create underlying issues such as bone damage, fractures and infections. ISOIMPLANT™ certification guarantees the dental implant and restoration for life, because all our partners, including the manufacturers, your dentist and other providers and the dental labs have earned the ISOIMPLANT™ approval. With ISOIMPLANT™ dental implants, all the parts are guaranteed to work together for flawless, durable performance. When you use ISO-certified implants, everybody becomes part of the warranty equation – patient, surgical specialist, and dental lab Quite simply, ISOIMPLANTS™ provide the best quality and value in dental implants today. When problems arise, secure your smile by insisting on an ISOIMPLANT™ and an ISOIMPLANT™ certified professional. WWW.ISOIMPLANTS.COM.
THE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OVER. While thousands were nominated, only THE BEST had enough votes to make it to the next round.
VOTING BEGINS APRIL 15, 2021 AT 12:01 A.M. HERE'S HOW TO VOTE: 1. If you voted before, you need to find the link 3. For each category, scroll through the list emailed to you to log in. until the bottom to ensure you see all the entrants. Entries are listed alphabetically. If you can't find the link, go to the voting Most categories have 5 nominees. A few page and click on "Already registered" at the categories where the nomination count top of the ballot. This will resend you the link. was tied or very close, may have more than 5 nominees. If you haven't voted before, you will need to register. You can do this by entering your 4. Choose the nominee you think is the best, email address when prompted after voting. then click on the green "Vote" button next Email address must be valid and belong to to it. the person casting the vote to be considered 5. If you haven't registered or logged in, it will valid. Invalid votes will not be counted. ask for your email address at this time. Enter 2. To start, navigate to the category by it and complete the registration process. selecting on the group button, then the category from the drop-down menu. 6. If you make a mistake, just click on "Change Vote" to fix it.
THAT'S IT! YOU MAY ONLY VOTE ONE TIME PER CATEGORY.
VOTING ENDS AT 11:59 P.M. ON JUNE 15, 2021. 6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 7
Editor's Column
City Island Boat House Photo By Karen Commings
Of May, Mothers, and Moving Forward
I Moon Song By Kate Baer
You are not an evergreen, unchanged by the pitiless snow. You are not a photo, a brand, a character written for sex or house or show. You do not have to choose one or the other: a dream or a dreamer, the bird or the birder. You may be a woman of commotion and quiet. Magic and brain. You can be a mother and a poet. A wife and a lover. You can dance on the graves you dug on Tuesday, pulling out the bones of yourself you began to miss. You can be the sun and the moon. The dance a victory song. — From What Kind of Woman
8 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
’ll confess that I’m not much for themes or greeting card created holidays, but as a mother who has sometimes struggled to figure out how to keep a career moving forward while mothering two children with a husband who worked crazy and unpredictable hours, I do hold a special place for Mother’s Day in my heart. I hold an even bigger spot there for female heroes like those we profile in this month’s magazine. Two poets explore different aspects of womanhood in their work, a former teen mother has pushed her goals to achieve for both herself and her children, and two nurses have re-created careers in one another’s home countries. A former journalist and influencer created a business to address all aspects of health needs for women, and an Iranian woman persevered to find freedom in the United States. Finally, a trailblazing athletic trainer now walks the sidelines as her school’s athletic director. With this column, please enjoy a poem by one of each of our featured female poets, “Moon Song” by Kate Baer and “Gentle Rage” by Maria James-Thiaw.
This month, we also explore the outdoors to help our readers find great spots for nature escapism. We talk to birders and conservationists and explore a few local hiking trails. We hope you’ll enjoy our new regular features — Bartender’s Choice, Artful Inspirations Around Us, #hbgmag Influencer, and Taste This Friday. Nominate a favorite restaurant or a favorite bartender by submitting contact information and a brief paragraph explaining why this restaurant or bartender is one of the best to dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com. In this issue, we also introduce In My Neighborhood with a walk around our Far Uptown Neighborhood of Harrisburg. We’re asking readers to get involved by nominating future neighborhoods for us to explore. To participate, please complete the form at https://benchmarkmedia.wufoo.com/forms/ welcome-to-my-hood. We also want your photos and your poems. We will use Instagram to solicit photos from readers that we can consider for print. To have your photos considered, tag us at #hbgmag. If you’re a poet and would like to see your poem in
Gentle Rage
By Maria James-Thiaw The day I thought I was dying I decided to carefully fold up my somedays, keep them tucked in a trunk in a cobweb-laced corner of a dark attic -- The kind of place where you put things unfinished -things that were never meant to be.
print, send a poem with your name and contact information to poems@harrisburgmagazine.com Together with local poet Maria James-Thiaw, we will select a poem to run in each issue. Those whose submissions are chosen for publication will receive a gift certificate to a local business. Suzi Brown, Account Executive Our staff continues to grow with the addition of Suzi Brown to our advertising staff. Considering that she started her own music business at 16, it is safe to say that Brown understands business and how to promote it. She also understands people —
she put off college to do humanitarian work in Thailand working with sex trafficking victims, in China where she taught English, and in Australia, where she studied ethnomusicology with aboriginal people. She has toured on her own and with a band, playing at large music festivals and many different concert venues. A finger-style guitarist, she continues to write music in the singer-songwriter vein, but she wants readers to know that she is also “a dog mom” of a Heinz 57 pup named Adeline Virgina Woof. 7 Happy May — Deborah Lynch, Editor
The day I thought I was dying I tried to tug tightly closed divine doors open, searched the web but couldn’t see myself, felt Dylan’s judgmental gaze burned into my back. I knew what he thought of weary me, accepting fatigue, wrapped in that ‘good night’ like a blanket, too afraid to rage. The day I thought I was dying I chose someone to haunt -- not to scare, but follow, and leave whispers like little gifts. I’d be his cool breeze and his ‘something told me,’ the song incessantly singing in his head. The day I thought I was dying I searched for a bucket to hold my ‘will-dos.’ Tears formed and fell like wasted time, clocks melted and slid off my cheeks, streaming into shaky hands. My mind slipped through mental pictures of my boys, and the man who may not be Mother enough for them. I raged. I finally raged. Firelight dances on the wick, but continues to burn.
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 9
Bartender’s Choice
Young manager develops mature whiskey palate By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
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PHOTO BY DEBORAH LYNCH
The Paradox Old Fashioned
*Editor's note: Readers may notice the dueling spellings for whiskey. Here's why: When referring to this spirit generally, in the United States, the spelling is with the -e, “whiskey.” When it comes from Scotland or Canada, the spelling is without the -e, “whisky.”
hile still in high school, Anthony Tubbs joined the staff of the newly opened 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion in Carlisle as a lead server six years ago. He worked his way up while still in school, and when he turned 21, he started bartending at the all-natural craft bar at the Rebellion. A few months later, Tubbs was promoted to beverage manager, which is when he worked to boost the restaurant’s bar from being just an average location to becoming the only bar in Cumberland County to have more than 170 different kinds of whiskey, focusing exclusively on classic signature whiskey cocktails. Tubbs continued to bartend for two years before being promoted at 23 to restaurant manager. These accomplishments led to his selection as one of Pennsylvania Business Central’s Signature Leaders under 30 in 2020, despite Covid’s effect on the restaurant and bar industry. Whiskey led him to fall in love with the craft and his next goal is to own his own distillery one day. He is certified by Edinburgh Whisky Academy as a Master in Scotch Whisky. Since falling in love with the heritage and the stories behind whiskey, he has started a home collection of more than 90 whiskeys. He enjoys making a good Old Fashioned from time to time or just a whiskey dram neat, which means a small drink of whiskey (dram) served with nothing else (neat). When joining the Rebellion for a drink he initially recommends getting just a neat pour of whiskey, but for customers who prefer a mixed drink, Tubbs says 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion is known for its unique and also traditional versions of an Old Fashioned. Tubbs is known to say, “If you have a drink, then may it be with us.”
Tubb's signature recipe The Paradox Old Fashioned TO MUDDLE: Heavy pinch of mint leaves House-made bourbon cherries 1 cube of cane sugar 2 dashes of Angostura bitters 2 oz. Old Granddad whiskey PHOTO SUBMITTED
Bartender Anthony Tubbs 10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Once muddled, strain into a whiskey glass with a large ice rock. Top off with one ounce of Lagavulin 16 year (a campfire smoke enhanced whisky) to create a delicate and soothing smoky mint flavor Old Fashioned. Tubbs recommends drinking it with a good cigar in hand.
Anthony’s Drink Dossier
Words of advice to home mixologists: Use real ingredients and make sure to avoid the fake pre-made sugar-filled mixers. Those who prefer a flavored drink should get the fruit fresh locally and then muddle that into the drink, which brings a much better flavor addition to the drink and makes the home mixologist feel more accomplished with the cocktail. Inspiration: Comes from his love for the culture that surrounds the whiskey world and hopes to be a part of that culture one day himself. Favorite spirit straight: AN OA edition of Ardbeg from the Isle of Islay in Scotland. Recommendations of this spirit to try: More from Ardbeg including the Wee Beastie and Uigeadail editions that are “delightful with a peat reek that tastes just like a campfire smoke.” For those not a fan of smoky whisky who want to try a Scotch, he recommends a more fruity and sweet edition of Glenmorangie, which is the “Lasanta” edition. Finished off in sherry oak cask, this specific whisky brings a sweeter tone and is an easy pour for anyone new to the Scotch whisky world. Favorite spirit to mix: Bulleit bourbon is best in a classic whiskey sour because it mellows out nicely with the sours, bringing a bit of a spice touch to the drink. Most commonly ordered drinks at your bar: 1794 Old Fashioned, Yellowstone Shandy, Morangie Ginger Highball, and Western Gold Rush. Philosophy on drinks: “The point of a drink is to bring relaxation into one’s life.” When Tubbs works: As the restaurant manager, he works Monday-Saturday, but you can occasionally find him behind the bar. His bartenders are trained to create the same craft drinks anytime. Tubbs’ signature cocktail: Due to his love of Scotch whisky and the lack of Scotch relatedOld Fashioneds, Tubbs made it his mission to make his own. 7
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 11
In My Neighborhood
Far Uptown Harrisburg Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
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or our first neighborhood profile, we take a look at the area surrounding our office at 3400 N. 6th St. in Harrisburg. Technically, we lie just outside of Uptown in Susquehanna Township, but both directions offer a diverse blend of residential and commercial buildings. Getting to know other neighborhoods and communities is a way to greater understanding and appreciation of all the people and places that make up the diverse Harrisburg region. We hope you’ll join us in this exploration in coming issues. We ask readers to get involved by nominating neighborhoods. To nominate, go to https:// benchmarkmedia.wufoo.com/forms/in-my-neighborhood.
Physical boundaries: Uptown Harrisburg is bound on the west by N. Front Street and on the east by the Norfolk Southern rail lines. We will focus on the part of the neighborhood that lies between Division Street to the south and a little past Vaughn Street where it hits Susquehanna Township to the north, although the formal southern boundary for the neighborhood is Maclay Street. This area of Uptown is represented by the Riverside United Neighbors group. This part of Uptown is a nice mix of residential, business, and industrial uses. Homes are from the early-to-mid-20th Century with a mix of stone, brick, and wood. Streets are wide and lined by big trees. The neighborhood also has great potential for renewal with several large, aging, and abandoned properties including the former William Penn High School and other abandoned fields and industrial spaces.
Shops/groceries: The Uptown Plaza Mall features a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store along with a Dollar General, a Save-A-Lot grocery, and several other shops. A McDonald’s sits in the parking lot. A few other businesses sit across Division Street from the plaza, including a beer store, a tax service, a pharmacy, a gas station, and several others.
Businesses: The neighborhood has car washes, cleaners, daycares, gyms, auto repair businesses, and many larger businesses like Reynolds Restoration Services and Hershocks. A growing independent business, Revittle, packages and ships cheese here. N. Front Street is lined with offices including those for the Harrisburg Regional Chamber (Visit Hershey & Harrisburg), Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, and a bed and breakfast (The Manor on Front). The area is also a media hub with WHP CBS 21 and WHTM ABC 27 TV stations on N. 6th Street, less than a block from our Harrisburg Magazine office. 12 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Notable architecture: Most notably, this area is home to Italian Lake Park that is lined by stately older homes. On the triangle beside the park between N. 3rd and N. 4th streets and Division Street, the Harrisburg Obelisk rises over the region. Just across Division, the Zembo Shrine Auditorium anchors the lower part of Uptown. The former William Penn High School awaits renovation at the eastern edge of Italian Lake Park. East of that is the current Camp Curtin Middle School. N. Front Street also features many grand homes and offices.
Other notable features: The Capital Area Greenbelt runs along the river beside N. Front Street. At Vaughn Street, it cuts up to N. 3rd Street, then to Green St. Extension and onto N. 6th Street until it winds its way back to the river and on to Fort Hunter. The Susquehanna River is the western boundary of this neighborhood and is easily accessible. Italian Lake offers a serene escape from the city with detailed landscaping, an outdoor amphitheater, birds, flowers, and park benches along stone pathways. Despite traffic along N. Front Street and N. 6th Street, the neighborhood is walker and biker friendly.
Nominate Your Neighborhood
Living here: Michelle Hall and her family have lived in a single family home in this neighborhood since 2015 (pictured above). She appreciates the shopping, public transportation, convenience to interstate highways, and the history surrounding the neighborhood. “I feel very lucky to have such good neighbors,” Hall said. “It’s a peaceful and clean place to live. What’s so unique about our neighborhood is it’s a nice quiet, relaxing place just to escape. We have a lot of people come just to walk around our neighborhood just because it’s so peaceful.” 7 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 13
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Revittle owner Mark Zimmerman (right) poses with famed Chef Jacques Pépin.
Revittle: A business “In My Neighborhood” By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
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here’s nothing outdated about the way Revittle Creamery has helped small farm creameries, and now its own farm, find adoring audiences for its artisan cheeses. Despite taking a company name from an obsolete word that means revictual or resupply (as in when ships would come into port to revittle or resupply), Revittle the cheesemaker is using modern techniques to change the way small farms can make a name for their products. Started in 2015 by Mark Zimmerman as an online company that matched local cheesemakers and charcuterie producers with an online marketplace, his concept grew so quickly for some artisan producers that it made up 90 percent of one cheesemaker’s business. That dairy farmer expressed his gratitude by offering to sell his Newburg, PA, creamery to Zimmerman. The cheesemaker agreed to continue making the cheeses, but now it would be rebranded as Revittle. Early last month, Revittle inked a deal to have its products on the shelves at Giant supermarkets. This came at a good time. Just as Covid hurt many restaurants across the nation, that has funneled down to Revittle, as a producer and supplier for many restaurants. Revittle cheeses also are served in some of the state’s and country’s finest restaurants, including some Michelin 3-star restaurants along with 5,000 clients locally — restaurants, consumers, and followers at their only retail outlet at the Broad Street Market. One of the local clients is executive chef Michael Barnard of West Shore Country Club. “It is beautiful local artisan cheese,” Barnard said of Revittle’s products. “Our membership is keen on farm-to-table, and it fits right in there. I did a farm-to-table dinner, did a cheese course, and people were quite impressed. … I haven’t had a cheese of theirs I don’t like.” From software to soft cheese Zimmerman’s curiosity in food led to a career change. He ate many meals out as he traveled for his software job, and asked to peek behind the curtain. “I’m always trying to source things. I want to meet the 14 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
producer. I want to meet the chef. Inevitably, I will always end up in the kitchen of a restaurant,” he said. “Almost like the Portlandia thing — yeah, let’s go meet the farmer. I’ve been doing that for a long time.” Today, Zimmerman, who’s from Camp Hill, gets to pose aside greats like celebrity chefs Jacques Pépin and Marcus Samuelsson at Food and Wine magazine events. He has created fondue recipes and pairings featuring Tröegs Beer for a Fox New York lifestyle show. Although Revittle is now primarily producing and selling its own cheeses, the idea was born from the desire to help artisan producers (often farmers) and chefs to connect. Recognizing that a farm consumes too much time for producers to market themselves, Zimmerman created a curated cheese website to organize small farm products and improve fulfillment. “We handled all of the shipping — great chefs are impatient and don’t want a product sitting for an extra day. This is cheese and meat!” Zimmerman noted. All products were guaranteed and were shipped directly from the producer to the consumer. Revittle’s cheeses are packaged and shipped from its N. 6th Street, Harrisburg warehouse. This was a concept that worked well for New York City restaurants with limited space. First, truck deliveries of fresh foods require a $500 minimum purchase. Second, storage was a big issue. Third, restaurants could get cheeses fresh from the creamery or charcuterie. “It didn’t sit in a warehouse for a month,” Zimmerman said of the success he had in finding customers. Now that he owns his own creamery, Zimmerman has expanded it five-fold in volume and is building a brand. His creamery started with sheep and goat milk cheeses, but volumes are low and costs are high, so it added cow’s milk — using a Swiss technique for pasteurization that leaves more valuable ingredients in the product and yields better milk and cheese. Although this artisan cheesemaking method takes up to four times as long and therefore costs more to produce, it has helped create creamier cheeses with more health benefits unlike most others on the market. The focus is now on Gouda, Havarti, and Farmhouse Tomme cheeses. Its cheeses have won four national awards with the American Cheese Society, and locally at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. During Covid, one of the best restaurateurs in France showed up on Revittle’s doorstep. Together, they created a morbier cheese — half goat’s milk and half sheep’s milk with vegetable ash — and explored new techniques. Although it takes a lot of time — and a cave for climate control — to make, it’s one of the top sellers at Revittle’s Broad Street Market stand. Before Covid, Revittle provided samples to Broad Street Market shoppers. Zimmerman said “people would be blown away. It’s so much fun to watch people taste good product for the first time.” He loved giving people a sample, seeing them walk around the entire market, then come back saying, “Oh my God! That was really good!” 7
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 15
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Kate Baer
A woman with something to say reclaims her dreams By Deborah Lynch
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dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
f Kate Baer says it’s been difficult to find a minute, believe her. This mother of four young children has spent the last 10 years in Hummelstown staying home with her brood while her husband, Austin, pursued medical school, residency, and fellowship at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. What that translates to for her is long spans of time alone handling the household and an internal battle to find herself. Baer’s a writer, and like most writers, she has to carve out creative time. That time used to be when she hired a babysitter that allowed her to escape their 1,200 square foot home to sit in a quiet booth at the Hummelstown Panera to write. During the pandemic when indoor dining was closed, her freedom moved to a cold minivan in the parking lot with a hot drink and free wifi. A myriad of side jobs paid for occasional babysitting that freed her to write and edit. The payoff was a New York Times bestselling book of poetry, What Kind of Woman, published by Harper Perennial in late 2020. It debuted on the list at No. 1 on Nov. 29, 2020. Baer is savvy on social media, developing a following first for blogs and essays, then for poems. In fact, it was critical feedback of her poems that inspired her next book, which will be erasure poems, a style in which she takes a message or passage, and deletes some words from it to form a poem that flips the message. The book, I hope this finds you well, comes out this fall. “I don’t read reviews,” Baer said. “I’m not tempted at all. It’s part of my defense mechanism. It is hard to avoid messages in my inbox and email. I’ve been writing on the internet for 10 See Baer on Page 18 16 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Michaela Brehm has had to repeat her education to keep her career moving forward
Zohreh Akhtar enjoys new freedoms
Superwomen: Compromise, balan
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Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
ate Baer and Maria James-Thiaw are poets who both have found success, albeit by completely different paths. Baer worked odd jobs and stayed home with first one, then two, then three, and finally four small children while her husband completed medical school, residency, and fellowship. “I felt like it was my job,” she said. “I love being with my children, but I felt that something was really missing, which I know a lot of women can relate to in motherhood.” The careers of some women’s partners, like Baer’s husband’s, require long hours and intensive workloads. Michaela Brehm faced a similar situation when she and her husband had their son seven years ago. For them, she said it wasn’t possible for both to have highstress careers and raise their son well. She went part-time with hers. On the other hand, James-Thiaw was determined to find the balance between a career that fed her passion while raising her two children with her husband. Jackie Gordon and her husband took turns moving their careers forward so that even after having a child, she was able to keep her career on track. Susquehanna Township athletic director Vicki Ivey delayed motherhood and has a schedule in a demanding career that fits with that of her eighthgrade daughter. Before having a child, Porcha Johnson started a business that has taken off. Michelle Hall set goals for herself and her children, and has never stopped working hard to achieve them on her time frame. Zohreh Akhtar wanted freedom for herself — and also for her children — that she could not have in her home country, and that strong desire helped her through overwhelmingly difficult times to ensure those freedoms. Today, her adult children are achieving their dreams; her son is training to be a navigator with dreams of being a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, and her daughter is a student at Penn State Harrisburg, hoping to become a physician’s assistant. Although Baer’s motivation was to be a writer, her words speak across career and mothering paths: “No one cares if I become a writer. Nobody else cares but me, so I’m the one that has to do that.” The mothers in these stories illustrate perfectly what can happen when they work to make it happen. They may have had different dreams, desires and needs, but just as every woman should be true to herself while honoring family life, they have honored that as well to achieve their goals.
It’s not always a clear path, but mothers persevere
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By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
ast month, sports fans sat glued to TVs watching the NCAA basketball tournament. The previously undefeated Gonzaga men’s team’s upset by Baylor in the championship game got the buzz. Nevermind
that the Stanford women’s team was 31-2 on the way to its title run over Arizona, earning its first title in 29 years. Except that people did notice. A viral TikTok video highlighting inequities between men’s and women’s
ce, and strength programs along with more unfairness pointed out during the tournament — inconsistent March Madness logo and branding among them — have raised the issue of equality. Women’s college basketball magnifies a disparity often ignored — how hard women must work to get recognition. A happy outcome, however, can be that women often become stronger and more resolved to make things happen for themselves.
“This is the freedom that sometimes is ignored and taken for granted by those who live in the U.S. and some parts of the world.” — Zohreh Akhtar Zohreh Akhtar of Camp Hill wanted freedom more than anything. To gain it, she had to close her eyes to a philandering husband so she could leave Iran with him and their two children for his new job in the United States. Like many immigrants, she sought the freedoms the United States promised that most countries couldn’t offer — especially to women. Soon after they arrived in the Harrisburg area for his job, Akhtar’s husband became abusive. She left him, but it wasn’t as simple as an American divorce. She also had to sue him in Iran to break their Islamic union, otherwise, she would never have been able to return home again to see family. Without his permission, which he would never give, she would be unable to leave Iran again for the United States. It was complicated, but with help from her sister in Iran who was a lawyer, she achieved the second divorce. She finally had her See Women on Page 22 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 17
#hbgmag Influencer
Baer, continued from Page 16
years, so I’m used to deleting, seeing and deleting. It has been my MO all along.” The erasure poetry started “on a whim,” Baer said, explaining that a message in her inbox from a woman upset about something she had written on police accountability prompted Baer to take a screenshot. “I blotted out some words and made a new poem.” Baer has the luxury of editing this book of poems in her home office since the family moved to Lancaster a little more than a month ago — no more sitting in her van in a parking lot. Still, these poems weren’t easy, she said. “It’s hard to stare at unkind messages for hours a day. It put me into a dark place, honestly. I’m really glad it’s over. I don’t wish to do it again.” Finding her voice Baer was pregnant with their first child when her husband started medical school, so she has had children throughout his training. “This book [What Kind of Woman] was the first thing I did after I took back time,” she said. She worked for a few years to write a suspense novel (for which she had an agent) until she realized she wanted to write poetry. Part of her struggle, she says, was self-imposed. “It was the guilt, the pressure of keeping this family together while he [Austin] was in school, and needing to change the narrative in my head,” she said. “I also have dreams, I have goals — only I can do it. No one cares if I become a writer. Nobody else cares but me, so I’m the one who has to do that.” She did it — she became a writer, and now others do care. Actress, businesswoman, and influencer Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Book Club picked What Kind of Woman for its January 2021 book, writing on the Goop site, “Kate Baer has written a genius debut poetry collection about what it means to be a woman and the different roles we play … .” Publishers Weekly wrote: “Baer debuts with a meditative exploration of her identity as a woman, wife, and mother, disrupting mainstream assumptions about femininity.” Baer enjoys being disruptive despite being brought up in Mennonite schools — for elementary years, she attended the Mennonite school where her mother taught in the Philadelphia suburbs. Her father had a Christian broadcast show. She went to Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia for college. “I’m not Mennonite, but I feel Mennonite by association.” That doesn’t mean readers should conjure stereotypes of a conservative woman. “Mennonites are just like any other religion — such a spectrum. There’s Old Order Mennonites and liberal hippy mennonites who don’t wear bras and protest in the streets,” she laughed, adding that EMU was, in fact, a “pretty liberal school. It completely changed my life.” For more information on Baer or her work, visit her website at www.katebaer.com or follow her on Instagram at katejbaer. 7 18 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Susquehanna Township High School athletic director Vicki Ivey
“Doing what’s right isn’t always easy” Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch
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dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
or the past 10 years, a tall, strong-willed female has walked the sidelines and courtsides of the sports events for Susquehanna Township High School, first as an athletic trainer keeping athletes healthy and now as athletic director for the school. Vicki Ivey enforces the rules of safe play for her coaches and athletes, whether they like it or not. Case in point: During a Susquehanna Township boys basketball game against Middletown this season, Ivey was watching her school’s swim team when her phone blew up with calls about a lack of mask-wearing by players at the basketball game (Susquehanna has a policy that requires masks). Ivey hightailed it in her car to get back to the school, strode onto the court, signaled for the referees to blow their whistles and gather everyone in the middle of the court, and then laid down the law. “We had just had coaches’ families lose people to Covid,” she said. “I told them that if they didn’t keep their masks up, the game would end immediately.” She noticed the opposing team looking defiant and realized they thought that meant they would win since they were currently ahead. “I quickly told them it would end at 0-0 and it would not be rescheduled.” That caught their attention. “When you sign on for these jobs, you don’t get to pick and choose which rules you follow,” said Robert Lombardi, executive director of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. “The great ones follow all the rules and understand you need to have structure.” Ivey, he says, follows that to a T. “I encouraged her more because she had the skills to do anything,” Lombardi said of guiding Ivey from athletic training into administration. “She could be a principal, a superintendent. She could be successful in any professional path she chooses because she has the skills to be successful. She had a passion for athletics, had medical experience, and a background as an athlete. I knew she would really be an advocate for student athletes, but yet be a tremendous role model and give them excellent guidance.” At 5-10, Ivey acknowledges that her height helps her to command respect. So does her background as an athletic trainer at several area high schools over 26 years. She was a high school track athlete at Harrisburg High before becoming the first Black student to complete and graduate from the four-year athletic training program from Temple University in 1991. See Ivey on Page 20
Maria James-Thiaw's “passion pay[s] the rent”
Poet, performer, and educator spins stories often overlooked Story and Photos by Deborah Lynch
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dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
any of the myths and stories that make up the core of our world’s history came to us through the oral tradition. They were stories told to explain creation and stories about historic feats passed along from generation to generation like a childhood game of “telephone” until someone started writing them down. Today, we are inundated with almost too many forms of storytelling and personal archiving via social media. It can be overload. Poet Maria James-Thiaw has found, however, that some stories from the recent past needed a louder platform, so she started the American Griot Project to “honor a variety of phenomenal women and their contributions to society.” While griots originated in West Africa, today they remain the oral historians for their communities as poets, musicians, and storytellers. JamesThiaw is carrying on that tradition telling the stories of many different communities. She had hoped to launch a new American Griot Project in 2020 on autism, a subject close to her heart as her 11-year-old son is on the spectrum, but Covid canceled her plans for “Loving in Black and White,” which would have told the stories from the perspective of minority families with autistic children. Her Reclaim Artist Collective hopes to bring that out in 2022. Instead, an actor from the previous Griot project, “Reclaiming My Time,” which was performed live in 2018, suggested doing it again for Zoom. James-Thiaw’s “very brilliant director” Janet Bixler, formerly the theater director for Central Penn College where it was originally performed, produced a short version for Zoom screened in December and late March. See James-Thiaw on Page 20 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 19
James-Thiaw, continued from Page 19
“Reclaiming My Time” is about the women of the Jim Crow era and their memories. Most were between 65 and 95 when James-Thiaw recorded interviews with them. She listened for stories that stood out, then translated those stories into poetry. In the end, she had 30 poems. She needed a thread to tie the stories together, so she wrote a few more poems for the beginning and the end — “conversations between a mother and a daughter about police brutality and about protest, and about what it means to be tired and drained and still needing to push on and fight.” This approach really spoke to young people, James-Thiaw said, noting that some responded by telling her, “‘Wow! I need to call my grandmother!’ That was the greatest compliment — that it started those conversations and made them value their elders more.” Her subjects are both local and from around the country. The stories are from black women who experienced discrimination in a myriad of ways, from a Jewish woman with racist parents, and from a white woman who was a teacher in a school bombed by the KKK. “A lot of them didn’t think of themselves as powerful or doing anything special, but they were,” James-Thiaw said. “Negative experiences helped them grow more.” In particular, she related the story of Harrisburg native Marian Dornell, who won the school spelling bee when she was in second grade in the 1940s. The teachers decided they had to repeat the spelling bee because “there’s no way a black child could have beaten all the white children in the spelling bee. That really had an impact on her — her first experience with racism,” JamesThiaw said. Dornell died in 2019. Another poem features the story of a woman who had moved to the Harrisburg area in the 1950s and was shocked to find signs in the Amtrak station designating water fountains for whites and others for Blacks, and the same with bathrooms. “She had moved here from Alabama … and it felt like home,” James said with resignation. Writing poems for a theatrical performance makes perfect sense for James-Thiaw, a poet, performance artist, and educator who now teaches creative writing at Capital Area School for the Arts in Strawberry Square after teaching writing for 16 years at Central Penn College. The Reclaim Artist Collective will also work with CASA students on a project called “My Hair-Story,” a choreopoem focused on hair to be staged this fall. “Hair is a major issue for black women and has been a source of discrimination, especially in work places,” James-Thiaw said, adding that “discrimination based on hair leads to self-esteem and economic dispairity. The kids interviewed people about their hair stories and wrote poetry about them.” See James-Thiaw on Page 22 20 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Vicki Ivey talks with referees during halftime of a soccer game Ivey, Continued from Page 18
She also recognizes that to earn respect, she has to show respect. “I think in general if you try to treat people with respect and standard common courtesy, 90 percent of the people know that even if I’m fussing at you about something, it’s because I’m trying to do what’s right. Doing what’s right isn’t always easy,” Ivey said. Originally, Ivey planned to become a physical therapist, but current Harrisburg High AT William “Sonny” Mills, who then was an athletic trainer for Steelton, “absolutely inspired me.” She knew him through her family. “Back then, he was the only Black person who was an athletic trainer.” Since then, Ivey and Mills have worked together providing coverage for PIAA events including sectional, district, and state tournaments. Mills coordinates medical coverage for PIAA championship events and is part of its Sports Medicine advisory committee. “At an early point in Vicki Ivey finding her place in this world, Vicki expressed a desire to be involved with Sports Medicine,” Mills said of Ivey. “That desire, and not being afraid of challenges, has been her mainstay to her success. Miss Vic, as she is often addressed, has been a role model to the youth and adults that she has come in contact with over the years.” Of 436 athletic directors who are members in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Director Association, 56 — or about 13 percent — are women. Mike Craig, the athletic director for Cumberland Valley High School and president of PSADA, has interacted with Ivey on events for their middle schools, in particular. “I think she always makes decisions based on what she thinks is in the best interest of the kids at Susquehanna,” he said. “She has the right kind of personality where she can be assertive when she needs to be, but she’s also the kind of person who cares that kids can talk to as well.” Being a good role model entails being “It’s a kind of obligation that comes accessible and being honest in every with trying to be a trailblazer, I guess, action. “Clearly, I have made mistakes, to create an environment that the next however, you do feel a responsibility to try to be the best at what you do,” Ivey said. woman or women that come behind you “It’s a kind of obligation that comes with are always going to be looked at in a trying to be a trailblazer, I guess, to create positive light.” an environment that the next woman or — Vicki Ivey women that come behind you are always athletic director going to be looked at in a positive light.” Ivey juggles the non-conforming hours that come with after-school sports with parenting her eighth-grade daughter and multisport athlete, Jaylynn Dorsey. Ivey says she’s fortunate the two of them have a similar schedule. “Becoming a parent when I was older [39], when I had a baby one of the cool parts was that I don’t have some of those regrets other parents have,” Ivey said. “I used to say that what I don’t want for the rest of my life is just for people to say, ‘Wow, she’s a great employee.’ That’s still true, but I try to balance more of my time because she’s [Jaylynn] getting older, and I need to make sure those moments we are together are important — that I’m present and not just constantly working.” She leads not only her teams by example, but also her daughter. “I don’t ever fear that she’s going to be unappreciative or that she doesn’t work hard or that she isn’t kind and considerate of others,” Ivey said. “I feel at least she’s seeing that part. Sometimes we also talk about why you need to say ‘no’ to people.” Athletes, coaches, and parents: Are you listening? 7
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Women, continued from Page 17
James-Thiaw, continued from Page 20
Robert Campbell, CASA’s theater teacher, works together on projects with James-Thiaw, who joined the school just weeks before last spring’s shutdown. He said she “has weathered the storm with us like a colleague who's known us a long time, not someone new to the school. … It's clear that she's been energized by getting to teach creative writing here, but I think we've all been energized by her joining us just as much.” About 200 students from 28 school districts in six different counties have found their grades 9-12 home at CASA. JamesThiaw is a key part of their integration into one school community. “Mrs. Thiaw can relate to students who come from diverse locations and backgrounds,” said Tim Wendling, principal and CEO at CASA. “Because of her tremendous experience, students know that it is possible to build a life around writing. She brings real-life application to all her lessons.” Real-life applications also hit James-Thiaw personally during Covid. She acknowledges that modern women also face challenges. Her husband, Mory Thiaw, was visiting family in Senegal just before Covid-19 hit, and when the borders shut down, he couldn’t get home for five months. That meant that not only was she a new CASA teacher now teaching online, she also she became sole parent and homeschooling teacher for her children. “It showed me just how hard being a single mom really is,” she said of that difficult time, adding that Thiaw “has stepped up to the plate and been awesome this last year” since his return, homeschooling their children. “Moms told us we could have it all — the fact is, we can, but not all at once. So sometimes, you have to put your dreams on pause to take care of your family, but later you can pick them back up again. It’s all about balance,” she said. “I really have a passion for poetry, for the arts, for culture,whereas I don’t have a passion for washing the dishes. It would be a real miracle if I wrote a play and my house was clean.” She credits a friend who once told her, “‘Make your passion pay the rent.’ That’s what I want. … I had to work until I could make the life I wanted to live.” James-Thiaw’s poem “Terra Rocks” is set to be published in Cutthroat Journal of the Arts this summer, and she is shopping a new book of poetry called Rage, Rage, which chronicles her 2020 — a chronic illness, the pandemic, and racial uprising. For more, check out her work and vision at mariathepoet.wordpress. com and www.reclaimartistcollective.org. 7 22 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
freedom. Then, she was served court papers. He was suing her in U.S. courts for $100,000 for emotional distress. Because of childhood polio, Akhtar is unable to work long hours or do physical work, so her income is limited. She couldn’t afford more than $5,000 required by a lawyer, and since the case continued without any results in a county closer to Philadelphia, where he now lived, and she couldn’t get pro bono help, she had to represent herself. And she won. The case was thrown out, and her ex- was reprimanded by the judge. That victory was powerful for Akhtar who said she was seeking freedom not only from the torture she had endured at the hands of her ex-husband who had once hissed at her, “You’re my hostage,” but also from a culture that would have dictated how she should raise her children. “This is living in peace,” Akhtar said. “It has made me stronger for sure. I needed that inner strength and bliss to raise my kids right — for that alone. If I was in my country, I wouldn’t be able to have them in such a situation. … This is the freedom that sometimes is ignored and taken for granted by those who live in the U.S. and some parts of the world.” She might not be able to dunk a basketball, but inequalities and years of standing up to a controlling man gave Akhtar the strength she needed to find freedom for herself and her children.
Starting early, setting goals
Michelle Hall of Harrisburg was a teen mom. She had her son, Amir, after four months of bed rest when she was 17. Despite it all, she stayed on task, graduating on time from Harrisburg’s John Harris High, and working a part-time job so she could provide for her son. “When my mom said, ‘Hey, let me help you,’ I said, ‘Mom, I told you, I’m going to take care of him’ — and I did,” Hall said. “I’ve always been independent.” When Amir was nearly 5, Hall met her future husband, Lamar Hall, and they’ve been together ever since. They also have an 11-yearold daughter, Cashmere. Amir is now 18 and a freshman at Shippensburg University. Hall and her husband have worked long hours (she was a hospice aide for more than 10 years and now works as a home health care aide, and he works at Hershey’s Reese’s plant) to improve their lives. “It’s always been my priority to make sure my kids had what I didn’t. I always set goals in life, and I always try to achieve them.” Particularly impressive is how Hall has achieved her personal goals, too. “When I was 21, I told myself I was going to buy a house by the time I was 30, and I did,” she said. “I set goals for myself.” Covid has made it harder to achieve those goals as she lost one job to help her daughter
“You might be sacrificing the known, but what you’re doing is experiencing the unknown.” — Jackie Grant Gordon with virtual school, and now works a new job with long hours. Some weeks, it’s hard to find any time for herself. “With the pandemic, it kind of puts you in a little depression. So much time to think. I’m always making everyone happy, but I’m never making myself happy. … I’m trying to find time for myself,” Hall acknowledged. Her husband encourages her to do that. She’s got new goals — and they involve herself.
Taking turns
Jackie Gordon has always been focused on how to keep her career moving forward. She and her husband started passing the ball with their career advancements even before they were married. He made the first sacrifice when she started her dream job as a nurse at Hershey. Instead of transferring to a school in Maryland, he went to Shippensburg. The next move was hers when he got a good civilian position with the U.S. Army in San Antonio, Texas. She took a few jobs that didn’t fit and landed a nursing position in a surgical trauma ICU unit at the Army hospital. She also got her master’s in nursing. Things continued to go back and forth like that in their careers (including a long distance marriage and another stint for her in a leadership position at Hershey Med) with a master’s degree for him and a doctoral degree for her over the next few years until they landed in Germany for his job. She had just had their first child, a son. Now she was a new mom, living in a hotel in a country where she didn’t know the language. She used her free time to publish her doctoral work, then found adjunct teaching through the University of South Florida. She also was able to volunteer at an Army clinic. Then, her husband got a new opportunity in Austin, Texas. “This time it was really hard for me,” she said. “While I thought I was going to commit career suicide, my backup plan worked. I loved Germany. I loved our lives.” She taught remotely during the first year back in the U.S. (June 2019-early 2020) until a perfect fit came along as director of Professional Practice and Innovation at a hospital 15 minutes from her home. “I absolutely love what I do,” she said. Gordon says she and her husband have learned from every decision and move. They identify their values, then look at pros and cons and how they relate to their values, which now revolve more around their son. “You might be sacrificing the known, but what you’re doing is experiencing the unknown,” she said.
Repeat and move forward
While Gordon had to immerse in German culture, a German nurse had to make a similar move when her husband was recruited for a job at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Michaela Brehm had worked for more than 10 years as a cardiac surgery nurse in Germany, but found upon arriving in the United States that not only did she have to learn English as she knew she would have to before she could get a job, but also that she would have to retake an entire B.S.N. degree — and that was after waiting four years to get a Green card that would allow her to work. After taking prerequisite courses, she was able to enroll in Penn State’s World Campus to complete her B.S.N. That worked well for her new employer, Holy Spirit Hospital, which had made her hire conditional upon completion of her degree within five years. Prior to getting hired, in 2013, she had to complete the NCLEX, which is a nursing competency exam. In between, in 2014, she gave birth to her son. She got the B.S.N. in December of 2017 with no plans of ever returning to school. On a bored whim, she applied to a master’s in nursing education program in 2018 thinking she’d never be accepted, but she was. She is due to finish the master’s program this month after starting classes in spring of 2019. Along with finishing coursework and working per diem at Holy Spirit in the cardiovascular ICU — and sometimes in Covid units — she’s been homeschooling her now 7-year-old during the pandemic. When she and her husband had first moved to the United States in 2009, Brehm pictured a much greater opportunity for herself than was her reality. “When do you have the privilege to move around the world and see a new country? We were both excited to come here,” Brehm said. “The reality is sometimes a little bit harder than you expect.” Ever since her son was born, work, school, and two careers have made a difficult juggling act for Brehm and her husband. “It is not possible — in my opinion, you cannot raise a child when both have full-time demanding careers,” Brehm said, noting that while some can make that work, she could not. That means she works part-time, and she and her husband try to coordinate their work schedules with day care and babysitting. Brehm has worked night shifts the past year when her husband is home, and he works days. Somehow, they make it work. “Moms have to figure out how to do child care and do everything, and then go from there,” Brehm said. “The easiest thing is to not listen to other people.”
Pennsylvania through photos, also realized that something had to give when she had her child in 2018.
“Moms have to figure out how to do child care and do everything, and then go from there. The easiest thing is to not listen to other people.” — Michaela Brehm After working as a journalist for 13 years, traveling to different cities as a reporter and anchor, 10 of those years at WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Johnson was ready to step away from that career to focus on her newborn and the businesses she had started in 2014 — she’s CEO of Black Girl Health and executive director of Black Girl Health Foundation. Black Girl Health is a burgeoning business with 6,000 newsletter subscribers and 11,000 Facebook followers. “A lot of people have sacrificed for their husband’s career,” Johnson acknowledged, adding, “I have not, but a lot have probably lost their identity from that.” Understanding that has helped Johnson with a growing business “that’s 100 percent mine.” The mission of BGH is to help women,
specifically African-American women, in the workforce, with finances that affect mental health, with how foods affect mental health, with racial trauma, and with social trauma. Her company recognizes the many external pressures affecting women’s health, and strives to help them overcome them.
Balance
Women constantly battle the need to balance, to prioritize, to put their partners or their children first. Covid has made that even more complicated. It has magnified what was already an inequality in the labor market for women. Between February and August of 2020, mothers of children 12 and younger lost 2.2 million jobs compared to 870,000 jobs lost by fathers, according to a survey cited in a Brookings Institute report. The economy is hard on women as is finding adequate and quality child care. Some women must be creative in advancing their careers while following a partner’s career. Others are stuck in low wage jobs trying to support children. Now more than ever, women are becoming the superwomen they need to be to help advance opportunity for all women. For some that has meant compromise, for others it’s a balance between two careers, and for all, it is inner strength. 7
A new direction
Porcha Johnson, who was a regional ambassador for the One Lens project that documented the Covid-19 pandemic in HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 23
PHOTO BY DEBORAH LYNCH
JoEllen Wright of Greencastle, a wildlife and bird photography enthusiast, made a pit stop at Wildwood Park in late March while picking up her “granddog” from her daughter Ashley Fletcher, who lives in Mechanicsburg.
How to find a great perch for bird watching Story by Deborah Lynch • Bird Photos by Ken Boyer dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
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his article is not for the birds – but for those interested in spotting birds. Anyone can be a birder. All it requires is to be aware of one’s surroundings — which includes urban areas — and to pay attention to sights and sounds. Novices might be surprised at what they can see in the Harrisburg region, which is directly in the path of one of the largest migratory flight patterns in the country. That means that along with backyard chickadees and robins, residents might see hawks, snow geese, egrets, loons, gulls, and so many other species of birds. “The best thing that a beginning birder can do is put themselves in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing,” said renowned ornithologist and author Scott Weidensaul. “Birders love showing birds to others. They can share them with everybody and there’s still enough to go around.” Pamela Fisher, an administrator for the Birding Pennsylvania Facebook group recommends morning for bird watching, but adds it might depend on what someone is hoping to see. She said birding doesn’t have to be a solitary sport, but being quiet helps the chances of seeing things. In fact, she said that small groups can enhance the experience – others can help point out sightings. Birders from the Facebook group as well as other local enthusiasts gush about the myriad of locations in the Harrisburg area for prime bird viewing. Many people have heard of or gone to see the hawks at Hawk Mountain, which is part of the Kittatinny Ridge, better known locally as Blue Mountain in the Appalachian Mountain chain in Kempton, PA, near Reading and Allentown. The world’s first refuge for birds of prey, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a non-profit with a goal of 24 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
conserving raptors not only in the immediate area, but also across the country and world. It has more than 60,000 visitors a year. Closer to home, birders have great opportunity as well. Wildwood Park sits at the northern edge of Harrisburg, where it offers trails, boardwalks, marshes, and a nature center. At Ft. Indiantown Gap in Lebanon County, birders flock to H.M. Levitz Memorial Park lake and trails. In the middle of the Susquehanna River just below Columbia and Wrightsville, birders can find many species of migratory shorebirds at the Conejohela Flats, a combination of small brush-covered islands and mud flats produced when Safe Harbor Dam lowers the Lake Clarke area of the Susquehanna for electricity generation. Harrisburg birding enthusiast Carol Tooker says Harrisburg is a great area for bird watching: “I call it the Hotel Hilton for birds,” she said, noting in particular the thrill of having peregrine falcons nest on the 15th floor of the Rachel Carson building in downtown Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection provides cameras and updates on the falcons (dep.state.pa.us). “The other thing, of course, are the yellow-crowned night-herons – they walk along 2nd Street. I’ve seen them at Hamilton a lot. They’re big, and kind of fascinating,” Tooker said. She also suggests the Green Belt, Fort Hunter park, and walks around City Island to spot birds. She says that anyone who stays aware can spy birds almost anywhere – she saw wild turkeys at her doctor’s office in Camp Hill. “Keep your eyes open. It’s fun.” Sally Zaino, president of the Manada Conservancy, adds a few more Harrisburg spots prime for bird watching: Detweiler Park in Middle Paxton Township, heron rookery along the Swatara Creek in Hershey,
Trumpet swans
Great horned owlets
Eastern bluebird
Common loon
Great egret
Bald eagle HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 25
A flock of snow geese
the old state hospital grounds across from the Farm Show off Cameron Street, and all along the Swatara Creek by kayak or canoe. Self-taught bird photo enthusiast Ken Boyer notes his great fortune in living near Lewisberry on a smaller private lake on the migratory path. He’s got the perfect backyard perch, but he also frequently takes day trips to other great locations including Kiwanis Lake in York; Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area on the border of Lebanon and Lancaster counties; the Conowingo Dam on the lower end of the Susquehanna River in Maryland; Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, and Silver Lake Wildlife Refuge all in Delaware; and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Assateague National Wildlife Refuge, and Cape May National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. New Jersey also has several wildlife refuges a day trip away. All are great spots to see waterfowl and raptors along with other birds and wildlife. The 6,000-acre Middle Creek spread, which is managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, is known far and wide as being the stopover for more than 250,000+ migrating snow geese as well as tundra swans, and thousands of other ducks and water birds. This migration usually passes through in late winter or early spring. “It’s a madhouse both from the avian perspective and the human perspective,” said Weidensaul of the migration of both birds and people to the site. The Conowingo Dam attracts huge numbers of bald eagles between November and February, according to Weidensaul. It is also a great spot to see gulls and wading birds like great blue herons and blackcrowned night-herons from November to late February and early March. “The eagles number in the hundreds, and there’s always a lot of social interaction, especially attempts to steal fish from one another,” he said. The reason the Harrisburg region ranks so high for birders is its geography. “There are two really major migratory corridors that converge right at Harrisburg,” Weidensaul said. “The Susquehanna River basin is a major migratory route for waterfowl and waterbirds [loons, grebes, gulls, cormorants, and more] and the Kittatinny Ridge [migrating raptors] is part of the system.” 26 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Weidensaul grew up near Hawk Mountain and ran a bird banding program there for some time. He recommends other great spots closer to Harrisburg to also see hawks – Second Mountain Hawk Watch near Ft. Indiantown Gap, where a small group monitors the birds daily, and Waggoner’s Gap near Carlisle, where hawk counts are managed by the Audubon Pennsylvania. It’s no surprise that Weidensaul, who is one of the founders of the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art just north of Harrisburg in Millersburg, recommends the 12 miles of trails on 500 acres there for birding. The center’s popular spring bird walks are over for this season, but it offers different nature events throughout the year including summer camps for kids. For more information, see the website at https://nedsmithcenter.org. Two more great spots for birding near Harrisburg, according to Weidensaul, are Stony Creek Valley (accessible at Dauphin) and Clarks Creek Valley (north of Peters Mountain entrance to Stony Creek Valley). Much of this land is either state game lands or Harrisburg Water Authority land that is open to the public. Many people might be familiar with the old railroad bed that’s now a hiking and biking trail that runs through the more than 44,000 acres of Stony Creek Valley. Even closer to home, Weidensaul said the boat launch area around West Fairview on the Susquehanna is a great spot to see different species of migrating birds between February and April. Another Susquehanna River island, Wade Island near the Route 81 bridge, is one of the largest nesting areas for great egrets and black-crowned night-herons. They can be seen from Wildwood Park. He also notes a great mix of habitats at Swatara State Park between Jonestown and Pine Grove. Whether in search of birds just for enjoyment or hoping to catch them on film, birders can develop their own methods and instincts over time. Some birders still use guides (Weidensaul recommends the Sibley Guide to Birds, Eastern volume, or the Kaufman Guide in which birds are arranged by color and shape), but others use phone apps if they want to identify species.
Wood duck
Trumpeter swan cygnets
Boyer says he has learned how to photograph birds and nature by trial and error citing the time a fox came out of the brush and started walking down the road towards him. He said he didn’t have anything to steady his camera and had no idea what to do with the speed of his camera, so he just started shooting, rolling the camera speed with his finger. “I got home and the photos were gorgeous. It taught me something about camera speed. It taught me how to stop action. Things like that happen in the field where you just experiment with some things. When they work, you just don’t forget about it.” Some of Boyer’s instinct comes from more than luck. As a longtime hunter, he said those skills translated well. “When I picked up the camera in 2005, I put the guns down for hunting, but I use the hunting skills all the time in photography in sneaking up on game and birds. That has been a great aid to me.” Weidensaul, who now lives in New Hampshire thanks to his wife’s job with Massachusetts Audubon, has written 30 books on the natural world including a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and just had a new book come out. A World on the Wing, which debuted April 18 at No. 10 on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction, looks at the challenges humans have placed on bird migration around the globe as well as the science and psychology of bird flight. He was chased by bird poachers and faced other dangers around the world in researching the book. Weidensaul’s research helps to show the wisdom of a common adage of conservationists for those exploring nature: Take only pictures, leave only footprints. 7 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 27
The Silvis family in Hershey gardens with conservation in mind, keeping dead leaves as cover and planting native plants
Like nature? Invite it into the back yard Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
B “If you wouldn’t want to drink that stuff, you probably shouldn’t ask the hummingbird to.” — Scott Weidensaul, ornithologist and author
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ackyard conservation allows homeowners to save ecosystems while also offering them greater vantage points to observe wildlife. Just a little time spent in a garden reaps both altruistic and voyeuristic benefits. “Even creating small bits of habitat in the back yard can be really beneficial to birds,” ornithologist and author Scott Weidensaul said. “We’re doing it for us — it’s not something that helps the birds survive or that they depend on.” He suggests planting native species of wildflowers, shrubs and trees that are berry producing to knit together broken ecological connections. “The exotic stuff at the garden center has no ecological connection to this part of the world at all. It won’t produce much food for birds.” Sally Zaino, president of Manada Conservancy, echoes Weidensaul’s advice to create a back yard that offers native plants for food and shelter for birds. “Therefore, a yard full of Pennsylvania native plants will provide them with the insects they need to survive and raise a brood,” she said. A layered habitat — tree canopy, understory, and ground plants — provides nearly everything different species might need. Some species nest on the ground, so Zaino suggests an unmanicured meadow or field space. “Don’t clean up! Leave stalks and dead leaves,” she said.
Weidensaul debunks myths that feeding the birds will make them dependent, but he cautions enthusiasts that if they’re going to put out bird feeders, they have a responsibility to do it right. “That means keeping feeders clean,” he said. “Clean up seed hulls, clean feeders on a regular basis, or you could actually end up killing the birds.” That is exactly what was happening this past winter along the west coast of North America where a salmonella outbreak was sickening and killing birds. Wildlife experts called backyard feeders superspreader events and urged residents to take them down. Because wood can harbor bacteria and other diseases, experts recommend using non-porous materials like ceramic, metal and plastic for feeders. Weidensaul says hummingbird feeders also should be cleaned every two or three days. “If you wouldn’t want to drink that stuff, you probably shouldn’t ask the hummingbird to,” he said. Zaino also adds that it’s important to keep feeders filled, and to provide water sources, as well. Although Manada Conservancy’s annual spring native plant sale has passed for 2021, other local nurseries carry native plants, which will always be the best way to promote the habitats and ecosystem of the region. For more information, visit the conservancy’s website at www.manada.org. 7
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PHOTO BY MATT KANE/TNC
A hiker walks on the existing Cove Mountain preserve trail near Marysville.
Preserve and Conserve
Cove Mountain Preserve expansion benefits wildlife and humans By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
W PHOTO BY KELLY O’NEILL
A white-tailed deer hikes the old logging road in forest set to be protected by TNC.
PHOTO BY MATT KANE/TNC
A man fishes in the Susquehanna River in front of Cove Mountain near Dauphin.
PHOTO BY MATT KANE/TNC
Cove Mountain seen from the Susquehanna River near Dauphin. 30 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
ith most indoor activities canceled in 2020, more people took to the outdoors to fill the void. National, state, county, and local parks saw record attendance. Meanwhile, conservation advocates were working tirelessly behind the scenes via Zoom and other non-traditional means to add to the region’s protected outdoor space. That hard work led to the closing in February on a land deal to expand the existing Cove Mountain preserve in Perry County from 353 to 1,411 acres. “Having a project like this is so critically important and so timely, and really allowed our team to rally together,” said Lori Brennan, executive director of the Pennsylvania/Delaware chapter of The Nature Conservancy, which acquired the Cove Mountain Preserve land. The team includes the Pennsylvania/ Delaware branch of The Nature Conservancy which worked together with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Perry County, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, corporate partners (Tröegs and Capital One), and numerous other individual contributors and foundations to secure more than $5.3 million for not only the land purchase, but also to support expansion of recreational opportunities and ongoing land management. Brennan emphasized the importance of raising enough initial funds to build in for start-up costs as well as an endowment to maintain the land.
Of the 1,271 acres included in the deal, all but 213 acres of this land will remain with The Nature Conservancy. Those 213 acres will be turned over to the PA Game Commission and will become part of State Game Lands 170. The remainder will add onto the existing Cove Mountain Preserve, which starts at the Susquehanna River near Duncannon, goes west, then loops back to the Susquehanna — filling in the gap for 14 continuous miles of protected land from the river out and back. The land holders include TNC, the PA Game Commission, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and Duncannon. Keith Fisher, conservation director for The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania and Delaware, said TNC will put all infrastructure in place on the land it owns over the next year or so, noting that many partners are involved. They will decide where to put trail accesses and parking lots, and to work with the PA Game Commission to figure out where to connect to trails on Game Commission land. “The intent would be that one could start at our Cove Mountain Preserve and hike all the way around,” Fisher said. “We’re hoping to connect to trails on partner lands [Appalachian Trail].” Fisher noted that the existing 353 acres of the preserve has trails already being used by the public with access at the upper gravel parking lot for the Wesley United Methodist Church of Marysville at 450 Sylvan St. in Marysville.
“It is a wildlife superhighway.” — Lori Brennan The PA Game Commission lands also are open to the public, and are primarily used for hunting and trapping. Regulations are posted both at the site and online, and the lands are regularly patrolled by Game Commission officers, according to Doug Barrack, land manager officer in Perry County for the Southcentral Region of the PA Game Commission. In addition to trails and hunting for the public, the acquisition of this stretch of land along the Kittatinny Ridge has even greater importance for wildlife and conservation. “The Nature Conservancy recognizes the Ridge is one of the most important migratory corridors in the country,” Brennan said. “It is a wildlife superhighway. As climate changes, species find new ways to move and adapt, so it is increasingly important that we protect these large swaths of land.” Fisher said that more than 8,000 acres have been protected in partnership with the Kittatinny Ridge Land Protection in the past three years up and down the Kittatinny Ridge. While much of the Cove Mountain Preserve lies in Perry County, some of it also lies in Hampden Township and East Pennsboro Township in Cumberland County. Along with conservation and recreation, the preserve helps the economy. Brennan noted that Perry County reported nearly $60 million in annual revenue through outdoor recreation. “We recognize that these lands and the protection of them are not only important for conservation, but also to help support local economies by bringing in tourists,” she said. Conservation of Pennsylvania land is a priority for many different groups. The Pennsylvania DCNR awarded a $1 million grant for the current Cove Mountain Preserve acquisition, but had previously chipped in more than $800,000 for two other portions of The Nature Conservancy’s acquisitions at Cove Mountain. Dan Pierce, a recreation and conservation advisor for the land conservation and stewardship section of the DCNR, said the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation for the DCNR also works with municipalities, cities, and counties across the state to help acquire and maintain public parks. Locally, the Manada Conservancy also preserves land open to the public and helps secure conservation easements on private lands. Sally Zaino, president of the conservancy, said one of the largest projects was the Small Valley Girl Scout Camp in Powell’s Valley, which opened public access to more than 300 acres adjacent to Weiser State Forest, accessible from White Oak Road in Jefferson Township. It also helped add 240 acres of public access
land to State Game Lands 211 on Peter’s Mountain. Other projects include a conservation easement on Logan Farm Park in Susquehanna Township that includes an ADA trail and other trails in the 60-acre park. The Nature Conservancy is a global organization, and is active in all 50 U.S. states. The Pennsylvania/Delaware chapter works together with Manada Conservancy and other conservation groups across Pennsylvania not only on purchase of land, but also on land protection and management. Fisher said Pennsylvania land plays a big role in global conservation, noting that the Appalachian Mountains are one of four focal places around the globe identified for their importance to biodiversity, sequestering carbon, and mitigating the effects of climate change. “Outside of Harrisburg is a real linchpin in trying to make that happen. That connectivity of north to south will allow organisms to move as the climate changes.”
For more information on The Nature Conservancy for Pennsylvania/Delaware, see www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-wework/united-states/pennsylvania. For more information on Cove Mountain Preserve, go to www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-tohelp/places-we-protect/cove-mountain-preservethe-nature-conservancy. For more information on the Manada Conservancy, go to www. manada.org For more information on the Pennsylvania DCNR projects and grants, go to www.dcnr.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx. 7
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TAKE A HIKE! No really, take a hike Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
F
Rausch Gap
Detweiler Park 1451 Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin One of the newest parks in our region after the Detweiler/ Stackpole families donated and sold 400 acres to Dauphin County on Dec. 30, 2016, this has become the largest of eight parks of public land owned and managed by Dauphin County Parks & Rec. Entrance: Parking is available via the entrance to Dauphin County Conservation District off Route 225 north of Dauphin. Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk Trails: more than 7 miles; 5 separate trails vary in length from 0.3 mile to 1.6 miles Trail type: Primitive Difficulty: Easy to moderate ADA Accessible Trails: No Elevation Gain: 561 feet Terrain: gardens, fields, meadows, evergreens, mature deciduous forests, easily accessible for most hikers *Trails are for foot traffic only; pets must be leashed 32 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
or those who have had the urge to tell someone to “Take a hike,” there’s no time like the present to take their own advice. Not only are trails and outdoor venues more popular than ever, but the Harrisburg region also has a wealth of trail systems and urban hikes to explore. “We have seen, since the pandemic, truly a jump in the use of all of our parks and all of our trails,” said Carl Dickson, director of Dauphin County Parks and Recreation. “It’s an opportunity for people to get outdoors and get some fresh air.” Dickson noted that the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has been an integral partner in expansion of county parks and trails by providing matching grants. The county parks and rec helps local municipalities with grant applications. A good example of that type of partnership occurred in the past few years with the Capital Area Greenbelt project when nearly $9 million in improvements were made to create a new spur that went up the riverside to connect Wildwood with Fort Hunter. The 20-mile Greenbelt loop that passes through multiple parks and residential areas as well as along the river, Dickson noted, is owned by five different municipalities. “It’s a vestige of a turn-of-the-19th Century parks system that was kind of abandoned in the mid-20th Century until a grassroots group of individuals rekindled it around 1990.” Other parks and trails in Dauphin County include Detweiler Park, Wildwood Park, Fort Hunter Park, Riverfront Park, Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area, Highspire Reservoir Park, Lykens Valley Rail Trail, Fort Hunter Conservancy, Stony Valley Trails, Victoria Trail, and the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail also passes through Cumberland County, where hikers might also try Mount Holly Marsh Preserve, the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail between Shippensburg and Newville, the Carlisle Borough Bicycle & Pedestrian Trail Network (13.8 miles of trails), or one of the county’s three state parks — Pine Grove Furnace, Colonel Denning, or Kings Gap Environmental Education Center. Stony Valley starts on Ellendale Road in Dauphin, Dauphin County, but meanders for nearly 20 miles through three counties, ending at the Lebanon Reservoir. “They talk about trails having multiple benefits,” Dickson said, “one, healthful [physical and mental], and there are economic benefits because when people go for a walk, they often stop at another business, maybe for water or for something for their bicycle. Finally, there’s community benefit — people interact with each other. All three things are good for community.” Following is a series of photos and snippets about hikes on a few trails in the Harrisburg region. When seeking out interesting hikes, one’s own community might just have some lesser taken routes to consider, too. Urban hikes can be as invigorating as the wildness, but hikers should always be sure to respect posted land and private property. Harrisburg’s Mural Trail, for one, packs a colorful canvas of buildings transformed by art in a walk along city streets. Some of my favorite hikes are within the borders of Derry Township, where I live. Below, I describe what I call Hidden Hershey. We surely don’t know all the great spots for hiking in this area, so we ask readers to send their favorite spots to dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com for a potential follow-up article. For more information on local parks and recreation spots, in Cumberland County, see www.ccpa.net/4313/Outdoor-Recreation and for Dauphin County www.dauphincounty.org/government/departments/parks_and_recreation and click on Dauphin County Parks tab to the left. A map of the Harrisburg Mural Trail is available at www.sprocketmuralworks.com. More information on Stony Valley and Rausch Gap is available at www.stonyvalley.com/rauschgap.html. The www. visithersheyharrisburg.org website offers information on a variety of other hikes by clicking on the “Things To Do” tab, then “Outdoor Activities,” then “Hiking.” 7
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Cold Spring Rausch Gap Loop From SR 443 East past Ft. Indiantown Gap, take Gold Mine Road to State Game Land 211 parking lot to start this hike. Part of Stony Valley, a nearly 20-mile long rail trail, Rausch Gap is a series of trails off the rail trail that is one of the top ten historic sites in the Stony Valley area. For those who like ruins and ghost towns, this is your hike. In the early 1800s, a coal company constructed the shantytown of Rausch Run in a stony valley near the present-day rail trail. A railroad was built, but the company left the area and the town was virtually deserted by 1900. By 1945, the tracks were torn up and the entire area was left to seed. The Pennsylvania State Game Commission purchased the land in the 1950s and turned the area into State Game Lands #211. Some portions of the trail at Rausch Gap are maintained by the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club as the Appalachian Trail shares some parts of the trail. Entrance: From Western Rail-Trail parking lot on Gold Mine Road in Jonestown, Lebanon County (off State Rte. 443 near Swatara State park), continue about 3 miles west on the rail trail by foot towards Dauphin. A trail marker sits on the southern side of the rail trail just before a green bridge that sits atop the remains of a stone arch bridge. Hours: Daily, dawn till dusk Trails: 6.9-10.5-mile trails Trail type: Gravel along rail trail; otherwise primitive Difficulty: Moderate ADA Accessible Trails: Rail trail portion is gravel Elevation Gain: 741 feet Terrain: Gravel rail trail extends for nearly 20 miles; rocks and forest path the rest of the way
“One, healthful [physical and mental], and there are economic benefits because when people go for a walk, they often stop at another business, maybe for water or for something for their bicycle. Finally, there’s community benefit — people interact with each other. All three things are good for community.” — Carl Dickson, director of Dauphin County Parks and Recreation
Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area 401 Fishing Creek Valley Road, Harrisburg This 1,025-acre park is a Pennsylvania State park managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. It is home to deep-forest birds, wildlife, plants, and trees. Some of the trails follow the power line. Because it is a conservation area, activities are limited to passive, non-motorized, low-density outdoor recreation and environmental education activities. Park is open to cross country skiing in the winter. Entrance: Parking is available at the park located off Fishing Creek Road, 2.5 miles off U.S. 322. Hours: Daily, sunrise to sunset Trails: 12 miles of trails; 8 different trails that interconnect varying in length from .2 miles to 2.8 miles although a loop trail (“Darlington”) is nearly 6 miles Trail type: Primitive Difficulty: Easy to difficult ADA Accessible Trails: No; contact the park if accommodations are needed to participate in park activities. Elevation Gain: 334-777 feet Terrain: Wildflower, big trees, rocks, ground covers
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Hidden Hershey People know Hershey for Hersheypark, the Giant Center, and Kiss-shaped street lights in a walkable downtown, but beyond a walk downtown, in the amusement park, or the beautiful Hershey Gardens, a myriad of trails and other walking experiences abound. The campus of Milton Hershey School is ringed by paved trails for miles. Hikers can enjoy the architecturally significant Founders Hall with its lit rotunda, the schools’ most recognizable building. A fountain with 50 metal fish sits in front of Founders Hall with ponds, fish, wildflowers, and groomed grounds highlighting a walk on the paths of the campus. Walkers can even safely cross Route 322 through a stone tunnel from one side of the campus to the other. More than 5.5 miles of trails wrap through the wooded areas behind the Hotel Hershey for both hotel guests and the public to enjoy. The Jonathan Eshenour Memorial Trail, which is maintained by Derry Township, is a more than 13-mile bike trail that winds through neighborhoods and provides access to parks. Shank Park sits near one end of the trail with more than 90 acres including a cross-country running trail. Original parts of the trail that wind behind Spring Creek Golf Course and through the Palmdale neighborhood could lead to a longer hike crossing to the north side of 322 through the neighborhoods there and past the Hershey Country Club. The return walk could follow East Derry Road, then behind ZooAmerica on Trinidad Avenue for sights of the zoo animals. A walk in downtown Hershey isn’t complete without exploring Rear Chocolate Avenue, home to former Hershey Company buildings, some now occupied by new businesses. Hidden Still Distillery is located in an old Hershey Company recycling facility, and Stumpy’s Hatchet House found a home inside a remodeled 100-year-old former Hershey Company warehouse. From downtown Hershey, urban hikers could also walk the 2+ miles to Tröegs, which sits just east of the Tanger Outlets (on the way) or could do a loop up Park Avenue and behind the amusement park through parking lots that connect to the Giant Center, and a path back to downtown separated from traffic by a bright white fence along Park Boulevard. For those wanting to add on to this long hike, some trails behind the Giant Center on a former golf course are also accessible to the public. Please watch for and honor no trespassing or private property signs here and everywhere while exploring this area. Hershey has miles of urban hiking that features sidewalks, gravel trails, paved trails, some parts along streets and through parking lots, and wooded trails. 7
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A Short History of The Pride
I
n 1985 Mike Trephan, a local businessman, said to then mayor Stephen Reed, “Let’s build a riverboat” and the voyage began. A group of individuals formed a board for the newly registered Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society, Inc. The original plan was to build a small flat boat similar to those that cross the river at the Millersville Ferry. This boat would hold 20 passengers and be about 45 feet long. The plan was soon changed to build a riverboat that would look more like a one-deck Mississippi paddle wheeler that could hold at least 60 passengers. Building began, and work continued for a few weeks when suddenly a heavy storm blew up and swift flowing waters from the north raised the water levels in Harrisburg. The hull of the boat broke free from its moorings and became wedged against a bridge pier on the Market Street bridge. Lesser men would have been discouraged by the Patriot News running a story comparing the riverboat to the Titanic, but not the men of the board of the newly created riverboat society. Mike Trephan worked tirelessly with Ron Minard, editor of the Patriot News, to create new stories with a positive spin; this turned out to be the spark that moved the capital campaign forward at a rapid pace. With this new turn of positive events, the riverboat grew again and this time it was decided to build a boat with a hull 24 feet wide and 65 feet long with an upper deck and a total weight of 100 tons. When it was time to name the new boat, a contest was run with Barb Burrell declared winner with her name, “The Pride of the Susquehanna.” It should be noted that many businesses and individuals donated the necessary items for the wooden exterior, the interior of the boat and the canvas for the deck, not to mention countless hours of volunteer labor. Finally in 1988, the boat was ready for its first launching over the Memorial Day weekend. This launching ritual is replayed yearly to the delight of locals and visitors to our area. The friendly whistle has its own way of saying hello to everyone who walks the beautiful shores of our Susquehanna River. A full story of the history is available in a small book, The Origins and History of The Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat and the Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society by Michael Trephan, available through the riverboat society.7 36 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
All Aboard: Pride of the Susquehanna paddles into 33rd season By Christina Heintzelman
A
cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com
hoy and welcome to Harrisburg, home of The Pride of the Susquehanna, one of only five remaining authentic stern driven paddle wheel riverboats in operation in the United States. This authentication means that the riverboat is totally propelled and steered by its 11- by 4-foot paddle wheels. Although The Pride is a re-creation of an 1800s Mississippi riverboat, it is a 20th Century (built in 1988) delight that includes a 120 HP Caterpillar Diesel Engine. While making this one concession to the modern era, the interior has been designed using mahogany woodwork, brass and copper, mirrored walls, and stained-glass ceilings for a true 19th Century experience that has been enjoyed by over one million visitors since its first cruise. The Pride is handicapped accessible, except for the upper deck. While The Pride has a full liquor license and assorted snacks for patrons, Café Huey, located between the Senators ballfield and The Pride docking ramp, is available for patrons of the riverboat who want to bring food aboard. Café Huey serves a varied and interesting array of foods and desserts to all City Island visitors. Deborah Donahue, acting executive director of The Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society and board chair says, “Normally, The Pride would handle 120 passengers on an outing but now during Covid restrictions we have cut back that number to 75 and also continue to follow all restrictions still in place by our governor; extra cleaning takes place between cruises, everyone must wear masks, sanitizer is available throughout the boat and plexiglass has been added to surround the bar.” DAZA Development Group in New
Cumberland, known for their work assisting local non-profits, is aiding The Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society in creating an exciting schedule for the upcoming season. Melissa Snyder, a former board member of the Riverboat Society, and a consultant with DAZA says, “This year the riverboat season will kick off with a Float the Boat drydock fundraising event on May 27 beginning at 5:30 p.m. The event is being billed as a luau complete with a pig roast.” The anticipated opening of the season follows on Memorial Day weekend at which time the U.S. Coast Guard will inspect the boat and deem it safe for excursions. All riverboat captains hold a 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard license. In addition to daily 45-minute cruises, many of the popular special events will be coming back for this season including Jazzin’ on The Pride, Blues Cruise, Blue Crab Feast, Yuengs and Wings, and Brews Cruise. The very popular BOAToberfest is planned for Oct. 16. Saturday mornings from June through September, the ever-popular Susquehanna River School, free to students age 12 and under, will continue to educate children, adults and seniors about the history and ecology of the Susquehanna River. As always, cruises are free to all veterans. Some new events are in the making such as Margarita & [Bloody] Mary Mondays, and Taco & Tequila Tuesdays. For more information on exact dates for upcoming events, daily scheduled excursions, or private party bookings, info on The Pride of the Susquehanna website is available at harrisburgriverboat.com, on Facebook at HBGriverboat or by calling 717-234-6500. 7
Water Golf Park
With room to spread out, City Island gives community a place to return to play Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch
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dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
either baseball fans, players, nor people looking to find entertainment or get outside were happy when minor league baseball was canceled by Covid in 2020. That’s why they have reason to celebrate when the Harrisburg Senators return AA baseball to City Island for a shortened 2021 season (120 games rather than 140) beginning with the home opener on May 11. Stadium capacity is limited to 50 percent, but six-feet of social distancing must be maintained between different groups, so that means capacity will be closer to 30 percent (that translates to about 2,000 fans), according to Senators President Kevin Kulp. “2021 is going to be better than 2020, and getting through 2021 is the only way to get to 2022. We will take advantage of that and of all of our opportunities this year. The Senators begin their season on May 4 with a six-day series at Somerset in New Jersey before returning to home fans against Richmond on May 11, which Kulp says “will be a very special day for us. It will be one of those you never forget. How many industries have gone 19 months without any revenue?” He said the team will celebrate the Washington Nationals World Series win from two years ago with mask and mini bag giveaways along with “a lot of pomp and circumstance.” “An investment in this community is getting back to normal, and that’s important to us,” Kulp said. Masks will be required except when fans are eating or drinking. Tickets will be sold in pods of 2, 3, 4, or 6 people.
While the Senators were shut down in 2020, Water Golf on City Island picked up after a six-week shutdown to do brisk business. “When people came out, we were really busy because people just wanted outside,” owner Jeff Palkovic said. Palkovic, who has owned the business for 31 years, said this past March was his busiest ever. Water Golf is open daily through Labor Day from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. The 18-hole miniature golf course is located adjacent to the beach house on the north end of City Island. In addition to golf, it offers a snack stand that includes hand-dipped
ice cream. Covid precautions are followed with cones set up for six-foot spacing at registration. Visitors to the island can also take a 1012 minute tour that provides river view and a ride past activities by steam locomotive train or trolley on the City Island Park Railroad. Matt Pergosky, who has owned it for 13 years, said the train began its route around the island in mid-April on weekends only, but plans to expand services to daily sometime after Memorial Day. It is currently open weekends from noon till dusk. Other events will also return to City Island this summer, including the 53rd annual Artsfest, which will be held solely on City Island this Memorial Day weekend to provide a larger area for social distancing. The arts festival will combine in-person juried artisans and food trucks along with virtual presentations and an online artisan market. For more information about the Senators’ season and ticket sales, visit the website at www.milb.com/harrisburg. For more information about Water Golf, call 717-232-8533 or visit the website at http://h2ogolf.com. Call the station for City Island Park Railroad during operating hours at 717-232-2332. 7
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 37
Artful Inspirations Around Us
This artist’s creations are more than jewelry — they’re windows to the wearer’s soul By Christina Heintzelman
P PHOTOS SUBMITTED
This is a sampling of Vagnozzi's creations
38 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com
eople wear jewelry for many different reasons — to set off an outfit or to make a statement; because a piece speaks to them, it’s an heirloom or evokes memories, or it was a gift; or maybe because the style of the jewelry has become a part of their identity. For that last category, jewelry designer Librada Vagnozzi will not only create a beautiful piece, but also help to connect it to her customer in a spirit of love and harmony. After working in other careers, Vagnozzi developed her style of jewelry artistry from a global perspective — and her daughter’s initiative. It has turned into a lucrative career. Originally from Panama, she met her future husband, Victor, a member of the U.S. Army, while he was stationed in Panama. They have moved around as many military families do, but came to rest in Lewisberry in 2003. Vagnozzi was always creative and remembers a scene from her childhood in Panama. “I made origami remembrances for the baptismal of my friend’s doll. I also made the doll’s clothing. We had a baptismal service for the doll and from there I started creating doll clothing as I felt I had no talent in drawing.” When her daughter was 10, she asked her mother for a video game, but Vagnozzi said, “No” as it was too close to Christmas. Her daughter then asked if she could earn her own money, would she be able to buy this video game. This time she said, “Yes.” “My daughter had a child’s jewelry making kit and she began making jewelry and selling it to neighbors. She sold so much that she needed help putting the pieces together, so I began assisting her. I feel as though my daughter guided me into this business I now have,” Vagnozzi said. Vagnozzi was also 10 years old, just like her daughter, when she realized how much she was drawn to beautiful stones. “My brother found a stone, probably a jasper or agate for me, and my love of beautiful stones began. At the same time, I began noticing how my French teacher always looked so superb. I knew that I wanted to have fancy jewelry like hers,” she added. In 2009, while Vagnozzi was working in a daycare center, another worker commented on the piece of jewelry she was wearing. Vagnozzi mentioned that she had made it, and the woman immediately asked if she would also make one for her. “This was the first piece of jewelry I sold and my asking price was $23.”
Then Vagnozzi went into a jewelry store to buy a piece of jewelry for herself and the sales woman noticed the piece she was wearing. When she found out that Vagnozzi had made it herself, the sales woman said she loved it and that her designs should be sold. “The saleslady was beautiful, and she had an air of authority about her. Not only was she beautiful but she looked important and commanding. She became a guidance angel for me to begin making jewelry that I would sell,” Vagnozzi said. That same year, she began selling her jewelry at Tickle My Senses Gallery in New Cumberland, and in 2010, she entered Gallery 13 in Mechanicsburg to browse and told the woman working there that she made jewelry. The woman asked if she could see a few pieces, Vagnozzi showed her some designs, and the pieces immediately went into the gallery. Her jewelry career took off and has not slowed since. Vagnozzi uses all types of stones that she purchases at various gem shows. The most
“I believe that it is important for my whole being to be involved in the creation of my designs.” — Librada Vagnozzi
popular stone is blue topaz, but she loves working with pearls, especially baroque and keshi pearls, which are formed as a byproduct of pearl cultivation. Keshi is a Japanese word for poppy — these pearls are highly prized as they are 100% nacre. Nacre occurs when an irritant penetrates the protective shell of a mollusk. To protect itself from the intrusion, the mollusk secretes the only material it has at its disposal — nacre. Thus, nacre is called mother of pearl because it is the same material that gives us the pearl. Vagnozzi creates necklaces, bracelets, and earrings working mostly in sterling silver unless a customer has a specific request. She sometimes uses gold filling. Her pieces are still sold at Tickle My Senses in New Cumberland, as well as at Plum Bottom at The Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace and Brain Vessel in Hershey and Camp Hill. If personalized service is desired, she has a creative method of seeing that her customers receive the experience they want. She has a home studio for browsing pieces already created. She does commissions, and consultations are available to discuss the type of design desired. If the gift is a surprise for someone else, she will ask about the recipient – what do they like, how do they dress, what type of personality do they have. She will also look up the person on Facebook or ask to see a photo of them. Vagnozzi creates the ultimate experience for a couple who decide to share in the one-of-a-kind jewelry making design. She invites the couple to a room in her studio for a discussion of design ideas, budget, and gemstones. Cheese, wine, and fruit are served while discussing all phases of the design. After the discussion, the couple is invited to open Vagnozzi’s treasure chest of stones and personally pick one or more that will become the centerpiece of the design. Upon leaving, the couple receives a small flower arrangement as a remembrance of their visit. Vagnozzi has a unique way of creating her pieces of jewelry, too. “I believe that it is important for my whole being to be involved in the creation of my designs. I pick the music that I think will be conducive to my creation, and I begin by having my mind be of the highest possible state of vibration. This is a very sacred and spiritual process for me as each piece must have only the highest possible energy and bring harmony and love to the wearer. I also use only pure spring water [to] create my jewelry designs.” Librada can be reached through her newly designed website libradajewelry.com or follow her on Facebook at Librada Vagnozzi. She also does live events on Facebook where customers can purchase directly from her site without leaving home. 7
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Artful Inspirations Around Us
Persephone/Persephone
A Mythic Journey Through Greek Mythology By Christina Heintzelman
I
cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com
magine having the opportunity to enter a time machine and be transported back in history to the time of the Eleusinian Mysteries and the origins of spoken and pictorial Greek Mythology. The opportunity has arrived in Harrisburg as Susquehanna Art Museum is hosting an incredible multi-panel exhibition of collaborative paintings by Joanne Landis and Elody Gyekis titled Persephone/Persephone, inspired by the narrative arc of the Greek mythological story. The exhibit opened in early April with the official catered opening set for the May 21 3rd in the Burg. The show will run through mid-August. The idea for this show began to emerge after Landis’ and Gyekis’ first yearlong collaboration for the exhibit “Call and Response,” a six-painting collaboration with additional works by each artist held in 2018 at the Factory Works Gallery of the Pajama Factory in Williamsport, PA. Each of the six in the collaboration was a painting begun by one of the artists, then traded halfway through to the other artist to be finished. After this experience, both knew they wanted to take this collaborative process to another level. In Persephone/Persephone, Landis and Gyekis again collaborate on each of 12 paintings to explore the themes of mothers and daughters, birth and death, love and renewal, and PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN separation and reuniting. Their work Elody Gyekis (left) celebrates the power of women while and Joanne Landis 40 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
exploring the diverse feminine in mythologies and archetypes. The story is told in three stages within the 12 paintings: Persephone’s happy childhood with her goddess mother, Demeter; their separation when Persephone is taken into the underworld by Hades to become a chthonic goddess; and Demeter’s pain, which causes the earth to freeze rendering it fruitless since Demeter is the goddess of earth and fecundity. The painting narratives end with their joyous reunion and the return of spring to the land. When Persephone must return to Hades for six months out of each year, the earth returns to its barren state — symbolic of the power that shoots forth, but then withdraws into the earth. The paintings are supported in free-standing frames that surround the viewer in a large semicircle. Each frame, made from local white pine and maple, was designed and built by woodworker Gary Gyekis. The works were created on three large rolls of canvas, which were traded back and forth between Landis in Pennsylvania and Gyekis in New York. The process took over a full year to create and began with a series of thumbnail sketches laying out the progression of the story. Each piece was created through a belief in the creative process of each other and regard for the intuitive process, which each of them brought to the work. Their strokes of paint surround and overlap each other creating an alchemical magic born of canvas, oil paint, and love of feminine archetypes. Landis and Gyekis’s independent works are aesthetically quite different from each other, but they do explore similar ideas in their personal oeuvres. Both celebrate the power of women in their many roles in everyday life and create these roles by using a variety of visual symbols and mythological nuances. A synergy occurs in the paintings by the combination of the two different yet equally powerful female voices: Landis working in a bold
PHOTO BY CHRISTINA HEINTZELMAN
intuitive spontaneity, and Gyekis creating through thoughtfulness, realism, and mindful execution. Landis describes herself as a “storyteller — a narrative painter. My work develops much like dreams, altering and growing in response to my evolving emotions and visions. I build an environment inhabited by beings who have all the means to be human, alive, and still in a dream.” Meanwhile, Gyekis says her work “is fueled by collaboration, driven towards beauty and preoccupied with the feminine experience. It explores the internal battles faced by women as we confront society’s prefabricated narratives and realize our unique identities.” Landis, a New York City native, has seen her career evolve from poet to fashion illustrator to fine arts. She has taught illustration and design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and illustration for designers at Drexel University in Philadelphia. In addition, she has received artist residencies and fellowships in the United States, Germany, and Ireland. She has taught fashion design workshops at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA, and other design workshops in New Jersey and New York. Her painting workshops take place mostly at Pajama Factory in Williamsport, where she has a studio. Landis’ work was mostly small pieces using subdued colors because of her small New York apartment studio. But her move to a beautiful
9-acre plot on a winding road in Troxelville, PA, along with a barn that has become an at-home working studio opened her up to the large, vibrant colorful celebrations that define her work today. Gyekis earned her BFA in Painting and Ceramics from Penn State and her MFA in Painting at the New York Academy of Art. Her paintings have been exhibited in solo and group shows in this country and Central America and Europe. Gyekis’ work is in private collections in Germany, England, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Brazil, China, and Canada. She has done artist residencies in Romania and France and has taught painting workshops in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Honduras, and Costa Rica. Gyekis also is a muralist for nine murals in State College, Harrisburg, Williamsport, Huntingdon, and Millheim. She has worked on various other community art projects in other locations, such as Toms River (NJ) and the Dominican Republic. She was the artistic director of the “Book Benches of Centre County” public art project in 2014 - 2016. Landis can be contacted through Facebook as Joanne Landis Artist. Gyekis can be contacted through Facebook as Elody Gyekis Artist and her webpage elodyg.com. 7
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Stages of work
Elody Gyekis in her studio
Joanne Landis at work on a panel HARRISBURG HARRISBURGMAGAZINE MAGAZINEAPRIL MAY 2021 41
Taste This
Harry’s Bistro
Website: harrysbistropa.com Address: 1933 Herr St., Harrisburg Phone: 717-412-4562 Open: Monday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Takeout/Delivery Info: Takeout, call ahead Covid-19 Updates: Latest updates for sanitizing; follow all mask requirements Outdoor Dining: Planned for summer
42 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Time in service: Since January Busiest Times: Unpredictable Chefs: Lou Vazquez and two others Most popular dishes: Both old and new menu items have been popular Price range: $5-$12 BYOB Owners: Vazquez family ownership
Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
Spicy Jumbo Shrimp
Sausage and honey
Lou & Anna Vazquez at their music themed diner.
Bistro celebrates the past while pushing into the future Story and Photos By Deborah Lynch
N
ostalgia abounds at the new Harry’s Bistro at 1933 Herr St. From a menu that combines modern cuisine with favorites from the former Harry’s Tavern to musical instruments hanging on the walls and classic album covers decorating the tables to the new location inside a retro silver diner, taking a step back in time becomes a very postmodern thing to do at the new Harry’s following the what’s old is new again idea in a comforting mix with the present. The original Harry’s Tavern, founded by Harry and Mary Touloumes at 1364 Vernon St. in 1949, was bought by Lou Vazquez and others in the mid-1990s before closing in 1996. Vazquez becomes animated when he speaks about the establishment and its loyal customer base that included politicians, steelworkers, truckers, musicians, and people from both shores of the Susquehanna. “My intention was to have the Harry’s followers come here, and to capitalize as one of the last owners,” Vazquez said. By here, Vazquez is referring to the new spot at the intersection of Herr and Arsenal, the site of the former American Dream Diner, which before that was known as the By-Pass Diner because of its location on the route to lead travelers off U.S. 22. The classic silver dining car is a 1953 DeRaffele. Since the DeRaffele company started keeping track in the 1970s, it has built and renovated more than 650 diners; 170 are still open with many located on the East Coast. What Vazquez has found since opening
dlynch@harrisburgmagazine.com
Harry’s Bistro in January is that not only is he bringing in former Harry’s Tavern patrons, but he’s also getting those who knew the American Dream and By-Pass Diner, too. The music theme of the diner also is attracting a following. “A lot of bands come here to eat and reminisce,” Vazquez said. He bought the diner more than a year-and-ahalf ago, and has spent time since then cleaning it up — that involved restoration of the original floor, painstaking cleaning, a complete kitchen renovation, and a bathroom renovation. “It was let go for years. It was so smoky you couldn’t see the color,” Vazquez said, pointing at the pinkish formica ceiling. Friends and family chipped in lots of time to help with the cleanup.
“We’re trying to expand to dinner dishes and specialty dishes. It’s nostalgic for people.” — Lou Vazquez, Harry's Owner The new Harry’s is run by Lou and his daughter, Anna Vazquez. She brings the new to her father’s old. While old Harry’s favorites remain or will return to the menu, Anna brings a flair for more modern tastes — avocado toast, a breakfast burrito, and chorizo dishes, for example. The Harry’s favorites include Harry’s famous cheese fries (with chili), sausage and honey, and spicy jumbo shrimp. Lou was excited to think about bringing back the famous steaks marinated in wine sauce as soon as possible.
“We’re trying to expand to dinner dishes and specialty dishes,” Vazquez said. “It’s nostalgic for people.” He also plans to recycle Harry’s fishbowl drinks, but this time around, since it is now BYOB, that will be drink mixes to go with alcohol customers bring to the table. He also noted that the new Harry’s is musically inspired as he pointed around the joint to the old saxophones, guitars, and a recently acquired box accordion sitting on the counter. Classic album covers of performers like Diana Ross, Willie Nelson, and Frank Sinatra cover the tables. For now, Harry’s hours are 7 a.m.-4 p.m., with both breakfast and lunch menu available. Vazquez can hardly hold himself back to imagine what he hopes is the near future with later hours, steaks, music — indoors and out — and groups reserving what he calls the Recording Studio, a back dining room decorated like an old recording studio, right down to antique lights. Anna is the whiz with music, takes care of the marketing and business side of things for her father as well, and promotes the bistro on social media. “I’m here to support and help,” she said, with a nod to her dad. Postmodernism encompasses a yearning for the past. This philosophy is especially prevalent during times of uncertainty. Harry’s Bistro embraces familiarity while also offering hope to move forward to something better. By mixing the best of both worlds, Lou and Anna Vazquez might just have the perfect elixir for Harrisburg diners. 7
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021 43
Harrisburg Magazine staff reviews of Harry’s Bistro “The shrimp was nice sized in a spicy rub with capers and red pepper flakes. The cocktail sauce was delicious and added even more heat. I have never had a biscuit with sausage gravy before, and the fact that the sausage was chorizo made it all the more interesting. Beef tenderloin tips were done perfectly for my taste (medium rare) and the mushrooms were done to perfection as they still had a slight al dente texture. Is there such a thing as spicy comfort food? If not, I’m starting a new trend!” — Christina Heintzelman, Director of Operations
Steak marinated in wine
“I have never heard of honey sausage before. It was super sweet and spicy and made your mouth water. Even so, it was a tossup between the cheese fries and the shrimp for my favorite because both were amazingly tasty. The crab cakes were exceptional; they made your mouth water. And the sausage and gravy with biscuits was a take on the original white gravy biscuits, but with cheese! ” — Laura Reich, Graphic Designer “The shrimp was cooked perfectly. I loved the spicy cajun flavors, and the homemade cocktail sauce really complemented it. Although I had all of this food before, the flavor profiles for each were different from what I had in mind. The sausage gravy had a smooth creamy texture without being too salty or peppery. The steak was cooked perfectly to my liking (medium rare) and the red wine sauce and mushrooms complemented it very well. The crab cakes had no filler that I could taste or see, and the crab had a fresh flavor. I detected no Old Bay seasoning, which was a nice surprise.” — Mike Jurosky, Account Executive “I never had shrimp with this spice combo -- it was a surprising mix of heat with lemony, olive oil flavor from the capers. Those crab cakes though -- pure crab with a nice hint of spice. The chorizo biscuits are a new take on an old favorite putting me back on the streets of Stockholm after a night out eating chorizo. This is upscale diner food.” — Deborah Lynch, Editor “This was a new place for me to try, and I knew nothing about it previously. I enjoyed the sausage gravy biscuit as it reminded me of breakfasts I had as a young boy. I enjoy spicy food, so this was right up my alley. The beef tenderloin was done perfectly, medium rare. I liked the honey sausage, and the sauce for the cheese fries was great. This was one of the best lunches I have had at the magazine.” — Darwin Oordt, President/CEO “The spicy shrimp was the best ever. The crab cakes were unreal -- real crab, no filler and the tastiest ever. The tenderloin and mushrooms in wine sauce were so tender. This was my favorite lunch; I recommend Harry's to anyone who wants a 5-star meal.” — Jo Ann Shover, Account Executive “The honey sausage was sweet, but still had nice spice notes. The cheese fries were a little globby, but the cheese was tasty. The filet was cooked beautifully, and the mushrooms had the right zing and acidity to cut through the buttery richness of the steak. The chorizo biscuits and gravy were a phenomenal twist on a classic; definitely a must try. If you're looking for a hearty crab cake without all the filler, you have found your spot. Light and savory whole crab pieces are always a must for a divine crab cake and Harry's delivers.” — Don Bair, Account Executive “Hands down the best crab cakes I’ve had in the area. The seasoning was perfect. It doesn’t render its own flavor -- it’s complementary. The earthiness of the mushrooms and the marinade of the red wine pairs beautifully with a tenderloin cooked to perfection.” — Suzi Brown, Account Executive 7
44 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE MAY 2021
Harry’s Bistro’s Signature Cheesy Chorizo Gravy & Biscuits
INGREDIENTS: 1 lb chorizo sausage (casing removed) ¼ cup fat drippings ¼ cup flour 2 cups milk ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese ¼ tsp black pepper ¼ tsp salt
Chorizo gravy & biscuits
FOR SERVING: 12 freshly baked biscuits INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Brown chorizo in a saute pan until cooked through and fat has rendered out. 2. Remove chorizo from skillet, reserving ¼ cup of fat drippings in the pan. Turn off heat to allow the pan to cool slightly. 3. Sprinkle flour in the pan and whisk continually while cooking on medium heat to prevent burning. Cook for 5 minutes (this eliminates the raw flour taste) 4. Slowly add milk to flour mixture, stirring as it is added to prevent clumps. 5. Sprinkle in cheese in batches while continuing to stir. 6. Add chorizo sausage back to the skillet and continue cooking until gravy has thickened, then add salt and pepper to taste. 7. Serve on top of freshly baked biscuits and enjoy!
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