January 2023 - 10 Dining Trends for 2023

Nickname:

Nickname:

Nickname:

Nickname:

Nickname:

This is the 34th January I'll be starting a new year as the publisher of this magazine. That’s amazing since I’m only 45.

OK, well, I feel 45. Or … I remember when I was 45. Or … oh, you get the picture.

Let’s just say that when I began this adventure, I could easily blend into the crowd at Kelly’s Logan House and no one would bat an eye. Now, people would think I was there because my son or daughter was playing in the band.

Thirty-four years … and counting. I wouldn’t have bet on that with your money.

John Lennon nailed it. Indeed, life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.

And what’s happened to me is to find myself at the helm of this storytelling vessel called Out & About Magazine. Considering the storm we just weathered, the fact that our ship is still sailing is a testament to resilience and relationships. Mostly relationships.

I’m realistic enough to confess that Out & About likely wouldn’t have survived COVID had many in this community not valued our contribution. After all, for nearly two years the very notion of getting out and about was taboo. (In fact, one smart aleck suggested we rename the magazine In & Alone. I didn’t see the humor.)

But what I did see is a public that appreciates our storytelling. Our positive approach. Our recognition that

community pride runs deep. And a community that relishes reading stories that spotlight that pride.

Just days ago, I ran into a retired city official at Kozy Korner who I respect deeply, someone I hadn’t seen since a year or two before COVID. He enthusiastically expressed his continued joy in reading the magazine. Then he rattled off a pair of story ideas for us to consider. They were good ideas.

Such encounters have become more frequent post pandemic. That may be in part because it’s reassuring to see the familiar after enduring such uncertainty. It’s also likely that as we’ve evolved and broadened our subject matter, many more see Out & About as a worthy platform for a story they hold dear.

Without question, technology has profoundly changed publishing. And the media herd has been thinned to disconcerting numbers. But storytelling can and must live on, whether it be in print, digital or over a beer at Chelsea Tavern.

So, if you’re not getting out and about as much these days to find the printed version, fret not. Join the more than 12,000 who have found our complimentary digital subscription just an email away.

In the meantime, keep those story ideas coming. As someone famous should have said: We’ve just begun to write

— Jerry duPhily

But storytelling can and must live on, whether it be in print, digital or over a beer at Chelsea Tavern.

THE WAR ON WORDS

By Bob Yearick

MIXED UP

The media (and the rest of us) often mix up words. In many cases, it’s just a matter of changing one letter — or the same letter twice, as in these examples:

•In a News-Journal story headlined “Local pastor witnesses Newport incident,” a reader spotted this: “His home is next to the church, which is caddy-corner to the Route 141 offramp.” This term, which describes one thing being diagonal from another, is usually written catty-corner, in my experience. However, Grammarist says, “While most dictionaries recommend cater-cornered, kitty-corner and catty-corner are more common in actual usage.” Nowhere, however, is caddycorner accepted.

•Another reader received a brochure for the Brandywine River Museum’s annual giving campaign and this sentence jumped out: “We shutter to think where we'd be without our loyal members and friends.” Our reader shuddered when she saw that. A shutter, of course, is a movable cover or screen for a window.

ADD/SUBTRACT

Sometimes, writers go awry by adding or omitting one letter. For instance:

•A photo caption in The Philadelphia Inquirer added a letter — and a preposition — thus creating an error: “Runners await for the start of the Philadelphia Marathon.” The word await requires no preposition after it. Had the caption said runners wait for the start, it would’ve been correct.

•Reader and O&A staffer Beverly Zimmermann spotted a gaffe in a News-Journal story that resulted from omitting a letter. In a story about the death of Councilwoman Linda Gray, Esteban Parra and Amanda Fries reported that Council President “Trippi” Congo “sounded taken back” when told of her passing. The phrase is taken aback.

THIS ‘N’ THAT

•A reader sent in an ad for a customer appreciation happy hour at McGlynns that featured “a huge complementary buffet.” That’s complimentary , as in free.

•Autocorrect on my iPhone “corrected” the past tense of lead (led) to the incorrect lead . (Sigh). Thus is semi-literacy sustained.

Word of the Month

Jawn

I saw this on a sweatshirt during the World Series. Seems it’s a Philadelphia slang term for any noun — a person, place, or thing. Like this definition: an informative jawn.

MEDIA WATCH

•From reader Rick Straitman: “In a story about thefts of ATMs in Philadelphia, 6ABC reporter Bryanna Gallagher watched surveillance video of an ATM heist and observed, ‘The two men backed up an SUV to the door of the business, grabbed the machine and drug it to their vehicle.’” The past tense of drag is dragged.

•Reader Debbie Layton spotted this in an Associated Press story about damage from heavy rains: “The front of one house laid on the sand.” The past tense of lie is lay. Laid is the past tense of lay, which means to place something. Remember that lay is a transitive verb and requires an object. So, upon reading the sentence, a snarky grammarian might ask, “The house laid what on the sand?”

cue, was inadvertently omitted from last month's feature on staff pets. Her many fans demanded this makeup photo.

•Similarly, the Associated Press filed a story with this sentence: “The Las Vegas Invitational experienced many problems, including not having medical personnel on site, which resulted in Auburn freshman Kharyssa Richardson laying on the court for 50 minutes after falling hard . . .” That should be lying

•Here’s a dangler from noted Scottish journalist Stuart Cosgrove, writing about Esquire’s award-winning December 1963 cover of boxer Sonny Liston in a Santa hat: “Despite winning numerous magazine awards for its audacity, middle-America was not ready for a black Santa.” Middle-America didn’t win those awards, Esquire did.

MALAPHOR

A word I have just learned, it’s an informal term for a mixture of two aphorisms, idioms, or clichés. Also called an idiom blend. Here’s an example from son Steven: During his web seminar, the moderator uttered the phrase “in the essence of time.” This is a mashup of “in the interest of (saving) time” and “time is of the essence.”

LITERALLY OF THE MONTH

Steven also notes that another participant in that webinar said he had been “literally bending over backwards” to do his job.

DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCIES DEPT.

On WDEL, the traffic reporter frequently refers to roads that are “over top of” I-95. He could eliminate the last two words of the quoted phrase.

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

ryearick@comcast.net.

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

Connecting, Collaborating, and Community Building

Committed to equitable advancement in our communities, the Wilmington Alliance brings people together to drive innovative solutions, leverage resources and promote opportunities to empower the city’s residents and businesses.

Connecting, Collaborating, and Community Building

Our strength has always been convening organizations and resources, gathering them around projects. This collaborative model - coupled with decades of experience and successful neighborhood revitalization work - positions us to strategically identify barriers, fill gaps, align organizations, and pull resources from all sectors in Wilmington.

Committed to equitable advancement in our communities, the Wilmington Alliance brings people together to drive innovative solutions, leverage resources and promote opportunities to empower the city’s residents and businesses.

Our strength has always been convening organizations and resources, gathering them around projects. This collaborative model - coupled with decades of experience and successful neighborhood revitalization work - positions us to strategically identify barriers, fill gaps, align organizations, and pull resources from all sectors in Wilmington.

The Alliance, led by CEO Renata B. Kowalczyk, works to make Wilmington a more beautiful, safer, and thriving city that provides opportunity for all through our programs in Workforce Development; Entrepreneurship and Small Business Support; and Creative Placemaking.

The Alliance, led by CEO Renata B. Kowalczyk, works to make Wilmington a more beautiful, safer, and thriving city that provides opportunity for all through our programs in Workforce Development; Entrepreneurship and Small Business Support; and Creative Placemaking.

We are excited that our newest project is launching early 2023! Located on the corner of 7th and Washington Streets, this reclaimed liquor store and laundromat has transformed into a multi-use space that will benefit the residents of West Center City.

We are excited that our newest project is launching early 2023! Located on the corner of 7th and Washington Streets, this reclaimed liquor store and laundromat has transformed into a multi-use space that will benefit the residents of West Center City.

We have big plans for this site and have already begun constructing our 2023 season, which will include yoga classes, art workshops, a chess club and much more programming that will all be free and open to the public.

We have big plans for this site and have already begun constructing our 2023 season, which will include yoga classes, art workshops, a chess club and much more programming that will all be free and open to the public.

THE

Things worth knowing

NEW EXHIBITION INVITES YOU TO SHARE YOUR STORY TO HELP OTHERS

The INTO LIGHT PROJECT, a national non-profit dedicated to changing the conversation about drug addiction, is inviting Delawareans to submit stories about a loved one who has died from drug addiction. Forty-one Delaware residents will be accepted in an exhibition that will run from June 1-Dec. 3 at the Delaware Art Museum. The project aims to erase the stigma and shame associated with drug addiction using portraiture and storytelling. PBS filmed a documentary about INTO LIGHT as part of their Growing Bolder show. There is no cost to participate in the online submission process. Visit IntoLightProject.org

INTO LIGHT Project, a national non-profit organization dedicated to changing the conversation about drug addiction and erasing stigma, is looking for the personal stories of individuals from the state who have passed away from a drug overdose/ drug poisoning.

CANFATHER

COMES

TO

WILMINGTON

Film Brothers Productions, a Wilmington-based video and film production company, is presenting a screening of The Canfather at the Delaware Art Museum on Friday, Feb. 17 at 7pm. The film is a feature-length sequel to Beer Can — A Love Story, a 30-minute film that premiered in 2019 and provided a playful spin on the age-old debate between bottles vs. cans in the beer brewing industry. Tickets are $20 and include a Meet & Greet After Party with a cash bar and concessions. Visit TheCanfather.com

About INTO LIGHT Project

BMW CHAMPIONSHIP IN DELAWARE SCORES SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CADDIES

These stories become part of a statewide art exhibition featuring that person’s portrait and narrative.

Theresa Clower was inspired to create INTO LIGHT Project shortly after the death of her son, Devin Bearden, to an accidental drug overdose in February 2018 in Baltimore. Having never attempted portraiture work before, she picked up her graphite pencil and began drawing. It was a cathartic experience that allowed her to say goodbye to her son. In so doing, Theresa tapped into an entirely new calling – drawing the faces of others who had lost their lives to drug addiction.

The Western Golf Association recently announced that last summer’s BMW Championship at Wilmington Country Club raised more than $4.5 million for caddie scholarships. It was the second largest contribution to the Evans Scholars Foundation in 2022, which assists with college tuition and housing for caddies.

Location: Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington DE Date: June 1, 2023 – Dec 3, 2023 Sponsored by: DE Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health with support from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield DE In Partnership: DE Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Office of the Lt. Governor of DE, and the DE Art Museum

From there, INTO LIGHT Project held the first exhibition in Baltimore in 2019. Since then, exhibits have been held in 7 states, with more booked for 2023.

“We’re thrilled to contribute all proceeds from the 2022 BMW Championship to the Evans Scholars Foundation, where they will make a real difference for youth caddies from Delaware and across the country,” said Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior Vice President of Tournaments. “The excitement of the Delaware Valley golf fans, as well as the steadfast support of our partners at BMW, Wilmington Country Club and the PGA TOUR, made this a truly unforgettable year.”

For more information contact: Jane Donovan DE State Ambassador, INTO LIGHT Project 302-438-5537 ajanedonovan@verizon.net Theresa Clower Founder, INTO LIGHT Project 302-455-9595 tclower@intolightproject.org

More than 120,000 spectators visited Wilmington Country Club on Aug. 16-21 to see the PGA TOUR’s top 70 players compete in the penultimate event of the FedExCup Playoffs. Patrick Cantlay became the first player to defend his BMW Championship title since the FedExCup began in 2007, winning the PGA TOUR’s first stop in Delaware by one shot over Scott Stallings.

To find out more about INTO LIGHT Project’s founder and Executive Director Theresa Clower, watch this biography Or visit https://intolightproject.org/ Thank you for considering a submission to our project.

“The 2022 BMW Championship at Wilmington Country Club was an outstanding golf tournament in every regard, with the icing on the cake being this magnificent contribution towards the Evans Scholars Foundation,” said Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Human Resources and Real Estate.

We look forward to working together to change the conversation about drug addiction and erasing the stigma of SUD by helping others to better understand this insidious disease.

LOOP SERIES CONTINUES WITH MARDI GRAS THEME

After a successful restart with the Ugly Sweater Santa Crawl, which raised more than $4,500 for the Ronald McDonald House, the City Loop Series resumes Sat., Feb. 18 with the Mardi Gras Loop. Twelve nightspots will collaborate on a citywide bar crawl in which one $5 cover gains you admission to all participating venues. Mardi Gras beads will be distributed and instant prizes will be awarded to those featuring the best Mardi Gras spirit. The venues include Blitzen, Catherine Rooney’s, Chelsea Tavern, De.Co Wilmington, Gallucio’s Café, Grain Craft Bar, Grotto Pizza, Kelly’s Logan House, Maker’s Alley, Trolley Oyster House, Trolley Tap House and Wilma’s. The final Loop of the season will be the 34th annual St. Paddy’s Loop on Sat., March 11. Visit OutAndAboutNow.com

a national to addiction

KIDS CAN CLEAN UP IN THIS POSTER CONTEST

Keep Delaware Beautiful Is partnering with DelDOT to conduct a poster contest for youth kindergarten to grade 8. Entrants are encouraged to draw a picture to show ways to help keep Delaware clean and green. Themes include recycling, composting, planting a tree, picking up litter or a theme you create on your own.

The best posters will be shared via social media and displayed on the Keep Delaware Beautiful website with three prizes per age group (1st place: $100 VISA gift card and litter pick-up kit; 2nd place: $50 VISA gift card and litter pick-up kit; 3rd place: $25 VISA gift card and litter pick-up kit). All entries must be postmarked or uploaded by Feb. 1, 2023. Winners will be notified at an event on the first day of the Great American Cleanup on March 21, 2023.

For contest requirements and other details, visit KeepDelawareBeautiful.com

CALLING ALL COMMUNICATORS

The Delaware Press Association is requesting entries for its annual Communications Contest. This year’s competition, recognizing work published or broadcast in 2022, is open to all professional communicators in Delaware and nearby out-of-state communities. The contest, judged by out-of-state communications professionals, offers an opportunity to compete in various print or electronic broadcasting fields and provides useful critical commentary from the judges for each entry. The early-bird deadline is Jan. 18 with the final deadline Feb. 8. For categories and submission requirements, visit DelawarePressAssociation.org

JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION SUNDAY SUPPER MAKES CITY DEBUT

The inaugural Wilmington James Beard Foundation

Sunday Supper is set for Sunday, Feb. 12 at The Chancery Market Food Hall & Bar (1313 N. Market St., Wilm). The evening is being presented by the James Beard Foundation in partnership with McConnell & Associates, City of Wilmington and It’s Time and will feature many of the premier chefs in Wilmington, several who are past James Beard nominees. The evening will begin at 5pm with a reception followed by a dinner served family-style. Tickets are $200 per person and can be purchased at EventBrite.

TRYING Worth THIS WINTER

WALK IT OFF

I began walking and biking more last year, following a recommendation from my physical therapist for my sciatica (thanks, Jon Kennette). New Castle County runs about 250 parks, and many follow waterways and/or offer pastoral connections between subdivisions that are unavailable to cars. My favorites include TalleyDay Park, the Northern Delaware Greenway and various sinuous parks — and their bridges — following Perkins Run, Naamans Creek and Stoney Creek. I triple the positive impact by (not) doing two other things on these healthful trips. I don’t bring my cellphone, so for many minutes all those beeps and chimes are replaced by bird songs and barks. And I do bring a bag, filling more than 60 with trash from the side of the road and the parks. Bottles, cans and fastfood wraps are common debris, and so are a surprisingly large number of floss picks

— Ken Mammarella, Contributing Writer

CRAWL OUT OF YOUR NEST

CITY STAYCATION

The Quoin, Wilmington’s newest boutique hotel, is a luxurious getaway downtown on Market Street. Consider a staycation to break up January’s dark days. With a cafe, an elegant restaurant, a rooftop bar, and a speakeasy right on sight, you might not want to leave.

— Emily Sortor, Contributing Writer

Bar crawls are cool, but food crawls are fun (and can be family friendly!) On a winter Saturday, we did a nacho crawl, visiting spots like Santa Fe (Wilmington), Atexquita (Newark) and Two Stones (Christiana). Our goal was to compare and contrast the ‘chos, discovering new favorite restaurants in the process. Three or four people are enough to share lots of food without having to reserve a big table. Span the burbs for a burger crawl, try all the pizzas in Little Italy, or seek out fries at all your usual happy hour haunts—just pick a food that’s easy to share.

— JulieAnne Cross, Contributing Writer

Take the chill off by getting out and about to experience these staff suggestions

PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

Thinking of stepping out of your comfort zone this year and trying something new? Take the Lead Dance Studio in Hockessin offers tango lessons. With its precision steps and fierce embrace, this sensual Argentinian dance keeps the body in shape and sharpens the brain. If tango is not your thing, but you like the idea of fun exercise, socializing, and challenging yourself regardless of age and dance skills, professional instructors at the studio will get you started. The studio offers salsa, chacha-cha, rumba, swing, jitterbug, waltz, hustle, and the fox trot. Begin with a free introductory lesson then try a group class for $10 or a Saturday dance social for $15, no partner necessary. For more information visit TakeTheLeadDanceStudio.com.

TOP VEGAN FOOD HALL-MARKS

Looking for healthier lunchtime options just got a lot easier Downtown. DE.CO and The Chancery are my goto options for delicious and quick bites that are all vegan based. First, DE.CO's Delectablez, featuring gluten free and vegan options, serve up a monster sandwich called "The Problem." The only problem? It's so enormous I can't finish it all in one sitting! Next up is Rooted AF at The Chancery. My favorite there is the curry "chicken" empanadas. Warm, flaky and full of flavor...you won't know (or care) that you're eating 'not chicken.' Then, you can wash that down with one of their pressed juices, like my favorite, Black AF — a blend of lemon, water, agave, and activated charcoal. DIG IN WILMO!

— Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer

TO

A SHOP WITH SOLE

Located at 21A Trolley Square, The Locker Sole Shop buys, sells and trades the most sought-after sneakers in the game. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 2 to 7 p.m. and Sunday 2 to 6 p.m. No website yet but check them out on Facebook.

— Bob Yearick, Associate Editor

— Adriana Camacho-Church, Contributing Writer

GET

KNOW WILMA Wilma’s in Wilmington turns dining into an experience. After duckpin bowling, cozy up to a comforting plate of shrimp and grits and a side of grilled cornbread. (The menu has a New Orleans theme.) The combination of food and fun makes Wilma’s perfect for date night. Visit GoodTimeWilmas.com

— Pam George, Contributing Writer

TRYING WorthTHIS WINTER

AN IDEA THAT’S FOR THE BIRDS

Although I wouldn’t describe myself as a “birder,” my interest in birds has grown since I first wrote about the subject in October 2019 [See “Alex and the Near-Death Experience” on OutAndAboutNow.com].

Soon after I purchased a high-end, squirrel-proof bird feeder earlier this year, my yard became a hip hangout spot for area finches, sparrows, juncos and starlings. It’s been fun and educational watching them through my kitchen window.

Occasionally, I see a blue jay or a couple of cardinals fly in for breakfast. In November, I sighted my first tufted titmouse — which might sound funny, but was exciting to see as it had the similar “hairstyle” of cardinals, but wore a more “subdued attire.”

For birds, wintertime signals a scarcity of food options. Which means you too could be popular among our fine feathered friends with the right feeder in your yard. It’s a gift that keeps on giving. Want advice? Call Wild Birds Unlimited in Hockessin at (302) 239-9071.

— Jim Miller, Director of Publications

SHARING A TASTY SECRET

Kalbi Asian Bistro (2011 Kirkwood Hwy., Wilm.) is not new but it is still unknown to many. Located on Kirkwood Highway in Elsmere, this cozy little restaurant serves some of the best Asian food in the region, specializing in Korean fare. My personal favorite is dolsot, a choice of proteins served in a hot stone bowl so the rice gets crispy at the bottom. Every entry comes with a variety of Korean sides, and they even have BBQ tables to cook your own dinner.

— Mark Fields, Contributing Writer

HIDDEN TREASURE

Full of plants, antiques/vintage finds, gemstones, unique and local items, Trolley Square Market is a hidden gem on the second floor of the Trolley Square shopping center. There are gifts for kids and pets, and there’s a rotating local artist display section. The pantry includes snacks, tinctures, recipes, chocolates and candies. TrolleySquareMarket.com.

— Bob Yearick, Associate Editor

A SALUTE TO DELAWARE’S MILITARY HISTORY

The recently-created, non-profit Delaware Military Museum in Pike Creek is the only museum in Delaware dedicated to every branch of the armed forces that served in every armed conflict in which America was involved. The focus is on the stories of Delawareans who fought from Pearl Harbor to Omaha Beach to Iwo Jima to Bastogne and beyond. The museum is housed in a former school and each classroom features a different conflict in American history, from the Revolution to Desert Storm, with extra emphasis on the men and women who served in World War II.

The Delaware Military Museum is located at First Regiment Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Admission is free and museum hours are 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and noon to 3 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month. Visit DelawareMilitaryMuseum.org.

— Kevin Noonan, Contributing Writer

Bardea Steak

Photo by Joe del Tufo

Next Art Loop: Friday, Feb. 3, 2023

DOWNTOWN

Chris White Gallery

701 N. Shipley Street 475-0998 • chriswhitegallery.com

Artist: : JaQuanne Leroy solo exhibit “The Anthology: Trust The Process”

Christina Cultural Arts Center

705 N. Market Street 652-0101 • ccacde.org

Artist: The Art of Kara Hinson

City of Wilmington’s Redding Gallery 800 N. French Street 576-2100 • cityfestwilm.com/redding-gallery

Artist: Expressive Creative Soul

Delaware College of Art & Design 600 N. Market Street 622-8000 • dcad.edu

Artist: Wit, Humor, Despair: Amos Lemon Burkhard

Gallery at 919 919 N. Market Street 298-1542

Artist: Landscapes, Light and Other Things. John R. C. Dorchester

The Grand Opera House 818 N. Market Street 658-7897 thegrandwilmington.org

Grand Gallery: Andy Horgan “Winter White” baby grand Gallery: Pacem in Terris Traveling Peace Youth Art Exhibition

WEST SIDE

The Delaware Center for Horticulture

1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 • thedch.org

Artist: “Garden Musings” by Barbara Rosen

Riding High

By Matt Morrissette

Wilmington’s Urban Bike Project, a non-profit community bike shop with the noble mission of spreading the gospel of both the joys and utility of the bicycle, dates back to 2005 in the Trinity Vicinity neighborhood. It was there that founders David Hallberg and Brian Windle began salvaging discarded bikes and discovered the need among the community’s youth for help with bike maintenance problems ranging from flat tires to derailed chains.

After a move across town and a few years of operating out of Windle’s home in the Ninth Ward, the organization obtained non-profit status and found a stable and more official home in the basement of a commercial property at 1908 Market Street.

In 2013, Laura Milburn graduated from Youth Programs Coordinator to Executive Director of UBP and helped usher in a new era for the organization. ►

Wilmington teens Nasir Jones and D’Mitri Marks discovered Urban Bike Project almost by accident. Now they are youth leaders and valued shop mechanics.

Nasir Jones (left) and D'Mitri Marks at Urban Bike Project headquarters in downtown Wilmington. Photos by Butch Comegys

With the Market Street location outliving its space and ability to meet the organization’s growing needs, she and her associates worked closely with the City on a new space. In 2017, UBP moved into its current home at 1500 North Walnut Street, an Upper East side property on the National Register of Historic Places. The building once served as Wilmington’s mounted police stables. Today, after a $500,000 renovation of the building financed through grants and donations, UBP is now open (though hours are limited) six days per week.

One of the cornerstones of the UBP mission is community outreach, particularly to local youth. Two sterling examples of the success of this outreach are Wilmington natives

Nasir Jones, a sophomore at Dickinson High, and D’Mitri Marks, a senior at First State Military Academy.

A resident of the city’s East Side, Jones grew up riding bikes around the city with his friends. On one of his many excursions around the neighborhoods of Wilmington, a friend took him to Urban Bike Project, and he got hooked, eventually becoming one of the shop’s best mechanics. According to Jones, his training started at home.

“Most of what I know about bikes I learned from my dad and from trial and error while working on my own bikes growing up, but I’ve learned a lot from being around the shop,” he says.

Though Jones is too modest to tout his own bike credentials, Laura Wilburn is happy to do the job for him.

“Nasir is a leader to his peers and one of the most skilled trick riders in the city; I have even heard them refer to him as the ‘Wheelie King,’ she says. “Biking for Nasir is a lifestyle and a passion — he rides every day and owns multiple bikes, one of which he got at the shop.”

Ninth Ward resident D’Mitri Marks is also a somewhat recent member of the community clubhouse Urban Bike Project has become. Starting at the shop in spring of 2022, the self-motivated Marks was already fairly versed in bicycle mechanics from a steady diet of YouTube videos and hands-on experimentation. Ironically, it was a failure that really sparked his interest.

Nasir Jones, 16, was hooked on the shop from the time he discovered Urban Bike Project.

“I totally messed up my own bike before I knew what I was doing,” Marks says. “It really motivated me to learn more and being around the shop inspired me even further.”

Wilburn can’t help but express her own enthusiasm when discussing Marks’ budding enthusiasm.

“He is especially passionate about road riding and vintage steel frame road bikes (his first bike was a Peugeot, and he has since upgraded to a Lemond he bought at the shop), and touring,” she says. “I think he was inspired by an overnight ride we took to Lums Pond during summer camp to do more touring. He’s also mentioned having a goal of completing RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) soon.”

As a testament to the success of UBP’s community outreach as well as the timeless appeal of the bicycle, both Jones and Marks chose to return to work during this school year at reduced hours after a long, fun summer of working as UBP junior camp counselors and mechanics. And both, along with Wilburn and a corps of volunteers, recently helped UBP reach a new record.

In 2022, the organization fixed up then donated 115 children’s bikes to Wilmington neighborhood groups for their annual Holiday Bike Giveaway. Their previous record was 108.

"It has been such a pleasure working with Nasir and D'Mitri and seeing their leadership and mechanics skills blossom,” says Wilburn. “They've both worked really hard to earn their positions, and the other youth in the programs really look up to them. Since they started working for us, now the others want to work for us, too.”

D'Mitri Marks, 17, is passionate about road riding and hopes to one day try RAGBRAI, the famous ride across Iowa.

10 Dining Trends for

Chicken sandwiches continue to spice up menus; Caribbean and Southeast Asian flavors stay hot

By Pam George

The culinary arts have a lot in common with design and fashion. As pop culture changes, certain dishes become more popular. Chefs embrace new ingredients or find innovative ways to invigorate the old. Here is what’s trending for 2023 in Delaware.

Chicken Sandwiches

Admittedly, chicken sandwiches are nothing new. Consider that the first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened in 1967. Initially, customers couldn’t fathom eating fried chicken without a bone, founder S. Truitt Cathy told me for a trade magazine article. But by cooking a de-boned chicken breast in a pressure fryer, he cut the cooking time in half, he explained. His secret recipe also includes 20 different seasonings. Competitors caught on, and like Cathy, they realized that a chicken sandwich offered an advantage — it’s tasty hot or cold.

Despite its familiarity, the chicken sandwich is a top trend, according to the 17th annual What’s Hot survey, a collaboration between the National Restaurant Association, the American Culinary Federation and Technomic. Credit the popularity of Nashville hot chicken, which is marinated in seasonings and covered in a cayenne pepper sauce or paste. A little honey can offset the spice.

If you want to test your tolerance, try Fuku’s spicy chicken “sando,” available in The Chancery Market Food Hall at 1313 Marker Street in Wilmington. The kick comes from a habanero brine and “Fuku mayo.” I, for one, can attest that the sandwich packs the heat. ►

Chicken sandwiches, including ones that "pack a punch," remain a hot food trend.

Ethnic Sandwiches & Flatbreads

KatiRoll Wala also opened in The Chancery Market, and this newcomer to Delaware focuses on kati rolls, a street food in Kolkata, West Bengal, in India. Like a gyro, a flatbread wraps a filling, typically cheese, chicken or egg.

The sandwich is not the other global street treat that’s catching on. Many Delaware diners are familiar with falafel, which you can eat alone or as a sandwich. The main ingredient is chickpeas or fava beans, which makes it appealing to vegetarians.

You can find falafels at Home Grown Café in Newark, where the fried orbs arrive on grilled pita with alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, tahini and a salsa made with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and parsley.

Reuben Dhanawade has been wowing adventurous eaters with the Indianinspired sandwiches he’s offered at Wilmington popups. (You may remember that Dhanawade appeared on Food Network’s Chopped: Desperately Seeking Sous Chef last year.)

Since then, he’s teamed up with Nick Vouras of Nick’s Pizza to offer some creative fare. Last month, for instance, he sold the Aloo Tiki Sammy: a crispy potato patty with shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion and mango achaar mayo on a potato roll. “It’s inspired by a menu item at an Indian McDonald’s,” he explains.

The spicy chicken "sando" at Fuku in Wilmington.

Choose Filet Mignon or Fresh Salmon with lobster bisque, broccoli, au gratin potatoes, crab stuffed mushrooms and dessert!

Wilmington • Lewes • Rehoboth Beach • Ocean View • South Bethany Beach

Caribbean and Southeast Asian Flavors

Indian, Middle Eastern and Japanese foods are no longer a rarity in Delaware. Nationally, Caribbean dishes are coming on strong. The cuisine is a melting pot of Latin and African foods, and flavor profiles feature sweet ingredients (sweet potato and squash), fruit (tamarind), fragrant spices (allspice and nutmeg) and peppers.

At D & H Jamaican Cuisine in Newark, selections include jerk chicken and pork, oxtail stewed in brown gravy, curry goat and chicken and roti, a wrap-style sandwich. Incidentally, the roti has East Indian roots; contract laborers from India brought the flour wrap to the islands in the mid-1800s.

According to the What’s Hot survey, Southeast Asian flavors are also hot for 2023. Diners accustomed to Vietnamese fare may want to try Singaporean or Philippine cuisine. The former is harder to find in

Delaware. But for the latter, try OMY Smoked BBQ in Concord Mall, which has several different flavors of silog. The national dish is typically made with garlic fried rice and an egg with optional meats. The restaurant also serves adobo, commonly made with pork or chicken simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, black pepper, and bay leaves.

BBQ Is Big

However, the bulk of OMY’s menu is devoted to familiar barbecue dishes, and while the slow-and-low cooking method isn’t on national lists, it’s trending in Delaware. Witness the opening of Uncle John’s BBQ Stand in Claymont, an offshoot of owner John Berl’s food truck business. In Rehoboth, the operators behind Bethany Blues have leased one of Nicola’s old spots for Downtown Blues. Last year, the Lewes Bethany Blues was renovated to create a carryout area. ►

From left: Paneer kati roll at The Chancery's KatiRoll Wala; falafel at Newark's Homegrown Cafe; barbecue at Wilmington's OMY Smoked BBQ.

Nostalgic Notes

Understandably, pulled pork and macaroni and cheese hit the spot. As we continue grappling with the pandemic, people gravitate toward comforting dishes that rekindle the past. Juicy prime rib, crispy fried chicken, and meatloaf are menu highlights. For example, a bestseller at Dorcea in Mid-Town Brandywine is a char-grilled meatloaf with a spicy glaze. Indeed, these aren’t always your grandmother’s recipes. Grotto Pizza, for instance, added cheesesteak macaroni-and-cheese to its winter menu.

Even trendy cocktails are homages to the past. Consider the Dirty Shirley, an adult version of the Shirley Temple, a child-friendly favorite. Make the Dirty Shirley at home with Black Infusions Dark Cherry Vodka, available at area stores, including Total Wine & More. The recipe also includes ginger ale and lime juice. But forget the red maraschino cherry of your youth. Instead, use Luxardo.

Plant-based Milk

As for non-alcoholic drinks, the plant-based milk category is booming. Along with soy, you’ll find rice, oat, almond milk and banana milk from Moola, available on Amazon. It’s surprisingly good on cereal.

Boutique Salt

Salt is shaking up the artisanal market. Consider that global sales should reach $5.32 billion in 2026. Many manufacturers are getting creative. For example, Barton Seaver and Skordo teamed up for wine-pairing salt blends. (Find them at skordo.com.)

But the appeal goes beyond blends. As with coffee, oysters, wine grapes and cacao, a salt’s flavor changes depending on the origin. Henlopen Sea Salt comes from seawater near Cape Henlopen in Lewes, which makes it popular with chefs supporting local vendors and tourists.

The product has often sold out, and owner Dave Burris is ramping up to meet this year’s demand. “We plan to relaunch our wholesale program for stores in early 2023, and we expect to finally find a permanent home for our expansion sometime during the next year, which will allow us to do many things we don’t currently have the space for,” he says.

Heritage Meat

Another gourmet trend is heritage meat, which comes from animals with a proven pedigree; the breeds must conform to specific standards. Robert Lhulier compares it to heirloom seeds that haven’t crossbred or been subjected to scientific tinkering.

“With meats, the animals are heartier and mature more slowly, and they are raised more naturally,” said the chef, co-owner of Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar. “Those who raise them take more care and pride in their stewardship. And they taste better.”

Snuff Mill periodically serves North Country Berkshire pork porterhouse and Elysian Fields Farms lamb — a Thomas Keller favorite.

Pre-Prepped and Premade

Meal-delivery services continue to evolve to complement customer lifestyles and diets. For example, Blue Apron, for instance, now has ready-to-cook meals with minimal prep. The company also offers limited-time meals in a box that fit a theme. The Fireside Feast Box, for instance, is a dinner party for four.

The kit contains portioned ingredients for duck confit cassoulet, parmesan-and-garlic-herb bread, orange-and-pistachio salad and chocolate-and-almond biscotti. (The bread is already cooked.) It’s available in January and February at blueapron.com, and you do not need a subscription.

Fermented Foods

Kombucha — a fermented, lightly effervescent, sweetened black tea — has been on the shelves for some time. But in 2023, the gut-friendly fermented segment is likely to grow. Kimchi, an everyday food in Korea, is now a substitute for sauerkraut and slaw on sandwiches. Try Cleveland Kitchen’s products, available in Acme and Sprouts stores. (The company also makes sauerkraut.)

Judging by this list, the overarching theme is flavor, and, as far as dining is concerned, 2023 should be anything but bland.

The Fireside Feast by Blue Apron

Future of Libraries

By Ken Mammarella

For a decade, Alta Porterfield has been helping to plan the future. It’s her job, as statewide social innovator for the Delaware Division of Libraries. Not just following Aerosmith’s “Dream On” (one of her favorite songs), but making the future happen. Thanks to her, other librarians and people and organizations with money and power, the state’s 33 public libraries have hosted weddings and dance classes. They make makerspace equipment available. Social workers and navigators have office hours. For those on the other side of the digital divide, there are spaces to meet confidentially. Patrons can check out museum passes, Tonieboxes, Lego kits, blood pressure cuffs, thermal leak detectors and kits for picking up trash and becoming citizens. ►

The Wilmington Public Library is a beehive of activity during a December coat giveaway conducted in partnership with United Way. Photo by Butch Comegys

Of course, libraries are still built on books, with 603,000 showing up in a recent search of the statewide catalog, starting with 31 copies of various New Castle County budgets.

“We were anchored in print and anchored in reading, and that’s still the foundation,” says Annie Norman, who for 20 years has served as the state librarian. “But people learn in different ways, and so we provide experiences. Libraries have always been community centers. I describe them as community help desks. We help you take the next step, whether it’s an individual or community.”

One program in that vein is Delaware Humanities’ Community Conversation, a series of facilitator-led chats at libraries asking local residents, among other things, “How can we preserve our stories and histories?” and “How can we improve?”

Libraries are “civic bridges and centers of community engagement,” says Diana Brown, who as New Castle County’s community services manager supervises 10 libraries. Today's libraries partner with nonprofits, businesses and government agencies on concepts, such as a giveaway of the ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner at the Woodlawn Library.

Some activities notch multiple achievements, she says, exemplifying with a Jack and Jill of America program at the Middletown library, where students developed their engineering skills in building a structure from food to be donated to the Food Bank Delaware. “It was engaging students, a STEM activity and doing good.”

Building The Future

Delaware libraries today cover about 600,000 square feet, more than doubling in the past decade, on the way to get a million square feet, or the state’s goal of 1 square foot per person, Norman says.

“Libraries should have flexible spaces because needs evolve,” she says. In the pandemic, libraries saw a demand for outdoor spaces, and so the system is assessing outdoor amenities. “The future depends on what the community, what Delaware needs. We’re watching trends across the nation.”

Sometimes, simple rooms are all that are needed, say for civic association meetings, workshops by nonprofits and quiet places to study. Increasingly, the space is specialized.

“Every library we do, we add a little more,” Brown says, noting that the Middletown library has presentation equipment and software, because local high students asked for it to complete homework.

The county is now planning the replacement of the 49-yearold Newark Library — with a two-story structure, that will offer 50% more interior space and 80% more parking spaces — on the same site. Details of what will be inside will be developed with public hearings this year.

Porterfield says timing is important for changes. The Brandywine Hundred Library closed its cafe more than a decade ago, using that space for events, but the Route 9 Library — the state’s newest library, opening in 2017 — hosts the Reader’s Cafe, a restaurant open three days a week.

Ambiance is also key. “The library is a friendly, welcoming place,” she says, contrasting it to the pigeonholing people might see elsewhere. “When you’re in a crisis, it’s hard to think. People don’t want to feel like they’re just a piece of paper pushed from one place to the next. We listen. We care.”

That feeling powers several initiatives. In 2017, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services started placing social workers in libraries. Social workers have scheduled hours in six New Castle County libraries (Bear, Kirkwood Highway, Newark, Route 9, Wilmington and Woodlawn), and Appoquinimink will add the service this year.

The state library system also maintains a Get Connected page

(https://lib.de.us/getconnected) that proclaims: “We connect you with the technology and/or social service resources you need.” Menus and links start with Unite Delaware (people type in their needs, and the platform will find help). Librarians will help people with inadequate computer literacy skills get connected.

“Libraries are second responders,” Norman says, noting people turn to them in crisis and when they simply need internet access (Delawareans can check out Chromebooks and Wi-Fi hotspots).

Some programs bridge the digital world and real life. ►

Libraries remain anchored in reading and have always been communication centers, says Annie Norman, state librarian for the past 20 years. Photo provided

During the pandemic, librarians were surprised to learn how much people relied on them to print out hard copies of leases and other documents.

Key to many programs are partners, as disparate as the new Delaware Journalism Collaborative and Keep Delaware Beautiful. The week of her interview, Norman received pitches from the Delaware Academy of Medicine and the University of Delaware to get involved.

In 2021, the state launched a teleservice program with kiosks in three libraries downstate. It’s the nation’s first statewide service for situations calling for privacy and high-speed Internet access, such as digital job interviews, medical and legal appointments, and meetings with government agencies. Kiosks or reconfigured rooms have spread to the Route 9 and Woodlawn libraries, and they’re due this month in the Bear, Elsmere, Newark and North Wilmington libraries.

Porterfield shared a feel-good anecdote involving a veteran living in a shelter who took classes at the library to improve. “He worked hard,” she says, and when he got a full-time job, he reached out to the library staff to thank them for his success.

The Library of Things is a growing group of, well, things that are not books or other media. New Castle County libraries with things include Appoquinimink, Brandywine, Elsmere, Newark and Route 9, says Sarena Deglin, an administrative librarian for the state. “I believe more of the NCC libraries will be circulating items as well within the next year.” A search on a recent day included 528 things, starting with three full-page magnifiers and ending with a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle.

The statewide catalog counts 2.2 million items, including 603,000 books, 137,000 digital items, 60,000 videos, 36,000 magazines and newspapers, 30,000 audiobooks and 29,000 music items. Plus, a link to 43 million open-access articles.

Yet books will not be forgotten. “We have to shift to have a culture of reading, and

Dolly Parton with Governor John Carney and First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney during Parton's visit to Delaware last May to celebrate her Imagination Library. Photo courtesy Delaware Division of Libraries

reading in depth,” Norman says, calling that habit essential to civic

And one more yet: Even though interior space is increasing, librarians regularly weed their collections, say for too many copies of old bestsellers.

“Library shelves are basically real estate,” Brown says. “If it doesn’t circulate, it’s taking space for materials that could be used.”

Wilmington Library is a Leader

In 2022, the Wilmington Public Library was one of three winners of the National Medal of Museum and Library Service. “We’ve reinvented ourselves from a traditional library to an institution that values experiential learning and transformative life experiences,” says director Jamar Rahming.

The transformation has featured programming aimed at its service area, which is 80% Black. That has included a reunion of the TV series A Different World (“next to Oprah, we made history”) and speakers like Angela Davis and Levar Burton. On the way: Phylicia Rashad, possibly Cornel West, and the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with Slick Rick. No taxpayer dollars are used for such programming, he notes.

Library staffers also recognize that their location, in the heart of downtown, means that it is “a sanctuary space for people experiencing homelessness,” he says, and that many needy families live nearby. That’s why, with the help of Through the Word Church, it hosted a free Thanksgiving dinner for 250. And thanks to groups like Harper’s Heart and A Mother’s Love Foundation, it has hosted giveaways of food, diapers, shoes, strollers and backpacks.

The library is the “intellectual, recreational and social hub of the community,” Rahming says. Throughout the year, young people can turn to the library as a place away from troubles on the street.

When asked what the library has stopped to accommodate its new mission, he gives a surprising answer. “We’ve decided not to say ‘no.’ We always find a way to say ‘yes’ to our community.” That has meant letting people host weddings, funerals or other events that matter to them at the library.

School Libraries Changing, Too

Harry Brake, president of the Delaware Association of School Libraries, has a grand idea for the libraries in the state’s 250 public schools. “They should be a resource hub for every discipline, everyone in the schools,” he says. “Not just ‘Here’s your book.’”

That said, “books are still available and are not going away.” In fact, books are becoming more available, since those schools, following a pilot with Colonial School District, are linking their catalogs to the statewide library catalog, increasing the access for all borrowers among all the collections. Most libraries in Delaware are members, and Norman says the rest have been invited.

Meanwhile, censorship, which Pen America calls a “fullfledged social and political movement,” is reducing access to books across the country, most often for titles with LGBTQ+ themes or important characters of color. The advocacy group’s latest report tracked no cases in Delaware.

“School librarians are champions for social justice,” says EveryLibrary, which calls itself the only national political action committee for libraries. “Librarians are experts in the location, evaluation, and curation of books that allow students to ‘see’ themselves in the stories.” That’s of particular importance in Delaware, where 58% of students identify as a race or ethnicity other than white or Caucasian, the report says.

Things that are not books are becoming increasingly important in schools, too. The library at Woodbridge High, where Brake works, has a 3-D printer, a Cricut machine that prints and cuts paper, a green-screen studio and audio recorders and microphones for podcasts. He’d like to add a laser cutter, a soldering iron, a 3-D printing pen, electronic building kids and a sewing machine to replace the one that was released.

He ended recent emails with a quote from the This American Life podcast: “Libraries aren’t just for books. They’re often spaces that transform into what you need them to be: a classroom, a cyber café, a place to find answers, a quiet spot to be alone. It’s actually kind of magical.”

Harry Brake (right) with Delaware Secretary of Education Mark Holodick. Photo provided

Wilmington Public Library Director Jamar Rahming says the library tries to say "yes" to the local community as often as it can. Photo by Butch Comegys

Survival of the Fittest?

How area fitness centers are faring after the gut punch of COVID

By Kevin Noonan

Jarrett Royster doesn’t believe it’s complicated.

“Human beings want to be around other human beings,” he says. That simple philosophy is a major reason why fitness centers around the country, including in Delaware, have made a strong recovery from the trials and tribulations of the COVID-19 pandemic. The isolation forced on people by COVID made them realize that it’s more fun to sweat with friends than to do it alone at home.

Like just about all businesses, fitness centers suffered during the pandemic, and they suffered more than most since they are places where people get together in close quarters and huff and puff as they sweat through their workouts — not the ideal setting in a world where everyone was frantically trying to avoid a highly-contagious disease.

At the same time, the sales of workout-at-home programs and equipment soared during the height of COVID, especially for the top dog in the business, Peleton. ►

Delaware YMCAs are steadily regaining membership, which dropped 50% during the pandemic.

Photo by YMCA of Delaware

Now, with COVID mostly in the rear-view mirror, the oncedormant fitness centers have come back to life. That includes the eight YMCAs in Delaware, which lost about 50 percent of their membership during the pandemic.

“We’ve grown our membership back to 70 percent, which is pretty significant progress,” says Royster, the CEO of YMCA of Delaware. “Nationally, it’s around 60-80 percent of 2019 enrollment numbers, and I think we can safely grow back to 80 percent with hard work.”

Planet Fitness is one of the most well-known fitness chains and it has 10 franchises in the three counties in Delaware. Even an established and successful corporation like Planet Fitness felt the pinch during the pandemic and some of its stores around the country had to close. Now, for the first time since then, it has had three straight quarters of positive membership growth, and company CEO Chris Rondeau recently said Planet Fitness has recaptured 97 percent of the members it lost during COVID.

Another indication that fitness centers are rebounding has been the recent drop-off in sales of at-home equipment, and even industry giant Peleton hasn’t escaped that decline. In 2020, Peleton sales went up 66 percent. This past year, revenue has fallen 28 percent, from $936.9 million to $678.7 million, and total member count has dropped by 143,000, to 6.9 million.

Getting Together

A big reason for the drop in Peleton membership is that people want the social aspect that comes from working out with or around other people at a fitness center or gym, and you can’t get that from some stranger on a computer screen in your living room.

CoreTen Fitness on Orange Street in Wilmington caters mostly to business people, including out-of-staters who want to work out while they’re working in Wilmington. So, its business took a big hit during the pandemic as business travel virtually stopped and even local businessmen started doing business virtually from home.

“Those people who worked from home remotely also worked out there and they spent a lot of money on home gyms. I know I did,” says Rebeca Reyes, general manager and fitness trainer at CoreTen Fitness. “People spend thousands of dollars on home gyms and they want to get their money’s worth.

“At the same time, we’ve discovered that a lot of people who worked at home for two years want to be around other people, they want to get out of the house,” Reyes adds. “Pretty much everyone who works out here has a Peleton or something similar at home, and for the most part it’s getting dusty while they use the exact same equipment here.”

Charlotte Maher runs Fit Studio on Rockland Road in Wilmington, and she says that pre-pandemic she had classes in the morning, early afternoon and evening, and her regular customers got to know and like each other. Then COVID hit, classes were cancelled and those people lost touch.

“I’ve had them tell me that they missed the camaraderie they felt when they worked out in a group,” she says. “It was really refreshing when people came back and saw their friends for the first time in a long time. Let’s face it, it’s boring riding a bicycle by yourself and they enjoy the socializing aspect of it.”

Royster believes there’s another reason why people like to be around other people at the gym.

“It motivates them when they’re around others,” he says. “A lot of people thrive because of that. They need something or someone to push them, and that’s not something you can replicate at home.”

New Ways in a New World

The pandemic forced everyone to do business differently and fitness centers had to adapt to changing times, which was especially challenging because the changes were so unexpected. At the time, nobody knew how bad the pandemic would be or how long it would last. All they knew was that their livelihoods were being jeopardized and there was no guarantee things would ever get back to normal.

“We obviously weren’t bringing in the same revenue, so we had to come up with a plan,” Maher says. “The first thing we did was make sure we stayed in contact with our clients and made it possible for them to still [work out]. We did a lot of Zoom training and a lot of outside training. I even met with people at their homes or at a park — we did what we had to do to keep moving.”

That included things like installing hand sanitizing stations, spending even more time and effort than usual cleaning facilities

to make everything as germ-free as possible, and finding enough space to keep people from close contact. It even meant seemingly minor things, like having clients bring their own towels to workouts instead of supplying them as they did in the past.

But Maher says none of that would have been possible if her business hadn’t qualified for relief money from federal and state government.

“That saved us until things got back to normal, or at least close to normal,” Maher says. “That supplemented our payroll and allowed our trainers to make a living even though they weren’t working as much as they had.

“There was a lot of paper work involved with that,” Maher adds with a laugh. “But it was worth it to stay alive, because I love what I do and I love my business.”

Fitness centers have also realized they can’t just wait for old members to come back or new members to join. They’ve had to be pro-active and market their product for a not-so-brave new world and assure people that it’s safe to return to the gym.

“We know the business has changed and we know we have to change with it,” says Reyes of CoreTen Fitness. “At the same time, we’ve been successful for a reason and we don’t want to lose track of that. I think everyone is kind of walking that fine line.

A group Tai Chi session at Fit Studio. During the pandemic, people missed the comraderie of group workouts, says owner Charlotte Maher. Photo courtesy Bryan Davis

WORTH TRYING AT THE MOVIES

22 Movies from '22 Worth Watching, Repeating, Waiting For, or Avoiding

By Mark Fields

WORTH TRYING

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Laura Poitras’ documentary follows the personal history and social activism of New York photographer Nan Goldin. The film deftly connects Goldin’s present-day pursuit of truth and accountability within the opioid crisis to her lifelong effort to understand the suicide death of her sister decades ago.

Armageddon Time

Two troublemaking friends — one white, the other black — come of age in 1980s Brooklyn, but one’s privilege sends them down two very different paths. Director-screenwriter James Gray crafts this poignant tale from his own childhood experiences.

The Banshees of Inisherin

Colin Ferrell and Brendan Gleeson play longtime drinking buddies in an isolated island community in 1920s Ireland whose routines are disrupted when one decides he no

longer wants anything to do with the other. A very Celtic comedy — both wistful and brutal — from Martin McDonagh (In Bruges).

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

A moving cinematic tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman and his iconic portrayal of T’Challa is the launching point for a resonant, affirming new chapter in the Black Panther mythology, one refreshingly centered on women characters. Less effective when it succumbs to the tropes of most MCU superhero sagas.

Empire of Light

Roger Deakins’ luminous cinematography and Sam Mendes’ fluid direction undergird this quietly powerful character study featuring Olivia Colman. Hilary, a manager of a seaside English movie palace, seeks and finds genuine human connection, but its possible loss has devastating consequences for her. ►

of her film performances, is again fierce and unforgettable as a female warrior in historic Dahomey Africa. Of note, the film was directed, co-written, and photographed by women artists (Gina Prince-Bythewood, Dana Stevens and Maria Bello, and Polly Morgan respectively).

Women Talking

A group of women in a modern-day but regressive sect must put aside their own conflicts to act against their abuse at the hands of the group’s men. For this tense, claustrophobic drama, Sarah Polley (herself a former film actress) has assembled a powerful cast: Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, and Frances McDormand.

The Worst Person in the World

This coming-of-age dramedy from Norway, which was released in 2021 but didn’t play locally until 2022, follows four years of young-adult wandering in the life of Julie. Her lack of focus in both her personal and professional lives strikes a chord while avoiding any pat resolution at film’s end.

WORTH REPEATING

Everything, Everywhere All At Once

Difficult to describe, impossible to resist, the film is ultimately a wonderful showcase for the many talents of Michelle Yeoh.

Nope

Jordan Peele again explore the boundaries of horror through his unconventional lens, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and something very strange behind the clouds.

Top Gun: Maverick

Loyal readers know I’m no fan of Tom Cruise, but this military saga/video game is a thrill ride in part because of his undeniable moviestar charm.

WORTH WAITING FOR (still on my to-see list)

Elvis

Baz Luhrmann’s biopic takes a frenetic approach to the singer’s life and legend.

EO

This unusual film from Poland provides a fresh perspective on modern Europe through the eyes of an adventurous, expressive donkey.

RRR

Director S.S. Rajamouli describes his audacious film as “an imaginary friendship relationship between two superheroes,” set during the 1920s Raj period of colonial India.

Till

Danielle Deadwyler’s searing portrayal of the mother of lynching victim Emmett Till and her quest for justice and respect.

WORTH AVOIDING

Babylon

The subject of excessive 1920s Hollywood in the hands of Damien Chazelle could have made a good film. This bombastic, lurid and overly long movie isn’t it.

Bones and All

Strong performances from a talented cast can’t redeem this seemingly serious exploration of the lives of flesh-eating humans. Whose idea was this?

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

The latest lurching, ponderous entry from the Potterverse actually manages to make magic dull and boring, even to a fan.

From top: Anthony Hopkins in Armageddon Time; Olivia Colman in Empire of Light; Paul Dano and Michelle Williams in Steven Spielberg's The Fablemans; Letitia Wright in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Austin Butler in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis

NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES

Subscribers to Dry January tout its many benefits

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

The New Year signifies a reset; a new start for everyone. For some, that means cutting out something that’s not working. For others, it might mean trying something outside the comfort zone. Enter Dry January. There’s a growing interest in the sober curious/sober sometimes exploration — the practice of abstaining from alcohol consumption for a short- or longer-term period with the goal(s) of improving physical and mental health — and its following is not just in millennial and Gen Z circles.

More people each year take up that mantle by leaning into Dry January, Dryuary, or “Janopause.” Call it what you will, it’s become a legitimate movement that even extends to other months (e.g., Sober October, Dry July). With the rise of low-ABV cocktails, nonalcoholic spirits, and craft mocktails on many establishments’ menus, there are plenty of options to keep Dry January equally cheerful and delicious.

Although this writer doesn’t subscribe to the idea, I know plenty who do for January and beyond. Let’s see what they’ve discovered… ►

ALL THEY ARE SAYING…IS GIVE DRY A CHANCE

Regional musician-comedian Todd Chappelle tried Dry January for the first time in 2022, just to see if he could do it.

“After the first two weeks, I realized that I didn’t miss alcohol at all,” Chappelle says.

He had his first drink on February 5, 2022. Now, he hasn’t had a drink since November 15 (because of a medication regimen) and probably won’t this month, either.

“If I go the last six weeks of 2022 without alcohol, I may as well do Dry January again in 2023,” he says.

But would he make it a regular practice? “It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, so it probably will be something I do every year,” he says. “The older I get, the less tolerance I have for alcohol anyway, so going a month without is definitely good for my overall well-being.”

I have a friend, Kris H. from Pittsburgh, who has been keeping to a Dry January (and February) schedule for about 15 years now. “Before it was ‘a thing’,” she says.

It began when her husband took a break for health and clarity after having an early-age stroke, and she decided to join in his routine.

“For me, it's a nice ‘reset’ after the overindulgence of the holidays...and the summer...and the weekends,” she laughs.

“In the beginning, the hardest part was having to turn down invites where the temptation would be too great and contending with friends who didn’t quite understand,” she adds. “It can be a bit uncomfortable saying ‘no,’ but I prefer to hibernate during this time and tend to things I’d been neglecting, like home projects or hobbies.”

By now, she notes, their friends are used to it and know they’ll call when she’s ready to get out again.

An unexpected side effect Kris happily found is a greater connection to her spirituality. “I became more reflective of my day, and I dream more at night when my sleep is not dulled by alcohol. Overall, I gain more peace.”

A DIETARY DRYUARY

Bev Zimmermann of Wilmington will follow a Dry January protocol this year, but “…because of dietary restrictions, not necessarily by choice,” she says. She initially chose to do it to help her keep weight off, but it’s also helped her save money, and she notes that she enjoys the ‘freedom’ from the dreaded headaches and hangovers.

“I actually miss nothing except for drinking with friends,” Zimmermann says. Her best advice for success? “Find other activities to do with them.”

Francine and Matt Stone, also of Wilmington, have consistently stuck to a Whole30 diet for four years now — which they begin each January — and that includes a commitment to Dry January. (The Whole30 dietary program calls for 30 days of abstaining from alcohol and other foods that may cause allergy, inflammation, etc.) Participating in Whole30 along with Dry January, Stone says, allows them to break from unhealthy choices they may have reverted to during the year.

“After the indulgence of summer, fall, and holidays, I like to take a break and hit ‘reset’ on my eating and drinking patterns,” Stone says. “I’m ready [for that] after the holidays, so January is the perfect time — I try to be more introspective and focus on a fresh start in many ways.”

The thing Stone misses most is that glass of wine or cocktail at the end of the day or as a “pat on the back” to celebrate an accomplishment. Well, that and an abbreviated social calendar.

“I tend to dial back dining out and socializing when doing Whole30, because it’s hard to not fall into the usual food/drink patterns when socializing,” she says. “I do hate turning down opportunities to socialize!”

FOR THE INTRIGUED: WHAT TO KNOW

For those who want to give this journey a try, our veterans offer advice:

“If you want to give it a go, don't make big plans the first week; allow yourself rest,” Kris H. advises. “Your body will thank you.” She also suggests that if you’re looking to shed a few pounds in the process, fill the void with exercise, not sweets! “I've made that mistake before.”

Kris says by the end of January she’s settled in and finding her stride. “I usually go for six to eight weeks to get the most out of it,” she notes. “Then, when it’s time to break the alcoholic fast, ease back into it. You got all year 'til you do it again!”

“Remember it’s just 30 days,” Stone offers. “You can do anything for 30 days. Don’t cheat! You’ll miss your drink, but you’ll also be proud that you found alternatives to reaching for the bottle or can.”

NA OPTIONS: WHERE TO START

As previously noted, there are plenty of non-alcoholic (NA) options available for those who want to dive in. One local establishment that has recognized and embraced sober culture is FranksWine in Trolley Square. Owner Frank Pagliaro found this was a true (pun intended) untapped market, and he’s built a brand around it. FranksWine has over 85 different NA beers, alcohol-free wine and spirits, and craft mocktails that you’d swear are the real thing.

“The explosion of non-alcoholic libations started mid-pandemic, when a lot of people felt they were imbibing just a bit too much,” he says. “Our sales for NA beer quadrupled, and zero-proof wine/ bubbly and spirit alternative sales saw a twentyfold increase.” ►

The explosion of mocktails and other non-alcohol libations started mid-pandemic, says Frank Pagliaro of FranksWine.

FranksWine dedicates a large part of their website to NA products, and they host “BarNA” inside the shop. Employee Nicole Alvarez shines as their resident “NON-tender,” serving up her favorite mocktail recipes every Saturday. (This writer has sampled some and, truth be told, they are quite delightful.)

“It [the BarNA concept] really took off two years ago when Nicole decided to do Dry January… and she’s still dry today,” Pagliaro says.

“Many people used alcohol as an escape from the pandemic. I was one of them,” Alvarez recalls. “It got to a point where I didn’t like how I was feeling — my anxiety was horrendous, I physically felt awful, and I realized I needed a break.”

She began her break on February 1, 2021. “I got to the end of the month and decided I wanted to keep going. I gave myself little goals — 60 days, 90 days. Once I got to 90, I decided I didn’t miss how I used to feel, so I just continued.”

Many other companies are in the NA game as well. Ted Stewart, craft manager at Standard Distributing Company, provides several interesting suggestions for those following the dry lifestyle.

Athletic Brewing, founded in 2017 by Bill Shufelt and John Walker, is America's leading producer of non-alcoholic craft beer. Time magazine named the brewery the 27th biggest craft brewery in America in 2021 in its "100 Most Influential Companies" — “…pretty remarkable for a brewery that makes nothing but non-alcoholic beer,” Stewart says.

Stewart also calls attention to the Lagunitas Hop Refresher from Lagunitas Brewery. It’s a hoppy, sparkling water full of citra, equinox, and centennial hops that packs a surprisingly fruity punch, but without alcohol, carbs, calories, or gluten.

“The Refresher is a great option for Dry January, as it appeals to the craft beer drinker as well as someone who doesn’t enjoy beer,” Stewart says. “It’s a great choice on its own or as a mixer.”

Both Athletic brews and the Lagunitas Hop Refresher can be found at local liquor stores and at bars and restaurants.

Stewart notes a few other options — Heineken 0.0, the bestselling non-alcoholic option in the country, and Lagunitas IPNA, the N/A version of Lagunitas flagship IPA.

DRY JANUARY ISN’T FOR EVERYONE (AND THAT’S OK)

As I mentioned, I’m not a subscriber to the movement, although I know and respect many who are. There are kindred spirits here who have decided that this journey is just not for them, and we’re all OK with that.

Wilmington resident and pro photographer Alessandra Nicole says that she did try “Drynuary” in 2013 “…and trying to say that made me sound drunker than if I was drinking that month. I didn’t lose weight or save money because fancy mocktails were sugary & pricey!”

Wilmington’s Cindy DelGiorno, an independent wine consultant at Scout and Cellar, let me know that she prefers “…Dry Wines January.” (I’m 100% in on that.)

And fellow Wilmingtonian Lew Indellini reminded me: “My birthday is in January, and I did follow Dry January in 2020… we all know what happened in early March that year. I’ll never do it again.”

Saturday,

January 7, 11am

Free to attend

Featuring BuzzFree Cocktails, 0.0 Beer & AF Seltzer, Wellness Wine & Bubbly with music by Bruce & Sam.

Geisewite is a mom who began her sober-curious journey in November 2019. She is changing the narrative on the mommy wine culture, the hustle culture, and pro-drinking culture. Discover her debut book, Intoxicating Lies: One Woman’s Journey to Freedom from Gray-Area Drinking.

This sweet and bitter Hoppy Cider Cocktail works great with or without the hard stuff, plus it’s stupid easy to make so you can enjoy it both ways. Pro tip: Multiply up and make a big batch without the booze for premium party punch bowl pairings of your favorite alc and non-alc liqueurs!

THE HOPPY CIDER COCKTAIL

My Time

After years of performing in bands, Jason Webb is rolling solo

By Matt Morrissette

Despite the oft-discussed quirks and frustrations associated with the Delaware music scene (the seemingly cyclical closures of beloved venues that specialize in live music, the statewide infatuation with cover bands, artists having to compete for stage real estate with the hostess stand at various local bars and restaurants, etc.), one constant is the wealth and diversity of talent that chooses to stick around their beloved home state and fight the proverbial good fight.

The state’s original music scene ranges from the sweaty, basement indie rock shows of Newark to the folk and jam-band trappings of Bellefonte and touches all points in between; and though the scene is constantly being infused with new blood, one of the great pleasures of taking in the long view of it is seeing an artist’s arc as they shed bands and identities on their journey to becoming who they truly are.

One Delaware musician on this journey is singer/songwriter/ guitarist Jason Webb. Though just entering his thirties, Webb is a veteran of the music scene, having fronted the beloved and much-missed garage punks, The Holdup, in the 2010s. The more Americana-based Apache Trails (which morphed into Howl Train) followed soon after, as well as the wailing garage-blues of Cadillac Riot.

The constants in these bands were the confident, fiery vocals and charismatic stage presence of Webb, and often the rough-and-ready guitar play of Webb’s friend and frequent

collaborator, Devin Zito (son of legendary local musician Butch Zito).

Though eventually called to rock ‘n’ roll, pre-teen Jason Webb was first drawn to the world of movies and theater.

“At age 12, I remember being obsessed with movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, as well as old radio show recordings of The Shadow with Orson Welles. I was hell bent on being an actor,” Webb says.

“My mother (a self-proclaimed witch and passionate supporter of the arts) had me in everything she could ►

Jason Webb's first solo album, Royal St. Ann Burgundy, will be released this month. Photos courtesy Emma Sue Webb

think of from Shakespeare camp to community theater at Wilmington Drama League,” he continues. “It’s there I made some of my most valuable friendships. These friends kept me wanting to act and showed me how the stage can be an outlet (which I later translated into musical performance).”

At age 15, Webb got his first guitar and started banging away at power chords. Trying to work out the songs of his then-favorite bands — Sublime, Operation Ivy and Catch 22 — was the training ground for writing his own compositions.

During these formative high school years, Webb strengthened his voice and exercised his interest in theater by being in the drama program at Mount Pleasant High and appearing in Bootless Stageworks’ production of Evil Dead The Musical as Good Old Reliable Jake.

Webb’s introduction to the local music scene and to a host of new musical and cultural influences came in the form of a job at the popular North Wilmington restaurant/bar Bellefonte Café.

“At the end of high school, I picked the guitar back up and started writing songs on my own,” Webb says. “I also picked up a job waiting tables at Bellefonte Cafe, where the owner Donna Rego would take me in for years to come. Donna and the staff became family and gave me a home away from home.

“She started hosting local music and gave me some of my first shows. The cafe was where I got a chance to cut my teeth on playing out and becoming a real musician. She also got me into artists like Link Wray, Tom Waits, Prince, The Rolling Stones, and a slew of New Wave bands.”

The next crucial step in the evolution of also came in North Wilmington at Mojo 13 (now Bar XIII), where an underage Jason Webb first encountered Devin Zito and his father, who were hosting an open mic at the bar. It was here the two musicians formed their enduring friendship and began their shared musical journey. Coincidentally, it’s also where Webb met his future wife, Emma Sue Frolich.

With years of experience now under his belt, a feeling of newfound maturity from having his first child, and with a host of new and varied musical influences (Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, David Byrne formerly of Talking Heads, the late-great Elliot Smith) spurring him on, Webb decided during the pandemic that it was finally time for him to step out from the shadow and protection of being in a band and make a more personal music statement. With this new sense of purpose, he began writing songs for his first solo album.

“I think, as a songwriter, that it has taken me a long time to get to a point where I really speak my mind in lyrics,” he says. “Music is a therapeutic outlet, and I’ve always enjoyed that as a performer; but when it comes to the writing, I’ve always kind of held back a little. In my prior projects, my lyrics were more fun, and often about stuff like zombies and pop culture. Now, I’m more willing to tackle hard subjects like depression and relationship issues.”

As many local artists have come of age during the pandemic and produced the best work of their young careers (Sug Daniels, formerly of Hoochi Coochi, and Grace Vonderkuhn, to name a couple), the time seems right for Jason Webb to step into the light with his first solo album due early next year. With a sterling reputation and a loyal local fanbase earned through many high-energy gigs over the past decade, there’s no telling where or how far Jason Webb’s songs and muse will take him.

For Jason Webb, the appeal of performing live began with community theater during his teenage years.

ALMOST FAMOUS AND HOT BREAKFAST!

The event series that marries classic movies with craft beer, Movies On Tap kicks off its 2023 fundraisers on Friday, Jan. 20 with Cameron Crowe’s cult-film Almost Famous

A feature this month will be a live performance before the movie by the area’s most energized acoustic duo, Hot Breakfast! Doors will open at 6:15pm for the event at Penn Cinema.

All proceeds benefit Light Up The Queen, which supports musiceducation programming in our area’s underserved communities. Visit PennCinema.com.

THEATRE N HOSTS FINDING THE SECRET SONG

It’s a film premiere, fundraiser and concert wrapped into one night.

On Friday, Jan. 6, Theatre N hosts Finding The Secret Song Premiere, Performance & Fundraiser, which kicks off with a set of catchy indie-pop from Sug Daniels.

Then, local musician and filmmaker Ismail AbdusSalaam premieres his 22-minute documentary, Finding The Secret Song, about the making of Benjamin Wagner’s new album, Constellations

Closing out the night, Abdus-Salaam and Wagner will perform songs from Constellations with help from special guests.

Proceeds and donations will benefit the making of Wagner’s new documentary, Friends & Neighbors, the sequel to his award-winning PBS film, Mister Rogers & Me.

For full story on Wagner’s Constellations see October’s Tuned In section on OutAndAboutNow.com. Tickets at TheatreN.com.

GERALD CHAVIS AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY ME!

For more than 40 years, trumpeter Gerald Chavis has been a sideman and band leader in the area’s jazz scene. On Thursday, Jan. 12, Theatre N celebrates his legacy with Unapologetically Me! The Music of Gerald Chavis. Original music from his decades-long career will be performed live and recordings, past and present, will be available for purchase. Tickets at TheatreN.com

SPOKEY SPEAKY CELEBRATES BOB’S BIRTHDAY

Longtime stalwarts of reggae and soulful jams, Spokey Speaky close out the month of January with the 11th Annual Bob Marley Birthday Concert at The Queen — and everyone is invited!

In addition to opening for Marley’s own band, The Wailers, years ago, Spokey has had the opportunity to open for many notable reggae acts including Toots & The Maytals, Jimmy Cliff and Luciano.

The show is Friday, Jan. 28 starting at 8pm. Tickets at TheQueenWilmington.com.

You know the drill:

(1) Ask your friends to help “fill in the blanks” for the missing words needed below.

(2) Once completed, read aloud and watch hilarity ensue.

(3) Got a funny one? Take a photo and send it to us at Contact@OutAndAboutNow.com Randomly drawn winner will get a $50 Gift Card to Pizza By Elizabeths (One entry per person; must be 21 or older to enter). Have fun!

NEW COCKTAILS FOR 2023

As the craft cocktail trend continues to boom worldwide, look for these three new and ( adjective ) drinks to make your ( body part ) tingle in the new year!

The first drink industry leaders see catching fire is the “( verb ending in -ing ) ( occupation ),” a ( liquid )-based concoction that Bartender Magazine says is already making trend-setters ( verb ) with delight on Tic-Tok and Instagram. The secret ingredient? A squeeze of ( food ) around the rim of the glass.

Then, there is the “( color ) ( noun )” which became very popular towards the end of 2022. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s a seasonal drink that mixes muddled ( plural food ), ( herb )-extracts and kettle-distilled ( vegetable ) alcohol — all served in a ( adjective ) ( type of container ). Sound tasty? We think so!

Last but not least, the cocktail that should be a big hit this summer is the “( adjective ) ( first name of friend )” which is already making waves at beach clubs in ( foreign country ) and ( foreign country ). Warning : There’s a lot of ( liquid ) and ( liquid ) in this one! Try it and you may be overcome with ( adjective ) ( emotion noun )!

THE CITY

POLICE CHIEF TRACY HEADED TO ST. LOUIS

“ I offer my sincere congratulations to Chief Tracy on his selection as Police Commissioner of St. Louis. I wish nothing but the best for the Chief, Brenda, and their family as they embark on new opportunities and challenges in St. Louis. The Chief came to Wilmington during a very difficult time and leaves almost six years later with record reductions in homicides, the lowest violence in a decade, the lowest number of complaints against our police officers, and a very high level of officer retention. He institutionalized Wilmington’s crime analysis systems and his improvements will be preserved in the upcoming change in leadership. Most important he built deep relationships with the community and the clergy. We are grateful to the Chief for his service to our City and wish him and the citizens of St. Louis well. Chief Tracy will continue to hold the position of Police Chief in Wilmington through January 6. Between now and then, I’ll have more to say about the transition to a new police administration. ”

MAYOR MEETS WITH FUTURE CITY LEADERS

Mayor Mike Purzycki visited with Lewis Elementary School students in December to talk about City government. The school children, who were preparing to take part in the Youth in City Government program, learned how government works and what their future role in it may be one day. The Mayor shared his thoughts and encouraged them to follow their interests, which might even include becoming Mayor of Wilmington! Mayor Mike said he always enjoys visiting with future leaders.

Mayor Mike Purzycki issued the following statement after Wilmington Police Chief Robert Tracy was selected as the new Chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department on December 14.

Chief Robert Tracy on Market Street in Downtown Wilmington. Photo: Joe Del Tufo/Moonloop Photography

Mayor Purzycki speaks to Lewis Elementary School students planning to take part in the Youth in City Government Program.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT IMPROVEMENTS TAKE EFFECT

Starting this month, Wilmington will issue fewer parking enforcement tickets, thereby reducing hassles for City residents as well as for the City government bureaucracy. According to Mayor Mike Purzycki, the City will still maintain parking order on the streets, will still stop people from illegally taking neighborhood parking spaces, and will still keep City streets clean — but without issuing as many tickets as it’s done in the past. “We think less enforcement is better and we’re excited about the revised Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program that was announced previously,” said Mayor Purzycki.

Details About the New RPP Program

•Starting Jan. 1, all permit zones East of I-95 will have the same renewal deadline of June 30, and all permit zones West of I-95 will have the same renewal deadline of Dec. 31, reducing the number of deadlines to two, meaning there will be 24 fewer permit renewal deadlines for people to be confused about or miss.

•The City is also extending the RPP for two years each time you renew instead of the current one-year.

•If you live east of I-95, your current permit is valid through June 30, 2024. You don’t have to do anything now because your permit has already been extended for the next year and a half. Just remember to renew your permit again in June of 2024 and it will become effective for two years through June of 2026.

•If you live west of I-95, your current permit is valid through Dec. 31, 2023. You don’t have to do anything now because your permit has already been extended for the next year. The only thing you’ll have to remember is to renew your permit again in Dec. of 2023 and it will become effective for two years through Dec. of 2025.

•To help you remember when to renew your RPP, you’ll receive a renewal notice 60 days prior to the renewal date and second notice 30 days prior to expiration.

Important Exceptions to the New RPP Program

• If you move from one parking zone to the other (east to west or vice versa), let the City know immediately by dialing 311 so we can update your address and permit status.

• If your registration and license plate number changes for any reason, or if there is a change in ownership of the registered vehicle, notify us immediately so we can update your account.

• If you are a new City resident, you must apply for an RPP when you move into your home. New residents applying for an RPP within 3 months of the next renewal date will be granted the permit for the next two-year cycle.

Additional parking enforcement Improvements include, but are not limited to:

• A reduction of certain parking tickets to $25 from $40. Once approved by City Council, the lower ticket cost will become effective on July 1, 2023.

•A return to the practice of issuing a parking permit sticker, which must be placed on a vehicle to confirm the vehicle has a valid permit. The sticker also serves as a reminder to the vehicle owner regarding when the permit must be renewed.

•Creating an option for residents to receive residential parking information via text and email messages. This is a more efficient communication tool and will provide residents with a record of having received info. from the City. Once this program is announced, the City will ask residents to share their email and cell phone number by contacting the City’s Customer Service Center dialing 311 or use the online 311 portal at www.wilmingtonde.gov/residents/311.