Our Annual Dining Issue Shining Through the Struggles of Showtime Once is Not Enough for Some Restaurateurs The Spinto Band: Following Their Journey
AN EVENING with the MASTERS
50 restaurants showcased at culinary extravaganza
APRIL 2013 CO M P L I M E N TA R Y VOL. 26 | NO. 2
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personalized education. affordable tuition.
Wilmington University Spring Open House WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 4:30–7:00 PM Wilson Graduate Center Dover Georgetown WilmU at Burlington County College, Mt. Laurel Campus
Wilmington University puts your education within reach. Attend the WilmU Spring Open House to meet faculty and learn more about undergraduate and graduate programs, credit transfer, and financial aid options. For more information and to RSVP, visit: wilmu.edu/OpenHouse
1-877-456-7003 | wilmu.edu/OpenHouse Wilmington University is a private, nonprofit institution and member of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA).
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Quitline (1.866.409.1858)
DELAWARE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES Division of Public Health Tobacco Prevention and Control Program March 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Out & About Magazine Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
our staff Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com
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Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net
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Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Director of Sales Marie Graham Poot • mgraham@tsnpub.com Creative/Production Manager Matthew Loeb • mloeb@tsnpub.com Art Director Shawna Sneath • ssneath@tsnpub.com Contributing Writers Matt Amis, Krista Connor, Ed Dwornik, Christine Facciolo, Mark Fields, Pam George, Robert Lhulier, Allan McKinley, J. Burke Morrison, John Murray, Larry Nagengast, Scott Pruden Contributing Photographers Joe del Tufo, Tim Hawk, Donnell Hill, Les Kipp, Tony Kukulich, Matt Urban Contributing Designer Tyler Mitchell Special Projects John Holton, Kelly Loeb For editorial & advertising information: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 Website: outandaboutnow.com Email: contact@tsnpub.com
what’s inside Start
LISTEN
7 War On Words
56 Band of Brothers
9 Worth Trying
60 Tuned In
17 By the Numbers
64 Seeing the Light
Focus 24 Trendy Eats Kale, Brussels sprouts and shared portions join everpopular bacon on area menus
19 Q&A: Chris Castellani 21 Day Trippin’
Eat
Watch 69 Sins of Admission
30 Once is Not Enough Area restaurant owners open multiple locations for a multiplicity of reasons
71 Kitchens in the Movies
35 Taste 40 Chefs Supporting a Good Cause 45 5 Questions with Mike Stiglitz
Play 73 Snap Shots
Drink 47 Welcome Back, Natty Preme 51 Spirited 53 Beer Buzz
on the cover With an esprit de corps characteristic of An Evening with the Masters, chefs Robert Lhulier (University & Whist Club), Matthew Crist (Union City Grille) and Willaim Hoffman (House of William & Mary) got together at the University & Whist Club last month to create some culinary magic for our April cover. Photo/Joe del Tufo
april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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...coming soon!
TAKE 5 at Skyline Grill | HAPPY HOUR from 4-9pm Daily $5 Tall Captain Drinks | $5 Tall Vodka Drinks | $5 Appetizer Menu 2 for $5 Domestic Bottles of Beer DELAWARE’S HOTTEST NIGHT SPOT ALSO HAS AMAZING FRESH LOCAL FOOD Tuesday: Tex-Mex Night! $5 Tex Mex inspired Menu Items | $3 Import Bottles of Beer Wednesday: $5 Cheesesteak (beef or chicken) | $5 Martinis from our Martini Menu Thursday: $5 Burgers | $5 Glasses of Wine
LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC EVERY WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT DJ EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT (Open Tues-Sat 4pm-1am | Dress Code enforced Fri & Sat after 9pm) Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SkylingGrillPikeCreek
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3542 Three Little Bakers BLVD Wilmington, DE 19808 302.525.6007
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A writer/editor’s slightly snarky and relentless crusade to eliminate grammatical gaffes from our everyday communications
Compiled from the popular column in Out & About Magazine
THE WAR ON WORDS Wherein we attempt, however futilely, to correct some of the most common errors in English usage
Media Watch
• The recent shootings at the Wilmington court house brought forth a police spokesman, always a dicey situation for the language. Asked why two guards had survived the shoot-out, he said, “I contribute it to the Kevlar vests they wear.” The word he wanted: attribute. • A Philadelphia TV weatherlady had this to say about a recent snow storm: “New England will receive the blunt o it.” The word is brunt, and you would think she would know this since that’s a stock phrase uttered by all weather people. • Jason Whitlock, Fox sportswriter: “Penn Staters can no longer flout the Paterno name as proo o their superior integrity . . .” Close, Jason, but the word you were reaching for is flaunt—to display, exhibit, lourish. Flout has an almost opposite meaning: ignore, disobey, defy. • Headline from an online story: “Hoda, Kathie Lee squash rumors about feud.” When it comes to rumors, the word, as explained here some time ago, is quash. Kathie Lee added to the fun, commenting, “I don’t know where they got that from.” • The infamous (in my mind) “double is” reared its ugly head on the Imus in the Morning show not long ago when a lawyer repeatedly said, “The point is is that . . .” Never noticed that strange oral tic? Pay attention from now on. Take notes. Report back.
Not Exactly Grammar, But...
Further on the snow storm, reader Larry Kerchner says he heard a Fox News reporter intone thusly: “Many places got over three feet o snow. Some, even more.” We recently called our health supplier and got a recorded message that instructed: “Enter your Social Security number, one number at a time.” And please remember: Just because a word is in the dictionary doesn't make it correct. Examples: irregardless and ain’t.
By Bob Yearick
distortion o the phrase “by accident” into “on accident.” I had never heard it mysel until Daniel Tosh recently uttered it on his show, Tosh.0. And the supremely competent Shawna Sneath, noting that she is deinitely “not a grammar Nazi,” is peeved by people who add an apostrophe when referring to decades—e.g., 1900’s. As is the case with almost all plurals, no apostrophe is needed. It’s 1900s. Which leads us to . . .
How Long, Oh Lord, How Long?
(In which we chronicle the abuse o that most misused punctuation mark, the apostrophe.) From a press release by the Delaware State Lottery about the debut o keno: “Additionally, player’s will receive Keno Free Play for the irst hour o the event.” (Remember, every time you use an apostrophe to make a plural, a puppy dies.)
Clarifications
Disinterested does not mean uninterested. It means impartial, neutral. As in, “We need a disinterested party to decide this issue.” Bemused does not mean amused. It means confused, puzzled, bewildered. As in, “He was bemused by her failure to respond to his emails.”
Literally of the Month
“It literally came from left ield”—Rob Eiter, head wrestling coach at Penn, about the announcement that wrestling would not be part o the 2020 Olympics. That left ield— it’s everywhere.
Department of Redundancies Dept.
A couple o common ones: “It’s raining outside.” “We made a left-hand turn.”
Staff Peeves
All o us, including O&A staffers, have our pet peeves. Take the unfailingly cheerful Marie Graham Poot. She notes the
Seen a good (bad) one lately? Send your candidates to ryearick@comcast.net
Words of the Month
mondegreen Pronounced MON-di-green, it’s a noun meaning a word or phrase resulting from mishearing a word or phrase, especially in song lyrics. For example: “The girl with colitis goes by” for “The girl with kaleidoscope eyes” in the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.”
eggcorn
Pronounced EG-korn, it’s a noun meaning an erroneous alteration of a word or phrase by replacing an original word with a similar sounding word, such that the new word or phrase also makes a kind of sense. For example: “ex-patriot” instead of “expatriate” and “mating name” instead of “maiden name.” It was coined by linguist Geoffrey Pullum, who noted the substitution of the word “acorn” with “eggcorn.”
Buy The War on Words paperback on OutAndAboutNow.com, at Ninth Street Books in Wilmington, the Hockessin Book Shelf, or on Amazon. Check out the website: thewaronwords.com.
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eclipse bistro
taverna rustic italian
RED GRILL
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STEAKHOUSE
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Worth Trying Random suggestions from our staff and readers
Parks and Recreation
The Brandywine Treasure Trail passport This summer, I promise to add culture to my life. The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is all I’ll need! Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, I can visit 11 of the Brandywine Valley’s most renowned museums and gardens for just one low price. Available for individuals or families, and a great gift, with savings of over $380 in admission fees for a family of 5. What are you waiting for? This summer, join me and visit the treasures in our own back yard. brandywinetreasures.org — Sara Teixido, The DCCA
I may have stumbled upon this witty delight of a show four years late, but Parks and Recreation is my newest obsession. I was immediately invested in the life of Pawnee, Indiana’s quirky Parks Department deputy director and city council member, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), who relentlessly tries to make her fictional small town a harmonious and beautiful place to live. This “mockumentary,” featuring Leslie and her eccentric coworkers and friends, can be expected from the creators of The Office, but it manages to stand firmly on its own. And don’t be surprised—or mildly ashamed—if you devour an entire season on a single rainy Saturday. I did. — Krista Connor, Out & About
Take a Hike Looking for something to do as the weather warms up? I recommend biking or hiking on the new Pomeroy and Newark Rail Trail! Built along the former PomeroyNewark railroad line, the two-mile trail provides safe and continuous pedestrian and bike access from the James Hall Trail to the south and to White Clay Creek State Park to the north, and beyond. And the best part? It goes right through the heart of downtown Newark. So you can bike or hike for your physical health and eat, shop and enjoy downtown for your mental health at the same time. — Maureen Feeney Roser, Director of Planning & Development, City of Newark
Good Eats The egg sandwich at the European Bistro on Naamans Road is a pleasant reminder that this breakfast staple can be anything but boring. They call it the Omeletta Tostarello, a somewhat fancy name for a somewhat fancy sandwich. They start with one of their already super delicious omelets, put it on an Italian roll with lettuce, tomato, and onion and toast the whole thing panini style. The sandwich is available all day for those who, like me, enjoy eggs at any time. — Dean Vilone, El Diablo Burrito
Have something you think is worth trying? Send an email to Shawna with your suggestion by scanning this QR code ►
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Can YOU believe who’s playing THEGRAND next?!
ESPERANZA SPALDING RADIO MUSIC SOCIETY
A LIFE IN THE THEATRE: AN ONSTAGE CONVERSATION
Wednesday | arpil 24 | 8pM
Wednesday | May 8 | 8pM
Jazz vocalist and bassist charting new territory in jazz and world music
Tony-winning composer shares stories of his fabled Broadway career
$44-$54
$46-$67
n a t t a h n a Mransfer T
h An evening wit
The
Cashore Marionettes
&
sunday | april 21 | 2pM & 5pM $21 adult-$16 Children
Beautifully elaborate puppets inspire wonder, delight
Dave HollanD Kenny Barron Duo
Co-Sponsored by
sunday | april 28 | 7pM | $22-$30 sunday | May 19 | 7pM | $37-$45 Celebrated superstars of jazz on bass and piano
Tight, hip harmonies from a legendary vocal quartet
Host your next Retirement Party at TheGrand Call 302.658.7897 www.thegrandwilmington.org/Rentals/Special-Events
10 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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• Four Top Local Chefs • 30 Minutes to Prepare • and Plate • Feel the Heat of the Competition with an Up Close View
IT’S ON:
2nd Annual Weight-Loss Challenge Participants’ losses are NCC Boys & Girls Clubs' gain
T
he inaugural Weight Loss Challenge of the New Castle County Boys and Girls Clubs was such a success that it’s back again this year, with three times as many participants expected. Last year, 20 people took up the challenge. They exercised, dieted, and shed pounds over a three-month period to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs. This year, the goal is 60 participants. They will recruit friends, family and colleagues to sponsor their participation per pound lost or for achieving their overall total weight loss goal. The Challenge is backed by founding sponsors Plexus Fitness and Out & About Magazine plus three new gyms: Hockessin Athletic Club, 1614, and Fusion. Each participating gym has donated a 90-day membership to participants. It began last month with participants receiving fitness evaluations that included weight, body measurements and blood pressure. Working with a trainer from the participating gyms, each participant has set a realistic, healthy weight loss and exercise plan.
“The success of the inaugural Weight Loss Challenge exceeded our expectations and the addition of our new partners will do nothing but ensure our continued success,” said Scott Ciabattoni, vice chair of the Metro Wilmington Boys & Girls Clubs Board and the co-chair of the event. Delaware’s Congressman, John Carney, is a fitness enthusiast who is also a strong supporter of the Boy & Girls Clubs. “I’m pleased that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware are continuing their Weight Loss Challenge for a second year,” Carney said. “Teaching young people healthy habits makes it much more likely that they will continue to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet as they grow older. I encourage Delaware children and their parents to take this challenge.” Anyone wishing to participate or to support one or more of the participants can contact Ciabattoni at scottchab@ gmail.com. — Bob Yearick
• Full Bar Featuring 16 Mile Beer and Wine from Premier Wine & Spirits • Gourmet Spreads by guest Chef Judges
Wednesday,March April 36 Wednesday, and Monday, Monday,May May20 20 6 - 9 PM | $40 $40 per per Ticket Ticket
SPON
Proceeds to Benefit Meals on Wheels
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For Tickets Contact World Cafe Live (302) 994-1400 www.worldcafelive.com APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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F.Y.I. Things you absolutely need to know
HARVEST MARKET KITCHEN NOW OPEN The market offers grab-and-go deli items
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fter 18 years in business, and eight in its current location in Hockessin, Harvest Market has recently opened an on-site certified kitchen to produce grab-and-go deli selections. “We’ve developed a rotating menu of soups, salads, sandwiches and sides that are delicious and healthy,” says kitchen manager and chef Cosmia Weinerth, who says that new recipes continue to be developed.
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DELAWARE CULINARYTRAIL Hit the road on a journey to discover Delaware’s great tastes
NATIONAL GRILLED CHEESE MONTH
I
n February, the Delaware Tourism Office launched its new Delaware Culinary Trail, which features 24 of Delaware’s most iconic restaurants. The trail, which is similar to the Delaware History Trail, Delaware Wine and Ale Trail and Delaware Geocaching Trail, includes Deer Park in Newark, Grotto Pizza downstate, and the Green Room at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington. Food lovers must download a passport from the website and obtain codes from restaurants to complete the trail. The completed passport can be sent to the Delaware Tourism Office. Those who complete the trail will receive a collection of recipes in a limited-edition, hardbound cookbook, First State Plates: Iconic Delaware Restaurants and Recipes. For a list of restaurants featured on the trail, addresses, passports, and weekend trips, visit the website at visitdelaware. com/culinary.
The Queen celebrates with weekly craft beer and grilled cheese events
S
ince 2010, World Cafe Live at The Queen has hosted monthly four-course grilled cheese and craft beer pairings and dessert. Since April is officially dubbed National Grilled Cheese Month, The Queen will celebrate by offering tastings each Monday night at 7 p.m., featuring a different brewery each week: Sly Fox Brewery, Victory Brewery, Evil Genius, Dogfish and Allagash, and 16 Mile. Tickets are $38 per event (ages 21 and over).
CANCER*B*WARE Cancer victim’s charity raises funds to fight colon cancer
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ancer*B*Ware, started last year by Newark attorney Brian Ware before he succumbed to cancer at the age of 43, is continuing to raise funds to support KRAS mutation colon cancer research, treatment and the eventual eradication of colon cancer. A support group of friends and family has created a Facebook page—which got 1,000 “likes” in a few days—a logo, and T-shirts. In January the charity donated $10,000 to the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center in Newark. For more information and to donate, visit facebook.com/cancerbware or cancerbware.org. APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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11086 - PTP 2013 Out & About_April.QXP_Layout 1 3/14/13 2:12 PM Page 1
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Two Grand Traditions – One Great Day AT W INT E RT H U R
Sunday, May 5
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njoy a glorious day of steeplechase racing and celebrate Cinco de Mayo at this year’s 35th Annual Winterthur Point-to-Point. Pack a picnic lunch or festive tailgate spread and get ready to enjoy one of the Brandywine Valley’s most stylish sporting events!
For complete details on all Point-to-Point activities and to purchase admission, call 800.448.3883 or visit winterthur.org/ptp. Trackside tailgate parking spaces are available by calling 302.888.4994. Advance sales only. Rain-or-shine event. No refunds. All wristbands must be purchased by May 4. Adult general admission $30 (March 1–April 26), $50 (April 27–May 4). No tickets will be mailed after April 26. Children under 12 free. Discount for Winterthur Members. Proceeds benefit the continued maintenance and preservation of Winterthur’s garden and estate. 12 April 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Photos: Jim Graham and David Osberg
3/22/2013 10:14:52 AM
2
START Calling all flower children!
Discover TheDCH Week
May 13-23
Time to SOAR April events help sexual assault victims
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pril is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Survivors of Abuse Recovery, the nonprofit dedicated to providing professional mental health treatment to victims of sexual trauma, is hosting a series of statewide events. Awareness and financial support from the community are crucial to SOAR, because it relies on donations and event sponsorships to fund treatment, regardless of the client’s ability to pay. A month-long series, “Art is Healing and Healing is an Art,” will be held at the Rehoboth Art League. Local and regional artists—which include SOAR clients—will display their work at the exhibition. The reception will be free and open to the public on Friday, April 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. Additionally, 11 workshops combining art and therapy will be offered at the same location throughout the month, and a portion of sponsorship money will go to SOAR clients to help with their workshop costs. The annual SOAR spring fundraiser, set for Saturday, April 27, is a Whodunit Murder Mystery Night this year. Scheduled from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Harry’s Savoy Grill in Wilmington, “Whodunit” includes food, dancing, auctions and an audience participatory murder mystery. The events will conclude with SOAR’s participation in the Delaware Victims’ Rights Task Force 22nd Annual Victims Tribute at the Sheraton in Dover on Wednesday, May 1. Starting at 5:30 p.m., the event will include speaker Marilyn Van Derbur (former Miss America, incest survivor, author and victim advocate). Awards will be given to an organization, volunteer and professional who have supported victims of violent crimes. A tribute to these victims will end the night. For more info and ticket prices, visit survivorsofabuse.org. CM
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If you dig all things leafy, join us in May to get your gardening groove on!
CMY
K
—Out & About
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We’ve got a new crop of exciting events lined up with something for everyone. Bring your friends and family, and discover TheDCH! for event info & registration, visit:
TheDCH.org Delaware Center for Horticulture
TM
People and Plants • Grow With Us
302 658 6262 | TheDCH.org Special thanks to our Sponsors:
APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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Honorary Chairperson: Melissa Kenny
Spring Into Action 31ST Annu AnnuAl
EMMANUEL DINING ROOM
AUCTION Celebrating the Ministry of Caring’s 35th Anniversary
Sat, April 6 | 5pm Barclays on the Riverfront, 125 S. West St, Wilmington, DE All proceeds benefit the Emmanuel Dining Room’s three locations. Call 302.652.3228 for more info. Event & raffle tickets on sale now at MinistryOfCaring.org
16 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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by the numbers A handful of of restaurant-related trivia
13.1 million
980,000 number of restaurant locations in the U. S.
number of restaurant industry employees in the U.S.
44,100 number of Delawareans working in the restaurant industry.
$1.6 billion projected sales total for Delaware restaurants this year.
1849 The year the first Chinese Restaurant in the United States, Macao and Woosung, was founded
$660.5
billion restaurant industry sales projected for the U.S this year.
$1.8 billion
typical day of national restaurant-related sales
1902 The year the first Horn & Hardart Automat opened. It was the precursor to modern fast food businesses.
SATURDAY
APRIL 27
2013 Harry’s Savoy Grill Wilmington, Delaware
Hosted by SOAR, Inc. To register, visit:
survivorsofabuse.org April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. SOAR has a number of events this month including: 1. A month long Art is Healing and Healing is an Art exhibit at the Rehoboth Art League 2. A series of experiential workshops in Sussex County combining Art and Therapy 3. April 20th Delaware Clothesline Project, part of a national project fighting violence against women. For more information about these events please visit www.survivorsofabuse.org
April 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Slow Food To Go
from the Harvest Market Kitchen
Now serving Grab & Go Soups, Salads, Sandwiches & Sides www.HarvestMarketNaturalFoods.com
7417 Lancaster Pike | Hockessin, DE | 19707 - (302) 234 6779
plan your perfect event AT
KID SHELLEEN’S
Ballou Room Christenings showers graduation Parties CHARCOAL HOUSE & SALOON Call us today to get started!
First Communions
1801 West 14th street • Wilmington, De • 302.658.4600
•
WWW.KiDshelleens.com
18 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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Q&A:
Christopher Castellani Wilmington plays major role in Sallies graduate's third novel By Bob Yearick O&A: Do you get back to Wilmington often? CC: Pretty much every six weeks or so. We have a very tight-knit Italian family. I come home mainly to enjoy my parents’ cooking. O&A: When you do go out eat, do you have some favorite places? CC: We like Caffé Gelato [Newark], and my dad worked for years at Ciao’s Pizza in Prices Corner, so we often go there.
W
ith his third novel, All This Talk of Love, Christopher Castellani can conceivably lay claim to being the most prominent native Wilmingtonian currently writing fiction. The son of Italian immigrants, Castellani grew up in the Marshallton-Prices Corner area and graduated from Salesianum School in 1990. In his youth he made frequent visits to relatives in Wilmington’s Little Italy, where his parents first lived, and he accompanied his parents to Italy to visit their home towns. His first two novels drew heavily on these experiences, as he examined the lives of rural Italians during World War II and of Italian-Americans in Wilmington following immigration to the U. S. in the 1950s. All This Talk of Love, published in February by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, focuses on a contemporary ItalianAmerican family dealing with the duality of their identities as the older generation faces infirmity and their American children seek answers in the family’s roots. Says one reviewer: “At turns funny and tragic, Castellani’s third novel... recalls similar contemporary family sagas, such as Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections, but is far less cynical. Literary scholar Frankie reviles sentimentality, and the author manages to stop short of it while still making the story emotionally resonant.” Castellani earned a B.A. from Swarthmore College and an M.A. from Tufts University, both in English literature, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Boston University. He lives in Boston, where he is artistic director of the creative writing non-profit Grub Street, Inc., and serves on the faculty of the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers. We caught up with him while he was driving to Wichita, Kan., in the midst of a cross-country tour to promote All This Talk of Love.
O&A: Was there anyone who was a particular influence on your career while you were growing up here? CC: Definitely. A teacher at Sallies, Chuck Selvaggio, was the one who encouraged me and said I had some sort of talent. So I credit him for kind of getting things started. And spending a lot of time in Little Italy visiting my aunt and cousins on Eighth Street and Union Street definitely gave me some inspiration [for my books]. O&A: It’s extremely tough for a beginning writer to find an agent or publisher. How did you find yours? CC: I had a classmate at BU who was already a novelist and she really liked the novel I was working on. She referred me to her agent, and the agent liked it and took it on. And once she worked on it with me for a while, she was able to sell it very quickly. That was in 2000, and the book came out in 2003. O&A: Did you have to do much revising? CC: A ton, on all three books. One was 350 pages, and I cut out 150 and started basically from scratch. O&A: What advice do you have for beginning writers? CC: Treat writing like a part-time job and carve out time every day to work on it. [Once you complete the manuscript], show it to someone who is objective, some kind of consultant or mentor, and get the craft of it right. Then you can send it to friends and family and get their feedback. Then you can start looking for an agent. Go to writing conferences and talk to agents, or go to writing centers, which are all over the country. If a writer is speaking nearby, go talk to him. It’s really, really hard to get an agent if you don’t know anybody. It’s just as important to be a “social author” and network as it is to be a [writing] author. O&A: Are you working on another novel? CC: Oh, yes. It’s completely different from the first three. It’s not about the same family. It does involve Italy, but not Delaware. April 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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The Area’s
presents
PREMIER DAILY FEE COURSE
COURSE
NOW OPEN
NOW OPEN FOR THE SEASON NOW – APRIL 13: • $65 Every day • $50 Every day, Twilight (after 1:00pm) APRIL 14 – 27: • $70 Every day • $55 Every day, Twilight (after 1:00pm)
APRIL 28 – OCTOBER 12 • $80 Weekdays (Mon – Thu, excludes holidays) • $65 Weekday, Twilight (after 2:00pm) • $85 Weekends (Fri – Sun, includes holidays) • $70 Weekend, Twilight (after 2:00pm)
Green fees include cart. To book your tee times, call 302.994.6700 ext. 7436 or visit www.whiteclaycreek.com
Lace ’em up for a campy musical romp full of Gen X nostalgia! Hit songs include Magic, Evil Woman & the epic title track
Located on the grounds of Delaware Park Casino and Racetrack. 777 Delaware Park Blvd. | Wilmington, DE 19804 | whiteclaycreek.com Just up the road, I-95 DE Exit 4B
The Black Box
PHOTOGRAPHY & PROMOTIONS
DP-17339 Apr. Out N About Golf Ad 4.5x7.indd 1
3/20/13 4:02 PM
Sporting Events • Weddings • Business Functions • Fundraisers Holiday Photo Shoots • Birthday Parties • And More!
302.275.9257 www.sugarhillinc.com
at OperaDelaware Studios 4 S. Poplar St. • Wilmington
Tickets available now at city-theater.org
Visit the Out & About website & enter to win tickets!
20 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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DAY Trippin’ This narrow little state and the surrounding areas conceal many fun, quirky and fascinating destinations. Sometimes we just have to veer off the highways to find them. That’s what Day Trippin’ is all about. Have ideas? Send them to Krista at kconnor@tsnpub.com.
Delaware’s Underground Railroad By Krista Connor
he back road flowed like a stream through flat, open fields flanked by forests. I drove solo through lower Delaware on a spring-like afternoon, enjoying the euphoric sense always provided by sunlight, a snappy breeze, historic towns and indie rock on the radio. But flash back more than 150 years, to a time of petticoats and plantations, and the scene is not so cheery. Imagine yourself a slave, peering about, half-breathless, as you travel through these same fields and woods, on a journey that can lead to freedom or recapture. Last month marked the 100th anniversary of Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman’s death, so in honor of this great lady I made a pilgrimage along the Delaware portion of the U.R. to hopefully uproot some latent history. Tubman, who was born a slave in the Eastern Shore of Maryland, became a renowned conductor after her 1849 escape. She returned 19 times to Maryland to lead more than 300
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slaves through Delaware into Pennsylvania. She also served as a cook, nurse and spy for the Union Army throughout the Civil War. Tubman’s Delaware legacy is a 95-mile byway starting in Sandtown, Md., weaving through Camden, Dover, Smyrna, Odessa, up Route 9 through Old New Castle into Wilmington, then into Pennsylvania through Centreville. I admit to initially being a bit foggy about 19th century history (Whom did Abe Lincoln describe as the “little woman who wrote the book that made this great war,” Harriet Beecher Stowe or Harriet Tubman? And wasn’t Rosa Parks somehow involved?), but each stop helped me revisit ninth grade American history as I pieced together and learned a few new facts about Delaware and some of its surprisingly spunky citizens’ defiant roles. ► April 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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START DAY TRIPPIN' continued from page 21
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As the last slave state, Delaware played a crucial part in the battle over slavery. Quakers had already begun creating organized resistance against slavery as far back as the American Revolution, but more abolition movements and debates about how to end slavery arose in the 1800s. The most effective tactic was the Underground Railroad, a network of safe-houses, roads, waterways, trails and hiding places. “Conductors”—guides—led slaves to “station masters,” who hid the escapees on their journeys north. During the 19th century, Delaware held a complicated stance on slavery. According to a newsletter from the Delaware Historical Society, slavery in the state was dying off long before the Civil War. One reason for this was that the crops grown on Delaware farms didn’t require many workers, like southern tobacco and cotton plantations did. On a more ethical note, Delaware’s laws and Constitution forbade the import and export of slaves. Although in 1803 a law to outlaw slavery in Delaware lost by one vote, many slave owners practiced “manumission”— freeing their slaves, a movement that increased throughout the 19th century. Until 1850, as long as a fleeing slave made it to Pennsylvania, he or she was considered safe due to lax laws such as the original Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. But that year a new Fugitive Slave Act passed, inflicting harsher penalties: those convicted of helping slaves escape, whether whites or free blacks, faced fines, imprisonment, and in the case of free blacks, a trip to the auction block. Now fugitives could only feel safe once they reached Canada, often through a ferry from Rochester, N. Y. By 1860, 2.5 million slaves still toiled in backbreaking fields and white-washed mansions, while fewer than 500,000 walked the land as free women and men. From Route 10 out of Sandtown, I first stopped in the Camden Historic District at the still-active Camden Friends Meetinghouse, a Quaker place of worship and abolitionist activity built in 1804. It also is the burial place of John Hunn, Delaware’s richest man and chief engineer of the Underground Railroad during the mid-1800s. He faced multiple fines and convictions for aiding escaping slaves, although he was guaranteed the fines would be dropped if he would promise to stop aiding fugitives. He promised the opposite. His land and possessions were stripped from him and sold at sheriff’s sale, and although he and his family were left destitute, this didn’t stop him from aiding fugitives until the end of slavery. Following the map I found at harriettubmandelaware.com, I traveled along Route 13, and got momentarily lost in Dover before finding my way to the State House, the scene of the trial of freeman and conductor Samuel Burris. He had been caught aiding a runaway, sent to a Dover jail, and sentenced to seven years of slavery. But the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society secretly raised money and had someone at the auction purchase him and set him free.
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START The second segment of the map continued along Route 15 through farmland and woods around Cheswold and Smyrna. The colonial-structured Appoquinimink Friends Meetinghouse and Corbit-Sharp House in Odessa hid fugitives in attics and closets during the mid-1800s. Next, I traveled east, picking up my old friend Route 9, and headed north along marshes and reeds. By the time I reached Old New Castle, I concluded that I’ll never understand how slaves made the real journey on foot, most likely fighting exhaustion, malnourishment and terror. (I, on the other hand, stopped at Dairy Queen for dinner.) The New Castle Court House Museum was the scene of the 1848 trial of famous conductor Thomas Garrett and John Hunn. Garrett participated in the U.R. for 30 years, and in the process allegedly sheltered 2,700 runaways in his home on Shipley Street in Wilmington. When convicted and charged, like Hunn, Garrett lost everything, but he too continued to aid freedom-seekers. After the Civil War ended in 1865 and black men were given the right to vote in 1870, Garrett’s supporters carried him on their shoulders through the streets of Wilmington, hailing him as their Moses. Onward to Wilmington, I passed the Shipley Street marker near where Garrett’s home once stood, and made a stop at the Delaware Historical Society and Old Town Hall. A friendly employee, Thomas, led me through a wrought iron gate at Old Town Hall and down steep steps for a tour of the not-so-amiable prison that held captured slaves about to be returned to slavery. I spent 10 minutes exploring the cells. Their dim lighting, low ceilings, and heavy chains attached to the walls left me with a cold, empty feeling as I imagined being imprisoned here. Out into daylight and the road once more, I followed the map’s sharp turns
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block by block until I escaped the city, and with quickening speed I rolled past the hills of Winterthur and made it through Centreville to the Pennsylvania border, my gas tank on E. At the end of the journey, a surge of victory overcame me, and I found myself rolling down my window and shouting, “I’ did it” before making the trip home.
By the time I reached Old
New Castle, I concluded that I’ll never understand how
slaves made the real journey on foot, most likely fighting
exhaustion, malnourishment and terror. History lessons aside, I was left in awe of those rare people, both black and white, who were courageous enough to risk reputation, livelihood, slavery and imprisonment for justice and freedom. In all, Tubman, Garrett, Hunn, Burris and so many others led or hid more than 3,000 freedom-seekers throughout Delaware. A quote from Hunn on a marker outside my first stop, the Camden Friends Meetinghouse, sums up for me the humility and passion behind the mission: “I ask no other reward for my efforts than to feel that I have been of service to my fellow-men. No other course would have brought peace to my mind.” A complex map of the Harriet Tubman Byway can be found on harriettubmandelaware.com. It lists the community-based byway project’s goals, aided by DELDOT and other organizations. For 16 historic locations along the byway, search online for “State of Delaware Byways.” The byway should technically take three hours, but in order to experience everything, I’d recommend a full day or more. APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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TRENDY
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ood shows, culinary stars, and the continued popularity of cookbooks, even in a digital age, have made keeping on top of food trends a snap. Yet just because people in New York are tucking into hotdogs smothered in kimchee—a Korean pickled dish—doesn’t mean we’re doing it in Delaware. Still, Delawareans aren’t eating well-done grilled tuna either. Well, for the most part, anyway. Here’s a glimpse at some dining trends in the Diamond State. Going Green In urban centers, kale has become a culinary darling. In the Delaware area, you’re more likely to find kale chips in the snack aisle of Whole Foods than you are on restaurant tables. Yet more places are appreciating the qualities of this form of cabbage. “Kale offers a bright, earthy look and even brighter health benefits,” says Matthew Curtis, owner of Union City Grille in Wilmington’s Little Italy. “It’s wonderful wilted or—a favorite of mine— baked with sea salt and olive oil for a long time at a low temperature.” At the restaurant, Matthew Crist, the new executive chef, serves wilted kale and cheddar grits with braised short rib. At Corner Bistro in Talleyville, Chef Jamie Nardozzi tosses kale in soups or braises it. Remember the days when diners turned up their noses at stinky Brussels sprouts? All gone. “I sell a ton of Brussels sprouts,” says Donny Merrill, the executive chef at Krazy Kat’s Restaurant in Montchanin. He often
Kale, Brussels sprouts and shared portions join ever-popular bacon on area menus By Pam George
pairs them with chicken and pork, but many customers order the sprouts as a side dish. Two Stones Pub in Wilmington gives the little green goodies an upscale treatment with a splash of truffle oil. Nardozzi roasts Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar, and “it’s always good to add some bacon,” he says. Indeed, bacon is to Brussels sprouts what peanut butter is to jelly. At Redfire Grill Steakhouse in Hockessin, chef Eric Huntley cooks shredded Brussels sprouts with duck fat and bacon. While Huntley quips, “You should cook everything with bacon,” there’s a practical reason for the pairing. The bacon’s smoky flavor cuts through any bitterness, Nardozzi notes. He likes to search for baby Brussels because they’re less bitter than their full-grown counterparts. As with Brussels sprouts, micro-greens and mini vegetables continue to make an impact. Baby arugula, basil, and Chinese mustard are a manageable bite and a pretty presentation. But some minis—a baby beet, micro-carrot, or tiny radish, for instance—can go too far. “I’d feel like I’m planning dinner for Barbie,” Huntley says. In some instances, Merrill agrees, the baby veggie isn’t worth the big price tag. It’s often better as a garnish than a side dish. Pickled vegetables and fruit, meanwhile, is a dish that has picked up steam in some kitchens. “It seems it’s not going out of style,” Merrill says. “It adds a little acidity to a dish.” At Krazy Kat’s, he pickles radishes, onions and watermelon. ► APRIL 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Salty Sensation Visit the bulk section in Whole Foods and you might notice a table devoted to flavored sea salts in big glass jars. While the customers aren’t bellying up to the table in droves, area chefs are enthusiastic about them. Sriracha salt is the new plaything at Two Stones. “It’s just like bacon—it makes everything better,” Muse says. (Obviously, bacon is a trend that just may be here to stay.) The spicy salt is officially used around the rim of a Crazy 88, an Asian-influenced Bloody Mary with house-infused lemongrass and ginger vodka in the mix. “But we’ll put it on just about anything else,” Muse says. Huntley has used citrus salt and smoked salt for a finishing touch on dishes. Home chefs use caution: A little goes a long way, he says.
Corner Bistro has started to make pickles in-house. “You can make it spicier or sweeter, depending on the dish,” Nardozzi says. But chefs have yet to see the kimchee craze hit Delaware. Also known as kimchi, the fermented dish, which usually includes cabbage, scallions, and cucumber, is showing up on burgers, hotdogs and chicken in other parts of the country. People here would rather just have sauerkraut, Huntley says.
Fresh from the Garden You’re not likely to see farm-to-table go away anytime soon. If anything, the locavore concept is bigger than ever. But you may notice an increase in the number of restaurants with their own gardens, even if they’re in pots. Merrill this year is planting a garden on the hotel grounds. (Krazy Kat’s is part of the Inn at Montchanin Village.) Union City Grille recently secured a plot in the community gardens at Cool Springs. This year, Two Stones is putting greenhouses on the grounds of Elbow Farm in Landenberg, which has provided fresh herbs and veggies to the restaurant in the past. Both Two Stones locations will benefit from cauliflower, artichokes, peas and cucumber grown on the farm.
Big Buns Speaking of burgers, Lucky’s Coffee Shop serves its burger on brioche, a rich roll with a high egg and butter content, instead of a pedestrian bun, and it’s not the only restaurant to embrace the French delight, which seems to have replaced the potato roll at upscale spots. Pretzel rolls are coming in a close second. Some chefs take creative license when it comes to the bun. Krazy Kat’s has served turkey burgers on sliced cornbread. (In part, the alternative appeases gluten-free diners, whose numbers are increasing.) — Ben Muse, operating partner of both Two Stones locations On Sundays, Two Stones has slid a burger topped with bacon-infused syrup and an over-easy egg on blueberry waffles. “It’s just a fun way to give our guests Share Alike a different burger than they normally see,” says Ben Muse, Small plates and shared portions have become mainstream, operating partner of the two locations. to the point that some Redfire diners ask the kitchen to divide While sliders have been waning in popularity in trendsetting entrees into equal portions for the table rather than do it areas, they’re still strong in Delaware. Merrill makes them bigger, themselves. however. Instead of three or four bite-sized sandwiches, you But the dedicated small plate section of a menu is still common. might get two large ones.The burger in general simply won’t Crist, who’s spent months in Spain, home to the small plate concept, budge off its pedestal. Witness Union City Grille’s popular has developed a small plates selection for Union City Grille’s new half-priced burgers on Burger Mondays—“Don’t ever mention menu, which includes steak wontons, mozzarella bites, and Prince Meatless Mondays,” Curtis warns—and Kid Shelleen’s half-priced Edward Island mussels served with a pretzel baguette. ► burger special on Tuesdays.
Sriracha salt is the new plaything at Two Stones. “It’s just like bacon—it makes everything better.”
april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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The mini-maxi concept extends to drinks. Domaine Hudson in Wilmington has long received toasts for its 1 ½-, 3-, and 5-ounce pours. Two Stones since its start has offered draft beer in full- and half-pour sizes. “The half-pour helps you pace yourself better, and you get to try a much wider range of beers,” Muse says. And being adventurous is catching on in traditionally conservative Delaware. Krazy Kat’s, Merrill says, has become known for its antelope, wild boar, and duck dishes. “I always tell guests I have everything that was on the Ark.” A SWEET FINISH Guests are also experimenting with dessert. At the Harry’s Seafood Grill lunch that was part of the MidAtlantic Wine + Food Festival last month, guests sampled Camembert gelato with a sweet potato biscuit and fig confit. To be sure, the mix of savory and sweet is becoming common. Crist makes a mean pear-and-ricotta empanada, Curtis says. Savory or sweet, dessert orders are gaining ground after taking a plunge in January. “Lately, we’ve been selling a ton of desserts,” agrees Muse, who’s passionate about Two Stones bourbon-butter bread pudding. “It’s definitely a great way to end your meal.”
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FOCUS Pan-roasted sea scallops, spinach bomb rice, crisp kale, and serrano blood orange coulis as prepared by Harry’s Seafood Grill executive chef and partner Dave Banks. photo/Tim Hawk
Once Is Not Enough Area restaurant owners open multiple locations for a multiplicity of reasons By Pam George
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s the 1990s wound to a close, Harry’s Savoy Grill in Brandywine Hundred was picking up steam. The classic red meat restaurant, which opened in 1988, was varying its menu with numerous raw bar items and seafood dishes, and customers were showing their appreciation. Although the crab cake became nearly as popular as the prime rib, the tasty patty was overlooked in readers’ choice awards. Owner Xavier Teixido realized that Harry’s Savoy was stereotyped as a good steak spot, despite the solid seafood menu that he and David Leo Banks, the executive chef, wanted to expand further. The solution: “We had to do a Harry’s Seafood Grill,” Teixido says. Shortly after opening, Harry’s Seafood Grill on the Wilmington Riverfront received an award for its crab cake. The need to explore a new concept prompts many restaurateurs to open a second, third, or even a fourth restaurant. But there are other reasons, including offering staff advancement opportunities, reaching new markets, and, of course, making more money. In Teixido’s case, two of the restaurants are owned and not leased, making them good real estate deals as well.
“But with success comes the temptation to see if you can do it again,” he says. “That is why we decided to open a second location.” (The second restaurant, Dome in Hockessin, is now Redfire Steakhouse.) Dan Butler had a similar experience. His first restaurant, Griglia Toscana, now Piccolina Toscana, was “wildly successful when we first opened,” he says. The to-go shop in the same Trolley Square strip center was a natural offshoot.
“It’s kind of like an author whose first book is successful: I wanted to prove that I wasn’t a one-trick pony.” —Dan Butler, Wilmington Restaurateur
The opening of Deep Blue in downtown Wilmington, however, was more about artistic expression. “It’s kind of like an author whose first book is successful: I wanted to prove that I wasn’t a one-trick pony,” Butler says. “I wanted to show that I could cook fish as well as pasta and do it in a creative way.” Brandywine Prime Seafood and Chops in Chadds Ford added steak to his repertoire. For brothers and partners Michael and Stephen Lucey, opening another restaurant helped them “stay sharp,” Michael says. “After years of walking into the same place day after day, it’s easy to become complacent and risk doing the same thing over and over.” The brothers first opened Dead Presidents in Little Italy. They now own Six Paupers in Hockessin and Ulysses Gastropub in North Wilmington. Opening a restaurant with a new focus helps keep them fresh and interested, he says. “It also puts us in contact with Harry’s Seafood Grill executive chef and different groups of customers, Then there’s Matt Haley. One of Delaware’s most prolific partner Dave Banks (front) and cook Santos Castro prepare for a Saturday managers, and employees who restaurateurs, Haley owns six beach spots and will open a lunch crowd. photo/Tim Hawk help us to ‘shake off the cobwebs’ seventh, Papa Grande’s, a Mexican concept, this spring. He takes and grow,” he says. “You gotta a long pause before explaining why he has more than one eatery. keep moving.” “I just love to design and build restaurants,” he says finally. Few would deny that expansion helps a restaurant operation Indeed, there’s a certain thrill to creating a new restaurant. Just recruit, train, retain, and promote staff. Teixido made Banks a ask Carl Georigi, whose Platinum Dining Group now has four partner at Harry’s Seafood Grill and Kid Shelleen’s. Longtime locations with more on the way. Opening Eclipse in Wilmington’s manager Kelly O’Hanlon is also a partner at Kid’s. Former Harry’s► Little Italy was the fulfillment of a dream, Georigi says.
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Savoy Grill chef Kate Applebaum is now the chef at Harry’s Seafood Grill. “I have to provide sous chefs with the opportunity to move up,” Teixido says. Without the chance for advancement, he was training them to work at competitors’ restaurants, he explains. “You need a feeder system.” Some Platinum Dining Group employees have been with the restaurants for 10 to 17 years, Georigi says. “Every successful business owner has a responsibility to provide growth opportunities for its employees and a social conscience to give back to the community,” he says. Iron Hill Restaurant & Brewery, which started in Newark and now has 10 locations, is also a good example of the philosophy in action. However, new restaurants must continue to support the company’s current pay structure, Teixido notes. He won’t pay a manager or chef at a larger location more than one at a smaller site. Before opening a new restaurant, he makes sure it can meet the restaurant group’s budget. Another advantage to multiple locations is enhanced buying power. Haley’s restaurant group, SoDel Concepts, often realizes a 12 percent savings. Haley’s restaurant management company, Highwater Management, can pass that discount on to its clients. But multiple restaurants can also present headaches. Like children, one might be fine while another has issues. You just get accustomed to handling the catastrophes, Lucey says. While putting out fires, restaurateurs must maintain a steady reputation throughout the operation. Consistency is also important. “We need to maintain a level of quality, from the iced tea to a piece of tuna,” Haley says. In either case, if customers have a poor experience at one restaurant, they might not visit a second or third restaurant in the group, Lucey says. Keeping things fresh is another challenge. “We’re always tweaking and growing the businesses,” Butler says. “I have to make them more appealing, better, and fresher for the audience.” A recent Dogfish Head dinner attracted people in their 20s and 30s to Harry’s Savoy Grill, which resides in an established community. In the past 10 years, area retirees’ gray hair has given way to the hipsters’ shaved heads. Harry’s Savoy, now 25 years old, has kept up with the shifting demographics. When it comes to new restaurants, Teixido and his partners are “poking around a bit,” he says. He wants to make sure everything is manageable. “Restaurants coast like tanks: When you turn them off, they stop in their tracks, and getting restarted takes a lot of energy.” Georigi and Butler have no shortage of energy. Georigi is exploring offers for a second Capers & Lemons location, as well as locations for a modern Mexican restaurant and a French bistro. Butler says he’s always on the lookout for other opportunities —if they make sense. “I will have a major announcement to share —hopefully soon,” he promises. Lucey, though, is more hesitant to leap in again. “I always say no,” he says, “but it never seems to work out that way—kind of like every Eagles farewell tour.” april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Chefs prepare for the big show during a previous Meals from the Masters brunch. Photo/ Robert Jacobs
TASTE: By Robert Lhulier
I
The Struggles of
SHOWTIME
t’s a rare thing for chefs to gather with other comrades in white to cook outside their everyday kitchen. But when the opportunity arises to collaborate, bond, assist and shine with those just like you, you own it. And how much you bite off (no pun intended) can determine whether you’re the star of the show or winner of the Wrinkled Nose Award. For more than a decade, Delaware has been home to a series of events
that act as a magnet for chefs and food and beverage professionals from our increasingly popular state, as well as the country and abroad. The recent Mid-Atlantic Wine + Food Festival brought together chefs and winemakers from around the world for a statewide week of cultural fireworks. The five-year-old Farmer and the Chef in September showcases all the bounty The First State has to offer. The annual Evening with the Masters weekend in Wilmington draws on
the creativity of these individuals and showcases their massive talents in a cultural and culinary melting pot, all benefiting homebound and hungry seniors in Delaware. Whoever thought up the idea of bringing all these chefs under one roof was most certainly not a chef, no matter how brilliant the idea. One of the most brutal aspects of the food biz is catering; you work twice as hard and twice as long. You haul everything you need with you, from skewers to ► APRIL MARCH 20132013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 35
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Robert Lhulier is the executive chef at The University & Whist Club in Wilmington.
M
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& EV E R
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for hours on end and not having a chance to eat or drink is commonplace for chefs at these events. It’s like drowning in an inch of water. And then the gates open. Depending on the time of the event, you can be in for a raucous and bruising ride. Those coming directly from work to the Evening from the Masters are ready to get their grub on. There is no noshing; these people aren’t here to rub elbows with friends over a nice chardonnay and spanakopita, then meet later for dinner. No, it’s throw-down time. Chefs are up on that wire, trying to balance delivering the message of their food, their location and maybe a word or two on their style, while trying to keep up with the increasingly serpentine line that has formed at their table. After all, this is marketing as well as charity and celebration. Remarkably elaborate table displays, clever eating and drinking vessels, lights, smoke, banners—all come into play as you vie to be a standout. Over the years, I’ve seen colorfully painted, half-naked girls delivering sushi, and I’ve seen icy vodka luges, intricate watermelon sculptures and live goldfish centerpieces. As the event begins to wind down, the inevitable question for chefs becomes, “Where’s the after party?” You didn’t think we do all this out of the kindness and generosity of our heart just to support a cause, did you? Well, yes, we do, but, when we do, we’re going out with a Bang! After some 30-40 exhibitors wrestle for one of the three hand carts provided, it’s time to head home, unload, meet up and take a deep breath to enjoy the company and unique nature of the ones who made it all happen. And instantly, the memory of long hours and grueling conditions fade amid clinking glasses and rosycheeked revelers.
AY
sterno, and then haul it all back. You lack the comfort of your professionally designed kitchen with its running water and large refrigerated areas. It’s camping for the culinary arts. These events begin with choosing a venue, preferably one that is accessible, user-friendly and appealing. This is followed by a pitch to the chef: Are you in? Great. Recipe, please. This is where it gets tricky. A chef wants to shine when doing an away game, but you have to consider that almost none of the chefs attending normally cook for 1,000-plus people in one shot. How complicated the dish is can determine how successful or hellish those three or four hours will be for them and their team. A really nice cheese and crostini is sounding good about now, yes? This is where finer chefs excel. Despite the adversity of work conditions or the danger of compromising the quality of the final product, they choose what we would describe as “high-wire” stuff. You want to wow the crowd. Granted, I’ve seen my fair share of easily ladled soups with a single garnish; I’ve done it, too. But the dishes with the higher degree of difficulty, presentation and execution get the evening’s highest marks. But cooking is only half of it. In this extremely small state, most chefs have worked together at one point or another. So when one of these a culinary reunions occurs, it becomes a party, and we wonder why we don’t do it more often. Wait—did I just say that? Weren’t we just complaining about all the drudgery of such events? But once you’re there and you see old teammates, all that is forgotten. It’s the beverage guys who love you the most, tortured as they are by the aroma of hickory-scented pork, caramelizing sugar or garlic and yeast. Veteran chefs know to make up a dozen plates before paying attendees arrive so they can trade with their compatriots in a consummation of the relationship for the evening. Being surrounded by food
UR
THE STRUGGLES OF SHOWTIME continued from page 35
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april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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38 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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2 FOCUS
WIN ONE OF 25 PRIZE PACKAGES! Please take a few minutes and fill out our 2013 Readers’ Survey. We’d really appreciate it! PLUS, if you do, your name will be entered for a chance to win one of 25 prize packages—including four VIP tickets to Evening with the Masters! (Friday, April 19. Includes admission to Cellar Masters Wine Auction—a $500 package). Other prizes include Point-To-Point tickets, restaurant gift cards, and more!
1. What is your age? a. under 21 b. 21-30 c. 31-40 d. 41-50 e. 51-60 f. 60+ 2. Gender
a. Male b. Female
3. What is your Zip Code? ________________ 4. Where do you work (Zip Code)? _________________ 5. Marital status? a. single b. married c. previously married 6. What is your highest level of education completed? a. High school or less b. Some college c. College d. Some graduate school e. Graduate school 7. How often do you read Out & About? a. Every month b. Often c. When I see it d. Rarely 8. I prefer to read Out & About: a. in print format b. online 9. How long have you been an Out & About reader? a. less than one year b. 1-3 years c. 4-6 years d. 7-10 years e. more than 10 years 10. What topics do you most like in Out & About? food & drink music movies health & fitness contests special events nightlife arts & culture business profiles
MAIL ME! MAIL ME! If you would be so kind... Our address is: TSN Media 307 A Street Wilmington, DE 19801
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Name: ________________________ Phone: ________________________ Email: ________________________
11. Please check all of the following activities in which you regularly participate: reading fiction reading non-fiction watching TV watching movies crafting museum & theater playing sports/exercise watching sports shopping traveling volunteering hiking/camping photography cooking holistic living listening to music playing music gardening home improvement other: _____________________________ 12. How often do you dine out (not including fast food, take-out or delivery?) a. 3 or more times per week c. 1-2 times per week d. once a month e. less than once a month 13. How often do you order take-out (not including fast food?) a. 3 or more times per week c. 1-2 times per week d. once a month e. less than once a month 14. How often do you entertain at home? a. more than 5x/wk b. 3-5x/wk c. 1-2x/wk c. 1x/month d. less than 1x/month 15. I am an: a. Out & About Facebook fan b. Out & About E-Newsletter subscriber c. both a and b 16. Which (if any) of the following events did you attend last year? City Loop Series (Halloween Loop, Shamrock Shuttle, Santa Crawl, etc.) Evening with the Masters City Restaurant Week Wilmington Grand Prix Musikarmageddon Newark Food & Brew Festival The Farmer & the Chef Wilmington Beer Week 17. Comments (What would you change, add, delete, etc.?): ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________
If you’d rather fill this out online, that’s OK too. Visit OutAndAboutNow.com, or scan this QR code ► to link directly to the page. MARCH 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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On April 15th, At Two Stones Pub we don’t serve beer this way. We serve it with respect in nice glasses. We’re in Newark and Wilmington, and on the internet thingy too.
Before the internets were invented, when you Googled “two-fisted” you would get a very wholesome definition involving the consumption of a great American beverage no, THE great American beverage - beer. Really? that makes absolutely no sense. How could you Google something before the Internet? I suggest you keep your beers down to one at a time, and don’t Google “two-fisted”. If you read through this entire ad, then you are one of the cool people, and you know the way we roll. Two-fisted. Also, spend your tax refund on beer at Two Stones Pub. That’s the tie-in with Uncle Sam.
40 april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Showcasing Chefs and Supporting a Cause
L–R: Chef Willam Hoffman of the House of William and Merry, chef Matt Crist of Union City Grill, and chef Robert Lhulier of the University and Whist Club are just three of the participants in this years’ event. These three created the beautiful dishes you see featured on O&A’s cover this month. photo/Joe del Tufo
The fundraiser enables Meals On Wheels to serve 600,000 meals to 4,000 Delaware seniors annually
W
hen Meals On Wheels Delaware formed in 1993, the organization had one major goal: that no homebound senior in the state would be placed on a waiting list for a daily nutritious meal. While MOW services have come to a halt in many states due to decreased federal and state funding, MOW Delaware has remained waitlist-free and continues to serve more than 600,000 meals to 4,000 seniors a year—thanks primarily to fundraising events such as Meals from the Masters, which is celebrating its 16th annual Celebrity Chef Brunch, along with Cellar Masters’ Wine Auction and Evening with the Masters this month.
The 11th annual Evening with the Masters on Friday, April 19, will provide an opportunity to raise more than $100,000 for MOW Delaware, Cassandra Boyce of MOW Delaware says. Hosted by NBC 10’s Jesse Gary and held at DoubleTree Downtown in Wilmington from 6:30 to 10 p.m., the evening will boast renowned chefs and beverage purveyors who represent 50 restaurants and breweries, including Home Grown Café, Pizza By Elizabeths and Dogfish Head Brewery. Live music will be provided by Philly-based dance band Back2Life. Tickets are $75 and $125 for VIP tickets, which include Cellar Masters’ Wine Auction from 6 to 10 p.m. along
with early entrance to Evening with the Masters. Event parking at the DoubleTree is free for all ticketholders. This year, an outdoor tented craft beer garden, spearheaded by longtime MOW Delaware supporter and Two Stones Pub owner and chef Michael Stiglitz, will offer some of the best local brews, including 16 Mile Brewery, Dogfish Head Brewery, Evolution Craft Brewing Company, Standard Distributing, Twin Lakes Brewery, Two Stones Pub, Yards Brewery Company, NKS Distributors and United Distributors of Delaware. Boyce says Evening with the Masters is a great way to spread awareness to the community and event guests about the MOW Delaware mission and its ► april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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42 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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continued need for assistance in combatting hunger among the state’s senior population. “Without Meals On Wheels Delaware’s fundraising efforts, many of our seniors would be placed on a waiting list for meal delivery without knowing when or where their next meal will come from,” says Boyce. “It is crucial in these tough economic times that we raise the funds needed to feed the most vulnerable in our community.” For tickets and weekend getaway packages, visit the website at: mealsonwheelsde.org. — Krista Connor
Mow Fast Facts • According to Boyce, alternatives to food for homebound seniors are few. Ill health, lack of resources or age-related conditions often inhibit seniors from grocery shopping or preparing their own meals. • Consistent meal deliveries go beyond the nutritional value. Boyce says that while wholesome meals sustain the seniors’ physical strength, the dedicated volunteers also bring them hope. “Sometimes a Meals On Wheels Delaware volunteer is the only contact a senior may have with the outside world throughout the day,” she says. “A warm conversation, checking in on how things are going, asking if they need help taking out the trash or changing a light bulb, can mean the world to our homebound seniors. Our volunteers go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure our seniors are fed, safe and cared for.” • Recently, a first-time volunteer was unable to get into a senior’s home. Worried about why the senior wasn’t answering the door, the volunteer enlisted the help of the building manager, and found the senior inside with a broken leg after a fall. “The senior could have gone unnoticed for days,” says Boyce. “It’s moments like these when our volunteers become true lifelines to the seniors they serve.” • For info on how to get involved, visit mealsonwheelsde.org/volunteeropportunities.
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Culinary aficionados who complete the trail will receive this limited-edition, hardbound cookbook FREE
To purchase the book, visit: www.VisitDelaware.com/culinary/ďƒžrst-state-plates
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44 April 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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5 Questions With:
Michael Stiglitz For the owner and executive chef of Two Stones Pub, Evening with the Masters is a great way to give back to the community
1) What are the highlights of Evening with the Masters for you—why should people attend other than to help Meals On Wheels Delaware? The highlights are plenty. We have many great chefs and restaurants as well as fine craft brews and vineyards represented. As if that’s not enough, we have the wine auction, which always has some incredible offerings, and usually a crazy beer (six pack) or bottle that’s super special. 2) In your opinion, in what ways do events like this one help non-profit organizations other than just the financial proceeds? The awareness it brings to the plight of many people is the big win. No one thinks about the older generation any more. All the younger folks hear is how the baby boomers are sucking up Social Security. But without them we wouldn’t be here. We need to support everyone when needed.
photo/Tim Hawk
3) You have been a consistent champion of Meals On Wheels Delaware. What is it about the organization that appeals to your sense of generosity? I decided a long time ago that if I ever had the opportunity to help out with a charity, it would be for children and older folks. They are the two parts of the population that should not be forgotten. Certainly the children have many champions, but we always forget that our past is our future, so protect it. That’s why I am very much a supporter of Meals On Wheels.
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ichael Stiglitz always wears a big smile when he writes a check to Meals On Wheels after hosting a fundraiser at his restaurant, Two Stones Pub. For eight years now, whether he’s initiating benefit events such as Giving On Tap or participating in nights like Evening with the Masters, Stiglitz says that for him, one of his roles as a restaurateur is simply giving back to the community. It builds good will and strengthens the relationship between restaurant staff and customers—and gives customers an opportunity to help those in need. O&A talked with Stiglitz about reasons to attend Evening with the Masters, the particular draw that Meals On Wheels has for him, a craft beer garden, ambitious goals for future events and more.
4) As you know, this year’s Evening with the Masters has a new component, a craft beer garden, in which Two Stones is a participant. What should guests look forward to from the Two Stones table? This year’s craft brew tent will feature many breweries, most local, but it will be a great chance for people to try great beers they maybe never had before. All of this will be coordinated by our beer guy, Ben Gumbo, and he is putting together a very balanced list of many great brews. Two Stones is trying to secure some very special bottles through our distributors right now. There are a lot of new breweries entering Delaware and we are trying to showcase some great new beers.
“I decided a long time ago that if I ever had the opportunity to help out with a charity, it would be for children and older folks. They are the two parts of the population that should not be forgotten.” 5) You also launched Giving On Tap in November of last year as Two Stones’ own benefit to Meals On Wheels Delaware. How did you feel that went and what can folks look forward to this year? Giving On Tap was a huge success. We raised well over $6,000 at very little cost to the charity because we did it onsite at 2SP Wilmington with our staff. We poured over 30 awesome beers and a little wine, of course. We also had the VIP tables full and phenomenal dining—a four-course beer dinner by our chefs in the middle of the event. This year our goal is to clear $10,000 for the charity, which will be quite a feat. But we always shoot high and work very hard at reaching the goal. We are in the planning stages now and are looking to add more tickets this year, but with the space being tight, we are going to have to get creative. Maybe a VIP “Craft Brew Cocktail Hour” will kick things off this year, with some specially-donated bottles by distributors and breweries, as well as some celebrity bartenders. Stay tuned. — Krista Connor april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Come Enjoy Our Great Weekly Entertainment
Come try our 24 Draft Beers at McGlynns in Polly Drummond!
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6 1 8 N . U N i o N S t. • W i l m i N g t o N 46 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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2 DRINK 2
WELCOME BACK, NATTY PREME
Tim Miller, president of National Premium, inside the Fordham and Old Dominion Brewery in Dover that is now the new brew place for National Premium. Photo/Tim Hawk
Thanks to the relentless Tim Miller, a Dover brewery helps re-introduce a favorite Pilsner By Allan McKinley
T
he Fordham and Old Dominion Brewery in Dover certainly fits in with the modern craft beer movement. Aggressively hopped IPAs, espresso stouts, and even Belgian styles are among its bold offerings. But while the brewery stays focused on craft beer’s present and future, it’s quietly playing a role in keeping a tradition alive with its National Premium. Once marketed and sold as the “premium” alternative to National Bohemian, National Premium is currently experiencing an unexpected rebirth at the Fordham and Old Dominion Brewery. “Natty Preme,” as it was known in its heyday, originally was brewed by National
Brewing Company, and enjoyed a strong following, particularly in the Baltimore area. But after a series of ownership changes, National discontinued production in 1996. The unlikely revival of this brand is due to the unrelenting efforts of one man, who is leading the charge to bring it back to the main stream. Tim Miller, a former real estate agent in Easton, Md., and self-proclaimed nostalgic, has always appreciated vintage products, branding and memorabilia. Miller, 44, grew up in the oil business—his father owned McMahon Oil in Easton. McMahon consisted of several gas stations and a distribution shop. Miller
fondly remembers walking through the shop as a child and sifting through old gas station trinkets and signage that had piled up in the storage room. He developed a liking for old brands and retro advertising, and eventually began toying with the idea of trying to resurrect a dead business. Having noticed a revival in a few old beer brands— Pabst Blue Ribbon and Narragansett, for example—Miller thought the beer business might be intriguing. “I remember thinking to myself, wouldn’t it be cool to bring back an old beer brand?” Miller says. He initially set his sights on a defunct brand called Gunther, also an ► april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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48 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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2 DRINK WELCOME BACK, NATTY PREME continued from page 47
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Photo/Tim Hawk
old Baltimore staple. In 2004, he approached Jim Lutz, president of Fordham Brewery and Old Dominion, and asked him what he thought of the idea of bringing back a dead beer brand. Lutz was unable to accommodate Miller at the time, but he did give him some advice. “He told me two things,” Miller recalls. “He said if you’re gonna do this, do one beer and do it well. “He also told me, ‘you’re crazy to try and get into this business.’” Miller decided to focus on the former and ignore the latter part of that message. Still, he failed to persuade any area breweries to go along with his idea. Finally, in 2010, he came across an ad for an unusual auction being held in New York City. The auction was selling off the rights to dozens of dead trademarks, including brands like HandiWrap, General Cinema and Meister-Brau. One in particular caught his eye. “When I saw National Premium, I was like, ‘get out of my way, I’m going for it,’” Miller says. Despite some initial reluctance from his wife, he trekked to New York and bought the rights to National Premium beer for an undisclosed amount. “Now what?” he asked himself immediately after the auction. While he owned National Premium, he had nothing physically to show for it: no brewery, no equipment, no merchandise.
“All I bought was the name,” Miller says. So he set to work building a website and getting the brand back in the public eye. But the basic problem remained: how was he going to actually make the beer? With no commercial or homebrewing experience of his own, he began working the phones to find brewers. Through a series of connections from his lacrosse days—“friends of friends of friends,” Miller says—he was able to track down a former brewer from National Premium. “He basically put together from memory [a formula for] the beer that was produced in the mid-to-late-‘60s,” Miller says. ►
While he owned National Premium, he had nothing physically to show for it: no brewery, no equipment, no merchandise. april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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DRINK WELCOME BACK, NATTY PREME continued from page 49
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In yet another instance of relentlessness and good fortune, he happened to connect with Jack Ehmann, a retired professional brewer and former president of the Master Brewers Association. Miller brought Ehmann on as Brewmaster to help oversee the quality control aspects of the brand. Finally, in 2011, he called Lutz at Fordham and Old Dominion again— this time with a viable plan. He had Ehmann and a legit recipe. With enough capacity to accommodate Miller this time, Lutz took him up on his idea. In March of 2012, after several test runs, National Premium launched its first 50-barrel batch in its new incarnation. To help scratch out some additional funds (and sneak in some free publicity), Miller reached out to the History Channel’s American Pickers. The show responded, and last July sent its team to scour Miller’s old oil plant for antiques and collectibles. The Pickers wound up buying a few thousand dollars worth of old gear that had been sitting in Miller’s shop. As a bonus, the name “National Premium” was mentioned on the show a few times. According to Ehmann, the product is a close approximation to the original. “This beer is more of what I remember as a young man,” Ehmann says. “Most craft brewers today don’t make Pilsners.” Miller refers to the beer as a “tweener”— something that straddles the line between heady craft beer and light macro lagers. “It’s a session beer,” Miller says. “Our unofficial motto is this is ‘a beer you can go the distance with.’” He is pushing to get bottles of National Premium into as many hands as possible. It can now be found in several of Delaware’s larger beer stores. “The foundation is in place,” Miller says. “Now it’s time to drive this baby.” Reflecting on the unlikely manner in which this once proud, old-school beer made its way to a small corner of the Delaware beer scene, Miller says he’s not sure he believes it either. “This whole thing has been like a dream,” Miller says. “A really crazy story.”
50 MARCH 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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DRINK
2
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Spirited Every month we’ll give you a wine or spirits recommendation from an area pro
DAILY SPECIALS Monday
All You Can Eat Ribs $18.99 Kid’s Meal free (with purchase of adult entrée) Lunch Special: Open Face Roast Beef Sandwich $6.99
Tuesday
Yuengling’s $2.50 4pm-8pm 40¢ Wings Texas Hold ‘Em at 8pm Lunch Special: Omelette du Jour $6.99
Wednesday
½ Price Burgers 5pm-Close ½ Price Build Your Own Chicken Sandwich 5pm to Close Lunch Special: Build Your Own Beef or Veggie Burger $6.99 From Nick Georigi, General Manager at Capers & Lemons
FALANGHINA, CANTINA DEL TABURNO, CAMPAGNA, ITALY
T
his is a mindset that is at the core of each of our restaurants, a mantra that often echoes from corner to corner in our kitchens. Start with two or three humble ingredients and “make them great!” Don’t manipulate them too much. Allow their greatness to shine on the plate. This same philosophy is reflected in Cantina del Taburno’s Falanghina offering, and it’s why I love it so much. This exhaustively enjoyable wine from Campagna, Italy, is said to have a historic pedigree. Believed to be one of the oldest cultivated grapes in Italy, it was brought by the Greeks to the Romans in 7th century B.C. It’s unassuming, yet nothing short of remarkable in the glass, brimming with a soft, gentle hue that calls to mind the early days of spring. Ripe peach and a whisper of lemon open the way to a lip-smacking finish that’s bright, clean, and refreshingly rewarding.
Thursday
All You Can Eat Peel & Eat Shrimp Market Lunch Special-Prime Time Sandwich $6.99 Texas Hold ‘Em Sign-ups at 7pm, Game Time at 8pm Recession Relief Thursday Dinners $12 ½ Price Bottles of Wine Complimentary Happy Hour Buffet 5pm-7pm
Friday
Complimentary Happy Hour Buffet 5pm-7pm Prime Rib Night: King & Queen cuts Lunch Special-Soup & 1/2 Sandwich $6.99
saTurday’s specials Chef’s Specials
sunday’s specials
All You Can Eat Ribs $18.99
$2.50 Coors light all day everyday!
34 beers on tap! 302-738-9915 • timothysofnewark.com • 100 Creekview Rd. Newark
APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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The Deer Park Tavern tUES. aPril 30th
APRIL
Entertainment Schedule
tHE Little
Black
Thursdays 4 - Universal Funk Order 11 - Fat Daddy Has Been 18 - Tweed 25 - Villains Like You w/ Stallions
dress Party
Saturdays 6 - Dancing 13 - Ballyhoo! 20 - What Mama Said 27 - The Vigilantes
Fri. April 5th • Sexy Sundress Party • Ladies in Sundresses Pay NO COVER! Every Monday Showtime Trivia, Every Tuesday Jefe with DJ Stevy C. , Every Wed. Hub and Friends, Every Friday Epic Sound DJs! MONDAYS • ½ Price Pizza ALL DAY!
TUESDAYS • ½ Price Burgers ALL DAY!
WEDNESDAYS • ½ Price Nachos & Quesadillas ALL DAY!
Sunday Brunch from 9am–2pm
THURSDAYS • ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Wings (5pm-Close) ½ Price Burgers (11:30am-3pm)
Sunday Night CHORDUROY
Made exclusively for Deer Park and McGlynns Pub. Wednesdays only $2.50. Brewed by Twin Lakes Brewery
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302.369.9414 | 108 West Main Street, Newark www.deerparktavern.com
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2038 FOULK ROAD | WILMINGTON, DE | 302.475.1887 WWW.STANLEYS-TAVERN.COM 52 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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DRINK
2
Beer Buzz
2
Every month we’ll give you a beer recommendation from an area pro
From Rich Snyder, General Manager at Ulysses American Gastropub
WEYERBACHER’S MERRY MONKS
E
ver since my first managing job, which happened to be at a brewpub, I had been told the Belgians make the best beers in the world, particularly the Trappist Ales, of which only six remain. But try as I might, I failed to develop a yen for these beers; a respect, yes, but never an appreciation. I always preferred the lower alcohol and ease of consumption that British session beers offer. Then I started working at Ulysses American Gastropub, where, like anything involving alcohol, developing your palate involves immersion. Soon dubbels, tripels and quads were my go-to beers. And I found that Weyerbacher’s Merry Monk can hold its own against even the best Belgians. Weyerbacher beers just came to Delaware in February (See March O&A). They are relatively local—brewing in Easton, Pa.—and have developed quite a reputation. The Merry Monk is a 9.3 percent ABV Belgian-Styled Tripel. Sugar and Belgian yeast are added just prior to bottling, thus allowing these beers to mellow and develop complexity with aging, but you can also enjoy it immediately. All the classic Belgian Tripel characteristics apply here: banana, citrus, clove, malty sweetness and creaminess, and that classic Belgian yeast taste. Yet with all these flavors the Merry Monk is moderately dry. And with its subtle citrus backbone, the flavors are represented in proper proportions without lingering or being cloying. I find balance to be the most important characteristic of any libation, be it wine, beer or even cocktails. But it is the often discarded in the quest for extreme beers or fruit-bomb wines. Weyerbacher got it right. I continue to be impressed by their beers and I love the Merry Monk, and I think you will too. But do yourself a favor: drink it from a wine glass; it’ll yield way more flavor than a pint.
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APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 53
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APril 7
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54 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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At the press conference at Peco’s Liquors to announce the Heffernan Bill (L-R): Sam Hobbs of Twin Lakes Brewing Company; Jeff Kreston of Kreston Wine & Spirits; Mike Contreras of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Rep. Debra Heffernan; Claus Hagelman and Chad Campbell of 16 Mile Brewing Company; Robert Kreston of Kreston Wine & Spirits; Ed Mulvihill of Peco’s Liquors, and Mike Whitwell of Premier Wine & Spirits. Photo/Jim Miller
RAISE A GLASS! Heffernan bill would allow liquor stores to sell growlers on site
D
elaware liquor store owners and local breweries are raising a pint in celebration. Delaware House of Representatives member Debra Heffernan proposed a bill last month to allow Delaware liquor stores to fill and sell growlers of draught beer on site. The bill passed unanimously and moved on to the Senate.
“All indications look very positive,� says Edward Mulvihill, of Peco’s Liquor Store in Wilmington. Growlers are glasses or ceramic jugs filled with draught beer, usually in 64-ounce (halfgallon) sizes. Heffernan’s bill, supported by Peco’s and other Delaware liquor stores as well as craft brewery owners, would allow liquor stores to fill and sell growlers of draught beer from local breweries on-site. Currently, growlers can only be sold by craft brewers at their own brewery or brewpub. Allowing liquor stores to sell growlers, Heffernan says, would expand the market for Delaware’s small craft breweries, and liquor stores would be able to compete with stores in neighboring states. Pennsylvania and New Jersey allow liquor stores to sell growlers, and Maryland’s law is on a county-by-county basis. Delaware is a hotbed of the growing craft brewing industry, ranking 10th per capita with nine breweries: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Stewarts Brew Co. & Restaurant, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Dogfish Brewings & Eats Restaurant, Argilla Brewing Company at Pietro’s Pizza, Fordham Brewing Company, Twin Lakes Brewing Company, 3rd Wave Brewing, and 16 Mile Brewing Company. —O&A
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APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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LISTEN
F O D N BA S E I D D BU g together, in y la p f o rs a e y 5 After 1 te into Band attribu p S e h T f o rs e b mem and friendship ck lu to ss e cc su ir the
By Krista Connor
are middle hen seven Delaw ol students and high scho 15 years ago recorded music basements, in their parents’ me level as it was on the sa on the o and jumping playing Nintend grew ey th n game. As trampoline—a fu ture fu a d di ld fantasy wor older, only in a scribed for these self-de in music exist ers.” live “delusional teenag a chronology of Now, instead of .S. U e th t lis it’s simpler to n, shows and tours, ow kn lly internationa ve places these now ha — nd Ba to The Spin grown-up guys— th and aii, Alaska, Nor aw H not played: d Nevada. South Dakota, an ping list Nick Krill, sip Guitarist and voca ley ol Tr in ly weekday d se coffee on a drizz es pr im un aHa!, seems at th Square’s Brew H ng ni tio en the band, m with himself or
W
12 March 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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2 LISTEN 2
Arden Fair. ks a set during the o Photo by Joe del Tuf
The Spinto Band roc
d the former nford School, an Sa at s nd ba t to the They also opened gton and first wen Café in Newark. in d ilm En e W st Ea in ol ho rd hich included th o to reco ding Sc Sin City Band, w s’ basement studi of places”—inclu e h nt th re nc d r pa bu an fo , s’ “a ey he . en rn ug 15 be Bi H they’ve d, Scott ting. e age of ay of 1998 at th s brothers’ step da he’s stopped coun t id he Fr bu ug n. — d H so pe oo ob G , ro H e nd Eu on ev ba of a er, St and most already played in son brothers’ fath as Hughes, bassist The other guys or 11 the Hob Krill and Thom 10 oke of what Krill ed as as str w -b st e, on fir Jo gt e in th st, e ge ilm m un W ca yo e en e th Th (th te er Be t vocalist, attribu ese years Free merged into wha hes call luck. stick with it all th time), but they and Thomas Hug at s th ‘60 at ternet music d an s ily band’s ability to ar ‘50 e early days of in indie rock, th skill, but prim e th as or e w n m It tio co bi be am ld t, e wou nd. Th and mailed CDs not to talen p, The Spinto Ba the guys burned tanding friends. ou rs so gr , de d ss un ce ire m, g ac sp in in be a pd in n’t po cument to luck an s through mp3.co m a ninth grade do ,” says Krill. “I do finding follower rd fro r ei e es te w m lin af of co on e rt m as on so na om ’s ic “It and Th I talk eir mus ter lab, which Krill began sharing th ge that is until pu d an m an co str ol w d ho ho an sc s ze ea ie id reali ey’re like, with song and mov about it, and th message boards. st time we e Hughes filled as. m to other bands om sa e Th th to g ith that was the fir in w e rd g lik co in ac ay el ” fe pl o, “I nt en pi be “S named musical people outside ‘What? You’ve ‘Whoa, there’s however, being crazy.’ But it was ’s t, e, at in lik po Th e er at s? w th ar ye At a dig our music,’” guys for 15 nds who might eir list of goals. s before we were ie th fr nd r ie on fr t ou g n’ of in as w be os of of a matter I guess.” pr cessarily thinking on an even keel, o, Krill says. “We weren’t ne all band that kept it , ys music blogs, to rs Krill. “But we’d be ys em sa ” m g, e in fiv rit omas Hughes sa w s ng ha Th ic so us w or m no s t to ng in to no so in Sp s, d Sp and his tle song 000s, an ad in the early-2 : Krill, Hughes econd weird lit g re -s on in sp 20 gt in in e ga , ak ilm m og W bl , .” m to fro ng structure from blog vocalist Sam so ss t d pa ou an ab to ist n all rd ga at oa be ng n brother, keyb er, and thinki er, they bega re. ► Hobson, drumm out a year lat Ab e wider exposu th of l es ril and brothers Jeff ttl K ba n. ol so ho ob sc H e gh Jo hi g in calist Hill performin guitarist and vo hers at Tower ot br s he ug H e met th
april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Perennial Dining...
Family owned since 1898 • at the Heart of Trolley Square
The Taste. The Vibe. South Beach.
TAKE-OUT CRAFT BEER PROGRAM! Stop By And Grab One of Our Special Large Bottle Offerings or Your Favorite Six-Pack! For a list of available products and more details, go to our website!
BASEBALL SEASON HAS ARRIVED! Catch the Phillies Action on our Back Deck!
TUESDAYS
Patio Opening Weekend!
Quizzo with Dan Healy (starts at 8pm)
April 19th, 20th & 21st
WEDNESDAYS
Open Mic with Chorduroy
Follow us on
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On the Summit North Marina at Lums Pond 3006 Summit Harbour Place Bear, DE 19701 302.365.6490
www.aquasolrestaurant.com
THURSDAYS
DJ Gifted Hands from 10pm-1am
FRIDAYS
5 – The Future Unwritten 12 – Electric Blue Concept
WEBSITES FOR UNDER A GRAND.
W H AT ?
15 – Chorduroy 26 – Wave Radio
SATURDAYS
6 – Spokey Speaky 13 – Funk Church 20 – Brixton Saint
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302-655-9949
27 – Find Vienna 1701 Del. Ave. Wilmington
Logan House.com
58 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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2 LISTEN BAND OF BUDDIES continued from page 57
“I would consider that being lucky, because nowadays, music blogs are just everywhere,” says Thomas. “There was a ‘right place, right time aspect,’ and our music happened to resonate with whatever was bubbling up at the time.” After college, in 2005, they released their first album, Nice and Nicely Done, with Bar/None Records in Hoboken, N.J. “Our musical ideas started to become complete thoughts, rather than just random ideas,” says Krill. “And then when we sort of started to be professional musicians, we’d spend a lot of time in larger studios. During that time we started learning more about song craft and arrangement.” The album was released in Europe the next year, and they spent nine months touring the continent, which included a “crazy European music festival” with the Arctic Monkeys.
says Krill. “After that, we started to go back to more simple songs again.” Before the release, the band spent a month touring Europe in November, and returned again in February for a tour of France and in March for a festival in Switzerland, with a few shows in Paris and Italy. Krill says that although he doesn’t know why, the band is more popular in Europe than in the U.S., so they try to get over there a few times for each album. “Maybe it’s just some kind of cultural thing that somehow we resonate with the musical history that’s been rattling around their brains for years,” he says. Thomas Hughes agrees, saying the band initially fit in with what was popular in European music scenes when their first album released, rather than what was happening in the United States, possibly due to complex cultural differences. “There was a hole we could fit in over there, more so than here,” he says. They’re certainly not ignored in the U.S. They will perform in June at Firefly, the East Coast’s biggest music festival, in Dover. Other than a few other local shows, Krill says they’re going to take a little “summer vacation,” and pick up recording again a year from now. With the short time between albums and — Vocalist and guitarist Nick Krill tours, he says they all feel like they’ve run a February brought the band’s most marathon and need to take it easy. recent release, Cool Cocoon, which “As everybody gets older, it’s harder represents a balance between old Spinto to throw yourselves into the van for a and a more mature band. They are inspired five-week tour again, with different by the way they worked as high schoolers responsibilities back home to deal with,” with a four-track for recording. But instead he says. “Who knows what we’ll be able to of cramming the songs with a musical part accomplish. I’m sure we’ll still make music like they used to, they now leave space. together, but I don’t know on what scale “We were interested in making tight it will be.” little arrangements that fit together Krill says the almost telepathic precisely, jam-packed with musical ideas,” communication among the band members
“And then when we sort of started to be professional musicians, we’d spend a lot of time in larger studios. During that time we started learning more about song craft and arrangement.”
2
is something he took for granted until a few years ago when he began doing studio work for other bands and realized how “crazy” their 15-year situation is. “It just sort of luckily fell into that, and we’ve been lucky enough to do it the way we’ve been doing it,” he says. After a long pause, he says he can’t think of any “profound thing” that he’s learned and what has kept the band together for 15 years. “It’s more just learning about people, about personalities,” he says. “We’re pretty democratic and understanding. Maybe that’s the biggest lesson, being understanding— not creating too much conflict, and trying to resolve it in a way that nobody is mad. Having known each other for as long as we did, it’s easier to understand each other . . . You understand how someone may react to some situation, and you’re able to navigate it in a way everybody is okay with.” Thomas Hughes agrees, saying that because they were best friends since childhood, the band members have an intense knowledge of each others’ personalities and what buttons need to be pushed to set people off or what buttons need to be avoided. “It goes back very deep and far. We’ve always been friends before we’ve been band mates.” Neither Krill nor Hughes ever expected their lives to go in this direction, but that it just “luckily happened” that people like their music. There are no big egos, and no members of the band are steamrolling each other. Because of this, there has never been a possibility of the band falling apart or any thought of “we can’t do this anymore.” “Now, it’s really no different from when we were in high school, self-releasing CDROMS, selling them to our classmates and our parents,” says Hughes. “In a way, we’ve reverted back to that. We’ll see what the rest of the world wants us to do—but we’ll continue making music.” The Spinto Band will appear with Buried Beds at the Arden Concert Gild in Arden on Saturday, April 6, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 at ardenconcerts. com. Check out the band’s Facebook and website for more information: facebook.com/SpintoBand and spintonic.net/splash.
APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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TUNED IN What’s happening in the local music scene next month Email kconnor@tsnpub.com with ideas and they could be added to our list.
L-R: Stuart Robinson, Daniel Michalak and James Philips of Bombadil.
Bombadil at The Grand
D
uring their first tour in three years, North Carolinabased melodic indie folk pop band Bombadil will make a stop at The Grand Opera House on Friday, April 5. For the past three years, drummer James Philips, piano and ukulele player Stuart Robinson, and bass, piano and harmonica player Daniel Michalak have been on hiatus due to Michalak’s debilitating nerve injury that affected his hands. In 2009, the band was set to release an album and play at Bonnaroo and other festivals, but Bombadil—named after a character in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings—had to cancel their tour. Now, Michalak’s hands are improved and the band can tour once more, and will be releasing a new album, Metrics of Affection, on July 23. North Carolina-based Carolina Chocolate Drops, an oldtime string band, will perform with Bombadil at The Grand. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $28.
60 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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The Spartan Alumni Jazz Band at St. Mark’s High School
T
he Spartan Alumni Jazz Band will return to bassist Joe Dawson’s alma mater, St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington—home of the St. Mark’s Spartans—on Saturday, April 6, for a free spring concert. Formed in 1992 by Dawson, this 17-member, Wilmington-based group plays big band music with instruments that include sax, trumpet, trombone and percussion. The concert begins at 3 p.m. and will feature special guest Dave Schiff, virtuoso jazz tenor saxophonist who has worked with Aretha Franklin and others.
UPSTAIRS IN APRIL Every Tuesday Night: Open Mic Night. Perform to win monthly prizes from Accent Music, Aztec Printing, Spaceboy Clothing, Planet Ten Multimedia and more!
Every Wednesday Night: 4W5 Blues Jam
1– Spotlight Series: The Cab Calloway School of the Arts 4 – LIVE Music Wine Dinner with Wines That Rock! 5 – Open Mic Night for IVA’s Young Artists 6 – Peanut Butter and Jams welcomes John Flynn 6 – Record Release Show: Rod Kim & Vince Cirino 8 – Spotlight Series: Communities In Schools of Delaware 11 – Acoustic Tribute to Bruce Springsteen: A MusiCares Benefit 12 – Fat Daddy Has Been 13 – Gable Music Ventures’ April Singer Songwriter Showcase
Vince Cirino (l) and Rod Kim of RKVC.
15 – Spotlight Series: Lincoln University X-press Jazz Combo (LUX)
RKVC Unveils New Release at The Queen
18 – Ben Sollee with the duPont Brothers
L
ast September, local solo pop-rock artists Rod Kim and Vince Cirino joined forces to form an electronic pop duo, RKVC. The duo is well-known in area music circles and is a favorite of WSTW’s Hometown Heroes. Calling their style “self-deprecating romantic pop rock,” they will be at The Queen on Saturday, April 6, for their record release show. RKVC’s debut project, We Got Tonight, is a mix of high energy pop-rock, EDM and swagger pop. It will be available in CD format and digital albums (iTunes, Amazon). “We bridge the gap between songs of heartbreak and love with out making you want to jump off that bridge,” says Kim. The album includes a special guest appearance by Jessica Latshaw, the ukuleleplaying sensation with local ties whose YouTube subway video went viral last year. Special guests for The Queen show include Splashing Pearls, Jacopo De Nicola & The Younger Hebbels and DJ EA. The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 online at queentickets.worldcafelive.com.
19 – Holly Williams with Melody Walker & Jacob Groopman, Anderson East 20 – Peanut Butter and Jams welcomes Alastair Moock 20 – Philip Joseph 25 – Luke Winslow-King 26 – Christine Havrilla and Gypsy Fuzz 27 – Peanut Butter and Jams welcomes Erin Lee and the Up Past Bedtime Band 27 – The Melton Brothers Band with Alfie Moss
World Cafe Live at the Queen 500 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 302-994-1400 WorldCafeLive.com
— O&A MARCH 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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62 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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Musik_apr13.indd 1
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LISTEN
James Everhart of Villains Like You and Shine a Light Organizer Rob Grant on bass.
Michael Davis of The Bullets.
THE
SEEING
LIGHT A participant takes us behind the scenes of the sold-out Shine a Light benefit concert By Ed Dwornik Photos by Tim Hawk
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e Bullets.
2 LISTEN 2
Scott Birney of The Sin City Band, Kalai King, and Ed Dwornick (author of this piece).
O
n Saturday, Feb. 23, more than 50 of Delaware’s most successful musicians came together to present the second annual Shine a Light on the Queen concert. A tribute to “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band”—the Rolling Stones—the sold-out event benefitted the Light Up the Queen Foundation. Just how did this show come together? How were 56 dynamic performers, with all their individual talents, agendas, idiosyncrasies and egos able to work so well together? Good leadership was the major factor. The event’s premise was originally conceived by Chip Porter, of Montana Wildaxe fame. Chip shared his ideas with his friend Rob Grant, a well-established local concert organizer who had included Chip and Montana Wildaxe in shows like Deadfest and Jam on the Brandywine. Things picked up momentum once Chip and Rob presented the concept to musician Ben LeRoy, from the Light Up the Queen Foundation, and Hal Real, the founder of World Cafe Live. Soon afterward, Brad Newsom (the show’s musical director), Kevin McCabe (the “minister of information”), and a core group of other musicians jumped in to assist. Shine a Light on The Queen quickly began to take shape, with Rob steering the ship as he had with other concerts of this type. The organizers’ knowledge of the local music scene and the players involved were critical. And
Chip Porter of Montana Wildaxe.
the structure of the event had to resonate with the volunteers in order for them to get behind it with so much energy. Having all of this in place allowed the large group of players and helpers to get down to the business of building the show. Freed of worrying about the details, the musicians were able to get right to work on rehearsing the 34 tunes that made up the show. They had their work cut out for them. The Rolling Stones’ material has a direct and simple feel to it, but in fact it is nuanced in timing, dynamics and arrangements. The performers tackled this challenge with more than eight rehearsals, including a full dress rehearsal at The Queen on the afternoon of the show. Prior to rehearsals, organizers created and emailed to everyone complex Excel sheets detailing who was to play on what songs. A work group went up on Facebook to communicate rehearsal times, song lineups and other information leading up to the show. The list was tweaked as rehearsals progressed. The players were assigned between three and six tunes, with the female singers, horn sections and pedal steel players doing much of the heavy lifting. Individual preparation involved downloading and practicing charts and listening to versions of the songs on YouTube. Most tunes were run through at least eight times during rehearsals. When questions came up in rehearsals about a section of a song, the players would crowd around a smart phone, listen to the song and work through ► APRIL MARCH 2013 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 65
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LISTEN
Ben LeRoy of The Snap and Brad Newsom of Dreamkillers (right).
Gordon Lippencott of Mad Sweet Pangs
Randy Waters of Brixton Saint.
“From the first rehearsal ‘til the end of the ‘craziness’ after the show, egos were checked at the door and there were no real conflicts among players, resulting in a laser focus on the music.”
12 March 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Sax Man Alan Yandziak.
T.J. Ferrara of Mallory Square.
3/22/2013 3:41:50 PM
Pete LeRo
t Pangs
are
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SEEING THE LIGHT continued from page 65
the bumps in real time. From the first rehearsal ‘til the end of the “craziness” after the show, egos were checked at the door and there were no real conflicts among players, resulting in a laser focus on the music. As in last year’s show, the material really fell in place at the dress rehearsal the day of the show and was still fresh heading into the full performance. The dedicated back-stage crew worked hard to keep instruments in tune and players moving on and off the stage in changeovers that generally ran under 60 seconds. As a result, the flow of music never let up. Shine a Light on The Queen built powerful bonds among the crew, musicians and fans. More important, the hard work and cooperative effort molded the players into a community —a community that is already looking forward to getting started on the third annual Shine a Light on The Queen show on Feb. 22, 2014. Get your tickets early, because it’s sure to be another sell-out! Ed Dwornik has been a part of the Delaware music scene since the late 1970s. He has produced more than 50 shows and concerts for causes as varied as tsunami and Katrina Relief for the Red Cross and Haiti Relief for the Delaware Medical Relief Teams and the Haiti Family initiative. His company, Aztec Printing and Design, has been an in-kind sponsor for the Shine a Light on The Queen show. Ed performed in the show and participated in production, promotion and logistics for the event.
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Kat Pigliacampi (left) and Aaron Poole of The Bullbuckers.
Nancy Micciulla and Brad Riseau (right).
Jordan Leitner of Mad Sweet Pangs.
March 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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Pete LeRoy of The Snap.
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. N U
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KICK BALL
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at Vince’s Sports Complex in Newark
. S R
U H T
VOLLEY BALL
at Wilmington Turners Club
. D E
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DODGE BALL
at Wilmington Turners Club
Sign your team up today or join an existing team as a free agent
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gaspingly funny. Also worthwhile are many of the supporting roles, performed by sly screen comedians Reuben, Lily Tomlin and Wallace Shawn. But eventually the paint-by-number plot begins to drag down even Rudd’s and Fey’s game efforts to maintain the momentum, and in the final third of the film, Admission slowly begins to collapse of its own weight. Despite the best efforts of the two stars, Admission ultimately is just not Princeton material. Oh, well, there’s always the waitlist.
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Sins of Admission By Mark Fields
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Fey-Rudd Rom-Com Trades Heavily on Stars’ Charm
o me, Tina Fey and Paul Rudd are two of the most appealing, relatable stars working in movies and TV these days, and their easy charm carries them fairly well through the creaky tropes of Admission, a standard-issue romantic comedy set against the backdrop of academia. The two share some traits: they are attractive yet not distractingly so; savvy and smart but short of overbearing; and slightly offbeat without being offputting. If any two actors can breathe much-needed life into the romance genre so taxed by the recent misfires of Katherine Heigl and Kate Hudson, it should be Rudd or Fey, or better yet Rudd and Fey. And for the first two-thirds of Admission, they appear to have found the characters and chemistry to make it work. Fey plays Portia Nathan, a dedicated admissions officer at Princeton who lives a rather staid life within the confines of her dry university world. The only unknown is a competition for the Director of Admissions job with her prim but cunning colleague, Corinne (Gloria Reuben). Portia’s routine is disturbed when she encounters John Pressman (Paul Rudd), the teacher/ principal at a progressive high school
in rural New Hampshire. Pressman, a lifelong flouter of expectations and custom, crosses several of Portia’s and Princeton’s boundaries in his efforts to get one of his promising students into the Ivy League school. Of course, sparks fly between Portia and John. Of course, obstacles appear to keep them apart until the final minutes of the movie. And of course, witty banter, mild titillation, and quirky supporting characters are all present in abundance. Briskly directed by Paul Weitz (About a Boy) from a screenplay by Karen Croner, Admission has a little bit more on its mind than the average rom-com, but not too much. There are some interesting exchanges about the perils and comforts of both convention and lack of convention. Fey also is given the opportunity to demonstrate that she can do more with a character than just whip off a well-crafted zinger with a knowing wink. There are a few moments when she becomes a flesh-and-blood person… convincingly. I enjoyed the humorous treatment of the excruciating college admission process in the ultra-competitive environment of Princeton. Portia imagines her candidates in front of her as she decides their scholastic fate, a device that is often winsome and occasionally
Oz The Great and Powerful
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isney’s highly-anticipated prequel to the much-loved Dorothy saga of L. Frank Baum appeared to have many of the necessary ingredients to justify this bold undertaking: an inventive director in Sam Raimi (Spiderman, The Evil Dead), a talented cast headed by a trio of engaging witches—Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, and Mila Kunis—and all the modern CGI wizardry needed to evoke the Technicolor magic of the Land of Oz. Unfortunately, at the center of this promising project was placed the quirky actor James Franco, who drags down the whole affair with his erratic hot-and-cold interpretation of the Wizard. The film does have its charms. The screenplay by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire wittily acknowledges the dual source material of the original Baum novels and the classic 1939 MGM musical. For example, like the earlier film, the story starts in hard-scrabble Kansas in black and white. And the movie is strewn with sly, subtle references to its predecessors. But with Franco constantly moving to a different rhythm than everyone else (including the director), Oz stumbles when it could have soared. april 2013 | OutAndAbOutNow.com
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FOR THE 3rd annual
TWIN LAKES
PLUNGE Sam “Hoppy” Hobbes
Victor “Cowboy” Mattia
Joe “Roadhouse” Russo
16 MILE BEER DINNER April 11 • 6:30pm
Four Courses paired with 16 Mile Brewery Beers • $55 per guest call for reservations
Stan “Triple Lindy” Yau
Plus Special Guest: Ryan Warner!
FIVE DANGEROUS RASCALS MUST JUMP AGAIN INTO THE VERY CHILLY TWIN LAKES
FOR CHARITY
SAT, APRIL 27 $5 per person benefits The Cancer Support Community
PRE-GAME AT NOON AT BBC TAVERN & GRILL PLUNGE CEREMONY 1PM AT TWIN LAKES BREWERY 4210 KENNETT PIKE
115 E Main St • Newark • (302).266.8111 • stoneballoonwh.com 70 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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MOVIE KITCHEN SCENES FROM AROUND THE WORLD by Paula Goulden Moonstruck (1987; directed by Norman Jewison) In this romantic comedy that gently ribs ethnic melodrama, Cher is simultaneously sardonic and vulnerable as Loretta Castorini, a widowed Brooklyn bookkeeper who feels stuck in an unlucky rut. Her mama’s boy suitor’s younger brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage), unexpectedly sweeps Loretta off her feet. The climactic kitchen scene, where even the minor characters’ sins are revealed and forgiven over a huge breakfast, is hilarious and redemptive.
Your favorite local chefs, their favorite dishes, paired with our favorite wines & beers…
all for a good cause. Tastings on the First Wednesday of Every Month April – AT The Rail May – Pochi June – Taverna
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994; directed by Ang Lee; Chinese with subtitles) Food is the symbol of joy in this early film directed by this year’s Oscar winner for Best Director. But the long-widowed Chu, a professional chef who can whip together intricate feasts, has lost his ability to taste the gorgeous food he cooks. He trudges through life while each of his adult daughters feels stymied in hers. This wry and gentle film is like a sumptuous Chinese banquet.
Stay tuned for more details!
visit premierwinespirits.com
It’s Complicated (2009; directed by Nancy Meyer) This romantic comedy takes kitchen porn to new heights as divorced caterer Jane (Meryl Streep, slumming) responds to overtures from her confused ex-husband, Jake (Alec Baldwin). Tired of the demands of his new trophy wife, Jake tries to come home. The fact that Jane is in a budding relationship with a handsome architect (Steve Martin) only complicates matters with her ex—or is it the other way around? The resulting confusion makes for some very funny scenes in a slight but diverting comedy. Julie and Julia (2009; directed by Nora Ephron) Meryl Streep is in the kitchen again (twice in the same year!)—this time as Julia Child, and she has great fun exploring French cooking. Amy Adams has considerably less fun as the Julia wanna-be Julie, who thinks she can escape from her pointless life by trying to become Julia Child, cooking one recipe a day from Julia’s famous cookbook and blogging about the sometimes disastrous results. Streep’s Julia is so engaging that you can almost ignore the sad and desperate Julie who misses the chance to be herself while trying to be Julia.
Lunch • Dinner APRIL SPECIAL:
$3 ALL BEERS! $3 ALL SHOTS! Monday Thru Friday 5-7pm
Daily Food Specials & Free Happy Hour Finger Foods
REC ROOM NOW OPEN!
Only Place in Newark with Pool Tables, Pinball, Video Games, and more to come!
MUSIC SCHEDULE: Tuesdays Open Mic night Wednesday & Thursday DJ 9pm-Close Friday & Saturday Live Bands Sundays Karaoke 7-11pm 1108 South College Ave, NewArk, DelAwAre 19713 • 302-738-9493 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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WilmFilm Debuts at Penn Cinema
* Plus enrollment fee
[ KirkwoodFitness.com ] Naamans Road 1800 Naamans Road Wilmington, DE 19810 (302) 529-1865
Westtown - Rt. 3 1646 West Chester Pike West Chester, PA 19382 (610) 431-1410
300 CRAFT BREWS IN STOCK!
Established 1936
“Delaware’s Premier Source For Wine, Spirits, and Beer Since 1936”
Spring Special
ESSAY WINES from SOUTH AFRICA
AMAZING
DEAL!
Normal Price $8.99 Buy 3, Get 15% OFF • Buy a Case, Get 20% OFF 522 Philadelphia Pike Wilmington • 302.764.0377 • PecosLiquors.com
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ive documentaries will be among the highlights of WilmFilm at the Riverfront at Penn Cinema on April 25-28, including The People’s Project, a documentary made in Wilmington. This film examines a University of Delaware poverty and crime research project that studies residents in Southbridge and the Eastside and considers their thoughts for a better future. Also featured will be A Place At The Table, made partially in Philadelphia, that raises the issue of hunger in America; How To Survive a Plague which chronicles the successful evolution of AIDS treatments due to the efforts of two grass roots groups, and The Invisible War, which looks at rape in the U.S. Army. Yes, Your Tide Is Cold and Dark, Sir, a film produced entirely in Delaware by native Chris Malinowski, will be part of the closing night of WilmFilm at the Riverfront, Sunday, April 28, at 7pm. With lots of buzz already, Yes, Your Tide Is Cold and Dark, Sir has been described as a love song to Lewes and is actually a mystery set in the quiet corners of that beach town. The film was shot over the course of 26 days in Lewes and Rehoboth Beach during the winter of 2011. The film has already sold out four of six Delaware screenings. Malinowski, who grew up in Newport and Pike Creek, serves as writer, producer, director and star. And watch closely, most of the cast members are Delawareans, too.
For more on the film, visit myatinfilmworks.com
For complete details on WilmFilm at the Riverfront visit WilmFilm.com —Out & About
72 APRIL 2013 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
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SNAP SHOTS Wilmington St. Paddy’s Day Parade photos by Donnell Hill
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presents ML_Logo_4CP
PARTY ANIMAL
LOOP A benefit for DE Humane Society
SAT, APR 13 • 8PM-1AM $5 COVER (to benefit the pets)
15 CLUBS ANEJO • CATHERINE ROONEY’S • CLUB 3 CHELSEA TAVERN • CR HOOLIGANS DEAD PRESIDENTS • DEL ROSE CAFÉ • FAMOUS TIM’S FIRESTONE • GALLUCIO’S CAFÉ • GROTTO PIZZA KELLY’S LOGAN HOUSE • KID SHELLEEN’S SHENANIGANS • TIMOTHY’S RIVERFRONT OutAndAboutNow.com • 302.655.6483
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MAGAZINE
April
22-27 this issue
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2013
• Fine Dining for a Deal at CRW 2013 • DCCA Presents an imPERFECT City • Spring in Full Bloom on The Riverfront
APRIL 2013 Vol. 4 ISSUE 10
3/22/13 5:36 PM
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For ed
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Produced by
all rights reserved
TSN Publishing, Inc. President Gerald duPhily
Contributing Editor Bob Yearick
Art Director Shawna Sneath
Production Manager Matt Loeb
Advertising Sales Jim Hunter Miller Marie Graham
April 2013 volume 4, issue 10
4 Cover Story
A Taste of the City Wilmington’s fine-dining scene showcased April 22-27 during 9th annual City Restaurant Week.
7 The Arts imPERFECT City New interactive exhibit at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts challenges visitors to build their own city. By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald
8 On the Riverfront South Pacific, Earth Day Celebration, Blue Rocks’ season-opener... the Riverfront’s April calendar features a full slate of activities.
Contributing Writers Barb Bullock, Krista Connor, Josephine Eccel, Christine Facciolo, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Larry Nagengast, Scott Pruden
Contributing Photographers Joe del Tufo, Tim Hawk Les Kipp, Matt Urban
Departments 2
“in” Calendar
10
Riverfront Events
12
City Notes
ON THE COVER For editorial and advertising information: p (302) 655-6483 f (302) 654-0569
TSN Media, Inc. 307 A Street Wilmington, DE 19801
Fine dining for a deal is the focus of City Restaurant Week 2013.
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. 3
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WHAT’S ‘IN’ FOR
APRIL 2013
MUSIC
TUES, APRIL 2 - SUN, APRIL 7
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
FRI, APRIL 5 - SUN, MAY 19
FOOD & DRINK
FRI, APRIL 5 - SUN, APRIL 7
SATURDAY, APRIL 6
OperaDelaware Studio Series
Nylon Exhibit Opening: Fashion, Sports, & Fun!
Dreamgirls
Legally Blonde: The Musical
DuPont Theatre • 11th & Market Streets 302.656.4401 • bitly.com/VICBBY
New Candlelight Theatre • 2208 Millers Rd. 302.475.2313 • bitly.com/VICA0O
OperaDelaware Studios 4 South Poplar Street • 302.658.8063 bitly.com/mV4lPe
Hagley Museum & Library • 200 Hagley Rd. 302.658.2400 • bitly.com/YTb8uN
WED, APRIL 10 - SUN, MAY 5
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 8PM
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 5:30PM
FRI, APRIL 12 - SUN, APRIL 14
South Pacific
BCTA & WCL present Dave Mason Unplugged
Spring 2013 Fundraiser: From My Collection to Yours
Delaware Theatre Company 200 Water Street • 302.594.1100 bitly.com/VICBC7
SAT, APRIL 13 & SUN, APRIL 14
First State Ballet Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream
DSO: Tchaikovsky's World Laird Performing Arts Center at The Tatnall School • 1501 Barley Mill Road 302.998.2292 • bitly.com/YTb6TF
World Cafe Live at the Queen 500 North Market Street • 302.994.1400 bitly.com/VICBSl
Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 200 S. Madison Street • 302.656.6466 bitly.com/VICA0W
FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 6:30PM
FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 8PM
SATURDAY, APRIL 20 1-3PM
Evening with The Masters
Ralphie May: Too Big To Ignore Tour
Brandywine Creek State Park's Annual Kite Day
The Grand • 818 N. Market Street 302.658.7897 • bitly.com/YTb8uT
DoubleTree Downtown 700 King Street • 302.656.6451 bit.ly/VICCWt
DuPont Theatre • 11th & Market Streets 302.656.4401 • bit.ly/ZvAP6V
41 Adams Dam Rd • 302.577.3534 bitly.com/VICy9k
SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 7:30PM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 7:30AM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 8PM
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 12:30PM
The Arts at Trinity presents Serafin String Quartet
WRC's State of the Downtown
Esperanza Spalding
World Cafe Live at the Queen 500 North Market Street • 302.994.1400 bitly.com/YTb4Lu
The Grand • 818 N. Market Street 302.658.7897 • bitly.com/YTb4Lw
Market St. Music presents: Copeland String Quartet
Trinity Episcopal Parish • 1108 N. Adams St. 302.652.8605 • bitly.com/YTb4vf
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First & Central Presbyterian Church 1101 N. Market Street • 302.654.5371 bitly.com/YTb4Ly
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ART IS IN - EXHIBITS OPENING & CLOSING THIS MONTH Delaware Art Museum
• The Storyteller’s Art: Reimagining America through Illustration thru Apr 30 302.571.9590 • 2301 Kentmere Pkwy
Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts
• Kerry Adams’ This Space is Intentionally Left Blank thru Apr 21 • Sam Blanchard thru Apr 28 • Taxonomy of Trash Apr 6 thru Jul 21 302.656.6466 • 200 South Madison Street
The Station Gallery
• Helena van Emmerik-Finn thru Apr 27 302.654.8638 • 3922 Kennett Pike
SUNDAY, APRIL 7TH
Museum • 550 Justison Street • 302.654.2340
Family In Conflict: Rockwood & The Civil War daily thru May 25
Delaware Art Museum 2301 Kentmere Parkway• 302.571.9590
(Artsy) Noise! • DCCA 300 S. Madison St. • 302.656.6466
Melomanie presents Alfred: A Masque by Thomas Arne
Cauffiel House Tour • Bellevue State
Delaware Historical Society (Old Town Hall) 5th & Market Streets • 302.655.7161
Arturo Sandoval
The Grand 818 North Market Street • 800.37.GRAND
Rainbow Chorale of Delaware: Family Gathering First & Central Presbyterian Church 1101 N. Market St. • 302.654.5371
SATURDAY, APRIL 6TH Christina River Cleanup Bellevue State Park 800 Carr Rd. • 302.761.6963
Classic Albums Live - Who's Next The Grand 818 North Market Street • 800.37.GRAND
Melomanie Wilmington Series: April Concert Grace United Methodist Church 900 Washington Street • 302.655.8847
XPN Welcomes Spinto Band w/ special guest, Buried Beds Arden Concert Gild 2126 The Highway • 302.475.3126
World Cafe Live at The Queen 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH Clay Date
Delaware Art Museum 2301 Kentmere Pkwy • 302.571.9590
Exhibited - The Play
Brandywine Hundred Library 1300 Foulk Rd • 302.477.3150
Christine Havrilla & Gypsy Fuzz w/
Mama's Blacksheep • World Cafe Live at The Queen • 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
World Cafe Live & Bob Rose Productions present Renaissance 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH
SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH
Blue Grass Jams
every Sat 1-5pm • Woodside Farm Creamery 1310 Little Baltimore Road • 302.239.9847
Dare 2 Draw: Drawing for Kids Who Don’t Stay in the Lines
Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 300 S. Madison St. • 302.656.6466
Gateway to the Stars
Gateway Lab School 2501 Centerville Road • 302.633.4091
Inside the Artist’s Studio
Delaware Art Museum 2301 Kentmere Pkwy • 302.571.9590
Festival Concert: Mastersingers of Wilmington – Rich Increase: Shakespeare to Spirituals
TUESDAY, APRIL 16TH
First & Central Presbyterian Church 1101 N. Market St. • 302.654.5371
IN the Classroom: Teaching Opportunities for Artists
The Melton Brothers Band w/ Alfie Moss
Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 300 S. Madison St. • 302.656.6466
World Cafe Live at The Queen 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
Diana Krall FRIDAY, MARCH 8TH
The Grand 818 North Market Street • 800.37.GRAND
THURSDAY, APRIL 18
Monthly Birdwalk
Brandywine Creek State Park 41 Adams Dam Rd. • 302.577.3534
TH
SUNDAY, APRIL 28TH
Thursday Noontime Concerts: Dave Posmontier Quartet
Dave Holland - Kenny Barron Duo
First & Central Presbyterian Church 1101 N. Market St. • 302.654.5371
The Grand 818 North Market Street • 800.37.GRAND
Candlelight Comedy Club
TUESDAY, APRIL 30 TH
2208 Millers Rd. • 302.475.2313
Memphis
SATURDAY, APRIL 20 TH
thru May 5 • DuPont Theatre 11th & Market Streets • 302.656.4401
Common Destinations: Maps in the American Experience
An Evening with the DSO Winds
thru Jan 2014 • Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library • 5105 Kennett Pike • 800.448.3883
Gold Ballroom at the Hotel du Pont 11th & Market Streets • 800.37.GRAND
New Castle County’s 7th Annual Safe Kids Day Bellevue State Park 800 Carr Rd. • 302.761.6963
Peanut Butter and Jams welcomes Alastair Moock • World Cafe Live at The Queen • 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
Attracting Butterflies Bellevue State Park 800 Carr Rd. • 302.761.6963
What Are You Working On?
Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 300 S. Madison St. • 302.656.6466
Graham Parker & The Rumour World Cafe Live at The Queen 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
find more at { inWilmingtonDE.com }
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Leo Kottke & Jake Shimabukuro
2301 Kentmere Pkwy • 302.332.3788
The Grand 818 North Market Street • 800.37.GRAND
Fine Art Sale
World Cafe Live at The Queen 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
Quizzo • Delaware Art Museum
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Buses leave 5:45pm from the DCCA, making the last return at approx. 9:10pm 302.576.2135 • 200 S. Madison St.
An Evening with Janis Ian
FRIDAY, APRIL 12TH
First & Central Presbyterian Church 1101 N. Market St. • 302.654.5371
Art on the Town
THURSDAY, APRIL 25TH
World Cafe Live at The Queen 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
THURSDAY, APRIL 4TH
2301 Kentmere Parkway • 302.571.9590
World Cafe Live at The Queen 500 N. Market St. • 302.994.1400
Thursday Noontime Concerts: Celtic music w/ Charlie Zahm
Chelsea Tavern • 821 N. Market Street
Art is Tasty: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Grace Hartigan • Delaware Art Museum
Aimee Mann
THURSDAY, APRIL 11TH
Flight Club every Tuesday 5:30-7:30
FRIDAY, APRIL 5TH
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24TH
The Grand 818 North Market Street • 800.37.GRAND
TUESDAY, MARCH 5TH
Blue Ball Barn 1914 W. Park Drive • 302.456.3242
Church of the Holy City 1118 N. Broom Street • 302.654.5014
Hot Club of Cowtown
thru April 5 Brandywine Creek State Park 41 Adams Dam Rd. • 302.577.3534
Jim Malcolm (Green Willow 30th Anniversary Concert)
800 Carr Road • 302.761.6963
Copeland String Quartet FRIDAY, MARCH 8TH
The Music School of Delaware 4101 Washington St. • 302.762.1132
The Reverend Horton Heat
Art Salad 12pm every Thurs Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 300 S. Madison St. • 302.656.6466
Earth Day Hike • Bellevue State Park
MUSIC MASTERS: Lotus, Lynne & Friends—Celebrating 30 Years!
Spring Break Camp
Market Street Music Noontime Concerts: No Name Trio
Cashore Marionettes • The Grand 818 N. Market • 800.37.GRAND
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 TH
First & Central Presbyterian Church 1101 N. Market St. • 302.654.5371
Spring Break Camp
Park • 800 Carr Road • 302.761.6963
Barn at Flintwoods 205 Center Meeting Road • 877.594.4546
4651 Washington St. Extension • 302.761.4340 thru April 5 Bellevue State Park 800 Carr Rd. • 302.761.6963
Surround Sound: Make Some
Poetry & Painting
MONDAY, APRIL 1ST DCM Gym thru Apr 28 • Delaware Children's
SUNDAY, APRIL 21ST
MUSIC
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
FOOD & DRINK
3/22/13 3:28 PM
W 2013
APRIL 22-27
ilmington’s fine dining scene is marked by a distinguishing characteristic: It is dominated by owner-operators. In other words, there is not a chain restaurant in the bunch. So each spring, when those restaurateurs team to present City Restaurant Week, they view it as a personal invitation. It’s the equivalent of your neighbor inviting you for dinner. “City Restaurant Week puts spirit in our community, encouraging people to get out, connect with friends and try new restaurants,” says Xavier Teixido, an owner of Harry’s Seafood Grill on the Riverfront. “It highlights the diversity and depth of quality of dining options in our neighborhoods.” This year, that diversity will be front and center because for the first time in nine years, City Restaurant Week has expanded to include fine dining restaurants on Wilmington’s West End. Previous years were focused on fine dining establishments Downtown and the Riverfront. The result is a menu of 17 restaurants to select from, offering everything from Thai to Chilean to Italian. Better yet, you get to sample the creative cuisine of these fine dining spots with prix-fixe prices of $15 for lunch and $35 for dinner. “CRW is the great reminder of what a wonderful, interesting, eclectic city Wilmington is,” says Beth Ross, co-owner of Domaine Hudson. “CRW is not just about experiencing what the city has to offer for a discounted price, but reminding everyone of just what Wilmington is about.” This year’s City Restaurant Week will begin Monday, April 22, and continue through Saturday, April 27. For an overview of the restaurants participating, read on.
BIG FISH GRILL
COLUMBUS INN
720 Justison St. 652-FISH
2216 Pennsylvania Ave. 571-1492
After years of success in Sussex County, the Big Fish Restaurant Group has brought the great Big Fish Grill experience to Wilmington. Stop by the new location on the scenic Wilmington Riverfront for the freshest seafood, juicy, hand-cut steaks, savory pastas and delicious salads. The reasonably priced menu, generous portions, family friendly atmosphere and impeccable service make Big Fish Grill on the Riverfront a casual dining destination and a great addition to the Wilmington restaurant scene.
CAFE MEZZANOTTE 1007 N. Orange St. 658-7050
Since opening in June of 2003, Café Mezzanotte has built a reputation as Delaware’s premier spot to enjoy classical pan-Mediterranean cuisine. Chef Sergio Pellegrino immigrated to Wilmington 18 years ago from the small town of Scalea, located in the southern region of Calabria, Italy. For the past 10 years, Sergio has been bringing a piece of his hometown’s cuisine to Wilmington. Scalea is a town known for its fresh seafood mixed with hearty vegetables, pasta dishes and filling soups. With intimate atmosphere and exceptional service, Café Mezzanotte is the best place to enjoy pan-Mediterranean cuisine.
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Columbus Inn, a Wilmington tradition since 1849, is a premier American tavern and restaurant that seamlessly combines the best of “old and new,” serving seasonally inspired, market fresh, progressive yet playful modern cuisine paired with an amazing selection of old and new world wines, micro and macro brews, as well as traditional and new style spirits. The creative menus for dinner, brunches and private events feature new and classic dishes with an approachable, new age twist at an affordable value. From happy hour to special events, there is always a good reason to come “inn.”
DEEP BLUE BAR & GRILL 111 West 11th St. 777-2040
Featuring innovative preparations of fresh fish, a selection of oysters from around the world, and a newly added steakhouse menu, Chef Dan Butler’s Deep Blue Bar and Grill is one of Wilmington’s most creative restaurants. Its location in the heart of the city makes it a convenient choice for patrons of the DuPont Theatre and the Grand Opera House. Business entertaining and special events, sophisticated happy hours and special weekend dining are a natural fit in this upscale locale.
3/22/13 5:00 PM
DOMAINE HUDSON WINE BAR & EATERY 1314 N. Washington St. 655-WINE Domaine Hudson opened in 2005, with the idea that it’s possible to enjoy fine wine and award-winning food for a reasonable price. DH is Wilmington’s wine tasting destination, with an expansive cellar that holds 2,000 bottles with 40 wines offered by the glass (to pair with a farm-fresh cheese plate, perhaps?). Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or the special occasion of a lifetime, Executive Chef and sommelier Roger Surpin artfully prepares world-class cuisine, with complementing wines. Zagat rates the food as “perfection” and service as “excellent.”
FIRESTONE 110 S. West St., Riverfront 658-6626
Sit along the water, soak in the sun and sample some of the signature brick oven pizzas, fresh seafood and slow roasted meats. More in the mood for nightlife? FireStone offers live entertainment every weekend, featuring some of the best up and coming artists in the area. No other venue in the city can offer a little bit of the beach in your own backyard.
HARRY’S SEAFOOD GRILL 101 South Market St. 777-1500
The name Harry’s has always been recognized for its tradition of fresh ingredients, innovative cuisine and unsurpassed service. That tradition can be found on Wilmington’s Riverfront at Harry’s Seafood Grill. Adjacent to the Riverwalk, Harry’s Seafood Grill is the place for lunch, dinner, cocktails and a late night in Wilmington. A chic atmosphere, fresh raw bar, award-winning crab cakes, outstanding lobsters, imaginatively prepared seafood, great martinis and 50 wines by the glass are some of the keys to an exciting experience. Harry’s is a coveted spot for patio dining or cocktails on the waterfront.
MORO RESTAURANT 1307 N. Scott St. 777-1800
Moro Restaurant opened in 2002, and over the past 10 years has received many accolades—three bells from Philadelphia Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan, four stars from The News Journal, four stars from Delaware Today, and two James Beard nominations. The approach to food involves sourcing seasonal ingredients, while the menu changes weekly to reflect what is available at the market. The culinary team comprises people who are inspired by food and have a strong work ethic. It is best known for its “Maple Glazed Salmon” and “Duck Confit Salad,” which have been on the menu since day one.
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Eclipse Bistro 1020 N. Union St. 658-1588
A cornerstone of the Wilmington dining scene since 1996, Eclipse Bistro has cemented its reputation as a neighborhood hangout as well as a destination for travelers near and far. The kitchen, led by Chef Ryan Marchetta, sources the finest ingredients while employing classic and modern techniques to create a menu sure to satisfy guests of all tastes. Eclipse offers a well-regarded and flexible wine list thoughtfully designed to pair with its diverse and familiar fare. Its hospitable, knowledgeable staff complements the food, consistently delivering an excellent dining experience.
THE GREEN ROOM 100 West 11th St. 594-3154
Enjoy French cuisine in the 100-year-old Green Room at the Hotel du Pont, an unforgettable setting of oak paneling, coffered oak beamed ceilings, gold chandeliers, and original oil paintings. The world-class Green Room is a winner of the Four-Diamond AAA Award for 28 consecutive years. Featuring a colorful combination of shimmering draperies, wingback chairs, and Versace patterned china, the historic elegance of the Green Room is complemented by a fresh, seasonallyinspired menu under the direction of Executive Chef Keith Miller. An award-winning wine collection and impeccable service will further enhance your fine dining experience.
MIKIMOTOS 1212 North Washington St. 656-8638
In August 2000, owner Darius Mansoory added a second restaurant to his portfolio when he opened Mikimotos Asian Grill & Sushi Bar. Like its older sister, Washington Street Ale House, Mikimotos continues to surpass the expectations of its guests. Mikimotos is a high-energy restaurant sheathed in contemporary urban décor. Walls and tables are dressed in bold reds and yellows with black accents. The half-moon bar, a Wilmington hotspot, delivers creative cocktails along with old favorites, and the unusual circleshaped 24-seat sushi bar serves the freshest fish in the city.
VIEW RESTAURANT MENUS AT
CityRestaurantWeek.com
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PICCOLINA Toscana
Pochi
1412 N. DuPont St. 654-8001
220 W. 9th St. 384-6654
Dan Butler opened Toscana upon returning home to Wilmington in 1990. His vision was a contemporary Italian restaurant with the big city feel of the places that he had seen in his travels and work experience in Europe, Washington, D.C and Florida. His education and the kitchens he has worked in since taught him to cook everything from scratch, using the best, freshest ingredients in a simple way that lets the natural goodness shine. Toscana has been renovated and updated several times over the years, including a to-go and catering shop adjacent to the restaurant, but the core concept of nice people serving “really good food” has never changed.
Owners Patricia and Braulio were both raised in Chile, one from the north and one from Santiago. Their experiences gave them a unique insight into the vast contrasts of food that Chile has to offer. Their philosophy is “Do the best you can, and then do it better.” This enables them to give customers the best Chilean wine selection and 100 percent fresh traditional Chilean cuisine, with a twist.
Union City Grille 805 N. Union St. 654-9780
Ubon Thai Cuisine 936 Justison St. 656-1706
Jeenwong Thai Cuisine has been in Wilmington for about 13 years now, and is proud to have chosen to stay here and present Ubon Thai Cuisine. The culinary team consists of Executive Chef Norrawit J. Milburn and Sous Chef Marco Escofie’. Their goal is to bring exotic flavors to Wilmington, such as “Thai Guy’s Wings” and “Yai’s Rolls,” with service that makes customers feel like they’re with family. They take all the fresh ingredients that you would see in Thailand, along with local produce, to create family Thai dishes, including“Yai’s Rolls” and the “Momochas” —from scratch.
Matthew Curtis opened UCG in Wilmington because he loved the warm feel of community. Executive Chef Matt Crist, who recently left his chef position at Deep Blue and spent the last year on a culinary journey in Spain, heads the kitchen. UCG is a place “where food tastes the way it should.” Wilmington’s most exciting bar menu, handmade pasta and the tastiest steaks are UCG hits. Then there’s the award-winning short rib chili and silky crab bisque. Sunday features include the area’s only “name your cut” filet for $2 an ounce. Come casual or come ready for hand-picked, elegant wines and craft brews (72, to be exact).
WASHINGTON STREET ALE HOUSE Walter’s Steakhouse 802 N. Union St. 652-6780
Walter’s Steakhouse is synonymous with great beef in Wilmington and throughout the world. Serving the finest beef available guarantees the two things customers desire most: flavor and tenderness. The slow-roasted prime rib is the sweetest and juiciest, the filet is so tender you can cut it with a fork. Or enjoy the New York strip or Delmonico for a more savory cut. Seafood and poultry entrees are available, also. Every Sunday, Monday and Thursday features a complimentary seafood bar (with oysters and clams on the half shell). Every Friday night is Prime Rib Night. Choose from 250 highly-rated wines by the bottle or 24 wines by the glass.
1206 North Washington St. 658-2537
Opened in 1997 by Darius Mansoory, Washington Street Ale House specializes in great food and handcrafted beers. With an extensive selection of 24 beers on tap, this is the best place in the city to enjoy great drinks with family and friends. Guests are able to relax and unwind in the inviting dining room, which is the perfect location for evening dates, family outings and friendly get-togethers. And the year-round deck offers a premier atmosphere to enjoy dinner and appetizers for any occasion.
VIEW RESTAURANT MENUS AT
CityRestaurantWeek.com
6 . Cover Story
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There are at least a dozen elements to the current exhibition: • A”disORIENTATION desk,” where you are welcomed with an exhibit map and a customized YOUtopian tour, complete with fun courses like civility treatments, unpopular behavior lessons, spontaneous athletics and mad vegetable farming • The People’s Park project, where visitors and artists have collaborated to create a semi-permanent public space on the 400 block of Market Street (installment will happen this month and will include a mural, seating and greenery) • Civic Seats, a restructure-able seating circle that promotes spontaneous exchange • The DCCA Athletic Club enables visitors to actually “get fit” inside the galleries with yoga, aerobics, and other activities • Museum of the Hand invites visitors to type on a keyboard while their text is simultaneously transcribed into cursive by a computer-controlled machine • The Radical Reading Room, a library of formerly-banned books and other texts • A micro-farm of mobile vegetable and fruit planters within the DCCA Cyber Café • imPERFECT CITY/imPERFECT STATE, an exhibit of roadside memorials in Delaware.
imPERFECT City… the Perfect Addition to Wilmo Art Scene By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald
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’m a lover of the Arts in all its forms. But I have to admit, when the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts (DCCA) launched its current interactive exhibit, imPERFECT City—I didn’t get it. By Michelle How couldKramer-Fitzgerald building a city really be considered “art”? In investigating a bit more, I’ve found this project is all about art: The art of imagination, the art of collaboration, the art of looking beyond ourselves, the art of creating for the greater good. imPERFECT City—funded by a grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation and running through June—is an ever-evolving, community participatory exhibit that will eventually develop into a museum-scale city. It relies not only on the talent of its visiting artists and scholars but also on the creativity and imagination of visitors to create their vision of what constitutes a “perfect city.” As I sat in the middle of imPERFECT City at the Wilmington INBassadors meeting in March, it was apparent to me just how much a part the visitor plays—meeting on the Civic Seats, we became a living part of the exhibit. Whether sharing a comment on the UTOPIA wall, joining a yoga class in the athletic club, adding a “banned” book to the Radical Reading Room, or simply walking through and taking it all in, we participated in the exhibit at many levels. “This is a people-powered exhibit, created by and for the people of Wilmington,” says Sara Teixido, director of marketing and communications for DCCA. “Our ‘city’ comes alive with your participation.” And it will continually evolve; Exhibit Curator Maiza Hixson encourages repeat visits to see how the exhibit grows and changes with each week.
Hixson is thrilled with the exhibit’s progression, which launched with a series of open town hall meetings in February. “I started this project to call attention to the fact that exhibitions can be more than stuffy displays of art,” Hixson notes. “They can be a creative medium for political and social engagement.” The project requires people from all walks of life to converge around a common goal. It allows everyone—not only artists—to use their imagination and build a “city” that challenges existing paradigms. The town hall meetings are some of Hixson’s favorite aspects of the exhibit. “I love the idea that anyone can suggest ‘weird’ ideas for the city, and we’ll try to implement them,” she says. “For example, our micro-farmer invented a new currency called micropia. I have no idea what it means but it instantly makes me rethink our existing monetary system—what it’s based on and why it couldn’t be based on something else.” Hixson feels the DCCA’s role in the project is to make people aware of the museum’s relevance to the city: Museums are spaces of free thought where powerful ideas are allowed to emerge; a lot of significant change can come from people simply being exposed to new ideas. DCCA Artist in Residence Eric Leshinsky is overseeing the People’s Park component of the exhibit and is excited about the community’s response to it. “I probably talked to a few hundred people over four weeks [of the project’s development]; I was inspired by folks’ willingness to participate—how eager people were to share ideas for a park that will be temporary, on a narrow piece of land, which many of them will never use,” he says. “For me, that’s a real testament to how people value public space and their desire to have some role in how it gets created.” Leshinsky anticipates that the actual site installation on Market Street will have the most impact because of its visibility and accessibility. “If [People’s Park] works the way I’m envisioning it, a formerly vacant lot on Market Street will become a functional piece of the city again.” I asked both Mazia and Eric what they would to do make Wilmington a “perfect city.” Here’s what they said: Maiza Hixson: “I would provide cheap studio space to artists downtown, provide seed money for innovative businesses in Wilmington, and encourage everyone to walk more rather than drive.” Eric Leshinsky: “I’d ask every person in Wilmington what their idea of a perfect city is…and then make a To-Do list.” I encourage you to visit and become part of this exhibit. But before you do, visit the imPERFECT City blog (imperfectcitydcca.wordpress.com) and LIKE the Facebook page (facebook.com/ImperfectCity). Want more ArtStuff ? Follow me @ArtsinMedia! 7
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11. AAA Mid-Atlantic Travel Center, AAAMIDATLANTIC.COM 12. Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, THEDCCA.ORG 13. Justison Landing, Currie Hair, Skin & Nails, CURRIEDAYSPA.COM Veritas Wine & Spirits, VERITASWINESHOP.COM 14. Kooma, KOOMASUSHI.COM 15. Delaware Children’s Museum, DELAWARECHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG 16. Joe’s Crab Shack, JOESCRABSHACK.COM 17. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, IRONHILLBREWERY.COM
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Molly’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, MOLLYSICECREAM.COM Ubon Thai Restaurant 25. Wilmington Rowing Center, WILMINGTONROWING.ORG 26. Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge/ DuPont Environmental Education Center, DUPONTEEC.ORG 27 DART Park-n-Ride Lot 28. Penn Cinema Riverfront IMAX, PENNCINEMARIVERFRONT.COM 29: CrossFit Riverfront, CFRIVERFRONT.COM Photo by Dick Dubroff of Final Focus Photography
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APRIL RIVERFRONT EVENTS
Spring Break: Nature Day Camp at the Riverfront April 1-5, 8:30-3:30pm Spend all or part of your spring break exploring the freshwater tidal marsh and Wilmington’s Riverfront. • Monday, April 1: Reptiles Revealed • Tuesday, April 2: Aquatic Exploration • Wednesday, April 3: Marsh Mammals • Thursday, April 4: DEEC Treasure Hunters • Friday, April 5: Nature Photography Registration fee required. DuPont Environmental Education Center DuPontEEC.org 8th Annual Race Judicata 5K Run/Walk April 6 Sponsored by Delaware State Bar Association Registration opens at 8am, Race begins at 9am Joe’s Crab Shack Races2run.com BBB of Delaware 48th Annual Dinner April 9, 4:45pm Network with 250 business and community leaders; Enjoy a fabulous silent auction and reception prior to dinner; and Celebrate the winners of the BBB Student Ethics Scholarships as well as the Torch and Rush Award winners. Chase Center on the Riverfront Delaware.bbb.org/annualdinner 2013 Catholic Charities Annual Tribute Dinner April 10, 5pm Catholic Charities is pleased to honor Terri Kelly, President & CEO of W. L. Gore & Associates, with the 2013 Msgr. Thomas J. Reese Award for Community Leadership. Chase Center on the Riverfront cdow.org/tribute.html South Pacific Opens April 10 thru May 5 Music by Richer Rogers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein & Joshua Logan Directed by Bud Martin An island paradise is the setting for two enchanting love stories, both threatened by the perils of World War II and racial prejudice. Spunky and charming Nellie Forbush falls in love with French planter Emile de Becque, as the bewitchingly beautiful Tonkinese girl, Liat, steals the heart of strapping Joe Cable. For tickets and show times, please visit our website. Delaware Theatre Company DelawareTheatre.org 10
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Parents Night Out- Hunt for Reptile and Amphibians April 12, 6:30-8:30pm Set mom and dad loose to have dinner along Wilmington’s Riverfront while you stay at DEEC and have all the fun with games, a scavenger hunt and an evening hike. Dinner provided. Parents receive a coupon for Timothy’s Riverfront Grill. Registration fee required. DuPont Environmental Education Center DuPontEEC.org Blue Rocks vs. Frederick Keys 2013 Season Opening Weekend April 12-14 Visit BlueRocks.com for more information on game times and promotions. Frawley Stadium Walk MS: Wilmington Riverfront 2013 April 13 Registration begins at 8am Walk begins at 9am When you participate in Walk MS, the funds you raise give hope to the more than 1,550 people living with MS in Delaware. The dollars raised support life-changing programs and cutting-edge research. Frawley Stadium Walkded.nationalmssociety.org 3rd Annual Thin Mint 5K April 14 Registration begins at 9am Race begins at 10am Benefits Girls Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Dravo Plaza Races2Run.com Blue Rock vs. Carolina Mudcats April 15-17 Visit BlueRocks.com for more information on game times and promotions. Frawley Stadium From Tadpole to Toad April 17, 10-11:30am Search for tadpoles in the marsh and learn how they live and grow. Feed a toad a tasty snack. Then enjoy your own snack. Registration fee required DuPont Environmental Education Center DuPontEEC.org 3rd Annual DNS Earth Day Festival April 20, 11-3pm As a tribute to Delaware’s Governor Russell W. Peterson, DEEC will host an Earth Day festival and offer free programs to educate the community and families about Delaware’s marshes and its residents, and more! Festival Activities: Composting demonstrations, canoe trips, hikes to a beaver lodge, live
critters and creepy crawlies, catching fish and aquatic insects with nets, green living exhibitors, face painting and crafts and music DuPont Environmental Education Center Delawarenaturesociety.org/earthday 24th Ronald McDonald House of DE 5K April 20 Registration begins at 8am Race begins at 9am Benefits Ronald McDonald House of Delaware Frawley Stadium Races2Run.com Surround Sound: Make Some (Artsy) Noise! April 21, 12-3pm POP! CRINKLE! CRUNCH! Join us as we make a symphony of sound during this unique (and noisy!) family program inspired by the exhibition Taxonomy of Trash. So go ahead and pop that bubble wrap, snap those rubber bands, and bang those cans all the way to the DCCA! Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts TheDCCA.org Blue Rocks vs. Winston-Salem Dash April 26-28 Visit BlueRocks.com for more information on game times and promotions. Frawley Stadium Brain Tumor Walk April 27 Registration begins at 11:30am Program and Activities begins at 12:30pm This family-friendly walk and community day benefits the National Brain Tumor Society Dravo Plaza BrainTumorCommunity.org Canoeing the River and Marsh April 27, 12:30-4:30pm Canoe along the Christina River and through the marshes’ winding channels in search of wildlife. No experience necessary. Registration fee required DuPont Environmental Education Center DuPontEEC.org Delaware Hope Ball- Port of Call: A Cure April 27, 6:00pm An elegant evening of auctions, cocktails, fabulous food and of course, raising money to help cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes. Chase Center on the Riverfront Delaware.jdrf.org Blue Rocks vs. Salem Red Sox April 29-May2 Visit BlueRocks.com for more information on game times and promotions. Frawley Stadium April 2013
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FRIDAY, MAY 17 MONKEY HILL TIME TRIAL
4-8PM Tailgate Party in Brandywine Park and watch racers race against the clock on a course made famous by the Tour DuPont
SATURDAY, MAY 18
DOWNTOWN’S BIGGEST STREET FESTIVAL Opening Ceremonies Parade 1PM Races & Six-Block Street Festival 12:30PM-5:30PM BMX STUNT SHOWS • SLIDES • MOON BOUNCES OBSTACLE COURSE • ROCK WALL • COURSE CAFÉS
SUNDAY, MAY 19
GOVERNOR’S RIDE & GRAN FONDO
8AM Spectacular 15-, 30- and 62-mile bike rides through Brandywine Valley Finish Line Party at the Delaware Art Museum 10AM-2PM
An event that benefits the 21st Century Fund for Delaware’s Children and Food Bank of Delaware
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CITY NOTES Welcome to the Neighborhood! Wilmington continues to grow with new friends and neighbors. Take a look at who’s just moved in:
Big Ideas?
Got
Café D’Lish
1139 W. 7th Street; 691-5030 Hours: Tues.–Sat., 7am to 3pm; Sun. brunch, 9am to 1pm. Funky meets cool meets warm and fuzzy. Located in the Cool Spring/Tilton neighborhood (the 2011 CityLife Neighborhood of the Year), Cafe D’Lish serves delicious goodies for breakfast, lunch and brunch. Grab and go, or pull up a seat and hang out. Enjoy works by local artists, a good book from the pay-it-forward shelf of donated books, board games and puzzles. The menu changes with the seasons, with specials and homemade treats.
Lynn’s Cafe
115 Christina Landing Dr.; 888-1150 Hours: Mon.–Fri. 6 to 10:30am and 4 to 9pm; Sat., 8am to 8pm. Serving great breakfast items, including muffins, bagels, oatmeal and sandwiches. In the evening the focus is specialty home-cooked dinners as well as sandwiches, salads and homemade soup every night.
Fusion Restaurant & Lounge
BigIdeasWilmington.com
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837 N. Union St.; 777-5712 Hours: Mon. – Thur., 11am to 9pm; Fri. & Sat., 11am to 1am; Sun., 11am to 8pm. Latin Fusion Restaurant & Lounge is Wilmington’s newest restaurant catering to South American and Caribbean Cuisine. Located just around the corner from Trolley Square and in the heart of Little Italy, Latin Fusion sits in the City’s foodie district and provides a cozy atmosphere to lounge, relax, and enjoy delicious Latin foods.
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WRC News
DowntownWilmington.com
Staff Picks
Every month we highlight a few happenings in the City. Our favorites for April:
Dreamgirls at the DuPont Theatre, Tuesday, April 2, to Sunday, April 7 Dreamgirls tells the story of an up-and-coming 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. With music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award winner Tom Eyen. More information: duponttheatre.com/dreamgirls
OperaDelaware Studio Series at the OperaDelaware Studios, Friday, April 5 Enjoy a glass of wine at a cozy cabaret-style table while listening to your favorite arias and scenes presented up-close and personal by the best talent the region has to offer. Both general admission open seating and cabaret-style tables are available for this series. Seating is limited, and last year this series sold out quickly. More information: operade.org
First State Ballet Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Grand Opera House, Saturday, April 13
WRC’s Annual Meeting: “Bringing Big Ideas to Life” World Cafe Live at The Queen Wednesday, April 24 Breakfast: 7:30am Meeting: 8 to 10:30am
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re you an out-of-the-box thinker? Do you have the next Big Idea for Wilmington? If so, come share it and hear what your fellow Wilmingtonians have to say.
Tickets for the WRC’s annual meeting are $50 and include a full gourmet breakfast and complimentary parking at the Renaissance Center Garage on 5th Street immediately adjacent to World Cafe Live. For more information regarding tickets and sponsorship, to wrcbigideastolife.eventbrite.com/ Sponsored in part by: ab+c, Highmark Delaware, Colonial Parking, Delmarva Power, DuPont, M&T Bank, Newmark Knight Frank Smith Mack, Out & About Magazine, The Commonwealth Group, The Fun Department and Wheeler Wolfenden & Dwares.
This delightful and amusing tale of the transforming power of love will delight the whole family. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the world’s most beautiful ballets, and this production is the first by a Delaware company. It is FSBT’s contribution to The Year of the Bard statewide festival of the performing arts. More information: firststateballet.com/news.html
Inside the Artist’s Studio at the Delaware Art Museum, Saturday, April 13 Join Allan Comport, chair of the Illustration Department at the Maryland Institute College of Art, as he interviews illustrator Sterling Hundley. They will share a lively discussion on topics relating to contemporary illustration, including emerging markets and media, and the role of illustration in today’s culture. More information: delart.org/ prog_events/adult_prog/artist_talk.html
Meals from the Masters at Various Locations, Friday, April 19, & Sunday, April 21 Now in its 16th year, Meals from the Masters is an entire spring weekend of culinary delights, including the Evening with The Masters, the Cellar Masters’ Wine Auction and the long-standing tradition of the Celebrity Chefs’ Brunch. Enjoy the exquisite cuisine by master chefs, wine and spirits, and special auction items. More information: mealsonwheelsde.org/events/meals-from-the-masters
WilmFilm Festival at the Penn Cinema Riverfront, Thursday, April 25-Sunday, April 28 From the creators of the Newark Film Festival, the WilmFilm Festival is back and bigger than ever. This year, the festival takes place at the all-new Penn Cinema Riverfront. Experience the best independent films and favorites from throughout the years. Featuring special features such as Q&A panels, an opening night party and special midnight screenings. More information: wilmfilm.com
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