Out & About Magazine - Home Improvement Issue

VOL. 24 NO. 3

MAY 2011

OutAndAboutNow.Com

COMPLIMENTARY

Inside

PLUS: Man vs. Taco • Q&A: WXPN's Roger LaMay Run a 5K this spring • More from our short-story contest China Chi na cab c ine nett and and squ sq irrel nut cr crack acker er fou fo nd d at the An Annex nex Ma M rketpl tplace ace

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N M OMI US N A IK TIO AR NS M DE pg A 14 G E A D DD LIN ON E

A Taste of Little Italy pg 18

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FALL ION T A R T S REGI AY 2 M S T STAR ickly, fill qu Classes er early! st so regi

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May  | O&A

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INSIDE

Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

O&ACONTENTS May 2011 | Vol. 24, No. 3 | www.outandaboutnow.com

FEATURES Publisher Gerald DuPhily Editor-in-Chief Michael “Iago” Pollock

12 UP CLOSE: HOME IMPROVEMENT Whether you’re looking to sell or just want some change, adding value to your home doesn’t require a ton of time or money. Our panel of pros helps point the way. Plus: the benefits of gardening.

25 FOOD & DRINK: MAN vs. TACO Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller Director of Sales Marie Graham Creative/Production Manager Matthew Loeb

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, our O&A correspondent bravely tackles seven tacos in seven days. By Jim Miller

31 SHORT STORY: KILLING THE LIGHTS The second-place winner in this year’s writing contest. By Stephen G. McDonald

42 MUSIC: ROGER LaMAY A Q&A with WXPN’s general manager, who talks about radio, the music industry, and how to beg for money without losing your integrity. By Michael Pollock

Art Director Joy Smoker Senior Graphic Designer Shawna Sneath

DEPARTMENTS 7

Contributing Editor Bob Yearick Contributing Writers Mark Fields, Richard L. Gaw, Pam George Carol Kipp, Robert Lhulier J. Burke Morrison, Larry Nagengast

Out Front

21 Food & Drink 35 Movies 42 Music 49 Nightlife

Contributing Photographers Joe del Tufo, Dennis Dischler Tim Hawk, Les Kipp Tony Kukulich, Matt Urban

57 Flip Page

Special Projects Kelly Loeb, Marie Poot Editorial Intern Arielle From

For editorial & advertising information: (302) 655-6483 • Fax (302) 654-0569 Website: www.outandaboutnow.com Email: contact@tsnpub.com

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4/25/2011 11:32:51 AM

DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES

The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles is now issuing more secure, federally compliant driver licenses and identification cards.

In order to obtain your new driver license or ID card, you will need to collect and bring a few important source documents to provide proof of: s Identity (Name and Date of Birth) s U.S. citizenship/Legal presence s Social Security Number s 2 proofs of Delaware residency s Name change documents (if applicable) You can find everything you need to know at

EDITOR’S NOTE

SecureID.dmv.de.gov

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN.

or call toll free

It’s a trend we see played out in fashion, music, movies, art, sports, food—every area of our lives, really. In marketing, it refers to freshening up a campaign with a well-known idea as the anchor. Take the City of Wilmington’s “in” campaign.

Launched several years ago after much planning and hard work courtesy of ad agency Aloysius, Butler & Clark, the “in” campaign had a lot of fun with just two letters. But they weren’t just any two letters; they were the right letters, the ones that bragged about Wilmington’s status as well as its potential. “In” told us that the city was perfectly located—in the middle of it all—while making the prospect of being here alluring.

The beauty of the “in” campaign is in its adaptability.

In with the Greeks, the Italians, and the Polish; in with loving our pets, neighbors, and restaurants. (Yes, I geeked out over collecting “in” pins as soon as they came out. You didn’t?) But as we know, everything old is new again. The city has recently unveiled a new “in” campaign, focused on our thriving arts community. Where the first “in” campaign made a clever statement, the new campaign encourages action: “Are you in?” it asks. We are, and Wilmington Magazine (on the flipside) has a new look and a dedicated arts-and-entertainment section to prove it.

Speaking of old being new again, check out our cover package this month. Inspired by spring cleaning, we’re looking at the many simple ways you can turn your living place into a new space, with helpful tips from gardeners, realtors, interior decorators, and home-improvement specialists.

Sound familiar?

877-477-7117

Enjoy, and thanks for reading.

Michael Pollock, Editor-in-Chief

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The War

OUTFRONT

ON WORDS

By Bob Yearick

A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to correct some of the most common errors in English usage

Ah, technology—ain’t it great?

Sometimes, new-fangled technology neglects to incorporate old-fashioned grammar.

A couple of examples from readers: •Linnea Goddess, of Wilmington, says the ATM machine at the Union Street PNC Bank tells her, “We appreciate you choosing PNC Bank.”

“Shouldn’t it be,” she asks, “‘We appreciate your choosing PNC Bank’”? Yes, Linnea, it should.

•Geena George, of Hockessin, has noticed that her iPhone automatically puts the period after the quotation marks—“Even,” she says, “when I’ve already put one in before them.” That iPhone must have been manufactured in England, where quotes inside the period are correct.

Media Watch Mispronunciations and misspellings are continuing sources of fodder for “War.” Coupla recent examples from our trusty friends in the media: On his WILM 1450 Saturday morning show, Dace Blaskovitz mentioned that President Obama is beholding to certain groups. The conservative talker thus joins those who think that when someone correctly says “beholden” the speaker is actually dropping the g from beholding, making it beholdin’. He—and they—would be wrong. Beholden means to be obligated or indebted. If you are “beholding,” you are seeing or observing something.

A delawareonline story about the recent basketball-hoop controversy in Radnor Green elicited many responses, including this from “jeepxj12”: “I’m not sure he can just break up the sidewalk and pour a pad in the rightaway without permission from DELDOT.” Have to admit, we have never seen right-ofway spelled in quite that manner before.

www.out-and-about.com

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WORD OF THE MONTH

ersatz

Pronounced ER-zahts, as an adjective, it means serving as a substitute, especially of inferior quality; artificial. As a noun, it means a substitute or imitation.

And finally, sportscaster Dan Patrick, on his nationally syndicated radio show, mentioned the need “to calm down the maddening crowd.”

The idiom is “madding crowd,” and unlike “maddening,” which describes the effect on the observer, “madding” (frenzied) describes the crowd itself. Thomas Gray’s “Elegy in a Country Churchyard” (1749) and Thomas Hardy’s novel Far from the Madding Crowd (1874) helped establish this idiom, especially Gray’s “far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife.”

Conscious of conscience Two readers caught this mistake in the insert that accompanies Delmarva Power bills: “Some environmentally conscience customers may be considering renewable resources.” The word needed here is conscious, meaning aware or mindful. But just as often, the reverse is true, and conscious is used where conscience (the faculty to distinguish right from wrong) is needed, as in this from the Delaware Voice column in the News Journal: “For this reason alone, I in good conscious will never be a participant…”

Department of Redundancies Dept.

BONUS

WORD OF THE MONTH limn Pronounced lim, it means to portray in words, or secondarily, to draw or paint, especially in outline.

Seen a good

(bad) one lately?

Send your candidates to allwriter@ comcast.net.

Maria Hess, newly minted editor-inchief of Delaware Today, heard this on the Food Network show The Best Thing I Ever Ate: “You will be a permanent fan for life.”

Literally of the Month Mike Barnicle on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, speaking about Donald Trump: “He is literally ready to pull the pin on a grenade in two states.” Which means the Donald, not to mention his presidential campaign, will self-destruct. (Barnicle also misused “begs the question,” but hey, everybody does.)

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OUTFRONT

Lighting up the queen

Musicians, arts patrons, and public officials were just a few of those on hand for the unveiling of World Cafe Live at the Queen on April 1. At top left, WCL founder Hal Real (foreground) and local musician Ben LeRoy. At top right, dignitaries including Gov. Markell and Sen. Carper cut the ribbon. Bottom right: The Wilmington Children’s Chorus performs. Bottom right: Tatiana Copeland chats with Francine Covelli. photos by Les Kipp

8 . Out Front

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HEAR WE GO 5K

May 21, 1pm Nemours Mansion & Gardens Benefits clinical and research programs related to hearing loss $20 before May 18; $25 after DE-FEET BREAST CANCER 5K RUN/WALK

May 22, 9am Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth Beach Benefits Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition Also: 1-mile walk $20; $25 after May 13 INAUGURAL MILES FOR MOO MOO 5K

READY, SET, RUN!

A

fter a wet April, May is here, and with it, perfect running weather. While many will be running or cheering at the sold-out Delaware Marathon on May 15, plenty of other races are still open. Lace up and make plans to be at any of the following events this month and early next. All benefit a good cause.

NEW BALANCE SEASHORE HALF-MARATHON & 5K CLASSIC

May 1, 8am Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes Benefits Emily Ritter’s S.T.E.M. Project Half-Marathon: $50 5k Run/Walk: $25 TEAL RIBBON 5K

May 1, 9am Riverfront Benefits Delaware Ovarian Cancer Foundation MATTHEW BOWERS SAVE THE CHILDREN 5K

May 1, 1pm University of Delaware Benefits Save the Children in honor of Second Lt. Matt Bowers $20 for students $22 for all others DOVER MILE

May 5, 5:30pm Individual: $10 before May 5, $15 after Family of 3: $25 until May 5, $30 after Family of 4: $30 until May 5, $35 after RACE AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

May 7, 9am University of Delaware $20 for students $25 for all others ROADY 5K RUN/WALK

May 7, 9am Delaware Tech Benefits Del-Tech’s 2011 Class Gift Adults: $20 Children: $15

May 22, 9am Union City Grille in Wilm.

Benefits International Early Lung Cancer Action Program $18 before May 19; $22 after MEREDITH MIDDLE SCHOOL KICKIN’ IT TO CANCER 5K RUN/WALK

May 23, 6:15pm Everett Meredith Middle School in Middletown Benefits American Cancer Society $10 before May 15; $15 after

FIRST TEE OF DELAWARE 5K

COUGAR CLASSIC 5K FOR BLUE GOLD

May 7, 9am Riverfront Pre-Mother’s Day 5K $18 until May 5, $22 after Students: $15 until May 5, $20 after

May 26, 6:30pm Delcastle High School Benefits DFRC Blue Gold All-Star Game $18 before May 23; $25 after $15 for students before May 23; $20 after

MOMS ON A MISSION 5K

RACE FOR A BETTER DELAWARE 5K

May 8, 11am Brandywine Park in Wilm.

Benefits Delaware Adolescent Program $18 before May 5, $20 after

May 29, 9am Riverfront Benefits Youth Leadership Scholarship Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation $18 before May 25; $22 after $15 for students before May 25; $20 after

DELAWARE ATHLETIC TRAINERS’ ASSOCIATION 5K

May 14, 9am Carousel Park in Wilm. $20 5K FOR MISSION WALK/RUN

May 14, 9am Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church in Wilm.

Also: 1-mile adult walk & kids’-course activities, $5, $18 before May 9, $22 after KIDS KICKIN’ CANCER 5K WALK/RUN

May 18, 6:30pm St. John the Beloved in Wilm.

Benefits the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center $17 for adults $40 pre-registered families $22 day of event INAUGURAL CAMINO LATINO 5K & 1.5-MILE FUN WALK

May 19, 6:30pm Riverfront Benefits the Latin America Community Center $18 before May 15, $25 after $15 for students under 18, $20 after

RUN FOR THE AGES

May 30, 9am Rockford Park Benefits Wilmington Senior Center 5K walk & senior stroll $18 pre-entry before May 26; $22 after HIGHWAY ONE PICTURES 5K

May 30 Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach Benefits Seven Sisters and Two Brothers of Dewey Beach BLUE HEN 5K

June 3, 4, 5, 8:30am University of Delaware 1K Kids’ Fun Run (ages 12 and under) $20 OLD NEW CASTLE 5-MILER

June 4, 8am St. Peter’s Catholic School in New Castle Also: 2-mile fun walk/run $20 before May 28; $25 after

RUN FOR THEIR FUTURE 5K RUN/WALK

May 7, 9am Newark Benefits Adult Action Program $15 for students, $20 all others

www.out-and-about.com

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FREEDOM FROM SEIZURES 5K RUN/WALK

May 21, 9am Brandywine Park in Wilm.

Benefits the Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware $16 pre-entry, $20 day of 9

4/22/2011 2:03:41 PM

Tour de WILMINGTON The Grand Prix bike race returns f you’ve attended a Wilmington Grand Prix before, you know the event is much more than a bike race. If you haven’t attended a Grand Prix before, there’s no better year to see what’s in store.

Race weekend kicks off on Friday, May 20 with the Monkey Hill Time Trial and Party in the Park in Brandywine Park, starting at 4 p.m. (See pg. 51 for more details.) The Grand Prix officially kicks off the following day (May 21) with an opening parade at 10 a.m., followed by racing on six blocks surrounding Market Street. Many downtown bars and restaurants will be holding post-race festivities following the victory celebrations.

On Sunday, May 22, the Governor’s Cup Road Races start at 8 a.m., which take cyclists from the Grand Opera House to Dover and back—nearly 111 miles in all. The 11-mile family-friendly Governor’s Ride gets underway at 10.

Both rides wrap up in front of the Grand Opera House at noon.

For more details, see the flipside of this issue, or go to wilmgrandprix.com.

I

SAVE THE DATE 6.10.11 8 PM - 10 PM $5 BEER & WINE DJS ILLUSIONARY ART

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4/22/2011 5:02:36 PM

WHY DRIVE TO PHILLY?

The Grand offers world-class entertainers right here, plus...afforable tickets, cheap parking & terrific nearby restaurants.

in W il m in ggt o n

LIVE IS BETTER! Javon Jackson May 7 | 8PM | $25

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THEGRAND www.out-and-about.com

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All tickets subject to Box Office service charges.

Artists, dates, times and programs are subject to change.

THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE DELAWARE DIVISION OF THE ARTS, A STATE AGENCY DEDICATED TO NURTURING AND SUPPORTING THE ARTS IN DELAWARE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

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4/22/2011 1:41:06 PM

UP CLOSE

Better Living Through HOME IMPROVEMENT Whether you’re looking to sell or just want change, adding value to your home doesn’t require a ton of time or money.

Take it from the pros.

By Michael Pollock

I

F YOU’RE A HOMEOWNER, we know how much pride you take in your space. “The value that you have in your home is the single most important reason why you own instead of rent a home,” begins an article about home-value improvement found on the website freshome.com.

That said, you’re probably careful about how you maintain that value: working on a limited budget, maybe, and always making sure you get the biggest bang for your buck.

There are still plenty of simple ways to add value to your home. We asked a panel of local realtors and homeimprovement specialists their thoughts on the subject. Their answers were surprising—not only did they offer ideas on what to do, they made some suggestions on what not to do as well.

Surface matters Light cosmetic work goes a long way, says Patterson-Schwartz realtor Dan Devine. “On the budget end, the best value for your dollar is going to be cosmetic. Painting, light contracting work like trim and crown molding, landscaping and keeping your lawn well-maintained—it’s easy to do without putting in much money or

12 . Up Close

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effort. You could paint your whole house for a few hundred dollars, and it adds thousands in value.”

Don’t underestimate curb appeal.

“Mulching your garden beds and putting in flowers are well worth the money,” says Lyman Chen, of RE/MAX Sunvest Realty. (For a slew of gardening and curb-appeal tips, see the story that follows.)

Condition rules This might sound obvious. But put yourself in the place of someone seeing your home for the first time.

“When a buyer has a lot of houses to choose from, he’ll go with the one in best condition,” says realtor Erik Hoferer, of Hoferer & Associates.

Stay on top of maintenance, he says.

“You can tell how the house was maintained when you go through it. Is the paint peeling? Is it clean throughout? Is there moisture in the basement that needs to be removed?

How does the house look, feel, smell— how’s it decorated? It’s the sum of the parts. These are first-impression things, but details matter.” As with most cosmetic work, a little bit of effort can produce a nice pay-off. “Older siding that’s painted fresh makes the May  | O&A

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house look new,” Hoferer says.

For sellers looking to go a step further, consider getting a home inspection before listing a home. “It lets you know what an inspector might find, before you have to make any adjustments,” says Todd Gray, who owns Integrity Remodeling by Design. From there, sellers should consider investing their upgrade dollars in consistency.

“Most new buyers are willing to do one of two things: invest in either the interior or exterior of a house,” Gray says. Spend accordingly. “If you need a new kitchen and a new roof, pick one to redo. There should be uniformity, whether it’s inside or outside the home.”

This sometimes involve cleaning up the mistakes of the builder or any previous owners. Pay attention to drywall and paint clean-up, says Glenn Prechtl, president of the ReDevelopment Co. “You shouldn’t be able to notice any excessive or under-spackling, and there shouldn’t be any paint on finished areas.” Prechtl also suggests looking at hinges, knobs, and electric receptacles and switch plates. “If a builder didn’t focus on these obvious areas, what other items could they be hiding?”

Avoid hoarding Sounds harsh, we know. But the sooner you own up to your hoarding tendencies—hey, we all do it—the better off your home will be.

This is especially important in the selling phase, Grays points out. “I recommend people invest in a storage pod to de-clutter. You want buyers to envision their family in the home.”

It could just take some organization.

“Clutter is a big thing,” Chen says.

“It takes no money to straighten up. If your house is filled with stuff, people might see themselves taking up as much space. Buyers always relate the house to themselves.”

Prechtl recommends converting an attic or a garage into an additional room. “It utilizes existing space that’s already under the roof.”

Freshome.com agrees. “A garage can add usable storage space for the home buyer as well as dry, clean area for parking cars. If your home is on the market, spend time cleaning and organizing your garage so it can be shown. Install garage-wall or ceilingorganizing shelves to fully take advantage of vertical storage and space.” www.out-and-about.com

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If you’re going to invest…

UP CLOSE

…Invest in your kitchen and bathrooms, says Chen. “They’re really the things that distinguish the house.”

Devine agrees. “Anytime you can add an extra bath or half-bath, you’ll attract more buyers.” But he warns to consider the investment carefully. “You might have more potential buyers, but not necessarily higher bids.”

That could hold true for energyefficient features, such as windows, doors, and roofs. (Windows should be replaced about every 15 to 20 years, most realtors agree. “Anything older than that and it’s not energy-efficient,” Gray says.) Says Chen: “Energycompliant appliances are important, but they’re not deal-breakers. They’re more like tie-breakers.” While making your home more environmentally friendly will save on heating and cooling costs in the long run, “you won’t get your money back on big eco-friendly adjustments,” Chen says.

“You might spend $5,000 on those features, but they’re only worth $2,500 to a prospective buyer. Up-to-date kitchens and bathrooms are still key.”

Go used As a final tip, consider resale and consignment shops if you’re redecorating on a budget. “Find a centerpiece in the room and build from there,” says Tracey Aleman, who owns the Annex Marketplace with her husband John. A centerpiece might be something as useful as a bench or dining-room set—mid-century tables and chairs are especially popular right now, John says, due to their limited availability and high demand—or as unusual as a set of colored bottles or a knight in shining armor. (Replica, of course.) Lamps, rugs, bookshelves, art, and lighting make great accent pieces, Tracey says, and their second-hand quality often means great character.

“Go for something unique,” she says “You want to mix the old with the new.”

A worn hutch that’s still in good shape can make a great centerpiece for a room, while an offbeat accent piece,

like this set of antique bottles, can tie a room together in a unique way. (Both can be found at the Annex Marketplace.)

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“BEAUTIFUL DAY” BY: MICHAEL BUDDEN

20

T W E N T Y E I G H T H A N N U A L

IMMACULATA

11

UNIVERSITY

ART SHOW May 13, 2011 Preview Party for Artists, Patrons, and Donors 7 p.m.

Alumnae Hall Tickets are $75

Show: May 14–22, 2011 FREE ADMISSION Saturdays and Weekdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, May 20: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sundays: Noon to 5 p.m.

For more information Call the Art Show Hotline at 610.647.4400, ext. 3133 Or e-mail: www.immaculata.edu/artshow Immaculata University is located between Paoli & Exton just south of the intersection of Rtes. 30 and 352.

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Put together a Co-Ed Softball Team

2

Defeat the Coors Light/ Out & About Team on the field

3

Win $250 and a Half-Page Ad in Out & About (Total Prize Value: More than $1000) IMMACULATA UNIVERSIT Y

TIME FOR ANOTHER BAND TO RISE...

WHO’S NEXT? YOU DECIDE. Nominate Your Favorite Band at Musikarmageddon.com Nomination Deadline: Monday, May 16

ML_Logo_4CP

14 . Up Close

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May  | O&A

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UP CLOSE

How to Build

CURB APPEAL Gardening isn’t just therapeutic—it can bring the right buyer to your home

By Betsy West

Y

ou never get a chance to make a second first impression. This honored dictum in the real estate industry speaks to the role of horticulture and beautiful plants in presenting your home to the world. Whether you’re looking to sell your home soon or thinking about improving its exterior space for the sheer joy of gardening, long-time gardener and Emory Hill Residential realtor Betsy West has practical advice –continued on next page to guide you.

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UP CLOSE

Curb Appeal

–continued from previous page

G

ardens speak volumes about the owners of their homes. Without question, a well planted and attractive garden suggests that a homeowner cares for the home and has maintained it well.

For potential buyers, a garden sets the stage for what to expect within. Buyers who are turned off by a home’s exterior will often decline to look inside. (No showing, no sale.) Statistically, homes that show well sell faster and for more money than market averages. And while there is no set formula for the return on investment at time of sale, landscaping can be a real asset and an amenity that speaks to the soul of the beholder.

So how does a homeowner create a captivating front garden? A good way to start is to stand back and take a digital picture before you dig in. Seeing the space through the eyes of a camera enlarged onto a computer screen is an excellent way to appreciate what is good there and where changes are needed.

LET THERE BE LIGHT. First, find out which direction your space faces and note when sun and shade are on it. Look at the major elements. If a large tree or bush dominates the area or obstructs other important features, consider trimming it so that it’s proportionate to the home. Then ask: Do you need more sunlight? Can you create the sunny planting beds many gardeners are looking for in a new home, or are you content to limit garden choices to shade plantings?

THE RIGHT MIX. Putting together the best selection of plants is two-pronged. First, decide what needs to be cleared—perhaps weeds and scraggly specimens that are either overgrown or plain unattractive. Second, think about the size of your space, what you definitely want to keep, and what you want to add to complete the scene.

Start keeping a list of plants and garden designs you have seen and liked. Armed with this information, look for garden plans wherever you can find them—on internet gardening sites, in magazines, in walking distance of your home.

And take note of neighboring gardens, thinking about how yours might complement those nearby.

As you begin to sketch out your plans, consider what mix of plantings is most effective in other gardens you see: small bushes for evergreen color, ground covers, perennials plants, flowering bulbs. Bring birds and butterflies into your garden with native varieties that support wildlife.

Consider plants with a long season of interest; for instance, shrubs with spring flowers as well as autumn color, or perennial plants that have beautiful foliage after the blooms are finished.

Flowering annuals pack a powerful visual punch and are often the first choice for 16 . Up Close

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containers, but they need to be replanted every year. For the long haul, perennial plants that come back are less-expensive investments and require less maintenance over time.

As you install your plants, think about grouping: lay out plants in odd-numbered arrangements of 3, 5, 7, etc. Placing taller plants at the rear of your garden and clustering similar plants together enhances their impact.

Using curves instead of straight lines softens the appearance of the garden and suggests a more natural space. To frame your gardens, remember that your front door is center stage, so nothing says “Welcome!” like an inviting path with hard-scaping or borders.

CONSIDER THESE POPULAR TRENDS AS YOU PLAN: MOBILE GARDENS are potted plantings that can be moved easily and regrouped for impact.

GROUND COVERS. Replacing lawn with low-growing plants is environmentally friendly and low-maintenance.

TOPIARIES, dwarf trees, and ornamentals ensure visual interest year-round.

WATER FEATURES. Fountains and water gardens are especially hot right now.

TIME MANAGEMENT. Will you do weekend installation or develop your garden over time?

This depends on your budget, personality, and available time. If you’re a new gardener, starting small and manageable is always a good idea. For most of us, gardens are an ongoing, evolving work in progress.

Finally, don’t be afraid to let your personal tastes direct your decisions. Aesthetics and artistic composition will come with time, and the impact of a well-planted and proudly presented garden will be a welcome gift for the next owner. Let your enthusiasm show. It is, after all, your garden.

Betsy West is an Emory Hill Residential realtor and serves on the board of the Delaware Center for Horticulture. She’ll be the guest speaker at the DCH’s “Gardening for Curb Appeal” event on Friday, May 13, during Discover TheDCH Week.

Learn more at thedch.org.

May  | O&A

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Workshops & lectures ...and so much more!

Tuesdays

Discover TheDCH Week | May 6 -15

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN NIGHT

Dig in for some good fun at TheDCH. Find great deals on plants, explore our beautiful facility, and meet friendly people. Whether you’re new to gardening or an experienced green thumb, we have something for everyone. Bring a friend, bring your family, and Discover TheDCH!

$5 PATRON MARGARITAS Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas, Entrees Wednesdays

SUPER PREMIUM VODKAS

½ Price Gray Goose, Belvedere, Chopin, & more. Martinis & Rocks.

Thursdays

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For event list & registration, visit us online

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4/22/2011 1:44:09 PM

A TASTE OF LITTLE ITALY MORE THAN JUST PASTA

May 17th, 18th, & 19th A community wide culinary event held simultaneously at Li le Italy eateries.

PARTICIPATING EATERIES Bangkok House 104 North Union Street (302) 654-8555

Mona Lisa 607 North Lincoln Street (302) 888-2201

Blue Parrot Bar & Grill 1934 W. 6th Street (302) 655-8990 blueparrotgrille.com

Mrs﹒ Robino’s 520 North Union Street (302) 652-9223 mrsrobinos.com

Dead Presidents Bar & Restaurant 618 North Union Street (302) 652-7737 deadpresidentspub.com

Pomodoro 729 North Union Street (302) 574-9800 pomodorowilmington.com

Juliana’s Kitchen 1828 West 11th Street (302)888-1828

Tijuana Taco 1815 Lancaster Avenue (302)777-3565

Kozy Korner 906 North Union Street (302) 658-0812

Union City Grille 805 North Union Street (302) 654-9780 unioncitygrille.com

Luigi Vitrone’s Pastabilities 415 North Lincoln Street (302)656-9822 ljv-pastabilities.com

Walter’s Steakhouse 802 North Union Street (302) 652-6780 walters-steakhouse.com

Madeline’s 531 North Dupont Street (302) 656-4505 madelinesitalianrestaurant.com

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Black Lab Bread blacklabbreads.com Capriotti’s caprio is.com Crimson Moon crimsonmoonde.com El Toro Mexican Food www.eltorode.com Jack Michael Hair Designs M﹒ Fierro & Sons﹐ Inc mfierrocheese.com Papa’s Pastry Shop papaspastry.com Sansones Seafood Market sansonesseafood.com Seymour’s Cleaners Styles Barbershop stylesbarbershop.net The Little Kitchen smalltasteo ome.com Walt’s Flavor crisp chicken waltsexpress.com Yatz Subs & Steaks yatzsubsandsteaks.com

Proceeds to benefit the West End Neighborhood House

WestEndNh.org

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4/22/2011 4:47:34 PM

FOOD&DRINK

Worm Tamer Breaking myths and misconceptions about tequila

By Chip Owens

I

t’s May, party goers, and you know what that means: Cinco de Mayo. The one day a year when we Americans can wear a sombrero and say things like “Ole!” and not get dirty looks. But before you cha-cha-cha up to the bar and order a cerveza—that’s a bottle of beer with a piece of fruit wedged in its neck—why not try something different, like tequila?

For many, the word tequila conjures one of several scenarios: a lime and a lick of salt, a shot glass, and a banging headache; oversized mugs of brightly colored, Slurpee-like margaritas; or the bikerbar dance scene from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. In

other words, it’s generally something to avoid.

However, if you can put aside the myths and misconceptions (and movies) about tequila, you may discover that this Mexican original is anything but undesirable. In fact, in an odd turn of the worm, tequila and its cousin mezcal, traditionally considered mere frat-party lubricants, have become sought-after potables among trendy bohemian bar hoppers and liquor connoisseurs alike.

For good reason. Like small-batch bourbon and single-malt Scotch, finely crafted tequila can be a very subtle and alluring spirit, and it comes with a distinctive pedigree. By Mexican law,

the alcoholic beverage known as tequila must be made from the juice of only one particular type of succulent plant, the blue agave (Agave tequilana azul), produced in one geographically specific area, the state of Jalisco in west-central Mexico.

Tequila makers harvest only the pineapple-like core of the plant (called the pina), which is a member of the lily family and is not a cactus, as is often thought. Then, they chunk the pinas, steam them in an oven, and crush the baked pulp to extract the honey-sweet juice. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be produced anywhere in Mexico, using any of the 400 types of agave plants. And its core is roasted in earthen

–continued on next page www.out-and-about.com

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4/22/2011 4:28:40 PM

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mounds, rather than a metal oven, salty flavors in the best tequilas. which creates an intense smokiness My preference is to sip a pre-supper that differs from tequila’s sweetness. cocktail of Anejo tequila on the rocks, In either case, the agave juice is with a dash of fresh lime juice. It’s a fermented, distilled with water, and simple, elegant way to prepare for the bottled in one of two ways: as pure fiesta of flavors to come. Then, I like to (100 percent) agave or combined with switch to margaritas, but only if made other sugars (up to 51 percent agave) from scratch and poured over ice; the as a “mixto.” The resulting spirit, which premixes are often bitter and too harsh averages about 40 percent alcohol, to accompany a nice meal, and the is usually clear. Additives such as frozen variety numbs the taste buds. caramel, as well as residue from barrelHere are some of my favorites. aging, may impart an amber color.

There are three main types of The El Ultimo distillery offers a tequila: Blanco (or Silver), which is line of tequilas that provides a great usually clear and involves little or no introduction to the agave-based drink, aging; Reposado (or “rested”), which by based on price and flavor. Both their law must spend at least two months in Blanco and Reposado (750ml, $19.99 wooden tanks or casks; and Anejo (or ea.) are better-than-average for first“old”), which is aged in wooden (usually time tasters and are delicious mixed bourbon) barrels for between one in a cocktail, like a Tequila Sunrise. and four years. Blanco and Reposado But it’s the Anejo (750ml, $21.99), tequilas are used primarily for mixing with its mix of caramel, berry, and with other drink ingredients, typically slightly smoky flavors, medium heat fruit juices. The Anejo tequilas, (of short duration), and a on the other hand, are best nice lingering finish that enjoyed neat or poured offers the most value. over ice, like a wellIt’s the Reposado crafted whiskey. that’s the standout Tequila pairs (You can find from Don Julio well with a more in-depth (750ml, $49.99). description of Incredibly soft, Mexican foods the history and with elegant hints Americans love process of tequilaof unexpected making, as well as flavors—dark to eat. some recipes and chocolate, vanilla, serving suggestions, and subtle notes at tastings.com.) of pear, apple, and So now that you know lemon—create a lightly a little more about tequila’s honeyed taste with a silky warm origins and birthright, it’s time for a finish. It’s a personal favorite. Of tasting. But you may be wondering, course, I’ll shout “arriba!” for the Don other than doing shots, what’s the best Julio Blanco (750ml, $44.99) and Don way to enjoy the spirit of agave? At Julio Anejo (750ml, $54.99), too. the table, of course. Whether blended Barreling in oak wood for two years with fruit juices or served straight up, (twice as long as suggested by category tequila pairs well with the “traditional” standards) imbues Herradura Anejo Mexican foods we Americans love to (750ml, $46.99) with both a deep eat on Cinco de Mayo—tacos, nachos, amber color and a complex taste profile quesadillas, chalupas, etc. (Most are (baked agave and dried fruit) that lead about as authentic as Chicken a la King, into a smooth and creamy finish. The by the way.) The complex mixture of Herradura Blanco (750ml, $31.99) flavors—from tangy and fruity salsa and Herradura Reposado (750ml, to savory, smoky bean sauce and spicy $42.99) are similarly nice, with full chiles—are a delicious complement agave aroma and earthy, spicy flavors. to the delicate balance of sweet-andPerhaps the best line of tequila

22 . Food & Drink

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these days belongs to Cazadores.

Its Blanco (750ml, $27.99), distilled from 100-percent blue agave, tastes as clean as it looks and plays well with others, due to its slightly sweet taste and soft finish. The Cazadores Reposado (750ml, $32.99) gets its beauty rest in new, small, American white-oak casks, which offer a taste profile that differs from most other tequilas, which are aged in old, used bourbon barrels. The Cazadores Anejo (750ml, $37.99) is an instant favorite, as well.

Considered the most popular brand in Mexico, the Sauza Hornitos (named for the Spanish “hornos,” the clay agave roasting ovens) brand of tequilas has been making inroads into the U.S. market through aggressive TV advertising. Their best seller, Hornitos Plata (750ml, $22.99), offers a mix of floral and herbal notes, complemented by hints of clove and almond. The 100-percent agave Reposado (750ml, $25.99) is aged for two months in American oak barrels, while the Anejo (750ml, $28.99), with its sweet and toasty oak notes, spends up to 12 months in the barrel.

I recommend trying all three main types, from any of the above brands, poured solo over ice (with and without fresh lime). It’s the best way to find the taste you like.

Chip Owens is the general manager of Premier Wine & Spirits (with locations in the Limestone Shopping Center and next to the James Street Tavern) and has more than 30 years of retail experience. For more, go to premierwinespirits.com.

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Iron Hill ironhillbrewery.com May 4 & 18, June 1: Wilmington Mug Club Appreciation Nights. 5/4: Mexican dishes paired with beer; 5/18: Cheese paired with sour beers; 6/1: BBQ and beer.

May 6: Newark “Beers of Summer” release party. Belgian White, West Coast Golden Ale, and German Pilsner.

McGlynns Pub (Dover) mcglynnspub.com May 4: Dogfish beer dinner. Dogfish beers include Namaste, My Antonia, Sah’tea, Squall IPA, and World Wide Stout. $40/person. Reserved to first 40 seats. 6:30pm.

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4/22/2011 4:31:07 PM

Fish tacos from El Diablo Burrito

Man vs. Taco In one wild week, our O&A correspondent goes loco for tacos at seven Mexican restaurants

By Jim Miller

T

his time last year, I’d met my match. It was a tall order: seven days to take down seven subs. Yet, sure enough, a week and 9 lbs. later, I saddled up my horse and headed off into the sunset, the tombstones of seven subs left behind in the dust.

Little did I know a sequel was following close behind.

Thus, for Cinco de Mayo, this month’s culinary adventure is set south of the (PA/DE) border, at seven local Mexican restaurants. For one week, I tangoed with more than 20 tacos, plus a dozen salsas and hot sauces. This time, the grand finale proves the feast has its beast, too: a high-noon showdown with the notorious tongue taco.

What will it be like to taste what once tasted back?

There’s only one way to find out.

FOOD&DRINK

soft-shells gently warmed on a hardtop grill. Nice touch. Served Mexicanstyle, without lettuce or tomatoes, the chicken has plenty of cilantro piled on. In similar fashion, the steak is cooked with grilled diced onions.

Yet, as good as they both are, the chorizo takes top honors here. It’s full of flavor and spicy without being overbearing.

Day 2: El Diablo Burrito 13 A Trolley Square, Wilm.

When the devil came down to Trolley Square, it was more like heaven on earth. Boasting chef Roger Andrews, the former executive sous chef of 821, El Diablo has won over a legion of fans simply by being creative and consistent.

New on the menu are the fish tacos, which feature a healthy and generous 6-oz. portion of Gulf Stream Mahi-Mahi marinated in olive oil, garlic, and limeand-lemon zest. The result is a moist and citrusy fish that pairs excellently with its in-the-tortilla counterpart, a tasty Jalapeno Honey Slaw.

The slaw also makes a good match with El Diablo’s pulled pork, says Andrews, explaining that their condiments are created to be multi-compatible.

Day 1: La Poblanita 3804 Lancaster Pike, Wilm, Nestled in a little pueblo/strip mall across from the Pathmark on Lancaster Pike, this tiny taco shop quietly serves some of the best authentic Mexican fare around.

Today is all about the tacos, and the chicken, steak, and chorizo make their welcome arrival in slightly buttered www.out-and-about.com

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Day 3: Sante Fe Wilmington 2006 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilm.

The run of gourmet Mexican fare continues at Sante Fe’s Wilmington location, where I ordered the chorizo, carnitas (pulled pork), and pastor (a sweet and somewhat spicy mix of pork with pineapple).

Although the chorizo is relatively mild, especially compared to La Poblanita’s, the other two offerings are absolutely stellar, particularly the pastor, and for good reason.

Owner Javier Hacuna reveals that the pastor pork marinates overnight in a mix of onion, garlic, cinnamon, dried guajillo, and other chiles, soaked in Jarritos apple-soda base.

The next day, while the pork slowcooks on vertical rotisserie-style stakes, juice from a halved-pineapple slowly drizzles down from above and is soaked up by the roasting meat.

Day 4: Lime Tequila Bar & Grill 1717 Delaware Ave., Wilm.

Although Lime offers a quaint and cozy bar where you can grab an after-work Margarita with co-workers or friends, the kitchen can crank out some surprisingly tasty dishes, marrying typical tavern-type favorites with imaginative Mexican flair. For instance, the Crispy Shrimp—their version of a fried favorite—is instead dusted with corn meal and served with a cilantro-garlic aioli.

The fish tacos are another good example. Juicy, citrus-marinated cubes of Mahi-Mahi, along with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes and onions, come served in a flour tortilla coated with a slight layer of melted cheddar.

Topped with a chipotle crema, this taco conjures sensations of a flavor fiesta for the palate. It’s a refreshing, delicious, and healthy treat.

–continued on page 27

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4/25/2011 12:38:00 PM

A TASTE OF LITTLE ITALY Here, We’re All Family A Taste of Little Italy keeps the culinary creations—and event proceeds— in the neighborhood

I

t’s not like you need an excuse to dig into this year’s Taste of Little Italy. The fourth annual culinary showcase, running May 17-19 across 26 restaurants and food shops in Wilmington’s Little Italy neighborhood, features not only great Italian fare, but great cuisine from other cultures as well, including Thai, Peruvian, and Mexican. (That’s right: ATOLI isn’t just pasta.)

Offering g

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In addition to the eats, street entertainers—fire dancers and fatherand-son singing act the Logue (performing Sinatra and Frankie Valli covers) among them—and artists will be set up at various locations, such as the corner of Eighth and Sixth streets on Union and between Sixth and Seventh on North Lincoln.

But those aren’t the best reasons to be at A Taste of Little Italy. That has to do with the proceeds, which, in a unique twist for fundraisers, go directly back into the neighborhood that hosts the event.

A Taste of Little Italy benefits West End Neighborhood House, the 125-year-old nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency. Last year, West End served more than 9,000 people in employment and job training, GED preparation, crisis alleviation and emergency assistance, HUD-certified housing counseling, childcare, youth development, and many other areas of personal sustainability.

West End also collaborates with other social-service agencies to offer these programs, a measure that increases their range of services while keeping overhead costs low. (The nonprofit has capped its management costs to below 13 percent for more than a decade.)

Per ATOLI tradition, the event kicks off the Friday before (May 13) with a community-wide food contest, featuring both professional and home chefs who will whip up their best raviolis.

For more info and a full list of this year’s participating restaurants and food shops, see pgs. 18 and 19.

Contact Us Today to Find Out More: 302-661-0161 DE • 610-497-5763 PA SuburbanWasteServices.com 26 . Food & Drink

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Man vs. Taco

– continued from page 25

Day 5: Morelia Mexican Restaurant & Bar 4617 Route 4, Omega Shopping Center, Newark Colorful Mexican décor and traditional Mariachi music add to the warm and friendly ambiance of Morelia.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen—as Glenn Frey would say—the heat is on. If you’re a fan of foods with fire, you’ll enjoy Morelia’s chorizo taco, which, when all’s said and done, ranks as the spiciest dish of the week.

Meanwhile, the chicken and steak tacos on the daily menu lend themselves to Mexican fare of more universal appeal, which is one of the many reasons why this restaurant is a favorite among the medical staff of nearby Christiana Hospital.

Day 6: The Mexican Post 3100 Naaman’s Road, #14, Wilm.

My Don Quixote-like quest for tacos brings me to the Mexican Post, where I rendezvous with a combination of both flour and corn shell tacos with chicken, pork, and beef. Although similar to Sante Fe in atmosphere and presentation, the menu is not nearly as adventurous.

But what can I say? The food is good.

Stuffed with fresh, shredded strips of lightly marinated chicken, as well as lettuce, tomato, and onions, their chicken taco was the heartiest I tried in that category all week. And although it wasn’t part of the mission, the flavorful butterfly shrimp, offered in entrees like the fajitas, also deserves lofty status. Riding shotgun with the meal is a homemade salsa that’s a delicious mix of sweet tomato flavors, mild cilantro, and semi-spicy heat.

Sure, no one’s reinventing the wheel here. But if it’s solid Mexican standards you crave, it’s worth stopping in.

bushwhacked? Whatever you want to call it, this wasn’t what I pictured when I signed up for this round-up.

That being said, once I got past the idea of what I was eating, it really wasn’t that bad. In some circles, tacos de lengua are considered somewhat of a delicacy.

To me, the taco meat tastes very much like pot roast: moist and tender. Among the four, I ranked it third: just below the steak, but better than the pastor.

So, you ask: Did the experience broaden my horizons?

Not sure. But I’m open to another possible tongue taco sometime in the future. Just not next week.

For now, dusk has come and I’m packing up my horse en route to the next horizon, a bottle of Tums in my saddle pocket.

Buenos dias, mi amigos! Until we meet again…

Here H ere Comes tthe Sol...

The Taste. The Vibe. South Beach.

Day 7: Tijuana Taco Shop 1815 Lancaster Ave., Wilm.

For years, this establishment has prospered from the buzz of being “that Mexican place” close to the intersection of Lancaster and Union. To locals, it’s a longtime favorite. For me, on Day 7, it becomes a place of battle, the final showdown.

[Cue theme music from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.]

On the plate were four tacos: one chicken, one steak, one pastor, and the other…cow tongue. Or, as they say in Mexico, “la lengua.”

Yes, this was a surprise. A week of Mexican food was near completion, then stormed in this gang of banditos.

I’d been ambushed—or was it www.out-and-about.com

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4/22/2011 4:35:57 PM

FOOD&DRINK

5 Questions About International Wine

WITH SOUFIANE LAILANI

by Jim Miller

I

t’s not everyday that one associates the Golden State of California with the exotic African country of Morocco. But speak with local gourmet-food guru Soufiane Lailani and you get the impression the two places are continental cousins.

His premise comes with an intriguing hook: Because both California and Morocco are coastal areas that share similar geographic, geologic, and meteorological attributes, they’re both prime locations in which to grow grapes.

Wine grapes, that is.

Of course, this view isn’t exactly a widely held notion. Yet. Which is just the point, says Lailani, who would rather lead the next trend rather than follow it. In charge of East Coast marketing for Exotic Imports, Lailani looks to bring Moroccan wines to American wine glasses.

Being born in Morocco, Lailani came to the United States almost 20 years ago with the necessitated ability of speaking several languages. Today, however, it could be said that the vernacular of choice for the Wilmington entrepreneur is the international language of cuisine.

Formerly the executive director of sales for Alili, an awardwinning gourmet-foods provider that imports goods such as olive oil, honey, spreads, and condiments, Lailani proved years ago that there is a market for Moroccan products in this country (as well as in Canada, Germany, and France, where Alili continues to grow).

Here’s what he has to say about his latest venture.

The offerings of Morocco, in terms of cuisine and wine, are relatively new to the U.S. market. What’s it like for you, bringing in products from the country in which you were born and possibly leading the next big wine trend?

My mission has always been to expose people to food and beverages from Morocco and that area of the world. Morocco has amazing wines. The country has been producing wine for more than 2,500 years. And the people know how to enjoy wine, too. Morocco produces 40 million bottles a year, but currently exports just 4 million bottles. So in terms of importing, there is tremendous room for growth.

28 . Food & Drink

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The other part is that many of the varietals we represent are 100-percent single-varietal. Of course, we also offer the highend blends as well. And we have the exclusive importing right to Morocco’s best high-end wines for the next several years.

How does a certain region—whether it’s Morocco, Chile, or Australia—suddenly soar to prominence on the international wine map?

It’s all about education: People feel like they’re getting more than just a glass of wine. It’s similar to music. Everyone wants to hear what the next big thing is. For wine enthusiasts, it’s the next big winery or the next big region for wines. It’s all about discovery.

Did your experiences with Alili give you an indication that Americans are truly ready for Moroccan cuisine and wine?

America’s palate has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. When I first moved here in 1993, you couldn’t get a decent cup of coffee. Now look at all the choices. There’s a fascinating book called The United States of Arugula that talks about this phenomenon. Most people hardly knew what arugula was 20 years ago. Now it’s considered a primary ingredient in many salads. As a country, we are becoming more and more interested in gourmet offerings. The popular chefs you see on TV? They’re the rock stars of today.

Where are your wines currently available in the U.S.?

Our wines recently became available in Texas, Illinois, California, and Colorado. In California, we’re now in Nobu, and in Colorado we’re in some of the premier venues in Aspen.

We’re also looking to do private labels for select destinations like the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Of course, I’d like to see our wines here in Delaware soon, too.

Chicago is a big food town, so Illinois makes sense. But Moroccan wine in Texas? Is that a stretch?

You’d be surprised. We just completed a tour of Texas. Dallas is impressive when it comes to food. And when you go to Austin and see the restaurant scene firsthand, you think you’re in San Francisco. In that way, there are a lot of similarities with Texas and California when it comes to food trends.

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SHORT STORY

KILLING the Lights elluva thing,” the cop says.

“Losing your house over light bulbs.”

The police are collecting boxes of bootleg incandescents. My wife had helped me manufacture them in the basement of our now-burning Tudor.

I recognize the cop— Collins—but she doesn’t recognize me. Last time we met, I was wearing a suit while arguing before a judge.

Now all I have on are flannel pajama pants and handcuffs.

A competitor must have ratted us out. The cops raided us in full assault gear, pulled me and Kim out of bed. I guess we did enough business to be considered traffickers because they’d been able to get a nighttime

“H

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warrant. The kids were taken out and handed to a woman I assume was from Family Services.

I knew to remain silent, and they just sat me on the curb. Kim’s former life as a schoolteacher hadn’t prepared her for arrest. She cursed and spat at the cops like a third-grader off his Ritalin until they’d shoved her into the back of a cruiser.

She screamed at me, “Look what they’re doing! How can you be so calm?”

I’m not calm. I just look that way when I’m thinking.

Still, I was glad they drove her and the kids away quick.

My family didn’t need to see our house burn, feel its heat against their faces as I do.

Even from across the street, warm as an autumn sunset.

By Stephen G. McDonald

Light-bulb filaments are tungsten—it takes a lot of heat to work that metal.

Our shop wasn’t exactly up to OSHA standards. No doubt a storm trooper had knocked into something, and the place had caught.

Or maybe they’d just torched it to send a message.

We packaged a shipment yesterday, and stored it in the garage. The fire takes its time spreading there, and so the cops are able to save the evidence.

Neighbors are gathering in the street. Some of them had been our customers. Now they’re just spectators to the morality play: You don’t want this happening to you.

Collins is holding a tactical shotgun, which is

SECOND-PLACE WINNER

31

4/22/2011 5:11:24 PM

Killing the Lights

–continued from previous page

at the memory. Collins takes it as an what you give patrol oďŹƒcers so they can seem hardcore during these SWAT ops. invitation for further commentary. “You look familiar,â€? she says. They’ve “What happened to you?â€?

Simple. A lot of people don’t like already Mirandized me, so I know that being told what they can and can’t anything I say can and will be used buy. Other folks don’t like compact against me, etc. But I haven’t invoked my right to counsel yet, mainly because uorescent bulbs. After all, the oldI can’t bring myself to speak, so the fashioned incandescents—you know, the bulbs Edison came up with—didn’t cops can still talk to me. “You used to give your home’s interior the same be in the AG’s OďŹƒce. Steve, right?â€? ambiance as a truck-stop I’m impressed “You used to be one bathroom. Just because she remembers, but I don’t say anything of us, Steve. A good someone says the ban’s to her. I’m still guy. But you broke necessary to stop global thinking. The next warming/cooling/climate the trust. Look change, doesn’t mean that few moments are what happens,â€? people believe it, or that going to determine the rest of my life. she says, gesturing the demand goes away. her; Collins does Other people’s, too. at my house with herBless Collins can’t take best to get me to talk. her shotgun. “You seemed so together. a hint. I remember How’d you go from her being chatty. prosecutor to criminal?â€? “We had some Kids need to eat, decent schooling misdemeanor domestic-violence trials costs money, and when ination turns together, right? You were still new to your savings into Monopoly money, the oďŹƒce, and I was pretty rookie, too.â€? you’d be surprised what kind of careers I liked those days, getting to be you’ll suddenly ďŹ nd yourself open to. the good guy. Despite myself, I smile

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Besides, I’d gone to law school to beat up on criminals. Who’s the real felon: the man breaking a stupid law, or the man writing it? “Some guys in my platoon did heavier cases with you. They always said you did a good job,� she says.

The nice thing about being a prosecutor is the variety. Robberies, assaults, homicides. Learning about ballistics, seeing how computer forensics can strip a computer, how cell phones can be tracked—it’s all interesting stu. Even the mundane protocols of smuggling drugs and weapons and the ins-and-outs of gang recruitment are fascinating. I used to joke that the best way to learn how to be a criminal was by prosecuting them. “I remember hearing you did a case involving bombs,â€? Collins says.

It was just a single bomb, a college student more interested in the challenge of making explosives than with any real aspirations of being the next Timothy McVeigh. The kid’s design specs were so complex they were practically artwork.

I had them copied and framed as a gift to my father. He’d been a combat engineer, so he appreciated the gag.

Those specs are still safely at his house, while all my family photographs burn.

Now she pretends to be my psychiatrist. “Something must have set you o,â€? she says.

I’m sure something did, but the funny thing is I have no idea what.

When did it really start? In 2007, when the ban was passed, and no one was even paying attention? In 2013, when it went into eect? The year after that, when I had my ďŹ rst bulb-dealing case? Or maybe a little later, when Kim got pregnant with our third child and I wasn’t sure how we’d cover the extra mouth and the mortgage? Sometimes it’s hard to pin down life’s turning points.

My mind churns. The lack of conversation hurting her feelings, she cuts into me, “Isn’t it kind of silly? Losing all this over something so minor?�

I’d been selling them for $75 apiece, but she has a point. It is silly. So is pointing guns at people over it.

Fire engines ďŹ nally show. It’s been, what, 20 minutes? They can tell you how to light your home, but the May ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

4/22/2011 2:15:12 PM

fire department comes with all the timeliness of a day-old newspaper.

“Not going to be fun for you,” Collins says. “Trafficking has a oneyear minimum—mandatory. There are probably some people you sent inside that would be anxious to see you.”

They won’t plea me to anything other than the trafficking and its minman sentence, either. The Usual Gang of Idiots running things can’t do anything about 15-percent unemployment or gasoline at five bucks a gallon. But they have to show the electorate that they’re capable of doing something right.

So if the only thing the government can do halfway competently is police black market bulbs, then by God, black market bulbs shall be policed.

“You used to be one of us, Steve.

A good guy. But you broke the trust.

Look what happens,” she says, gesturing at my house with her shotgun.

Ah, now I understand her anger.

Not sure I’m the one that broke the trust, though. I don’t think we were meant to regulate everything down to illegal illumination. I mean, if they don’t trust you with the small stuff, how much longer will they let you decide big things for yourself?

Collins must see it differently, because she’s laughing now. Laughing at me as ash carries gently on the breeze like Christmas snow. “Just think about it, Steve. Your wife will probably draw the same sentence, and no telling where they’ll place your kids while you guys are locked up. Insurance won’t pay for the fire, given all the dangerous equipment you guys had in the basement.”

I stare as the roof falls in with a plume of dancing embers.

Collins whistles. “There it all goes. Because you couldn’t get with the program.”

And I realize she’s right.

Look how much I’ve lost.

But here’s the thing: If I was willing to risk so much over so little, what might I be willing to do now that you’ve taken my wife and my home and my children?

A year in jail—a lot of time to plan.

Not to mention the street cred it’ll give me when I begin recruiting.

That’s when I stop thinking about it, and make my decision.

It’s an exquisite moment, going from criminal to terrorist. www.out-and-about.com

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MOVIES

A Bride Too Far Saturday Night Live’s Kristen Wiig creates her own star vehicle with mixed results

By Mark Fields

ID E S M AID

2

S

BR

STARS

MEMO To: Kristen Wiig, star, co-writer, co-producer From: Mark Fields, Out & About movie critic Re: Bridesmaids

K

risten, darling, first of all, you need to know that I really, really, Sally-Field-really like you on Saturday Night Live with all your great recurring characters, especially that hysterical film-reviewing Aunt Linda. But, based on my experience watching Bridesmaids, there are a few important things you need to know as you make your foray into the world of movies.

Lesson 1: There’s a big difference between sketch/situation comedy and full-length movies. What’s hilarious for five minutes very late on a Saturday night isn’t automatically funny for two hours at a Sunday matinee at the cineplex. Obvious point, yes, but lots of SNL performers before you have made the same mistake. A movie requires more than a wacky premise and

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a character who’s nothing more than a couple of quirks. It probably doesn’t help to surround yourself with talent that all came from sketch and situation comedy, such as your director Paul Feig (The Office) and co-stars Maya Rudolph (also of SNL), Megan McCarthy (Mike and Molly), and Wendi McClendonCovey (Reno 911!). They do not know any better than you.

Lesson 2: You should try at least to have characters and settings make sense. It’s weird, confusing even, for a cake baker in Milwaukee to have two roommates with thick British accents. Similarly, if your love interest is supposed to be a Wisconsin state cop, you might want to explain why he has a colorful but out-of-place Irish brogue.

Otherwise, we spend time wondering about that instead of paying attention to you.

Lesson 3: Awkward is only funny for so long. Maybe this problem is a symptom of being in SNL sketches that always seems to go on too long, but a

–continued on next page 35

4/22/2011 3:50:53 PM

A Bride Too Far

– continued from previous page

character’s awkwardness doesn’t keep getting funnier and funnier. After a while, it’s just…awkward. Which leads me to my next point.

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Lesson 4: The audience wants to sympathize with somebody, usually the perky star. Strange, but when we spend a few hours with a group of characters in a movie, we want to like some of them. Most of the time, I really enjoyed your Annie, especially her relationship with her friend Lillian (Rudolph). But when she so obviously demeans herself in a dead-end relationship or goes over-the-top mental at a bridal shower, we just want to run the other way.

Oh, and one more lesson before I close. Nothing aggravates the moviegoing public more than pretty people acting like they are plain and dumpy.

We recognize plain and dumpy from our bathroom mirror, and it looks nothing like you.

In summary, Kristen, you’re naturally funny, appealing, and you may have the chops for a career in movies, but you’ve got to bring your A-game if you want to make it in the big leagues. Bridesmaids, honey, isn’t even close.

Cat’s Entertainment

T

he third feature released from the new DisneyNature production unit, African Cats tells the story of two feline mothers—one a lioness, the other a cheetah—as they face the challenges of live on the Kenyan plains.

The imposed “story” overly humanizes the cats’ behavior, and the script (narrated by Samuel L. Jackson) is too often trite and cloying. Sanitized for your protection by Disney, the carnivore-centric film is strangely bloodless, focusing more on the chasing of the prey than on the kill.

Yet the film entertains its target demographic of children, and the photography of both these regal creatures and their wilderness environment is nothing less than exquisite.

Burning Down the House

By Mark Fields Home improvements don’t always go so improvingly, as evidenced by this DVD festival of house-related movies.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) Cary Grant is at his screwball best in this vintage comedy about the challenges of custom home-building.

The Money Pit (1986) An update of the above Blandings story, with Tom Hanks and Shelly Long, except someone forgot to install the humor.

Up (2009) A crusty old man decides to visit South America and floats his house along with him, as well as a spunky young stowaway. A beautiful but thin Pixar film.

Gone with the Wind (1939) I think Scarlett, played by Vivian Leigh, loves Tara (the mansion) even more than she loves Rhett (Clark Gable).

Tamara Drewe (2010) Stephen Frears directed this quirky Brit-com based on a graphic novel. Tamara (Gemma Arterton) re-does her face, redoes her home, and wreaks accidental havoc on her small English town.

Animal House (1978) Classic college comedy starring John Belushi, Tim Matheson, and a hilariously “lived-in” frat house, but was that really 33 years ago?!

Swiss Family Robinson (1960) The very best tree house…ever!

House of Sand and Fog (2003) Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connolly fight over a beautiful beach home with tragic consequences for all.

Monster House (2006) An overlooked animated comedy riffs on the many, many “evil house” horror films that I somehow left out of this list.

36 . Movies

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4/22/2011 3:52:41 PM

Presented by

Bob Hickok

AT WINTERTHUR

Photos: Jim Graham and

Sunday, May 8

E

njoy glorious steeplechase racing at this year’s Point-to-Point. Join us for a full day of nonstop fun and festivities, set amidst the splendor of Henry Francis du Pont’s Winterthur estate. Pack a picnic lunch or tailgate spread and get ready to enjoy one of the Brandywine Valley’s most stylish sporting events!

For complete details and to purchase admission, call 800.448.3883 or visit winterthur.org/ptp. Trackside tailgate parking spaces and tailgate guest wristbands are available by calling 302.888.4994.

Advance sales only. Rain-or-shine event. No refunds. All wristbands must be purchased by May 7. Adult general admission $30 (March 1–April 29); $50 (April 30–May 7). No tickets will be mailed after April 29. Children under 12 free. Discount for Winterthur Members.

Proceeds benefit the continued maintenance and preservation of the Winterthur Garden and estate.

Purchase your Point-to-Point general admission at any of the following locations:

Brew Ha Ha! 3842 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807 302.658.6336

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ShopRite Supermarkets 501 South Walnut Street Wilmington, DE 19801 302.225.6900

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5_Inside.indd 10

4/22/2011 3:43:24 PM

W T H G I L D U B S ’ IT FO Y D A E R T E G

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4/22/2011 3:47:08 PM

!

T S I W T A H T I W T

E! M I L T H G I L BUD H T I W Y A D ORIAL M E M R O F DY Centerspread_may11.indd 3

4/22/2011 3:47:30 PM

DSL is dedicated in memory of Richard Embry Downing Sr. and d his legac legacy g yo gac off friendship, fun, and love.

DELAWARESPORTSLEAGUE.COM D E L AWA R E S P O R T S L E AG U E . C O M

age s s e M om fr ...

D y Bobb his one is to the members themselves. Those of you that have been following my Facebook or paying attention at the games, you know that this has been an emotional start to the Spring for me. I lost my grandfather March 31st. However, one of the things that really helped me pull through that was how much he loved when I shared DSL with him. In those last days we spent a lot of time talking about fun, games, and what they have meant to him in his life. He even shared a piece about their childhood that my great uncle Bubby wrote and it was all about the games they played!

You have all kept that alive. In what we do with DSL I am able to find peace and happiness that I was so lucky to have him in my life and through one another we are able to celebrate perhaps the most important lesson that I learned from my grandfather…friendship, love and fun are the most important things in life. That is what you remember in the end (and I was there). You have all done that for me and for each other and I hope that this Spring and Summer we continue to do just that.

In memory of my grandfather let’s make this season one of friendship and fun...

Monthly Highlights...

WILMINGTON KICKBALL: Our biggest season yet is under way! A sold out number of 64 teams have joined to get this party started. Congratulations to our returning champions Slow Rollers and Knocking Boots as they look to hold on to their Spring Kickball Championships. Also watch out for the new look CR Hooligans team as Amy has a new surprise for the league.

WILMINGTON WIFFLE® BALL: Baseball season is upon us and so is the swinging of the WIFFLE® bats. The fields are lined and the homerun fences are up. We have Sean Crumb crowing at everyone on the field and once again Eric Cranny and his crew crushing balls right and left. Ahhhh…SPRING! DSL MONDAY BOWLING: Let’s just face it, Scott had to work beer pong in there somehow and he was able to do it this season with Bowling Pong as one of our side games…I mean does it get any better than Bowling & Beer Pong? OK so maybe we didn’t play with beer but it was still fun! Congratulations to Dry Bumpers who narrowly edged out Wild Turkey’s for the Winter Bowling Championship!

Coming In May: First ever Outdoor Grass Volleyball On The Riverfront!

DSL Spring & Summer Kickoff Party At Logan House

DSL CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL: A new season of Flag Football is upon us as the Fall Champions (Show me your TD’s) and the Winter Champions (Fallopian Swim Team) hope to grab another title, unless another team has something to say about it.

YMCA CO-ED BASKETBALL & VOLLEYBALL: It was quite a season but in the end we pulled it off and got the season completed! By working together we made it happen and we are proud to announce Hardcore Sets as our YMCA 2011 Winter Coed Volleyball Champions and Delaware Hoosiers as our YMCA 2011 Winter Coed Basketball Champions!

XX . MUSIC

DSL_Full_Mayl2011.indd 1

Register Today:

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It is the policy of Delaware Sports League that all members and/or those participating in Delaware Sports League games, events and/or outings must be 21 years of age or older. Neither athletic ability nor the consumption of alcohol is a requirement to participate in Delaware Sports League games, events, or outings. This is about the people, not the party. The only MAY 2008 | O&A XX requirement is that you are open to all people, treat them well, be safe with yourself and others, and have fun!

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4/22/2011 3:07:56 PM

MUSIC

Q&A:

ROGER LAMAY The WXPN general manager and Phillies super-fan on radio, the music industry, and how to beg for money without losing your integrity

By Michael Pollock How did you get your start in radio?

I started doing radio in college. I was the first general manager of our FM station at Skidmore in Saratoga Springs, New York. The call letters were actually WSPN. I joke that 40 years later, I’ve only changed one consonant.

After college, I got a job as a country-western disc jockey in Santa Fe, New Mexico. That was my first commercial job. When I got there, the guy who owned the station said, ‘You look and sound like a Kennedy.

I want you to use the name Roger Kennedy on the air.’ [laughs] It must’ve been the New England accent, I don’t know. [LaMay, who’s 57, grew up in Connecticut.]

Then I moved into television

XX . Music

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May  | O&A

4/22/2011 2:21:19 PM

news for 25 years, working all over the country—Maine, Los Angeles, New York. I came to Philadelphia in 1985, right after Live Aid, to start a news department at Channel 29—long before there was a Fox. I was there for 12 years, and then Fox bought the station, and I became general manager for another six years.

I thoroughly enjoyed my career in TV. I covered news events all over the world. But commercial TV was becoming less and less fun. I had gotten involved with WXPN as a listener, and I was on their advisory board. We also did some underwriting for them. One of my jokes was that one day I was going to chuck the TV thing and go work for XPN. I never thought it was a possibility. But then the GM position opened up about eight years ago, and they asked me to find someone.

I thought, ‘Oh, they’re calling my bluff.’ So I got the position, and my first project was finding a new home for the station, which we did by partnering with World Cafe Live and rehabbing the building we’re in now [in Philadelphia].

Your career in radio started in the late ’70s, which was still king when it came to breaking new music.

Oh, yeah, it was one of the golden times for commercial radio. But that’s long gone.

What’s the biggest change from when you started?

Well, I think even though commercial radio was always commercial radio, it was, at least in part, about the music, and musical discovery. And for a whole variety of reasons—corporate

consolidation, the digital revolution, the business of radio—commercial radio is just about selling widgets, and the programming is the stuff they put in between.

The passion’s gone out of it.

Do you still see radio as a place where new and bubbling artists can break through?

Absolutely. But only in a handful of stations, and almost exclusively at public stations. I think what’s happened is the XPNs of the world have become increasingly important.

It’s one of the few sort of mass-media places where new artists and unsigned artists can still get played.

It’s where working, veteran artists who had their big commercial success early on can still get played, because the commercial stations just play their old stuff. Even a mega-huge star like Bruce Springsteen—when he did the Pete Seeger album, it only got played on stations like XPN. Commercial stations wouldn’t touch it. And he’s as big as they come.

It’s been a few months since Arcade Fire shocked everyone with their Grammy win for Album of the Year. Do you see that as a Nirvana moment, where the arm is reaching out of the underground a bit?

Yes and no. I think it reflects the energy and creativity that’s coming out of the indie-rock scene today, which is terrific. I think it’s also a reflection of how decentralized the whole music industry has become.

The mainstream and the major labels have sort of lost their grip on things. And now we see the Grammys

trying to whittle down their number of categories, as a way to recapture that, which, on the surface, at least, seems kind of pathetic, because they can’t put the genie back in the bottle. So I think it’s a positive reflection of where the creativity is, but it also shows what’s happened to the music industry, and how nobody really has a grip on it now.

The double irony, and this kind of parallels what we’re talking about, is the Amos Lee album this year [Mission Bell].

It was No. 1 on Billboard the week it came out, which is amazing—here’s a local guy who bubbled up out of XPN, and he’s No. 1 for a week. But it was also the lowest sales total for a No. 1 record ever.

[The album sold 40,000 copies in its first week.]

MUSIC

What are some things you listen to that don’t get played on XPN because of the station’s format?

I’d say because of the breadth of what we play, the station covers a good portion of my waterfront.

If anything, I tend to go deeper into things we play. I’ve been totally captivated by this live Bob Marley recording [Live Forever] that just came out.

We don’t get to play full albums, so I really welcome the opportunity to dive into those.

I’m also a little twangier than what we play on XPN. We don’t play a lot of country- and bluegrassflavored music, so I play a lot of that, which stems from my start at a country-western station, playing Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson and those guys.

continued on next page

43

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4/22/2011 2:21:38 PM

Q&A: Roger LaMay

– continued from previous page

Coming this month

BULLBUCKERS

Saturday, May 21 Doors 8pm/Show 9pm

Upstairs at World Cafe Live at the Queen

We’re a quarter of the way through 2011. Give us some albums that have really captured your attention this year.

That Bob Marley live album, which is from one of his last shows. I’m also really big on this Middle Brother album. It’s this one-o project with the guys from Dawes, Deer Tick, and Delta Spirit. It just has really great songs on it. I’m also really into the new Bright Eyes record [The People’s Key]. And I like the Jessica Lee Mayfield record [Our Hearts Are Wrong, produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys]. She’s good, and it’s really well-produced.

We put this question to Hal Real [owner of World Cafe Live], and now it’s your turn. You’re on a desert island that somehow has a stereo, and electricity, for that matter. What ďŹ ve records have to be there?

J

oin us for the lively reggae, soul, and ska sounds of Wilmington’s own Bullbuckers, a show that holds the privilege of being the band’s release party for their much-anticipated debut CD. Dubbed “the livest� band in Delaware by WVUD’s DJ Thorro, the Bullbuckers won Spark Magazine’s 2009 Summer Series, in their first year playing together. Since then, the band has had the honors of sharing the stage with national acts such as The Wailers, Robert Randolph, Trombone Shorty, The Slackers, and Cherry Poppin’ Daddies.

With the new release, their link to nationally-recognized acts continues, with the addition of Kirk Joseph, co-founder of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, on sousaphone on multiple tracks. “A fusion of soul-searing and foot-stomping music - ska like you’ve never heard it (unless you were living in the Islands in the 60s), soul and a tinge of hip-hop. It’s a Wilmington sound that has roots - and fans - round the globe.� – The Examiner

ALSO AT WORLD CAFE LIVE THIS MONTH Every Monday Night: 4W5 Acoustic Jam Every Tuesday Night: Acoustic/Electric Open Mic Every Wednesday Night: 4W5 Blues Jam 5 – Bronze Radio Return 6 – Charlie Hunter Trio 7 – Spokey Speaky 12 – Splintered Sunlight 13 – Richard Julian 14 – Apex Watson

21 – Bullbuckers 26 – IVA 27 – Universal Funk Order 29 – LiveConnections presents Barbara Govatos and the Delaware Chamber Music Festival Quartet

8PSME $BGF -JWF BU UIF 2VFFO t / .BSLFU 4U 8JMNJOHUPO %& r 8PSME$BGF-JWF DPN

I think there’s a tendency in these circumstances to have at least one greatest-hits album on the list. So I’ll go with Bob Marley’s Legend for that pick. I’d want all those songs in one place.

I’d go with Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense, because I’m a huge Talking Heads fan.

And I would deďŹ nitely need some nostalgia. I grew up a Deadhead, so I’d go with Europe ’72 there.

Blood on the Tracks‌although I struggle between that and Patti Smith’s Horses, because I think, ‘What if I get tired of listening to Dylan’s voice?’ And then, because you need some variety: Jazz at Massey Hall. It’s a Charlie Parker/Charlie Mingus/Bud Powell/Max Roach thing. Greatest concert ever.

Being nonproďŹ t and member-supported, XPN is in this delicate situation of having to ask listeners for donations on a regular basis. How do you juggle that challenge without sounding desperate? [pauses] Well, we’re always trying to ďŹ gure out ways to shorten up our fundraising. And frankly, the drives got longer and longer because it took us longer to raise the money. The last couple of years, we’ve been able to knock o a day here and there because we’ve hit our goals. Everybody keeps saying, ‘There’s gotta be a better way.’ But a lot of smart people spend a lot of time trying to ďŹ gure it out. [laughs] There’s just no better way to recruit new members than on-air.

Between the three fund drives we do every year, we raise $1.5 million. [Membership donations total about $3 million annually, or half of XPN’s operating budget.] We put more music in the drives; we do everything we can to make them more entertaining. We’ve just yet to come up with a better alternative.

And thank goodness they still work. Our membership has hung pretty tough.

How nervous do you get that you won’t hit your goal?

The last drive we did, in February, was really unusual in that

44 . Music

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May ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

4/25/2011 12:43:44 PM

the whole middle of the drive was kind of terrible. It just wasn’t going anywhere.

And we were heading into the last day way in the hole, and I was thinking we might have to add another fund drive.

But then we had this phenomenal last day—we always expect to have a good last day, because people procrastinate.

But we were struggling to do about $40,000 a day that week, and on Friday, we did $140,000. It basically took us from being $100,000 short to maybe $20,000 or $30,000 short, which we knew we could make up during the year.

So no matter how long we’ve been doing this, we’re always surprised by how it goes.

What was your reaction to the Queen and what they did with the space?

I was monitoring it pretty closely from the beginning. They did an incredible job. I don’t know that people realize how close that building was to not being there anymore. I felt like I could lean on it and it would’ve collapsed. And they fact that they decided to save it is just… And the

Is Wilmington Ready to Rock?

I

F YOU’VE GOT YOUR TICKET TO XPN’s NonCommvention 2011 at World Cafe Live at the Queen (NonComm is short for non-commercial radio), great. If you don’t have a ticket, well, better luck next year.

Tickets to the shows, which feature Bright Eyes, Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore, DeVotchKa, G. Love, and many others, are sold out. “We had no idea what to expect moving into Wilmington,” LaMay says.

(Wilmington is hosting the event for the first time.) “We sold

www.out-and-about.com

5_Music.indd 5

finished product…I’m trying not to say it too loud around here, but it’s even nicer than our building. [laughs] I love the feel of it, the funkiness of it. I think it’s potentially one of the great rock ’n’ roll rooms in the country.

You’re a big Phillies fan.

Predictions for the season?

Anything can happen in post-season baseball, obviously, but they’ve got all the pieces, and if they’re missing a couple, they’ve shown they can go out and get them. I see us going all the way.

All the way to the Series, or winning it, too?

Winning the whole thing.

Roger LaMay predicts the Phillies are winning the World Series. How do you think they’ll finish the season?

I think they’ll win 98.

OK, it’s going to print.

We’ll hold you to that.

almost twice as many tickets as we did last year, and in about a third of the time. We’ve never had it sell out before.” The conference portion—dubbed the Music Meeting—features Sound Opinions music geeks Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, who will be part of a panel discussion with Sean Coakley of Songlines Music. But don’t fret: XPN’s Free at Noon concerts will be held on Thursday (John Popper, the Blind Boys of Alabama), Friday (Ben Harper, Raphael Saadiq), and Saturday (Sam Roberts, the Jayhawks). Keep your ears tuned to 88.5 FM this month to find out how to sign up.

45

4/25/2011 12:44:19 PM

Support your local music scene (and beyond)

GIGS

MAY &

MORE

JAVON JACKSON @ the Baby Grand

Mom’s Eat For Free at Que Pasa and The Lighthouse All Day Sunday May 8th *One complimentary menu item per Mom. One full price menu item of equal or greater value must be purchased to receive the discount.

Limit one complimentary item per Mom.

N CovOer

The Bullbuckers

May 7

JMoahyn1n4y Cash Experience SMpaoyk2e1y Speaky

Jimi Smooth and the HitTime May 28

Boy Sets Fire June 2: The Trocadero Newark’s most influential punks have reunited. They play Philly before embarking on an international tour.

The Bullbuckers (ska/funk) May 21: World Cafe Live at the Queen myspace.com/bullbuckers Echo & the Bunnymen May 12: The Trocadero The post-punk pioneers perform their first two studio albums.

Fleet Foxes May 21: Tower Theatre (Upper Darby) Indie rock’s most harmonic band returns with a new album (Helplessness Blues, out May 3) and a near-sold-out tour, which includes this stop in Philly.

The Grand (select shows) May 7: Javon Jackson (jazz) May 13: Lewis Black’s In God We Rust (comedy) May 14: Whose Live Anyway? (music & comedy) thegrandwilmington.org

46 . Music

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Kennett Flash (select shows) May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Open-mic nights w/Butch Zito May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Blue Monday blues jam May 14: Steve Forbert (folk rock) May 20: Live at the Fillmore (Allman Bros tribute) May 27: Joe Trainor Trio (pop-rock) kennettflash.org

Kyle Swartzwelder May 6: Kelly’s Logan House kyleswartzwelder.com Mad-Sweet Pangs May 21: Deer Park Tavern madsweetpangs.com New Sweden (roots rock) May 6: Kelly’s Logan House May 13: Arden Gild Hall (w/Free Energy) June 4: The Baby Grand newswedenmusic.com John Oates May 28: World Cafe Live at the Queen WXPN brings one half of the blueeyed-soul duo to Wilmington.

Okkervil River June 3: The Trocadero The ragged indie rockers play Philly on the strength of their brilliant new album, I Am Very Far, out May 10.

Robert Randolph & the Family Band May 16: World Cafe Live at the Queen The pedal-steel guitarist bridges funk and soul. Presented by Out & About magazine.

Twilight Singers May 10: The Trocadero Greg Dulli hasn’t lost his touch. His post-Afghan Whigs project has just released the great Dynamite Steps, the band’s first album in five years.

Villains Like You (blues rock) June 4: The Baby Grand villainslikeyou.com

4/22/2011 5:16:08 PM

The Deer Park Tavern

MAtYSchedule

Entertainmen

THURSDAYS 5 – What Mama Said 12 – Lifespeed 19 – Spokey Speaky 26 – Drop Dead Sexy

SENIOR

CUT! DAY

May 6: Hot Dogs and Jello Shooters w/ Spokey Speaky COME TRY OUR SEASONAL ADDITIONS

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Deer Park now offers catering to go for your next special event!

EVERY TUESDAY Jefe

EVERY MONDAY Showtime Trivia

EVERY WEDNESDAY Karaoke $1 Vodka/Captain Drinks & PBR Drafts

Sunday Brunch from 9am–2pm Made exclusively for Deer Park and McGlynns Pub. Wednesdays only $2.50.

Brewed by Twin Lakes Brewery

SATURDAYS 7 – Mo Faux 14 – Goodman Fiske 21 – Mad Sweet Pangs 28 – Chorduroy (Graduation Party)

EVERY THURSDAY Mug Night!

EVERY FRIDAY DJ Dance Party $3 Bacardi Drinks 9-close

Sunday Night CHORDUROY

Be our friend on Facebook!

302.369.9414 | 108 West Main Street, Newark www.deerparktavern.com

SPRING IN GREENVILLE! MEXICAN MONDAYS Every Monday in May!

Mexican food specials, $3.50 Coronas & $5 Cazadores Margaritas while you sit on our beautiful patio!

HAPPY HOUR

Monday – Friday, 4 –7 p.m. $5 Tall Bacardi Rum Drinks y w

MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH BUFFET

Sunday, May 8, 10a.m.–2 p.m.

POINT-TO-POINT AFTER PARTY Sunday, May 8

$7 Woodford Reserve Mint Juleps & $3 Miller Lites

PHILLIES GAMES 50 ¢ wings, $3 Miller Lites

BBC Tavern & Grill

,

Great Menu • Casual Atmosphere • Gift Certificates Available Greenville, DE 19807 • 302.655.3785 • BBCTavernandGrill.com www.out-and-about.com

5_Music.indd 7

47

4/25/2011 12:45:32 PM

EW R N .&/5 E D UN /"(& ."

m o n f r i 4 7 p m happy

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$2 Domestic Drafts, $3 Import Drafts, 30% off Kitchen Apps, 20% Off Sushi Special Rolls

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Become a friend of Kooma Riverfront!

koomasushi.com

& F E BE BEER

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RE HALL

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fit ds Bene e e c o r P xton The Ha Trust Family

• 50/50 • Raffle Items • Auction Items

Best ingredients, Best beer selection, & Best view on Main Street.

Come enjoy our deck! &"45 ."*/ 45 t /&8"3, ] t 888 )0.&(308/$"'& $0.

48 . Music

5_Music.indd 8

Ticket Requests Mail Check & Self Addressed Stamped Envelope to:

PO Box 62, Odessa, DE 19730 Checks must be made payable to: Haxton Family Trust

Advanced Sales

Limited Tickets Available at the Door More info: HOLLY AT 302.275.9960 May  | O&A

4/25/2011 1:23:27 PM

NIGHTLIFE

GENO AND THE PLUNGE Our favorite comedian is also a Man of the Year candidate raising money in the fight against cancer “Man looks in the abyss; there’s nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character.

And that is what keeps him out of the abyss.”

–Hal Holbrook in Wall Street (the good one…not the crapfest that sent Catherine Zeta-Jones spiraling into rehab)

I

’ve looked into the abyss twice in my life; the second time was this past April 9, evidenced here as I stared into Twin Lakes with nothing between me and the icy waters except the thin nylon layer of my (actually O&A’s Jim Miller’s) Speedo.

What would drive a man to such an edge?

The answer to that question has to do with the first time I stared down into the abyss: Oct. 4, 1996—the day I lost my mother to Leukemia.

The thing about cancer is it doesn’t stop at the life it takes. It also tries to rip apart the lives of everyone that life ever touched. Cancer ruined me for a year and certainly could have taken me to much darker places. But because of my close friends and family and the incredible passion for living my mother instilled in me, I eventually woke up and realized the very thing cancer tries to make us forget—that each moment we are alive is a gift, and the greatest thing we can do in any moment is to give of ourselves to others.

I cannot thank enough the people that came out for the Twin Lakes Plunge last month and helped us raise close to $1,000 in the fight against cancer. A fight that will culminate at the grand-finale celebration on Saturday, May 14, as Barclays on the Riverfront hosts Casino for a Cure.

Get tickets and donate to your favorite candidate today: mwoy.org/de/localchapter/ candidates.

— Geno Bisconte

At top, Geno Bisconte is a good sport as he jumps into Twin Lakes last month. Bisconte lost a fantasy-football bet, while Stan Yau (in Giants jersey) and Victor Matteo (in blue cowboy hat) also lost bets, theirs during the Dec. 19 Eagles-Giants game last season. Bisconte parlayed the event into a fundraiser for his Man of the Year campaign.

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4/22/2011 5:09:24 PM

SUNDAY MAY 8th 4-8pm POINT TO POINT AFTER PARTY with CHORDUROY!

Dine out for a good cause

ALL NEW MARGARITA BAR on the back patio Margarita Special: 5-7pm on Fridays

Sunday, May 15: Grand Opening of Our Patios!

May 5 Cinco de Mayo Party $3 Coronas from 4-10pm!

New Menu with Healthy choices Wilmington’s Original Irish Pub!

Wednesdays

Thursdays

HUB & FRIENDS

5/5...................Bullbuckers 5 Bullbbucke 5/12.............Mallory Square

$

3

(Jeff Tigani and Friends 7-9pm)

5/19..................Wave Radio 5/26...Memorial Day Kick-Off Party!

Martinis $2 Bud & Bud Light

$3 Cosmos

Saturdays

Fridays

5/6.......................John J h Faye 5/7...The Stallions & The Hold-Up 5/13........Montana Wildaxe 5/14.........Fat Daddy Has Been (Chip Porter B-Day Party) 5/21...........Lowercase Blues (with Villains Like You) 5/20...Courtlands & The Miles 5/27......................Solecraft 5/28................Modern Exile Margaritas & Frozen Drinks the Back Deck!

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DAILY SPECIALS @

(with The Future Unwritten)

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5_NightLife.indd 2

$3 Sam Adams

(302) 65-LOGAN

STARTING OVER For one local family, a special fundraiser will go a long way toward rebuilding their lives

T

he Haxton family needs your help.

Last Christmas Eve, the Middletown family of four was on its way to share gifts with loved ones when its SUV lost control on a turn. Paul Haxton, the father, was killed instantly, while his wife Trina was paralyzed from the neck down. The couple’s two daughters, 6-year-old Lyndsey and 4-year-old Hayley, were saved by their car seats.

The outpouring of public support has been something of a silver lining in this tragic story. But for Trina and her girls, in addition to the emotional damage they continue to suer, every day is a challenge. The family is faced with mounting medical bills and living expenses, including making their home accessible for Trina, who is now conďŹ ned to a wheelchair.

That’s where you come in. Join friends and family for a beef-and-beer beneďŹ t at the Odessa Fire Hall on May 14 from 7 to 11 p.m. A 50/50 will be held, as well as rae and auction items.

Tickets are $30, with proceeds going to the Lyndsey & Hayley Haxton Trust Fund. To order tickets, or for more info, call Holly Jankiewicz at 275-9960.

May ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

4/25/2011 1:57:19 PM

GRAND PRIX PARTY Celebrate race weekend with a tailgate in Brandywine Park

T

he weekend that starts Friday, May 20 isn’t just the biggest event weekend all month, it’s set to be the biggest all year.

In addition to WXPN’s NonComm conference and concerts taking place at the Queen, the Wilmington Grand Prix returns for three action-packed days running May 20-22.

While Saturday and Sunday feature top bike races and family-friendly festivities, Friday, May 20 is a great prelude everyone can enjoy. From 4 to 8 p.m., Brandywine Park will host Party in the Park, a tailgate with a beer garden and food for purchase. Cap it off with a view of 300 riders participating in the Monkey Hill Time Trial. (Prime spots will be near the start/finish line at the top of Monkey Hill.) You’re welcome to bring a lawn chair and your own picnic, of course.

Go to wilmgrandprix.com or see the flipside of this magazine for full Grand Prix details.

www.out-and-about.com

5_NightLife.indd 3

8BTIJOHUPO 4USFFU "MF )PVTF r .JLJNPUPT r 1SFTUP r 4UJOHSBZ

CherryTreeGroup.com 51

4/22/2011 2:38:26 PM

.": $0.*/( &7&/54 1...........................................Family Fun Sundays & Wacky Webkinz/Rocky’s Birthday Party 2 ...................................................................................................$1 Mondays/Dollar Dogs 3..............................................................Tworrific Tuesdays/KRAFT Singles Tuesday Night 4.............Wawa Wednesdays Thor Night/University of Delaware Sport Management Night 10..................................................KRAFT Singles Tuesday Night Tickets/Tworrific Tuesdays 11...............................................................Wawa Wednesdays/Tribute to Michael Jackson 12 .................................................................Thirsty Thursday/Families Eat FREE Thursdays 20........................................................................Fireworks Friday!/Youth T-Shirt Giveaway DBCC’s Save Second Base Night/FCCLA Night/Blue Rocks Pink Jersey Auction 21.............................................Cereal Bowl Giveaway/Jerry “The King� Lawler Appearance $20-Hour All-You-Can-Eat Picnic/Super Savings Saturdays/Boots on The Ground Night Team Joshua 24 Night/Blue Rocks Camo Hat Auction 23...............................................................................................$1 Mondays/$1 Hot Dogs 24....................................................Tworrific Tuesdays/KRAFT Singles Tuesday Night Tickets 25....................................................Rocky Bluewinkle Bank Giveaway/Wawa Wednesdays School Kids Special 2/Kung Fu Panda Day

2011 SEASON Ticket Game Plans starting at $28 Corporate Picnics Corporate Group Outings Cafe Rentals Luxury Suite Rentals Blue Rocks Youth Kid’s Club Birthday Parties Youth Team Parties

TAILGATING WITH MOM? Point-to-Point and Mother’s Day make for a fun outing this month

T

he tailgating event of the year shares a very maternal connection this month, as Winterthur’s Point-to-Point and Mother’s Day are both held on Sunday, May 8.

Pack a picnic, pack the cooler, and grab your oversized hat. (And bring mom.) Gates for tailgating and premium parking open at 10:30 a.m., followed by general admission at 11:30, which is also when the marketplace (hats, clothing, jewelry, and equine and canine accessories for sale) opens. Enjoy the weather and beautiful greenery while waiting for the antique-carriage parade at 1 p.m. (There’s also a horse race you may have heard about, taking place later in the day.)

And because it’s Mother’s Day, P2P is hosting a number of special features just for mom, including the Mother’s Day Hunt Brunch—where you can see the ďŹ nish line up close—and Tailgate Tents in the Country Club Rail section. There’s also the Mother’s Day membership gift, which includes full Winterthur beneďŹ ts until March 2012 with the purchase of a tailgate space.

For more details, go to winterthur.org.

#-6& t #-6&30$,4 $0.

52 . Nightlife

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May ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

4/25/2011 12:58:24 PM

An American Classic.

D E L AWA R E C O L L E G E OF ART AND DESIGN

5.5.11

I N V I T E S YO U TO WORLD CAFE LIVE AT T H E Q U E E N F O R DCAD ’S FIFTH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP GALA

Triple Play Special for Phillies Games! Catch every play at James Street

GIFTS FROM THE ART DCAD’s annual scholarship gala helps talented students realize their dreams

$7 Draft Beer and Wings (1/2 Dozen) $7 Draft Beer & Burger $7 Draft Beer & CheeseSteak (SFBU 5BTUJOH $PME #FFST "MXBZT PO 5BQ t &OKPZ &WFSZ 1JUDI PO )%57T 2 West Market Street (Corner of Market & James Streets) | Newport, DE 302.998.6903 | jstavern.com

S

ince opening 14 years ago with just 50 full-time students, Wilmington’s Delaware College of Art and Design has grown to a current student body of 220.

They’ve also given out nearly $5 million to incoming students to help cover tuition and other school needs.

It’s through fundraisers like DCAD’s annual scholarship gala that such generosity is possible. This year’s event, to be held Thursday, May 5 at World Cafe Live at the Queen, includes a silent auction, featuring student artwork, as well as a tableau vivant—a recreation, in mere seconds, of an artistic masterpiece

by DCAD students. Artwork from the recent student poster contest for the Queen will also be on display.

Tickets are $175 per couple, $100 for individuals, and $60 for young professionals (those age 35 and under), and can be purchased at dcad.edu. Proceeds go toward DCAD scholarships—allowing students who meet DCAD’s criteria to attend the only professional art and design school in the state. For more, go to dcad.edu.

www.out-and-about.com

5_NightLife.indd 5

Win a Trip for Two to Napa Valley One Lucky Guest will win a $500 Airfare Gift Card, Three Night Hotel Accommodations, Meals and Wine Tours at Premiere Napa Valley Wineries

AVAILABLE 4 NIGHTS ONLY May 12th - May 15th Four Courses & Five Wines $59 per guest Reservations Suggested 302-266-8111

115 E. Main St., Newark, DE )&( (,,#.''' www.stoneballoonwh.com 53

4/25/2011 11:40:26 AM

May  | O&A

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4/22/2011 3:01:34 PM

www.out-and-about.com

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4/22/2011 3:02:07 PM

State Line Liquors Family owned & operated for 3 generations since 1933 www.statelineliquors.com

AMERICA’S GREATEST BEER SELECTION Stocking 2,000 different beers • Singles, packs & cases

Special Events and Tastings Visit our website or

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Over 75 Single Malt Scotches

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Gift Baskets Available

Open 7 days a week 1610 ELKTON RD, Route 279 . ELKTON, MD OUTSIDE MD. (800) 446-WINE, IN MARYLAND (410) 398-3838

1

Put together a Co-Ed Softball Team

2

Defeat the Coors Light/ Out & About Team on the field

3

Win $250 and a Half-Page Ad in Out & About (Total Prize Value: More than $1000)

56 . Nightlife

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May  | O&A

4/25/2011 12:52:50 PM

9

8

15

22

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29

WILMINGTON GRAND PRIX WilmGrandPrix.com

20 11

DELAWARE MARATHON

Mother’s Day

Deadline for Musikarmageddon nominations

Memorial Day

Lucky Penny Day

.COM

GEDDON

ARMA

MUSIK

New Moon

Half-price burgers @ Kid Shelleen’s every Tuesday

Tuesday

30

23

16

National Macaroon Day

Full Moon

9, A musical May 6-21 @ OperaDelaware

2

Monday

1

Point-to-Point @ Winterthur

SUNDAY

MAY

31

24

17

10

3

Cinco de Mayo

5

THE DATE

SAVE

Blue Rocks vs Frederick Keys

Rocky Bluewinkle Bank Giveaway:

25

DEL ART MUSEUM PARTY Friday, June 10 ST. ANTHONY’S ITALIAN FEST June 12-19

20 11

20

13

6

7

14

@ the Grand

21

WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY

SCOTT F. MASON ON as “DAME EDNA” A” live @ the baby grand

JAVON JACKSON live @ the baby grand

Wilmington Flower Market

Saturday

28

4/22/2011 2:16:40 PM

GREEK FESTIVAL June 7-11 WILMINGTON BEER WEEK July 9-16 NEWARK FOOD & BREW FEST Saturday, July 23

Sunscreen Awareness Day

27

Armed Forces Day

@ World Cafe Live at the Queen

NON COMM

WilmGrandPrix.com

WILMINGTON GRAnD PRIX

@ the Grand

LEWIS BLACK

Wilmington Flower Market

Friday

DUPONT CLIFFORD BROWN JAZZ FEST June 20-26

26

19

12

Wilmington Flower Mkt.

SCHOLARSHIP GALA

ATa ste O f L i t t l e I t a l y.co m

18

11

4

Thursday

A TASTE OF LITTLE ITALY

Wednesday

Our event picks for the month

MAGAZINE

TAKE IT

OUTSIDE! Wilmington Grand Prix

and 17 other ways to ring in warm weather

this issue

5_Wilmington_Cover.indd 1

• Extreme Pizza’s local approach • Wilmington, the man behind the name • Carriage rides and tea in Trinity

MAY 2011 Vol. 2 ISSUE 12

4/22/2011 3:49:49 PM

GRAND PRIX FRIDAY, MAY 20

(4PM START)

PARTY IN THE PARK MONKEY HILL TIME TRIAL | BRANDYWINE PARK PRESENTED BY A course made famous during the Tour DuPont.

Enjoy an outdoor BBQ and watch 300 riders compete against the clock and the cobblestones of Monkey Hill.

BEER • MUSIC • OUTDOOR BBQ

SUNDAY, MAY 22 PRESENTED BY GOVERNOR’S CUP ROAD RACES

8AM START

110-mile Pro Race from Wilm. to Dover AMC Museum & back

GOVERNOR’S RIDE

10AM START @ THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE

Ride with Gov. Jack Markell on an 11-mile family friendly race to benefit Food Bank of Delaware.

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WEEKEND

FRI–SUN

MAY 20-22 FREE

RAIN OR SHINE

SATURDAY, MAY 21 ALL DAY! DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON’S BIGGEST STREET FESTIVAL Hot-Air-Balloon • BMX Stunt Shows • Far Flung Bungy Rock Wall • Sidewalk Sale • Course Cafés...

10AM OPENING CEREMONIES PARADE presented by Marching bands, step teams, mascots, celebrities and more than 100 organizations walk the race course to kick off the Grand Prix and raise awareness for the Food Bank of Delaware. Walk or ride the course; everyone is invited to participate.

presented in part by

11:30AM MEN’S CATEGORY IV RACE presented by 12:45PM WOMEN’S PRO RACE presented by 2PM MEN’S PRO RACE presented by 3:30PM CHASE CHALLENGE KIDS RACE presented by 3:45PM CADENCE FOUNDATION YOUTH RACES presented by 4PM MEN’S CATEGORY II-III RACE presented by 5PM MEN’S MASTERS RACE presented by 6PM POST-RACE PARTIES AT VENUES

THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON presented by

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4/22/2011 5:55:25 PM

Singles Party June 8

302.656.1809 delawaretoday.com

Buy tickets now!

delawaretoday com

Sponsorship opportunities available.

WILMINGTON BEER WEEK

JULY 9-16 3

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WilmingtonBeerWeek.com MAY 2011

4/22/2011 5:40:18 PM

Produced by magazine

all rights reserved

TSN Publishing, Inc. President Gerald DuPhily

Editor-in-Chief

May 2011 volume 2, issue 12

6 Cover Story

Take It Outside!

A look at what the city has to offer outdoors this month and into the summer. By Arielle From

Michael Pollock

Art Director Joy Smoker Production Manager Matt Loeb Senior Graphic Designer Shawna Sneath

Advertising Sales Jim Hunter Miller Marie Graham

9

City People

Wilmington, the Man Behind the Name A historical profile of the man we have to thank for our city’s namesake. By Josephine Eccel

12

Business

The Next Level LOMA’s Extreme Pizza takes a local approach to being a franchise. By Pam George

Project Manager Christine Serio

Contributing Writers Josephine Eccel, Carol Kipp Larry Nagengast, Bob Yearick

4

“in” Calendar

14

This Month on the Riverfront

18

City Notes

Contributing Photographers Joe del Tufo, Tim Hawk Les Kipp, Matt Urban

For editorial and advertising information: p (302) 655-6483 f (302) 654-0569

TSN Media, Inc. 307 A Street Wilmington, DE 19801

Wilmington Grand Prix cover photos by Tim Hawk, Les Kipp, and Matt Urban.

ABOUT THE “IN” CAMPAIGN Wilmington is truly in the middle of it all, and the “in” campaign is a celebration of the accomplishments we continue to achieve as a community to make our city stronger and more attractive. From neighborhood and business development to our arts and cultural scene, the people of Wilmington are working together to support our city’s ongoing growth and prosperity.

ABOUT WILMINGTON MAGAZINE The mission of Wilmington Magazine is to capture, through stories and images, the ongoing energy present in the city. We aim to inform readers, both inside and outside Wilmington, of the city’s residential, financial, and cultural progress while remaining entertaining and vibrant.

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SUN, MAY 1 – SAT, MAY 7

MON, MAY 2, 16 & 23

THU, MAY 5 – SAT, MAY 7

FRI, MAY 6

OperaDelaware presents

Dine in for Charity

Wilmington Flower Market

Art Loop & re:Fresh After Party

The Grand • 818 N. Market Street 1-800-37GRAND

Union City Grille • Each Monday dine in to support a different charity • 302-654-9780 805 North Union Street

Rockford Park • Benefitting Delaware’s Children’s Charities • 302.995.5699

The city’s monthly art loop, starting and after party at CCAC, featuring DJ Amaze 302-256-4666 • 705 North Market Street

FRI, MAY 6 – SUN, MAY 15

FRI, MAY 6 – SAT, MAY 21

SUN, MAY 8

TUE, MAY 10 – SUN, MAY 15

Discover TheDCH Week

NINE

Point-to-Point

Beauty and the Beast

The Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street • 302-658-6262

City Theater Company 4 South Poplar Street

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library 5105 Kennett Pike • 800-448-3883

DuPont Theatre • 302-656-4401 1007 North Market Street

FRI, MAY 13

SAT, MAY 14

SAT, MAY 14

MON, MAY 16

Robert Randolph & The Family Band

“The Merry Widow”

Free Energy

Casino for a Cure

Chili Cook-Off & Silent Auction

Arden Gild Hall • 302-475-3126 2126 The Highway, Arden

Barclays at the Riverfront • Supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 302.661.7300 x28 • 125 S. West Street

Urban Café • Supports the Elementary Workshop Montessori School 1201 N. Market Street • 302-652-3663

FRI, MAY 20 – SUN, MAY 22

FRI, MAY 20 – SAT, MAY 21

SAT, MAY 21 – SUN, SEP 25

SUN, MAY 22

Wilmington Grand Prix

The DSO: Classical Series Featuring pianist Martina Filjak

Perception/Deception: Illusion in Contemporary Art

Light It Up!

A USA Cycling National Racing Event & Street Festival • Market Street in Downtown Wilmington • 302-425-5500

The Grand • 800-37-GRAND 818 North Market Street

Delaware Art Museum • 302-571-9590 2301 Kentmere Parkway

WXPN welcomes

World Cafe Live at the Queen 302-994-1400 • 500 North Market Street

The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts 302-656-6466 • 200 South Madison Street

QR CODE

WHAT’S ‘IN’ FOR MAY 2011

find more at { inwilmingtonde.com }

MUSIC

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FOOD & DRINK

SUNDAY, MAY 1 & BEYOND Delaware Art Museum • ‘Battle of the Sexes thru May 22, 2011 • Escape to Adventure: Focus on Arthur E. Becher thru December 31, 2011 • Chinese Arts & Culture Lecture Series Sundays, May 1, 15 & 22 • Mary and Max May 1, 2011 Clay animation film that explores the pen-pal friendship of an autistic man.

302-571-9590 • 2301 Kentmere Parkway

The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts

Delaware Valley Chorale with DSO: Ein Deutsches Requiem

thru Friday, May 27 Gallery 919 302-229-3266 • 919 N. Market Street

Immanuel Church Featuring soloists Grant Youngblood and June Suh, conducted by David Christopher 302.740.2410 • 2414 Pennsylvania Avenue

SATURDAY, MAY 7 Peanut Butter & Jams welcomes: Yosi

Winnie the Pooh: Broadway Bound

World Cafe Live at the Queen 302-994-1400 • 500 North Market Street

Delaware Children's Theatre thru May 22 Theatre for the very young - all ages welcome 302-655-1014 • 1014 Delaware Avenue

SUNDAY, MAY 8 MONDAY, MAY 16

• Deborah Appleby - Works of Glass thru Friday, May 27 • Jayoung Yoon - Sensory Thought thru Thursday, May 5 • Perforations thru Sunday, May 15 • "Philadelphia" by Jeffrey Stockbridge thru Sunday, May 8 • Splinters thru Sunday, May 8 • We Are Our Stuff thru Sunday, May 22 302-656-6466 • 200 South Madison Street

School of Rock presents Pink Floyd’s The Wall

SUNDAY, MAY 15

Work of the Delaware Photographic Society (80th Anniversary)

Jewish Contribution to Art in Delaware

Orchestral Concert

Delaware Art Museum 302-571-9590 • 2301 Kentmere Parkway

The Music School of Delaware Featuring performances by the Delaware Youth Symphony & Delaware Youth Orchestra.

302-762-1132 • 4101 Washington Street

Mothers Day Tea Party Delaware Art Museum 302-571-9590 • 2301 Kentmere Parkway

FRIDAY, MAY 20 The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

• Edgar Jerins thru Sunday, August 21 • The Elliptical Frontiers thru Sunday, September 18 302-656-6466 • 200 South Madison Street

Mom’s Night Out Speaker Series

May 1, 2011 World Cafe Live at the Queen 302-994-1400 • 500 North Market Street

Delaware Children’s Museum Editor of Real Simple Magazine Kristin van Ogtrop 302-654-2340 • 550 Justison Street

Steppin' Out…Under the Stars thru January 12 Delaware History Museum Major exhibition celebrating the sparkling history of entertainment through time in downtown Wilmington 302-655-7161 • 504 North Market Street

TUESDAY, MAY 3

The Barn at Flintwoods 877-594-4546 • 205 Center Meeting Road

RSG Wine & Sculpture Pairing II Delaware Art Museum 302-571-9590 • 2301 Kentmere Parkway

SATURDAY, MAY 21

FRIDAY, MAY 13

Bellefonte Arts Festival 800 Block of Brandywine Blvd., Bellefonte

The Delaware Symphony Orchestra Champagne Chamber Series

Blackmore’s Night

Gold Ballroom at the Hotel du Pont 800-37-GRAND • 11th & Market Streets

World Cafe Live at the Queen 302-994-1400 • 500 North Market Street

THURSDAY, MAY 5

Animus Arden Gild Hall • Instrumental group of culturally diverse musical concepts and traditions from ancient to modern alike 302-475-3126 • 2126 The Highway, Arden

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Wilmington Drama League

Delaware College of Art & Design’s 5th Annual Scholarship Gala

302-764-1162 • 10 West Lea Blvd.

Tea in Trinity Vicinity

World Cafe Live at the Queen 302-622-8867 x 107 • 500 North Market Street

Trinity Vicinity Neighborhood Residents will open their unique homes and prize-winning streets and gardens to visitors 10th & Madison Streets

Wilmington Community Orchestra The Music School of Delaware Featuring winners of the Concerto Competition for Young Musicians. Conducted by Dr. Timothy Schwarz 302-762-1132 • 4101 Washington Street

Thursday Noontime Concerts First & Central Presbyterian Church Every Thursday of the month. This month featuring A Trio of Serafins and Center City Chorale.

1101 Market Street

Brandywine Baroque: The Dumont Concerts

THURSDAY, MAY 12

The Rainbow Chorale of Delaware Presents “We Belong”

SATURDAY, MAY 14

FRIDAY, MAY 6 The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts • Claire Folkman thru Thursday, July 7 • I Need Some Space to Think thru Sunday, September 4 • Members Juried: Duets thru August 14 302-656-6466 • 200 South Madison Street

The Music School of Delaware With guest director Elinor A. Armsby 888-512-5093 • 4101 Washington Street

Preppy for Life or Just for a Night University & Whist Club Supports St. Michael’s Scholarship Fund 302-658-5125 • 805 N. Broom Street

SUNDAY, MAY 22 Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars

Wilmington Children's Chorus: A Spring Concert

World Cafe Live at the Queen 302-994-1400 • 500 North Market Street

First & Central Presbyterian Church 302.762.3637 • Rodney Square

SATURDAY, MAY 28 Whose Live Anyway

Kathleen Buckalew, Photographer thru Tuesday, May 31 The Delaware Center for Horticulture 302-658-6262 • 1810 N. Dupont Street

find more at { inwilmingtonde.com }

WXPN Welcomes John Oates World Cafe Live at the Queen 302-994-1400 • 500 North Market Street

The Grand Featuring cast members of the hit TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway 800-37-GRAND • 818 N. Market Street

MUSIC

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FOOD & DRINK

Wilmington Flower Market

COVER STORY

TAKE IT OUTSIDE! After a rough winter and a soggy April, warmer weather is here, and we’re more than ready to enjoy it. Here’s a look at what’s happening outdoors in and around the city these next couple of months.

By Arielle From

WILMINGTON FLOWER MARKET May 5-7, 10am-7pm Rockford Park This year’s Wilmington Flower Market is filled with fun for the entire family. The Flower Market tradition began in 1921 as a way to bring families together over Mother’s Day weekend. Enjoy food, live music, and a large selection of plants, flowers, and arts-and-crafts merchants. Kids can keep busy with carnival rides and games. All proceeds go toward children’s charities in Delaware. wilmingtonflowermarket.org

THE ART LOOP May 6, June 3, July 1, Aug. 5; 5:30-8pm Various downtown galleries & art spaces Since 1988, the Art Loop has been Wilmington’s chance to show off its wide range of art galleries, studios, museums, and alternative art spaces. On the first Friday of 6 . TAKE IT OUTSIDE!

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each month, the city hosts a free self-guided tour, designed as a five-step adventure.

Step 1: Choose the art openings you want to attend from the Art on the Town magazine (viewable online at wilmingtonde.gov/artloop).

Step 2: Map out your route.

Step 3: Choose your transportation (either a free shuttle service on a set loop or self-guided tours at your own pace).

Step 4: Collect stamps during the Loop to redeem prizes.

Step 5: Hit the re:Fresh after-party.

WILMINGTON GARDEN DAY May 7, 10am-4pm The Brandywine Valley serves host to 16 beautiful gardens on the 64th annual self-guided tour. These charming gardens and landscapes will dazzle visitors. Funds will be distributed to agencies benefitting underserved children in Delaware. $30/person in advance, $35/person day of event. wilmingtongardenday.org

THE GREEN STREETSCAPES TOUR May 11, 5-7:30pm Trolley Square The Delaware Center for Horticulture hosts a self-paced tour through its beautifully maintained gardens and green streetscapes. Learn how these stunning landscapes improve the environment while Kelly’s Logan House, Piccolina Toscana, and Kid Shelleen’s offer drinks and appetizers along the way.

Members/$10, Non-members/$15. thedch.org MAY 2011

4/22/2011 5:06:09 PM

DELAWARE MARATHON RUNNING FESTIVAL

OLD-FASHIONED BASEBALL GAME AT HAGLEY

May 15, 7am-2pm Riverfront The eighth annual running festival, sponsored by Christiana Health Care System and presented by New Balance Delaware, is Delaware’s premier race event, featuring a full marathon, halfmarathon, and relay marathon. Chances are you won’t be showing up to run without having trained for months beforehand, but spectators are more than welcome. delawaremarathon.org

May 22, 12:30pm Hagley Museum & Library Watch the Diamond State Base Ball Club, Delaware’s vintage baseball team, square off against the Eclipse Base Ball Club of Elkton in this regular-season game.

Admission to the game is included in regular admission. hagley.org

GET READY FOR ROCK! OUTDOOR CLIMB May 15, 1-3:30pm Alapocas Run State Park Challenge yourself with a climb up the Alapocas rock wall, part of Alapocas Run State Park’s Get Ready for Rock! series. If you’ve had the itch to rock-climb but haven’t made it out before, here’s your chance—this will be the first public climb of 2011. (Must be ages 11 and older to climb.) $20/person. destateparks.com/park/alapocas-run

WILMINGTON GRAND PRIX May 20-22, various start times for events; Market Street and surrounding blocks downtown The bikes are back in this annual cycling event, which includes many family-friendly features. Race weekend kicks off Friday, May 20 with the Monkey Hill Time Trial and Party in the Park in Brandywine Park, starting at 4 p.m. The Grand Prix officially kicks off the following day (May 21) with an opening parade at 10 a.m., followed by racing on six blocks surrounding Market Street.

Many downtown bars and restaurants will be holding post-race festivities following the victory celebrations. On Sunday, May 22, the Governor’s Cup Road Races start at 8 a.m., which take cyclists from the Grand Opera House to Dover and back—nearly 111 miles in all. The 11-mile family-friendly Governor’s Ride gets underway at 10. Both rides wrap up in front of the Grand Opera House at noon. wilmgrandprix.com

JUNE & BEYOND GREEK FESTIVAL June 7-11, 11am-11pm 808 N. Broom St. The annual five-day Greek Fest returns to the grounds of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

Sample Greek dishes that range from the familiar (gyros and souvlaki) to the more traditional (mousaka, pastichio, dolmades, and spanokopita) while taking in music and dance performances by the award-winning Terpsechorian Dance Troupe. There’s also children’s entertainment on the south grounds during the festival. holytrinitywilmington.org/ greekfestival

ST. ANTHONY’S ITALIAN FESTIVAL June 12-19 Monday – Friday, 5:30-10:30pm Saturday & Sunday, 2-10:30pm 901 N. Dupont St. A week-long event that celebrates Italian culture, music, and food, the Italian Festival is a time-honored city tradition held on the grounds of St. Anthony of Padua Parish. The festival sports a Renaissance theme this year, featuring a full-sized Renaissance garden. The Italian festival is one of the largest celebrations on the East Coast and Kids can go take to the rides and games while adults enjoy Italian wines and spirits at DaVinci’s (formerly the Bellini Bar). Italian jazz musicians Peppe Cairone and Vincenzo

Fiore will perform throughout the week. St. Anthony will also hold a 5K on June 12 to kick-off the event. $5 admission for ages 14 to 61; $12 eightday pass (purchased before June 7); $15 eight-day pass (purchased at the gate). stanthonysfestival.com

SUMMER SALON SERIES June 15 thru Aug. 24, 12-1pm 818 N. Market St. Bring your lunch and enjoy live music in front of the Grand Opera House every Wednesday during the summer. The Salon Series encourages music in public places by featuring the sounds of progressive jazz, country, Caribbean, and singer/songwriters. thegrandwilmington.org

DuPONT CLIFFORD BROWN JAZZ FESTIVAL June 20-26 Rodney Square The city’s 23rd annual Jazz Festival is a week-long outdoor music celebration named after Wilmington’s very own trumpeter Clifford Brown, whose life was tragically cut short.

Stay tuned to cliffordbrownjazzfest. com for updates and a lineup of performances.

IN THE PARK LUNCHTIME CONCERTS June 20 thru Aug. 26, 12:30-1pm H.B. DuPont Park The city’s lunchtime concert series returns, beginning with jazz performances on Monday, June 20, to correspond with the DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. (Lunchtime concerts will run Monday through Friday at both H.B. DuPont Park and Willingtown Square that week.)

Then, following the Jazz Fest, the series features music across all genres (including jazz) on Fridays at H.B. only. wilmingtonde.gov/lunchtimeconcerts – continued on next page

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4/22/2011 5:05:44 PM

Take It Outside!

– continued from previous page

COVER STORY WILMINGTON BEER WEEK

featuring more than 50 brews. Stay turned to cityrestaurantweek.com/beer-week for updates.

FREE EVENING CONCERTS June 20 thru Aug. 15, 6:30pm Rockford Park The Monday-evening concert series held next to the historic Rockford Tower is a perfect way to relax during those warm summer nights. The tower will be open during each concert, so mix in some history and exercise while you’re there. Performers will include: Papili, Chapel Street Junction, Runaway Train, Rivers Rockabilly Trio, Karen Rodriguez, Delirious Rush, Witchdoctors, and Seven Rings. Free admission. destateparks.com

BIKE & HIKE July 6, 13, 20, 27 & August 3, 10, 17, 23, 31; 5-8pm Every Wednesday evening, Hagley hosts a Bike and Hike through its beautiful wooded trails, which go across Hagley’s grounds. Set up a picnic along the Brandywine River or dine at the Belin House Organic Café. $2/person; free for members. hagley.org

PEOPLES’ FESTIVAL July 25, 1-10pm Riverfront The 15th annual People’s Festival was founded by Ibis and Genny Pitts, who were friends of one-time Wilmingtonian Bob Marley. This year’s event will have two stages for live reggae and world-beat music as well as food, a beer garden, and arts and crafts. Stay turned to peoplesfestival.com for lineup info. $15 in advance, $20 at the gate.

RIVERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL August 5-7 Riverfront Tubman-Garrett hosts this three-day celebration of the blues, held rain or shine.

An after-party at Sheraton Suites follows the closing sets on Friday and Saturday.

Advanced tickets: $50 weekend pass, $15 for Friday only, $20 Saturday or Sunday. At the door: $20 Friday only, $25 Saturday or Sunday. riverfrontbluesfest.com

WILMINGTON BEER WEEK July 9-16 In the spirit of the popular City Restaurant Week, the inaugural Wilmington Beer Week is a citywide summer celebration of food and beer,

ITALIAN FESTIVAL

RIVERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL

8 . TAKE IT OUTSIDE!

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DuPONT CLIFFORD BROWN JAZZ FESTIVAL MAY 2011

4/22/2011 5:06:26 PM

City People Wilmington, the man behind the name

By Josephine Eccel

S

tudents of Wilmington history know that our fair city was once named Willingtown (or Willing Town), and some might even recall that it was Thomas Willing, an early resident, who named it after himself.

“Wilmington” is not just an accidental misspelling of “Willingtown”; the name was officially changed, and it was done to honor a man who had nothing to do with the city’s founding.

In 1731, Andrew Justison, owner of a large track of land along the Christina River, deeded the property to his son-inlaw, Thomas Willing, from Philadelphia.

Willing saw the potential of the location for a port that would rival nearby New Castle, which was already a busy commercial center. He planned streets in an orderly grid pattern and carved out lots for his new town. At what would become Second and French streets, he built himself a one-story hip-roofed brick house.

In 1736, when Willingtown boasted about 600 residents, the citizens petitioned King George II of England for a town charter. It was granted in 1739, but with the proviso that the little settlement along the Christina River be renamed Wilmington.

No one knows how Thomas Willing felt about the change, but it was

apparently a small enough price to pay for self-government. The next year, in the borough’s first elections, William Shipley was chosen Chief Burgess.

The name Wilmington is not unique to Delaware. The first Wilmington is a community in the southeastern corner of England. But Wilmington, Delaware— along with two other Wilmingtons in the United States (in North Carolina and Vermont)—immortalizes not a place, but a man: Spencer Compton, first Earl of Wilmington.

Born in 1673, the son of James Spencer, the Earl of Northampton, and his second wife, the daughter of Viscount Compton, Spencer Compton was elected to Parliament in 1698. He held several government positions before assuming the role of prime minister in 1742. A longtime favorite of King George II, whom he had served as treasurer before his ascension to the throne, Compton was made Baron Wilmington, then Earl of Wilmington, and finally knighted at the age of 60. In poor health at the time of his appointment as prime minister, he died the next year, a bachelor and childless at the age of 70.

The town charter doesn’t explain why the king wanted Wilingtown to take the earl’s name. One explanation is the longstanding friendship between the Comptons and the Penn family. The earl’s uncle at the time of Pennsylvania’s founding was a counselor to William Penn. Penn’s successor as proprietor of the colony was his son Thomas, and since Delaware was still part of Pennsylvania in 1739, the younger Penn

would have been the one to sanction the town’s petition to the king.

The Earl of Wilmington never set foot in America, but thanks to his portrait, which used to hang in the Wilmington Library, he was recognized by some of the local citizenry. One in particular, Alice Gage Baker, a selftaught artist and wife of a Wilmington dentist, sculpted a plaster bust of the earl based on the portrait in 1925. Her 38-inch-tall sculpture was unveiled in a Wilmington Fine Arts Society exhibit at the library that year.

Wilmington Trust purchased a bronze casting of the bust in 1928 and displayed it in the bank’s main office in the Du Pont Building until the bank moved its headquarters to the Wilmington Trust Center on Rodney Square in the 1980s.

The earl’s image was used as their logo from 1928 until 1962.

In 1961, Wilmington Trust acquired Spencer Compton’s original patent of nobility signed by King George II, making him a baron. Discovered in a private New York collection, it was donated to the bank and put on display alongside the bust. Both were moved to the executive offices of the new building.

The plaster bust was donated to the Delaware Historical Society by the artist in 1933 and is in storage. The library no longer has the Spencer Compton portrait, which was a copy of a painting done in London in the early 1700s. So while the Earl of Wilmington’s name lives on in the state’s largest city and in one of the city’s senior-housing facilities, Compton Towers, few people today recognize the man behind his namesakes.

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4/22/2011 3:38:50 PM

BUSINESS PROFILE

The Next Level LOMA’s Extreme Pizza takes a local approach to being a franchise

By Pam George

I

t was a sunny afternoon downtown, and James Baker, coowner of Extreme Pizza at Second and Market streets, was happy. But that’s not unusual.

“He’s always so energetic and so excited,” says frequent customer Lee Mikles, principal of the Archer Group.

On that afternoon, however, Baker—not to be confused with the mayor of the same name—was particularly happy. “Today was an even keel on everything—takeout, delivery, and dine-in,” he said, sitting at a four-top table in the restaurant.

FAR-OUT FOOD The Ragin’ Rooster, one of Extreme Pizza’s signature creations.

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4/22/2011 3:44:11 PM

It’s not just luck. Despite his youthful demeanor, Baker is no stranger to the restaurant scene. He’s worked his way up from dishwasher in a pizzeria to the manager of a large chain’s location.

Extreme Pizza is also a franchise, but you would never know it. The restaurant boasts an independent ambiance. Part of that is because Baker is usually on site. Another part stems from his talent at community relations.

“He knows he has to be part of the community, not just a standalone,” Mikles says.

Baker, who grew up in Hockessin, was a young teen when he started washing dishes at Two Cousins Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant. He continued working there through high school and college.

“I loved it,” he says. “I developed a passion for the business, never knowing what to expect on any given day and the people you meet who are from all walks of life.”

He liked it so much that the financial-planning career he launched after graduating with finance and economics degrees proved disappointing. “It’s great money, but I wasn’t happy,” he says. “In a cubicle, I’m like a caged animal.”

He took a job as the assistant manager at Don Pablo’s Mexican Kitchen. From there it was a quick leap to assistant general manager.

He crossed over to Ruby Tuesday in Middletown, where he was the manager for three years.

Then opportunity knocked. Brett Forest, owner of Cloudburst, which installs lawn-sprinkler systems, always wanted to own a restaurant. The men initially met when Brown was at Two

Cousins. Forest’s accountant—a friend of Baker’s family—had an office in the building, and he’d often leave materials at the restaurant for him to pick up after hours. “I told him, ‘Whenever you decide to open a restaurant, I’m your man,’” Baker recalls.

Forest, who lives on the Riverfront, came across San Francisco-based Extreme Pizza while researching franchise opportunities. “I like the model,” he says. The chain started in 1994 as a take-and-bake concept.

Bowing to customer demand, Extreme Pizza became a restaurant. (You can still get take-and-bake pizzas.)

Extreme began franchising in 2004.

On the way to visit his daughter, then living in North Carolina, Forest would stop in Virginia, then the closest location, for pizza. “I’d bring it home, invite people over and see how it tasted.”

Their response encouraged him to start a franchise. His accountant reminded him about Baker. “I spoke with him, and he had excellent credentials,” Forest says. “It felt right.”

The name Extreme is a play on X sports, and some locations carry the theme to an “extreme.” Not Wilmington. Only photographs of athletes on walls hint at the concept’s original premise. The restaurant, formerly home to the Rebel, has a full bar and features table service. Both are firsts for Extreme Pizza’s U.S. locations.

The chain allows owners to use local vendors. LOMA Coffee will supply Extreme’s coffee. Parcels handles all the printed materials. Al’s Sporting Goods is the T-shirt and hat vendor. Bill’s Meat Center provides fresh protein, and Natural House on Kirkwood Highway supplies produce.

The approach goes both ways.

The new jazz club at Ninth and Orange streets, Nomad Bar, has Extreme menus in the club, and orders are delivered.

Also an anomaly: the Wilmington Extreme Pizza has its own recipes for meatballs, chicken parmesan, grilled chicken, and wings. Brown is working with the Rebel’s former owner to create a Caribbean jerk pizza named, appropriately, the Rebel.

It should be right at home with the other far-out pizza names, which include Pandora’s Box, made with baby spinach, marinated artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, and tomato sauce; and the Ragin’ Rooster, made with chicken marinated in a barbecue sauce, red onions, fresh cilantro, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella.

Extreme Pizza has been a bonus for workers in the LOMA area. “I come here every day,” says Joe Yeager, an employee at Al’s Sporting Goods, who is only mildly exaggerating.

“Everything is done in a timely manner. The staff is great.”

Yeager this time is picking up a grilled chicken Caesar. “And a freshbaked oatmeal cookie,” Baker adds.

Yeager nods. “You have to have dessert,” he quips.

Forest and Baker are working on a Trolley Square location next. And then? Maybe they’ll conquer the East Coast. “We’re having fun,” Baker says.

“We really are.”

That’s evident. Whenever Mikles asks Baker how’s he doing, Baker always replies: “Living the dream!”

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OUT T H G I N S ’ M O M Delaware Children’s Museum hosts Real Simple editor s part of the Mom’s Night Out speaker series at the Delaware Children’s Museum, Real Simple magazine editor (and mother of three) Kristin van Ogtrop will discuss how to simplify life as a working mom. The ongoing speaker series focuses on challenges we all face as parents and in raising families.

Be a part of the discussion on Saturday, May 11. It’s just $15 for DCM members and $20 for non-members. (delawarechildrensmuseum.org/speaker-series)

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JAZZ BRUNCH Eat to the sounds of jazz at FireStone’s Sunday brunch njoy food and drinks each Sunday at the FireStone Roasting House during the restaurant’s Jazz Brunch Buffet, which features a live jazz band from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drink specials include a $5 Bloody Mary and a fresh-fruit crush bar and $5 mimosas and Ventian Sunsets. (firestoneriverfront.com)

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wilm.com KICKBALL TOURNEY Delaware Sports League teams with Best Buddies n May 14, the Delaware Sports League presents their third annual adult kickball tournament on the Riverfront. Create a team with 8 to 16 of your closest friends and play multiple games beginning at 10 a.m. It’s just $20 per person, including all-day kickball games and lunch. Proceeds go to Best Buddies Delaware, a nonprofit organization aiming to benefit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (bestbuddiesdelaware.org)

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RUN FOR A CAUSE Walk or run a 5K for a good cause this month o for a walk or run to benefit one of Delaware’s many nonprofit organizations this month. Several nonprofits will hold 5Ks on the Riverfront to help those in need, including the Camino Latino-Pasos Para Nuestro Futuro 5K on May 19, which raises funds for the Latin American Community Center. (races2run.com)

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on the riverfront Y O U R G U I D E T O W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G AT R I V E R F R O N T W I L M I N G T O N

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APRIL 30 – MAY 1 D C M B I R T H D AY C E L E B R AT I O N

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Amtrak Station Tubman-Garre Riverfront Park Residences at Christina Landing Harry’s Seafood Grill Riverfront Market Delaware Theatre Company FireStone Roasting House Justison Landing Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts Joe’s Crab Shack Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant Frawley Stadium & Delaware Sports Hall of Fame Chase Center on the Riverfront Dravo Plaza & Dock Shipyard Shops Timothy’s Restaurant Molly’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Wilmington Rowing Center Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge/DuPont Environmental Education Center Wilmington Youth Rowing Assoc.

Cosi @ the Barclays Crescent Building ThoroBreads at Christina Landing Opera Delaware Studios/City Theater Co. Hare Pavilion/Riverwalk Public Docks AAA Mid-Atlantic Kooma Big Fish Grill Delaware Children’s Museum

MAY 11 MOM’S NIGHT OUT SPEAKER SERIES

Party with games and activities @ Delaware Children’s Museum

Featuring Real Simple magazine editor Kristin van Ogtrop @ Delaware Children’s Museum

9am-4:30pm

6-8pm

MAY 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 JAZZ BRUNCH BUFFET

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Enjoy deals on food and drinks every Sunday @ FireStone Roasting House

MAY 2 D E L S TAT E C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E S U P E R S TA R S I N E D U C AT I O N

MAY 14 BEST BUDDIES DEL AWARE KICKBALL TOURNAMENT Make a kickball team and join the competition @ Justison Landing Park

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MAY 18 COMMUNITY ACCESS NIGHT

Seven winning schools will be honored at a dinner @ Chase Center on the Riverfront

Visit the museum for just $2/person @ Delaware Children’s Museum

5-8:30pm

5-7pm

M 2011 | XX F O R M O R E O N T H E R I V E R F R O N T, V I S I T: R I V E R F R O N T W I L M .COM AY

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SUMMER KICKOFF P A R T Y

SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011 5 PM – 12 AM

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LIVE MUSIC WITH CHORDUROY 8 PM – 12 AM $3 Summer Ale Pints •$3 White Sangria $4 Raspberry Lemonade Cocktails

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1604 West Sixteenth St | Wilmington | 302.656.8660 Gift Certificates Available Online | www.fabriziosalonspa.com 17

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CITY NOTES

Trinity Vicinity

Carriage rides, tea, and house tours in Trinity

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tching for a carriage ride through a scenic area? On Saturday, May 21, you can hop in a carriage for a ride through historic Trinity Vicinity during the neighborhood’s Tea in Trinity event.

With its tree-lined streets, gingerbread accents on homes, and quaint streetscapes, Trinity Vicinity feels more like a place in a quiet neighborhood at the shore, not in the midst of a bustling urban area.

Tea in Trinity will allow visitors to spend the afternoon (from 1 to 4 p.m.) exploring more than a dozen historic homes for tea and pastries. The homes will be in varying states, from still-in-progress to well-established. Guests can enjoy carriage rides through the neighborhood and see why it was named Best Garden Block by the Delaware Horticultural Center.

Admission is $5, which includes carriage rides and tea and pastries. Children under 12 are admitted free but must be accompanied by an adult. Free parking is available in the lot on 11th street between Monroe and Madison. Proceeds from the event benefit the Trinity Vicinity Neighborhood Association. Ticket holders will be eligible to win gift certificates to several popular Wilmington restaurants.

For more information, call 571-1754 or 777-7144, or visit trinityvicinity.org.

Street sub-name honors Al and Hazel Plant

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treet sub-naming is a long-held tradition of honoring community leaders who have made an impact in an area, and the recent sub-naming of Eastlawn Avenue is no exception.

Mayor Baker, First District Council Member Charles Potter Jr., Council President Norman D. Griffiths, and a

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large gathering of elected officials and Eastlawn community representatives recently held a ceremony at the intersection of Locust and Eastlawn Avenue to announce the honorary sub-naming of Eastlawn Avenue to “Al O. & Hazel D. Plant Memorial Route.”

The sub-naming honors two former State Representatives: Al O. Plant Sr., who served in the Delaware Legislature from 1975 to 1993 and from 1995 until his death in 2001, and Hazel D. Plant, who held the seat formerly occupied by her late husband from 2001 to 2010.

Hazel died last November.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to honor Al and Hazel Plant,” Potter said. Member Potter. “These remarkable individuals worked tirelessly as a team to the benefit of the entire city and state. The sub-naming of Eastlawn Avenue—home to the Plants for many years—is a fitting tribute to this great family.”

Al and Hazel Plant, originally from Arkansas, settled in Delaware following years of military service and employment with Chrysler. In 1957, the Plants settled in Wilmington with their three sons: Al O. Jr., Al Anthony, and Alfonzo N. Plant.

Upon his election to the Delaware Legislature in 1975, Al quickly established a reputation as a champion for the rights of the oppressed. Some of his achievements include passage of the first statewide housing code in Delaware and the establishment of the state holiday commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Along with his wife, Al founded the Eastlawn Area Human Service Center and the Organization of Minority Women. Al also served on the Board of the Wilmington Branch of the NAACP. When Al died in 2000, Hazel was elected to fill her late husband’s seat in the General Assembly. Prior to her election, Hazel was employed with the State of Delaware Justice of the Peace, Court 10. Hazel worked diligently with the Welfare Rights Organization, and was a board member of the Eastlawn Area Human Services Agency. In her final session as a Representative, Hazel served as the chair of the House Labor Committee and on the Corrections, Judiciary and Housing and Community Affairs committees.

Federal grant further assists city’s fire department

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ast month, we reported that a $1.7 million federal FEMA grant, titled SAFER (Staffing for Assistance for Fire and Emergency Response), will allow the city’s fire department to hire 13 additional firefighters and reduce fire-department expenditures by $500,000 in Wilmington’s operating budget for FY 2012, which begins July 1.

In addition, the city has received a separate federal grant for $1 million that will allow for the purchase of a new fire boat. (The city is providing a match to the grant for $250,000.) The WFD has responsibility for patrolling the waterways within city limits, as well as assisting with emergency responses along regional waterways. The WFD is the major responder to fires and emergencies along rivers in this region.

MAY 2011

4/22/2011 3:26:50 PM

Archer Group nets Addy

downtownwilmington.com

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he Archer Group, downtown Wilmington’s—and the Delaware Valley’s—fastest-growing interactive marketing firm Wilmington, took top honors for interactive websites in the Philadelphia Advertising Club’s annual Addy Awards—the ad industry’s largest creative competition—sponsored by the Philadelphia Advertising Club.

Wilmington native brings flare to Market Street

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he Second & LOMA block recently celebrated the opening of a men’s and women’s boutique, Dimensions & Co., at 221 Market St. The store offers a range of footwear, outerwear, business-casual attire, and accessories. Entrepreneur Danny “Ace” Valentine is inspired by his experience in the music, film, and fashion industries. “I want to contribute a slice of pop culture to downtown Wilmington,” Valentine says. “The boutique offers shoppers the style and sophistication of a SoHo boutique but at much more reasonable prices.”

Valentine is a native Wilmingtonian whose most recent business venture included performing commercial and branding work with Fila, one of the world’s largest sportswear companies. He has also worked on film projects with director James Tobak and a host of celebrities, including Neve Campbell, Samuel L. Jackson, Lucy Liu, Mike Tyson, RZA, Damon Dash, and Robin Givens.

A talented musician, Valentine has also worked on several albums with Wu-Tang Clan. Prior to Dimensions & Co., Valentine successfully ran Numani Couture, an upscale urban-retail store that was a fixture on 29th and Market for six years.

Fashion-forward ladies’ boutique opens downtown

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adies looking for a new place to buy trendy clothes, shoes, and accessories in the vein of SOHO need look no further than 222. W. Ninth Street and NOSO Boutique.

Fashion entrepreneur Anne Hamilton is the founder and owner of NOSO. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in fashion merchandising/marketing. In the late ’90s, she worked as a product developer in the garment industry of New York City and was involved in launching fashion brands for celebrities and major retailers.

Wilmington Renaissance Corporation

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WRC News

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long with the fresh air and flowers springing up everywhere, this month, something else is getting a fresh look as well.

As of May 1, you will see the “in” campaign sporting a fresh look and message everywhere you turn. The arts and entertainment of Wilmington will take center stage with ads, billboards, and social-media outreach.

Of course, as readers of this publication, you are already aware of the fantastic arts, culture, and entertainment options we have in such a geographically small area. But the campaign will not only remind Wilmington residents of the great opportunities we have here, it will reach into surrounding communities and states to let those folks know they don’t have to go far for world-class shows, exhibits, events, and dining experiences.

The arts and culture community has truly come together in a collaborative effort and a unified voice that can’t be denied or ignored. The multi-year campaign is sure to dispel any misperceptions about what Wilmington has to offer, finally putting an end to that age-old statement, “There’s nothing to do!”

The website will have an extensive calendar and interactive elements that make it user-friendly and easy to navigate. The campaign will also use new technology and innovative ideas to promote the fun in Wilmington.

If your organization or company wants to get in on the movement, it’s not too late. Those looking to find ways to utilize the “in” campaign and help promote the exciting happenings in our city can contact Brianna Hansen at Mobius New Media at 475-9880, ext. 31 or brianna@mobiusnm.com.

Don’t forget to head downtown for the Wilmington Grand Prix—downtown’s premier event that features pro cycling, six blocks of free family fun, live music, and so much more! Head to Market Street on May 20-22 to be part of the fun! Learn more at wilmgrandprix.com.

WRC’s Favorites

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ach month we’ll feature a few of the staff ’s favorite things happening in the city. Our favorites for May include (in no particular order!):

• The Wilmington Grand Prix will be a three-day event this year from Friday, May 20 to Sunday, May 22! Get more info at wilmgrandprix.com.

• If you don’t know already, you can buy a “boo boo” bag of candy from Govatos at Eighth and Market streets. The decorative swirl on top may not be perfect, but there’s nothing wrong with the taste!

• Many downtown restaurants offer outdoor dining in the nicer-weather months. Check out all the tables and chairs on Market Street!

• June kicks off festival season in Wilmington! The Greek, Italian, and Jazz festivals all take place. See the cover package in this issue for a preview.

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