Out & About Magazine April 2019

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The Inside Scoop on House Wines

BBQ No Longer on the Back Burner

HEALTHY HELPINGS Catering to the growing appetite for special diets

APRIL 2019 COMPLIMENTARY

Kitchen Tools for Today’s Cook


©2019 TED’S MONTANA GRILL INC.

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T E D S M O N TA N A G R I L L . C O M

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THUR | APR 11 | 8PM | $35-$39 Comedy Central favorite and The Daily Show regular, Demetri Martin is every comedy fan’s best bet!

S ET D CK TE TI I M I L THUR | APR 18 | 8PM | $33-$40

FRI | APR 26 | 8PM | $29

Professor Brian Cox: Universal World Tour FRI | APR 26 | 8PM | $57

A stunning concert celebrating the music of Queen - a fully live, amazingly accurate tribute concert.

Merging melodic lines, harmonies and bass along with a one-ofa-kind percussive technique, he mesmerizes all within earshot.

Taking you to the edge of our current understanding about the origin and evolution of our Universe.

The Doo Wop Project SAT | APR 27 | 8PM | $34-$40

Gary Gulman The Great Depresh Tour SAT | MAY 4 | 8PM | $33

Liberty Comedy Presents Fabulously Funny Females THUR | MAY 9 | 8PM | $31

From Bop to Pop...evolution of a sound! The DOO WOP PROJECT is street corner singing for a whole new generation.

One of the most popular comics and one of only a handful of comedians to perform on every single late-night talk show.

Ladies of laughter don’t hold back in riotous night of comedy

One Night of Queen

Shaun Hopper

COMING SOON!

S ET D CK TE TI IMI L

TheGrandWilmington.org | 302.652.5577 | 302.888.0200 818 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

All tickets subject to box office service charges. Artists, dates, times and programs are subject to change.

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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2 INSIDE 2

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Out & About Magazine Vol. 32 | No. 2

Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC. Creative Director Tyler Mitchell, Catalyst Visuals, LLC. Contributing Designer David Hallberg, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Contributing Writers Adriana Camacho-Church, Mack Caldwell Mark Fields, Kevin Francis, Pam George, Lauren Golt, Jordan Howell, Rob Kalesse, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Dan Linehan, Mike Little, Dillon McLaughlin, Ken Mammarella, John Murray, Larry Nagengast, Kevin Noonan, Leeann Wallett

Contributing Photographers Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Lindsay duPhily, Anthony Santoro, Matt Urban Distribution David Hazardous Special Projects Sarah Green, Bev Zimmermann Interns Paige Dana, Emily Stover

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77

START

WILMINGTON

7 War on Words 10 Worth Recognizing 11 FYI 12 By The Numbers 17 Bridging The Divide

40 In The City 42 Art Loop 44 On The Riverfront

DRINK

49 House Wines 52 Sips 13 Bringing the Best into Reach 53 SweetWater Brewery

LEARN

NATURE

WATCH

15 Plants for Beneficial Insects

57 The Arts Spring Forth 63 Movie Reviews

FOCUS 21 15th City Restaurant Week 25 Healthy Helpings 29 Barbecue Offerings Grow

EAT 33 Kitchen Tools for Today 38 Bites 39 DECO Debut

LISTEN 67 Club Phred 71 Record Store Day 72 Tuned In

PLAY 75 Blue Rocks 2019 77 Snap Shots

FEATURES 25 Good Food. And Good for You. Catering to the growing appetite for special diets. By Pam George

29 Barbecue No Longer on the Back Burner Options in the area growing for the savory, slow-cooked food. By Kevin Noonan

33 Kitchen Tools for the Modern Cook Great old-school and innovative gadgets for your kitchen. By Leeann Wallett

49 The Inside Scoop on House Wines They’re not just simple glasses of cab or chardonnay.

On The Cover: The berry salad with shrimp at Home Grown Cafe in Newark. Photo by Justin Heyes, Moonloop Photograhy.

Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 outandaboutnow.com • contact@tsnpub.com

By Ken Mammarella

67 Rockin’ Out, Giving Back Club Phred has generated millions for charity & played with some big names. By Lauren Golt

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Now Scheduling New Patients! Concord Dental 2304 Concord Pike Wilmington, DE 19803

(302) 791-3750 6 APRIL 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Located across from Aldersgate United Methodist Church.


START

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 A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to defend the English language against misuse and abuse

Department of Redundancies Dept. David Murphy, in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “The end result is that Mike Scott ended up playing almost 30 minutes.” Like “whole entire” and “close proximity,” end result is a redundancy some people simply must use. Reader Bruce Hudson contributes this headline from the Wilmington News Journal: “Police Find a Dead Body in Banning Park.” Calling a body dead is “a tad redundant,” Bruce says. Media Watch • USA TODAY’S Bob Nightengale, who way back in November accurately predicted the Phillies would land free agent Bryce Harper, was unfortunately wrong in this description in a February column: “The Phillies, who have been the stalking horse all winter for Harper, remain the favorite.” Had he said the Phils had stalked Harper all winter, fine. But he used a term that means “a false pretext concealing someone's real intentions,” or, more specifically, “a political candidate who runs only in order to provoke the election and thus allow a stronger candidate to come forward.” E. g., “a stalking-horse challenge.” The Phils were very sincere in their stalking of Harper. • On social media, under the heading “Our neighborhood fox” on the McDaniel Heights Facebook page, there was this: “A beautiful citing in our yard on this snowy day!” I couldn’t resist responding, “Thanks for citing the sighting on this site.” Peeves • The random use of icon and iconic: The original meaning, “a painting of Jesus Christ or another holy figure, typically in a traditional style on wood, venerated and used as an aid to devotion in the Byzantine and other Eastern Churches,” has been lost to time. Now almost anything or anyone who is famous is an icon or iconic. Wendy’s refers to its “iconic junior bacon cheeseburger,” and golf experts have called the course at Oakmont Country Club “an iconic test.” Is Adam Lambert is “an iconic singer”? Probably. Get a grip, people. Let’s reserve the noun and the adjective for things and people that are worthy of veneration. (A nod here to a certain reader—and you know who you are, Walt—who abhors this trend.) • Turning adjectives into nouns for the sake of lame slogans. E.g., Silver Sneakers’ “Find Your Fierce.”

By Bob Yearick

That or Which? At one of my recent “War on Words” talks, a man asked me to explain when to use “that” and when to go with “which.” My answer was a bit jumbled, so for him and anyone else interested in this question, here’s the rule (And forgive me; I must use grammar textbook terms here—restrictive and . . . and sometimes not so silently. nonrestrictive—which I generally eschew): Use "that" with restrictive clauses. A restrictive clause is one that limits—restricts—the identity of the subject in some way. E.g., “The painting that was hanging over my bed is missing.” The restriction here is that a single painting had been hanging over the bed. The restrictive clause is not set off with commas, unlike nonrestrictive clauses . . . Use "which" with nonrestrictive clauses. A nonrestrictive clause contains extra information about the subject that could be left out of the sentence without affecting the meaning or structure. E.g., “The painting, which is a Rembrandt, is missing.” The clause is preceded by a comma, and it is set off with a comma if it is not at the end of the sentence. How Long, Oh Lord, How long? (In which we address the misuse of that most-abused punctuation mark, the apostrophe) A reader reports that Porter Chevrolet in Newark advertised a President’s Day sale. We wonder: which president was the dealership honoring? The AP Stylebook specifies “Presidents Day,” while Chicago Style uses “Presidents’ Day,” but no authority endorses President’s Day. That’s because the holiday celebrates all those who have held the office. On the other hand, that same reader will be disappointed to know that next month we will observe Mother’s Day, the idea being that each family celebrates its mother; likewise for Father’s Day in June.

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION? Contact me for a fun presentation on grammar: ryearick@comcast.net.

Word of the Month

fabulist Pronounced FA-byuh-list, it’s a noun meaning a writer or teller of fables; a liar.

Seen a good (bad) one lately? Send your candidates to ryearick@comcast.net

Buy The War on Words at the Hockessin Book Shelf, on Amazon, or by calling Out & About at 655-6483.


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WORTH RECOGNIZING

Community Members Who Go Above & Beyond

CARLENE JACKSON: Creating personal histories that help heal elderly patients

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IT’S ALL AT THE YMCA Hundreds of classes, personalized fitness plans, child care, saunas, pools and more included in your membership!

Plus, join in April and pay NO JOINER FEE! www.ymcade.org Financial assistance is available.

arlene Jackson is a storyteller of a special kind: The stories she tells often help the healing process for elderly patients at two local hospitals. Jackson is one of 16 volunteers in the Living History Program offered at Christiana Hospital’s ACE (Acute Care for the Elderly) unit and at Carlene Jackson with a patient. Wilmington Hospital’s rehabilitation unit. Patients admitted to the ACE unit usually stay for about four days for such ailments as pneumonia and kidney injury. Jackson and other volunteers in the program aim to increase the patient’s quality of care by introducing the individual behind the illness to everyone involved in his or her care. She interviews the patient, then writes a two-page narrative about the individual’s interests, career and family life. Armed with this information, the medical staff can then provide better care and treatment. For instance, a Christiana Care speech therapist used the name of a patient’s granddaughter to help him sound out the letter M, thus making the process personal and engaging. The life history is included in medical records and the patient gets to keep a copy too. The national Living History program was initiated by a former nurse in an Iowa hospital in 2000, and introduced at Christiana Care in 2011. It’s for 65-year-olds and above. Jackson, a Kennett Square resident and former bridal salon owner, has interviewed over 200 people—more than any other volunteer since the program started. She says she laughs with them, cries with them, and serves as company when no one visits. Jackson, who says her interviewing and writing skills have improved with time, writes three to four stories a month. One of her stories was about a 103-year-old black man who at first wouldn’t look at Jackson. “He was brought up not to look at white women,” she says. Born in the coal region of Virginia, he was one of five orphaned children raised by a 12-year-old sister. He grew up in extreme poverty, trapping squirrels for food and making his own shoes at the age of 7 from a cardboard box, leather, and rope he found. Despite that challenging childhood, grew up to be an electrician. Another narrative was about a 92-year-old who as a young man was a county doctor in upstate New York during the pre-antibiotic era. “He talked about how penicillin was made,” says Jackson. He charged $4 for house calls and $3 for office calls. He often used snowshoes during bad weather to make house calls, but one day he drove his car and got stuck in the snow. A farmer used his oxen to pull him out. One man was among the last of the Band of Brothers, the World War II regiment made famous in a book and TV miniseries. Another patient spent 25 years volunteering with his wife as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus at nursing homes. And another was a Holocaust survivor. “With him I cried a lot,” says Jackson. “He held my hand and handed me tissues.” Listening to and writing about people’s lives has taught Jackson that most individuals have a strong instinct to survive and persevere. Their strength and courage give Jackson the faith to deal with her life challenges. “I’ve had a few things happen in my life,” she says. “Their stories and the relationships I’ve formed help me and enrich my life.” Christiana Care Visitor & Volunteer Services Director Margarita Rodriguez-Duffy says that although it’s hard to measure the overall health outcome of a patient who agrees to participate in the program versus a patient who doesn’t, the feedback is positive and encouraging. Patients say they feel valued and cared for, says Rodriguez-Duffy. And family members sometimes say, “I didn’t know that about him,” after reading a narrative. Last year, Living History Program volunteers received a Governors Volunteer Award for their service.

— Adriana Camacho-Church 10 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


START EMMANUEL DINING ROOM AUCTION

F.Y.I. Things worth knowing Compiled by Emily Stover & Paige Dana

PARTY IN THE GARDEN!

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t’s spring, so how about a garden party? On Wednesday, May 22, from 4-7 p.m., Friends of Goodstay Gardens invites the public to come out for a garden party to experience one of Delaware’s oldest historic gardens, hidden within the city limits on the University of Delaware's Wilmington Campus. Bring a friend and enjoy a free, family-friendly evening of live music, light fare, educational displays, ice cream from the UDairy Creamery's Moo Mobile and, of course, the famous heirloom peony display. For more information, contact goodstaygardens@gmail.com.

LEARN ‘BLOCKING AND TACKLING’ ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

O

n Wednesday, April 10, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the DuPont Country Club (1001 Rockland Rd., Wilmington) the Emerging Enterprise Center and the Small Business Development Center will join forces for the second Annual Delaware Entrepreneurial Summit. As in 2018, the summit is aimed at bringing together entrepreneurs, mentors and providers with a goal of supporting entrepreneurs and accelerating their business growth. The day will include workshops that focus on the “blocking and tackling” skills needed by entrepreneurs as they take their business to the next level. The price of attendance is $95. For more information, visit eecincubator.com.

CLEAN UP NEWARK, GET THE T-SHIRT

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rab your family and friends and come make Newark beautiful on Saturday, April 6. Volunteers are invited to gather at the Municipal Building (220 S. Main St.) at 8 a.m. for a three-hour cleanup effort. Trash bags and snacks will be provided to all, and the first 200 volunteers will receive T-shirts. For more information or to volunteer for the cleanup, call the Recreation Office at 366-7000.

FUNDS FOR FOOD SERVICE ENTREPRENEURS

H

elp feed the hungry at Emmanuel Dining Room’s annual auction on Sunday, April 7, at The Waterfall (3416 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont). Emmanuel Dining Room feeds 180,000 visitors annually at its three sites in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Wilmington and New Castle. The April 7 event begins at 3 p.m. and the silent and live auctions will offer some of the best values around for luxury items and other goods. Admission is $125 per patron, and includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a four-course dinner. Highlight of the evening will be the Grand Raffle, when three prizewinners will walk away with $10,000, $2,000 and $1,000. For more information, visit ministryofcaring.org.

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egistration is now open for the First State Community Loan Fund, a SmartLaunch program for food service entrepreneurs. The program is designed to provide entrepreneurs with a solid foundation for opening and managing successful food service businesses. The four-day program will take place on April 9, 10, 16 and 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Wilmington University’s new Brandywine Campus (10 Beaver Valley Rd.). The cost of all four sessions is $250. For more information call 652-6774 ext. 117.

ENTER THIS COUNTY-WIDE ART CONTEST

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CC heARTed is a community art contest and pop-up art show bringing together New Castle County residents and visitors, including county employees, students, teachers and families, to share what they love most about their community through art. Step one in joining the contest is to create a piece of art that shows why you love your community. Step two is to snap a picture of the piece you want to share. Then—step three—send the picture of your artwork by May 10. All art images will be printed on postcards and displayed at Glasgow Park Bank Barn at a pop-up art show from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, June 7. For more information, visit nccde.org/1822/NCC-HEARTED.

O&A WRITERS WIN DPA HONORS

A

driana Camacho-Church and Cindy Cavett were recently honored by the Delaware Press Association for writing that appeared in Out & About. Camacho-Church, who writes the “Worth Recognizing” feature in each issue, received two first-place awards in the Columns category for “Ismael Medina: The native of Mexico offers aid and counseling to the Latin community” in the May 2018 issue, and “D’Angelo Lewis-Harris: A Ninja Warrior who battles negative influences among Wilmington’s youth” in the August 2018 issue. She also received an honorable mention in the Personality category for “Inspiring Hope in Troubled Teens and Young Adults” in the June 2018 issue. Cavett received an honorable mention for her piece in the September 2018 issue, “Healthy Drinking: Not an Oxymoron.” APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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by the numbers Some statistics on dining in America

1.6 1,983 The number of eating and drinking locations in Delaware.

MILLION The number of new restaurant jobs in America that are expected to be created by 2028.

3,008 The amount, in dollars, that the average American household spends per year on dining out.

18.1 The percentage of the average tip in America.

46,100 The number of restaurant and food service jobs in Delaware. 12 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

90 The percentage of restaurant managers who started at entry level.


LEARN

BRINGING THE BEST INTO REACH

Acclaimed year-long student teaching experience —now with stipend—makes WilmU’s teacher prep programs stand out.

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hirty-two students from Wilmington University's College of Education are breaking new ground in how teachers are taught. Through WilmU’s Year-Long Residency program (YLR), they're the only student teachers in Delaware who have spent this entire school year as full-time educators. It’s an innovative, in-depth, on-the-job learning experience for which they are also getting paid. "Our Year-Long Residency is an immersive experience for teachers in training," says assistant professor Tyler Wells, who oversees the program. "It's learning by doing, which is the best way to learn. And the compensation we've been able to provide this year opened the experience to even more students." Since 2014, the YLR program has offered future educators a radical alternative to the traditional semester-long student teaching requirement. Qualified students devote their final year of studies to collaborating with mentor teachers at schools throughout the state for an entire academic year, from setting up the classroom to closing for the summer. "Our students are actually working alongside their mentor teachers every single day," says Wells, "sharing all the responsibilities of the classroom.” He adds that “coursework is embedded into the residency as they plan and deliver instruction, as they observe and influence student development. They attend meet-the-teacher night and parent conferences. They take part in in-services and standardized testing. They're real teachers." WilmU's YLR program provides student teachers with an understanding of the job that coursework and even short-term teaching assignments couldn't convey. Its real-world application of teaching strategies in a real-world classroom reflects WilmU's

James Stiner, student teacher at Shortlidge Academy in Wilmington

career-focused approach to education. The program, Delaware's only full-year student teaching program and one of only a handful nationwide, receives praise from its participants. "The hands-on approach allows me many opportunities to learn, to practice and to reflect, with consistent feedback from my mentor teacher," says Natalie Tucci, who's earning her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education while teaching second graders at Richey Elementary in Newport. "Now I understand how everything fits together, and I know what it takes to run a successful classroom. It's been overwhelming at times, but after this experience, I'll essentially have my first year of teaching under my belt." Until now, this opportunity has been out of reach for many of the area’s aspiring teachers, particularly those who cannot give up their day jobs while pursuing their dream jobs, or manage parttime work alongside a full-time educational experience. Thanks to a $500,000 grant from the nonprofit National Center for Teacher Residencies, though, WilmU’s College of Education has been able to lend a financial hand in the form of significant stipends to each of the program's 32 participants during the 2018-19 school year. "The stipend has afforded me the opportunity to not have to work a second job on nights or weekends as I work to plan and create engaging, meaningful lessons for my students," says Tucci, who is scheduled to graduate in May. "I am able to fully immerse myself into this experience, not only at school during the day, but at after-school events where I can get to know my students and community better." To learn more about WilmU’s innovative Year-Long Residency program, visit wilmu.edu/TeacherResidency.

Get to know WilmU

at our All-in-One Open House!  ALL program levels  ALL admissions services  ALL of your questions answered

 Wednesday, May 8

 Multiple Locations

Get details and RSVP at wilmu.edu/OpenHouse APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Looking for a new handbag for your next night out?

Join DHA for Designer Bag Bingo! Friday April 5th at St. Elizabeth’s Grant Hall in Wilmington Doors open at 6:00 / Bingo begins at 7:00 $25 in advance / $30 at the door We will play 20 rounds with 20 gorgeous handbags, along with a variety of amazing raffle baskets, for our lucky winners! Visit delawarehumane.org/bingo to register!

14 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


NATURE

BEAUTIFUL PLANTS FOR BENEFICIAL INSECTS Create your own backyard ecosystem

(Left) Butterfly weed: This thread-waisted wasp uses its stinger to paralyze prey such as caterpillars, grasshoppers and stinkbugs, which she will take back to her nest for her larvae. (Right) Only 1/4-inch long, this ladybug larvae is a voracious eater of tiny aphids.

S

tarting and maintaining a garden gives you the opportunity to create your own backyard habitat. The plant choices you make will determine how full, functioning and diverse your home’s ecosystem can be. As the creator, you have the opportunity to invite a host of helpful insects into your garden, insects that not only add vitality to your landscape, but can shoulder some of the burden and expense of garden maintenance. WHAT ARE BENEFICIAL INSECTS? While we tend to focus on insects as pests, most insects are an integral part of a healthy and diverse ecosystem. Beneficial insects provide services such as pollination, pest control and soil fertilization. Additionally, while these beneficials are doing their daily chores, they might also end up providing food for birds and other wildlife. The Xerces Society estimates the value of native beneficial insects to crop pest control at $4.5 billion annually! Having a diversity of insects in your yard gives you and your family a chance to see, right before your eyes, a miniature version of the wildlife dramas played out on a much greater scale in wild lands all over the world. The Delaware state insect, the ladybug, is just one example of the importance of beneficial insects. Ladybug larvae are voracious eaters of aphids, those tiny bugs that suck the juices from your plants. And firefly larvae prey on slugs, those slimy critters that eat big, ugly holes in your hosta plants. The diversity of beneficial insects is astounding: assassin bugs, lacewings, hoverflies, even Parasitoid wasps. But wait, don't all wasps sting? No, they don’t. Less than three percent of wasps sting and will only do so if you threaten them. Actually, most bees and wasps just want to go about their business of collecting food; if you leave them alone they will leave you alone too.

Native Plant Sale

Delaware Nature Society

HOW TO ATTRACT BENEFICIAL INSECTS You can put beneficials to work in your yard by planting a diversity of native plants. Many of the plants that attract beneficials also support butterflies, other pollinators and songbirds. And if you’re tired of seeing Japanese beetles chowing down on your plantings, replacing lawn with native plantings makes your yard less attractive to them. As curator of your garden, with the right choice of native plants you can enjoy beautiful (and animal-friendly) blooming from early spring to late fall. Red maple and pussy willow are among the first native plants to bloom in the spring, followed by New Jersey tea, viburnums and blueberry. Throughout the summer, butterfly weed, buttonbush, Joe Pye weed, coreopsis and coneflowers put on a beautiful show. And in the fall, migrating monarch butterflies rely on asters, goldenrods and native sunflowers to fuel their journey south. Many native shrubs provide spectacular fall colors that can give you a glimpse of New England’s famed leaf-peeping without even leaving your back porch. Foundation plantings can include native grasses such as switchgrass, broomsedge and little bluestem. These offer shelter for insects and food for birds, while groundcovers such as golden Alexanders, pussy willow and golden ragwort also support beneficial insects and songbirds while protecting your trees’ roots. The Delaware Nature Society’s Native Plant Sale may be your best resource for building a diverse backyard habitat. With the theme “Diversity: Beauty in Every Season,” it will be held May 2-4 at the society’s Coverdale Farm Preserve in Greenville. For more information, go to delawarenaturesociety.org. — Lori Athey, Habitat Outreach Coordinator, Delaware Nature Society

Member Day Thu, May 2, 1–7pm Open to the Public Fri, May 3, 3pm–7pm Sat, May 4, 9am–3pm Coverdale Farm Preserve, Greenville, DE

NEW HOURS

DelNature.org/NPS

Sambucus Orchard Oriole by George Tallman APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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I’m letting go of the tap handle...

...to say things are looking up (for Middletown) ng Late Spri

2019


START

Ulstrer Project youth gather at Love Park in Philadelphia. Photo Bud Keegan

B RI DG I N G A D IV I DE For 44 years, Irish teens have visited Delaware as part of the Ulster Project, exploring friendship, peace and tolerance By Dillon McLaughlin

T

he Troubles” was the name given to the conflict between Catholics and Protestants that plagued Northern Ireland from 1968 to 1998. The religious and ethnic struggle resulted in bombings, assassinations and political maneuvering that dominated Irish society. As the violence dialed up, it spilled out of Northern Ireland into cities in England and the Republic of Ireland to the south. One positive result of The Troubles was The Ulster Project. Initiated in 1975, the organization works with teenagers in Northern Ireland and the United States to educate them and develop them as leaders to effect change in their communities. Every July, Northern Irish teens between the ages of 14 and 16 travel to communities across the United States in an attempt to bridge the divide between their religious and political ideologies. All told, 25 communities in 17 states participate in the month-long exchange program. Among those 17 states, Delaware can lay claim to the longest continuously-running project. Ulster Project Delaware (UPD)

began in 1976, working with three Northern Ireland towns in two-year rotations: Portadown in County Armagh, Banbridge in County Down, and Coleraine in County Derry. This year's participants will come from Coleraine, and their month here will be packed. Plans call for day trips to Philadelphia, Washington D.C., New York City, Hershey Park, and the beach, and there will be service projects with places like the Mary Campbell Center and Bellevue Community Center. Delaware-focused events like the tour of the Air National Guard and canoeing down the Brandywine are among the more popular events with the teens. To reinforce religious tolerance, UPD participants also tour houses of worship, including Catholic and Protestant churches, a Quaker meeting house, a synagogue and a mosque. The activities are part of UPD's Discovery Program. Amanda Finn, the Delaware coordinator, says, “Each Discover Day is designed to foster teamwork, to build confidence and leadership, and to cultivate understanding and acceptance.” ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Rocky Start to Rousing Success

Especially during The Troubles, participating Ulster Project states like Delaware became a neutral territory where the teens could come together without the fear of sectarian violence that dominated their home lives. The fear was well-grounded. Finn recalls a somewhat alarming start to the program. “The group traveling to Delaware from Portadown had to leave in the middle of the night because families didn't want their neighbors to know that their children were participating in a cross-community project for fear they might be targeted.” According to Mary Kate McKenna, co-chair of UPD's Recruitment and whose son Patrick hosted a teen in 2016, the hope of the program from the beginning was to “send [Northern Irish teenagers] back with a newfound sense of peace and understanding.” By all accounts, UPD’s efforts are working. Sally MilburySteen was the executive director of Pacem in Terris (UPD's umbrella program) for 27 years, retiring in 2012. In March of 2013, she traveled to the three participating towns in Northern Ireland. “In the town of Banbridge,” she says, “as a testament to [a] greater sense of collegiality, they started having a community-wide service to mark the week of Christian Unity each year. They said this would not have been possible without the influence of UPD.” What's more, no UPD member has ever gone home to join a paramilitary group—no small feat for a program that ran for the majority of The Troubles. BRIDGING A DIVIDE continued from previous page

18 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Generations from Both Sides of the Water

The Delaware project’s long duration has benefitted from participation across generations, with American and Irish families returning to the fold as hosts, participants, program volunteers and board members. One such family is the Higleys of Wilmington. Tom Higley, a participant in UPD in 1982 when he was 14, knows about the power of UPD and its potential to span generations. His summer with Martin Donnelly, the Northern Irish teenager assigned to the Higley household, proved to be formative. “My family and I were fortunate to forge a friendship that continues to this day,” he says. “As a matter of fact, [all 14 of the Higleys] will be heading to Portadown this summer to attend Martin's son’s wedding.” Which would make it the second Donnelly wedding Higley has attended. In 1989, Donnelly married Catherine Reynolds, another Northern Irish teen from the 1982 exchange, and Higley flew over to be Donnelly's best man. In Higley's family, besides himself, three of his four children, his sister, and his nephew have all hosted teens, and his mother has served in leadership roles. “The thread of UPD continued,” he says. Elizabeth McCormick, of North Wilmington, was a host teen in 1984—and a reluctant participant at first. “I had no desire to participate in UPD but was forced into it by my mother,” says McCormick. “It ended up being a positive experience. Friendships were made and barriers broken.” McCormick's experience helped attract her three younger brothers to the program, as well as her own three children.


Photo courtesy of Ulster Project Delaware

Ulster Project kids participating in a running event in Trolley Square.

McCormick’s daughter, Kiera, is the most recent host teen in the family. “The girl I hosted, Freya [Stevenson] became my best friend very quickly,” she says. Like many hosts before her, Kiera is planning a trip to Northern Ireland to reconnect with her Northern Irish teen. Thanks to apps like Snapchat, Facetime, and WhatsApp, she says, “I've stayed in contact with Freya and talked to her every day since she left.”

An Evolving Purpose

The end of The Troubles did not end the Ulster Project. “This sanctuary of space and time has changed and developed over the course of these decades,” says Amanda Finn. “But what remains consistent is a month grounded in friendship, the exploration of peace and tolerance, and a discovery of self and community responsibility.” McKenna has seen the way these principles affect her son Patrick and the Northern Irish teens, and she praises the slowly evolving benefits. “It's not a lightning bolt kind of a thing,” she says, “but it’s those subtle messages you hear over and over of peace and inclusion.” Those messages are apparent in Kiera McCormick’s memories of her month with Freya Stevenson and the other Northern Irish teens: “I remember going to Hershey Park and going on a kiddie roller coaster more than three times because [they] hated the big ones. I remember the last dance the night before [they] left, how every single person in the program danced for the full three hours. I remember standing in a circle with everyone in the program singing ‘Riptide,’ our unofficial UPD song, and sobbing right before [they] went back home.” For more information on how to become a host teen or volunteer with Ulster Project Delaware, visit ulsterprojectdelaware.org.

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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HONK!

THE FAMILY EVENT OF THE YEAR

THE UGLY DUCKLING MUSICAL

STUDENT TICKETS

$20 APRIL 17 - MAY 12, 2019 music by George Stiles book & lyrics by Anthony Drewe directed by Bud Martin

FUN FOR ALL AGES STUDENT TICKETS $20

Group (10+) & student discounts available

This heart-warming re-imagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling” tells the story of Ugly, a plucky little bird who gets picked on by the other farmyard animals because he’s different. Pushed out of the flock, he embarks on an adventure across the marsh, meeting an array of characters who teach him that it takes all sorts to make a world, and that he is much more than just his fowl looks. Honk! is a miraculous musical that should be seen by every parent and child everywhere and anyone who can relate to the plight of an outsider trying to fit in.

200 WATER STREET / WILMINGTON, DE 19801 / 302.594.1100 / DELAWARETHEATRE.ORG SHOW SPONSOR:

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY: This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com

18 OA - Honk full page ad.indd 1

2/21/19 10:20 AM


2019

April 8-13 W

ilmington’s culinary rite of spring, City Restaurant Week, returns for its 15th year this month. This annual promotion provides great incentive to visit one of Wilmington’s destination restaurants. The 2019 lineup features 15 of Wilmington’s finest, each owner-operated. That’s one of the beauties of the city’s fine dining scene. Chain restaurants are not an option. “City Restaurant Week enables us to create fresh menus for the spring, plus it puts emphasis on trying new things and new restaurants within our community,” says Dan Butler, owner, of Piccolina Toscana. “It’s a reminder that this city has remarkable dining options in close proximity to one another.” Once again, diners will be treated to an array of menus, offering everything from Asian to French to Italian. Prix-fixe, two-course lunches are $15. Threecourse dinners are $35. “City Restaurant Week is a culinary invitation to the people of our community to experience the special and talented offerings of this city’s great restaurants and chefs. It helps build community while showcasing the culinary talents and unique dining experiences in our town,” says Beth Ross, co-owner of Domaine Hudson. For an overview of this year’s participating restaurants, read on. ►

VIEW RESTAURANT MENUS AT

CityRestaurantWeek.com Make reservations directly with the restaurant


8TH & UNION KITCHEN 801 North Union St. 654-9780

8th & Union Kitchen is an American Gastropub, focusing on fresh ingredients, creative menu items, craft beer & craft cocktails. 8th & Union prides itself on a Chef-run kitchen, in which Chef Tyrie Barnes helps prepare a menu that offers an array of seafood, steaks, burgers, shared plates, vegetarian and gluten free options! Open since April of 2015, 8UK has been serving its famous brunch every Sunday, which was named “Top 50 Brunch Spots in America” by the Food Network, in addition to being voted “Best Chicken & Waffles in Delaware” by Travel Noire.

CAFÉ MEZZANOTTE 1001 North Orange St. 658-7050

Since opening in June of 2003, Café Mezzanotte has built a reputation as Delaware’s premier spot to enjoy classic Pan-Mediterranean cuisine. We offer an intimate atmosphere with servers who attend to each diner with exceptional care. Whether you are looking for a romantic evening for two, or hosting a large corporate gathering, Café Mezzanotte will cater to your needs!

COLUMBUS INN 2216 Pennsylvania Ave. 571-1492

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 price. From happy hour to special events, there is always a good reason to come “inn.”

ERNEST & SCOTT TAPROOM 902 North Market St. 384-8113 Whether you seek a local watering hole to saddle up to the bar for a hearty sandwich and a beer, or an elegant location for a magnificent dining event, guests at Ernest & Scott will find a warm, friendly environment where all are welcome.

BARDEA FOOD & DRINK 620 North Market St. 426-2069 After a five-year mission to bring their innovative restaurant concept to life in downtown Wilmington, Scott Stein and Chef Antimo DiMeo have finally opened Bardea, a restaurant which features interpretive Italian cuisine in the heart of the city’s revitalized downtown area. The 5,000 square foot,120seat dining room utilizes ingredients from local Delaware Valley farms and purveyors, and features a number of composed dishes with both Italian and American origins. Bardea, pronounced bar-DAY-ah, is the Italian term for “the goddess of food and drink.”

CHELSEA TAVERN 821 North Market St. 482-3333

Chelsea Tavern is a place for a simple appetizer and a beer, a place to graze and share small plates or a setting to experience a more traditional lunch or dinner. Beverage highlights include great cocktails, 31 amazing handcrafted beers and superb wines by the glass. All may be enjoyed alone or as a complement to our handcrafted original entrees featuring the best in gastro-comfort cuisine with a twist.

DOMAINE HUDSON 1314 North Washington St. 655-9463

Named a “must-visit restaurant serving some of the best food in Wilmington, if not the entire state” by The News Journal and awarded “best restaurant in Wilmington” by TripAdvisor, Domaine Hudson is known for premium food, superb wine pairings and inventive cocktails. Zagat rates the food as “perfection” and service as “excellent.” A well-known wine tasting destination, Domaine Hudson offers more than 450 premium wines and 40 wines by the glass. A closed-door dining room is the perfect setting for your private party or business meeting.

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 30 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, seasonally-inspired menu under the direction of Executive Chef Keith Miller and Sous Chef Ken Hodanics. An award-winning wine collection and impeccable service will further enhance your fine dining experience.


LA FIA BAKERY + MARKET + BISTRO 421 North Market St. 543-5574 The menu at La Fia has something for everyone. From handmade pasta, gnocchi and ravioli to the eclectic menu of small plates, each dish is carefully crafted by Chef Bryan Sikora. Chef Sikora finds inspiration in all types of European cuisine. The kitchen at La Fia prides itself in making everything in house from the freshly baked bread to the desserts and is true artisan cooking. In 2014 Chef Sikora was nominated for Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic and he continues to deliver his outstanding food to Wilmington.

PICCOLINA TOSCANA 1412 N. DuPont St. 654-8001

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.

UNIVERSITY AND WHIST CLUB

MIKIMOTOS 1212 North Washington St. 656-8638

Mikimotos opened in 2000,and offers a newly renovated, upbeat atmosphere with modern Asian fare. It is the ideal location to enjoy the best and freshest sushi in town, along with an extensive chef-inspired hot menu to please any palate. Mikimotos offers a variety of Asian inspired dished like our famous Mongolian BBQ Lamb Chops, Dim Sum varieties, hand crafted rice and noodles, and many more. Our team at Mikimotos strives to provide the most unique dining experience. Dim lighting, modern décor and our energetic team welcome all to dine at our table. Mikimotos offers a large bar and lounge area as well as seating at our Sushi Bar, and within the restaurant. Let our team provide you with the freshest, daily cut sashimi, beautifully hand rolled sushi to order and elaborate hot dishes. Happy Hour is available Monday through Friday from 4pm – 7pm.

TONIC BAR & GRILLE 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 Patrick Bradley and Manager Paul Bouchard have made Tonic Bar and Grille one of Wilmington’s most creative restaurants. Its location in the heart of the city makes it a convenient choice for patrons of The Playhouse 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.

805 North Broom St. 658-5125 The Tilton Mansion is the home to The University and Whist Club. Its members and their guests have been delighted for years with this finedining club. The Club’s historical elegance, along with one of the most extensive wine selections in Delaware, enhance each meal.

WALTER’S STEAKHOUSE 802 North Union St. 658-2537

Walter’s Steakhouse is synonymous with great beef in Wilmington and throughout the world. Serving the finest meat available guarantees the two things you want most in beef: flavor and tenderness. Walter’s, “the oldest steakhouse in Wilmington,” has been host to connoisseurs of excellent steaks, seafood, and spirits. Our Dinner Menu offers a wide array of selections, including prime rib and steaks, a classic chop house collection, seafood and poultry, and exquisite desserts.

WASHINGTON STREET ALE HOUSE 1206 North Washington St. 658-2537 The Washington Street Ale House opened in 1997, specializing in great food and handcrafted beers. With an extensive selection of local microbrews and over 24 beers on tap, the Ale House is the best place in the city to enjoy great drinks. Pair your favorite drink with our gastro pub inspired food for lunch or dinner! Washington Street Ale House is one of the newest members of the Big Fish Restaurant Group. The Big Fish Restaurant has grown to include numerous restaurants in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania and continues to grow. A unique blend of original, homemade recipes, musthave favorites and affordable prices have resulted in a dedicated following at all of our locations, which has earned numerous Best of Delaware awards over the years. The secret ingredient to our success is our commitment to providing fresh, great tasting dishes, unsurpassed hospitality and impeccable customer service in a casual and fun atmosphere. We only hire the best team players with a true passion for the hospitality industry.


BEST OVERALL RESTAURANT IN PHILADELPHIA SUBURBS – Open Table

Elegant AND FUN!

WINE EVENTS / PRIVATE DINING / HAPPY HOUR 1314 N. Washington St., Wilmington, DE | 302-655-9463 | DomaineHudson.com

g n i r p S into spring

Graduations First Communions Bridal Showers Baby Showers And all your spring events

WWW.HARRYS-SAVOY.COM | #HHGROUPIE | 302.475.3000 22 FEBRUARY 24 APRIL 2019 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


FOCUS

GOOD FOOD. AND GOOD FOR YOU. A growing number of businesses cater to diners who adhere to the proliferating number of special diets Home Grown Cafe's berry salad, featured on their updated menu.

By Pam George Photos by Justin Heyes

A

t the turn of the 21st century, there were few restaurants in downtown Newark with health-conscious options for diners like Sasha Aber, who was a vegetarian at the time. Fresh out of the University of Delaware, she and then husband Eric decided to fill the niche. In March 2000, they opened the 28-seat Home Grown Cafe. The restaurant took off. Home Grown added a deck, a bar and bumped into neighboring space. Today, it has 130 seats. Home Grown’s expansion over 19 years coincides with the increase in diners following special diets. And oh, have those diets multiplied since Dr. Robert Atkins’ day. In addition to vegetarians, who don’t eat meat, and vegans, who abstain from all animal products, there are now people who adhere to the paleo diet, which is restricted to foods that hunters and gatherers in the Paleolithic era (roughly 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago) ate.

Those embracing the ketogenic—or keto—diet cut back on carbs to make the body switch its fuel supply to fat. Then there are the low-carb lovers, the gluten-free or dairy-free diners, and the pescatarians, who don’t consume meat but will eat fish. Home Grown’s updated menu, available as of April 2, features dishes that appeal to diners’ diverse tastes. A berry salad with ricotta dressed with berry balsamic, for instance, has no added sugar. “Many salad dressings have sweetener added,” Aber notes. “This is very low-carb.” The red curry salmon dish—which recently won the Tastiest Dish honor at the Nutritious Newark Cook-Off, sponsored by STAR Health on the University of Delaware campus—is also available with tofu. Home Grown isn’t the only business catering to special diets in Delaware, and like that fashionable Main Street restaurant, many debunk a crunchy granola stereotype. ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOCUS GOOD FOOD. AND GOOD FOR YOU. continued from previous page

A Healthy Outlook

COMING

Fresh to your bowl.

Some people don’t eat animals for ethical reasons. Or, they prefer to consume locally and humanely raised livestock. Grass-fed beef is part of the paleo diet. Others have adjusted their diets to address a health issue. Kristin Bowen is one of them. While her husband, Milton, has an ironclad constitution, she struggled with chronic stomach issues. In 2008, she moved to a mostly plant-based diet. “The healthier I ate—fresh, natural—the better I felt,” she says. “I had more energy. My stomach didn’t hurt.” Initially, she had a lot of mashed potatoes and broccoli. “I had no idea what to eat,” she acknowledges. Her quest for tasty foods led to the creation of the couple’s business, Fresh F resh Fresh F resh hF Fresh to tresh h to t h to t Rid dic Rid cu dic ul Rid cu lo odic ou ul ulo o ou cu sly ul uThe ylo sou oly u yNude sly y Food Truck, which specializes in vegan dishes. your yo our o your yo ur our o ur your yo bowl. b bo our o ow bowl. bo b ur wlow .wl bowl. bo b ow . wl. de elde lic el ci clde ic oci ou cel ulou o sic .u ci c sou o. us. As the food truck’s popularity grew, many loyal customers asked for vegetarian and vegan options on demand. They Build Build Your Build Your Own Your Own Bowl Own Bowl Bowl Choose Choose aChoose base, a base, protein, a base, protein, sauce protein, sauce and sauce and toppings. toppings. and toppings. didn’t want to wait for the truck to come around. Spotting a need, the couple in BASE BASE BASE TOPPINGS TOPPINGS TOPPINGS Brown Brown Rice Brown Rice | Spring Rice | Spring Mix | Spring Mix | White |Mix White Rice | White Rice Rice Chili Chili Flakes Chili Flakes | Chili Flakes | Chili Oil| Chili |Oil Crispy | Crispy Oil Garlic | Crispy Garlic Garlic March opened V-Trap Kitchen & Lounge Crispy Crispy Onions Crispy Onions | Onions Cucumber | Cucumber | Cucumber | Furikake | Furikake | Furikake SOON TO TROLLEY SQUARE! in Wilmington’s Little Italy. PROTEINS PROTEINS PROTEINS Green Green Onions Green Onions | Onions Mango | Mango | Pickled Mango | Pickled |Veg Pickled Veg Veg Ahi Ahi Tuna Tuna Ahi | Chicken Tuna | Chicken | Chicken | Octopus | Octopus | Octopus | Salmon | Salmon | Salmon Pickled Pickled Ginger Pickled Ginger | Pineapple Ginger | Pineapple | Pineapple | Sea | Sea Salt| Salt Sea Saltecho that of the V-Trap’s menu will Shrimp Shrimp |Shrimp Spam | Spam | |Spicy Spam | Spicy Tuna | Spicy Tuna | Tofu Tuna | Tofu| Tofu Pineapple/Mango Pineapple/Mango Pineapple/Mango Salsa Salsa | Seaweed Salsa | Seaweed | Seaweed Salad SaladSalad food truck. Tacos, for Sesame Sesame Seeds Sesame Seeds | Wasabi Seeds | Wasabi | Peas Wasabi Peas Peas instance, are made MIXMIX INSMIX INS INS with a meat substitute, guacamole, kale, a Edamame Edamame Edamame | Corn | Corn | Sweet | Corn | Sweet Onions | Sweet Onions Onions FINISHING FINISHING FINISHING SAUCES SAUCES SAUCES cheese and chipotle. RidiculouslyAvocado Jalapeños Jalapeños Jalapeños | OG| OG Veg|Veg OG Veg Avocado Avocado Cream Cream | Wasabi Cream |substitute, Wasabi | Cream Wasabi Cream Cream delicious.

MARINATING MARINATING MARINATING SAUCES SAUCES SAUCES

Togarashi Togarashi Togarashi | Jamaican | Jamaican | Jamaican Cream Cream Cream

Catering to the “Veg-Curious”

PREMIUM PREMIUM PREMIUM TOPPINGS TOPPINGS TOPPINGS +$1+$1 +$1 Shoyu Shoyu | Ponzu Shoyu | Ponzu | |OG Ponzu | OG Sauce |Sauce OG Sauce Avocado Avocado | Macadamia | Macadamia | Macadamia NutsNuts | Masago Nuts | Masago ||Masago Surimi | Surimi | Surimi Island Island Fin Island Fin FireFire |Fin Wicked |Fire Wicked | Wahine Wicked Wahine Wahine Avocado

V-Trap isn’t the city’s only restaurant primarily dedicated to vegans and vegetarians. Abundance Child, who has been a vegan since 1993, in 2012 began adding vegan items to her parents’ Riverfront shop, Molly’s Ice Cream Café. She named her end of the business Drop POKE P OK O POKE P KO OK EK POKE P BOWLS BO BOW B E OK O K BOWLS BO BOW B WLS W WL ELS LWL WLS W BOWLS BO BOW B SLS LWL WLS W S LS LS Squad Kitchen. Remachine Script When Child’s sales eclipsed Molly’s— SPICY SPICY TUNA SPICY TUNA TUNA SALMON SALMON SALMON OG OG sauce, sauce, OG edamame, sauce, edamame, edamame, cucumber cucumber cucumber & & & Ponzu Ponzu sauce, Ponzu sauce, cucumber, sauce, cucumber, cucumber, wanted out of the and her parents avocado avocado avocado topped topped with topped with togarashi togarashi with togarashi sauce. sauce. sauce. edamame, edamame, edamame, seaweed seaweed seaweed & avocado. & avocado. & avocado. everyday grind—Drop Squad Kitchen TRADITIONAL TRADITIONAL TRADITIONAL TUNA TUNA TUNA VEGETABLE VEGETABLE VEGETABLE POKE POKE POKE took over the space. Shoyu Shoyu sauce, Shoyu sauce, sea sauce, sea salt,salt, sea salt, Ponzu Ponzu sauce, Ponzu sauce, edamame, sauce, edamame, edamame, corn, corn, avocado, corn, avocado, avocado, aren’t vegan, says maui maui onions maui onions & onions seaweed. & seaweed. & seaweed. cucumber cucumber cucumber &Many jalapeno. & jalapeno. &customers jalapeno. Child’s daughter, A’nanatawa El. “They Dole Dole Whip Dole Whip Whip Drinks Drinks Drinks just love our food.” The shop gets its share CupCup Cup Soda Soda | Hawaiian Soda | Hawaiian | Hawaiian SunSun Sun of people interested in incorporating more 160 16 04 416 1-1 60 16 04 60 4 08 8 -116 160 De D04 08 el e 4 8aw aware -1De D 16 wa 60 el e are 08 aware aw 8ewa D De Ave Av A are eleaw e aware nwa Ave Av Auare een e uAve Av Ae enuplant-based e items into their diets but still W lm Wil mi Win Wil ng lm gto miWil W on o in ng ngto lm DE D mi on o En in ng 19 119806 DE D 98 gto 80 Eo on 19 119806 n6 98 DE D 80 E619 119806 98 806 craving a burger or cheesesteak. For them, 30 02 2.6 30 65 02 54 2.6 4 4.8 65 87 30 54 79 02 4 4.8 93 2.6 387 65 79 | 54 93 Iss4 4.8 3landFinPo lan 87 |nd 79 IssdF 93 landFinPo lan Fin 3nd nP |dF Po IssFin ok landFinPo lan knP e.co nd Po dF co ok Fin okm e.co nP co Po ook m ke.co co om *Consum *Cmi nsum ing n *mi C ra raw iow nnsum ng or ra raw mi un wn nde ing norerc ra raw un co n nde ook werc ke or ed co un ook n nde mke me eat ed erc co t,me m ook se seat eaf ke ed t, foo se sod, ome m eaf eat , foo sh shellfish he t,od, oellf se seaf ,fis sh shellfish sh he foo ellf od, oofis r,sh eggs sh shellfish he o ellf rs fis eggs may mshysoincrease in rmay m nc eggs crea y as increase in snc smay m crea e yo y your yas our sincrease in e nc r crea ri risk yo y your isk our kas rsori risk efisk yo y your kour orf ri risk isk k meat of Drop Squad has substitutes, which it 1604-1608 Delaware Avenue - oWilmington fo oo od d bor b fo oo od rne debor biilln fo oo rne nes od edss. iilln bor b. nes E Esp rne ss. p pe eec .iilln E Esp ia nes ally p pe ss. ec y .in ia E Esp ally ca p pe yase as a ec se inia ally ca of oase as a y se certain ce er in rtai of o ca certain ce iase as a er se rtai mof oedi i certain ce ic m era al rtai edi co conditions c iic ond al a m diitio edi co conditions c ond on ic ndi al a sitio . co conditions c on ond nsdi . itio on ns. makes on site. 302.654.8793 | IslandFinPoke.com Double Double Double Protein Protein Protein +$6+$6 +$6

26 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


NEW

Spring Seasonal Cocktails into fresh Appetizers

FLAVORS

Entrees Desserts

Lunch? Falafel, made chickpeas (garbanzo), at Home Grown Cafe—and a beer.

Likewise, The Nude Food Truck offers the “impossible cheeseburger.” “We call it a ‘bridge’ food,” Bowen says. “People can’t believe it’s not a real burger.” One customer paid for her food, got in her car and started eating. Within minutes she came back to the truck window to ask, “Are you sure that’s not meat?” Many of the diners who order the vegan cheesesteak at Goat Kitchen & Bar in North Wilmington aren’t vegan, says Peter Weir, the manager of the restaurant, which recently tweaked the menu to feature more vegan selections such as General Tsao’s cauliflower. “We sell a lot of cauliflower,” Weir says. A hit with glutenfree and keto diners, the versatile veggie is used as a substitute for everything from chicken to rice to a wheat pizza crust.

Three Chefs—Two Vegan

To cater to the many diners on special diets, Karen Igou, owner of HoneyBee Seasonal Kitchen & Market in Trolley Square, has three chefs, two of whom are vegan. In the on-site kitchen, they prepare meals for the grab-and-go cases. Eggplant parmesan and other breaded dishes are gluten-free, and soups include a vegan selection. “Our meat chef is really savvy about dishes for people on the Whole 30, paleo and keto,” she says. “The dishes have good fat.” The chef uses grass-fed beef and pasture-raised poultry, a paleo plus. The sale of healthy prepared foods, including smoothies made with frozen fruit and vegetables instead of ice, now eclipses that of the produce, which is also available, says Igou, who plans to offer a fresh salad bar in the near future. Igou says she is an “everything-in-moderation” girl, and Bowen tells people she is 98 percent vegan. “I don’t want to limit myself.” Realizing that more diners are like Igou and Bowen, many restaurants have upped their offering of gluten-free and vegetarian offerings. Here are a few to consider. ►

Join us to celebrate the opening of our patio Bring an item to donate, receive 1/2 off an alcoholic beverage

Adoptable dogs available on-site!

April 25 th 4pm-7pm

Preferred caterers at the following venues:

Wedding Season is upon us!

Delaware Center for Horticulure The Mill Blue Ball Barn The Queen Braeloch Brewing

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOCUS GOOD FOOD. AND GOOD FOR YOU. continued from previous page

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CENTREVILLE CAFÉ This quaint restaurant, which has a catering division, features gluten-free bread for sandwiches and breakfast items. There are also vegan and vegetarian selections. 5800 Kennett Pike, Centreville, 777-4911, centrevillecafe.com

’S JANSSkEeN t

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FROM FINE FOOD TO FLOWERS, WE DO IT ALL. For your special day, let Janssen’s catering take care of you. From customized, full-service catering designed to fit your budget, to floral arrangements, china and linens, we can do it all. You deserve the best — contact us today.

WWW.JANSSENSMARKET.COM 3801 KENNETT PIKE, GREENVILLE, DE 302.654.9941

28 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

CLEAN JUICE The chain has a site just over the Delaware state line. The menu includes acacia bowls, juices, smoothies and almond or avocado toast. 573 Wilmington-West Chester Pike, Pa., 484-846-4997, cleanjuice.com DROP SQUAD KITCHEN Vegan Abundance Child started this restaurant to share her healthy lifestyle. Meat substitutes—including chickun, vegan bacon and V-dogs—are made on site. 928 Justison St., Wilmington, 984-2773, dropsquadkitchen.com FULL CIRCLE KITCHEN Friends and chefs Robbie Jester and Tim Bolt formed this food-delivery service to offer healthy but delicious foods. The menu each week includes vegetarian dishes as well as those appropriate for people following the Whole 30 diet, which emphasizes whole foods, no grains, dairy, legumes, sugar or alcohol. fcfoodgroup.com GOAT KITCHEN AND BAR When David Weir opened Goat in 2015, he decided to feature something for every diner, including vegetarians. Weir, who previously operated Buckley’s Tavern, died in 2018, but the restaurant’s dedication to his vision hasn’t wavered. The menu includes a slightly spicy General Tsao dish with cauliflower instead of chicken, a vegan cheesesteak with seitan, and a black bean burger. 1845 Marsh Rd., Wilmington, 746-7847, goatkitchenandbar.com HARVEST MARKET NATURAL FOODS This Hockessin mainstay has an on-site kitchen preparing vegan, vegetarian, raw, gluten-free and grain-free paleo items for its grab-and-go case. 7417 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, 234-6779, harvestmarketnaturalfoods.com/ departments/our-kitchen/

HARVEST SEASONAL GRILL & WINE BAR Most of the menu selections are under 500 calories and have non-GMO ingredients. Vegan, gluten-free and vegan items are plentiful. Plus, there are more than 50 wines by the glass. 549 Wilmington Pike, Glen Mills, Pa., 610-358-1005, harvestseasonalgrill.com HOME GROWN CAFÉ IN NEWARK When it comes to blending mainstream dishes with those for special diets, Home Grown paved the way in New Castle County. New menu items debuted this month. 126 E. Main St., Newark, 19711, homegrowncafe.com HONEYBEE SEASONAL KITCHEN & MARKET On-site chefs make prepared foods, including vegan, vegetarian and paleo-friendly options. Seasonal produce is also available. 11A Trolley Square, Wilmington, 407-5579, honeybeekitchenandmarket.com HONEYGROW Founded in Philadelphia in 2012, Honeygrow is now a multi-state chain featuring plantbased menu stir-fry and salad options. You can add proteins, including tofu, cage-free eggs and naturally raised beef. 3200 Fashion Center Blvd., Christiana, Newark, 327-8124 58 E. Main St., Newark, 318-6964 5609 Concord Pike, Wilmington, 407-3331 honeygrow.com CAFÉ 67 IN NEWARK NATURAL FOODS Ingredients come from the natural food store and include a salad bar, hot food bar, soups, sushi, juices and sandwiches. There’s a grab-and-go case. 230 E. Main St., Newark Shopping Center, Newark, 525-4583, newarknaturalfoods.net V-TRAP KITCHEN & LOUNGE Located in the old Bistro Jacques space— and Mona Lisa before that—V-Trap is an offshoot of The Nude Food truck. Although the restaurant and food truck have different names, they both specialize in healthy and vegetarian foods. 607 N. Lincoln St., Wilmington, 364-0474, vtrapkitchen.com 8TH & UNION KITCHEN Part of the Ashby Hospitality Group, which also owns the Deer Park Tavern, this Little Italy spot welcomes the gluten-free crowd. Most menu items can be gluten-free, and many also have a vegan and vegetarian option. 801 N. Union St., 654-9780, 8thandunion.com


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The meat sampler at Limestone BBQ and Bourbon. Photo Lindsay duPhily

BNo Longer a r onbtheeBack c Burner ue More places in the Wilmington area are specializing in the savory, slow-cooked food By Kevin Noonan

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ick Wallace never wavered as he followed his dream to become an ace pit master. He had been seduced by the pleasures and promises of good barbecue and he’s never had any regrets about that life-changing decision. Well, that’s not completely true. Wallace admits he did have a couple of second thoughts about his career path the day the pig caught on fire. More on that later. Wallace is one of the people who have embraced and enhanced the barbecue scene in Delaware, which has never been a hotbed for the savory, slow-cooked food. There are about a jillion Mexican restaurants in Delaware, not to mention Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, French and good old American. But there are just a handful dedicated to barbecue. But those numbers are growing steadily, coinciding, not surprisingly, with the growing number of barbecue enthusiasts. Wallace, the 29-year-old pit master at Limestone BBQ and

Bourbon on Limestone Road, says that business has been good since the place opened about a year ago, and it continues to get better as word of mouth spreads. “People around here love good, authentic barbecue, but they don’t always know where to get the real thing,” Wallace says. “That’s one of the things I really enjoy about this job—educating people about barbecue.” Wallace grew up on Maryland’s Eastern Shore—in Earleville, a Cecil County town south of the Bohemia River. Barbecue was big in his family, and it was influenced by two distinct branches of it—one of Wallace’s grandfathers was from North Carolina and the other was from West Virginia. It’s that blend of mountain styles that Wallace has brought to Delaware. “My family really got me into barbecue,” he says. “It was just a big part of our lives and I can’t remember a time when barbecue wasn’t a family affair.” ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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BREAKFAST • LUNCH DINNER • CATERING

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Smoked Meats & Delicious Sides WORK HARD.

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30 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


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Photo Shutterstock.com

Photo Lindsay duPhily

BARBECUE: NO LONGER ON THE BACK BURNER continued from page 29

Nick Wallace, the pit master at Limestone BBQ and Bourbon.

Old ways the Best Wallace was about 13 when he knew he wanted to spend his days smoking meats and satisfying customers. As he got older and gained more experience, he also got more experimental with his recipes and approach. But then he realized that the old ways are sometimes the best ways, and that meant leaning more on his North Carolina and West Virginia roots. “As you cook and you learn, you originally try to get away from the stuff you grew up with,” he says. “But, eventually, you realize that’s what you really want to do—bring back those special favors you’ve loved all of your life.” Wallace operated a food trailer that specialized in his barbecue, then took a couple of kitchen jobs before landing at Limestone. There, he gets to draw on his two main barbecue influences and also add his own special touches. “That’s one great thing about barbecue in Delaware,” he says. “We don’t have our own identity, like Carolina or Texas or Memphis, that people are loyal to—and they can be fiercely loyal—so we can serve Carolina ribs and Texas brisket and everyone is happy.” Locale BBQ Post is another popular barbecue restaurant in Wilmington that hasn’t been around long, and it got its start in a unique way. Dan Sheridan, a restauranteur in the area for many years, turned a personal favorite—gourmet pickles—into a small business in 2012. He sold that specialty to high-end grocery stores like Janssen’s in Greenville and was doing pretty well. But he also realized that the pickle trade wasn’t going to be enough. “Simple logic tells you that trying to pay the rent with just pickles is difficult,” he says with a laugh. “So I wanted to add something else, and pickles are a natural with barbecue and a lot of the other sides. And I realized that there weren’t a lot of authentic barbecue places in Wilmington. “It just seemed like a good idea. I thought I had a good product and I liked the neighborhood, I liked being in the city. You never know how things are going to work out in the restaurant business, so we’re really pleased and humbled at the success we’ve had so far. We’re still standing and that’s a good feeling.” Sheridan says he isn’t surprised by his success, however. He and co-owners Justin Mason and Mike Gallucio did their homework and came away convinced that good, authentic barbecue could be a big hit in Wilmington. “It’s not that complicated—find a niche and fill it, and do it the right way,” he says. “I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like barbecue and I’m glad to see Wilmington’s barbecue scene is expanding and I’m glad we’re a part of it.”

Business is Smokin' Few people have been firing up the smoker longer than Rick Betz, owner and operator of Fat Rick’s Barbecue. The 68-year-old Betz has operated Fat Rick’s in one form or another for more than 30 years, including barbecue restaurants. But now he focuses exclusively on the catering trade, and he says business has never been better. ► APRIL APRIL 2019 2019 || OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Easter Brunch

BARBECUE: NO LONGER ON THE BACK BURNER continued from previous page

April 21st | 10AM - 4PM $40 adults, $20 kids (4-10), Free (3 & under) *includes coffee & tea service

Mother’s Day Photo Tim Hawk

May 12th

Brunch

10AM - 2PM $40 adults, $20 kids (4 - 10), Free (3 & under) *includes coffee & tea service

Dinner

5PM - 9PM Special a la carte menu just for MOM! Reservations for both weekends strongly suggested.

OTHER

happenINNs The Patio Opens - mid April New Spring Menu - fresh, seasonal fare City Restaurant Week - April 8th - 13th ($15 2 course lunch & $35 3 course dinner) Heitz Wine Dinner - Thursday, April 4th $105 a person

302-571-1492

2216 Pennsylvania Ave Wilmington, DE 19806 www.ColumbusInn.net 22 APRIL 32 FEBRUARY 2019 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

A brisket sandwich on a bacon biscuit from Locale BBQ.

“Barbecue is one of the fastest growing segments in the food industry,” Betz says. As any barbecue fan knows, there are different kinds of sauces and rubs used in barbecue and that is often determined by the section of the country you come from or simply what your taste buds command you to like, whether it’s the sweet and tangy Kansas City style, the dry-rub Memphis style, the pecan-smoked Texas style or the kick of the vinegary Carolina-style. Like Wallace, Betz says there’s no “best’’ kind of barbecue. It’s all subjective, like rooting for your favorite team, and there’s no wrong answer as long as you stick to the basics. “Classic American barbecue is the same today as it was 100 years ago,” he says. “And it will be the same 100 years from now. Some guys out there get caught up on coming up with new ways to cook it or come up with new sauces, but it all comes back to the roots of barbecue. And the classic sauces are our claim to fame.” As for Wallace’s claim to infamy, aka the flaming pig: He was catering a private party for about 150 people—fortunately, it was outdoors—when he got distracted and didn’t notice that the dripping fat from the pig had started a roaring blaze in his smoker. “I panicked while trying to not look like I was panicking, but I didn’t do a very good job,” he says with a laugh. “Fortunately, hardly anybody noticed and the few that did thought it was normal for a pig to catch on fire at a barbecue.” “That’s when I wondered if I was cut out for this business,” he adds. “But I survived that day and I learned a valuable lesson— never turn your back on a pig.” LIMESTONE BBQ AND BOURBON 2062 Limestone Rd. 274-2085 limestonebbqandbourbon.com LOCALE BBQ POST 1014 N. Lincoln St. 510-4929 localebbqpost.com FAT RICK’S BBQ 1413 Foulk Rd. 345-8863 fatricksbbq.com


EAT

The Instant Pot can make dozens of easy meals from different types of food.

KITCHEN TOOLS FOR THE MODERN COOK There are several old-school as well as innovative gadgets on the market that can be invaluable in your kitchen By Leeann Wallett Photos by Matt Urban

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ooking pizza is an art when you’re using the Roccbox, the first portable oven that can cook pizza, among other things, using either propane gas or wood. One caveat: the pizza must be constantly rotated with a pizza peel, a thin wooden or metal tool used by chefs for pizza and other baked goods. The result is an intricate dance, one that pizza enthusiast Brendan Cooke, of Wilmington, has mastered during the cold winter months. Since the Roccbox can produce temperatures of 900 degrees or more, his box sits on stilts outside his patio, just high enough so the opening reaches his back-porch window. “I should get a MacArthur ‘genius’ grant for this setup,” he laughs. The Roccbox is just one of several new and old-school appliances and gadgets that can spice up your kitchen, your cooking and, perhaps, your life. Here’s a rundown:

ROCCBOX PIZZA MAKER

The Roccbox rose to fame in 2016 when it totaled more than $1.2 million in sales in just 45 days on Indiegogo. Cooke received his Roccbox from his mother as a holiday gift and has become an expert pizza-maker. When he’s not making pizza he’s the executive director of OperaDelaware, so it wasn’t long before his work and leisure came together. When I contacted him for this article, he had already planned a pizza party for his colleagues to celebrate the singers who had come to perform at the next day’s “Opera Uncorked with Swigg” performance. The party afforded me a front-row seat to Cooke’s expertise with the Roccbox. Cooke has pizza-making down to a science. He’s got his mozzarella and parmesan cheese pre-measured in FoodSaver bags, sauce premeasured in glass bowls, dough balls in air-tight trays, and finally, his mise-en-place set so he can “talk to people while cooking.” ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Once the pizzas are prepped and ready for the oven, Cooke squats down to window level so that he has access to the mouth of the Roccbox. Then, gently, he slides in the pizza, then rotates it for 60 to 90 seconds. Pizza from the Roccbox is not run-of-the-mill. The extremely high temperatures result in a light and airy, yet chewy, crust with toppings that are slightly tinged by the heat. I credit Cooke for getting the topping-to-crust ratio just right. At $600, the Roccbox may be cost-prohibitive for most chefs, but there are less expensive outdoor oven alternatives such as the Uuni 3 and the Blackstone. You can also opt to cook your pizza in the oven on a baking stone, which is easier, but doesn’t provide the same taste or quality. Roccbox is available at Gozney.com and at Williams-Sonoma. KITCHEN TOOLS FOR THE MODERN COOK continued from previoius page

‘NICE’ CREAM

I bought my first Yonanas Classic at Costco; it was a life- and calorie-saver at a time when I was cutting back on desserts. Yonanas is a compact countertop gadget, the size of a small coffee machine, designed to crush frozen fruit into soft-serve “nice” cream. It’s easier to use than an ice cream machine—which requires freezing the canister in advance—because all you need are frozen, overripe “cheetah-spotted” bananas, according to the instructions. The manufacturer recommends waiting a couple of seconds until the bananas are slightly thawed before sending them down the chute. The magical mixture that emerges is a beautiful blend of creamy, guilt-free soft-serve made with nothing but bananas. My personal favorite blend is powdered-peanutbutter-dipped bananas with frozen mixed berries or PB&J Yonanas. "Cheetah-spotted" bananas are key to using the For those worried about a strong Yonanas Classic. “banana” flavor, I promise that it’s subtle once you’ve added other fruit. And if not, the Yonanas website has a section dedicated to non-banana recipes (think fruit sorbet). Pro tip: clean the chute and crusher right after making it. Yonanas Classic ($49.99) and Elite ($119.99) are available at Yonanas.com.

THE NOT-SO-INSTANT INSTANT POT

I was hesitant to buy the Instant Pot after it grew in popularity when it debuted on Amazon Prime Day in 2016. The multicooker seemed too good to be true. How could it magically cook 10 different dishes from soup, beans, cake, meat and yogurt—all in one appliance? In most instances, yes, you can make dozens of different types of food in the Instant Pot. But take it from David Stotz, my friend and amateur cook, “The ‘Instant’ in ‘Instant Pot’ is a bit of a misnomer. While things cook quickly in a pressure cooker, the heating element in the Instant Pot is fairly weak, so it takes a while for everything in the pot to heat up before it’s able to seal and build pressure.” That means a recipe with a cook time of 20 minutes will actually take 35-45 minutes. The cook time refers only to the time once the Instant Pot reaches low or high pressure, depending on the recipe. Despite this negative, the Instant Pot has become so useful that I use it two or three times a week. As long you’re comfortable setting up your mise-en-place ahead of time, cutting and measuring the vegetables and meat, you’re more than halfway finished making dinner. Instant Pot is fully automated, so once your recipe is done cooking the unit will either automatically shut off or revert to the keep-warm setting. As the TV infomercial spokesperson and Ronco founder Ron Popeil once said, “Set it and forget it.” 34 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


So what can you make with the Instant Pot? “Chicken seems to work better than red meat,” says Stotz, who by day works at a local museum in AV and media. “Red meat has a lot of collagen, which only breaks down after cooking for a long time, so it’s not conducive to quick cooking.” I’ve mainly used the Instant Pot for fast and easy dinners, including an Indian potato and chickpea curry and various combinations of soup and stews. When I have more time, I try more intensive recipes, like the famous Philadelphia roast pork sandwich. I modified a Bon Appétit slow-cooked recipe where instead I pressure-cooked the pork shoulder for an hour-and-a-half. Once the roast was done, I removed the meat and reduced the cooking juices directly in the Instant Pot, making it a one-pot recipe. As Out & About’s Director of Publications Jim Miller can attest, this recipe is pretty darn close to the original. Find the recipe at bonappetit.com/recipe/slowcooker-roast-pork-sandwiches. Instant Pot, $64.95 to $179.95, is available in-store at various retailers and at InstantPot.com.

CAST IRON MAIDEN

Cast iron pans are back in vogue with home chefs, and for good reason. They are the workhorses of the kitchen; there’s no other pan that can do half as much as these iron maidens. Cast iron pans may remind some of outdoor camping, maybe even your grandmother’s kitchen, which only lends them more credibility. They are great at retaining heat, and are, if cared for properly, nonstick and heat resistant, so they can be easily transferred from stove to oven for baking or roasting.

Easter Brunch APRIL 21, 2019 | 10:30AM—4PM

What’s more, every time you use a cast iron pan it will develop a beautiful patina or seasoning that will allow foods to release naturally from the pan, rather than chemically like other nonstick pans. The non-stick quality is the greatest advantage of cast iron, but it takes patience and elbow grease to maintain it. And though you may have heard horror stories about cleaning cast iron pans, all you need to do is clean it immediately after use, using a tiny bit of soap and a scrubber that is heat resistant (search online for a nylon brush or chainmail scrubber). And think of these pans as a long-term investment. Take good care of your pans now and they will last a lifetime. Cast iron pans come in several sizes, from Dutch ovens to 10-inch skillets. They even come in fun shapes like the ebelskiver pan. Ebelskivers are fluffy, spherical Danish pancakes filled with fruit jam, cheese or whatever you like. The batter is poured directly into the well-oiled cast iron pan, which has cupped indentations. Other cultures have similar dishes, like the Japanese takoyaki, typically filled with diced octopus, and the Thai Khanom Krok or coconut rice pancakes. Cast iron pan by Lodge vary in sizes and price. See Lodgemfg.com.

SOUS VIDE OR ‘UNDER VACUUM’

Sous vide’s promise is a foolproof method for perfectly cooked food, whether it's eggs, meat, poultry or other fare. It’s as simple as preheating a water bath and tossing in the food in sealed plastic bags or even mason jars. ►

Mother's Day Brunch MAY 12, 2019 | 10AM—5PM

Learn more about our holiday buffets & view the menus at HiltonChristiana.com 100 CONTINENTAL DRIVE | NEWARK, DELAWARE 19713 | 302.631.1542 | HILTONCHRISTIANA.COM

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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The ability to sous vide at home became possible only a KITCHEN TOOLS couple of years ago. You can FOR THE MODERN COOK thank the late French Chef Joël continued from previoius page Robuchon and then American Chef Thomas Keller for using the technique in their kitchens. “With typical cooking methods, I always find it difficult to cook things perfectly, even to the correct temperature, without devoting all of my attention to that one thing,” says Stotz. Not only does sous vide allow you the freedom to mingle with friends and family instead of slaving over a hot stove, it also alleviates any anxiety about overcooking your protein. Once the food is done taking its warm bath, most foods like eggs and vegetables can be enjoyed straightaway. Meats, on the other hand, will benefit from a quick sear in your cast iron pan to get that perfectly caramelized finish. As Stotz mentions, “Meat comes out looking pale and grayish, so the time in the pan is needed to create the Maillard (browning) reaction.” Two of the highest rated devices currently on the market are Anova Precision Cooker ($129 to $159) and the Joule Sous Vide by ChefSteps ($179 to $199).

Join Us For Easter Bunny Brunch Sat. 4/13 and Sun. 4/14!

The moka pot is a personal espresso machine.

MON:

Make Your Reservations for Easter Brunch Sun. 4/21!

302.376.0600 109 Main Street, Odessa, DE 19730 Mon: 11:30am-9pm • Tues - Thurs: 11:30am-10pm Fri-Sat:11:30am-11pm • Sun: 10am-9pm

www.cantwells-tavern.com 36 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

THE MIGHTY MOKA POT

A stovetop device, the moka pot is an inexpensive alternative to the home espresso machine. While the stovetop version won’t have the exact texture and flavor produced by a commercial machine, why pay thousands for a machine that will eventually gather dust on your countertop when you can have a more economical shot and a new morning tradition? In my last semester of grad school, I lived in Italy in a beautiful fifth-floor apartment I rented through Airbnb. After giving me a quick tour of the new apartment, the landlord showed me how to use the mighty moka pot. It was so well-used that it didn’t have a handle (probably melted from being too close to the open flame) and it was covered in coffee stains on the outside and inside. I learned later that moka pots don’t need to be meticulously washed like other coffee appliances. A simple rinse with warm water after each batch is sufficient, which is why there will always be a coffee stain in my pot. Look for old-school brands like Bialetti and Alessi, both of which have been producing moka pots since the early 20th century. Moka pots are available at most retailers and online.


WIN COOL Try the newest and coolest treatment option in North Wilmington! The Spine Spa 1800 Naamans Rd. Wilmington DE 19810 (2nd oor of Kirkwood Fitness)

Call (302) 475-3200 for an appointment

or Schedule online by visiting: www.https://optimal.cryoinnovations.com/registration

STUFF FRESH NEW LOOK. MORE GREAT CONTENT. HELP MAKE OutAndAboutNow.com US BETTER!

Complete our reader survey at OutAndAboutNow.com You will be eligible to win cool prizes: POINT-TO-POINT TAILGATE SPOT DINNER FOR TWO LUNCH FOR TWO MOVIE TICKETS AND MORE!

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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EAT CHEFS JOIN FORCES FOR MEALS ON WHEELS

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BITES Tasty things worth knowing Compiled by Paige Dana

BARDEA IS ‘BEARDED’

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ardea Food & Drink, 620 N. Market St., Wilmington, has been nominated for a James Beard Award as one of the country’s best new restaurants. One of the newer additions to downtown Wilmington’s dining scene, Bardea features interpretive Italian cuisine. First-time customers can experience Bardea at a discount during City Restaurant Week April 8-13. The James Beard Foundation’s mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders, making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable. The 2019 James Beard Awards Gala will take place on May 6 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. For more information, visit jamesbeard.org.

POINT-TO-POINT HAPPY HOUR

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n Wednesday, April 17, from 5-7 p.m., visit Kid Shelleen’s for your chance to win two tickets to the Kid Shelleen’s/Tito’s Handmade Vodka tent at this year’s Point-to-Point at Winterthur on Sunday, May 5. The tickets and parking pass will be auctioned off during happy hour, which will also feature a taste of Kid’s Texas BBQ menu, along with hand-crafted Tito’s cocktails and live music by Tony Cappella and Friends. Visit harryshospitalitygroup.com/kid-shelleens. 38 MARCH 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

hefs from throughout the U.S. will participate in the Celebrity Chefs’ Brunch on Sunday, April 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the DuPont Country Club (1001 Rockland Rd., Wilmington). Guests will partake of exquisite tastings prepared by 25 award-winning chefs. In addition, there will be cocktails, live entertainment and an exceptional auction. Tickets are $125. Honorary chair is Chef Alex Seidel from Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver. Other celebrity chefs include Hari Cameron from a(MUSE.) in Rehoboth Beach, Paul Bachand from Recipe Part Deux (Newberg, Oregon), Cliff Lyness from Brookstreet Hotel (Ottawa, Canada), and Bruce Moffett from Barrington’s Restaurant (Charlotte, North Carolina). Proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels Delaware and support homebound seniors. For more information, visit mealsonwheelsde.org.

CELEBRATE THE GRILL CHEESE SANDWICH

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overdale Farm Preserve of Delaware Nature Society (543 Way Rd., Greenville) will be celebrating National Grilled Cheese Day a day early with Gourmet Grilled Cheeses. Enjoy the simple pleasure of a grilled cheese sandwich on Thursday, April 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Join the Coverdale Kitchen, led by Ashley Harrell, to make and taste your way through three mouthwatering takes on this childhood favorite. Admission is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. For more information, visit delawarenaturesociety.org.

FOODIE STUDENTS COMPETE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

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ore than 100 ProStart students from 14 high schools across Delaware met in Wilmington on March 1 for the 7th Annual Delaware ProStart Student Invitational. Hosted by the Delaware Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the statewide competition featured a combined 17 culinary and management teams, who competed for the chance to represent Delaware at the National Student Invitational and win more than $2 million in scholarships. Students from Caesar Rodney High School in Camden took first place in the culinary competition and St. George's Vocational-Technical High School in Middletown received first-place honors in the management competition. This was the first win for both schools. The two teams will advance to the National ProStart Student Invitational next month in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit chooserestaurants.org.

IRON HILL RENOVATION AND ‘20 BY 2020’

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ron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has begun renovation on its Wilmington riverfront location as part of a larger initiative to have “20 restaurants by 2020.” Iron Hill is currently in 16 locations. The restaurant hopes to enhance the guest experience through re-designs at various locations across the Mid-Atlantic region. The re-designed floor plan will feature an open and airy dining room and bar area. Business will operate as usual throughout construction, with some limited seating. Renovations will be completed in phases to minimize disruptions to guests. For more information, visit ironhillbrewery.com.


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The new food hall, shown in a rendering here, will feature eight restaurant concepts, a bar and event space. Rendering courtesy of DECO Wilmington

DECO DEBUT Much-anticipated Downtown Wilmington food hall opens this month

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new chapter in downtown Wilmington’s dining scene will begin on Thursday, April 18 with the opening of DECO, a 13,000-square-foot food hall. DECO will feature eight restaurant concepts, a bar, and event space in the rejuvenated ground floor of the Dupont Building at 10th and Orange streets. Grand opening festivities will span two full days, beginning at 5 p.m. on April 18 and continuing with events on Friday, April 19, from 7 a.m. until midnight. The grand opening party will spread throughout DECO’s indoor and outdoor drinking and dining spaces, including the soaring atrium bar, private event space and bathrooms outfitted with custom murals from local artists. The event will feature live music, swag giveaways, entertainment for kids and families, a photo booth, and food and drink for purchase from DECO vendors, who will be announced closer to the opening. Following the grand opening, DECO will be open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar service, weekdays starting at 7 a.m. and closing at 11 p.m., with extended hours on weekends. The extended hours will be welcome news to those who complain of a lack of late-night and weekend dining options downtown. The food hall will be managed by Imian Partners, operators of Constitution Yards Beer Garden on the Riverfront. DECO is currently seeking artists to paint custom murals on the bathroom walls. Artists are encouraged to submit their credentials and ideas to hello@decowilmington.com. Five winners will be chosen. Each winner will receive a $750 commission to transform the walls of a bathroom stall into a vibrant piece of art. One of DECO’s kitchens, known as The Pop-Up, will serve as a rotating test kitchen, available to chefs and restaurateurs in two-week and one-month blocks. The Pop-Up is a place for chefs to experiment with new dishes, work from a test kitchen, or simply get guests interested in something new. For visitors, it will provide continually changing culinary options. Interested chefs should reach out to DECO directly at hello@decowilmington.com. In addition to eight distinctive kitchens, DECO will feature a full bar. The bar’s double-height space will provide a dramatic centerpiece for the food hall and serve as a stunning backdrop for DECO’s private event space. For more on the event space, email hello@decowilmington.com. — Out & About APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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THE CITY CITY PUBLIC PARK SPACES ARE BEING UPGRADED FOR ALL TO ENJOY

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A new Eden Park is under construction and the restoration of Rodney Square is set to begin in just weeks

wo popular City parks—Eden Park in Southbridge and historic Rodney Square in the heart of Downtown Wilmington—will soon look very different following major renovations now underway or beginning soon. After touring Eden Park last month, Mayor Mike Purzycki said he’s pleased with the progress being made on the $2.4M reconstruction project in South Wilmington, which includes the redesign of the pools and athletic fields. Mayor Purzycki announced the Eden Park project in October at the same time he unveiled plans for the reconstruction of Baynard Stadium in partnership with Salesianum School. “The renovations to Eden Park are on schedule and will provide more recreation opportunities for the citizens of Southbridge, especially our young people,” said the Mayor. “The plan will not only beautify and vastly improve the park’s facilities, it will increase public access as well.” A photo album of the construction at Eden Park can be found here: http://bit.ly/2Ul15mW Also last month, Mayor Purzycki, Delaware Gov. John Carney and the Rodney Square Conservancy announced the start of a $6-8M renovation of Rodney Square, originally built in 1921. The Mayor and Governor said the City’s largest public square has suffered in recent

40 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

years from deferred maintenance and is in need of a major aesthetic and infrastructure overhaul. “It’s time to restore this grand square to its original glory, but also to go further to improve the square and allow its upkeep to be more manageable while making the space more beautiful, attractive and useful,” said the Mayor. “The City’s happy to support the efforts of the Rodney Square Conservancy, which in 2016 set out to remodel and improve the square—efforts now underway with government and private support. It’s a partnership that will revitalize and preserve Rodney Square for the entire community and for future generations.” The multi-year, two-phased public and privately-funded renovation project is expected to break ground in April. In addition to general beautification and infrastructure improvements, the new square is being designed to accommodate a wider range of smaller community events along with the more traditional larger events staged there. Improved accessibility and more community-based activities are the primary goals of the renovation project. Phase one is expected to be completed in early 2020. The Mayor said the 2019 Clifford Brown Jazz Festival will be held in the square as planned in June during a construction hiatus, but the Farmers Market on Wednesday’s will be relocated to Market St. between 10th and 11th Streets.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE


APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR A 2019-20 MAYORAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

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ayor Mike Purzycki’s 2019-20 college scholarship awards program is now accepting applications from high school seniors who are Wilmington residents. The program will again award $30,000 to college-bound students, and the application deadline is Friday, May 3, 2019. The Mayor’s Scholarship Awards Program, which recognizes and celebrates the academic achievement of young people from throughout the City, follows the success of the City’s 2nd annual Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) College Fair. The Fair, attended by more than 1,500 students, saw nearly 700 participants receive college offers, many of them admitted to an HBCU on the spot. Of the students offered college admittance, nearly 250 received offers of scholarship assistance totaling over $1 million from the participating schools. “Wilmington is focused on increasing educational opportunities for our young people,” said Mayor Purzycki. “The 2019-20 scholarship program that is now available, when coupled with the 2019 HBCU College Fair means that many of Wilmington’s most promising young people can continue to excel in the classroom, as well as at home and in their communities.” To download an application or learn more about the Mayor’s Scholarship Award, visit: www.WilmingtonDE.gov/mayorscholarship.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

NEWS YOU CAN USE! BEAUTIFUL CITY: COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY

This year’s citywide Community CleanUp Day, part of the Mayor’s Beautiful City initiative, will take place Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 8 to 11 a.m. To register for the event, log onto www.wilmingtonde.gov/home/ showdocument?id=3080 to download an application and then send it to the City at: wilmingtoncleanupday@WilmingtonDE.gov.

STREET SWEEPING: APRIL 1-NOVEMBER 1

Wilmington’s annual street sweeping service is set to resume April 1 and continue through Nov. 1 in neighborhoods across the city. ALL motorists are advised to observe the posted parking restrictions along city streets, which provide information on when streets are going to be cleaned as well as when cars must be moved to accommodate street sweeper vehicles.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR APRIL 4

BLUE ROCKS OPENING NIGHT (FRAWLEY STADIUM)

APRIL 5

ART LOOP WILMINGTON

APR 16

WILMINGTON GOES GREEN WITH THE 44TH ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE. MAYOR PURZYCKI HONORED TO BE THIS YEAR’S GRAND MARSHAL. “The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a marvelous City tradition and I was honored to serve as Grand Marshal this year,” said Mayor Purzycki. “My Carlin family ancestors on my mother’s side of the family were quite proud.” The Mayor also observed that the Irish have a long, proud history in Wilmington that dates back centuries, and the community continues to thrive today.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

LEAD 360 JEFFERSON AWARDS (COUNCIL CHAMBERS)

APR 19

GOOD FRIDAY (CITY HOLIDAY)

APR 27

CITYWIDE COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY

For more meetings and events in the month of April, visit: https://www.wilmingtonde.gov/.

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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presented by

April 5 5pm Start Complimentary Shuttle Service (see website)

cityfest A program of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

Carspecken Scott Gallery

Blue Streak Gallery

The Delaware Contemporary

LaFate Gallery

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church

MKT Place Gallery

Bellevue Community Center

Bellefonte Vintage

Bellefonte Arts


RIVERFRONT The Delaware Contemporary 200 South Madison St. 656-6466 • decontemporary.org Artists: BLACKOUT, a solo exhibition by Rick Hidalgo and THE FIRE THEFT, group exhibition curated by Rick Hidalgo DOWNTOWN 2nd & LOMA 211 N. Market Street 655-0124 Artist: “Lions Divine Protection” by Zathary Burton Artzscape 205 N. Market Street 433-6622 Artist: Daddy Long Legs & The Inch Worm by Bryce Bullock Christina Cultural Arts Center 705- 707 N. Market St. 429-0101 • ccacde.org Artist: “Eye Shadow” Women’s Art Exhibit City of Wilmington Louis L. Redding Gallery 800 N. French Street 576-2100 • wilmingtonde.gov Artist: ...and the waters rise by Jenna Lucente Colourworks 1902 Superfine Ln. (Race St.) 428-0222 • colourworks.com Artist: San Miguel de Allende by Kathe Morse continues; no April reception Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery at Delaware College of Art and Design (DCAD) 600 N. Market St. 622-8000 • dcad.edu/gallery Artist: 22nd Annual Delaware College of Art and Design Student Exhibition Grace United Methodist Church 900 Washington St. 655-8847 • Gracechurchwest.com Artist: Lumina Arts Incubator and One Village Alliance

The Grand Opera House 818 N. Market St. 658-7897 • thegrandwilmington.org The Grand Gallery Artist: Through Her Eyes by Kristen Margiotta

Carspecken Scott Gallery 1707 N. Lincoln Street 655-7173 • carspeckenscott.com Artist: “Comin’ Atcha!” by Cleveland Morris

baby grand lobby artist: VISIONS XI: An exhibit of the Brandywine Photo Collective

Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 Artist: Somewhere In the Middle by Kattee Boyle and Karen Dulaney

Hotel du Pont 100 W. 11th St. 594-3256 • hoteldupont.com Artists: Frankie Sanchez, Lauren Lord, Eunice Lafate LaFate Gallery 227 N. Market St. 656-6786 • lafategallery.com Artist: Women’s History Month Art Exhibition Mezzanine Gallery 820 N. French St. 577-8278 • arts.delaware.gov Artist: Painting With Wood by Robert Bruce Weston MKT Place Gallery 200 W. 9th Street 438-6545 Artist: James Wyatt The Sold Firm 800 B N. Tatnall Street 689-3237 • thesoldfirm.com Artist: Sand Storm Warning by Velvet Poindexter Studio on Market 219 N. Market Street 229-7108 • StudioOnMarket.com Artist: SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE II - Anthony Sealey Photography Wilmington Public Library 10 E 10th Street 571-7400 • wilmington.lib.de.us Artists: DEstination: Space WEST END Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Ave. 429-0506 Artists: Ethel Jackson, Cara Boland and Kerstin Tyreus

Howard Pyle Studio 1305 N. Franklin St. 656-7304 • howardpylestudio.org Artists: “Silver Vase of Pink Tulips” by Bonita Frawley St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church 1301 N. Broom St. 652-7623 • ststeph.org Artist: Roots of the Past - Saving the Future BEYOND THE CITY Bellefonte Arts 803-C Brandywine Blvd. 762-4278 • bellefontearts.com Exhibit: April Animal Art Show, Pamela Slaton and various artists. Saturday only, from 11am-3pm Bellevue Community Center 510 Duncan Road 762-1391 Artist: “WONDRLAND” by Toon Bellefonte Vintage 901 Brandywine Blvd. 762-7878 Artist: Recycled Art, Cyntaya Welch Arden’s Buzz Ware Village Center 2119 The Highway programs@ardenbuzz.com Artist: “Mélange” by Ray Magnani Station Gallery 3999 Kennett Pike 654-8638 • stationgallery.net Artists: Ephemeral by Frank DePietro

Next Art Loop Wilmington: May 3, 2019

ArtLoopWilmington.org


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1. Amtrak Station 2. Opera Delaware Studios 3. Wilmington Youth Rowing Assn., WYRA.ORG 4. Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park 5. Residences at Christina Landing 6. Bank’s Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar / Riverfront Market, BANKSSEAFOODKITCHEN.COM 7. Delaware Theatre Co., DELAWARETHEATRE.ORG 8. Docklands Riverfront, DOCKLANDSRIVERFRONT.COM 9. Cosi at the Barclays Crescent Building, GETCOSI.COM 10. Hare Pavilion/Riverwalk 11. AAA Mid-Atlantic Travel Center, AAAMIDATLANTIC.COM 12. The Delaware Contemporary, DECONTEMPORARY.ORG

13. Justison Landing, Currie Hair, Skin & Nails, CURRIEDAYSPA.COM Veritas Wine & Spirits, VERITASWINESHOP.COM Starbucks on the Riverfront Riverfront Pets, RIVERFRONTPETS.COM 14. Del Pez Mexican Gastropub, DELPEZMEXICANPUB.COM Goju Training Center, GOJUROBICS.COM 15. Delaware Children’s Museum, DELAWARECHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG Riverwalk Mini Golf, RIVERWALKMINIGOLF.COM 16. Joe’s Crab Shack, JOESCRABSHACK.COM 17. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, IRONHILLBREWERY.COM 18. Public Docks 19. Big Fish Grill, BIGFISHRIVERFRONT.COM


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Visit RiverfrontWilm.com for info on events happening at the Riverfront! Photo by Joe del Tufo 20. Frawley Stadium, BLUEROCKS.COM Delaware Sports Museum & Hall of Fame 21. Chase Center on the Riverfront, CENTERONTHERIVERFRONT.COM 22. Dravo Plaza & Dock 23. Shipyard Center Planet Fitness, PLANETFITNESS.COM 24. Timothy’s Restaurant, TIMOTHYSONTHERIVERFRONT.COM 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 Riverfront Commuter Lot, RIVERFRONTWILM.COM/PARKING

28. Penn Cinema Riverfront IMAX, PENNCINEMARIVERFRONT.COM 29. CrossFit Riverfront, CFRIVERFRONT.COM 30. The Residences at Harlan Flats, HARLANFLATS.THERESIDENCES.NET 31. Altitude Trampoline Park, ALTITUDEWILMINGTON.COM 32. The Westin Wilmington, WESTINWILMINGTON.COM River Rock Kitchen, RIVERROCKKITCHEN.COM 33. Delaware Humane Association, DEHUMANE.ORG 34. Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard/Fort Christina Park, KALMARNYCKEL.ORG 35. Jack A Markell Bike Trail 36. Constitution Yards Beer Garden, CONSTITUTIONYARDS.COM 37. 76ers Fieldhouse, BLUECOATS.GLEAGUE.NBA.COM


Weekend River Tours | Happy Hours | Sunday Brunches

Daily Shuttle Service | Wine Cruises | Family Nights

18 Holes of Action | Soft Serve Ice Cream| Bike Rentals

/FriendsofRiverfrontWilmington

/RiverfrontWilmington


n a i c i s mu

Unleash

the

within

April 2019 • #inWilm

Darnell Miller

INdependent Musician

Fairy Tales to Nursery Rhymes

Blue Rocks Opening

Rick Hidalgo’s Blackout

Celebrating Nature IN Song

Mwenso & The Shakes

Melomanie w/ Jonathan Whitney April 7

City Restaurant Week

The Sleeping Beauty

Animal Art Show

Honk! The Musical

OperaDelaware Spring Festival April 27 - May 4

MakerFest

Tengyue Zhang

Festival at the Fort

Now - May 12

Basil Restaurant Professor Brian Cox 2 for specials April 26

April 4-10

April 8-13

April 5-26

April 12-14

April 27

April 6

April 13

April 27

inWilmDE.com

April 6

April 17 - May 12

April 28


KRESTON WINE & SPIRITS

EST. 1933 Delaware’s Oldest Liquor Store

Let our friendly, knowledgeable sales staff assist you as you choose from “Thousands of Wines from Around the World” to enhance your meal.

WINE • SPIRITS • BEER • GROWLERS MIDDLETOWN 448 E. Main Street Middletown, DE 19709 Tel: (302) 376-6123

WILMINGTON 904 Concord Avenue Wilmington, DE 19802 Tel: (302) 652-3792

KRESTONWINES.COM 48 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


DRINK

They’re not just simple glasses of cab and, of course, chardonnay By Ken Mammarella Photos by Jim Coarse

Le Cadeau Red Label pino noir, the house red wine at Domiane Hudson.

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f you thought restaurant house wines were an inexpensive red and white pair that you could easily buy at a package store to enjoy at home later, you’d be wrong. Very wrong. “I bristle at the term,” says Dan Butler, owner of Piccolina Toscana in Wilmington and co-owner of Brandywine Prime in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. “It usually means cheap wines, and we don’t have wines that are substandard.” And just a pair? Au contraire. At The Gables at Chadds Ford, “We would consider our ‘by the glass’ to be our house wines,” says Cathy Centofanti, online accounts manager. There are 21 on the wine list. Restaurateurs often pick vintages that are hard for customers to buy, so that you’ll return for another meal and another bottle. At Domaine Hudson, the house red is “pretty much made for us,” says co-owner Beth Ross, with the Wilmington restaurant being the largest seller of Le Cadeau Red Label pinot noir in the world ($18 a glass, $79 a bottle). The Oregon vineyard has supplied Domaine Hudson with a pinot noir (fruit-forward with elements of cedar, tea and dark cherry, she says) since the restaurant opened in 2006. Harry’s Savoy Grill in North Wilmington is more exclusive. “We’ve had private-label wines since 1995,” says John Narvaez, restaurant manager. Current house wines are a 2016 California chardonnay and a 2016 French cabernet, both $7 a glass, $28 a bottle, with restaurant name and artwork.

“The white has always been chardonnay,” says Narvaez. “In the beginning, we had merlot but transitioned to cabernet a few years later as we felt it better suited what our guests desired. The choice to have these varietals is based on our guests’ familiarity with these varietals and how well they pair with many items on our menu.” Elsewhere, house wines—pours, features or favorites, with terms varying at venues— are fleeting. At the Columbus Inn in Wilmington, four wines are featured each week in 3- and 6-ounce glasses. They might be new or underappreciated, says Hayla DeLano, general manager. Twenty house pours are also available by the glass, and both the featured wines and the house pours promote the restaurant’s lengthy wine list. That list has evolved from an Old-World focus, organized by region, to one organized by varietals and bins. “We want to make it approachable,” DeLano says. “Nobody wants to sound stupid. They just want a good wine.” At Tonic Bar and Grille in Wilmington, the by-the-glass list changes every six weeks or so, says Paul Bouchard, a managing partner who buys all the wine. He doesn’t like the term “house wine” because of its connotation and instead tries to “find the best value” and balance the selection with wines meant to be drunk alone and to be enjoyed with food. ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Big Fish Restaurant Group

EST. 2018

State Line Liquors Family owned & operated Since 1933 — 4 Generations!

Great selection of...well... just about everything! —Yelp Wine, Spirits & Beer Tastings Over 3,000 Different Beers Growler Bar with 35 Taps Gourmet Food & Cheeses 1610 ELKTON RD, Route 279 . ELKTON, MD • WWW.STATELINELIQUORS.COM OUTSIDE MD. (800) 446-WINE, IN MARYLAND (410) 398-3838 50 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

THE INSIDE SCOOP ON HOUSE WINES continued from previous page

Seasonal Changes

Recent “Tonic favorites”: the 2015 Caparzo Super Tuscan (“such a great representation of Italy,” Bouchard says; it’s $9 a glass, $30 a bottle) and the Pazo Carelo Albarino (“the perfect shellfish wine”; $9 a glass, $32 a bottle). “I like to choose wines that taste like the areas they’re grown.” At Delaware Park, house wines can change by the season, and selections are reconsidered “any time we have a new food menu coming out, to make sure the flavor profiles match up,” says Sam Mahan, food and beverage operations manager. “Of course, there’s the classic white for fish and light meats, red for heavy meats, but it does get more dynamic,” adds Mahan, who oversees wines at a half-dozen restaurants, including At the Rail Wine Bar and Grille. “We’re constantly tasting wines.” Although most grapes are harvested in the fall (exceptions include ice wines and austral vineyards—harvested in the northern spring), varied processes mean wines are released throughout the year. Restaurants consider new house wines during visits by vineyard representatives, from the reaction at themed dinners and with advice from their wholesalers. “There are several schools of thought about house wines,” says Kelly Stoltzfus, hospitality division manager at Breakthru Beverage Delaware. “Some people like to have one brand as a cost-saving measure, providing every varietal. Others don’t because it appears to be cheap.” “Cheap” is a loaded word. Instead, the house wine could be the equivalent of well alcohol. Some places have a second or third price tier of house wines, the equivalent of call and premium liquors. Stoltzfus recommends picking house wines with broad appeal. “A chardonnay that’s not overly oaky, not overly buttery or a cabernet that’s not overly tannic and not too big so that people will have a second or third glass,” she says. “We still have the generation that will just ask for a cab,” Stoltzfus says, suggesting that a well-trained staff will ask what kind, with Breakthru providing such training, if needed. “Millennials will drink less but of more expensive wines. Six classic varietals will hit every wine-drinking demographic,” she says, naming cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, pinot grigio, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.


Beth & Michael Ross, owners of Domiane Hudson.

Nine House Wines

A wide demographic of visitors led Hilton Wilmington/Christiana to designate nine varietals as house wines at its Market Kitchen & Bar. It’s usually $8 or $9 a glass for the house cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, dry riesling, merlot, moscato, pinot grigio, pinot noir, Prosecco and white zinfandel, says Keith Davis, director of food and beverage. “I do give a lot of options so people can have their choice,” he says. “Everything I sell, I taste.” These wines are the hotel’s second tier. Banquets get Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi wines. The house wines change occasionally, Davis says, perhaps spurred by declining popularity, gaps in delivery, limited attention to the small Delaware market, and price increases. “If you’re going to spend $100, it’s easy to find a good bottle,” says Butler. “The challenge and the thrill of the hunt for a house wine is to find great options at all price points.” A house wine also makes it easier to cater to a crowd. “For parties, we have a house pour,” Butler says. “They’re also crowd pleasers, not esoteric choices that most people won’t appreciate.” At Toscana, the house wines are Vernaccia di San Gimignano (“we offer the [crisp] producer Fontaleoni now, but we always have a good one on the list” at $8.50 a glass, $34 a bottle) and La Maialina Gertrude Super Tuscan, a fruit-forward, approachable red that’s $8.50 a glass, $30 a bottle. A wide selection caters to multiple tastes. “People have become more sophisticated,” Ross says, and Domaine Hudson is responding with a list of 40 wines by the glass and 450 bottles, including the Red Label house red and the house white (Andre Bonhomme Viré-Clessé chardonnay, $16 a glass and $64 a bottle, “very elegant with a heavy mouth feel,” she says). At Banks’ Seafood Kitchen in Wilmington, “We wanted to offer a selection of varietals that lend themselves well to our primary cuisine offered, which is seafood, of course,” says Jordan DeMaio, general manager. The picks: Canyon Road chardonnay and cabernet ($8 a glass, $32 a bottle), Twisted pinot grigio ($8.50 a glass, $34 a bottle) and Block Nine pinot noir ($9.50 a glass, $38 a bottle). At Gallucio’s Italian Restaurant in Wilmington, the house wines are all popular, says Angela Robinson, bar manager. These Camelot vintages are $5 a glass: a crisp and refreshing pinot grigio, a lightly oaked chardonnay, a merlot and a “rich, dark and delicious” cabernet. But what of the experts themselves? When they eat out, do they consider house wines? “Absolutely,” says DeLano. “I believe in trusting the staff and finding something you’ve never heard of and not just going for a familiar label.” “No,” says Davis. “I’m very discriminating.” “That depends,” says Ross. “If they don’t have anything I like, I’ll order a beer.” APRIL 2019

| OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

SIPS

Here's what's pouring Compiled by Emily Stover & O&A Staff

HI-HO, OFF TO THE BREWERY I GO

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n Friday, April 5, two Delaware Nature Society program coordinators, Annalie Mallon and Erynn DeGennaro, will lead a hike through Ashland Nature Center to Dew Point Brewery. The hike will go through areas of the nature center normally closed to the public. Guests will be met by the brewer when they arrive at the brewery, and will be given a tour and beer samples. Transportation back to Ashland will be available. The event is from 6-8 p.m., $20 for members and $30 for non-members. For more information and tickets, visit the adult events page on delawarenaturesociety.org.

NEW DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY FOR 21ST AMENDMENT

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1st Amendment, the San Franciscobased brewery that helped spearhead the canned beer movement in the craft industry, will now be distributed in Delaware by Standard Distributing Co. In 2018, 21st Amendment formed a sales and distribution partnership with Brooklyn Brewery (New York) and Funkwerks Brewing Co. (Fort Collins, Colorado), a move other craft brewers have made to help them maintain growth in an increasingly competitive beer market. Standard begins its distribution of the brand April 1 and will be distributing 21st’s most popular beer, Brew Free or Die IPA, along with Blood Orange Brew Free or Die, Hell or High Watermelon, Blah, Blah, Blau (double IPA), Sparkale (sparkling rosé ale) and El Sully (Mexican-style lager). Look for 21st Amendment special events throughout Delaware in April and May. 52 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

CAPE LINE COCKTAILS DEBUT THIS MONTH

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ape Line, a new series of sparking cocktails offered by Miller Coors, will introduce three flavors to the area beginning in April. Composed of six ingredients (carbonated water, fruit juice, lemon juice concentrate, real cane sugar, alcohol from real cane sugar and natural flavor), Cape Line will offer strawberry lemonade, blackberry mojito and margaritas in 12-ounce cans. The calorie count is 120 per can. You can find Cape Line at Total Wine & More, Branmar Liquors, ABC Liquors and Tri-State Liquors.

A FRIENDLY MEXICAN INVASION

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orona, New Belgium and Golden Road are all releasing Mexicaninspired products to the local market, just in time for the increasingly popular Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Golden Road is introducing Spiked Aqua Fresca, a sparkling malt beverage offered in cucumber-lime, mango and strawberry pineapple. Corona is countering with Refresca, its first flavored malt, which will be offered in passionfruit lime, guava lime and coconut lime. New Belgium is getting into the act with Mural, a pale malt fruit ale that features hibiscus, agave, watermelon and lime.

DON’T WINE, LEARN

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oore Brothers Wine Company in Wilmington is hosting several wine education events this month in its new classroom space. An Introduction to Burgundy, led by Greg Moore, will walk you through the wines made in the Burgundy region of eastern France while you taste different samples. The one-day class will be offered on Tuesdays: April 2, 9, 23 and 30. An Introduction to Italian Wine is led by Eric Tuverson and will allow you to taste and learn about the many wine regions and grape varieties throughout Italy. This class will be available Wednesdays—April 3, 10, and 17. Why Does It Taste Like That? will be hosted by Terry Moore, who will discuss the four critical factors that determine wine taste. This class is set for Thursdays— April 11, 18, and 25. Each class will run from 6-7:30 p.m. and is free to attend. For more information and to register, search Moore Brothers Wine Company on eventbrite.com.


DRINK

SweetWater Brewery's 420 Fest attracts more than 70,000 people to downtown Atlanta every April. Photo courtesy of SweetWater Brewery

SweetWater Brewery’s regional manager discusses the growing appeal of its cannabis-related beer culture ven if you have just the slightest knowledge of cannabis culture, you probably are aware of the significance the number 420 holds within that community. How exactly the meaning of “420” came into existence is another tale in itself—a quirky true story that dates back to a High Times article in the ‘70s about a group of high-school students in San Rafael, California, who called themselves “The Waldos.” As the story goes, one the Waldos somehow came into possession of a map supposedly made by a local marijuana grower. For a period of several weeks after the discovery, the group agreed to meet at 4:20 p.m. each day in front of their school to discuss searching for the lost crop of cannabis—the “X” on the mysterious map. A mix of The Goonies and Pineapple Express, the story of the Waldos alone is probably enough to create mild hallucinations. But suffice it to say, over the decades 420 took on a life of its own and has come to represent the time of day (4:20 p.m.) in which cannabis fans worldwide partake in their drug of choice. Call it Kind Bud Happy Hour, if you like. Similarly, the date April 20 (4/20) has become the de facto holiday for this culture, and its popularity has grown over the decades as well.

For SweetWater Brewery, of Atlanta, 420 has become more than just a time of day or a date. It has evolved into a major factor in its marketing formula, helping the brewery multiply its fans and grow the inner area of a Venn diagram connecting beer drinkers, marijuana users, outdoor enthusiasts and music lovers. This April, SweetWater will celebrate the 22nd anniversary of brewing its popular 420 Pale Ale with a giant music festival that the brewery has hosted in Atlanta for the past 15 years. Meanwhile, 420 Pale Ale continues to grow in prominence in other parts of the U.S. including the East Coast, where it’s now available in every seaboard state except Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine. “We just opened up in Massachusetts about two weeks ago,” says Brian Rightnour, SweetWater’s market development manager for the Delmarva territory. Working out of Annapolis, Maryland, Rightnour has been in the beer industry for a total of 14 years, the last four with SweetWater. He recently discussed SweetWater with O&A, touching on what attracted him to the southern beer legend and the fact that, while 420 might be Sweetwater’s magic number, the brewery’s success has hardly taken place overnight. ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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O&A: What attracted you to working at SweetWater? Rightnour: What attracted me to SweetWater was my love of craft beer, but also—I guess you would say—the outdoor initiative. SweetWater has a huge summer campaign called “Save Our Water,” where we give proceeds to [outdoor conservation organizations] like the Chattahoochee Riverkeepers and the CCA, which is the Coastal Conservation Association. We’ve worked with the Surfrider Foundation and Trout Unlimited in the past. The fact that I could work with a company that would allow me to give back, and work with charities and get into the outdoors—because I like fishing, whitewater rafting and stuff like that— was really appealing. SweetWater was the first brewery east of the Mississippi to win “Best Small Brian Rightnour feels at home with SweetWater’s Brewery” at the Great American Beer conservation initiatives. Festival. I think it was 2002. So they’ve been brewing great beer for years and they broke that ceiling to be the first East Coast brewery to win that award. So when you combine that with everything else, it just made a lot of sense for me. O&A: SweetWater has really embraced the cannabis culture in its marketing. As someone in marketing development, how is that a benefit or how does that present a challenge to you? Rightnour: I would say it’s more of a benefit, especially in today’s climate. Our No. 1 selling beer is our 420 Pale Ale. And 420 came off the line April 20, 1997. So, yes, Freddie Bensch, our owner, could have brought it out on 4/19 or 4/21, but I’m sure he saw the marketing opportunity with the number 420. Although it was kind of tongue-in-cheek at the time—almost 22 years ago. In today’s climate, with more and more states making marijuana legal, I would definitely say that while we may have started tongue-in-cheek, with our 420 Strain G13 IPA, we’ve firmly planted a flag in the ground. We’re saying, “Hey, here we are: This is a great tasting IPA and it’s got the great flavors of the G13 cannabis.” The G13 cannabis is an older strain, and it was around in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. It’s well-known among some of our older fans. We’re also coming out with a new one called “Mango Kush,” which is going to be a wheat ale and is going to have aromas of the Mango Kush cannabis in it. O&A: The 420 Strain G13 imparts that cannabis aroma because you use certain terpenes. Can you elaborate on that process? Rightnour: We use proprietary terpenes, which bring out the aroma of the cannabis. So our brewers down in Atlanta actually work with different labs to develop different terpenes. They work to get different aromas into the beer. They’re all naturally derived terpenes, and they try to dial it in. They’ll bring in different terpenes, and if it doesn’t work, they’ll go back to the lab and say, “That’s not quite what we wanted. Can we try to mix up the concoction and bring in a little more here and a little less there?” All to derive that aroma that they want in the beer, so that it would smell just like the G13 they were going after. And that’s basically the same thing they did with the Mango Kush. 54 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Photo courtesy of Brian Rightnour

TAPPING INTO THE MYSTIQUE OF 420 continued from previous page


80 Years!

Photo courtesy of SweetWater Brewery

Celebrating

In terms of volume, SweetWater’s 420 Pale Ale is the second most-popular pale ale in the U.S. despite being available in just 25 states.

O&A: That’s something that you most likely couldn’t have done 22 years ago. Rightnour: Yeah, I don’t think so, either. I also don’t think 22 years ago it would have been as readily accepted as it is today with everybody going for CBDs now and different hemp products. That’s the unique thing about those beers: There’s not CBD in it, there’s no actual hemp in it. It’s just the aroma that gives you the perception of it. O&A: How do those cannabis-related beers do in relation to other beers in the SweetWater portfolio? Rightnour: Our 420 Pale Ale is our No. 1 seller. It’s the No. 2 pale ale in the country in terms of volume, and we’re only in 25 states right now. Sierra Nevada is No. 1. [Ed: Sierra Nevada distributes in all 50 states.] The G13 has only been available since September/October and it’s already moved up to our No. 2 seller. It’s about half to twothirds of what we sell with the 420. O&A: The 420 Festival has become a three-day music festival in Atlanta. How does that fit into how you brand yourselves in Georgia? Rightnour: You’re right: It’s a three-day festival, and I think it gets 70,000 to 100,000 over those three days. We bring in tons of bands like Widespread Panic and other jam bands that fit into that 420 lifestyle. It started off small at the SweetWater brewery and it’s grown and grown every single year. Now we actually have it at the Centennial Park, which is where the ’96 Olympics were, right in downtown Atlanta. Our distributor in Georgia helps us sell over a million cases a year in Georgia alone. So SweetWater is definitely, firmly wellknown in the Atlanta area. And it expands out. Anywhere where there’s an SEC school, you are going to hear about SweetWater. And we are slowly bringing that name up here. In Maryland and Delaware, there are a lot of great local brewers, so there is a lot for people to choose from. But we’re also becoming known up here for making a consistently great beer. One of our founding principles is to have some of the freshest liquid available. We have a 90-day code life. And the reason we’ve started slowly and are only available in 25 states is that we want to be within shipping distance to have the freshest beer possible. So you won’t see us opening up out west unless we build a brewery out west.

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WATCH

Fairy Tales to Nursery Rhymes at Delaware Art Museum takes patrons into the magical world children's literature. Photo Shannon Woodloe

The Arts Spring Forth in April Children’s literature, comedy, music and Woodstock’s 50th await you this month By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

T

he weather this month may be unpredictable, but the arts in Wilmington are always reliable. While you're dreaming of flowers blooming and grass greening, check out the “April ArtStuff” below and spring into action. DAM EXPLORES CHILDREN’S BOOK ART, CELEBRATES RICH CAREER Delaware Art Museum friends and especially families are invited into the magical world of children’s literature to experience the equally magical images of these treasured books. Fairy Tales to Nursery Rhymes: The Droller Collection of Picture Book Art takes patrons on an imaginative, colorful journey through a collection of illustrations dating from recent publications (2015) all the way back to 1879. The exhibit features works from beloved children’s favorites — from Brothers Grimm to Mother Goose; British artists like Kate Greenaway; modern works of Maurice Sendak; and iconic characters like Alice in Wonderland, The Pied Piper, Pinocchio,

and Aladdin. This exhibit runs now through May 12 in the Anthony N. and Catherine A. Fusco Gallery. Mary Holahan, the museum’s Curator of Illustration, put together the exhibit. It’s a bittersweet project for her; it will be her final one with the museum, as she retires after an illustrious (pun intended) 31-year career. It’s also the largest exhibit she has overseen, comprising 113 illustrations. It’s the same exhibit that was shown in its original home, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts. (Many may know Carle as the author of the classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar.) “This exhibit truly emphasizes the ‘golden age’ and the modern era of children’s book illustration,” says Holahan. “And while it’s definitely a child-focused exhibit, it provides both adults and children a memorable springboard to loving art.” Adding some interactive play to the experience, the exhibition design includes whimsical three-wall structures resembling books that patrons “enter” to view illustrations. ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WATCH THE ARTS SPRING FORTH IN APRIL continued from previous page

Hagley’s MakerFest PRESENTED BY AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES

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

“I wanted to make tangible the idea that when we read books [or look at the illustrations], we enter into another world or time and space,” says Holahan, who created the unique setup with her design colleague. “So we created two big ‘books’ in the middle of the room out of temporary walls.” Holahan’s vision is also played out in vibrant color and two overall themes: Lands of Make Believe and Kingdom of Critters. In each “book” are four surfaces on which the works are displayed. Outside of that, visitors can connect in a storybook nook and a play area filled with children’s costumes. Her favorite illustration in the exhibit is a watercolor from The Pied Piper by artist Errol John Le Cain. It’s one of the largest in the exhibit but, she adds, it’s one of the darkest thematically. “Not sure what that says about me,” she jokes. Holahan began as the registrar for the museum in 1978, later becoming a curator with expertise in illustration. She selected Fairy Tales to Nursery Rhymes as her last exhibition because it was an opportunity to highlight illustrations for children's literature, media which are not a large part of the museum’s permanent collection. But the exhibit fits solidly into the museum’s principal goals as well. “Renowned illustrator Walter Crane (one of the earliest artists in the show), was keen to the idea of visual literacy…teaching children to read by interpreting images and words together,” says Holahan. “That’s something we like to stress here—that visual and verbal learning are linked.” During the run, patrons are encouraged to donate new or gently used children’s books at the museum front desk to be donated to Read Aloud Delaware. Organized by the Carle Museum in Amherst, Fairy Tales to Nursery Rhymes is made possible in Delaware by the Hallie Tybout Exhibit Fund and the Edgar A. Thronson Foundation Illustration Exhibition Fund with additional support from the Delaware Division of the Arts. The Delaware Art Museum is closed Monday and Tuesday, but open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Friday through Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Museum admission is free for members, $25 for a family (up to two adults and four children); $12 for adults; $10 for seniors (60-plus); $6 for students (w/valid ID) and youth (ages 7-18). Children age 6 and under are admitted free. For details, visit delart.org.


CITY THEATER LOOKS BACK—AND AHEAD City Theater Company (CTC) invites you to “party at the pub” like it's 1993 (or 2003, or 2013, or 2023) as they present Pub Plays, a comedic tour-de-force of the CTC’s past, present, and future. This spring production, running for six nights (April 26-May 4) in Studio One of The Grand, will be a time-travelling love letter to the company’s beginnings. CTC started presenting one-act plays in the second-floor bar of Wilmington’s legendary O'Friel's Irish Pub around 1994. Those early runs built the foundation of what has become the CTC’s signature style of intimate, immersive theater. The performances will showcase a full program of short plays in a nod to CTC's tradition of comedic, experimental and new works. Both Delaware and national playwrights will be featured, the cast will Pub Plays is a comedic tour-de-force. include both veteran and new(er) CTC stage favorites, all directed by cast/Fearless Improv member and playwright George Tietze. “[I] wanted to celebrate our 25th year, in part, by returning to where it all started: Upstairs at O'Friels,” said Tietze. “In doing so, we’ll honor some of the plays and playwrights that helped put us on the map.” Looking back at these plays, Tietze realized that much of CTC’s recent audiences haven't been able to experience them. “…and darn it, they deserve to!” Many works that CTC has presented over the years have gone on to be published and produced across the country, notes Tietze. “The works we’ve chosen [for Pub Plays] stand out as favorites among our artists and longtime audience members, and they celebrate the many talented playwrights we’ve been fortunate to collaborate with throughout our history.” Tickets for Pub Plays are available now at TheGrandWilmington.org. General admission is $30; military personnel (with ID) $25; students (with ID) $20 and youth (age 15 and under) $18. Fearless Improv also closes out its spring performance schedule at The Grand’s Sarah Bernhardt Salon on Saturday, April 13. Tickets are $15, available at TheGrandWilmington. org. For more detail on City Theater Company, visit city-theater.org. MÉLOMANIE JAZZES UP REPERTOIRE “Provocative pairings” quintet Mélomanie will present a baroque/jazz mash-up concert —An Anthology of Improvisation Through Time—with composer Jonathan Whitney and The Whitney Project, his five-piece jazz ensemble (Jonathan Whitney, percussion; Greg Riley, woodwinds; Joseph Anderson, trumpet; Jeff Knoettner, keyboard, and Rob Swanson, bass). The performance, on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m., is part of Mélomanie’s Wilmington Concert Series in Old Town Hall on Market Street. The collaboration not only meshes two seemingly disparate genres but also includes a world premiere piece by Whitney. Mélomanie originally collaborated with him last spring for United Sounds of America, its music-meets-poetry project with Delaware’s Twin Poets, where Whitney provided improvised percussion parts. “Jonathan [Whitney] and I have known each other for years, and we’ve generated so many ideas for collaborative projects,” says Mélomanie Co-Artistic Director Tracy Richardson. “The idea for An Anthology of Improvisation Through Time was really formed about three years ago.” Whitney’s new piece, Suite, is for the “big band” of 10 musicians to perform together. He wrote the music, inspired by baroque stylings but in contemporary jazz language, so some sections are improvised while others are notated. One of his previous compositions, Bedtime, also will be performed that evening by the Whitney Project alone. In it, Whitney deconstructs a melody that he and his wife sang to their daughters since they were in utero. “The energy of that piece follows a trajectory that all parents will relate to,” he says. ►

Department of Music Delaware Steel

Saturday, April 27, 8:00 p.m.

Chorale

Friday May 3, 8:00 p.m.

Chorale & Schola Cantorum

Saturday May 4, 8:00 p.m..

New Music Delaware

featuring the music of Daniel Dorff Sunday, May 5, 8:00 p.m.

Jazz Ensembles I and II Thursday, May 9, 8:00 p.m.

University Singers and Concert Choir Friday, May 10, 8:00 p.m.

Chorale Spring Concert Saturday, May 11, 8:00 p.m.

Symphony Orchestra Sunday, May 12, 8:00 p.m.

Symphonic Band

Thursday, May 16, 8:00 p.m.

Opera Theatre “Le Nozze di Figaro”

Friday, May 17, 8:00 p.m. Sunday, May 19, 3:00 p.m.

Wind Ensemble

Saturday, May 18, 8:00 p.m.

MUSIC.UDEL.EDU APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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THE ARTS SPRING FORTH IN APRIL continued from previous page

But Whitney seems most excited about the “big band” piece. “The suite combining these two distinct musical voices (Mélomanie and The Whitney Project) has been exciting to write,” he says. “There are so many sonic possibilities between the two ensembles, and Old Town Hall [the Delaware Historical Society venue] almost acts like an 11th member of the ensemble!” Tickets, available at melomanie.org., are $25 for adults; $15 for students 16 and older; youth to age 15 are admitted free.

The powerful play that inspired the major motion picture starring Viola Davis and Denzel Washington

FENCES

BY AUGUST WILSON DIRECTED BY WALTER DALLAS

APRIL 25 - MAY 12

ROSELLE CENTER FOR THE ARTS | NEWARK, DE (302) 831-2204 | WWW.REP.UDEL.EDU

60 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Supported in part by:

MUSIC SCHOOL CELEBRATES WOODSTOCK’S GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY In this 50th anniversary year of the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, The Music School of Delaware invites you to dust off your kaftans and earth shoes and put flowers in your hair for an afternoon of peace and music called Woodstock at 50 on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. in the school’s Wilmington Concert Hall. Sit in and turn on (but don’t tune out) as Music School faculty and guest artists recreate sets from original Woodstock performers Arlo Guthrie, The Band, Blood Sweat & Tears, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Joan Baez, Ravi Shankar, Santana, Sly & The Family Stone, The Who and more. “We’ve got a super-talented bunch of musicians performing, and they’ll try to reconstruct Woodstock’s magic by presenting some of the most iconic music from that weekend fifty years ago,” says Music School faculty artist and event producer Chris Braddock. “We’re thrilled to have the Fuzaholics joining us again, as well as musicians Madhu Nanduri and Rathnakar Nawathe.” In addition to music, attendees can take part in one of three workshops—a group guitar/ukulele lesson, tie-dye shirt-making or bead necklace creation. Braddock notes that he personally loves programs that incorporate activities for the audience into the fabric of the event. And of course, he adds, there will be a birthday cake. Tickets are $10 or $5 for students and seniors, and can be purchased at brownpapertickets.com.


OPERA FESTIVAL FEATURES WORLD PREMIERE & DOUBLE BILL OF COMEDY OperaDelaware’s 2019 Festival (April 27-May 4) sets the spotlight on comedic opera along with world premiere works in a bold exploration of law, redemption, and unlikely friendships in a divided world First on the docket: a double bill of Scalia/Ginsburg—composer Derrick Wang's one-act opera about the friendship between Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia— paired with Gilbert & Sullivan's hysterical courtroom comedy, Trial by Jury. Scalia/Ginsburg features soprano Jennifer Zetlan as Ginsburg, Brian Cheney as Scalia and Ben Wager as the Commentator. The opera is directed by Fenlon Lamb and conducted by Sara Jobin. Trial by Jury is directed by Cynthia du Pont Tobias, and features artists from the company’s new Young Artist Training Program along with the OperaDelaware Chorus and Orchestra. The company also presents one of the era’s most successful contemporary works, Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean with a libretto by Terrence McNally. This modern tale follows a death row inmate and the nun who becomes his reluctant spiritual adviser. It stars OperaDelaware favorites Timothy Mix as Joseph De Rocher and Aleks Romano as Sister Helen Prejean. “We are beyond excited to bring these works to Delaware,” says OperaDelaware General Director Brendan Cooke. “We’re also delighted to present the premiere of a new orchestration in the brilliant Scalia/ Ginsburg complemented by Gilbert & Sullivan’s hilarious Trial by Jury.” A recent addition to the festival lineup is the one-night-only Leading Ladies Offstage, featuring Romano and Zetlan performing select works for mezzosoprano/soprano, string quartet and piano, accompanied by Principal Pianist & Chorus Master Aurelien Eulert. This special program is Thursday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. at OperaDelaware Studios. Dead Man Walking runs Saturday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 4, at 2 p.m. Scalia/Ginsburg and Trial by Jury run Sunday, April 28, at 2 p.m. and Friday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m. All performances take place at The Grand Opera House. Tickets start at $29 and are available at operaDE.org or by calling OperaDelaware’s Box Office at 442-7807.

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62 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


WATCH

The Hummingbird Project

0

STARS µµµµµ

Jesse Eisenberg and Alexander Skarsgard star in The Hummingbird Project. Photo courtesy of The Orchard

BAD INVESTMENT Thrill-less thriller about stock market opportunists gets zero stars By Mark Fields

I

have been reviewing movies off and on for 40 years, and in that time I have likely seen several thousand feature films. I have always made it a practice, for both written reviews and advisories for friends, to try to find something in any movie, no matter how disappointing, to recommend. On extremely rare occasions, that is simply not possible. Add The Hummingbird Project to that short, dishonorable list. A thriller without any thrills, an ostensible social commentary with nothing to say, it is an utterly unredeemable film. My only question after sitting through it was whoever thought making this story into a film was a good idea?

The Hummingbird Project, set in the early 2010s, focuses on two cousins languishing in the investment business: Vinnie ( Jesse Eisenberg) is a restless trader, his cousin Anton (Alexander Skarsgard) appears to be some sort of tech savant. I can’t offer many more details about these characters’ backstories and motivations because none is provided in the ludicrous, holefilled screenplay of Director Kim Nguyen. Fed up with their demanding, egotistical boss Eva (Salma Hayek), the two plot to build a fiber-optic cable from Kansas City to Manhattan in order to shave a few nanoseconds off the travel time of stock information, allowing them and their investors to get a jump on other traders. Do they have any motivation for this beyond unadulterated greed? No. ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WATCH BAD INVESTMENT continued from previous page

The rest of the film is taken up with depicting—in exhausting and uninteresting detail—a thousand-mile construction project with all of its clichéd challenges and set-backs. But their progress is not compelling, it is tedious and repetitive. And overall, the viewer cannot get invested in their success or failure because they are dislikable characters who lack the sort of noble cause to justify breaking many laws and cruelly taking advantage of many, many other people. How can you possibly sympathize with characters who threaten and swear at an Amish farmer! Moreover, their scheme hinges on a concept that goes way beyond far-fetched to the realm of ridiculously implausible. For a screenplay filled with technobabble about electronic equipment tolerances and drilling techniques, even the details are sloppily unconvincing. Nguyen’s directing is equally slack and disjointed. And, despite a few clever transition shots, the cinematography is as dreary as the subject matter. Eisenberg has made a specialty out of playing testy, self-absorbed characters (Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, the vain lead magician in Now You See Me), but he usually has other, more enjoyable performers around him to modulate his petulance. Here, the normally talented Skarsgard and Hayek are wasted in illdrawn roles. Movies like this make me angry. It is so difficult to produce any film in modern Hollywood that I find it offensive when one such as this disaster wastes precious resources and audience bandwidth at the expense of another, better movie that didn’t get made. Do yorself a favor. Spend your money on another, more worthy film. The Hummingbird Project would be a bad investment of your time and attention. Also opening in April: Zachary Levi stars in a superhero comedy, Shazam, April 5; Hellboy, a graphic novel remake with David Harbour inheriting Ron Perlman’s horns, April 12; Little Woods, a tense family drama with Tessa Thompson and Lily James, April 19; and the much-anticipated climax to the current Marvel Avengers story arc, The Avengers: Endgame, April 26. 64 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


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LISTEN

Club Phred has been a fixture on the local music scene for 15 years. Photo courtesy of Club Phred

ROCKIN’ OUT, GIVING BACK Club Phred has generated millions for charity while performing with several big names in the music business By Lauren Golt

W

hat started 16 years ago as therapy for a bunch of musicians has evolved into a fundraising juggernaut known as Club Phred. Back in 2003, Fred Dawson, a Wilmington financial advisor, would host jam sessions with his musician friends every Tuesday night in the basement of his Yorklyn home. The sessions evolved into what he calls “musical therapy.” Soon, those who came to listen encouraged Dawson and his buddies to form a band. A year later, the band was born. But first, it needed a name. Conveniently, it came from the name of Dawson’s basement music room – Club Phred. A sign on the wall naming the room had been professionally painted by a friend years before. “It wasn’t my idea,” protests Dawson. “The lead guitarist saw the sign and said, ‘That’s the name of the band.’ I tried to dissuade him, but I was overruled by the band.” As the newly-formed, seven-member group somewhat reluctantly dipped their collective toes into the musical waters, there was one obvious problem: “We had no history or name

recognition,” Dawson says. “So I suggested a good start would be to approach non-profit organizations and see if they would like us to play for fundraisers.” Almost a dozen organizations said yes immediately, and the band began playing weekly at Shaggy’s in Newark to a packed room. Says Dawson: “I was careful to note who the charities were and how much we helped them.”

To Date: $5 Million

And how they helped. To date, Club Phred has been instrumental in raising $5 million for 43 charities. Good-paying gigs soon followed. “After playing non-profit gigs, we were invited to perform at hotels, private parties, concerts, festivals, beaches and shores – that’s what they say in New Jersey,” says Dawson. They’ve played at Rusty Rudder, the baby grand and Hockessin Memorial Hall. Today, Club Phred regularly performs at The Reef in Wilmington, Crabby Dick’s in Delaware City, and Waterman’s Crab House in Rock Hall, Maryland. ► APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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ROCKIN’ OUT, GIVING BACK continued from previous page

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Dawson’s musical journey began—and almost ended—at the age of 14. “I was getting ready to close the saxophone case for the last time,” he says, “I was disappointed in what my teachers were trying to get me to play. I thought it was all over, and then my mom handed me a vinyl of Boots Randolph. Never heard of Boots, but when I heard him on tenor saxophone, I burst into flames. My hair was on fire; my ears could not believe what they heard.” Fast forward 40 years, and Dawson and Randolph became good friends. “We got to perform several times together. I was a financial advisor when I met him, then he became a client. We even toured together. I held his hand as he took his last breath [Randolph died in 2007].” These days Dawson plays the Hammond B3 electric organ, an instrument he took up when he was 18. “I have always loved the unique sound of the Hammond—but not the weight—500 pounds,” he says. “It’s the favorite of most rock and rollers.” The executive vice president of Bassett, Dawson & Foy met many of his rock idols at the nine Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps he has attended. “For the price of a small sports car,” he says, “I got to record in Abbey Road Studios, of Beatles fame. While I was there, Gary Brooker sat down at the ‘Let It Be’ piano and played ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale,’ which is the Hammond B3 song, on the same Hammond organ The Beatles used.”

Upcoming Benefits

In what may be their banner year in 2019, Club Phred will back Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad) and will perform with The Late Show with David Letterman horn section and the keyboardist and musical director for Queen, Spike Edney. Dawson lined up these rock icons to come to Delaware to help raise funds for the Delaware Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation, Great Dames, The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, March of Dimes, National Blood Clot Alliance, Newark Rotary Club and others. The Delaware venues include the baby grand, The Grand Opera House, and Hockessin Fire Hall. A farm in nearby West Chester will be the site for Farmapalooza, a kind of Woodstock multi-band September event with Farner as a headliner and Club Phred backing him. Dawson says much of the band’s repertoire is ‘60s-‘70s classic rock, but they like to keep the set list fresh. In upcoming performances, they’ll be rocking out to songs from the ’50s through the ’90s. “We all feel very blessed and we’re trying to make these fundraisers successful and just a lot of flat. out. fun,” says Dawson, emphatically.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Icons Join The Set

Club Phred has performed with Farner more than a dozen times and it never gets old, Dawson says, calling Farner “a remarkable showman, musician, and guitarist. He does a wonderful performance and still has his pipes and hits the high notes without breaking a sweat. I’m amazed at how the audience reacts to Mark it’s a beautiful thing to witness.”


Follow the vibe.

Photo courtesy of Club Phred

— MARK YOUR CALENDAR — FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Club Phred and The Late Show with David Letterman horn section in the midst of the Blues Brothers set.

Dawson says the band has played with the Letterman horn section about 15 times. “Tom ‘Bones’ Malone is on the trombone, Frank Greene plays the trumpet and Aaron Heick on sax. They’re incredible musicians and really nice people. Malone helped invent the Blues Brothers, so we do a set in full Blues Brothers attire and attitude. The horns are a real crowd pleaser and the energy is incredible.” “Brand new to Club Phred this year is Spike Edney from a small band called Queen,” Dawson jokes. He first met Edney at the rock and roll camp in Abbey Road Studios; Edney was his camp counselor. “He was incredible,” Dawson says. “Spike was so adamant about us learning our parts just so, it was the only time I ever won the battle of the bands at one of these camps. We got first place in Abbey Road Studios.” Laughing, he adds, “No pressure when the judges are rock stars,” Dawson and his bandmates are thankful and proud to have these rock idols on board. “Many musicians won’t play without their own bands,” says Dawson, “but Club Phred isn’t made up of a bunch of hacks; we’re a pretty good band and they don’t mind coming to perform with us. We have time to rehearse and work with the special nuances to their songs, so they feel like they’re playing with their full-time bands. I played their music in basically a garage band and many years later I actually get to play their songs with them. It’s just a hoot.”

Giving Back

Much of the band’s charitable work hits close to home. “Four out of seven members of Club Phred had cancer,” Dawson says. Thankfully, he reports, all are okay now and nobody has had a recurrence. “Alzheimer’s research is important to us, too, because the parents of some band members had Alzheimer’s.” One of the band’s largest concerts was in November 2015 for a crowd of 15,000 in Philadelphia to raise funds for Alzheimer’s research. “Club Phred has performed at several of our fundraising events, like Casino Night and the Wilmington and Philadelphia Walk to End Alzheimer's,” says Kathryn DiSalvo, the Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter's senior director of special events. “They brought their signature sounds of the ’60s and ‘70s to the Riverfront and Citizens Bank Park to entertain thousands of participants who were walking to raise dollars for Alzheimer's research, care and support.” ►

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APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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ROCKIN’ OUT, GIVING BACK continued from previous page

DiSalvo describes Club Phred as “a band that has consistently given back. The band members are a dream to work with and they are musicians with a capital M! All of us at the Alzheimer's Association truly appreciate the efforts they continue to make to support us and our mission. We have a permanent soft spot in our hearts for Club Phred.” Staying active in their community plays a large part in the band members’ lives. Both Dawson and Club Phred singer and guitarist Mark Sisk are Newark Morning Rotary Club members, making a difference in Delaware neighborhoods. Says Dawson: “A phenomenal local guitarist, Alan Teel, died suddenly of a blood clot, so we do an annual benefit for National Blood Clot Alliance at the Newark Country Club in his honor.” Club Phred has been a major supporter of the Great Dames community by performing at events to generate membership and funding for programs to empower women and girls. Says Sharon Kelly Hake, founder of Great Dames: “We’re thrilled that Club Phred has invited Mark Farner to perform with them at Great Dames' 10th anniversary fundraiser on April 24. It promises to be ‘the party of the decade.' That's the magic that Club Phred creates in our community.” Besides Dawson and Sisk, other band members are Brian Daring, Kathy Layfield, Vince Vinciguerra, Brian Scott and Jim Palmer. They continue to get together for jam sessions every Tuesday evening in Dawson’s music room, which is more like an actual club now. It seats 80 people at cocktail tables and comes complete with a stage floor, sound system and a carved mahogany bar Dawson found in Atlanta. “Music is our therapy,” Dawson says, “and we get to give back to our community. I don’t know that life gets better than that.” For more information about Club Phred’s full 2019 lineup, check the website: clubphred. com. Rock out with the band on Saturday, April 6, at The Reef in Wilmington. Club Phred backs Mark Farner on Wednesday, April 24, at Hockessin Memorial Hall, and the band performs with the horn section on Sunday, May 5, at The Baby Grand and at Separation Day in Historic New Castle on June 8.


LISTEN

Record Store Day: All about Vinyl Rainbow, Squeezebox and Goodboy plan special events on April 13

B

y 2007, independent record shops, once the go-to source for all music fans and collectors, were on the brink of extinction. The cause? Insert the name of any online music streaming service. The crisis prompted a group of store owners and music lovers to get together and designate one Saturday in April as a day for celebrating these stores and the people who work in them. Twelve years later, Record Store Day is a well-known event that has spread to every continent except Antarctica. "We're carrying the torch of passion for music, the art around it and all the intangible things that make music special,” says Michael Kurtz, of New York City, one of the founders of Record Store Day. Since 2007, record sales have increased annually and are now the highest they’ve been since 1985. The resurgence of independent record stores is a sign of the increasing attention to vinyl records. This year, more than 375 limited and new records will be released, including Bohemian Rhapsody: The Original Soundtrack. Each year since 2009, a Record Store Day Ambassador has been chosen to help spread the word. The 2019 ambassador is Pearl Jam. Mike McCready, the band’s lead guitarist, says, “If you love music,” record stores are the place to find it. I always feel a little bit better when I come out of a record store,” McCready says. This year, Saturday, April 13, is the day, and three area stores have schedule special promotions to celebrate the event. Rainbow Records (54 E Main St., Newark) has been affiliated with Record Store Day since 2008, and last year it had the largest event in the state, with more than 2,000 customers throughout the day. This year, there will be free Record Store Day (RSD) posters

for the first 100 customers, and a free RSD shirt with purchases over $100. Rainbow also will have hundreds of exclusive and limited-edition records that were pressed for this day. Doors open at 8 a.m. For more information, check out Rainbow’s Record Store Day Facebook page. Squeezebox Records (1901 W. 11th St., Wilmington) will have 325 limited pressings to offer customers. The store will open at 9 a.m., two hours earlier than usual, and a live band will perform. Co-owner Rich Fisher has announced that Squeezebox is working with Vinyl Aid to collect non-perishable food items for those in need, and there will be a collection bin in the store. There also will be a drawing, with two winners receiving a bag full of Squeezebox paraphernalia. Included in the “swag bag” will be a cork slip mat, a bumper sticker, a $10 gift card and a drink koozie. More information is available on the Squeezebox Records Facebook page. Goodboy Vinyl, which opened in February, offers a third option at the former space of Jupiter Records at 2604 Kirkwood Highway. Owner Blane Dulin is no stranger to the record biz; he is the former general manager at Jupiter, where he worked for five years. Local DJs will be spinning during Goodboy’s Record Store Day, which also will have special giveaways, a store-wide 10 percent discount and free coffee and donuts. Dulin plans to expand on the Jupiter model. “There’s going to be more focus on new releases and expanded selections in areas of psych, prog, punk and metal,” he says. “I want you to feel like you’re walking into a store in Philly, Nashville or Chicago.” —Emily Stover APRIL JUNE 2017 2019 || OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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APRIL MUSIC

at Kelly’s Logan House Now featuring acoustic music every Wednesday and Thursday night from 7 - 10 p.m. 4/03 - Chorduroy 4/04 - AJ Jesson 4/10 - Cherry Crush 4/11 - Richie D. solo

4/17 - Chorduroy 4/18 - Side Piece 4/24 - Cherry Crush 4/25 - Anthony Sophy

Look for these great bands upstairs!

FRIDAY, 4/05

Photo Elias Muhammad

Mega & Earth Radio - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 4/06

Common Courtesy - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 4/12

The Mambas - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 4/13 Click - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 4/19

Cherry Crush - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 4/20

Chorduroy - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 4/26

Kris V. & Richie D. Trio - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 4/27

The Red Hotts - 10 p.m. 1701 Delaware Ave. Wilmington, DE 19806 (302) 652-9493

LOGANHOUSE.COM Bands and times subject to change.

72 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

LISTEN

TUNED IN Not-to-be-missed music news Compiled by Paige Dana and Emily Stover

MOVIE HOUSE CONCERTS

Live Music @ Theatre N, a concert series that began earlier this year, continues this spring. The 200-seat movie house, which regularly shows independent films, has added live music to the lineup. Theatre N offers bands a venue “that isn’t readily available in the area,” says new Creative Director Dan Lord. “Our goal for the series is to help cement Theatre N as a community space in Wilmington and to put on shows with a higher production value than what you normally see in the local music scene.” On Thursday, April 11, Sarah Koon will headline an all-female lineup that includes M. Bullette and Fascinations Grand Chorus. On Thursday, May 9, lower case blues band will perform along with The Greg Sover Band and Susquehanna Floods. Tickets for the live music series are usually $5 in advance and $10 day at the door. Visit theatren.com for tickets and future show schedule.

DOWNTOWN METAL FEST

Old and new come together at The Queen in Wilmington on Saturday, April 13. Metal Fest is a night of tribute to past favorites and a celebration of metal bands of the present. Featured performers include Critical Acclaim (Avenged Sevenfold tribute band) and The Battle of Los Angeles (Rise Against the Machine tribute band). The concert starts at 6:30 p.m. and doors open an hour prior. Tickets are $15 and all ages are welcome. For information and tickets, visit thequeenwilmington.com.

ARDEN TO HOST JASON RICCI

Jason Ricci will be performing on Saturday, April 13, at 8 p.m. at the Arden Gild Hall (2126 The Highway, Arden). Ricci is internationally known and is the two-time and reigning Blues Music Award winner for Best Harmonica Player. Through two-plus decades of endless touring, TV appearances, recordings and the internet, Ricci’s style of playing has been so influential that an entire younger generation of players are imitating his music, clothes, gear and stage presence. He will be accompanied by his New Orleansbased band, The Bad Kind. For tickets, visit ardenconcerts.com.

FIREFLY LAUNCHES SHUTTLE PROGRAM

The East Coast’s largest music and camping festival, Firefly, located in Dover, has partnered with Visit Delaware, the Delaware Lottery, Delaware Office of Highway Safety and DART to develop the event’s first multi-city transportation program. The Visit Delaware Shuttle Program will be making stops at a number of popular locations, including Wilmington Station (Amtrak), beach area hotels, Newark (University of Delaware) and northern Delaware area hotels. This new transportation program will offer fans staying throughout the state a safe, stress-free, sober and environmentally responsible way to explore travel to the 2019 Firefly Music Festival ( June 20-23). Visit FireflyFestival.com.


DELAWARE LOVES JAZZ FESTIVAL

WVUD radio personality Richard Blackwell will host the Delaware Loves Jazz Festival at P.S. Dupont Middle School (701 W. 34th St., Wilmington) on Saturday, May 4 (2-5:30pm). The event will feature internationally known trumpeter Willie Bradley and acclaimed saxophonist/vocalist/songwriter Paula Atherton. A question-and-answer session will be held after the show. The festival also will feature art vendors and food. Tickets are $30 for guests over 18 and $20 for ages 18 and under. For more information, search Delaware Loves Jazz on eventbrite.com.

THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE

Ernest & Scott Taproom (902 N. Market St., Wilmington) invites guests to experience a Silent Party on Saturday, April 13, in which the only music provided will be through Channel 3 headphones. The headphones enable guests to switch from Latin to Hip-Hop to Caribbean music throughout the party, which starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information or to purchase tickets, search Silence the City on eventbrite.com.

UD SALUTES COMPOSERS

Tiger Lily Music, a celebration of works by underrepresented composers, including women, Latinos and African-Americans, will be presented by the University of Delaware’s Department of Music faculty and friends on Tuesday, April 16, at Gore Recital Hall (110 Orchard Rd., Newark). Showtime is 8 p.m., and tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for UD faculty/staff/alumni and seniors, and $5 for students. For more information, visit Music.udel.edu/events.

TWEED HEADED FOR CAMP BISCO

Tweed, a funktronika powerhouse consisting of Joe Vela, AJ DiBiase, Jon Tomczak and Dan McDonald, will be playing at Camp Bisco, an outdoor music festival held at picturesque Montage Mountain (1000 Montage Mountain Rd., Scranton, Pennsylvania). Hailing from Philadelphia, the band formed in 2010 at the University of Delaware. The festival will take place on July 18-20 and all tickets are sold as three-day festival passes ranging from $159 to $279. For more information, visit campbisco.com.

KIM RICHEY TRIO VISITS KENNETT SQUARE

The Kim Richey Trio, with special guests Jordie Lane and Clare Reynolds, will perform at The Kennett Flash on Sunday, April 7. As both a roots singer and subtle excavator of the human condition, Richey’s 2018 release Edgeland has been critically applauded and she has sung on records for Ryan Adams, Shawn Colvin, Isbell, and Rodney Crowell. Advance tickets are $27, and tickets at the door will be $32. Tickets are available at kennettflash.org. APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

HAVE YOU HEARD OF SOMETHING?

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PLAY

The Wilmington Blue Rocks swing into the new season at home on April 4. Photo Joe del Tufo

Time To Rock Blue Rocks’ 2019 season features loaded lineup and loads of family fun

T

he Wilmington Blue Rocks are headed into their 27th season with a roster that is being called the third best in all of the Minor Leagues (that’s 160 teams!) by many baseball experts, including Baseball America. As always, the non-baseball action is as much a part of the Blue Rocks experience as the play on the field. The Rocks will return with popular promotions such as Fireworks Fridays, Giveaways every Saturday, and the Bank of America Bobblehead Series. Fireworks Fridays is a popular Blue Rocks tradition. After every home Friday game the sky will light up with a fireworks show set to music. The Bobblehead Series includes a Rocky Skywinkle Bobblehead as part of the Blue Rocks’ May the Force be With You celebration, a Lunar Landing Bobblehead for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first man on the moon, and many more. The fun doesn’t end there. The Blue Rocks will be adding some new promotional events to this season, including Dog Days and Wet Your Whistle Wednesdays, featuring $2 Miller Lights from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dog Days is presented by Concord Pet and Food

Supplies every Tuesday and includes $1 Kunzler Hot Dogs and Tito’s Vodka “Yappy Hour” Specials from 5:30-7 p.m., along with the opportunity for fans to bring their four-legged friends to the ballpark for an evening of fun. The Rocks season of excitement will continue with multiple celebrity appearances. WWE star Jake “The Snake” Roberts will sign autographs as part of Wrestling Night on Saturday, May 25. Richard Karn, who played Al Borland on the ‘90s sitcom Home Improvement, will meet Blue Rocks fans on Thursday, June 20. John O’Hurley, aka “J. Peterman” from Seinfeld, will make an appearance on Tuesday, July 23, for Seinfeld night. Lastly, Sandlot Night will be held on Friday, Aug. 2. The night will include an appearance by Tom Guiry, the actor who played Scotty Smalls in the iconic film. The Rocks open the season at home on Thursday, April 4. For tickets and more information, visit milb.com/wilmington. — Paige Dana OCTOBER APRIL 2017 2019 || OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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ST. PADDY’S LOOP 2019 Photos by Anthony Santoro

1. Jacob Lopez, Jonathan Martinez, Jose Rivera, Yajaira Carazo and Brandi Dugan display the Delaware Lottery scratch-off tickets they won at this year’s Loop.

2. Renee Staab and Aaron Kilby help promote the Lottery ticket contest at Trolley Tap House.

4. Kelly Tierce, Alexis Smith and Mekenzie Smith at Catherine Rooney’s. 5. Sara Ferrell and Shelby Sarygino came geared up for the festivities. 6. Amber Parks, Gregnesha Rhodes and Nicole Allen at Catherine Rooney’s.

3. Anna Petrucci, Felicia Skinner, Tara Petrucci and Shakir Ali at Kelly’s Logan House.

APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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SUNDAY, APRIL 14 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Harry’s Savoy Grill • Bloody Marys, Mimosas • Brunch with a Creole twist • Silent & Live Auctions • Music by the Red Alert Band Reserve your spot now— this event sells out! Please contact Rayna Gray for tickets at 302-746-4535.

78 APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM


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