Out & About Magazine February 2019

Creative Date Nights

Cocktails Are Back

Shine A Light On 1969

G R E AT E R W I L M I N G T O N

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23 Out & About Magazine Vol. 31 | No. 12

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

47

53

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, Cindy Cavett, Mark Fields, Kevin Francis, Pam George, Lauren Golt, Jordan Howell, Rob Kalesse, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Dan Linehan, Mike Little, Dillon McLaughlin, John Murray, Larry Nagengast, Kevin Noonan, Leeann Wallett

Contributing Photographers Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes, and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Lindsay duPhily, Tim Hawk, Anthony Santoro, Matt Urban Distribution David Hazardous

START

WILMINGTON

7 From The Publisher 9 War on Words 11 FYI 12 Worth Recognizing 14 By The Numbers 15 What Readers Are Saying

35 On the Riverfront 38 In the City 40 Art Loop

LEARN

DRINK

8 Choosing Success

FOCUS

47 Classic Cocktails 51 Spirited 52 Sips

16 50 Reasons For Optimism 23 Creative Date Nights

LISTEN

EAT

53 Shine A Light 57 Earth Radio 60 Tuned In

27 Drip Café A Local Favorite 31 Full Circle Foods 34 Bites

WATCH 43 February Treats

PLAY 63 A Day at the Dog Show

On The Cover: Strange Adventures hiking group (L-R): Mark Wood, Jill Althouse-Wood, Toby Ridings, Clay Ridings, Keri Will-del Tufo, Larry Strange, Linda Celestian, David Gerbec and Cynthia Dewick at Granogue Tower.

Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography

Special Projects Sarah Green, Bev Zimmermann Interns Emily Stover

FEATURES 16 50 Reasons For Optimism

In the midst of these winter doldrums, here’s a list of people, organizations & projects that bode well for the future.

23 Break Up the Monotony Escape rooms, ax-throwing, trivia...

Plenty of ways to spice up date night.

By Lauren Golt

47 Catering to the Classics Cocktails with pedigree are enjoying new round of popularity.

By Pam George

38 Shine A Light on 1969

Annual benefit all-star show at The Queen celebrates 8th year.

By Michelle Kramer Fitzgerald

69 The Dogged Pursuit of Excellence Writer Mike Little learns a few tricks at The National Dog Show.

By Mike Little

Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 outandaboutnow.com • contact@tsnpub.com FRBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

5

I’m letting go of the tap handle...

...to say things are looking up (for Middletown) g 2019

n Late Spri

From The Publisher

O&A File Photo / Tim Hawk

START

REMEMBERING ART Lasting memories of the iconic owner of The Barn Door

P

erhaps it was best to hear of Art Callahan’s passing through the electronic grapevine. Few details. For days, no information regarding an official service.

That means my lasting image of Art will be him strolling from the kitchen of The Barn Door in his food-stained apron, sporting a hearty smile and ready with a joke. Art Callahan’s personality was as big as his waistline—and I say that affectionately.

During the formative years of Out & About Magazine, The Barn Door (845 Tatnall St.) was our hangout. Just doors down from our office at 813 Tatnall, it was our go-to place for lunch, after-work drinks, and—for my staff of moonlighting musicians—live music.

The Barn Door was a signature stop for bands in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, a bustling time for downtown Wilmington’s music scene. What it lacked in square footage it made up for in spirit.

You hadn’t arrived as a band if you hadn’t played “The Door.”

However, what I’ll remember most are Art’s big heart for those in a pinch and the engaging conversations he and his longtime GM/bartender Mike Havertine hosted daily. The Barn Door was a popular lunch spot and Happy Hour destination; a seat at its small bar was coveted. The crowd ran the gamut, from

businessman to politician to construction worker. And over soup and suds we all weighed in…on politics, music, sports, the city, the world. This Week At The Barn Door, if you will.

Ah, the soup. Despite its reputation for music, The Barn Door’s food was fantastic. That was Art. In fact, so enamored were my wife and I with his soups that we created an Out & About Soup Party and convinced him to share his creations at our home each February. Gordon Ramsay couldn’t have done better.

Art would bring four to five soups and his inimitable chili, then introduce the menu to our guests. It was a performance as much stand-up comedy as it was an explanation of the evening’s fare, often presented in his food-stained apron. The duPhily Soup Parties were a hit—thanks to Art. Good memories. Seems like only yesterday. But the reality is, I hadn’t seen Art Callahan since both our operations moved from Tatnall Street many years ago. Not sure why.

Fortunately, I’m pretty sure I told Art he was a good man while he was living. And there is one thing I’m 100 percent certain of: I’m telling you that now.

— Jerry duPhily FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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A writer/editor’s slightly snarky and relentless crusade to eliminate grammatical gaffes from our everyday communications

Compiled from the popular column in Out & About Magazine

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

Media Watch • Pass/fail: The Philadelphia Inquirer correctly used quashed in this subhead on a story about the college football playoffs: “Commissioners and college presidents quashed expansion talk.” But fell victim to the common and mistaken squashed in the jump head: “Playoff expansion talk squashed.”

• Carly Mallenbaum, in USA TODAY, left one of her sentences dangling: In a story about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, she wrote: “After several arrests and a failed attempt to become an NFL player, we all know what happened: Johnson became one of the biggest movie stars . . .” It isn’t we who were arrested and tried to make it in the NFL, it was The Rock.

• Later in the same story, Johnson is quoted, “[My daughter Simone] goes to the gym with myself and Dany,” thus committing the phony sophistication mistake that pervades society. What, pray tell, is wrong with a simple me?

• USA TODAY strikes again, via Bryan Alexander, referring to Angela Lansbury entering the set of Mary Poppins Returns: “. . . in walks the women who sang the song.” Once more, inexplicably, the female plural is used instead of the correct, singular woman.

• Todd Blackledge, ESPN color commentator, discussing Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant during the playoff game against Notre Dame: “The combination of he and Tee Higgins . . .” Alas, apparently Penn State did not teach the quarterback of its 1982 National Champions about objects of the preposition.

It’s him, Todd!

• Dan Patrick, on his eponymous radio show, mentioned “a verbal love letter.” He meant oral, or spoken, love letter. Verbal refers to anything involving words. Thus, all love letters are verbal. A common mistake.

• Gayle King on CBS This Morning, referring to a joyous crowd: “They were jubulant.” Jubilant, pronounced pretty much as it’s spelled (ju-ba-lnt) is sometimes mispronounced this way, but should never be butchered by a network news person.

• A reader found this In the Wilmington News Journal, in a report about a possible shooting: “A reunification staging area was set up in the Costco parking lot at 900 Center Blvd. on the parameter of the mall for anyone searching for family members." A parameter is a limit that affects how something can be done, and perimeter (which was probably meant here but does not appear to precisely describe the situation) is the outline of a physical area.

Word of the Month

abnegation Pronounced ab-ni-GAY-shuhn, it’s a noun meaning self-denial.

By Bob Yearick

• And finally, our interest was piqued by a contribution from Luann Haney, co-winner of our recent grammar contest, who submitted this from the Williamsport (Pennsylvania) Sun-Gazette: “The Lycoming County Commissioners offered the Sun-Gazette a sneak peak into the county’s preliminary 2019 budget.” Should be peek, of course. Peak means highest point or top, as in “mountain peak.”

Department of Redundancies Dept.

A producer on the Mike Missanelli Show on 97.5 The Fanatic, dealing with a production glitch: “I’m going to attempt to try to fix that . . .”

How Long, Oh Lord, How long?

(In which we address the misuse of that most-abused punctuation mark, the apostrophe) From a post on Town Square Delaware: “The brother’s Purzycki have been having an impact in Delaware since their football days at the University of Delaware.”

Drop the t We recently heard two people pronounce the t in often (it’s silent, folks): Nick Foles (who can be forgiven; he’s not a media type and he was very busy recently saving the Eagles’ season), and Lara Spencer, of Good Morning America fame. No excuse there. And BTW: If the title of that show means it is saying good morning to America, there should be a comma after “Morning.” . . . and the e Ever notice? The Planet Fitness tag line (at right) contains a misspelling (or, at best, an alternate spelling) of judgment: “The Judgement Free Zone.” And Judgment Free should be hyphenated.

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

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

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.

LEARN

CHOOSING SUCCESS Refusing to be defined by her disability, Dawn Peer knows that with the right support she can do it all

T

he human ear is a fragile, complex organ, made up of tiny bones, membranes and hair cells. When something goes awry and a human being loses their sense of hearing, it alters that person’s world dramatically.

Communication is the biggest challenge for the deaf. It is estimated that less than one percent of the U.S. population knows American Sign Language. And lip-reading is minimally effective; it catches less than 30 percent of what a speaker says. So loss of hearing can be devastating.

Or, it can be just another of life’s challenges to be met and overcome. That’s the case with Dawn Peer, who, with a mixture of determination and a bit of stubbornness, has refused to let her handicap define her.

Peer lost her hearing when she was a few months old due to an unknown cause, although it was suspected that her cochlear hair cells had disintegrated. She is the only member of her family who is deaf.

Upon moving to Delaware at age 8, she was placed in the Margaret S. Sterck School for the Hearing Impaired in Newark (now the Delaware School for the Deaf).

“I was an angry child and difficult child to my mother and stepfather for a very long time,” Peer admits. “I didn’t know how to deal with my emotions.”

At 14, she was mainstreamed to a vocational high school. Inspired by the television show “China Beach,” she became interested in nursing.

That is, she says, until a teacher pulled her aside one day and, after complimenting her on her ambition, told her she couldn’t be a nurse because she was deaf. “It was one of the most malevolent comments, and something I’ll never forget,” says Peer.

Depression set in, and the following year she was ready to drop out of school. But her mother worked to have her daughter transferred to Christiana High School. Peer’s grades jumped, and with the help of a tutor she met the school’s standards and received her diploma.

Now 43, Peer has experienced some low points, but she has met each setback with resilience and determination. Today, happily married with two daughters, she has her first apartment and first car, and she holds down two jobs.

One of her proudest achievements was enrolling in Wilmington University in 2015. Encouraged by her husband “to go out and get my degree,” she was steered to WilmU by Christy Hennessey, program coordinator for the deaf and hard of hearing services at Independent Resources, Inc., a nonprofit that serves people with disabilities.

“Christy told me that WilmU has a wonderful system for disabled students,” Peer says. She adds happily, “I feel fully accepted by other students and my professors. I’m just like any other student to them.”

The University’s deaf students are assigned two interpreters per class. Each interpreter signs for 15–20 minutes, then the other takes over, which minimizes fatigue. For tutoring sessions, a single interpreter is assigned. The student is not charged for any of these services.

Peer wasn’t sure which major to choose but eventually, she says, “I chose Psychology because of the field I work in. Once I attended the classes, I learned things about myself and my job aspirations.”

“I want to work with disabled children who grew up in broken homes being told they can’t do something because they can’t hear. I want to encourage them to be successful in life regardless of their handicap.”

College life can be challenging for all students. Wilmington University is happy to offer the flexibility and support needed to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access and opportunities to achieve academic success. You can apply or enroll today at wilmu.edu.

Get to know WilmU

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

10 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

 Wednesday, March 6

 Brandywine site or Dover site

Get details and RSVP at wilmu.edu/OpenHouse

START DTC YOUNG PLAYWRIGHT FESTIVAL

F.Y.I. Things worth knowing Compiled by Emily Stover & O&A Staff

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

T

he Junior League of Wilmington's fourth annual Women's Leadership Summit is set for Saturday, March 2, at the Executive Banquet & Conference Center in Newark. The summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers an opportunity for women from throughout the Delaware Valley and beyond who are seeking to elevate their leadership skills.

Attendees will connect with like-minded individuals and focus on both professional and personal growth through a diverse program of workshops and panels. The lunchtime keynote will be delivered

by Delaware College of Art and Design President Jean Dahlgren, and there will be a legislative panel session and a panel session led by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Tickets are $65 and are available along with the full list of speakers and presentation topics at womenleadde.org.

FIFTH ANNUAL HUNGER CONFERENCE

T

he Food Bank of Delaware’s fifth annual hunger conference is set for Thursday, April 4, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Chase Center on Wilmington’s Riverfront.

This year’s theme, Coming Together: The Cycle Can Be Broken, focuses on innovative ways to reduce hunger and improve nutrition for those in poverty-stricken areas through a trauma-informed care approach. The conference is a collaboration between Food Bank of Delaware, Brae’s Brown Bags and First Chance Delaware and is open to all ages.

For more information, contact Kim Turner at kturner@fbd.org or at 444-8074.

T

he Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) recently announced the five finalists for its eighth annual Delaware Young Playwrights Festival. The finalists will work with professionals to refine their plays, then perform them on the DTC stage on Thursday, March 7, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The finalists are: • Season 9, Episode 8 by Jordyn Flaherty, Charter School of Wilmington • In All Honesty by Jalyn Horhn, MOT Charter High School • (A Little Bit) of the Book of Exodus by Tristen Hudson, St. Elizabeth School • Senior Year Shakespeare by John Morrison, St. Elizabeth School • Star Signs and Book Shops by Madelyn Thomas, St. Elizabeth School The DTC’s Young Playwrights Festival helps students grades 8-12 develop their creative talents and open them to writing in the world of theater. Visit DelawareTheatre. org for more information.

SPACEBOY CLOTHING TURNS 10

S

paceboy Clothing will help commemorate its 10th anniversary by moving to a larger store on Market Street in Downtown Wilmington.

The custom clothing retailer, previously located at 711 N. Market, will take over the space at 706 N. Market St., which was occupied by Jerry’s Arterama. The new space will be stocked with housemade T-shirts designed by local artists, will feature a vintage clothing and furniture section, and will offer event space equipped with full stage, lighting and sound. An anniversary celebration is planned for Saturday, March 2. Visit SpaceBoyClothing.com for details.

NEW DUNKIN DONUTS CONCEPT

C

he 2019 Bay to Ocean Writers Conference is set for Saturday, March 9, at Chesapeake College (Wye Mills, Maryland). Speakers will host sessions on a variety of topics, including writing skills and book publishing.

Registration opens at 7:30 a.m. with the keynote speaker at 8 a.m. Cost is $105 for Eastern Shore Writers Association members and $140 for non-members.

Visit easternshorewriters.org for details.

hanges are coming to Dunkin Donuts, and Delaware will get its first taste of it at the company’s store at 3446 Naamans Rd. in Wilmington. This location is the state’s first location for the company's “next generation concept store,” which will feature modern design and layout and an “innovative tap system” that allows up to eight drinks to be on hand at all times.

The store also will have new espresso machines and single-cup machines. With these changes, the new concept store will use 25 percent less energy than Dunkin’s current locations. The energysaving effort is part of the company’s DD Green Achievement Program.

YMCA INTRODUCES NEW YOUTH PROGRAM

CALLING ALL BIBLIOPHILES

BAY TO OCEAN WRITERS CONFERENCE

T

T

he YMCA of Delaware has opened its doors to all seventh graders, for free. Those who would like to register need to show up to a local YMCA with their student I.D., class roster, or recent report card, and a guardian. They will be permitted use of YMCA facilities and will be able to join group exercise classes and teen activities. Jim Kelly, vice president and chief operating officer for the YMCA of Delaware, believes that “it’s crucial to set the foundation for a healthy lifestyle at a young age.”

T

he Wilmington branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will host a book sale at Wilmington’s Concord Mall on the weekend of Feb.22-24. This event runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., except on Sunday, which will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds from the sale help fund college scholarships for women. On Saturday, children's books are half priced, and starting at 6 p.m. on Sunday, customers can fill a bag of books for $10. For more information, visit Wilmington-de.aauw.net/booksale.

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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START

WORTH RECOGNIZING

Community Members Who Go Above & Beyond

CAROLINE JONES: Helping foster care children succeed in life

C

JOIN WITH FRIENDS AND EVERYONE SAVES! SAVE 20%

on your membership each month with our Y Connect Referral Program.

JOIN TODAY!

www.ymcade.org/connect

aroline Jones believes every child and teen has the right to a bright future.

In 2008, the Newark resident founded Kind to Kids Foundation (KTKF). Its purpose is to offer programs and services that teach kindness, self-worth, job readiness, budgeting, decision-making, goal setting, study skills, substance abuse and violence prevention.

Caroline Jones Today, KTKF is the leading nonprofit agency in Delaware that works directly with foster children. It has grown from serving children transitioning into foster care to helping impoverished and at-risk youth. It has served 14,000 children and youths from infants to those 21 years of age.

Yusef Russell, 22, who in 2017 moved from foster care to his own apartment, says KTKF’s life skills program taught him that he had to learn how to manage money. Before attending the program, Russell had one goal in mind—to be on his own. But he was unclear as to what that really entailed.

“The classes gave me a different perspective,” he says. “They helped me answer the question, what is important for me to focus on—(paying) bills.” That focus helped him secure a full-time job.

In January, KTKF introduced the Kind to You manual and Kind to You app. The manual, a guide for teens leaving foster care, discusses healthy relationships, buying a car, eating healthy, renting, credit cards debt, stress management and suicide prevention.

Formalized with the help of Delaware’s Division of Family Services (DFS), the manual incorporates life skills that KTKF teaches.

Joseph Smack, DFS community relations coordinator, says the manual could benefit any young adult. “It’s assumed kids with parents will learn these skills from their parents, but that is not necessarily true,” he says. “Some college students don’t know how to write a check or open a bank account.”

The manual is a reference for KTKF’s UGrad program. Launched last month, UGrad was created to help increase the rate of high school graduates in the foster care system.

Only 30 percent of foster care youth in Delaware graduate from high school, according to the federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System. There are 750 children in Delaware’s foster care system, while some 60,000 children in the state live in poverty.

“UGrad is an innovative program. There’s nothing quite like it in the Tri-State area,” says Jones. Students meet regularly with instructors to quickly address issues such as bullying or classroom challenges—before they get out of hand.

Students also receive guidance in achieving goals, and they’re rewarded with gift cards or school supplies for their hard work. Students meet with their instructors at their schools or foster homes in New Castle and Kent counties.

KTKF’s partners include the Division of Youth Rehabilitation, Red Clay School District and the Latin American Community Center. An annual budget of $530,000 is funded by individuals, government, foundations and corporations.

Jones became aware of the hardships of neglected and abused children when she started working as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate in 2008. During that time, she shared with her then teenage son, Chris, and daughter, Catherine, the difficulties these children face. While at a sporting event, Chris and Catherine noticed the many empty seats in the stadium. They had the idea of finding a way to donate seats at cultural and sporting venues to children in foster care.

“That’s how KTKF got started,” Jones says. In 2011 the foundation became a non-profit.

Both Chris and Catherine help run KTKF, and Jones’ husband, Mark, is on the Board of Directors.

For more information, go to: kindtokids.org, Facebook, kindtokinds@kindtokids.org.

— Adriana Camacho-Church 12 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

s s e r t c awith within

Unleash

the

February 2019 • #inWilm

Eleanor M.

INdependent Actress

Ellen Durkan Exhibit

The Last Five Years

Rebirth Brass Band February 2

February 6-24

Saint Joan

The Crossing

Finding Neverland

China Pop... Year of the Pig

FSBT: Coppélia

Brownfields and Brews

#DateNightinWilm

Candlelight Comedy Club

Jeremy Lyons w/ Lisa Perry

Legally Blonde - The Musical

Baroque and Beyond

February 1 - March 15

February 7-10

Basil Restaurant

Great Train & Toy Show 2 for specials February 16 & 17

February 1-10

February 9

February 21

February 9 & 10

February 23

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February 23 & 24

inWilmDE.com

February 7

February 14

February 27

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LOVE

by the numbers A few notable facts about change

11.7

150 The number of times the average woman changes her hairstyle in a lifetime.

The number of times the average person in the U.S. moves in their lifetime.

& PIZZA Two things that bring smiles to faces everywhere no matter what.

Both served here daily.

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5 10

The number of months the average Facebook user goes without changing their profile picture. LinkedIn users change their profile pictures the least, averaging a change every 2.1 years.

The number of jobs the average worker holds before the age of 40. And that number is expected to grow. According to Forrester Research, today's youngest workers will hold 12-15 jobs in their lifetimes.

24 80

The number of days the average person goes before changing their bed sheets, according to survey by Mattress Advisor. Married couples change their bedclothes every 19 days while those who are single stretch it to 37 days.

The percentage of undergraduate college students who end up changing their major at least once.

START

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING About The War on Words

By Bob Yearick, January 2019 Bob: appreciated your pointing out Mike Castle's mis-use of 'erstwhile' on WDEL, but then you went on to describe him as the "erstwhile governor and senator". However, he never did become a senator after being governor; rather he became Delaware's representative to the U.S. Congress (having been infamously beaten

by Christine O'Donnell in the 2010 Republican primary).

If you had written "erstwhile senator and governor" (in that order), then that would be permissible since Mr Castle did serve as a STATE senator prior to becoming governor.

I love your column. Keep up the good work!

— Doug Perkins (alum of Boston University, with double-major in English & journalism) About Staging A Comeback The Jackson Inn was nearly sold. Then a local band stepped in to add a feature that has given it new life.

By Kevin Noonan, January 2019 I am very happy to hear The Jackson Inn has been revived!

Thank you to all that have made that possible. A very special place!

— Bernadette Bowman Davis My husband, Dave, and me often visited the Inn when we were dating for a beer and a great cheesesteak. We have been married 52 years, so thank you for being our place for a good time with friends.

My son also came from San Diego for Christmas and drove to see the band. He knew some of the members. Thanks again.

— Dot Milsom About Riverside Resurrection With the infusion of millions in capital funds and the efforts of government and the community, a neglected area of Wilmington is now looking to a brighter future

By Larry Nagengast, January 2019 I’ve personally work with Logan [Herring] over the last several years and he is amazing. So pleased to see interest in bettering the lives of all in this community.

— Helen Fey Fischel Very promising!

— Tom Hubbard

Valentine's Day Menu Appetizers

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FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOCUS

50 Reasons

for Optimism In the midst of these winter doldrums, here’s a list of people, organizations and projects that offer a window to a brighter future—in 2019 and beyond. Enjoy!

1

The 140,000-square-foot, five-story 76ers Fieldhouse debuted last month. The $26-million project will be the home court of the NBA G League’s Delaware Blue Coats’ (formerly 87ers) in an arena with 2,500 seats. It also will be home to three basketball courts, two indoor turf soccer fields and an athletic training area, as well as retail and office space. Most important, according to organizers, the fieldhouse will provide recreational opportunities to youth in Wilmington and the region.

The project is a giant step forward in the development of South Wilmington along the Route 13 corridor.

2

The concrete Christina River bridge is scheduled to open in 2019. This long-awaited project will connect the Riverfront south of Frawley Stadium to Route 13 where the new Fieldhouse is located. Not only will the bridge ease traffic congestion, but the addition of lanes for bikes and pedestrians may encourage people to leave their cars at home. When complete, the bridge will be jointly maintained by the City of Wilmington and the Delaware Department of Transportation.

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3

Light Action Productions & The Pine Box could make Wilmington a prime destination for Hollywood and Broadway productions looking for an affordable state-of-the art facility in which to film and rehearse. Light Action’s new 150,000-square-foot facility, situated on Wilmington’s 7th Street Peninsula and visible from I-495, includes a 25,000-square-foot, 95-foot-tall sound stage (The Pine Box). It’s scheduled to open in late 2019.

4

It could take as long as 10 years for significant changes to take hold, but the start of a major $100 million (estimated) revitalization effort is bringing new hope to the Riverside community in northeast Wilmington.

Purpose Built Communities, a non-profit consulting firm, announced it has designated Wilmington’s Riverside neighborhood as the 19th of its communities in the United States. Under the Purpose Built model, REACH Riverside will work in partnership with community members and other partners to develop and implement strategies for a career education pipeline, mixed-income housing, and a community health and wellness initiative.

5

Gulftainer signed a 50-year agreement to control the entire Port of Wilmington in late 2018, committing to spending $600 million to develop the existing port terminal and to create a new one on the former location of a DuPont facility in Edgemoor. The plan includes expanding the existing port and starting construction on a new terminal in Edgemoor in 2021, to be completed by 2023.

6

Developer Harvey Hanna announced plans to redevelop the former GM Boxwood Road plant site into 3 million square feet of warehouse space for shipping centers for online retailers. According to the Delaware Business Times, Hanna’s proposal calls for the complete demolition of all the dormant buildings on the property.

7

Biking to work may be a lot easier and stress-free from traffic jams. Delaware Greenways, a local trail advocacy and planning organization, granted New Castle County $30,000 last November to fund a study for a path that would connect riders to employment centers in Christiana. The plan would be to connect the Markell Trail to Commons Boulevard and eventually Churchman's Road south of Cavaliers Country Club and Christiana Hospital. The path would splinter from the Markell Trail near the tunnel under Interstate 295, then run along a Delmarva Power right-of-way to Route 141 and Commons Boulevard.

9

The City of Wilmington has secured $2.9 million in funding to support the South Wilmington Freshwater Tidal Wetland Habitat Restoration for Flood Prevention, commonly known as the South Wilmington Wetland Project, thanks to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is the largest of 35 grants awarded nationwide through the National Coastal Resilience Fund. The project, which begins construction this spring, will include a storm water management facility that will reduce flooding in Southbridge, and create a new open space for the community. Close to 14 acres of degraded wetland will be restored to a high-functioning freshwater tidal wetland habitat in South Wilmington, complete with a trail system.

10

Urban Bike Project, which supports Wilmington communities by providing access to bicycling, is moving into new space in a historic cityowned building that once housed Wilmington’s police horses. The 6,440-squarefoot location at 1500 N. Walnut St. will give the group more space and greater visibility in the community.

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8

Keep Delaware Beautiful is a new state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. KDB’s goals are litter prevention, community beautification and minimizing the impact of solid waste in the state. You can show your support of the mission by purchasing the new Keep Delaware Beautiful license plate for a one-time fee of $50. The attractive red and gold plate features the moniker #DoBeautifulThings.

Proceeds help fund local beautification programs throughout Delaware. Visit KeepDelawareBeautiful.com.

Two years after the passage of the legislation that made it possible, the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank is building an inventory of blighted and abandoned city properties and is looking for buyers who are eager to transform blocks, even neighborhoods, that have fallen on hard times. Barclaycard US recently granted the land bank $1 million for acquisition and upkeep of the properties until new owners are found.

12

The Food Bank of Delaware received a $75,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation in late 2018 to help fight hunger in Delaware through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) education and outreach. This funding will support the Food Bank’s efforts to implement the Hunger Vital Signs food insecurity screening at health care providers. ►

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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13

A new 12,000-square-foot space in the Hotel Du Pont called DE.CO will bring eight innovative kitchens and a central bar to downtown Wilmington.

The project will boast a selection of cuisines from the Mid-Atlantic region and around the world while serving as the first chef-driven food hall in the state of Delaware. Located within the historic DuPont Building, the project is a $3.5 million collaboration between developers Buccini/Pollin and Seawall Development.

14

Firefly, one of the nation’s premier outdoor concerts, returns to The Woodlands in Dover for the seventh year. Now operated by AEG Presents, this year’s event features Dogfish Head's Firefly Ale, a silent disco called The Thicket and a Malibu Beach House for frozen cocktails, among other attractions. Since its inception, Firefly has had a significant positive economic impact on Delaware. In 2014, a study by the Delaware Economic Development Office found that Firefly’s 80,000 attendees contributed $68 million to the regional economy.

The festival also created 579 “full-time equivalent” jobs, with pay from those jobs adding an additional $23 million.

15

The Homewood Suites Wilmington, an extendedstay property that's at least two years in the making on the Christina Riverfront, expects to be ready to open in September. It is located next to Big Fish Grill, and directly across from the Chase Center.

17

The Ministry of Caring’s Village of St. John project consists of the adaptive reuse of the historic Cathedral of St. John and School into a senior living community in Wilmington’s Old Brandywine Village. The project will renovate the historic cathedral into 12 apartments and more than 8,000-square-feet of community space, rehabilitate the historic bishop’s house into five reconfigured apartments, and construct a new addition with 36 apartments. The Village of St. John will substantially improve the neighborhood, creating a healthy, vibrant community for seniors to call home.

18

St. Elizabeth School is seeking to partner with the City of Wilmington to revitalize Canby Park, with a preliminary plan that includes a stadium that would become the home field for the school’s football team. It will be surrounded by a quarter-mile track, a baseball diamond, two softball fields, an all-purpose field, basketball and tennis courts, walking trails and plenty of wide-open green space.

19

The City of Wilmington has agreed to a 50-year lease of Baynard Stadium to the Salesianum School. Under the lease, Salesianum will privately raise $15-to-$20 million to renovate the aging facility within the next five years and take over its operations. Planned renovations include a new turf field and track, lighting and landscaping improvements, and rebuilt bleachers, restrooms and locker rooms.

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The $10 million Wilmington Transit Center at the Amtrak Station project is a public-private partnership, with funding from DART, Colonial Parking, EDiS Company and Emory Hill Real Estate Services, Inc. The center will feature indoor seating, bathrooms, WIFI, USB charging stations, real-time bus displays, ticket sales and vending machines. It also will offer bike racks, a garage with electric car charging stations and more than 200 parking spaces. With capacity to stage up to 10 buses at once, the new transit center will allow for bus layovers without blocking city streets. Construction is expected to be finished by the end of 2019.

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The Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP) connects business leaders to the resources they need to make informed decisions about growing or relocating their business. The partnership has been involved in eight announcements by existing Delaware companies or those new to the state that will result in more than 1,500 jobs. Some 1,100 of those that would have gone elsewhere were retained in the state.

21

Gov. John Carney is furthering the work of his predecessor by creating a commission to study how to help state prisoners successfully reenter their communities after release. The executive order is aimed at more effectively coordinating services for the recently released, strengthening data-sharing among state agencies, and improving the availability of programming prior to an inmate's release, all in hopes of reducing recidivism.

22

The University of Delaware broke ground on its $60 million project to renovate the west side of Delaware Stadium and construct the 90,000-square-foot Whitney Athletic Center. The renovated stadium will house academic support and other well-being facilities, such as athletic training, strength and conditioning, sports medicine and nutrition, for UD student-athletes. The center bears the name of Ken Whitney, a 1980 UD graduate who, along with wife Elizabeth, made a $10 million donation.

23

Delaware Technology Park Incubator Space at STAR Campus (Science, Technology and Advanced Research) offers flexible, state-of-the-art incubation space and access to the resources that development-stage companies need to drive and accelerate their economic success. The facility opened in 2016 on the expansive 272-acre Star Campus at the University of Delaware. The campus also includes the Health Sciences Complex and the STAR Tower, a 120,000-square-foot space devoted to collaborative research and innovation.

24

The new Claymont Regional Transit Center will break ground in 2019 with a completion date in 2021. It will have parking for 800 vehicles, which should encourage SEPTA use. An arrangement has been made in which the land for the new center will be exchanged for infrastructure improvements, such as road and utility work, that will serve the transit center as well as a proposed new mixed-use development called First State Crossing.

25

A private/public proposal from the Lang Development Group calls for a seven-story structure containing 147 hotel rooms operated as a Hyatt Place, a restaurant, office space and a parking garage at 96 E. Main St., Newark, across from the Academy Street intersection.

Lang would combine two properties, demolishing the former Abbott’s Shoe Repair building and incorporating the facade of the historic Green Mansion, which is protected under the city’s historic preservation law, into the new building. The first three levels of the building would include the restaurant, hotel lobby, and commercial office space in the front and parking in the back. Meanwhile, the top four floors would contain the hotel rooms. The fourth floor also would include a pool, a patio and meeting rooms.

26

The town of Whitehall outside Middletown will be home to Lorewood Grove Elementary School. The state-of-the-art facility is opening in the fall of 2019 and will be home to a community of 500-plus learners in Grades 1-5.

27

In December, Christiana Care’s Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute reopened on its renovated Greenville campus. It provides more services to impact community health, primary care, cardiology and OB-GYN.

28

Rehoboth-area brewery Revelation Craft Brewing Company announced plans to purchase the site of the former 16 Mile Brewing Co. in Georgetown.

Revelation hopes to open the Georgetown location in the spring. It will include kitchen space for a restaurant and an outdoor seating area.

29

The Wheels for Water program allows participants to learn first-hand about Wilmington’s water supply with a bicycle-friendly route that includes following the path of the City’s drinking water supply from the Brandywine Water Treatment Plant, back to where it is diverted into the Brandywine Raceway (this feeds the treatment plant), to the original source of the City’s drinking water supply, Brandywine Creek.

30

In 2018, Delaware Nature Society worked with Legislative Hall to make Dover the first state capital to achieve Certified Wildlife Habitat status. Following this landmark event, New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer signed an executive order requiring the use of native species in landscaping projects on all county-owned property, encouraging native species county-wide.

31

In 2017, oyster farming returned to the Delaware Inland Bays for the first time in 38 years, thanks to public and private interests working together. According to the Delaware Sea Grant, oysters filter up to 50 gallons of water per oyster, per day, meaning healthy oyster populations could help improve water quality of the Inland Bays.

Oyster farming also offers an economic benefit: it was worth $173 million to the other states on the Atlantic Coast in 2015, according to the most recent data available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ►

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Reflecting a nationwide trend, newcomers dotted Delaware’s political landscape. The General Assembly’s opening day last month saw 17 newly-elected legislators sworn in, including a dozen in the House and five in the Senate. The mid-term election resulted in several upsets. Perhaps the most significant was school teacher and Democrat Laura Sturgeon’s victory over Republican Minority Whip Greg Lavelle, of Sharpley, who had served since 2013.

33

On County Council, another woman, Democrat and newcomer Dee Durham, defeated Republican incumbent Bob Weiner, who had served since 1996, representing Northern New Castle County.

34

Wilmington continues to earn national attention from the cycling world as USA 20 Cycling (USAC) just named the 19 Wilmington Grand Prix to its national road race calendar for the 12th straight year. The event is one of just 18 races to make this year’s USAC Professional Road Tour, a circuit that starts in California and includes 16 states. The Wilmington Grand Prix (May 17-19, 2019) has generated $3.97 million for the local economy since 2012.

35

The beautiful Brandywine campus of Wilmington University opened last month.

It will serve residents of Chester, Delaware, and Northern New Castle counties. Located at Route 202 and Beaver Valley Road, across from Concord Mall, it offers state-of-the-art facilities and WilmU’s 150-plus career-building programs.

36

Housed at the Brandywine site is the University’s new Criminal Justice Institute, which offers professional development and training to law enforcement professionals. The institute will even develop customized programs that address scenarios that put the public in danger. Instructors will provide oneday to one-week specific courses based on the needs of the community. Sessions are expected to begin in April.

37

Located in a small industrial park off Old Capitol Trail, Bellefonte Brewing has been growing steadily since founder and owner Neil Shea opened the brewpub less than three years ago. A canning line was recently added, and Shea says Bellefonte may be close to opening a second location.

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Wilmington saw 119 fewer shootings in 2018 than in 2017, and 60 percent fewer people were shot. For a city working hard to reclaim its reputation, that is very good news. Under new Chief Robert Tracy, Wilmington Police have been using better data to make smarter decisions; they have increased direct foot patrols in the areas most stricken by violence; and they have built personal relationships in the community that discourage retaliatory crimes and encourage cooperation from the public.

39

Throughout Delaware, there are many communities whose residents bond with each other despite being of different religions, races and political persuasions. A perfect example is the weekly dinners held by the Village of Arden. On most Saturdays, one of Arden's Guilds or just a group of friends cook a big dinner that anybody can attend (for a nominal fee, of course) at the Guild Hall. Friends and soon-to-be friends gather to eat a delicious meal (recent entrees include beef stew over linguini, jerk chicken with coconut rice, and a chili cook-off; vegetarian alternatives also are available) and some wine. It's hard not to feel good about the world after one of these gatherings.

40

After a solid 2018 season, Wilmington’s own Wendell Smallwood hopefully has established himself with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles’ fifthround pick in 2016, Smallwood, who attended Red Lion Christian Academy in Bear, finished the 2018 season with 87 carries for 364 yards and three touchdowns, along with 230 receiving yards and a pair of scores on 28 receptions. Given his dual-threat skills and modest cap hit in what will be the fourth year of his rookie contract, Smallwood figures to be given an opportunity to compete for at least a part-time role in the backfield once again in 2019.

41

There’s new life for the David Finney Inn. Melissa Ferraro, owner of the Outlandish Food Truck, based out of Newark, opened a new restaurant in the Old New Castle building, which has been vacant for eight years. Called Sonora, the restaurant will serve “gourmet comfort food,” according to Ferraro. It was expected to open early this month.

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Fouryouth Productions is a non-profit that develops the talents of underserved youth by connecting photography with science, engineering, and culinary art. This unique approach accelerates academic progress and promotes a future filled with opportunity for the students, who learn to be entrepreneurs as they sell their artwork, in which 100 percent of the profits go toward the student college fund initiative. Last April, Fouryouth opened its first photography studio and classroom at 1900 Superfine Lane in Wilmington.

Professionally designed, it creates an inspiring space for youth to create, learn, and grow during Saturday morning classes. The fully equipped photography studio, retouching station, and office will soon be available for rentals. Learn more at contact@fouryouth.org.

43

To meet the demand of hungry Delawareans, the Food Bank of Delaware will relocate to its new operations center (222 Lake Dr., Newark) in late March. The new facility will enable the Food Bank to feed more children and seniors through its hunger relief programs, create infrastructure for farmers to donate surplus fresh produce to neighbors in need, and accept more nutritious but perishable foods from retailers, thanks to additional refrigeration and warehouse space.

44

Historic New Castle is expanding the use of its $1.2 million reconstructed pier (destroyed in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy) with the introduction of a Tall Ship Series beginning this spring. The series will open with an appearance by the A.J. Meerwald May 13-20. Visit NewCastleCity.Delaware.gov for complete schedule.

45

Delaware’s Adopt A Highway program is now more accessible than ever and enables you to do your part to keep Delaware clean. Organize your family, friends or co-workers to do a clean-up three times per year. Your organization’s name will appear on a blue sign on the stretch of road you clean. Bags, gloves and vests are all provided. Visit Deldot.gov/programs to register.

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Delaware continues to pursue its goal of connecting the state through a collection of walkable/bikeable trails and pathways. The recently completed Markell Trail gives the state 57 named trails totaling 155 miles. Three more trails are in the serious planning stage.

47

Delaware Food Works is a new workforce development initiative of the Food Bank of Delaware. Its mission is to eliminate food insecurity through workforce development, social entrepreneurship and small business incubation.

Workforce development training is available in food service, warehousing and agriculture. Classes are 14 weeks long and are offered throughout the year. These programs have the potential to lead to jobs that provide security and economic sustainability for the program’s graduates. Visit FBD.org/delawarefoodworks.

48

The Brandywine Red Clay Alliance was formed in 2015 via a merger of the nation’s two oldest small-watershed conservation organizations focusing on improving the water quality and quantity of the Brandywine and Red Clay watersheds. Since then, the organization has completed 17 major stream restoration projects through its Red Streams Blue program and will have five more underway this year. Many of these waterways feed into the source from which most residents in the Wilmington area get their water. During its Red Clay Valley Clean Up, nearly 800 volunteers removed 13.6 tons of trash from 96 miles of stream and roadways in Pennsylvania and Delaware. During its Brandywine Clean Up, 250 volunteers scoured 23 miles of streams. Its Plunge for Clean Water benefit will be held Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Brandywine Picnic Park on Route 52. Registration is still open at brandywineredclay.org.

49 & 50

As of February 1, spring is just 47 days away. Of course, you can always start your celebration early. Out & About certainly will, as we’ll hold the 29th annual St. Paddy’s Loop on Saturday, March 9. The Irish Culture Club of Wilmington’s Annual St. Patrick’s Parade will be the following week, Saturday March 16: Two Wilmington rites of spring that properly ring in the new season.

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOCUS

Escape rooms, ax-throwing, gardening, trivia— there are plenty of ways to spice up your date nights An escape room like this one can make for a challenging and fun evening. Photo courtesy of Axxiom Escape Rooms

By Lauren Golt hen was the last time you and your significant other spiced up date night? If dinner and a movie is your go-to routine, maybe it’s time to explore new territory. And how about those group get-togethers? Do you and your friends always settle for the same places and do the same things?

Why not break these monotonous habits and try something out of the box? Create art, bust a move, escape (literally). Take a look at these ongoing and upcoming area events, and try one or more with the ones you love most.

Ax Throwing at Chop Shop KSQ

Head to The Creamery in Kennett Square and learn how to throw an ax at Chop Shop KSQ. And when you’re finished wielding large, sharp objects, grab a brew, check out the local artist exhibits, catch a band, and immerse yourself in the rich history of Kennett Square. Newly reimagined, The Creamery is now open year-round and even lets you bring your pup along while you enjoy a plate of Killer Mac and Cheese in the outdoor bar and gardens. chopshopksq.com. ► FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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BREAK UP THE MONOTONY continued from previous page

Tour Delaware Breweries

First State Brew Tours wants you to experience the best of Delaware’s craftbeverage community—responsibly, of course. With fun and safety in mind, FSBT will do the driving while you choose from one of three tours and visit three breweries on each tour. The bus picks you up, drops you off, and provides snacks, water, and coolers for when you want to take home some of your favorite brews. Tours are conducted the first three weekends of the month, with one route per weekend. Taste your way across Delaware’s craft beer companies, and take your date on each tour. firststatebrewtours.com.

Get Trapped Together

For an engaging and thrilling adventure, try an Escape Room. You and your date or team will be locked in a room; then, using clues, puzzles, and each other, you will attempt to find your way out. The rooms have themes, like Sherlock Holmes, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Shaken, Not Stirred. Each group is considered a private booking, so you’ll always know everyone on your team. Be prepared for an hour of challenges, mystery, and a bit of frustration as you work together to escape the locked room! Visit Exodus Escape Rooms, with three locations in Delaware, and and Great Escape Delaware, both in Newark. Axxiomnewark.com and greatescapedelaware.com.

Dance The Night Away

Get your dancing shoes and visit The Queen in Wilmington for a DJ Dance Party.

Upcoming: Latin music and ‘80s night in the next two weeks, a Guns N’ Roses tribute concert for Valentine’s Day, and a Backstreet Boys vs. *NSYNC party in March. The Queen also regularly hosts tributes to greats like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nirvana and AC/DC. Plus, there’s the Drag Diva Brunch if you’re looking for a fun Sunday afternoon date. thequeenwilmington.com

Take an Art Walk In Wilmington

Cultivate your and your date’s inner art connoisseur along The Wilmington Art Loop.

Held the first Friday of every month, the Art Loop is self-guiding, ever-changing, and always free. Make stops in galleries, museums, unique spaces, and studios to view the latest displays. Meet featured artists, enjoy delectable hors d'oeuvres, catch some music, and experience the creative pulse of downtown Wilmington together. Not sure how best to take in the exhibits? While there’s no right or wrong way to start the loop, catch the shuttle from the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts for easy navigation. This monthly event can be your new tradition. artloopwilmington.org

Show Off Your Smarts

Do you possess a vault of random knowledge that makes you the perfect secret weapon for trivia night? Then this is the date night idea for you, my friend. City Theater Company will be hosting Quizzo at Chelsea Tavern, including five rounds of mentally-taxing trivia in one exciting night, plus food and drinks for purchase. Get your friends, put your thinking caps on, and compete against other teams in a battle of wits. Combine powers with your true love, your friends, your co-workers, or all of the above, and see who’s the smartest. So, have you come up with a team name yet? facebook.com/CityTheaterCompany

Create A Piece of Art

Immerse yourselves in the carefully curated collection of artwork adorning the halls of the Delaware Art Museum, then take your plus one on a Clay Date. You heard us. Sip some wine in the ceramic studio and create your very own original piece of pottery. The museum will happily glaze your masterpiece when you’re finished. To further cultivate your creativity, there are events like the DelArt Museum Book Club, where the two of you can wax poetic about the most recent read, or you can attend a movie screening with a discussion session immediately following. delart.org

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Photo courtesy of First State Brew Tours

FOCUS

DAVID BROMBERG Thursday, Feb 21, 8pm Cab Calloway Theatre, Wilmington

Photo Joe del Tufo

On Thursday, February 21st, hear legendary singer, song-writer, and instrumentalist David Bromberg discuss his passion for music and his career. A brief Q&A will follow.

Try a Unique Dining Experience

In the past, gauchos (cowboys of the South American pampas) would skewer pieces of churrasco, slowly grill them over an open flame, then savor their smoky, delicious flavors. Churrascaria Saudades, Newark’s Brazilian steak house, is keeping this mouthwatering tradition alive with gaucho chefs, a wonderfully fresh salad bar, Brazilian side dishes, and signature cocktails. The cuts of meat are served tableside as part of the restaurant’s unique dining experience. Saudades can best be translated as “a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for an absent something or someone.” You and your date are both going to have a deep sense of longing for this food when your one-of-a-kind meal comes to an end. eatsteaks.com.

Girls' Day Out

Ladies, leave the men at home and grab your best gal pals for a few hours of luxurious pampering. The Spa At Montchanin Village will make all of the arrangements for a group spa day.

Indulge in any one of their treatments— think massages, facials, and wraps— before kicking back in a plush robe and enjoying refreshing cucumber water and a glass of wine as you unwind and catch up. A special menu from the adjoining Krazy Kats restaurant is available and can be delivered to the spa, so you and your girlfriends can nosh in your robes. So glamorous. montchanin.com. ►

For more information, visit artofconversations.org.

The series is a collaboration of the Delaware Theatre Company and the Cab Calloway School Fund.

Tickets Available at cabcalloway.ticketleap.com

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1800 NAAMANS ROAD, WILMINGTON • 302-529-1865

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FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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CH 7

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Inherit the Wind

BY JEROME

LAWRENCE AND ROBERT E. LEE DIRECTED BY SANFORD ROBBINS

BREAK UP THE MONOTONY continued from previous page

Plant An Indoor Garden

Does your home need a little sprucing up? Start by grabbing a pint at Midnight Oil Brewing Co. in Newark. Its thoughtfully crafted brews include seasonal Sweet Dreams Dopplebock and favorites like Midnight Porter. Then, elevate your date night and brewery experience by heading to one of their fun events, like a Terrarium Therapy workshop! This includes a private brewery tour, a beer flight, and plants!

Carefully create your very own globe terrarium with the provided plants and materials. It’s a great date night idea; plus, you get to take home beautiful, hanging succulents that will infuse your home with some greenery. midnightoilbrewing.com.

Whip up something in a Cooking Class

A crackling courtroom drama becomes a brilliant boxing match between two of the greatest legal giants of the twentieth century. This fictionalized account of the famous Scopes “monkey trial” of 1925, when a Tennessee science teacher is on trial for teaching Darwin’s theories of evolution, dissects the issues of church vs. state and fundamentalism vs. freedom of belief — cultural conflicts still hotly debated in our world today.

Presented by Delaware’s professional acting company performing at the University of Delaware

ROSELLE CENTER FOR THE ARTS | NEWARK, DE (302) 831-2204 | WWW.REP.UDEL.EDU 22 FEBRUARY 2019 26 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Supported in part by:

Chef Mark Eastman, the owner of Chefs’ Haven, is formally trained by both the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont and his talented mother. He specializes in preparing soups, sauces, fish, and meat.

Set a date for a cooking class and learn to create dishes such as an autumnal French dinner, fresh surf and turf, or all things bacon, using only the finest ingredients.

During class, Chef Mark will instruct you on how to properly prepare food with chefgrade cutlery and help foster in you a love of cuisine. Take the skills you learn and apply them at home as you craft your next meal. chefshavende.com.

Enjoy Your Favorite Red (or White)

A good winery belongs in every date night schedule, and Chaddsford Winery is the one to frequent. As one of Pennsylvania’s most acclaimed wineries and an excellent reflection of the unique microclimate of the Mid-Atlantic, Chaddsford offers tastings and flights daily. But what you really don’t want to miss are the events. Murder Mystery Nights, Wine & Chocolate Pairings, and a Chili and Chowder Festival are just too much fun to pass up. To stay up on events, become a member and enjoy exclusive parties and free wine tastings. This is perfect for a weekend afternoon or a cozy evening out. chaddsford.com.

EAT

MORE THAN A COFFEE SHOP In just six years, Greg Vogeley has established Drip Café as one of Hockessin’s favorite gathering place Newark locals Mike and Peggy Nagorski with sons Teddy, Arthur and Philip, chat with owner Greg Vogeley in new Drip Cafe location in downtown Newark.

By Pam George Photos by Lindsay duPhily

I

f you decide to just drop by Drip Café in Hockessin on a Saturday morning, you’ll need to practice patience. The wait for a seat at the Lantana Square restaurant is often 30 minutes on weekends.

But, as loyal customers will tell you, persistence pays off.

“I find the food fresh and inventive—not just eggs and bacon, although, who doesn't like eggs and bacon?” says Hockessin-area resident Steve Rapposelli.

Consider dishes such as breakfast carbonara, which adds a sunny-side-up egg to gnocchi and a roasted garlic cream sauce, and “The Cali,” sourdough toast topped with a fried egg, mozzarella, avocado, and arugula-and-basil aioli.

Then there are the bacon-flecked pancakes, crowned by tender, roasted apples, smoked bacon, and a house-made salted caramel sauce, a dish that made People magazine’s list of the 50 best breakfasts in the United States. The story caught the eye of Fox 29 News, which filmed a segment at the restaurant.

The aromatic coffee is hot, the brunch dishes are fresh, and the community spirit—punctuated by the sputtering hiss of espresso machines—is strong. “They have earned all their success by a simple formula—good food and great service,” Rapposelli says.

But the real secret to the Drip Café’s popularity is its bespectacled owner, Greg Vogeley, who last year cut the ribbon on a smaller Drip Café in Newark. “It’s his work ethic and the way he treats his staff,” Rapposelli says. “He started small as an upstart and consistently delivered.”

SETTING GOALS, FOLLOWING THROUGH

Vogeley entered the industry at a young age. He’d just turned 14 when he went to the local pizza parlor in his hometown, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, and applied for the dishwasher position.

“You did what?” his incredulous mother asked when he returned.

Vogeley’s older brother had just bought a car, and Vogeley wanted to start saving right away for his own vehicle, he told her.

Few employers would hire a 14-year-old. But his mother cut one of the owner’s hair, and she put in a good word. “At 14, I learned that it helps to know someone to get a job—anywhere,” he says.

In high school, Vogeley played low-pitched instruments, such as the tuba. A Grateful Dead fan, he was also interested in the music business. When he matriculated to Clarion University in western Pennsylvania, he decided to study the finance and marketing end of the industry. For a class in entrepreneurship, he wrote a business plan for a music club. “I think I always had that itch” to own a business, he says. ► FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

27

EAT MORE THAN A COFFEE SHOP continued from previous page

A job in the music industry, however, is hard to find in the Greater Philadelphia region. Back home in Glen Mills, he sold shank-proof pencils and bulletproof vests to correctional institutions. “I wasn’t very good at it,” he says. “It didn’t last long.” Neither did a few other sales jobs.

His mother suggested that he work at Starbucks for the benefits.

He landed the job, and it turned out that Vogeley and the espresso machine were a match made in heaven. He appreciated the art of making the perfect cappuccino, the craftsmanship needed to create an excellent Americano, and the connection with the customers.

“I realized that you didn’t have to sit at a desk to have a good job,” he says. “It’s OK to be in customer service—it’s a real field—and the restaurant industry is a real industry that you can make a career out of.”

ODYSSEY FROM BARISTA TO BUSINESS OWNER

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

At Starbucks, Vogeley only rose as high as a shift supervisor. He wanted more of a java-centric job, and when a management job opened at Brew HaHa!’s original Greenville location, he jumped at it.

At the time, there were Brew HaHa! locations in Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Seeking to reinforce old school methods, owner Alisa Morkides made Vogeley a barista trainer. For nearly two years, he traveled from site to site, teaching more than 150 people the art of making coffee. For a 25-year-old, it was a lot of responsibility, and it wasn’t always easy.

He says he learned from his experiences— good and bad—and he considers Morkides a mentor.

Seeking to get “back to basics,” he left Brew HaHa! to work at the Panera Bread location on Kirkwood Highway. “My goal was to focus on four-wall management again—building a team, building a staff,” he says. “I was a training manager, so they’d shuffle new hires and assistant managers through my store. It was one of the busiest stores in the Philadelphia franchise.”

In 2008, when Vogeley started at Panera, there was a coffee shop in Lantana Square called Over Coffee Café, owned

by Ben Cordova. When Vogeley visited the café, Cordova recognized him from his Brew HaHa! days. They struck up a friendship. “I loved it there,” Vogeley says.

DID YOU SAY YES?!

Vogeley's work history includes Starbucks, Penera Bread, Brew HaHa! and Redfire Grill.

“I loved the way it looked. It felt like a place that I belonged in.”

He had no idea that he would one day own a restaurant in the same space.

Over Coffee Café did not last long. Cordova leased the equipment to Café Reve, which also failed to thrive. Meanwhile, Vogeley was unhappy at Panera. In 2012, he met a friend at LOMA Coffee, where Cordova was working. “You seem angry,” the friend noted. “What do you want to do?” Vogeley pointed at Cordova and said: “I want to run my own coffee shop.”

Three weeks later, he’d left Panera to become a server at Redfire Grill & Steakhouse in Lantana Square. Waiting tables gave him time to develop a plan for a food truck. Called Drip, the truck would serve specialty coffees on the West Chester University campus.

Vogeley had gathered the necessary financing needed to purchase a truck when Cordova asked him to consider buying the equipment at Café Reve. Although two coffee shops had failed in the same storefront, Vogeley decided to buy the restaurant instead of the food truck. It didn’t bother him that a Starbucks was scheduled to open in the area. He knew his competitor well, and he vowed to be different.

DOUBLE DRIPS

Thanks to his job at Redfire, Vogeley also knew the shopping center and clientele. He told his customers that Drip Café was coming. “I don’t know if we would have had the great start that we did if people didn’t’ recognize my face,” he says.

Admittedly, it’s an easy face to remember. Even his beard can’t hide a youthful, cherubic visage, and his spectacles have become a signature. “I’ve had customers remember me and visit me from Brew HaHa!, Panera and Redfire,” he says. “It’s an amazing compliment that they continue to support the little guy.”

The “little guy” is big on flavor. “So often at a coffee shop, the food is just OK at best, and you go into a breakfast spot, and the coffee is [crap],” he says. “I was always in love with the breakfast idea, and I wanted to offer something unique.”

Hockessin, which had long embraced a natural foods store, was the perfect place for a coffee shop whose food focused on fresh ingredients. Even better, Drip Café already had a full kitchen, which he has expanded twice. Vogeley was the chef when the café opened in 2013, and he kept his finger on the pulse of customer likes and dislikes. To keep the menu seasonal, he changes about 70 percent of the items every three months. ►

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After opening in 2013, Drip Café quickly gained a following. “It’s cozy and has good comfort food and beverages,” says frequent customer Gaby O’Brien, who lives nearby. “They never rush you to leave after you’ve paid your bill. It’s a favorite spot.”

Still enamored of the food truck idea, Vogeley followed up with The Brunch Box, a food truck specializing in breakfast sandwiches and other brunch items. He also expanded the restaurant to handle the growing customer base. In the end, the food truck was a pet passion that was consuming too much time with too little return. “The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze,” he quips. He sold the truck.

A location in Newark? Well, that might just be worth the effort. When he was approached by a developer to open on North College Avenue within walking distance of the campus, he seized the opportunity.

The smaller Newark site has a more limited menu. “It’s a takeout version of ourselves,” says Vogeley. He and his team went through the Hockessin menu to select dishes that would work in the new format. And he didn’t compromise on quality. “Food has always been a big part of what we do,” he says.

Vogeley would like to open a third location in the future, particularly if he could find a site near Delaware County, where he grew up. Perhaps one day he’ll serve coffee with a splash of music. “I tell people that I got a music degree, and like any good musician, I’m working in a restaurant,” he quips.

EAT

Robbie Jester, right, and Tim Bolt started Full Circle Foods, a meal delivery service, in November 2017.

CHEFS ON WHEELS Full Circle Foods aims to bring restaurant quality to meal delivery Text & Photos by Dan Linehan

T

wo years ago, Chefs Tim Bolt and Robbie Jester looked around at the growing meal delivery industry and found it wanting. The meals tended to be bland, with basic recipes like steamed rice and broccoli.

“People have got to want more than this,” Bolt said.

The friends, who met at The Culinary Institute of America, knew they could do better. Starting in November 2017, they turned their idea into a business—Full Circle Foods—that today produces about 500 meals a week.

Full Circle aims to deliver restaurant-quality, healthy food that’s ready to heat up and eat. The name, Jester says, is a reference to the pair’s culinary school friendship coming full circle to become a business partnership.

Each brought something different to the business, and they figured out the details together as they went.

“At the end of the day, we bootstrapped it and did everything ourselves,” Jester says. Example: “Tim did the website, and he's not a web design guy.”

The chefs themselves have maintained full-time work in addition to running Full Circle. Jester, who lives in Newark, is culinary director at High 5 Hospitality, which owns the Stone Balloon Ale House, Limestone BBQ and Bourbon and several Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants. Bolt, a resident of Avondale, Pennsylvania, is culinary director at Nick's Fish House in Baltimore.

They’ve developed a rhythm that enables them to support each other. When the business began, Bolt wasn’t working, so he could throw himself into the endeavor. He recently had a child, so he backed off a bit, and Jester has picked up some of the slack.

They’re similar in ways that make them good partners; both consider themselves competitive and both love food. ► FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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CHEFS ON WHEELS continued from previoius page

GROWING UP IN THE KITCHEN

A child of restaurateurs, Jester started working at his parents’ Maryland seafood restaurant when he was 12. A few years later, he was working the line, and by the age of 15 he was supervising shifts.

His father, however, didn’t want his son following in his footsteps. “He knew how hard this business is,” Jester says. “He wanted a simpler, better life for me.”

The plan was for Jester to attend Michigan State University to study medical technology. He did indeed enroll at the East Lansing school, but a week before classes began, Jester walked into his father’s room and said he wasn’t going.

“He had some choice words for me at that moment,” he says.

Jester went on to work at several restaurants, including Piccolina Toscana in Wilmington and 16 Mile Taphouse, now the Stone Balloon Ale House.

In 2016, he gained some fame when he cooked up shrimp scampi—a recipe learned from his father—to beat celebrity Chef Bobby Flay in an episode of the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay.

One evening in 2017 as the two were having drinks, Jester told Bolt about his idea for what would become Full Circle.

Bolt did some research, and they decided to go for it.

As experienced chefs, they find that meal preparation is the easy part.

Many of their biggest challenges have come outside of the kitchen, such as overcoming organizational and planning problems like keeping the food warm after it’s delivered.

They try to deliver to someone who’s home, but that’s not always feasible.

They could freeze the food, as some other food delivery companies do, but that would deprive it of flavor. Instead, they are looking into better ways to keep food cool when it has to be left at a customer’s door.

Technology has made their operation much smoother. Their customers sign up, choose their food and pay online. Delivery is simplified by software that picks the most efficient routes for delivery people.

At first, the chefs made their own deliveries, but they have added parttime drivers as their order numbers have increased.

COOKING DAY

After Full Circle’s customers pick their meals, the chefs spend the weekend shopping. Monday is cooking day.

Jester usually takes the first shift, pulling into their rented kitchen just across the state line in Pennsylvania at about 7 a.m. The order list for this particular day in early January—six types of entrees, two snack options and two choices for breakfast—is printed out, along with the number of each to be prepared.

Between six and 12 workers help out on food preparation day, some of them employees at the restaurants Jester manages. They’re mostly young, and Jester and Bolt see mentoring them as an important part of their work.

Jester takes a moment to sample the Italian long hot peppers, which were to be the topping of a ground beef Alpine chili, so named for its distinctive Italian flavors.

“This tastes delicious,” he tells one of the cooks, and suggests the addition of some parsley.

The menu is a balancing act. It needs to be varied enough to suit the tastes of the customers without being so long that it’s unwieldy to prepare. This week, it includes golden coconut lime chicken Full Circle meals usually contain 500 calories or less, and each is gluten- and dairy-free. with a turmeric sauce, served with sautéed spinach and carrot hash.

To accompany another dish, rosemary grilled turkey cutlet, Bolt sears cauliflower with olive oil, caramelizing the natural sugar in the vegetable to develop its flavor. It would be faster and easier to steam it, but these are the little touches that Full Circle’s owners believe sets them apart from the competition.

As it is in a restaurant, the last phase is the “plating,” even though their food is put into microwave-ready plastic containers, not plates. They use the industry term to reinforce the idea that presentation is important when delivering restaurant-quality meals.

FINDING THEIR NICHE

Full Circle has increasingly focused on a health food niche. Even early on, the pair knew they wanted to make healthy food, but their customers have led them to make it their specialty.

Their meals usually contain 500 calories or less, and each is gluten- and dairy-free.

They also have meals compliant with Whole30, a nutrition and lifestyle plan that includes the elimination of processed sugar. With a few exceptions, the meals are soy-free. And Full Circle will modify meals for customers, including for vegetarians and vegans.

“A lot of what we’ve learned, we’ve learned from our clients,” Jester says.

For the most part, it’s been a matter of simple substitution, such as ground cauliflower for rice or zucchini noodles for pasta. Then there’s their twist on the pork egg roll, which cuts out the two unhealthiest parts: the egg roll wrapper and the fried pork. Instead, they sear the pork and serve it in a bowl.

The specialization in health food has helped Bolt and Jester to give more attention to their ideal customer, who is health-conscious and looking for ways to save time.

Gyms have plenty of these people, and Full Circle partnerships with fitness centers have provided convenient food drop-off points for customers who want to pick up their food where they work out.

Full Circle is now a solid player in the meal delivery industry. And as long as people continue to want the hassle of cooking taken off their plates, so to speak, Jester and Bolt believe their business will have plenty of opportunity to grow.

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“ BROADWAY’S FUNNIEST

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Additional Support by 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.

34 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

PHOTO © JEREMY DANIEL

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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

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THE CITY PUBLIC SAFETY IN WILMINGTON IMPROVES IN 2018 Gun crime down for first time in more than 15 years

M

ayor Mike Purzycki and Police Chief Robert Tracy issued a 2018 year-end report on the City’s vastly improving crime trends, and both officials are encouraged by the significant drop in gun-related crime. At the same time, they said the WPD is committed to continuing and strengthening community-police partnerships to further reduce crime in 2019 and beyond.

Chief Tracy said the WPD’s reliance on community engagement, intelligence-led policing, directed patrols and the Compstat crime analysis system has served the City well. The Mayor and Chief congratulated the men and women of the Department for embracing departmental reforms and for their dedication to duty. Mayor Purzycki and Chief Tracy also thanked citizens who are interacting with officers to prevent crime, help apprehend perpetrators, and lower the City’s crime rates.

According to the WPD’s 2018 Compstat report, shooting incidents have decreased to a level not seen in Wilmington in more than 15 years.

When compared to the average number of shooting incidents from 2003 through 2017 (108), the 72 shooting incidents in 2018 represent a 33% decrease over the 15-year period average.

Other 2018 year-end crime statistics include: • A 41% decrease in gun homicides: 19 in 2018 vs. 32 in 2017.

• A 62% homicide clearance rate in 2018, vs. a 33% rate in 2017, an improvement of 88%.

• 92 fewer shooting incidents in 2018, a 56% decrease over 2017.

38 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

• 115 fewer people shot in 2018—79 in 2018 vs. 194 in 2017, a 59% decrease • A 6% reduction in total crime in 2018 vs. 2017 taking into account the Part One crime categories of murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, and theft.

• A 30% decrease in citizen complaints filed against the WPD in 2018.

• The establishment in 2018 of a Crime/Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) by the Fed. Division of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) within the WPD’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) to assist the Wilmington and New Castle Co. Police Departments with enhanced evidence testing processes.

“We’ve had confidence in Chief Tracy since day one, and everything he told us would happen with regard to a new approach to policing in Wilmington has occurred,” said Mayor Purzycki. “The most gratifying reform is the increased level of community engagement that we see each day between residents and police officers – a welcome change that guides the operations of the Department and contributes in a large way to its current successes. It would not happen if community engagement were not a top priority of the Chief and the men and women of the Department. The Chief has earned our City’s support and our gratitude for helping to save lives and keep our communities safer.”

Chief Tracy encouraged citizens to track crime statistics numbers on a regular basis by reviewing the WPD’s CompStat reports, published on the City’s website at http://bit.ly/2BqAONB.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

IN MEMORIAM

NEWS YOU CAN USE! WILMINGTON WORKS Looking for general job information and resources? Visit https://www.wilmingtonde. gov/government/employment to learn about education and training, labor laws and regulations, how to apply for government jobs, as well as other employment-related information.

Patrick Carter

James P. Blackburn

Gilbert R. Howell

CITY MOURNS LOSS OF THREE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS

P

atrick Carter (1959-2018), who died on December 27, 2018, served as Finance Director for the Purzycki Administration since January 2017. He had a distinguished 29-year career in assisting the City of Wilmington and the State of Delaware in managing its finances, including a previous stint as City Finance Director from 1989-1993.

“Patrick was one my first administration appointees,” said Mayor Purzycki. “I needed, and the City needed, his experience and knowledge. Patrick served our government and our citizens extremely well. I will be forever grateful to have had his skill and guidance available to us as we maneuvered through various fiscal issues over the past two years. I will miss Pat, his colleagues will miss him, and the citizens of Wilmington will miss his professionalism and dedication to public service,” the Mayor continued.

The City also lost two former public safety officials in January. Retired Wilmington Fire Chief James P. Blackburn (1930-2019) died on Saturday, January 5, 2019, and retired Wilmington Police Inspector Gilbert R. Howell (1951-2019) died on Thursday, January 10, 2019. Mayor Purzycki said both men were highly respected by their colleagues and City residents. “Chief Blackburn and Inspector Howell served the citizens of Wilmington with distinction for many years, and our thoughts go out to their families,” said the Mayor.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FEB 1

ART LOOP WILMINGTON

FEB 7

BLACK HISTORY MONTH THEME GAME: DEL. BLUE COATS V. L.I. NETS

FEB 18

PRESIDENTS DAY (CITY OFFICES CLOSED)

MAR 1

HBCU WEEK BLACK TIE CELEBRATION DINNER (HOTEL DUPONT)

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

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

39

presented by

February 1 5pm Start Complimentary Shuttle Service (see website)

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

Cab Calloway School of the Arts

Delaware History Museum

Delaware Center for Horticulture

The Grand Opera House

RIVERFRONT The Delaware Contemporary 200 South Madison St. 656-6466 • decontemporary.org Artist: A Sense of Place 47°80° N, Bethany Springer & Garland of Suchness, studio artist Karoline Wileczek DOWNTOWN Christina Cultural Arts Center’s Edward Loper, Sr. Gallery 705- 707 N. Market St. 652-0101• ccacde.org Artist: Roldan West “Tales of Tradition” City of Wilmington Louis L. Redding Gallery 800 N. French Street 576-2100 • wilmingtonde.gov Artist: Introduction to Fourth Dimensionalism. Timmy Graham

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fu

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Kenny

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The reception is sponsored by The Kenny Family Foundation.

a su le s ta i n a b

Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery at Delaware College of Art and Design (DCAD) 600 N. Market St. 622-8000 • dcad.edu/gallery Artist: Ellen Durkan, “Behind Her Iron Gates” Delaware History Museum 505 N. Market Street 655-7161 Artists: “Journey to Freedom”

Grace United Methodist Church 900 Washington St. 655-8847 • Gracechurchwest.com Artist: Various artists focused on Individuals of color

Cab Calloway School of the Arts 100 N. Dupont Rd. • 651-2700 cabcallowayschool.org Artist: “Performances: the Brandywine Photo Collective”

The Grand Opera House 818 N. Market St. 658-7897 • thegrandwilmington.org The Grand Gallery Artist: Pacem In Terris Traveling Peace Youth Artwork Exhibit

Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 • the dch.org Artist: “Abstracticus”

by Hillary Pease

LaFate Gallery 227 N. Market St. 656-6786 • lafategallery.com Artist: Black History Month Storyteller

Piccolina Toscana 1412 N. Dupont Street 654-8001 Artist: Beth Bobey’s “Yesterday’s Tomorrow”

MKT Place Gallery 200 W. 9th Street 438-6545 Artist: Geraldo Gonzalez

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church 1301 N. Broom St. 652-7623 • ststeph.org Artist: Glances from White Privilege by Linda Gunderson

The Sold Firm Gallery 800-B N. Tatnall Street 689-3237 Artist: “Love & Perseverance”

by Alfredo Wilmington Public Library 10 E 10th Street 571-7400 • wilmington.lib.de.us Artists: Selected Works

by Kadir Nelson WEST END Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Ave. 429-0506 Artists: The Heart of Everything That Is

BEYOND THE CITY Arden’s Buzz Ware Village Center 2119 The Highway programs@ardenbuzz.com Artist: New Work in Old Traditions- Alan Burslem Station Gallery 3999 Kennett Pike 654-8638 • stationgallery.net Artists: Winter Gallery Artists Group Show

Next Art Loop Wilmington: March 1, 2019

ArtLoopWilmington.org

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A NEW ADAPTATION

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A French country girl finds herself on trial for her life after the nation’s rulers become threatened by her influence and popularity. With mysterious visions of saints inspiring her to help recover France from English domination, she paves the way for victory. Starring Clare O’Malley from Hetty Feather and Something Wicked This Way Comes, this epic, transcendent story brings renewed life to one of history’s greatest heroines as she pushes the boundaries of a society dominated by political and religious forces.

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This delightful and award-winning adaptation of one of the world’s most beloved fables, “The Ugly Duckling,” is a heartwarming celebration of what makes us special. Since it first hatched in 1993, Honk! has winged its way around the world in over 8,000 productions and many different languages. Winner of multiple awards, including the 2000 Olivier Award for Best Musical, this tale of learning to embrace being different is sure to delight audiences of all ages with its sparkling wit and memorable score.

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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

WATCH

“Opera Uncorked” offers chance to sample wine while enjoying opera in a studio setting. Photo courtesy of OperaDelaware

A Sweet Month for Arts OperaDelaware, Art Museum kick off entertaining February

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

I

t’s February, and many of us may be scrambling to find just the right sweet treat to delight our partners. What could be more suitable and singular than a tasty Arts experience? Here are some suggestions for all you artsy lovebirds out there…

OENOPHILES & OPERAPHILES CONVERGE

This month, OperaDelaware revisits its popular wine-andsong series, “Opera Uncorked,” pairing works with wine tastings by local shop Swigg in an up-close-and-personal studio setting.

This installment, titled Verdi, Verismo & Vino, features select pieces from La Traviata, Tosca, Carmen, Roméo et Juliette and more, performed by Amanda Palmeiro, soprano; Claudia Chapa, mezzo-soprano; Chris Carr, tenor; and Sidney Outlaw, baritone, accompanied by pianist Aurelien Eulert.

It’s the perfect event for newcomers to explore and aficionados to revel in the worlds of art and vino. Although the Feb. 3 performance has been long sold out, there are some seats remaining for the Friday, Feb. 1, performance. Tickets, available at operade.org, start at $29, with an optional wine tasting addon for $10.

THE CROSSING AT THE MUSEUM

The Delaware Art Museum’s audacious new Performance Series has introduced a range of diverse artists to patrons — from a gospel music and contemporary dance blend to jazz quartets to world fusion and multi-disciplinary works—while sharing potent messages of social justice and engaging new cultural experiences.

This month, the series showcases The Crossing—a Philadelphia-based, Grammy-winning chamber choir dedicated to the performance of new music, often addressing social issues.

They appear in the museum’s Fusco Hall on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m., performing the little match girl, by David Lang, as well as selections from the Jeff Quartets.

“The Crossing is known for their ability to interpret and execute challenging contemporary works at the highest level,” says Jonathan Whitney, the museum’s manager of Performance Programs & Community Engagement.

“During their stay, they’ll also work with members of the Wilmington Children's Chorus, giving some of our most motivated young vocalists an experience with one of the top choral conductors in the nation [their conductor, Donald Nally].”

Tickets are $25 for college students or youth, $30 for museum members, and $35 for non-members. Visit delart.org to purchase. ► FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

43

WATCH A SWEET MONTH FOR ARTS continued from previous page

Photo Tisa Della-Volpe

Department of Music UD Opera Theatre: Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music

Friday, February 8, 8:00 p.m.

Friday, February 15, 8:00 p.m.

Serafin and Friends

Wednesday, February 13, 8:00 p.m.

Marc Callahan, baritone Monday, February 18, 8:00 p.m.

The Capitol Bones

Tuesday, February 19, 8:00 p.m.

Brandywine Baroque

Thursday, February 21, 8:00 p.m.

Christine Delbeau, piano and Friends

Thursday, February 28, 8:00 p.m.

Calidore String Quartet Friday, March 8, 8:00 p.m.

Christiana Winds

Monday, March 11, 8:00 p.m.

Faculty Jazz

Wednesday, March 13, 8:00 p.m.

OPERA:NOW opera workshop March 15, 5:30 p.m.

Symphonic Band

Saturday, March 16, 8:00 p.m.

MUSIC.UDEL.EDU

44 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

In Coppélia, the title character is a beautiful doll that seems to come alive.

COMEDY & DANCE COLLIDE IN COPPÉLIA

First State Ballet Theatre starts the New Year with the family-friendly comedic ballet Coppélia, a work that originally premiered at the Théâtre Impérial l'Opéra in Paris in 1870.

Coppélia is a tale of Swanhilda, her fiancé Franz, the beautiful doll Coppélia, and eccentric toymaker Dr. Coppélius, who dreams of making his life-size doll come to life.

The doll infatuates young Franz, who spurns Swanhilda for it. But the clever girl disguises herself as the doll to fool him and eventually saves Franz from the hands of the evil Dr. Coppélius. Ultimately, love triumphs over all in this light comedy of mistaken identity.

First State’s Rie Aoki will be dancing the role of Swanhilda; Zane Winders takes the role of Franz and Leonid Goykhman plays Dr. Coppélius.

Performances are at the baby grand on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets, $30-$50, are available at TheGandWilmington.org.

POP INTO A NEW YEAR AT THE DELAWARE CONTEMPORARY

The Delaware Contemporary presents China Pop: Contemporary Year of the Pig, on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 7 to 9 p.m. It is the Contemporary’s second cultural celebration “happening” inspired by contemporary Chinese art.

Participating artists represent an eclectic genre mix: Jun Cen is an illustrator for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe; Chang Liu is a mixed-media artist; Qingshan Wang, a photographer; Zhihui Xie and Chunmei Jia, ceramic artists; Chenxi Huang is a functional designer, and Chenlin Cai is a painter. The works have been curated by Willie Yao and Wenlu Bao. Complementing the stunning visuals will be DJ Skinny White’s mix of house music and Chinese pop, a roasted pig courtesy of Fat Rick’s BBQ, and Chinese-inspired bites from Outlandish. A good-luck balloon drop-and-pop closes the night. Tickets are $35 in advance at decontemporary.org, or $40 at the door.

Plan to come dressed in a flourish of red (for good fortune) and celebrate peace and prosperity in the New Lunar Year.

FROM DELAWARE WITH LOVE…TO CARNEGIE HALL

The University of Delaware’s Master Players Concert Series and Artistic Director Xiang Gao travel to The Big Apple on Valentine’s Day weekend to celebrate the series’ 15th anniversary in legendary Carnegie Hall. The performance, “6-WIRE and Friends,” on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m., will be led by the eclectic and vibrant music of 6-WIRE. 6-WIRE (Xiang Gao, violin & director; Cathy Yang, erhu; and Matthew Brower, piano) is Master Players’ Ensemble-in-Residence. Their unique signature sound mixes traditional and new chamber music with cutting-edge audio and video technology.

The ensemble will feature the New York premiere of Clearwater Rhapsody by renowned composer Bright Sheng, who also will perform on piano. They will present two World Premieres as well: Ealasaid for the ensemble and UD Chorale, composed by UD faculty member and composer Jennifer Margaret Barker, and Meridian Flux by Delaware composer Mark Hagerty. Rounding out the program are compositions and arrangements by Xiang Gao as well as a piece entitled 6th Sense, with UD faculty cellist Lawrence Stomberg, in memory of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

If you want to make the trip and celebrate with them, tickets are $45-55 at carnegiehall.org.

BLESSED BY THE ARRIVAL OF SAINT JOAN

Photo Ann Marley

This month at Delaware Theatre Company (DTC), Bud Martin plays the role of Director for a fierce version of George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, running Feb. 6-24.

This new adaptation by Chelsea Marcantel is a fiery feminist retelling of the classic, condensing the original and adding female presence, including, of course, more Joan. With inspiration from stories of female saints, Marcantel has rewritten this narrative with the goal of inspiring girls and women to be heroes.

The plot: A French girl is on trial for her life after rulers become threatened by her influence and popularity. With saintly visions stirring her to recapture France from English control, she pushes on to Saint Joan is at Delaware Theatre Company this month. victory (and immortality).

DTC favorite Clare O’Malley (Hetty Feather, Something Wicked This Way Comes) stars in this epic story of one of history’s greatest heroines.

Martin is thrilled to present this classic in Marcantel’s vision. “Saint Joan is a powerful play with energy, movement and an impactful message,” he says. “[With Marcantel’s script], we have the ability to use medieval style but capture a modern look and feel.”

Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at DelawareTheatre.org or by calling 594-1100.

WVUD.ORG

Wilmington’s modern dance troupe, Pieces of a Dream, Inc., presents its annual concert transcenDANCE on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m. at the baby grand. In keeping with Pieces’ tradition of integrating socially-relevant topics, transcenDANCE presents a collection of works that are equally fun and thoughtful, entertaining and enlightening.

The production features a full-length performance of UPRISING: Remembrance, Resistance, Revival—a multidisciplinary production incorporating the artwork of Wilmington painter Terrance Vann with choreography by Ashley SK Davis. The work was developed as a commission by the Delaware Art Museum and is an expression of the events of 1968 Wilmington: the populist revolution and the National Guard occupation; the actions of the people and the government. It then flashes forward 50 years to consider the actions of both today and into the future.

The performance also includes two additional works. The piece Mindset, choreographed

by Pamela Oppenheimer, examines mental health disorders and the stigma that often accompanies them. And, the premiere of Journeys, jointly choreographed by Ashlei G. Randolph and Adiah Simpson, contemplates a woman’s process of self-discovery.

Tickets for transcenDANCE, available at TheGrandWilmington.org, are $30.

Something For Everyone.

PIECES OF A DREAM’S WORK TRANSCENDS

SOCIAL ISSUES & DANCE AT THE QUEEN

The Light Up the Queen (LUQ) Foundation and the Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education (DIAE) will jointly present SOLE Defined on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at The Queen.

SOLE Defined—an Artist in Residence troupe of the Washington, DC–based organization Dance Place—describes itself as the intersection of percussive dance, multimedia, storytelling and the African-American narrative throughout American history. The troupe aims to introduce students, teachers and the broader community to a high-quality percussive dance musical that uses art to address social and historical issues.

DIAE frequently works with LUQ, not only bringing guest performers but also providing professional teaching artists to lead local in-school workshops in music, visual art, drama and dance, and this production is no different.

Prior to the performance, students from First State Montessori Academy in Wilmington will participate in an immersive workshop facilitated by DIAE teaching artist Dee Faison.

Faison will help students explore percussive dance styles such as tap and step. Dancers from SOLE Defined will visit the school to teach students a dance piece from the show.

Performance times are 1 p.m. for schools and 6 p.m. for the public. Tickets are a $10 suggested donation at LightUptheQueen.org.

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

CATERING TO THE CLASSICS Classic cocktails at Grain Craft Bar + Kichen: (l-r) Makers Manhattan, blueberry lemon twisted club shrub, shrub mule, Old Fashioned with bitters.

Cocktails with a pedigree are popular choices for consumers, and bars and bartenders are glad to accommodate them

By Pam George Photos by Anthony Santoro

f you’re feeling hip while sipping a whiskey sour or perfect Manhattan, then you may need a reality check. You’re actually going old school. Both cocktails rose to fame in the late 19th century. And that trendy Moscow mule in the copper cup? The recipe was created to promote Smirnoff Vodka after World War II. A prime example of the phrase “everything old is new again,” classic cocktails are popping up on bar menus. For bartenders—known as mixologists in today’s parlance—there are distinct advantages to bowing before the tried-and-true before developing the new.

“One has to know the basics and go back to basics to create a signature cocktail,” says John Kelly, beverage manager at Tonic Bar and Grille in Wilmington. “Once you know the standards and have perfected your craft, then you—as a bartender—can begin your attempt of a ‘signature’ cocktail.”

If mixologists need a reason to master the standards—and understand their origin—they need only look across the bar.

Millennials, who grew up during the rebirth of the martini, are often discerning, particularly when it comes to spirits, says Thomas Houser, who opened the cocktail-centric The Copper Dram, formerly The Copperhead Saloon, in Greenville in 2016.

I

A Potent History Thanks to Mad Men, many people believe cocktails were born in the swinging ‘60s. However, the practice of mixing spirits with other ingredients to create a tasty beverage existed long before the three-martini lunch.

Colonists, for instance, made fermented beverages out of pumpkins, parsnips, turnips, rhubarbs and walnuts and flavored them with birch, pine and sassafras, according to mixologist Dale DeGroff, author of The Craft of the Cocktail.

A Colonial favorite was the shrub, which is gaining new fans in the 21st century. It’s made by mixing a vinegar-based sweetened syrup—known as drinking vinegar—with a spirit. (In those prerefrigeration days, the vinegar acted as a stabilizing agent.) There are also alcohol-free shrubs.

Since October, bartenders at Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen— which has locations in Newark, Kennett Square and Bear—have been mixing canned shrubs with tequila, bourbon or vodka to create cocktails. The shrub mule, for instance, is a blend of an apple-ginger shrub, Makers Mark bourbon, and ginger ale. ►

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK CATERING TO THE CLASSICS continued from previous page

Andy Costello making a shrub mule at Grain.

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“People are very curious,” says Grain co-owner Jim O’Donoghue.

“They look it up on their phone.” To make it easier on the staff and the guests, Grain has printed an explanation on the beverage menu.

Even so, the name too often elicits images of bushy trees, not delicious drinks. “People don’t know what to do with them—it’s a mental thing,” says Joe Renaud, general manager of Home Grown Café in Newark.

Houser, however, has featured shrubs since The Copper Dram opened. Granted, his customers expect the unusual as well as the familiar; it’s part of the cocktail-centric establishment’s appeal.

While The Copper Dram has food, it bills itself as a cocktail bar, not a restaurant, and the knowledgeable Houser loves describing the origin of drinks such as the shrub.

Although mixed drinks like the shrub have been around for centuries, the word “cocktail” first appeared in an 1806 publication.

By definition, it was a “stimulating” liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters.

By the 1870s, bars—and the cocktails they served—were big business. Recipe books flooded the market. The invention of refrigeration, mechanical ice systems, and soda water created the perfect storm for cocktail mania.

Prohibition and the Great Depression put a damper on the bar business, which often was viewed as corrupt after the bootlegging era. And once cocktails regained their footing in the 1950s and 1960s, many recipes fell victim to prepackaged powders. A bartender could just shake and serve what DeGroff calls “Kool-Aid cocktails.”

THE FRESH FACTOR DeGroff credits the return of the classic cocktail to restaurateur Joe Baum, who was devoted to fresh ingredients. DeGroff worked for Baum at The Rainbow Room in 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York.

Under Baum’s demanding eye, DeGroff took a chef-like approach to mixing and muddling. The interest in the old recipes caught on.

In the 1990s, Houser says, there were AOL chat rooms devoted to craft cocktails. “Bartenders nationwide started looking up old recipes,” he says. “More and more books [with cocktail recipes] were being republished. It was a movement led by [bar] professionals.”

The mixologists began looking for old ingredients. As a result, products that had all but disappeared from the market, such as Old Tom gin, earned new shelf space.

As DeGroff notes, the foundation for a stellar cocktail is fresh ingredients. It’s easy to taste the reasoning. Just compare a whiskey sour made with a mix to one made from lemon juice and homemade simple syrup.

“They are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum,” says Lizzie Wadsworth, assistant manager at Redfire Grill in Hockessin and a seasoned bartender. “Flavors taste like they do because of where they come from. Lemon juice will only taste like lemon juice if you use real lemons.”

Joseph Polecaro, a mixologist and sommelier at BBC Tavern and Grill in Greenville, would agree. “Our clients have expectations for a cocktail that are historically sound and aesthetically riveting,” he says.

Balance is key. After working in the yard on a sweltering summer day, you wouldn’t down a tall glass of lemon juice. Nor would you pour a glass of simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar cooked and blended together). Mix the two, however, and you create “a formidable lemonade,” Polecaro says.

A Season For Spirits With the increased interest in the classics—and the tweaks on the traditional—Delaware consumers are budging off the familiar vodka-based drinks.

In the summer, gin found favor. The trend is buoyed by the variety of new botanical gins that are hitting the market and inspiring new cocktails, says Polecaro. Last summer, he whipped up gin smashes with house-made strawberry simple syrup for his thirsty patrons.

Variety, however, is yet another nod to the past. A Tom Collins was initially made with the sweeter Old Tom-style gin, now offered

VALENTINE’S SPECIAL

2 by several distilleries. The Dutch style, genever, inspired the standard Collins, and the more familiar London dry led to the John Collins.

Now that the temperatures have fallen, cocktails made with bourbon, rye or whiskey are leading the charge. “I’ve noticed rye whiskey has been making a great comeback over the past decade, and we try to capitalize on that,” says Kelly of Tonic.

Simply put, Scotch is whisky (note the spelling) made in Scotland, and bourbon is made in the United States. Like vodka, whiskey can be made from different ingredients. As the name implies, rye whiskey is at least 51 percent rye.

DeGroff calls the Manhattan the “quintessential rye cocktail” but notes that in the South it’s made with bourbon. Regardless of the whiskey, it’s an elegant drink served in a martini glass sans ice. The alcohol-heavy presentation can be intimidating to the uninitiated, says Renaud of Home Grown, which doesn’t count the drink among its top sellers.

It’s a different story at Tonic, where the clientele is mostly “bankers, lawyers, and everyone who works for those bankers and lawyers,” Kelly says. “Our most common classic cocktail is the Manhattan.”

Aficionados have their preferences. O’Donoghue of Grain likes a perfect Manhattan made with Maker’s Mark bourbon and both sweet and dry vermouth. (The original recipe only used sweet vermouth.)

The old fashioned, usually made with bourbon and served on ice, is a hit even with younger guests, Renaud says. What’s in a name?

Remember, the first cocktails contained bitters, sugar, water, and spirits. That combo came back into vogue in the 1860s, and most were made with whiskey. DeGroff’s version has sugar, Angostura bitters, orange slices, cherries, water or soda water and bourbon. ►

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DRINK CATERING TO THE CLASSICS continued from previous page

An Old Fashioned with bitters at Grain.

details count A cocktail’s costar is as important as the leading spirit. Houser wishes some guests were as picky about their vermouth as they are their brand of whiskey or vodka.

Vermouth is aromatized, fortified wine flavored with various botanicals. There is a wide range of complex versions, and many bartenders have a favorite. For the Manhattan, Kelly likes Noilly Prat, a French sweet vermouth. “It’s affordable and does the job nicely,” he explains. An Italian brand might better suit another cocktail.

Bitters, including the well-known Angostura, are critical to many cocktails, and that market is also exploding. Kelly says there are bitters flavored with chocolate, habanero, and spices. The choice depends on whether the drink is a tweak on the traditional or a classic. Kelly’s “Ryte Manhattan”—as in the “right choice”—is made with 100-proof Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, Noilly Prat, Angostura bitters and a garnish of three Italian amarena cherries.

Today’s cocktail-lovers aren’t relying on just a dash to get a bitter fix. Campari and Aperol are experiencing a resurgence. In 2016, the Campari Group announced that the U.S. had become its largest market, accounting for nearly 25 percent of total sales. Amari, an herbal liqueur, is also coming on strong.

“Personally, I love bitters, which balance out many drinks,” says Redfire Grill's Wadsworth, a seasoned bartender.

a creative license Respecting the classics doesn’t mean you must limit your imagination. Redfire’s Manhattan gets a boost from a blood orange twist. “People love it,” Wadsworth says.

Home Grown has five types of mules, including one made with whiskey and blueberries.

In summer, Home Grown has featured a gin mojito laced with jalapeno.

What’s next? Mezcal drinks, Kelly predicts. “It is clean, strong and is not named tequila, so people aren’t so inclined to fight it with some story about how they’ll never drink that again because they drank too much tequila one night in college or at a bar.”

Not sure what to order? A good bartender asks questions that go beyond whether you like vodka, gin or whiskey, Houser says. “Are you in the mood for something boozy and alcohol-forward, floral and aromatic, or zippy and citrusy?” he asks. “Do you want bitter or herbaceous?”

With each question, he says, the goal is the same: “You want to get a cocktail in their hands that they are actually going to appreciate.”

50 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

DRINK

Spirited Our recommendation from an area pro ONLINE ORDERING AVAILABLE AT IRONHILLBREWERY.COM

From Joe Renaud, Beverage Director, Home Grown Café

VIOLET DREAM

Saturday, March 2nd

For this drink, I thought of my favorite cocktail and asked how I could customize it more for me.

I love violet liqueur and I love citrus. I also love the cocktail Last Word. So with this one I pulled an audible and took out the gin and added violet liqueur and lime juice. The Chartreuse gives you the winter vibes with its piney notes and the citrus and violet liqueur remind me of spring and the warmer weather to come.

This is a sipper that gives you the feel of spring and summer, all from the comfort of your couch in the middle of winter.

Things you’ll need: • .75 oz Violet Liqueur ( Liqueur De Violettes) • .75 oz Maraschino Liqueur • .75 oz Green Chartreuse • .25 oz lemon juice • .25 oz lime Juice Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, strain into your favorite glass and enjoy!

Come in to HomeGrown and try this tasty cocktail or stop in your local liquor store and get what you need to fill you summer vibes needs. Cheers!

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51

DRINK

SIPS

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

BEER & BACON

DOGFISH TO RELEASE LOW-CAL IPA

G

T

rain’s annual celebration of two American favorites—beer and bacon —is set for Saturday, Feb. 16 at Grain H2O at the Summit Marina in Bear and Saturday, March 2 at Grain’s Kennett Square location (108 W. State St.).

Each location will feature live music, area breweries and five bacon-themed dishes.

Featured breweries include Dogfish Head, Troegs, Mispillion, Ballast Point, Two Road, Terrapin and Evil Genius. Tickets are $39 and available at MeetAtGrain.com.

his spring Dogfish Head Brewery will debut Slightly Mighty, a low-cal IPA that promises to be “mighty in hops character and slight in calories.” Slightly Mighty is just 95 calories, the equivalent of Michelob Ultra, a remarkable feat for a craft beer. The secret, Dogfish founder Sam Calagione revealed in a recent article in Esquire Magazine, is the use of Chinese monk fruit extract, an ingredient 300 times the sweetness of raw sugar that doesn’t add calories or carbs. You can sample Slightly Mighty in the Dogfish Head tasting room in Milton.

COCKTAILS IN A CAN

B

each Time Distilling, the familyrun craft distillery in Lewes, is now offering four of its cocktail creations in a can. The three-year-old distillery is offering Dark n’ Stormy, Gin and Tonic, Tsunami (rum, lime and ginger ale) and The Volcano (coconut rum, pineapple guava) in 12 ounce cans. The ABV is eight percent for each can. Visit BeachTimeDistilling.com for prices and availability.

MEAD AT MT. CUBA

M

t. Cuba Center will host Mead Madness on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 1-3 p.m. The event will highlight the drink’s 8,000 years of history and demonstrate how mead is made. A variety of production techniques will be discussed and samples will be available. Cost is $30.

Visit MtCubaCenter.org to register.

52 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

SPECIAL BREW FOR DOVER SPEEDWAY

D

over International Speedway, in cooperation with Dover-based Fordham & Dominion Brewing Co., is releasing a special Splash & Go Lager as part of the celebrations surrounding the Monster Mile’s 50th anniversary this year.

The first batch of Splash & Go (4.25 ABV) was canned at Fordham & Dominion’s Dover headquarters in late December. The cans feature the track’s icon, Miles the Monster, along with distinctive Dover race photos. Splash & Go is the first beer that Fordham & Dominion has produced on its new, state-of-the-art canning line.

Bar and restaurant customers can also look for a distinctive Miles the Monster Splash & Go Lager tap handles. For specific locations where Splash & Go will be sold, visit fordhamanddominion.com.

LISTEN

Phil Young rocks out at last year's show.

SHINING A LIGHT ON LIGHT UP THE QUEEN Area musicians pay tribute to 1969 while raising funds for arts education

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald Photos by Joe del Tufo

O

n Saturday, March 2, at 8 p.m., Light Up the Queen raises the curtain on the eighth edition of its largest fundraiser, the area’s ultimate rock super-show, Shine a Light.

The concert has been one of Greater Wilmington’s most popular events since its inception in 2011.

Indeed, it has grown with every iteration. It generates impressive audience numbers as well as thousands of dollars for its parent organization, Light Up The Queen Foundation (LUQ), a non-profit dedicated to the revival of the Queen Theater and to preserving arts education for area children, young adults and residents.

Each year, Shine a Light® taps a Who’s Who of Delaware’s music scene—some 50 artists, all of whom donate their time—to fill the Queen’s majestic stage in a rollicking, joyous, hours-long performance that rivals any Springsteen run time. (One year, my hubby and I left midway through to grab a snack across the street and still got back before the last song.)

This year will see a new theme and new personnel. Well-known (and loved) Delaware musician Tony Cappella steps in as Shine a Light’s Music Committee chair. Cappella is one of the busiest guys in Delaware, guest appearing and/or playing in multiple bands, including his newest, The Stone Shakers. ► FEBRUARY JUNE 2017 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

59 53

LISTEN SHINING A LIGHT ON LIGHT UP THE QUEEN continued from previous page

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME FEBRUARY 12 STRANGELOVE: THE DEPECHE MODE EXPERIENCE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 FRI GRUNGE FEST FEATURING TRIBUTES TO: NIRVANA, SOUNDGARDEN & MORE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 STATE PROPERTY W/ ZOOKIE & BIRD GANGSTA FEBRUARY 28 FEBR LIGHT UP THE QUEEN: SHINE A LIGHT ON 1969 SATURDAY, MARCH 2 ANDERSON EAST MARCH 3 REMEMBER JONES BACK TO BACK TO BLACK AMY WINEHOUSE TRIBUTE FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Tony Cappella (right) , performing with Mike Petrillo last year, is Music Committee chair this year.

His first official move this year was to tap local musicians Joe Trainor and Nick Bucci as the show’s co-music directors. Trainor’s focus is on arrangements and overall performance, and Bucci’s is guitar structure and chord inversions.

“These two guys are perfectionists; they’ll make sure the performance is accurate and clean,” Cappella says. They’ve also added a few new players this year and hope to bring more young artists into the show for the future.

“The key factors to this show are commitment and being able to play Johnny Cash, then Earth, Wind and Fire accurately with the right feel,” says Cappella. That and, “…when you join up, your Sundays become the property of Shine A Light from January until March.”

Given all the long hours and hard work, the entire endeavor is a popular and meaningful one for the musicians, many of whom have participated since the first year.

It’s an opportunity to support their community through music, but it’s also become an annual reunion of sorts. Trainor muses, “For musicians, if the [WSTW] Homey Awards are Delaware’s music ‘prom,’ this is music homecoming.”

Rehearsal began in earnest in mid-January, and Cappella says, “From the first note, it sounded great,” he says. “These musicians were like race horses at the gate, ready to bust out!”

“It always strikes me how genuinely happy everyone is to see one another when we get together, and how close everyone’s gotten over the years,” adds singer Kerry Kristine McElrone.

Per tradition, this year’s performance has a theme — the music (and associated nostalgia) of 1969. While they trip out to the tunes of the time, attendees can harken back to memories of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon; The Gap opening its first store in San Francisco; and the premiere of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. For the music, you think of the marquee names: The Beatles (absolutely), Elvis (of course), The Stones (a given), and The Doors, Bowie, Sly & the Family Stone. But one of the great things about this all-ages show is that this crew also unearths some long-forgotten gems. Could we also hear tunes from The Archies, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield and/or John Denver?

Half the fun is trying to guess what’s next on the uber-secret set list—a surprise that’s locked up tighter than a national security brief.

So, why the choice of 1969? “The year was such a prolific one for music in many ways,” says Cappella. “Jimi Hendrix, Glenn Campbell, Johnny Cash, Philly soul…so many fantastic artists to pick from. And who could forget August 1969—400,000 fans, a dairy farm and legendary music!”

Cappella also notes this year will have a bit more emphasis on female vocalists—those who’ve appeared onstage in the past as well as some new faces. “1969 gave us a ton of great female artists that we’ll certainly highlight,” he says.

54 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Celebrating

80 Years!

Michael Davis was among the 50 performers at the 2018 show.

For all its romp and rock, the essence of Shine a Light really is about “music helping music.”

The Light Up the Queen Foundation was originally created with the goal of raising funds for restoration of Wilmington’s historic Queen Theater. Now, LUQ has shifted its focus, developing community partnerships and providing high-impact arts education for Wilmington residents.

“Shine A Light has always been one of the most exciting and successful fundraising events in the city,” says new LUQ Executive Director Sarah Koon. “Yet many are still unaware of the great work the Foundation has been doing.”

Board Chair Tom Williams agrees that awareness is an ongoing process. “If you look at the early years, hardly anyone made the connection [between Shine a Light and Light Up The Queen Foundation]. Every year it gets better, but [the connection] needs to be done subtly,” he says.

“We keep the rock ‘n roll vibe at the forefront and don't beat people over the head about our cause, but we’re really looking on Shine a Light as the springboard to increase our profile in the community and expand our programming reach.”

LUQ’s notable programs include their in-school arts residencies, the Boysie Lowry Living Jazz Residency, On Screen/In Person film series and Smart Arts!, interactive music events geared for Pre-K to 4th Graders. With residencies and Smart Arts!, the Foundation partners with organizations like the Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education and the Mid Atlantic Jazz Touring Network to provide content to schools that lack arts education funding as well as to city populations without regular access to music and art.

In recent years, the organization has placed more emphasis on its outreach programs and mission, and Williams believes that has paid off.

“Many of our sponsors have been with us from the beginning, and we appreciate that loyalty and commitment. This year, we’re happy to announce that, for the first time, we have a presenting sponsor in Chase Bank.”

Other sponsors include Today Media, Out & About, SirSpeedy, The Bancorp, The Hotel du Pont, Buccini/Pollin Group, Tonic, MySherpa, Williams, Humphreys & Co., MG+M The Law Firm, APS, Twin Lakes Brewery, NüPoint Marketing, Heritage Concrete and Rockford Tavern.

While it may not have always been top-of-mind with attendees, Light Up the Queen Foundation and its mission have been part of the show’s culture from the beginning, both onstage and behind the scenes. The Shine a Light Committee includes four LUQ board members, and two LUQ board members are regular Shine a Light musicians.

“To be sure, everyone [the musicians] knows why we’re here and what we’re about,” says McElrone. ►

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55

LISTEN

“I want folks to get a good feel for what Light Up The Queen Foundation does,” Cappella says of STAGING A COMEBACK continued from previous page his goals for show night. “And, of course walk out of the show saying, ‘Damn! That was fantastic and so much fun.’"

“Ultimately, we just want to share our excitement about the Foundation’s work with our Shine A Light concertgoers,” says Koon. “After all, it's because of our sponsors and donors that we're able to do the work we’re doing.” Koons points out that proceeds from Shine A Light ticket sales directly benefit LUQ’s programming costs which, in turn, support arts and music education and, ultimately, the Wilmington arts economy at large.

What goals are ahead for LUQ in 2019? “Well, there are three,” Williams says. “We‘ve already achieved our first—hiring of our first full-time executive director in Sarah. Our second is to expand our footprint in Wilmington with new and existing outreach programs.

Our third is to develop and present a second fundraising event to complement Shine a Light. We expect big things to come!”

Koon concurs. Her goals are to refine current programs and pilot fresh ones; increase efficiency and ensure best use of funding; begin creation of a new mission statement and a rebrand of the organization. “And, plan several new fundraising events. So, Shine A Light fans: Keep your ears open for more events to enjoy and new ways to give back.”

So while we can’t reveal the set list or every performer who’ll grace the stage, here are a few things you should know about Shine a Light on ’69:

56 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

The event is an assured sellout every year, so don’t wait to grab your spot. General admission tickets are $60 now at queenwilmington.org. There are a limited number of VIP tickets available, and the VIP experience is a truly splendid one. It includes celebrity chef-created and student-produced cuisine, an open bar with signature cocktails, front-row pit access and a sweeping and impressive balcony view (with seating) of the unforgettable night.

Koon notes that their culinary partner, The CROP Foundation, is key to the event and the VIP experience. CROP’s mission is to foster educational and employment opportunities for students who are driven to study and promote the art, science and soul of food. “We’re thrilled to have The CROP Foundation return to be featured this year,” she says. “Their students will be led by a renowned chef in creating artistic and delectable dining options for our VIP ticketholders.”

Williams says there also will be alumni of the Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency on hand entertaining VIP guests pre-show, and LUQ board members emcee-ing the VIP experience, detailing the Foundation’s programs and the “why” of the event.

Also, the $250 VIP ticket price entitles holders to a $125 taxdeductible donation to the Light Up The Queen Foundation.

“I’m looking forward to hearing the music surrounded by good people who’ve come together to have a wild night for a good cause,” says Koon.

Williams agrees. “What am I looking forward to that night?

Same as every year: Attending the coolest rock ‘n roll show with 1,100 of my closest friends.”

“For me, it’s most exciting getting together with everyone again —rehearsing the tunes, watching the show grow into a dynamic night for a wonderful cause,” says Cappella. “But walking onstage to a full house is the best rush ever. I can’t wait to do it all again!”

LISTEN

Earth Radio, from left: Jay Jolly, Jani Duerr, Dan Lord III and Joanna Osborne.

Leave' Em Smiling Earth Radio brings an infectious groove of positive energy to a growing—and dancing—audience Text & Photos by Kevin Francis

T

he local rock music scene is one of contrasts. On the one hand, there are the tried and true cover bands who have cultivated a dedicated following over the years—some over several decades. Then there are the bands that generally eschew the songs laid before them by others and decide to go allin on their own material.

One band in the latter camp is Earth Radio, a quartet shimmering with high-energy happiness, sweet harmonies, and positive vibes who inspire local music lovers to wiggle a limb and stomp a foot during a performance. Their shows are a gathering of like-minded souls seeking to surf a wave of infectious groove

and positive energy. Their music is also one of contrasts, fusing upbeat folk with danceable funk and dirty rock and roll, providing the local music scene with a unique sound.

“We’re not your typical bar band,” says singer Joanna Osborne.

Earth Radio came together when singer/guitarist Jani Duerr was busking on the streets. “I was looking for a female singer to harmonize with, so someone shot me to Joanna,” he says. “And then we just started, we had a thing going on, and we were just playing in the woods singing hillbilly music. Then we realized we needed a drummer. Dan had just recently separated from his band, so I was thinking, ‘Oh, my God, we have to get him!’” ►

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISTEN LEAVE 'EM SMILING continued from previous page

Sw rl club rewards

Members of Earth Radio—and their audience—have fun during a performance.

Dan Lord III joined the fold and, together with bassist Jay Jolly, they provide the crisp rhythm section that underpins Earth Radio’s sound, particularly on a song like the six-minute “Shambala.”

Catch one of their performances and you quickly realize that they are having fun—a lot of fun. “One of the most common quotes I get from people is, ‘You can tell everyone on stage is having a great time,’” says Lord. “And that makes it difficult for everyone in the audience to not do the same.”

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their EP, We Built a Mountain, which has been in heavy rotation on 93.7 WSTW’s Hometown Heroes program and is available on all major streaming platforms. Since then, they took off most of a couple of months to recharge for the coming year while enjoying the response to their release.

“We have been actively growing online,” says Duerr. “Our song, ‘Miss America,’ has over 4,000 plays on Spotify and counting. We’re planning a music video for that song now. The CD has almost sold out of physical copies, for which we are incredibly grateful.”

But the band’s strength continues to be in live performances.

Says Jolly: “My best friend, Richard, says, ‘The album is good, really good, but you guys are totally a live band. The energy is insane!’ I hear that from a lot of people, however, and if that's so then we're doing a good job. Foot-stomping, hand-clapping, booty-shaking music is what we do!”

Members of Earth Radio continue to grow in their individual styles while developing their distinctive overall sound.

Jolly is a disciple of John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, and Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. “The first CD I bought and always brought with me was (the Red Hot Chili Peppers’) Stadium Arcadium,” he says. “I was listening to it recently and had this huge blast to the past where for like two or three years, that's all I listened to. I picked up my bass to it and still remembered all the lines, or figured them out fairly quickly. I hope to bring that energy in my playing and stage presence, but tuned to the Earth Radio frequency.”

Osborne, who is also a dancer, says, “My vocal training is rooted in choral singing, so I'm used to harmonizing in a choreographed way. I love how I've become more comfortable

with my ability to follow a spontaneous feeling instead of desiring something to be set in stone. I've been heavily influenced by the powerful harmonic style of bands such as Fleet Foxes, Joseph, and Rising Appalachia. These bands not only carry intense authentic emotion in their voices, but have strong story-telling elements that inspire me.”

Duerr, the effervescent front man, is inspired by the “powerful lyrical imagery and accessibility” of Bob Dylan and “the artistry and commitment to authenticity” of Bjork. He admits he is a singer before being a musician.

No Written Lyrics

“I try my best to explore the entire range of my voice during each performance and often try to hit my highest and lowest notes throughout the set,” he says. “I also love experimenting—so does Joanna —with alliteration, inflection, sliding, improvisation, etc. We have several songs that have sections with no written lyrics where she and I both just play vocally off of each other with whatever feels right in the moment. This way, each show feels organic and new. You technically will never see the same show twice.”

Lord played clarinet for four years and baritone horn in grade school, but quickly picked up rock and roll in high school, then navigated through blues, funk, jazz and hip hop. “My overall style now is an accumulation of all of those things,” he says. “And with Earth Radio I also tried to add aspects of traditional folk to stay true to the genre. My biggest influences as a performer are my peers in the music community. My music friends and family are constantly pushing themselves to new heights and experimenting with new sounds and when I play, I play for them.”

To Earth Radio and their fans, their sound is not only fresh, fun and danceable, but necessary. “There is a lot to feel sad and angry about today,” says Duerr. “Those are very valid emotions; however, I wanted to make a sound that felt completely positive, energizing and uplifting.”

“Our trademark is the infectious, joyful energy that we emanate when playing live,” says Osborne. “The goal is for you to leave smiling and feeling loved.”

With a new CD, a burgeoning schedule of gigs, and a unique sound, Earth Radio is gearing up for an exciting 2019 and beyond. When you catch their act, be prepared to wiggle a limb or two and stomp your feet. They’re not your typical bar band.

FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISTEN

FEBRUARY MUSIC at Kelly’s Logan House Look for these great bands upstairs!

FRIDAY, 2/01 Jakked Up - 10 p.m.

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FRIDAY, 2/15 Element K - 10 p.m.

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60 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

TUNED IN Not-to-be-missed music news SNOW JAM AT 76ERS FIELDHOUSE

The brand-new 76ers Fieldhouse will host a concert in its first month of existence when VPM Events teams with WSTW 93.7 FM to present Snow Jam on Saturday, Feb. 16. Veteran East Coast alternative rock band O.A.R. will headline the show along with NYC pop artist Val Astaire, who began his career fronting Phillybased punk group Major League. Tickets are $25-$47.50 and are on sale now at Eventbrite.com or WSTW.com The $30 million facility is the home court for the Delaware Blue Coats, a 76ers G League affiliate, and is also a multi-sport complex managed by BPG Sports. The 76ers Fieldhouse, which can hold 3,000 for concerts, plans to do more music events.

SPIN DOCTORS’ CHRIS BARRON AT KENNETT FLASH

Chris Barron, formerly of Spin Doctors, will perform solo at Kennett Flash on Saturday, Feb. 9. The New York City-based songwriter released Angels and One-Armed Jugglers in 2017, a production Barron says is “the culmination of a lifetime’s craft and a record both contemporary and classic.” The show, open to all ages, starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20-$25. Visit KennettFlash.org.

CASSETTES TO RELEASE VINYL

Things are looking up for the upbeat power-pop band Cassettes.

On Jan. 26, Cassettes celebrated its record release party at Philadelphia’s Boot & Saddle with a new album, Wild Heart, a new single and a new website, cassettesforever.com.

Produced by Ace Enders (The Early November) and Nik Bruzzese (Man Overboard), Wild Heart is described as a “love letter to the FM era… [with] a sound that recalls pop radio of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s while keeping its feet firmly planted in the modern day.”

“The personality of the band is perfectly captured here,” says Enders. “It's similar to when the Gaslight Anthem released The '59 Sound and people freaked out because it was this mish-mosh of genre but became something cool and new. It reminds me of what that felt like, which is awesome.”

RECORD FEST AT NEWARK BIKE PROJECT

Independent record label Impetus Records is teaming with area booking collective Delaware Art Initiative (DAI) to host a record fest on Sunday, Feb. 17, at Newark Bike Project (136 S. Main St., Newark) from noon-4 p.m. The event will feature record stores, labels and area collectors selling vinyl, CDs and other music-related goods flea-market style. There also will be a record-exchange table at which guests can leave a record and take one. Admission is $3. Visit ImpetusDE.com for more info.

VALENTINE SCORES DISTRIBUTION DEAL

Local musician and executive producer Danny “Ace” Valentine is hoping his next endeavor will help expose musicians from the First State to a worldwide audience through a newly struck distribution deal with Empire Distribution out of Silicon Valley, California.

Valentine believes the partnership with Empire could bring next-level success to the seven Delaware artists featured on his next release called THE 12 Volume 1. “I’m really excited about this new album,” he says. “We have a lead single with ‘Standing Alone’

by Newark artist Liahona Perry that is very powerful. And with Empire pushing it, I think the sky is the limit.”

The brainchild of entrepreneur Ghazi Shami, Empire Distribution has made significant progress since launching in 2010. The company now works with rappers such as Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Anderson .Paak, and D.R.A.M. “I'll always run into someone that I'm doing business with and had very good dealings with and they share our stories,” Shami told XXL in 2016. “That's one thing early on in the company. We were really good with transparency in our accounting and paying people on time and openly communicating with our labels.”

1709 Lovering Ave Wilmington (302) 655-3689 Gallucios-de.com

MILTON THEATRE ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM AT DISNEY WORLD

The Milton Theatre’s Musical Theatre Ensemble (MTE) preparations are in full swing for their annual performance on the Disney World stage in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday, Feb. 16/ Kids from throughout Sussex County have been attending rigorous rehearsals to ensure their performance meets Disney theme park standards.

Besides performing live at Disney World in front of an international audience, the kids will undergo special workshops conducted by Disney professionals in dancing, singing and acting.

The trip exposes the young performers to the highest level of performance training at one of the world’s most high-profile venues.

To help raise funds for the ensemble’s trip, Sussex County favorites The Funsters will appear for a dance party benefit at Milton Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door or $12 in advance. Purchase your tickets online at MiltonTheatre.com, via phone by calling 302-684-3038 or at the box office. This event is for guests of all ages.

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29th Annual Bridal Show

Sunday, February 17, 2019 | Noon – 3 p.m.

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PLAY PLAY

THE DOGGED PURSUIT

OF EXCELLENCE Two locals were among the contenders at The National Dog Show.

Our reporter finds that they’re not much different from the family pet.

By Mike Little

M

ost dogs are just like us. Given their druthers, they’re content to sit on the sofa watching TV all day, taking only the occasional break to give their owners some exercise by playing fetch with them in the backyard.

Your show dogs are a more ambitious breed altogether. Dog shows are the canine equivalent of Harvard—only your best and your brightest get in. These canines are well-bred, have snooty names like Ch Emerick V Ashgood (Ch stands for champion), spend a lot of time beneath blow dryers and know how to comport themselves before TV cameras. And they rarely bark unless barked at.

So, what better way to explore the rarified world of this doggy elite than by attending a dog show? Especially a snazzy, world-class affair like The National Dog Show, which was held on the weekend of Nov. 17-18 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania?

As a writer, I went to the show to observe. But as a proud Delawarean, I went to root for the home pooches, and I got to meet a pair of them: Ch Rapscallion’s Biden My Time N’Money (he’s a basset hound) and Twilight’s Fairy Princess (she’s 100 percent Tibetan terrier).

$20,000 IN PRIZE MONEY

Hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, the National Dog Show has been an annual event since 1933, and it’s a very big deal indeed; this year more than 2,000 dogs representing 192 breeds showed up. And that “National” doesn’t do the competition justice; competitors jetted in from as far away as Brazil, Macau and the Philippines.

As for the stakes, they were anything but penny ante. Entrants were vying for some $20,000 in prize money and an array of honors. And the finalists were doing so before an immense television audience: The National Dog Show has been an NBC Thanksgiving Day mainstay since 2001. Small wonder I saw many a jittery pooch during the course of the day.

But what really makes the event a Mecca for dog enthusiasts is the fact that it’s benched, which means both dogs and owners are required to make themselves available to the general public over the course of the competition. ►

▲ Toy Group competitors in the big ring, where that holy of holies, Best in Show, is bestowed. Photo Todd Sobocinski /courtesy of the National Dog Show FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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www.Dogtopia.com/Elsmere 998-7877 Two large halls of the Philadelphia Expo Center| (302) were set aside for these meet-and-greets, giving celebrity-struck attendees the opportunity to rub elbows with the canine crème de la crème, from that familiar and beloved standby the Labrador Retriever to such exotic newbies as the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje and the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen. Like everyone else, I did a lot of excited dog gawking. Look! A dreadlocked Bergamasco! And over there! A simply adorable teacup chihuahua, biting someone!

WATERPROOF DOG PANTIES

Fifty-five vendors also were in attendance, selling such canine comforts as custom wooden crates, waterproof dog panties complete with tail holes, and dog beds far cushier than my human equivalent. You could also buy expensive trimming shears and other grooming goods, sleek steel bowls, dog art and photography, hands-free walking devices, and all manner of human clothing (who doesn’t want a “dog-walking utility jacket”?). Wine was also being sampled, although I didn’t see any tailed attendees partaking.

Oh, and dog restrooms (metal cages with sawdust floors) were conveniently located to make sure the day’s pampered contestants didn’t have to venture into the cold to do their show business.

Lines for the female facilities were, of course, much longer than those for the male.

The preliminary judging took place in small rings far from the glare of the bright lights and television cameras. Here the fates of the vast majority of your four-legged entrants were decided as they competed for points (a score of 15 makes the dog a champion and the right to put a “Ch” before its name) in an effort to qualify for the big ring, where the highest awards (Best in Breed, Best in Group, and that holy of holies, Best in Show) were to be handed out.

Finding a particular pooch in the midst of all this hubbub wasn’t easy, but I finally managed to locate one of my hometown faves, the lovable and very long-eared Ch Rapscallion’s Biden My Time N’Money (that’s Joe to his friends). And I discovered that just as dogs come from all walks of life, so too do their human parents.

Take Joe’s owner, Newark’s Heidi Sarver. She couldn’t be at the show because she was directing another show—the University of Delaware’s Marching Band, no less. Fortunately Joe—a show dog baby at 17 months but already a champion—was in the capable care of his handlers, the mother and son team of Erica and Tyler Cross.

64 FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Photo Todd Sobocinski /courtesy of the National Dog Show

THE DOGGED PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE continued from previous page

PPhoto Todd Sobocinski /courtesy of the National Dog Show

E VE RY TUE SDAY, A LL TICKE TS * A RE ONLY

Erica Cross with Ch Rapscallion’s Biden My Time N’Money—Joe to his friends.

HIGHS AND LOWS OF DOG HANDLING

Dog handling is as much show biz as science, and I asked Erica if she ever got nervous. “Not so much,” she told me. “I’ve been doing this for over 20 years. But I still get all of the highs, all of the lows, and all of the thrills.”

Had anything out of the ordinary ever occurred while she was in the ring? “Sure,” she replied. “When Tyler was 3-1/2, he ran into the ring to say hi. That was an interesting moment.”

I spoke to Sarver later by phone, and learned that unlike many show dog owners, she doesn’t breed them. “The dog shows are a hobby,” she told me, “and I’m not in it for any grand stakes. Dog breeding doesn’t interest me, and my busy life style precludes me from giving the dogs I’d breed the time and loving attention they deserve.”

That said, she might be receptive to allowing someone else “borrow” Joe—her only show dog—to sire a family. “People are interested,” she told me. “But I won’t be raising that litter of puppies!”

And here’s another thing Sarver won’t do: handle Joe herself.

“I hired a handler because I’m not getting in that ring,” she said emphatically. She also admitted to being as confused by the arcane nuances of dog show judging as I am. “No sooner had I figured out the point system for calculating a champion,” she laughed, “than they told me there was more. And I was like, ‘Come on!’”

Joe came up empty-pawed at the National Dog Show, but Sarver was philosophical. “He’s young,” she told me. “And he’s having fun.

He lights up when he’s in the ring. We’re both having a good time.”

I also looked up Florence Barczewski, owner of the beautiful Tibetan Terrier Twilight’s Fairy Princess. Unlike Sarver, Barczewski—who lives in Wilmington and works at a major financial organization—does breed dogs, albeit on a small scale.

And she handles “Tink” (short for Tinker Bell, Twilight Fairy Princess’ everyday name) herself.

Dog breeding may be just an avocation, but it still consumes a lot of Barczewski’s time. “It’s important work,” she says, “because you want to make sure your puppies are going to a good home, and they’re a good match for the family.”

As for handling Tink, she says, “I used to find it nerve-wracking, but I’ve been doing it for over 14 years. I’m out there to enjoy myself with my dog and make a connection.” ►

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FEBRUARY 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FEBRUARY

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February 16, 2019 • 12-4PM

the queen • 500 n Market st • wilmington, de 19801

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PLAY THE DOGGED PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE continued from page 65

Tink is just over 2 years old and not yet a champion, but, Barczewski says, “We’re working towards that. She’s a class lady.”

Like Joe, Tink didn’t walk away with any points or honors at the show, although Barczewski intimated she should have: “I thought she did great at the show. Sometimes you wonder what the judge is looking at.”

Barczewski is anything but one of those insanely competitive show dog owners satirized in the 2000 film Best in Show. “We’re just there to have fun,” she says, adding blasphemously, “After all, it’s just a dog show.”

She also rejects the notion that a show dog leads an odd and pampered existence.

“Most of your show dogs are family pets,” she says. “They just get to go out and do this thing too. My dogs [she has five] live in the house, sleep in my bed, and are all over the furniture. They’re like my kids.”

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OFF-CAMERA DRAMATICS

Of course, no trip to the dog show would be complete without spending some time in the big ring, where the day’s chosen engage in a very adorable fight to the finish.

I got a great view from the press section, and took special delight in watching the feisty toys (I’m a Chihuahua man myself) take their strut around the ring.

And I witnessed some just-off-camera dramatics when a simply massive example of Canidae Ferocious slipped away from his owner and made a mad dash for the entrance to the ring. His motives will remain forever murky; was he looking to eat one of those toy charmers, or just making a desperate bid for some undeserved television time?

The quadruped berserker was within 5 feet of the ring and dog show infamy when his owner made a successful lunge for his leash. The near disaster led to a lot of excited shouting, and I’m dead certain some NBC editing had to be done, because the response of one of the very proper judges (I was standing directly behind him) was to wheel around in his chair and snap, “What the hell’s going on?”

That canine’s dogged determination reminded me of just how much like other dogs—and people, for that matter—show dogs can be. The heart wants what the heart wants, and there isn’t a leash in the world strong enough to prevent it.

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free ! ? h c n u l

it’s A Thing!

Buy any 3 lunch items: Large salad, sandwich, pizza or entrée at Chelsea Tavern or Ernest & Scott Taproom and your 4th lunch item is free on your fourth visit!

Not to be used with any other discount/promo/offer. Dine in only.

Maximum cash value of $24. One stamp per card, per visit.

2 great packages, 1 great price! $ 75 per couple includes 3-Course Prix Fixe Menu (View it on-line)

with Champagne Available February 14th - 16th Reservations Recommended

302.384.8113 • ErnestAndScott.com 902 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801

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302.482.3333 • ChelseaTavern.com 821 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801

March 2, 2019 Don’t miss out on Light Up the Queen (LUQ) Foundation annual concert that brings over 50 local musicians together on one stage to benefit music education for children, young adults and the community. Just for one night, come experience 1969— as if you were there.

PRESENTED BY

TH A NK YO U TO O U R S PONSORS !

lightupthequeen.org/shinealight

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2019

April 8-13 Mark Your Calendar Now

A Week of Prix-Fixe Dining at Wilmington’s Premier Restaurants LUNCH: 2 courses $15 | DINNER: 3 courses $35

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presents the

SAT. MARCH 9, 8PM 29th Annual

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RESTON K & WINE

MIDDLETOWN 448 E. Main Street Middletown, DE 19709 Tel: (302) 376-6123

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www.KrestonWines.com

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

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