Out & About Magazine January 2016

Also In This Issue Bold Predictions for Area Food Scene Local Authors With the Write Stuff NextFab Comes to Wilmington

6TH ANNUAL

Worth We heard it from a bird that you should check out the stuff inside

JANUARY 2016 CO M P L I M E N TA R Y VOL. 28 | NO. 11

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2 INSIDE 2

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Out & About Magazine Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

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our staff Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com

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Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net Associate Editor Krista Connor • kconnor@tsnpub.com Director of Digital Media & Distribution Marie Graham Poot • mgraham@tsnpub.com Creative Director & Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC. matt@catvis.biz Graphic Designer Tyler Mitchell, Catalyst Visuals, LLC. tyler@catvis.biz

29 what’s inside START

WILMINGTON

7 From the Publisher 9 The War on Words 11 F.Y.I. 12 By the Numbers 14 The Write Stuff 19 The Ultimate in DIY

43 Art on the Town 44 Theatre N 46 On the Riverfront

LEARN 10 A Student’s Adventures

Contributing Designer Ryan Alexander, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Contributing Writers Mark Fields, Pam George, Paula Goulden, Rob Kalesse, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Robert Lhulier, Allan McKinley, Andréa Miller, John Murray, Larry Nagengast, Scott Pruden, Eric Ruth, Matt Sullivan

FOCUS 24 Worth Trying 29 Get Out Indoors

EAT 35 2016 Food Predictions 38 Worth Trying 41 Food Notes

DRINK 49 Life Behind Bars 54 Worth Trying 57 Sips

WATCH 61 The Big Short 65 Let It Snow

LISTEN 66 Tuned In

PLAY 69 Worth Trying 71 Snap Shots

Contributing Photographers Dennis Dischler, Joe del Tufo, Tim Hawk, Les Kipp, Anthony Santoro, Matt Urban Intern Matt Moore Special Projects Sarah Green, John Holton, David Hallberg

FEATURES 14 The Write Stuff Several Delaware authors have achieved success in the literary world thanks to their talent and plenty of perseverance.

By Scott Pruden

24 Worth Trying In our sixth annual Worth Trying Issue, suggestions on where and what to eat, drink, see and

do are scattered throughout these pages, interspersed with our usual assortment of feature stories, news items and other fun stuff.

29 Getting Out Indoors Say farewell to cabin fever with this collection of classes, exhibitions, performing arts, and more.

By Krista Connor

35 Food Predictions for 2016 Among them: tipping’s tipping point, home cooking, and scrapple as the new bacon.

By Matt Sullivan

Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 Website: outandaboutnow.com Email: contact@tsnpub.com JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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From The Publisher

A PRACTICE WORTH TRYING W

elcome to our annual Worth Trying issue. We Before entering any important encounter, be it a business began kicking off the year with this theme in 2011 negotiation, community discussion, political debate… assume and we’re pleased that it continues to resonate the other side is trying to do the right thing. Trust there is no with readers. Throughout 2016, Out & About will be making hidden agenda. Believe your adversary’s heart is in the right suggestions the staff deems worthy of your time. Just look for place. Accept that negotiation is not a zero-sum game. the Worth Trying page in our Start section.

Assume best intentions drive the other side, he continued, To be clear, this is not a “Best Of…” list. While that and it’s remarkable how it leads to a more fruitful encounter. approach is a staple of many magazines, the truth is many Oh, I know what you’re thinking: Those are words of wisdom? of those themes are self-serving and veiled attempts to sell Sure, and all we need to do is love thy neighbor and we’ll have world peace. advertising. Sure, we’re all about selling advertising—it’s how Not so fast. When is the last time you paused to consider we pay the bills—but we like to do things our way. So when that the other side might sincerely believe it was doing the right it comes to endorsements, we prefer to temper the hyperbole. thing? Before you made assumptions about their motivation?

The suggestions on the pages to follow are personal Before you began focusing on ways to get an edge? recommendations from our staff and contributors. These Today, we’re so consumed with getting an edge we’ve are things we’ve gone over the edge. We experienced, things we’d anticipate the worst and Today, we’re so consumed with getting an edge recommend to a friend. are suspicious of the best.

Give them a shot and let What if we anticipated we’ve gone over the edge. We anticipate the worst us know if you agree. the best—without letting While you’re at it, let us and are suspicious of the best. What if we anticipated our guard down? know of things you feel Naïve? Perhaps. But the best—without letting our guard down? are worth trying. We’ll do you not agree that the try them and maybe even discourse of today has share with your fellow readers. deteriorated into bellicosity? Are you not turned off by today's Which is a perfect segue to a practice worth trying for each raucous, political tit-for-tat? Far too often we strive to win the of us in 2016. Hey, ‘tis the season of resolutions and turning argument through intimidation. Being louder certainly gets over a new leaf, right? you noticed, but it doesn’t make you right.

In November, I attended USA Cycling’s national So tone it down, listen with an open mind, and assume conference. During his state-of-the-sport address, newlyyour opponent is trying to do the right thing. Aren’t you more elected USAC President Derek Bouchard-Hall, knowing there receptive in a discussion if you feel the other side respects your were many competing interests in the room, offered a few opinion? At worst, it will produce a more civil dialogue. At best, words of wisdom that resonated with me. It was advice he had you might even arrive at an ideal solution. received years ago. Once applied, it became a practice he found indispensable as he progressed in his career.

— Jerry duPhily

JANUARY 2016 | 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

The Top (Bottom?) 10 Herewith a list of the top 10 misused words. Said list is based on indisputable empirical evidence (in other words, my personal observations): 1. fewer/less – Fewer, which applies where numbers or plurals are involved, is simply not in some people’s vocabularies. Less is used for quantity. You have less money because you have fewer dollars.

2. i.e./e.g. – I.e., which means “that is,” is often mistakenly used in place of e.g., which means “for example.”

3. affect/effect – The first is almost always a verb (“It didn’t affect me”); the second, a noun (“It had no effect on me”).

4. your/you’re – The first is the possessive (“Your hair is beautiful”); the second is the contraction (“You’re beautiful”).

5. their/they’re/there – The mix-up occurs with the first two— the possessive (“Their business is booming”) and the contraction (“They’re doing big business”). There is less troublesome but much more versatile. It can be used as an adverb, adjective, noun, pronoun, or even an interjection. It’s often used to indicate place (“Let’s go there”).

6. it’s/its – This understandably confuses some folks because apostrophes often indicate possessives, but in this case the possessive (“Its branches were bare”) has no apostrophe, while the contraction (“It’s cloudy today”) does.

7. lie, lay – This is another case where one—lie—is rarely used.

Lay means to place; lie means to recline. So: “I am going to lie down”; “I will lay the gun down.”

8. alumnus/alumni – Again, the first, which means a male graduate of an educational institution, is rarely used (and never on sports talk radio). Instead, the semi-learned among us go with alumni, which is the plural. If you want to be safe, go with the colloquial “alum.”

9. infer/imply – Infer, which means to deduce, conclude or assume, is often used by wannabe sophisticates in place of imply, which means to suggest or hint. Think of them as opposites.

10. A tie: compliment/complement and bring/take.

Compliment refers to praise or accolades. Complement means to supplement or accompany, as in a wine that complements an entree.

Bring is often used where take is meant. The choice depends on your point of reference. In most cases bring suggests movement toward the speaker ("Bring it to me") while take suggests movement away from the speaker ("Take it to your brother").

Next month: the most common redundancies.

By Bob Yearick

Your Assignment, Dear Readers, . . . should you decide to accept it, is to make note of every time someone utters the words “happy New Years” in your presence. Report back. Extra credit for photos of signs that wish you a “Happy New Year’s” or “New Years.”

It Never Ends “Couldn’t care less” continues to be misused, even by editorial writers, such as those at the Philadelphia Daily News: “[Politicians] could care less about the hurt it [a spending cut] will cause.” Think about it: that’s the opposite of what the phrase is intended to convey.

Getting Political The presidential campaign continues to supply us with material.

Reader Larry Kerchner says one of the Republicans came up with a Department of Redundancies Dept. candidate by claiming he is going to “unify everything together.”

Fun Fact According to The New Yorker, octogenarian crooner Pat Boone, an aspiring English teacher at the time, insisted on announcing his first big hit onstage as “Isn’t That a Shame.” (The title was “Ain’t That a Shame.”)

How Long, Oh Lord, How Long?

(In which we record the continuing abuse of that most misused punctuation mark, the apostrophe.)

Citing a new car reliability survey, USA Today’s Chris Woodyard reports, “. . . Fiat, Dodge, Chrysler and Ram finished generally near the bottom of the pack, as brand's go."

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

Seen a good (bad) one lately?

Send your candidates to ryearick@comcast.net

Words* of the Month

bathos

xenophile

Pronounced BAY-thas, -thos, it’s a noun meaning an abrupt descent from lofty or sublime to the commonplace; anticlimax.

Pronounced ZEN-uh-fyl or ZEE-nuh-fyl, it’s a noun meaning one who is attracted to foreign things or people.

*Several readers noted that we had no Word of the Month in December. So, to make amends, we're offering a bonus word this month.

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Photo courtesy of Wilmington University

LEARN

A STUDENT MEETS THE CHALLENGE ON NAKED AND AFRAID Danielle Beauchemin has backpacked throughout North and South America.

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onkeys and bot flies and bears—oh my!

Wilmington University student Danielle Beauchemin spent 21 days up close and personal with these and a host of other jungle dwellers during her adventure on Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid. The hit show places a pair of strangers in extreme environments to test and showcase their survival skills. The partners are dropped in an undisclosed location without food, water, clothing or shelter, with the goal to survive unassisted for three weeks.

The Medford, N.J., native had only 10 days to prepare. She had been told that she’d be in a jungle, desert, swamp or island in South America or Africa. Her “home away from home” turned out to be the Colombian jungle, where she met her partner, Michael Frattini, of New York. An ex-Marine who had trained as a jungle expert in Panama and the Philippines, Frattini also had served in those countries as well as Cuba, Okinawa, mainland Japan and various bases throughout the United States.

While Frattini had more experience in jungle climates, Beauchemin was equipped with her own formidable skills, acquired at the National Outdoor Leadership School. She had backpacked throughout North America and had served as head of wilderness medicine for the Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue team. Her strengths in cordage and building fires complemented Frattini’s skills in hunting and trapping.

Regardless of their combined experience, there were still first-day jitters.

“I remember my first time seeing the film crew,” Beauchemin says, “when they picked us up and were decked out in mosquito netting, high boots, long sleeves and gloves. That’s when the anxiety set in.”

While she wasn’t familiar with the indigenous plant life, she was able to find 12 edible plants. The native animals were more troublesome. Aggressive, nocturnal howler monkeys stole the pair’s food and threw insects at them. There were bats, spectacled bears and alligators. There were also bot flies, which love to burrow into human skin. Beauchemin once unknowingly disturbed a bot fly nest while pulling a vine, and the insects dug into her scalp. She and Frattini spent that night picking wounds and clearing larvae.

“I had no expectations going into the show,” says Beauchemin, the youngest person to appear on the series, “and I was intimidated because I thought I was lacking the experience others had. I just wanted to learn and was grateful for the opportunity.”

After her successful turn on Naked and Afraid, Beauchemin returned to friendlier terrain at Wilmington University to complete her bachelor’s degree in business management. Flexible online scheduling made it possible for this adventurer to explore the world while earning the degree she’ll use to create a school for survivalists—that is, after her cross-country trip to Alaska.

Experience the WilmU Difference Top-ranked online programs | Expert instructors, exceptional education Flexible course schedules and formats | Supportive, student-centered focus Find out how to get started at: wilmu.edu/StartNow Wilmington University is a nonprofit institution.

10 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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F.Y.I.

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Things worth knowing PENCIL THIS IN Sharpen your skills at DCAD Drawing Marathon

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oin Delaware College of Art & Design faculty, staff and students in a celebration of observational drawing on Saturday, Jan. 23. DCAD’s 11th annual Figure Drawing Marathon will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the school’s just-renovated second-floor space. The Marathon will provide participants the opportunity to pick up pointers and inspiration by drawing alongside DCAD students, staff, and faculty. New this year is Draw & Discover, a family-friendly event taking place in the Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery from noon to 3 p.m. and featuring observational drawing fun for families and friends. To register visit dcad.edu.

SHOWTIME WilmFilm Festival moves to March

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he WilmFilm Festival will return to the Penn Cinema Riverfront for a fourth year on March 10-13 with screenings of up to two dozen “movies that matter,” as well as the always popular compendium of “Delaware Shorts.”

Previously the event was held in late April.

The schedule will also include “movies you missed” (strong films that might not have attracted great attention when they were released), said event owner Barry Schlecker.

Ticket information and the full schedule will be announced in late February and will be available at wilmfilm.com.

HOT WHEELS Wilmington Grand Prix named to national circuit

Hagley hosts annual Invention Convention

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obots, how they work and their potential impact on society is the focus at this year’s Invention Convention at Hagley Museum and Library Jan 16-18. The event includes demonstrations, hands-on engineering challenges, and inperson conversations with professionals who use robots in their daily work. Featured science shows include Cool Chemistry and the Franklin Institute’s Motions and Machines. The Convention will be held daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For admission charges and more visit hagley.org.

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he Wilmington Grand Prix has once again been named to USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC), maintaining the event’s status as one of the premier bike races in the country. Though more than 3,000 criterium-style races take place annually in the U.S., only 24 were named to the NRC. This year’s Grand Prix is set for May 13-15, and will mark the 10-year anniversary of the event. Last year’s race drew 838 racers and riders from 33 states and 13 countries. Visit wilmgrandprix.com.

MY HOMETOWN Local author pens book about growing up in Claymont

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ocal author Kevin M. Francis recently published a 174-page paperback recounting his experiences growing up in Claymont during the 1970s. Titled Green Tree: Growing Up a Below Average Kid in an Average Town in the Above Average Decade of the 1970s, the book was edited by Terrance Patrick Hanrahan and Greg Schauer, proprietor of Claymont’s Between Books 2.0. “I wrote it as a valentine to my hometown but I would venture the reader would not need to have been a ‘Claymonster’ nor even a participant of the 1970s to enjoy it,” says Francis. You can purchase Green Tree at lulu.com.

MAJOR SAVE Conservation partnership obtains key Odessa property

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1,250-acre farm near Odessa has been purchased by The Conservation Fund and donated to Delaware Wild Lands (DWL) for permanent protection and management. The entire conservation acquisition was made possible with a grant from Mt. Cuba Center, and creates more than 10,000 acres of contiguous and protected wildlife habitat in the Odessa region. Known as the Taylors Bridge Roberts Farm, the site was one of the largest unprotected tracts remaining in the Delaware Bay coastal zone, featuring freshwater tidal wetlands and remnants of forested coastal plain ponds. DWL will develop a long-term management plan for the property that will include farming, hunting, trapping, wildlife tours and bird walks. School and university groups will visit the property for research and educational opportunities. For more information visit DeWildLands.org.

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more reasons to come

INN

Brunch Lunch ARE BACK!

by the numbers A few First State figures worth noting

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The width, in miles, of the state’s widest point.

82

The number of museums in Delaware.

1787

OUR LUNCH, DINNER AND

The year Delaware became a state—on Dec. 7. Also the year it became first state to ratify the Constitution.

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935,614

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Delaware’s population, according to a 2014 estimate.

302.571.1492 ColumbusInn.net 2216 Penn. Ave, Wilmington

The number of nicknames for Delaware: Diamond State, Blue Hen State, Small Wonder and First State.

The number of state parks, which encompass a total of 20,000 acres.

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The Write Stuff Several Delaware authors have achieved success in the literary world thanks to their talent and plenty of perseverance

By Scott Pruden

14 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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t’s publication day for Wilmington author David Teague’s new children’s book, The Red Hat, and rather than popping champagne he’s spending this dreary December morning working and running a few errands.

Though it’s not a 90,000-word novel, the slim picture book represents nearly five years of Teague’s life—five years of working with his agent, his illustrator, and, especially, his editor, as he attempted to hit the required word count.

“I was on the phone with this dude every day to get 400 words down to 350,” Teague says of his editor.

Consider that trimming that much from his original manuscript is equivalent to a novelist cutting thousands of words —and that it took five years to get it right—and you have a glimpse into the challenge of perfecting a book it takes 10 minutes to read to your child at bedtime.

It’s one of those tasks that many aspiring authors don’t consider when dreaming of a writing career, but gut-wrenching edits—and all the hard work it takes to get to a completed manuscript—are the realities of the writing life.

And then, once the manuscript is completed, the real challenge begins: finding a publisher. Sure, an amateur writer can get his or her work into paper or electronic print thanks to a booming self- and indie-publishing landscape, but landing a contract from a traditional publishing house—typically New York-based and offering a paid advance and royalties on future earnings—seems to be more and more difficult for new writers.

Despite these challenges, Teague and several other Delaware authors have achieved a level of commercial success. Indeed, while Delaware might be small in square mileage, it seems to be big on literary talent. And the ways in which these writers came to realize their dreams are as varied as the writers themselves.

A Childhood Ambition

For some, the process of becoming a writer begins in childhood. Wilmington’s Rachel Simon, author of the bestselling memoir Riding the Bus with My Sister, remembers telling people as far back as the age of 7 that she planned to be a writer when she grew up. From that moment on, every step she took led her along that career path.

Unlike many authors, however, Simon didn’t hold fast to a single genre. Her debut work was an Rachel Simon anthology, Little Nightmares, Little Dreams. It received wide critical acclaim but disappointing sales.

Her second book and first novel, The Magic Touch, was a magical realism written as a fictional biography.

Her third book, an examination of the psychological impact of being a writer, took a sharp turn away from the literary fiction that got her started.

But she still hadn’t achieved that big breakthrough she’d hope for. Surprisingly, at that point she had no intention of writing about her sister, Beth, who has an intellectual disability and spent her days riding public transportation. It was only on the suggestion of her editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer, for whom she wrote Commentary page essays, that she tackled the subject at all.

The breakthrough came when she was introduced through a writer friend to former New York agent Anne Dubuisson, who encouraged her to write the book that would become Riding the Bus.

Abandoning the “Serious Novel”

For Teague, his earliest attempts at writing began in his 20s. But his literary sights weren’t set on children’s books or middle grade fiction.

“I grew up in Arkansas and read lots of William Faulkner and thought, ‘I’ve got to write some giant serious novel about man’s inhumanity to man.’ I was clearly taking myself way too seriously— writing some big novel about race and justice and so on.”

Teague cranked out 49 David Teague manuscripts with no success. It wasn’t until he had children of his own and began telling them bedtime stories that he was able to relax and speak in his own voice.

“It occurred to me that these [stories] were a lot better,” he says.

And so began his drift away from the “giant serious novel” to middle-grade fiction and children’s picture books. It’s a change that’s served him well; he has co-authored two middlegrade novels with his wife, author Marisa de los Santos, written two children’s picture books, including The Red Hat (DisneyHyperion), and authored his first solo work of middle-grade fiction, Henry Cicada’s Extraordinary Elktonium Escapade (HarperCollins, 2015).

Hockessin writer Sharon Roat’s journey to successful author of the young adult novel Between the Notes (HarperTeen, 2015) began when she sought a professional change, shifting from the public relations business to young adult fiction.

“I think what appeals broadly in young adult literature is you can relate to the characters,” she says. “We’ve all been teens, even if this teen is set in a fantastical or dystopian world. YA is written in a very immediate, relatable way.”

She began her transition by immersing herself in the YA segment, reading books that spanned nearly every genre within it.

She found it relatively easy to channel her inner teen.

“I think we all remember what it’s like to be a teen—at least I do. So I didn’t find that it was that difficult to write from that perspective. You have to write in a way that feels current without being dated in a couple of years. And it helps when you have an editor who says this reference or that might feel dated.”

Also taking teen angst as the theme of her first published work is Newark writer Maggie Thrash, author of the illustrated memoir Honor Girl (Candlewick, 2015). Already favorably written up in the New York Times Book Review, Honor Girl tells an autobiographical story about a teen girl’s summer at Christian camp, during which she falls in Maggie Thrash love with a female counselor. ► JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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“I knew that this event this summer is the crux of so much of my life and I knew I needed to tell this and THE WRITE STUFF get it out of my system before I could do anything else,” continued from previous page she says. “I was barely even out to most of the people in my life and my family, and this was just clogging up the works of my heart. So now I can write fiction, which has always been my main goal.”

For Wilmington suspense and thriller author J. Gregory Smith, jumping into the deep end of the pool as a novice author was the first step to the publication of his debut novel Final Price (Thomas & Mercer, 2010).

“I’d always wanted to be a writer, and lots of people say they’ve got a good book in them but they never get around to writing it,” he says. “So finally I said, ‘OK, if you want to be a writer, then write a book.’ And I did and it was not good.

But I did get to the end of a full manuscript and that told me, ‘OK, you can do this. Now let’s try and do it better.’”

Also a veteran of the public relations business, Smith found himself working as a car salesman during a lull in his PR career. But despite a love for cars, he found that he had J. Gregory Smith far less love for the idea of selling them. “So after one really frustrating day, I came up with the idea of a serial-killing car salesman,” he says.

The completion of the novel happened to coincide with Amazon’s big push in 2010 to create its own publishing imprint for mysteries and thrillers, Thomas & Mercer. Final Price was one of its early acquisitions, and Thomas & Mercer has since published three subsequent Smith works.

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As mentioned, finding a publisher is in most cases an arduous task. Authors hand manuscripts off to beta readers or otherwise workshop them into better shape. Query letters are carefully crafted, then snail-mailed or emailed to agents and publishers in an attempt to get someone—anyone—to take note of a fresh literary offering.

Unlike many aspiring authors, Teague had one major advantage: he happened to be married to one. His wife, Marisa de los Santos, is an established name in literary fiction, thus giving Teague entre into the publishing world.

Just being able to talk to agents and other publishing industry types without navigating the gauntlet of the slush pile (the stack of unsolicited manuscripts sent to agents or publishers) is a huge help, and Teague appreciates his good luck in that regard. It was those early connections that allowed him to co-author two middle-grade novels with his wife, further laying the foundation for successful publication of Henry Cicada.

The novel comes out this month, but it had a difficult birth. The initial pitch 10 years ago led to a “maybe later” from his agent, followed by the question, “How about a picture book in the meantime?” That picture book ended up being The Red Hat. For most other authors, having a friend or family member in the publishing business is about as probable as hitting the Powerball. Getting their feet in the door came from plenty of legwork chasing down potential agents and publishers, then putting in the hours to contact them and present their best work.

Rachel Simon’s long career is in part attributable to her doggedness in pursuing publishing professionals combined with good luck and the wisdom to take advantage of it.

During her first big break—winning the short story competition that came with a free trip to the Writers at Work conference in Park City, Utah—she easily could have squandered the opportunity. Instead, she showed up at the conference with a polished version of her short story anthology for interested agents and editors to review.

Later, when she was at an artistic crossroads, she took the opportunity to meet with former agent Anne Dubuisson and vent about the difficulties of dealing with the publishing industry.

“Every single thing I would tell her that was discouraging, particularly the inexplicable ones, she would say, ‘Oh, I know why that happened,’” Simon says. “And she would decode for me unspoken rules in publishing that I had violated inadvertently, along with all of these things that I didn’t know, because as the lone-wolf author, you don’t really know the protocol. So it’s very easy to get in your own way.”

16 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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As their conversation wrapped up, Dubuisson suggested that Simon’s agent had lost faith in her and that she should find a new one, and Dubuisson offered to help Simon write a query letter for a new agent.

“And I said, ‘With what?’” Simon says. “And she said, ‘Well, you wrote an article that was out in today’s paper. That’s a very commercial idea. Trust me.’”

That Commentary article, assigned to Simon by her editor at the Inquirer, was about spending a day riding the bus with her developmentally disabled sister, and was the seed that grew into Riding the Bus with My Sister.

Had Simon not chosen to follow her new friend’s advice, her career could very well have stalled at book three. Instead, she’s an internationally known author and speaker with adaptations of her work across a variety of media.

Sharon Roat also attests to the power of persistence in getting that foot in the door for her debut novel, Between the Notes.

“The query that landed me my agent was my 30th, and I know people who got their agent on their 80th,” she says. “I’m aware that success in writing is 10 percent talent and 90 percent perseverance.

It’s very subjective, so part of it is that you have to keep improving your work and part of it is you have Sharon Roat to keep trying and showing it to different people.

“You want to find someone who feels as passionate about your work as you do, so making that match is the challenge.”

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CHARLES TODD – The prolific mother-son team of Charles and Caroline Todd has over 10 years produced more than two dozen novels that serve as simultaneous period suspense thrillers and historical novels. The latest is 2015’s A Pattern of Lies.

LARA ZEISES – Writing for young adults, with titles such as The Sweet Life of Stella Madison and Bringing Up the Bones, University of Delaware graduate Zeises aims for that spot between teen sweetness (and drama) and adult challenges.

DIANNE SALERNI – Though she calls Chester County, Pa., her home now, this young adult author is a Delaware girl through and through, with a St. Mark’s High School diploma to prove it. Her latest novel, The Morrigan’s Curse, is due for release this month.

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302.655.8600 | 1412 N. DuPont St. | Wilmington, DE 19806

MARISA DE LOS SANTOS – She is a well-known and highlyregarded author of literary fiction (and the wife of David Teague).

The paperback edition of her latest novel, The Precious One, debuted in December.

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all new

MORE WHO’VE MADE IT The number of successful writers in The First State—both native and imported—seems out of proportion to its small size.

Here are a few other first-rate authors with First State connections.

CATERING

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NextFab welcomes artists, tech geeks, startups and more. Photo courtesy of NextFab

THE ULTIMATE IN DIY A collaborative workspace with digital and traditional fabrication tools, classes, consulting and events, NextFab is coming to downtown Wilmington

By Larry Nagengast

T

o Ryan Harrington, NextFab is “a Disney for makers.”

Mona Parikh says “it’s cool…so much fun.”

Jessi Taylor considers it another after-hours option, an alternative to bars, concerts and television.

Carrie Gray says this “high school woodshop on steroids” will be a key anchor for Wilmington’s developing Creative District.

And Bernice Whaley sees it as an economic engine, a place where men and women can learn and develop skills needed to transition into new jobs or launch entrepreneurial careers.

Clearly, NextFab means different things to different people, but what else can you expect when an operation brands itself as a “gym for innovators”? ►

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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25/Mo.

$

Plus Enrollment Fee

Photo Megan Ritchie Jooste

NEW Aerobic & Functional Fitness Rooms All classes FREE with membership!

Evan Malone, NextFab CEO

Area residents will get their chance to create their own description in late spring or early summer when the Philadelphia-based makerspace opens a 3,500-square-foot satellite studio in the Creative District, the designation that the Wilmington Renaissance Corporation has pinned on the area bordered by Shipley, Fourth, Washington and Ninth streets. As of mid-December, NextFab CEO Evan Malone wasn’t about to reveal the exact location, saying he didn’t want to jinx the nearly concluded negotiations on the lease.

Malone, enticed by Gray, the Wilmington Renaissance managing director, came to visit Wilmington nearly two years ago, as planning for the Creative District was in its infancy, and quickly bought into the concept. “This is incredibly important, something I want to be part of,” he says, referring to a master plan to make the area immediately west of Market Street a residential and commercial hub for artists, crafters and tech-savvy entrepreneurs.

“This is a new era for Wilmington,” Malone says.

Financed in part by a $350,000 start-up grant from the Delaware Economic Development Office, NextFab’s Wilmington center will be designed to offer the attractions that have already won it an influential cadre of Delaware boosters, albeit on a smaller scale than in Philadelphia.

20 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo courtesy of NextFab Photo courtesy of NextFab

Examples of 3D printed objects made at NextFab.

Gray’s “woodshop on steroids” analogy is appropriate. Think of a warehouse-like setting filled with tools for woodworking and metalworking—more than your average handyman could put in a garage or basement (if he or she could afford to buy them all). Add a section for making jewelry. On top of that, layer in the whizbang 21st-century technology—3D and large-format printers, laser cutters, CAD software, and more. In addition, NextFab will offer classes and its staff will be trained to show new users how to handle the equipment.

“The focus is on digital manufacturing—using computer designs in digital format to drive robotic tools,” Malone says, “but we also have a complete metal shop, with computer-controlled machine tools and manual tools like mills and lathes, and a complete welding area.” The wood shop, with its saws, sanders, drills and routers, he adds, “is a great entry point for people who are nervous about making things for themselves for the first time.”

To use the gear, members pay monthly fees, which range from $49 to $359, depending on anticipated usage. “The low end is for weekend users and hobbyists. The ultra-premium level is aimed at professionals, those who are using the facility for their business,” Malone says. Wilmington members will also have access to NextFab’s two Philadelphia sites for no extra charge.

Access to all three spaces is important, Malone notes, because there might not be enough space in Wilmington to accommodate all the gear that’s available in Philadelphia. However, he adds, the Wilmington site will have one or more features to distinguish itself from NextFab’s Philadelphia locations—to give Philadelphia-based members some incentive to make occasional visits to Wilmington. No decisions have been made on what those special features might be. ►

An introduction to jewerly-making class at NextFab.

JANUARY MAY 2016 2015 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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via Chef Rudy

Lucky’s Coffee Shop presents...

Chef Rudy’s Slovakian Menu Photo courtesy of NextFab

it’s rich, hearty, and delicious! hey, if the Greeks can do it, why can’t he?!!

‘s and the good ole US of A, too... of course!

Catalyst Visuals

WEB PRINT VIDEO wilmington 302 655 9949 catalyst.design

The NextFab community brands itself as a "gym for innovators."

Key figures within Wilmington’s creative community are anticipating NextFab’s arrival.

“It’s a great way for people to learn,” says Harrington, education coordinator at 1313 Innovation, the year-old co-working space in Hercules Plaza. “They come with experience. They’re starting with a platform that works, as they’ve proven in Philadelphia. It’s another outlet for people, whether they’re in technology, in a startup, or part of the maker community.”

Parikh, managing director of the Start It Up Delaware co-working space and community builder for the Archer Group digital marketing agency, recently visited NextFab in Philadelphia, where she and friends signed up to take a couple of basic courses.

“First you must go through their safety training,” she says, and “as part of that you have to make something that works.”

For woodworking, she made a shelf. For metalworking, a bottle opener.

“Who knows?” she says. “If I keep my membership I might be the next metalworking queen.”

Taylor, president of the board of directors of Barrel of Makers, a Wilmington-based collaborative that now holds weekly “Maker Mondays” at 1313 Innovation, thinks NextFab will provide “a great space to have cross-communication with people you wouldn’t ordinarily meet in your field.”

NextFab has approached Barrel of Makers about possible partnerships. “We think that’s great,” Taylor says, "but we’re going to have to talk it through” to see how the relationship evolves.

Barrel of Makers, she says, has about 30 core participants and a total of nearly 200 people who show up occasionally for activities, and many of them are likely candidates for NextFab membership.

Besides reaching out to Barrel of Makers, Malone says he has contacted area colleges and universities about possible collaborations. And he has learned from his experience in Philadelphia that professional organizations, hobby clubs and school groups will be interested in visiting the site and learning about the technology. Some of these visitors, of course, ultimately will become NextFab members.

Whaley, the director of the Delaware Economic Development Office, says NextFab “will directly support our innovative entrepreneurs” and also bolster indirect job growth in the surrounding area. The terms of the state’s $350,000 grant require NextFab to hire five fulltime employees and serve at least 120 members in its first three years of operation, she says.

Noting the uncertainty surrounding the DuPont Co.’s merger with Dow Chemical and the long-term location of the headquarters for Chemours, the DuPont spinoff created last summer, Whaley pointed to NextFab as a facility that could assist downsized employers in transitioning to new careers.

“We’ve seen it with AstraZeneca and others. [Downsized] workers say ‘I can do these things’ or ‘I can go out on my own.’ This is one way they can develop new skills,” Whaley says.

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NextFab, Wilmington Renaissance’s Gray says, “will make accessible equipment, technology and training that might not otherwise be available” to area residents.

What can they make with that equipment?

Well, in Philadelphia, Malone says, members are using large-format printers to make vehicle wraps and window graphics, tools in the advanced electronics studio to design and assemble circuit boards, and laser cutters to make holiday ornaments and candle holders.

One heavy-duty user, who has his own business, is using a “water jet” (that’s shorthand for a five-axis abrasive water jet cutter) to experiment with new designs to make window air conditioners more energy efficient.

To Gray, however, more important than what NextFab’s makers make is the potential impact the center can have as the Creative District develops.

By filling a currently vacant building, she says, NextFab will “bring more energy and life to the stretch just west of Market Street.”

The impact will be gradual, Malone cautions, because his plan to be “up and running by summer” most likely means operating at about 75 percent of capacity while advancing to close to 100 percent capacity later in the year.

“Because a lot of our users have day jobs, we will have evening and weekend hours,” Malone says. “Activity on the street and in our space will help activate the entire neighborhood.”

That activity, he says, will bring new customers to restaurants and service businesses in the neighborhood, and to the vendors who can provide the raw materials that artists and crafters use in their work. “There’s a lot of indirect economic activity,” he adds.

Getting more people onto the streets in the evening and on weekends, Gray says, should make the neighborhood more appealing for potential residents —the 10-unit Willing Street Artist Village housing rehabilitation project is now under way in Quaker Hill, in the southwest corner of the Creative District—and visitors alike.

Parikh envisions NextFab’s arrival as a launching pad for fresh synergies among the artists and crafters who use the space and the graphic designers and coders who frequent the CoinLoft on Market Street, Start It Up Delaware’s collaborative space.

“We’re all in this together,” she says.

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TROLLEY GROOMING LOUNGE

Welcome to our sixth annual Worth Trying Issue. Though we feature Worth Trying suggestions monthly, each January we devote much of the magazine to personal recommendations from staff, contributors and friends of Out & About. These suggestions on where and what to eat, drink, see and do are scattered throughout these pages, interspersed with our usual assortment of feature stories, news items and other fun stuff.

Technically, this isn't from me, it's from my hubby.

On a tip from our bestie living in "Trolleywood," Scott visited Trolley Grooming Lounge for a quick haircut. He loved the stylists and the chill atmosphere. It's become location of choice for all his 'scaping needs. (And it's not just for the boys.

Gals are welcome too, and they now have their own product line.) Best of all, it comes with the "MKF Seal of Approval." You can “like” them on Facebook at Trolley Grooming Lounge.

— Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer

Enjoy, and have a very happy New Year!

THE CENTRAL YMCA This time of year we all make resolutions to get in better shape, so if joining a fitness center is in your plans, pay a visit to the Central YMCA. Though the facility has been serving the Wilmington community since 1929, the fitness center is state-of-the-art, offering 96 high-end workout machines in an invigorating setting accented by a giant glass wall that overlooks 12th Street. But what’s unique about the Central Y is its egalitarian feel. One day you’ll be working out next to a U.S. Senator, the next day you’ll be sweating it out with your mailman.

— Jerry duPhily, Publisher

REI (RECREATION EQUIPMENT INC.), CHRISTIANA FASHION CENTER When REI opened its voluminous (23,500 square feet) Christiana store earlier this fall, outdoor cognoscenti anticipated a serious dose of "wilderness porn." The store does not disappoint.

Although many sporting goods stores carry basic hiking, camping, and other outdoor gear, REI focuses exclusively on those pursuits with a larger and more varied selection of clothing and goods.

The store also offers seasonal classes, trips, and bike repairs. An added benefit: REI provides a low-cost membership that gives discounts and an annual rebate based on one's purchases.

— Mark Fields, Movie Reviewer

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HIMALAYAN SALT LAMP These are big, hollow salt crystals that are mined from underground salt mines in the Himalayan Mountains with a light bulb inserted in the middle. People claim they can neutralize pollutants in the air caused by electronics, like TVs and computer screens, by emitting negative ions. They also claim other "benefits," such as reducing respiratory symptoms and improving mood and creativity. I have one next to my computer screen at work, and one at home in the living room. I'm not too sure how beneficial it's been to my health, but I think it's definitely improved my mood and creativity, especially on rainy days. And it looks pretty cool. I got mine at Home Depot.

— Tyler Mitchell, Graphic Designer

GOOD PAINT I wanted to repaint some of the rooms in my house recently, and in an attempt to save a few bucks I bought paint from Home Depot.

What a mistake! It wasn’t too long before I stopped using that stuff and headed down to Shinn’s on Lovering Avenue—where I should have started in the first place. Higher quality paint requires far fewer coats and applies so much better. And when you need advice on the best products for your job, the folks there never steer me wrong.

BALANCE THAT BODY At 36, it takes more effort to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. A friend and coworker introduced me to Scott at Balance Strength and Fitness Center and I've never felt better. It's conveniently located at 4th and Greenhill, so I can work a visit into almost any busy day. BalanceFitnessTraining.com.

— Matt Loeb, Creative Director

— Marie Graham, Director of Digital Media

JOHN SAWARD, VICE MAGAZINE

GOOGLE DOCS If you have not used Google Docs yet, you’re missing out. It’s a great way to share, view and edit documents with others.

My favorite feature is that you don’t even need to save your document—it does it all on its own. Check it out!

I used to write, but I stopped when I started taking photos. Others do it much better. Take Vice Magazine’s John Saward (Google him, but be prepared to lose your afternoon). He’s young, unflaggingly honest and writes these gloriously poetic tantrums. He wrote that American Bro (“The Worst Person In The World”) article that went viral last year. I love everything I’ve read of his, and it’s been a long time since a new voice stopped me. I predict Bob Yearick will hate him because his grammar takes liberties, but they do have their similarities.

— Joe del Tufo, Contributing Photographer

— Kelly Loeb, Account Manager, Catalyst Visuals, LLC

CONTINUED ► JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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JUNE 2015 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

GLOSS HAIR & MAKEUP WINTERTHUR MUSEUM STORE This under-the-radar treasure boasts some of the most unique home-decor accessories (and wow-worthy gifts) in the state, but few know it exists—or that Winterthur conveniently allows shoppers to park near the shop instead of taking a shuttle all the way from the visitors' center.

I have been going to Tateum at Gloss for several years and love her and the salon. They always make you feel and look great. They offer a wide variety of options from wedding services to eyelash extensions. For more information, check out salondelaware.com.

— Kelly Loeb, Account Manager, Catalyst Visuals, LLC

— Eric Ruth, Contributing Writer

THE CONOWINGO DAM A trip to the banks of the Susquehanna River around the Conowingo Dam is an excellent outdoor adventure. Birds, birds and more birds await you. Bald eagles, 11 species of gulls, blue and black-crowned night herons, terns, vultures and osprey all vie for airspace. On good days you can see more than 100 bald eagles soaring in the wind currents. There are parking and viewing spots on the Harford County side of the dam. Dress warm and enjoy the scenery.

— John Murray, Contributing Writer

BOGS My 2-year-old daughter wanted pink boots for Christmas. I wanted to get her something warm and functional. My research led me to Bogs.

The company started in Oregon with a focus on footwear for the farm industry. In addition to being super durable, comfortable, and easy to maneuver in, they are machine washable! After hearing all that, I was sold. So I was even more excited to find out that the company dedicates a portion of its sales to outdoor education and urban farming. I can’t wait to get a pair of my own. (Available online and locally at Trail Creek Outfitters in Glen Mills, Pa.) — Marie Graham, Director of Digital Media

SMYRNA If you haven't paid a visit to the up-andcoming little town of Smyrna recently, pick a Friday night and swing by Blue Earl Brewery for some seriously good suds, food truck magic and live music.

Things get started at 5 p.m., when the designated food truck or cart (usually Mr. BBQ or The Wise Pig) starts cranking out its wares, followed by local acoustic musicians like Nik Everett and Bruce Anthony, playing from 6-9 p.m. All the while, you'll be able to drink craft brews like Walking Blues IPA and the Top of the World Imperial Stout. The 45-minute drive from Wilmington is totally worth it.

— Rob Kalesse, Contributing Writer

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FRANCESCA’S FOR ACCESSORIES This Greenville shop is my favorite go-to when I need jaunty, fun baubles (earrings, necklaces, etc.) for dress-up or if I need a new swag bag, tote, or wallet. The staff is friendly, fun and helpful, and I always seem to walk out with something cool...mostly just what I was looking for, but also things I never knew I wanted!

R i v e r T ow n s Ride & Festival

— Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer

Celebrating historic New Castle & Delaware City

RIVER TOWNS RIDE

Cyclists are discovering that the 10-mile stretch of road between historic New Castle Rand ide historic Delaware City is a great circuit. Both ends of the route offer fantastic views of the Delaware River, it’s mostly flat, the majority of the road is recently paved, and a wide shoulder complete with sharrows (bike path designations) allows riders to feel safe. You can do the official River Towns Ride the first Saturday in October…or you can check out the ride on your own. rivertownsride.com.

& Festival

— Jerry duPhily, Publisher

PURE YOGA After the crazy holiday time, do yourself a favor and head to Pure Yoga in Trolley Square for a yoga, Pilates, yoga/Pilates fusion or barre class. This intimate studio allows you to practice in a class where the teachers are able to be attentive to your needs. I love this place and its teachers. For more information about class times and schedules visit pureyogapilatesstudio.com.

— Kelly Loeb, Account Manager, Catalyst Visuals, LLC

Look for more Worth Trying suggestions throughout this issue!

THE RESTAURANT DEPOT Opened last February, this big-lots food wholesaler targets restaurant owners, but membership is open to owners of any business. Just provide your EIN (employer identification number) for your free membership card, and start shopping instantly. Imagine paying wholesale for items like whole beef tenderloins and pork rib racks, an extensive selection of fresh produce, frozen hors d'oeuvres, dairy, dry goods, even paper and chemical products for the kitchen, home or small business.

Located at 200 Cornell Rd., Wilmington, it’s part of a chain of stores open in 34 states and first in Delaware.

— Chef Robert Lhulier

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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POETRY IN BEAUTY THE PRE-RAPHAELITE ART OF MARIE SPARTALI STILLMAN THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2016 Last chance to see the first retrospective of this Victorian female artist. Discover stunning landscapes, portraits, and still-life paintings that reflect Spartali Stillman’s British Pre-Raphaelite training and Renaissance influence.

Poetry in Beauty: The Pre-Raphaelite Art of Marie Spartali Stillman is made possible by the Emily du Pont Memorial Exhibition Fund and the Friends of Rockwood. Additional support is provided by grants from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. | Love’s Messenger, 1885. Marie Spartali Stillman (1844-1927). Watercolor, tempera, and gold paint on paper mounted on wood, 32 x 26 inches. Delaware Art Museum, Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935.

2301 Kentmere Pkwy | Wilmington, DE 302.571.9590 | delart.org

DELAWARE’S RESIDENT PROFESSIONAL ACTING COMPANY performing at the University of Delaware

Between darkness and light lies a heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat thriller…

WAIT UNTIL DARK

By Frederick Knott Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher Directed by Michael Gotch ROSELLE CENTER FOR THE ARTS | NEWARK, DE (302) 831-2204 | WWW.REP.UDEL.EDU

Jan. 20 - Feb. 6 Sponsored in part by

28 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo courtesy of Center for the Creative Arts

FOCUS

CCArts painting classes are just one way to embrace your creative side this winter.

Getting Out Indoors Say farewell to cabin fever with this collection of classes, exhibitions, performing arts, and more

By Krista Connor

U

shering in post-holiday doldrums and cooped-up blues, winter is arguably one of the dreariest times of year. But fear not: we’ve compiled a list of fun indoor options to get you off the couch and out of the house. From concerts to children’s activities to beer-or-wine-and-yoga sessions (yes, you read that right), we’ve got every taste covered.

Floral Fun at Longwood Gardens

At Longwood Gardens, winter is far from bleary, thanks in part to the annual Orchid Extravaganza, on view this season free with Gardens admission from Jan. 23-March 27. The Conservatory transforms into a tropical oasis featuring Longwood’s largest and most diverse display of orchids ever.

For a personal challenge, try the Botanical Illustration Studio.

Use your artistic skills to illustrate plants and flowers from Longwood’s greenhouses and grounds. The studio time gives you a chance to receive individual attention, constructive suggestions, and encouragement. Work at your own pace on your project, large or small, surrounded by fellow artists. This is a six-session course, on Mondays from 12:30-3 p.m., Jan 4-Feb. 8. ► JANUARY 2016 NOVEMBER 2015 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Johnny Gallagher at The Queen

Wilmington native Johnny Gallagher—musician, awardJohnny Gallagher winning actor and Broadway performer—will come to World Cafe Live at The Queen on Friday, Jan. 22, to showcase his singer-songwriter skills.

His debut album, Six Day Hurricane, is set to be released Jan. 15 via Rockwood Music Hall Recordings. The first single of the album, “Two Fists Full,” is available through Soundcloud.

The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15-$25.

For those up for a jaunt to New York City, Gallagher can be seen on Broadway in the Roundabout Theater Company production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night starting in March.

Photo Joe del Tufo

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Musical Box: Recreation of Genesis’ Foxtrot

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In 1972, the English rock band Genesis toured to promote their fourth album, Foxtrot. The first concert on the tour began a trend of combining music and theatre.

The Musical Box—a Sunday, Jan. 17, performance at the Grand’s Copeland Hall—undertakes the reproduction of the original concert to give people an illusion of being at the actual Genesis show. Visual reconstruction of the show is based on photos and slides of the original concerts, magazine articles and first-hand experiences. Tickets are $32-$39.

Cinderella at the baby grand

First State Ballet Theatre— Delaware’s professional ballet company—presents Cinderella, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 20-21, at the baby grand in Wilmington. The classic fairy tale with the ultimate happy ending is told with wit and elegance. Tickets begin at $14 Photo courtesy of First State Ballet Theatre for students ages 18 and under.

Senior, group and military discounts are available. The performance starts at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 21.

Wine, Cheese & Honey Pairings at Penns Woods Winery

Penns Woods Winery in Chadds Ford, Pa. is teaming up with local cheese and honey artisans to bring exclusive wine, cheese, and honey pairing events on select dates (Jan. 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31). Indulge in a sit-down pairing of five premium Penns Woods wines matched with various cheeses and honey from local farms. Admission is $28; reservations are required. Live music is on Jan. 9, 16, 23, and 30 from 2-5 p.m.

Contact Penns Woods at 610-459-0808 to make a reservation.

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Great Balls of Fire!

From Feb. 6-May 30, the Great Balls of Fire! exhibit at Delaware Museum of Natural History explores the pop culture fascination of a catastrophic impact from an asteroid or comet. If there was a dinosaur-killer in earth’s past, is there a human-killer in our future? The exhibit asks: What are the chances and how do we assess the risks? For that matter, what are asteroids, comets, and meteorites, and where do they come from?

NOW OPEN SUNDAYS!

Chicago—The Musical at The Playhouse

Chicago – The Musical has it all: a universal tale of fame, fortune and “all that jazz,” one show-stopping song after another, and fantastic dancing. The award-winning show is coming to The Playhouse Feb. 23-28. Based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, it’s based on actual criminals and crimes she covered. A satire on corruption in the administering of criminal justice, the performance explores the concept of the “celebrity criminal.”

Poetry in Beauty: the Art of Marie Spartali Stillman

Marie Spartali Stillman (1844-1927), one of a small number of professional female artists working in the second half of the 19th century, was an important presence in the Victorian art Photo courtesy of Delaware Art Museum world of her time and closely affiliated with members of the Pre-Raphaelite circle. Poetry in Beauty, the first retrospective exhibit of Spartali Stillman’s work, runs through Jan. 31 at Delaware Art Museum. In addition to approximately 50 of her pieces, works from public and private collections in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, many of which have not been exhibited since Spartali Stillman died, will also be on view. After the exhibition, her art will be transported overseas and on view at the Watts Gallery in Guildford, England, through June 5.

Winter Classes & Fun at CCArts

Center for the Creative Arts in Yorklyn offers a bounty of fun and productive wintertime activities. First up, “Ballet for Adults” runs Tuesdays (10-11 a.m.) from Jan. 12-March 15. Study under Ballet Master Val Goncharov in these adult classes. Tuesdays (9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) from Jan. 12-March 1, try your hand at oil painting. Learn basic techniques through demonstrations, discussions and application. Tuition is $184 for members and $204 for non-members. For a one-day class on Saturday, Jan. 9, “Glass Fusion” (9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.) will explore the art of melting glass into designs to create one-ofa-kind pieces. Create a sun-catcher, pendant, tray or dish using glass that will be provided. Tuition is $40.

Additionally, try out “Yorklyn Live,” a CCArts Open Mic Night every third Thursday. It’s free, with a cash bar and food.

Lastly, a Dinner Theater called “Blind Love” on Saturday, Feb. 6, is about how a blind man sees what a fool does not. People can come for dinner, drinks and dessert. The show is at 7:30 p.m. and tickets, which can be purchased online, are $35.

Call 239-2434 for more information about these activities. ►

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JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Since 1934

BachettiBros.

Gourmet Market & Catering

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Hagley Fun

Robots: they’ve explored the far reaches of space, the depths of oceans, and the inner workings of the human body. Now children ages 4-14 can explore robots themselves at Hagley’s Invention Convention, from Jan. 16-18.

The weekend includes robotic demonstrations, hands-on engineering challenges, and in-person conversations with professionals who use robots in their daily work. Visitors will discover how the Wilmington Police Department uses bomb robots to dispose of explosive devices, and guests also will take part in tinkering tables, create-an-invention fun, and a hands-on science fair. Invention Convention will be in Hagley’s Soda House and Library.

Admission is $8 and $6 for children.

Hagley members and children ages 4 and younger get in free.

Additionally, Hagley features the exhibit “Driving Desire: Automobile Advertising and the American Dream” through autumn.

It explores the relationship between automobile advertising and Americans’ car buying decisions. Driving Desire is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Yoga in the Paradocx Tank Room

Uncork, relax and unwind at Paradocx Vineyard in Landenberg, Pa., on two Sundays—Jan. 10 and Jan. 24—for Yoga in the Tank Room at 11 a.m. Your focus will be drawn away from the everyday hustle and bustle with this unique yoga class in the winery tank room. Each class is designed to relax the mind—and open the senses to encourage a mindful winetasting experience. Tickets are $25, and the event includes a 60-minute yoga session with wine tastings of four wines to follow.

(Bring your own yoga mat.)

Something For Everyone.

WVUD.ORG

Winterthur Book Club & Exhibition

Embrace learning and quality time at Winterthur’s Pages of Time: Mother & Daughter Book & Craft Club. On the first Thursday of each month through May, from 6-8 p.m., this is ideal for book worms and crafty girls in 4th-6th grade.

Discussions will revolve around historical fiction books, and there will be tasty snacks and crafts related to the book each month.

36 OCTOBER 2015 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 32 JANUARY 2016

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Tickets are $25 per member adult/child pair; $35 per nonmember pair for the complete seven-month series. Winter dates and books include: Jan. 7, Betsy Zane: The Rose of Fort Henry; Feb. 4, Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West with Lewis and Clark; March 3, The Smuggler’s Treasure. Call 800-448-3883 to register and for more dates.

Made in the Americas: The New World Discovers Asia, an exhibition running March 26-Jan. 8, 2017, examines the profound influence of Asia on the arts of colonial Americans. This scholarly exhibition is the first Pan-American study to explore how craftsmen across North, Central, and South America adapted Asian styles in a range of media—from furniture to silverwork, textiles, ceramics, and painting.

Delaware Theatre Company Acting Classes

Attention, aspiring actors: ready to take a step in the right direction? Have fun while exploring characters and scenes in a six-week course at Delaware Theatre Company, Sundays from Feb. 7-March 13 (5:15-7:15 p.m.). Photo courtesy of Delaware Theatre Company Take on the actor’s role of examining scripts, finding characters’ objectives, and exploring various acting techniques to bring out your richest performance.

Though no experience is required, students should be ready to participate, to jump in and work together—and have fun. The course is $180, and open to adults ages 18 and up. Classes are also available for children and teens.

KRESTON WINE & SPIRITS

Celebrating 83 Years

Happy & Healthy New Year!

We wish you a

Touch Tank: Lunch and Learn

Join the Delaware Children’s Museum staff daily from 12:30-1:30 p.m. for feeding time at the Touch Tank Aquarium. Learn about the food marine creatures eat, the habitat they live in, and special facts about the vertebrates and invertebrates Photo courtesy of The Delaware Children's Museu who share the tank. Or stop by Try Science: Be a Physiologist, Jan. 9-10, from 11 a.m. to noon, to learn about the body’s parts that work to keep it running. Children can become junior doctors or nurses as they take a hands-on and entertaining look at the organs and systems inside a very unusual patient—the DCM’s 7-ft. doll, Stuffee.

Beer & Yoga at Victory Brewpub

Victory Brewing Company’s Kennett Square brewpub is hosting Beer & Yoga on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 9 a.m. After the yoga session, enjoy food and beer pairings. Instructor Diane Rogers will guide participants through the yoga process. Tickets are $30.

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

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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EAT

Five More Bold New Year Predictions for Delaware’s Food Scene Among them: tipping’s tipping point, home cooking, scrapple as the new bacon

By Matt Sullivan

T

he locavores have won.

Look at the top five trends in the 2016 Culinary Forecast from the National Restaurant Association (a.k.a. The Friendly NRA), and you’ll see a pattern: locally sourced meats and seafood; locally grown produce; hyper-local sourcing; natural ingredients/minimally processed food.

So yes, expect to eat, drink and breathe local next year. Also expect more smoked meats in your life, more food trucks, more healthy kids’ meals and artisanal pickles. They all made the national list and they’re among the hottest stories in Delaware this year.

But what are the unexpected trends that we'll see in the food business this year? It’s our job to find out.

Once again, we hit the streets, the phones and the bars to talk with chefs, restaurateurs, industry professionals, city planners, servers, suppliers, home cooks and bartenders (confession: mostly bartenders) about what they expect to see in 2016—and then we made five Bold Predictions for the coming months. (Check the status of last year’s Bold Predictions below. We fared marginally better than a Magic 8-Ball might have done, wildly exceeding our expectations.) ► JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Trend: the end of tipping

Yes, tipping has hit its tipping point.

Sure, restaurants on the wacky West Coast have been experimenting with serviceincluded pricing for the past couple of years, but people really sat up and noticed when famed restaurateur Danny Meyer announced last year that all 11 restaurants in the Union City Hospitality Group in New York City would eliminate tipping.

The Delaware Restaurant Association plans to make gratuities a major topic during its annual meeting in February.

“We've had calls, and we know that local business owners are curious about whether a tip-free or mandatory service charge model is something that could work in their restaurants,” says Karen Stauffer, DRA director of marketing.

“So far, no restaurants in Delaware have switched to no tipping, but we do know of several in Philadelphia that have made the change.”

Xavier Teixido, owner of Harry’s Hospitality Group, says changes in tipping policy are driven by a number of factors: spreading compensation fairly among restaurant staff; creating a more professional, stable work environment, and dealing with changes that higher minimum wage laws will create in some parts of the country. What remains to be seen is how customers react. Will they experience acute sticker shock when they see much higher menu prices, even if tipping isn’t expected?

“It’s a really complex issue,” Teixido says. “And it would really change the composition of our industry.”

Bold Prediction #1: At least one fine dining restaurant in Delaware will eliminate tipping in 2016—most likely one at the beach.

Trend: home cooking for sale In San Francisco, where digital startup tycoons are eager to develop the Uber for everything, new apps connect home cooks with people too busy to cook at home, presumably because they’re at work developing apps, and they’re hungry.

harry’s savoy ballroom NooN · 3Pm www.harrysweddings.com 36 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Peer-to-peer food sales are already happening in Delaware, though we’re using a somewhat lower-tech solution: Facebook.

Last Thanksgiving, I knew people online offering homemade gravy, soups and pies for sale to friends right before the holiday. Some were trained chefs, but others were home cooks renowned for their skill in the kitchen.

But would their dishes sell on an app if it were available?

“I wouldn’t mind considering it,” says Amy Watson Bish, pie maker extraordinaire.

Actual comment on her Facebook page: “Can I still order a pie for next Saturday?

You can say no. I'll cry softly.”

She hadn’t heard of apps like FoodieShares before, but she’s clearly considered the concept enough to know that Delaware has no “cottage food laws” that allow home-based food producers to sell to the public. How does FoodieShares get around that?

In an interview with KCET, Channel 28 in Los Angeles, FoodieShares CEO George Mathew addressed that head on: “It's a question that comes up sometimes. It's confusing because we are new.” Translated, that’s start-up-tycoon-speak for “If we start making enough money, we’ll figure it out.”

$10 tickets

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Long considered the country cousin among more refined breakfast meats, scrapple is having its moment in the sun. You’ll see it in starring roles in brunch menus all around town—scrapple hashes, scrapple Benedicts, scrapple mac-n-cheese. You’ll drink it in scrapple beers and make a Bloody Mary out of scrapple-infused vodka. And the AppleScrapple English Muffin made it all the way to the finals of the Thomas' Hometown Breakfast Battle before losing to something covered in sausage gravy from Illinois. That scrapple success comes thanks to Ryan Cunningham, chef at Abbott's on Broad Creek in Laurel, creator of the aforementioned muffin and global ambassador of scrapple.

Why does Cunningham love it? “That soft mushy center and the crisp outside, the pork flavor, the sage. We use scrapple a lot in the restaurant,” he says.

And more chefs are doing it themselves. Bill Hoffman at The House of William and Merry in Hockessin and Hari Cameron at a(MUSE.) in Rehoboth Beach both make scrapple in house. Cunningham occasionally makes duck scrapple at Abbott’s, and others are not just experimenting, they’re upgrading.

“People are cutting higher-end pieces of the pig in there, so it doesn’t have that offal kind of taste,” Cunningham says.

Perhaps that’s what it will take to bring scrapple mainstream—if it’s not there already.

Bold prediction #3: The biggest scrapplephobic in your life will dare to try some in 2016.

Trend: more wineries, more breweries…and more distilleries

Craft spirits and locally-produced spirits continue to top the NRA’s list of alcoholbased dining trends, but Delaware has only entered the distilling game in the past few years. When the Painted Stave wanted to open the state’s first stand-alone distillery in Smyrna in 2012, its founders had to get state laws changed in order to do so. But now that that work is done and the Painted Stave has infused some local flavor into the cocktail menus, the question remains: when does Northern Delaware get its own gin?

The beach has already gotten in on the action. Beach Time Distilling in Lewes and the Delaware Distilling Company in Rehoboth Beach have both gone through the doors that Painted Stave opened, and there are constant whispers—rumors, wishful thinkings—of another opening up further north.

Bold Prediction #4: Either a distillery opens in the Wilmington-Newark corridor, or some enterprising restaurant tries it on its own.

Trend: Market Street—dining destination

“We could build more glass, shiny towers, but that is not what is going to change this city. It is the coffee shops and the bike lanes; it is those kinds of things that get people here on nights and weekends.” – Chris Buccini, quoted in The News Journal, Oct. 28, 2015.

Exciting eats are coming to Market Street. By the time this sees print, Bryan and Andrea Sikoras’ Merchant Bar should be open across the street from La Fia. The guys behind Chelsea and Ernest & Scott Tavern are planning a new barbecue spot/microbrewery called 3 Doors Brewing. What was once a dining/nightlife destination might become one again, as new residents move onto Market Street with dollars to spend.

Bold Prediction #5: Restaurants open and restaurants close all the time. Look for a net gain of five places on or near Market Street in 2016.

MORE WAYS TO GET ►

Trend: scrapple is the new bacon

OutAndAboutNow.com

Bold Prediction #2: Increased interest in home cooks entering the sharing economy leads Delaware legislators to loosen cottage food regulations, or they get no pie.

Scorecard for Last Year’s Predictions:

1. You will eat fish offal some­time in the next year.

OK, you probably didn’t. But local, sustainable fish continue to be popular.

2. A local chain will become a tenant in the new Fashion Center complex at the Christiana Mall.

Didn’t happen, though the Fashion Center isn’t done yet.

3. “Vintage Atlantic” will become a category on at least one prominent local wine list.

Galer Estates wines are now on the wine list at Sovana Bistro in East Marlborough. And the Vintage Atlantic Wine Region just published its first official map. Slower than expected, but all steps in the right direction.

4. A food truck park will open this year—with at least five new trucks that don’t yet exist.

Wilmington City Council voted in November to allow food trucks to operate on city streets.

5. La Fia taco.

Nailed it.

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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EAT 8TH & UNION KITCHEN

PICKS OF THE FOOD VARIETY

While his 8th & Union Kitchen is still in its rookie season, owner Brian Ashby has been making savvy moves more indicative of a seasoned pro. First came a complete overhaul of the interior space, which includes plenty of welcoming woodwork and a more spacious bar. Second has been his ability to keep a high profile in the Wilmington dining scene without reaching the point of saturation. But most important, he’s figured out how to deliver on the promise of both tasty Asian cuisine and hearty American gastropub fare. The Pho and Pad Thai offer wonderfully paired flavors, while the Kennett Square Burger would satisfy just about any taste. Meanwhile, the Brussels sprouts are out of this world.

— Jim Miller, Director of Publications

PUREBREAD DOBERMAN BAGEL

YONG'S ORIENTAL GROCERY, ELSMERE Tucked in a nondescript strip center in front of BJ's Warehouse on Kirkwood Highway, this compact but well-provisioned store sells all manner of Chinese, Japanese and Korean groceries for both novice dabblers in Asian cuisine and experienced epicures. The staff is gracious and friendly, especially with overwhelmed newbies. The store features more obscure spices and foodstuffs (sambal oelek, anyone?) unavailable in your local supermarket, and even the more familiar flavors (such as sweet chili sauce, black sesame oil, etc.) can be found in larger quantities at lower prices.

In addition to the extensive selection of canned and bottled goods, Yong's also features a number of homemade prepared foods.

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, cucumbers, capers, and tomato on your choice of bagel, this open-faced PureBread delight at $9.79 is perfect for any meal of the day. The staff is always so friendly, too, at any locations of the local chain.

— Krista Connor, Associate Editor

MARSH ROAD DINER Just off Philadelphia Pike, at 407 Marsh Rd., this 24-hour eatery offers what every good diner should: good ol’ American food served quickly and in generous portions. Seems to be one waitress for every four patrons, so there’s no waiting for those ham and eggs, T-bone, or club sandwich. For dessert, try the rice pudding.

— Bob Yearick, Contributing Editor

— Mark Fields, Movie Reviewer

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BELLA COAST KITCHEN & MARKET This place has been open for a little over a year on Rt. 202, but my fiancée and I just finally tried it this past fall. We fell in love with our first meal there. The place looks awesome and features a small Italian market. She had a Napolitano hoagie and I had a handcrafted pepperoni pizza.

Both were deliciously amazing, but their ricotta cheese cheesecake with caramel and apples took the cake (pun intended). Once you've tried this place, you won't go back to any of those "Italian" chain restaurants.

— Tyler Mitchell, Graphic Designer

LOMA COFFEE & BREAKFAST WRAP A few weeks ago, fellow O&A-er Marie grabbed us some coffees and breakfast wraps at Market Street’s LOMA Coffee.

My wrap, the build-your-own breakfast burrito filled with scrambled eggs, hot sauce, cheese and spinach, was amazing.

The coffee is great, too. As I write this I’m considering running out of the office for a mid-morning snack.

SAKURA JAPANESE RESTAURANT OF ELSMERE A few weeks back, I stopped by Sakura for a late lunch, mostly consisting of sushi. While the storefront doesn’t scream “Japanese restaurant,” the interior takes you somewhere else. Definitely a traditionalist setup, music included. The quality of rolls and presentation were above average and the staff was very friendly.

— Ryan Alexander, Contributing Designer

CHOLEY PURI Indian-food neophytes won't find a more comforting introduction than this taco-esque creation: a silky bowl of simmered-spicy chickpeas, perfectly suited to folding into the accompanying rounds of delightfully oily and puffy "puri" bread—lusciously executed in Newark at the Tavva Café, 215 E. Main St. — Eric Ruth, Contributing Writer

— Krista Connor, Associate Editor

NEWARK SZECHUAN EXPLOSION

BREAKFAST AT HANK’S PLACE

Newark's Main Street (and just beyond) is undergoing a startling multiplication of hard-core, ultra-authentic Szechuanstyle restaurants, all of them filled (as if to confirm their worth) by Chinese international students from campus. On Main Street proper, there's Red Bowl (153 E. Main) and Colorful Yun Nan (59 E. Main), and just around the corner on South Main (i.e., "Elkton Road") is the intriguing Kung Pao Palace (259 S. Main)—all worthy of brave forays into the sometimes daunting world of real Chinese food.

There are not many things I’d wait in line for.

Breakfast at Hank’s Place is one I would. This folksy Chadds Ford eatery, located at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 100, is nearly as famous as the Wyeth family. And wouldn’t you know it, Hank’s is one of the Wyeths’ favorite breakfast spots. The French toast is great, the omelets are even better and the corned beef hash is a must-try. One piece of advice: If you venture there on the weekends, prepare for a wait.

— Jerry duPhily, Publisher

— Eric Ruth, Contributing Writer JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LOOK!

ANTI-BIOTIC FREE

CHICKEN

PORK BEEF

TROLLEY SQ. • BRANMAR PLAZA • MAIN ST. NEWARK

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NEW LANCASTER PIKE FARMER’S MARKET

A

FOOD NOTES Tasty things worth knowing

CHANGES FOR CHEF ROBERT LHULIER

C

hef Robert Lhulier—until this past fall the executive chef of the University and Whist Club of Wilmington—has new options on his horizon. He recently embarked on what he calls an “as-yet-to-be-named catering and culinary arts business.”

For the past month or so, he’s been cooking for friends, former customers and colleagues who until recently didn't have access to his talents since he had been the chef at a private club.

“Now I am regularly doing the multicourse dinners I've gained notoriety for, specialized caterings and events, take-out meals, soups and side dishes for those too busy to cook or who might lack the skills, or have dietary restrictions,” says Lhulier. “Sometimes people just reach out and need advice on how much is enough mashed potatoes for 20 people at Thanksgiving, or want to know what's a good mix of wines for a cocktail party and how much they should buy.”

Currently, he’s in the market for a commercial kitchen to work from, but for now, he will travel to people’s homes, or they can come to him for culinary service. This month, Lhulier is aiming to have the business name established and his website up.

For now, for more information, visit lhulier.com or "like" his professional page on Facebook—Chef Robert A. Lhulier.

new farmer’s market—7-Day Farmer’s Market and International Food Store—has moved into the space formerly occupied by Pathmark at 3901 Lancaster Pike, Wilmington.

The market sells fresh fish, produce, meat and dairy, including international options like Asian and Hispanic foods. When in season, local and organic options also will be available.

WORLD CAFE LIVE AT THE QUEEN

JOHNNIES DOG HOUSE HAPPENINGS

O

ver the summer, Concord Pike’s Johnnies Dog House was named 29th Best Hot Dog Restaurant in America. Recently, it also added “and Chicken Shack” to its title.

Says owner Mark Raphaelson: “Now not only do we have the best hot dogs in town along with the largest vegetarian selection around, but we are cooking up by far the best fried chicken that you will ever experience. After two years of research and testing we are now creating fried chicken with unparalleled taste.”

FOOD BANK SERVSAFE CERTIFICATION

T

he Food Bank of Delaware now offers ServSafe Food Safety certifications, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s training program that is respected and trusted by the restaurant industry to provide instruction in essential food safety practices.

The nationally-recognized certification includes training on personal hygiene, cross contamination, time and temperature, receiving and storage and food safety management systems.

Winter and spring classes at the two Food Bank locations are: Feb. 22 in Newark (English); March 14 in Newark (Spanish); April 4 in Milford (Spanish) and April 18 in Newark (English).

The class is a one-day training in the principles of food safety presented by registered ServSafe instructors. Instruction will last from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by the exam from 4-6 p.m. Individuals who complete the training and pass the exam will receive a certificate.

The $150 course fee includes seven hours of food safety training, a textbook, lunch and the exam.

UNEXPECTED & DELICIOUS PAIRINGS 44 COURSES COURSES & DESSERT DESERT PAIRED WITH PAIRED WITH CRAFT BEER CRAFT BEER SATURDAYS AT 3PM TICKETS AT WORLDCAFELIVE.COM

UPCOMING DATES JANUARY 16 FEBRUARY 6 MARCH 12 APRIL 9 500 N MARKET ST. WILMINGTON, DE 302.994.1400 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Get full details for hundreds of events going on around town!

inWilmingtonDE.com

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CITY OF WILMINGTON

On the Town

Light Fantastic group exhibit at Colourworks Photo/Art Space. On view Monday through Friday from 8:30 - 5:30 PM through February 20th, 2016.

SAVE THE DATE THE WILMINGTON ART LOOP FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5th 5 - 9 p.m.

cityfestwilm.com/artloopwilmington

Venue submissions are due January 9th cityfest

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

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Theatre N at Nemours

theatren.org

PRICES: $8 | general admission $6 | seniors and children

*Theatre N reserves the right to change the film schedule at any time. Please visit our website at www.theatren.org for the most up to date information for all film and events at Theatre N.

302.576.2565 Monday - Friday

1007 N. Orange Street Wilmington, DE 19801

302.571.4075 Nights & Weekends theatren.org PEGGY GUGGENHEIM – ART ADDICT NR | 1 hr 37 mins | January 2-7 Sat. 2pm, 8pm | Sun. 4pm Tues. 7pm | Thurs. 4pm

PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT. A colorful character who was not only ahead of her time but helped to define it, Peggy Guggenheim was an heiress to her family fortune who became a central figure in the modern art movement. As she moved through the cultural upheaval of the 20th century, she collected not only art, but artists. While fighting through personal tragedy, she maintained her vision to build one of the most important collections of modern art, now enshrined in her Venetian palazzo.

THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION NR | 1 hr 55 mins | January 2-7 Sat. 5pm | Sun. 1pm Tues. 4pm | Thurs. 7pm

Change was coming to America and the fault lines could no longer be ignored—cities were burning, Vietnam was exploding, and disputes raged over equality and civil rights. A new revolutionary culture was emerging and it sought to drastically transform the system. The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense would, for a short time, put itself at the vanguard of that change.

TRUTH

R | 2 hrs 5 mins | January 8-14 Fri. 4pm, 10pm | Sat. 2pm, 8pm Sun. 4pm | Tues. 7pm | Thurs. 4pm On the morning of September 9, 2004, veteran CBS News producer MARY MAPES (Cate Blanchett) believed she had every reason to feel proud of a broadcast journalism job well done. By the end of the day, Mapes, CBS News, and the venerable CBS News anchor DAN RATHER (Robert Redford) would be under harsh scrutiny. Told from the perspective of the veteran journalist at the center of the controversy, TRUTH examines how a news report of national importance was fitted together piece by piece in the newsroom, only to be unraveled by a storm of accusation and criticism.

NOMA: MY PERFECT STORM

NR | 1 hr 30 mins | January 8-14 Fri. 1pm, 7pm | Sat. 5pm | Sun. 1pm, 7pm Tues. 4pm | Thurs. 7pm Famous for its reinvention of Danish cuisine and pioneered approach to “foraging”, sourcing nearly all ingredients from the various environments of Scandinavia, Noma is at the forefront of experimenting with new techniques in food. NOMA: MY PERFECT STORM follows chef and co-owner Redzepi on a creative culinary journey as he traverses the Danish landscape for inspiration, striving to achieve perfection and concoct bold, exciting dishes for travelers from around the world.

44 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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MOONWALKERS

R | 1 hr 47 mins | January 15-20 Fri. 1pm, 7pm | Sat. 5pm | Sun. 1pm, 7pm Tues. 4pm | Wed. 7pm What if Apollo 11 never actually made it?

What if, in reality, Stanley Kubrick secretly shot the famous images of the moon landing in a studio, working for the US administration?

This is the premise of a totally plausible conspiracy theory that takes us to swinging sixties London, where a stubborn CIA agent (Perlman) will never find Kubrick but instead is forced to team up with a lousy manager (Grint) of a seedy rock band to develop the biggest con of all time.

YOSEMITE

NR | 1 hr 20 mins | January 15-20 Fri. 4pm, 10pm | Sat. 2pm, 8pm | Sun. 4pm Tues. 7pm | Wed. 4pm It’s the fall of 1985. The intertwining tales of three 5th grade friends, Chris, Joe and Ted, unfold in the suburban paradise of Palo Alto, as the threat of a mountain lion looms over the community.

HEART OF A DOG

R | 1 hr 15 mins | January 22-28 Fri. 9pm | Sat. 5pm | Sun. 4pm Tues. 7pm | Thurs. 4pm Artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband, mother, beloved dog and subject.

THE TREASURE

NR | 1 hr 29 mins | January 22-28 Sat. 2pm, 8pm | Sun. 1pm, 7pm Tues. 4pm | Thurs. 7pm One evening, his neighbor pays him an unexpected visit and shares a secret: there’s treasure buried in his grandparents’ garden, he’s sure of it. If Costi will hire a metal detector to help locate it, he’ll give him half of whatever they get. Skeptical at first, in the end Costi can’t resist. He’s on board. The two accomplices have one weekend to locate the loot. Despite every obstacle in their path, Costi refuses to be discouraged. For his wife and son, he’s a real hero – nothing and no one are going to stop him.

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A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

12/22/15 1:04 PM

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For more information visit http://www.theatren. net/blackfilmfestival.

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1. Amtrak Station 2. Opera Delaware Studios/City Theater Co. 3. Wilmington Youth Rowing Assn., WYRA.ORG 4. Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park 5. Residences at Christina Landing 6. Harry’s Seafood Grill / Riverfront Market, HARRYS-SAVOY.COM 7. Delaware Theatre Co., DELAWARETHEATRE.ORG 8. FireStone Roasting House, FIRESTONERIVERFRONT.COM 9. Cosi at the Barclays Crescent Building, GETCOSI.COM 10. Hare Pavilion/Riverwalk 11. AAA Mid-Atlantic Travel Center, AAAMIDATLANTIC.COM 12. Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, THEDCCA.ORG

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13. Justison Landing, Currie Hair, Skin & Nails, CURRIEDAYSPA.COM Veritas Wine & Spirits, VERITASWINESHOP.COM Starbucks on the Riverfront 14. Kooma, KOOMASUSHI.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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27 Riverfront Commuter Lot, RIVERFRONTWILM.COM/PARKING 28. Penn Cinema Riverfront IMAX, PENNCINEMARIVERFRONT.COM 29. CrossFit Riverfront, CFRIVERFRONT.COM 30. The Residences at Harlan Flats, HARLANFLATS.THERESIDENCES.NET 31. Stratosphere Trampoline Park, WILMINGTONTRAMPOLINEPARK.COM 32. The Westin Wilmington, WESTINWILMINGTON.COM River Rock Kitchen, RIVERROCKKITCHEN.COM 33. Delaware Humane Association, DEHUMANE.ORG Photo by Joe del Tufo

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LO C AT I O N

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DRINK

Veteran bartenders and old friends Matty Kasper and Brian Ford are both currently pouring drinks at Newark's Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen. Photo Anthony Santoro

Life Behind Bars Four Delaware bartenders dish on serving The First State

By Rob Kalesse

W

alk into most restaurants, and whether it’s a slow Tuesday afternoon or a busy Friday night, there’s usually something going down at the bar. Customers are laughing and carrying on, or yelling at the TV, or even singing along to the acoustic duo doing covers of Dave Matthews and Billy Joel.

In the center of it all is the bartender. He or she mixes drinks, pours beers, takes orders, conducts traffic, tell jokes, and in effect creates an environment that makes customers feel at home.

We spoke with four “lifers” with a total of more than 85 years behind some of Delaware’s most well-attended bars to find out what it’s like being the ringmaster of all this action. They revealed how they got started, what keeps them in the business, and described some unique tips they’ve received over the years. They also threw in some advice for today’s bar-hoppers. ► JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK LIFE BEHIND BARS continued from previous page

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Alan Rutherford, The Man at Kid’s

Just a little over 20 years ago, while he was waiting tables at Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon in Wilmington, Al Rutherford was offered a shot at tending bar during one of Kid’s famously busy Sunday brunches.

Anyone who has stopped in for steak and eggs between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on a Sunday knows that the scene at Kid's can be a dizzying display of servers, hostesses and kitchen staff working as a well-oiled machine.

For Rutherford, it was baptism by fire, but he survived it, would continue working nights while getting his master’s in physiology from the University of Delaware, and then would be faced with a decision to make when he graduated.

“Most people will tell you they get into bartending for the money, and I’m no exception,” says Rutherford. “The job offers I got when I graduated were for peanuts, so I decided to stay on at Kid’s, and I’ve been here ever since.”

Now 48, Rutherford hasn’t a single regret. He’s become as much a part of the bar scene at Kid’s as the comfy swivel chairs aligned on the back side of the bar itself. But aside from the money – Rutherford says Kid’s has been a “gold mine” – the North New Jersey native says you have to love people to be a good bartender.

“The best part of tending bar is the people, although the worst part of tending bar can also be the people,” says Rutherford. “I’d say 95 percent of the people are great; they come in to share their stories, hang out and have a good time. But of course you’ll always have that 5 percent of cantankerous folks that just don’t want to be nice. For each type of person, you have to be a professional and try your best to show them a good time.”

Over the years, some folks have had a little bit more of a good time than others. During the 1990s, when Kid’s was under different ownership (the Trolley Square icon is now owned by the Harry’s Restaurant Group), Kid’s featured a DJ Night on Thursdays that sometimes got a bit rowdy.

“Yeah, I remember seeing some girls get up on the bar on those crazier nights,” says Rutherford. “And I remember seeing some of those girls’ clothes come off. After a few incidents, we had to, um, discourage that. The ‘90s were a different time.”

Today Rutherford still enjoys his job, but does feel that the younger clientele has changed the relationship between bartender and customer, mostly because of the smartphone. They’re constantly on their phones, he says, and it comes off as rude.

“I don’t want to sound like an old guy, but the kids with the cellphones…it’s gone too far,” he says. “We used to have a no cellphone policy years ago, but that doesn’t fly anymore. I’d just say that if you’re gonna go out to the bar, enjoy your experience. Engage with your bartender, your friends, and the atmosphere. Kid's is a really fun place to hang out, and I think you miss out on that if you’re constantly looking down at your phone the entire time.”

Matty Kasper, Starboard Icon

Drive down Route 1 through Dewey Beach just about any weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day and you’ll see a packed house and lines out the door for what is one of Delaware’s most popular bars, The Starboard. Somewhere buried among the throng of bikini-clad ladies and the dudes in swim trunks you’ll usually find Matty Kasper busy juicing hundreds of grapefruits and opening bottles of Bud Light.

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It’s been that way for 18 summers, ever since Kasper, now 44, was offered a job bar backing (basically being a busboy for the bartender—getting him ice and other supplies, cleaning up after hours; a bartender starter job). That turned into a bartending gig a few summers later.

It’s been said that Starboard bartenders don’t quit; they simply die, implying that the gig is so coveted because of both the money and the excitement of working at such a busy establishment that no one ever leaves the job. Kasper agrees.

“It really is a phenomenal place to work, from the co-workers to the owners to the regular customers that come through here every summer,” says Kasper. “It’s like a big family here, which is kinda cool. The hours can be rough, but the pace of the place makes them fly by. However, if you want to be a bartender here, get in line.”

While The Starboard does great business for New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day weekend, things really kick off on Memorial Day weekend, when Dewey sees its annual flood of out-of-towners and vacationers looking to kick back and have a few adult beverages. Kasper says that three-day weekend is the longest stretch he works each year.

“The craziest shift is Memorial Day Sunday. We can’t serve booze until 9 a.m., but we’re open for breakfast at 8 a.m.,” says Kasper. “By 8:59 a.m., we have a line of 300 people around the building, and the waitresses already have pre-ordered drink tickets for their tables.

Once it strikes 9 a.m., the floodgates open and it doesn’t stop until 1 a.m. the next day.”

He says that’s roughly a 22-hour shift, if you begin with a 7 a.m. call time and continue until all the checks are closed and the bar is cleaned Monday around 4 or 5 a.m. Though he doesn’t know how many crates of oranges or grapefruit the bar goes through to make its famous “Crush” drinks, Kasper says he’s been told by distributors that they sell the most Absolut Ruby Red vodka in the country to make the drinks.

When bartenders get busy, according to Kasper, they have a system of getting to patrons one by one, avoiding long waits for people based on when they belly up. However, if you’re at Kasper’s bar during a busy shift, one thing can guarantee you slow—or no—service: Yelling “Yo!” or calling him “Bro!” if you don’t know him.

“If people just stand there and smile, or raise their hand, I’ll get to them,” says Kasper.

“It’s when you start yelling at me that I’ll likely tune you out and move on to the next person. I know you’re waiting there, and I’ll get to you, just be patient.”

Brian Ford, Mr. Main Street

Brian Ford is another lifer. For 23 years, Newark bar-goers could find him perched at Klondike Kate’s on Main Street. Every Thursday around 5 p.m., he’d have the same set of regulars who bellied-up and joined him and co-workers for what felt like a weekly private party.

Now down the street at Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen, Ford finds himself in a slightly different environment. The hours are a little easier and the clientele is a little more grown up, but he still feels that being a good bartender comes down to a few fundamentals.

“For me, bartending is all about interaction with the guests, and getting to know people,” says Ford. “The drinks and food, to me, have always been secondary. You can get a Ketel and tonic or a chicken sandwich anywhere. But if you get to know your bartender, and maybe even become friends, you’ll go back again and again.”

The 44-year-old has certainly worked at enough bars—including Scratch Magoo's, Firestone and the Columbus Inn in Wilmington—to know that guests can sit at any table and have a waiter or waitress serve them a burger. But to Ford, the bartender-customer relationship is different.

“A martini is just a martini, but if I ask what you do, ask your name, and get to know you a little, I guarantee it’ll be a more memorable martini than usual,” he says.

“And I’m not just trying to start new relationships for better tips, but it usually does work out that way, which is great.”

Ford says he’s been rewarded heavily over the years for great service. Parents of a University of Delaware ice hockey team member once tipped him a thousand dollars for “looking after their son,” while another regular once offered him keys to a beach house in Key West.

“Don’t get me wrong, those kinds of tips are great, and I’m always very appreciative when someone goes out of their way to show their gratitude,” he says. “But a lot of younger bartenders today, from what I’ve seen, kind of expect 20 percent or more just for showing up. It doesn’t work that way.” ►

‘80s Era Video Games Classic Pinball • Skeeball 15 Beers on Tap • Area Craft Brews

Monday

Industry Appreciation Night with SwitichFlip Media

Tuesday

She Blinded Me with Internet Porn (Multi-decade trivia)

Wednesday

Bonus Stage: Comedy Melee and Open Mic with Brandon Jackson

Thursday

Karoake! with DJ Drew’s SuperAwesome Traveling Roadshow

Friday and Saturday Local and National Original Live Music!

Sunday 1984 Skee-Beer League Returns!

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JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Ford says tips need to be earned, rather than expected. As the bar LIFE BEHIND BARS manager at Grain, he’s trying to instill continued from previous page the ideals of hard work, conversation, and relationship building with the next generation of bartenders.

“If you can get on a level with your customers where you become Facebook friends with them, or text them to go out and grab a beer the next time you’re not working, you’ve really gone above and beyond as a bartender,” says Ford. “When you’re tending bar, you should be having fun with the people around you. With two bars here at Grain, that’s our goal: to create a great atmosphere at each one.”

Now a 24-year veteran of the restaurant-and-bar business, Nicol DiMarzio’s start in the hospitality industry includes a bit of humor as well as a historic tragedy. Her first bartending shift took place in her home state of New Jersey, where a customer ordered a Bloody Mary, and after tasting it, asked for DiMarzio to make it hotter.

“I went in the back and microwaved the thing,” says DiMarzio, laughing. “I had no idea he meant make it spicier; that’s how naïve I was.”

So much for the humor. The tragedy was on a much greater scale. Her first “real shift” as a bartender, as she puts it, came just days after the Sept. 11 attacks, while she was working as a server at Kid Shelleen’s.

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Photo Anthony Santoro

Nicol DiMarzio, Logan House Linchpin

Nichol DiMarzio pours a Yuengling lager upstairs at Kelly's Logan House.

The Deer Park Tavern

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Entertainment Schedule

EVERY TUESDAY

Jefe & DJ Andrew Hugh

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DJ Willoughby

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WEDNESDAYS - MEXICAN NIGHT! ½ Price Nachos & Quesadillas ALL DAY! $3 Coronas & Margaritas • $1.50 Tacos

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SUNDAY NIGHT: Chorduroy THURSDAYS ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Wings (5pm-Close) ½ Price Burgers (11:30am-3pm) • $2 Rail Drinks

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52 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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“One of the owners at the time had a son who died in the terrorist attacks,” says DiMarzio. “It was awful. But that Friday, we held a benefit and they needed an extra bartender. I guess they figured that for that kind of event, no one would complain if my service was slow on a Friday night.

They threw me back there and I started working bar shifts the next week.”

For DiMarzio, bartending is about three things: interaction with guests, the money she’s made over the years, and avoiding the monotony of a corporate desk job. She’s now at Kelly’s Logan House, where she acts as manager much more often than she tends bar, but she still enjoys talking with people.

“I’m not the kind of person who would start up a random conversation with people on the street,” she says, “but get me behind the bar and I can’t stop talking with them. Just don’t call me sweetie, baby, or hon.”

Besides her disdain for pet names, DiMarzio also doesn’t like it when she hears people ask her co-workers about getting a “real job.” She says some customers don’t view waiting tables or tending bar as real careers, just because they’re not 9-to-5 desk jobs.

“I’ve had people ask me what I do for a living while I was tending bar,” she says. “I used to work for DuPont, but I couldn’t do the corporate desk thing. That’s probably one of the best parts of working in the restaurant industry: things are a little more relaxed, and you can joke around and have fun with customers.”

For DiMarzio, a good regular bar patron asks about how the bartender is doing, and has some respect for the job.

After working at places like Six Paupers, Dead Presidents, Lime and even the longforgotten Café Bellissimo, DiMarzio says the guests who treat bartenders the best usually get treated the best in return.

So to sum up: the perfect bartender is a professional—not some moonlighting amateur—who will lend a sympathetic ear, deliver a well-mixed drink in a timely manner, and expect an appropriate gratuity for his or her services. In return, customers are expected to be respectful, keep cell phone use to a minimum, and never, ever use the words “yo,” “bro,” “hon,” “baby,” or “sweetie” within earshot of the bartender.

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DRINK WINE & CIDER-MAKING

PICKS OF THE DRINK VARIETY

Creative Director Matt Loeb and I have always suggested home brewing beer in O&A Worth Trying editions, but each time we try to offer something different. This past fall, I tried my hand at making hard cider with locally-sourced apple cider from Highland Orchards. Everyone who had a chance to try it fell in love with it, and making hard cider is much easier than home-brewing beer. With wine or cider-making, you cut out the actual "brewing" part and just add some yeast to your "juice,” let it sit and follow regular home brewing procedures.

— Tyler Mitchell, Graphic Designer

NARRAGANSETT ALLIE’S DONUTS CHOCOLATE PORTER I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate beers.

Simultaneously, they’re my most favored and most detested brews. This beer is sweet as expected, and proves to be light, uncharacteristic of many chocolatebased batches. I found my pack of six at Inner Spirits in Trolley Square.

— Ryan Alexander, Contributing Designer

COCINA LOLO SANGRIA COCKTAILS Since Cocina opened (the newest culinary baby of Bryan and Andrea Sikora, located at 405 N. King St.), they've enjoyed a great dinner buzz.

But I feel everyone should know they also have a terrific at-bar Happy Hour too (Tuesday-Friday, 4-6 p.m., with $5 classic margaritas, $3 cervezas and $2 tacos). Above all that, my favorite new thing is their homemade BLANCO (white) Y TINTO (red) sangrias: Spanish wines mixed with oodles of brandy-soaked fruits and a touch of Cointreau—the perfect "something new" for your everyday HH party. P.S., also try their mushroom fundido for another something new.

— Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer

HOP SING LAUNDROMAT IN PHILLY The best bar within 100 miles of where you are right now. It’s this crazy hidden speakeasy in Chinatown. You give a big, scary, ex-football pro your ID when you buzz in. He disappears for an uncomfortable amount of time, then returns to read you the rules. Sneakers or jeans? Don’t even bother knocking. Take a photo, even with your phone, and you get kicked to the curb. But man, the drinks…I recently had the Funkify Your Life (Thai pepper with gin, ginger liquor, mint and lemon juice), which is so spicy if it touches your lips you are toast.

But it is all delicious and worth the dance, whatever your poison.

— Joe del Tufo, Contributing Photographer

54 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DEFIANT WHISKY Born in moonshine country, this American single malt whisky was a spontaneous buy at Frank's Wine.

I finally tried it and was pleasantly surprised. It's obvious that Blue Ridge Distillery mastered this blend before it hit the bottle and the shelves. It's the perfect sipper to enjoy with holiday guests.

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APEROL SPRITZ AT CAPERS & LEMONS

OLD RASPUTIN RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT The eerie mystic on the label of California's North Coast Brewing Co.’s Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout is anything but welcoming. But the bitter brew, an enigmatic blend of coffee, dark cocoa and dark malts, is rich and smooth. At 9 percent ABV, it's one to sip slow and savor.

I’m typically a beer and red wine drinker, but at our office holiday party at Lemons & Capers I was in the mood for something different. They had lots of delightful looking options, but our server recommended the Aperol Spritz: prosecco, aperol (an Italinan liquer made with bitter orange and rhubarb), club soda, and a splash of fresh orange juice. It was delicious! Exactly the festive-type cocktail I had in mind.

— Marie Graham, Director of Digital Media

— Krista Connor, Associate Editor

SWIGG – WINE, CRAFT BEER & ARTISAN SPIRITS

DARK AND STORMY A colleague introduced me to this concoction during a recent holiday dinner. Trust me, I will be having another. Created with Crabbie’s ginger beer, Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda dark rum, and a twist of lime, the drink has a nice bite, is not too sweet, and the perfect option when you’re looking for a break from a filling craft beer or glass of wine.

Located in Independence Mall, David Govatos' new shop is both stylish and thoroughly engaging for the adult beverage aficionado. It focuses on lesser known producers from all over the world, quality products are offered at very competitive pricing. One wall features an ever-changing roster of 15 red wines and 15 whites, all under $15. If craft beer is your thing, craft is all they sell. An impressive collection of local, regional and other quality American brews are chilled and ready for a session with the crew. And an outstanding selection of premium artisanal spirits make excellent gifts or additions to your liquor cabinet or winter sipping list.

Located at 1601 Concord Pike, Wilmington.

— Chef Robert Lhulier

— Jerry duPhily, Publisher

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Tuesday Rib Special:

FULL RACK or COMBO

ONLY

it st s

$

17

.99 In House Only

56 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

OVER 30 DIFFERENT SIXTELS IN STOCK!

SIPS

Here's what's pouring

By Matt Moore

RELEASE PARTY JAN. 8

O

n Friday, Jan. 8, Fordham & Dominion Brewing Co. will hold a brewery release party for a new spiced winter ale called “Son of a Nutcracker.” The party will be at the brewery’s headquarters in Dover from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is $5.

FOOD TRUCKS, WINE & BEER

O

n Wednesday, Jan. 13, The Pig + Fish Restaurant Co. in Rehoboth Beach will host a unique event for the taste buds. Starting at 6:30 p.m., the restaurant’s culinary team will present four courses from food trucks paired with craft beer and boutique wines. Tickets are $59.95 and include all food and drinks.

NOT YOUR FATHER’S

A LOCAL AND NATIONAL FAVORITE

N

ewark’s Argilla Brewing Co. has been deemed No. 8 on Food & Wine Magazine’s list of Top 50 Nanobreweries in the country. Initially a pizza shop when it opened in 1978, the company transitioned into a 1.5-barrel brewery. Argilla is the smallest brewery in the state.

WAWAY: AN ANNUAL TRADITION

T

his year’s sixth annual Wine About What Ales You features wine, ale, food, dancing, a silent auction and more. Hors d'oeuvres by Penn’s Bistro from William Penn High School will be served in addition to a wide array of beer from area breweries and wineries, including 3rd Wave Brewing Co., Mispillion River Brewing Co. and Crow Vineyard. It will be held in The River Room at the New Castle Senior Center in New Castle on Saturday, Jan. 16, from 5:30-9 p.m.

Tickets are $40, and all proceeds benefit the Wayside Exhibit Project.

PAINTING AND BEER RETURN OF THE HOPS

D

ue to the shortage of Citra hops, Iron Hill Brewery’s most popular seasonal beer has not been brewed in more than a year. On Friday, Jan. 15, the area brewery will celebrate its return with the Riverfront IPA Beer Release event from 5 to 8 p.m. at Iron Hill’s Wilmington location.

O

n Tuesday, Feb. 9, Victory Brewing Co.’s Brewpub in Downingtown, Pa., will offer its spin on ladies night, Girls Just Wanna Have Suds, featuring painting and beer. From 6:30-9 p.m., guests can paint, eat snacks and enjoy seasonal beers on tap. Tickets are $45 and availability is limited.

GINGERALE

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24 - 16 oz Cans

www.BrewersOutlet202.com Route 202 – One Mile N. of DE/PA Line Mon–Sat 9–9, Sun 10–5 • 610-459-8228

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

Beer

Beer Grainiac Grainiac Watch the A PLAYOFFS THIS MONTH: A at Grotto Pizza!

Craft beer reviews from Grain’s Jim O’Donoghue nother

great

beer

from

Sixpoint of Brooklyn, NY. Craft beeroutreviews from It Pours a nice clear copper, Grain’s Jimand O’Donoghue smells fantastic, has a very nice

This Month: Sixpoint Sensi Tröegs Blizzard of Hops Harvest Winter IPA

white head. The floral smell comes from sthe rareputs process of brewing Tröegs it, "Blizzard of Hops with confirms wet hops aflown in right harvest after successful harvest. is a Cycle.” nice and An theABV endofof6.3% The itHop improvement fromto2014 What a great way endand theleaves season! you with a very drinkable beer.it is If a Don’t let the name scare you, you have tried Victory well-balanced IPAand thatliked is more than Harvest, you definitely just a nose fullshould of hops.

While itgive does the aSixpoint have strong initial hop aroma the Sensi Harvest overall taste does a nice job mixing IPA a shot. flavors. Winter beers tend piney/citrus to head to the dark side but, Blizzard of Hops pours very light and makes a good any-time beer. If you like New Belgium’s White IPA, Accumulation, you should give Blizzard of Hops a try.

– Jim O’Donoghue – Jim O’Donoghue

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58 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Ernest & Scott will Open at 4pm for Super Bowl Party !

The ULTIMATe

Super Bowl ComBo!

Sunday, February 7th, 4pm – Close $ 50 includes: OPEN BAR from 6-10pm ALL-U-CAN EAT FOOTBALL BUFFET: featuring pretzels, tacos, chili dogs, wings and MORE!

Bring Your Sunday Brunch Receipt From Chelsea Tavern to receive 10% OFF THE BIGGEST SUPER BOWL PARTY on Market Street!

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JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Come Try Our Seasonal Craft Beers Over 22 Beers on Tap at the Polly Drummond and Peoples Plaza Locations!

Play Off Football Time!

DURING EVERY PRO FOOTBALL GAME ENJOY:

MONDAYS

½ Price Appetizers All Day

It’s That Time Of Year Again!

$6 BUFFALO WINGS • $7 NACHOS • $6.50 PITCHERS OF BUD & BUD LIGHT TUESDAYS

½ Price Burgers All Day $1.50 Domestic Drafts after 7pm

WEDNESDAYS

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THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: 108 Peoples Plaza (Corner of Rtes. 40 & 896) | Newark, DE | 302-834-6661 8 Polly Drummond Shopping Center | Newark, DE | 302-738-7814 800 North State Street | Dover, DE | 302-674-0144

THURSDAYS

All You Can Eat Shrimp $12.99 after 5pm, Prime Rib $18.99

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Prime Rib $22.99, $2.50 Taylor’s Grog 7pm-close

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Beef and Beer $8.99, Steak Night $12.99

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Be our friend on Facebook!

www.mcglynnspub.com

60 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WATCH

The Big Short

4

STARS µµµµµ Christian Bale as Michael Burry in The Big Short. Photo © 2015 Paramount Pictures

FINANCIAL CRISIS AS COMEDY Will Ferrell collaborator Adam McKay directs an all-star cast in The Big Short, which explains the Great Recession of 2008

By Mark Fields

D

irector Adam McKay is best known as Will Ferrell’s partner on such hilariously sophomoric movies as The Other Guys, Step-Brothers, and, of course, Anchorman. Also the co-creator of the Funny or Die website, he is one of the least obvious filmmakers in Hollywood to be tasked with explaining the Great Recession of 2008. Understanding that economic calamity, however, which saw billions of dollars of wealth inexplicably lost, is a scenario where one needs to laugh to keep from crying, so perhaps a comedic approach is best.

On the evidence of The Big Short, McKay and his gonzo sensibility were just what the analyst ordered. The farcical comedy actually finds the humor as it follows a small group of truly eccentric finance guys who are betting that the glory days are coming to an abrupt and painful end, to the amusement or derision of everyone else in the financial sector. Along the way, The Big Short also manages to comically detail (at least partially) the arcane investment strategies and greed that produced the meltdown.

McKay is aided immensely by the offbeat casting of the film. This disparate group of oddballs includes Steve Carell as an abrasive fund manager, Christian Bale as an arrogant and successful investor savant, Ryan Gosling as a restless opportunist, and Brad Pitt as a recluse and former lion of Wall Street. With their abundant quirks and attitudes, none of these characters are likable people; you would run screaming if you encountered them at a party. But their deep knowledge, passionate commitment, and defiant self-confidence make them mesmerizing on the screen.

The screenplay, co-written by McKay, Charles Randolph, and the original author, Michael Lewis, elected to bring the audience in on the joke, as the characters routinely break the fourth wall to describe, or even contradict, moments of the story to the viewer. And obscure investment terms and instruments (which have evaded easy explanation in the years since the crisis) are spelled out in weirdly serious cameos by the likes of actress Margot Robbie (in a bubble bath, no less), chef Anthony Bourdain, and singer Selena Gomez. ► JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WHAT’S #INTUNE THIS MONTH

RICHARD RAW MUSICIAN

The Felice Brothers Saturday, January 9

Copeland String Quartet Sunday, January 10

DSO: Serenade to Winter Tuesday, January 26

Ayreheart Saturday, January 30

Full details for these events, plus more at: inWilmingtonDE.com

62 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WATCH

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Although much of the film is played for laughs, it’s clear that McKay and his cohorts have something more FINANCIAL CRISIS serious on their minds. The Big Short trenchantly closes AS COMEDY continued from page 61 with a set of text remarks that note the enormous amount of money lost in the downturn, the lack of any effective regulation put in place to prevent a recurrence, and the fact that only one minor player in the whole debacle ever went to prison. It’s remarkable that upon leaving the theater after a well-done two-hour comedy, my overwhelming emotional reaction was rage.

In The Heart of the Sea

2

STARS µµµµµ (R-L) Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase, Tom Holland as Thomas Nickerson and Sam Keeley as Ramsdell in Warner Bros.

Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure In The Heart Of The Sea.

SINKING IN THE HEART OF THE SEA The pedigree of In The Heart of the Sea would appear fool-proof: a competent cast, with Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland and Ben Whishaw; a true adventure story that had already inspired Moby-Dick, and the Oscarwinning directorial vision of Ron Howard.

Although exquisitely photographed, Sea sadly sinks under its own ponderous weight as it rehashes any number of prior sailing and shipwreck epics. More problematic for this whaling story is the evolved mores of its audience. In 21st century America, it is difficult, if not impossible, to make heroes out of men who hunt these magnificent creatures for glory and profit. Whaling may have been a noble and economically crucial profession in early American history; but to modern eyes, it’s simply barbaric.

And it certainly is no longer satisfying as entertainment.

Critic’s Note: There has been a lot of media coverage in recent months about the lack of roles for women, both in front of and behind the camera. I mention that now because these two major studio films featured only a small number of roles for women; none were of narrative consequence, and one involved a bubble bath. Although I can do little to change this sorry situation, I can at least call attention to it.

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Join Us for the

Super Bowl! $2 Miller lite PINts $2 TAcos 1/2-price nachos & wings

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64 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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SIX-PACK CINEMA

WATCH

Let It Snow

By Paula Goulden and Mark Fields As winter sets in, here are six snow-centric movies for your consideration.

Snowpiercer

(2013)

This dystopian sci-fi thriller by Korean director Joon Ho Bong got buried at the local Cineplex, which is unfortunate because it contains some terrific performances and a fascinating premise. A failed climate experiment plunges the entire globe into eternal winter. The handful of survivors travel the icy world on an elaborate train where deeply engrained human nature re-asserted a caste system among the passengers. Chris Evans (Captain America) is the intrepid outcast who decides to challenge the hierarchy and take control of the train. Also starring Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris, Jamie Bell, and John Hurt. —M. F. Snow Falling on Cedars

(1999)

When a Washington State fisherman is found dead, suspicion falls on his Japanese neighbor who had a grudge against the dead man. Set in 1950, just five years after World War II ended, the movie explores racial undercurrents in a Puget Sound fishing village as families from different cultures try to adjust to life with people they are used to thinking of as the enemy. —P. G. A Simple Plan

(1998)

Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, The Evil Dead) directed this wickedly clever yet bleak crime thriller set in rural Minnesota. Three hapless acquaintances stumble across a crashed plane full of money and decide to quietly steal their way to the American dream. Unfortunately, they begin to mistrust each other almost immediately, and descend into a tangle of deceit, lying, and even murder. Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, and Bridget Fonda star in this neo-noir classic. —M. F. Fargo

(1996)

I’ll confess to not being a particular fan of this ostensible classic from the Coen Brothers (Ethan and Joel); the violence is just a little too casual and the broad characterizations of Midwesterners feels pretty glib to this Indiana boy. Nevertheless, the performances of Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi are noteworthy, along with the Coens’ signature mix of tension and humor. —M. F. The Shining

(1980)

The feverish horror stories of Stephen King don’t seem like obvious source material for auteur Stanley Kubrick, and in fact, King fanboys were scandalized by Kubrick’s liberties with the original narrative. But Kubrick’s meditations on the privations of isolation (physical and emotional) create a brooding resonance that transcends the limitations of the horror genre. Thirty-five years later, moments from this film continue to haunt and disturb. Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelly Duvall, and one incredibly creepy mountain resort. —M. F. Love Story

(1970)

Romance blooms in the snows of New England as upper crust Harvard boy (Ryan O’Neal) falls for working class Radcliffe girl (Ali MacGraw) in this tearjerker that also manages to act cool despite some clunky dialogue.

But 45 years later we’re still wondering what they mean by “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”

—P. G. JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISTEN

WORLD CAFE LIVE

AT THE QUEEN

WILMINGTON

Not-to-be-missed music news

JAN

FEB

3

w/ APACHE TRAILS

STANLEY

Photo courtesy of Travel Songs

22

TUNED IN

CLARKE

The Travel Songs team filming on location in Peru.

FEB LAURA JANE GRACE

21

AND T HE DEVOURING MOT HERS w/ DAVE DONDERO

BuCkWheaT 29 ZyDECO FEB

1/13 BADFISH: A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME w/ SUN DRIED VIBES 1/23 ECHOES - A PINK FLOYD TRIBUTE 2/6 SPOKEY SPEAKY’S 5TH ANNUAL BOB MARLEY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 2/18 BRUCE IN THE USA - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN TRIBUTE 3/2 THE LONE BELLOW 3/12 JONATHA BROOKE & PATTY LARKIN @ W C L ATT H E Q U E E N WORLDCAFELIVE.COM

500 N MARKET ST W I L M I N G TO N , D E (302) 994.1400

TRAVEL SONGS: PERU WINS Area music and documentary group gets an international award Travel Songs, a Wilmington-based organization of musicians and filmmakers, recently won the Audience Appreciation Award at the 2015 Folk Music Film Festival for their documentary Travel Songs: Peru. The festival was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Travel Songs member Tyler Holloway was there to accept the award.

Travel Songs: Peru, the group’s first documentary, was filmed in summer 2013 and premiered last December at Theater N in Wilmington. Through it, crew members for this film—producer Zachary Humenik; photographer and score director Samuel Nobles; camera operators George Murphy and Colin Shalo; sound engineer Tyler Holloway, and production assistant Tyler Doherty —aim to bridge cultural gaps and create a common ground through documenting art forms from around the world.

“I was amazed to see that the standing-room-only crowd, consisting of filmmakers, academics, journalists, and a couple of hundred school children, were so enthralled by an English film,” says Holloway. “The crowd went silent as they were drawn into the Peruvian world. This reaction was very special to me— it exemplifies the mission of Travel Songs to connect cultures through music and reinforced that music is a universal language.”

Adds Humenik: “I would like to think that people can feel the film and see the passion that went into it. I think we did well to connect with people on an intimate level. We got great access, had a great team, and I think the people we interviewed and met with really trusted us to share their stories in a way that felt real. That’s important—people can tell when something feels real.”

Travel Songs is in the process of registering as a nonprofit organization to enhance funding for films, and to expand charitable giving programs. The goal is to establish initiatives in each country Travel Songs films in, promoting local musical styles and cultural arts programs.

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“It includes setting up musician workshops, lecturing at universities, and advocating for music and the arts—all of these things are important if we really want to share our message,” says Humenik.

He says the documentary projects are the center of the Travel Songs organization right now, leaving little time for the band to perform. Humenik, Holloway, Nobles and Doherty, members of the actual band currently live in various cities.

Fundraising for the next documentary—which could be filmed in either Cuba or Tunisia, along with a few other options—will begin this month. For more information and to view the Peru documentary for free, visit travelsongs.org.

BRITISH STAR IN ARDEN

Robyn Hitchcock, one of England’s most-loved contemporary singer-songwriters, is coming to Arden Gild Hall for a WXPN Welcomes show on Saturday, Jan. 23. The alternative rock artist will blend his folk sound and psychedelia, along with wry British humor, of course.

Since founding the art-rock band The Soft Boys in 1976, Hitchcock has recorded more than 20 albums. He’ll perform songs from his most recent album, The Man Upstairs, which he describes as a “bittersweet love letter to a vanishing world.”

Special guest Emma Swift, an Australian singer-songwriter, joins Hitchcock on tour.

The show begins at 8 p.m.; tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

BRIAN FALLON & THE CROWES

Gaslight Anthem singer performs at The Queen Radio 104.5 will present Brian Fallon & the Crowes on Sunday, Jan. 10, at World Cafe Live at The Queen.

Fallon, best known as vocalist and guitarist for the Gaslight Anthem, is also working on a debut solo album, Painkillers, set for release early this year.

Gaslight Anthem announced plans last summer to go on an indefinite hiatus following a successful European tour. Get Hurt (2014), the band’s acclaimed fifth studio album, hit number 4 on the Billboard 200.

Special guest Cory Branan will bring his alternative singer-songwriter sounds to The Queen.

Doors open at 7 p.m., the show starts at 8, and tickets are $22.50.

BAND OF THE ROYAL MARINES

UK’s Royal Navy musical branch comes to The Grand For something a little different, see the Royal Navy’s Band of the Royal Marines at Copeland Hall at The Grand on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The group is part of The Royal Marines Band Service, the musical wing of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, which consists of six bands.

The Band of the Royal Marines is celebrated for the quality of their music, visual grandeur and precision drill. The band performs popular classics, big band, stimulating contemporary works and entertaining solo features.

They also provide jazz, string and woodwind ensembles, making the group one of the most versatile and adept in military music. The Grand performance is part of their firstever U.S. tour.

Tickets are $36-$42, and the show begins at 8 p.m.

Email tuned-in@tsnpub.com with ideas, and they could be added to our list.

UPSTAIRS LIVE ALL SHOWS AT 8PM UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Robyn Hitchcock brings talent and wit on Jan. 23

HAVE YOU HEARD OF SOMETHING?

COMING SOON TO

1/8 THE WEEKEND RIOT & THE HOUSE ON CLIFF w/ CONUNDRUM NINE 1/9 PEANUT BUTTER & JAMS WELCOMES FAMILY CONCERT MISS NINA & THE JUMPING JACKS (11AM) 1/15 THE DUPONT BROTHERS 1/16 ANDREW & THE RHYTHM HOUNDS 1/21 KICK - THE INXS EXPERIENCE 1/27 BIRDS OF CHICAGO 1/29 SWEET LEDA & LOWER CASE BLUES 1/30 DAMN THE TORPEDOESTOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS TRIBUTE 2/4 ARC & STONES 2/5 MASON PORTER 2/6 SMASH PALACE w/ CLIFF HILLIS & THE FORWARD THINKERS 2/13 PEANUT BUTTER & JAMS WELCOMES JASON DIDNER FAMILY & THE JUNGLE CONCERT GYM JAM (11AM) 2/28 RUPERT BOYD, CLASSICAL GUITAR w/ XIAOBO PU (12PM) 500 N MARKET ST W I L M I N G TO N , D E (302)994.1400 WORLDCAFELIVE.COM

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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BUILD A BETTER YOU

GRACE URBAN FUTURE ARTIST

#ALLINFUN THIS MONTH

Sunday Studio Sunday, January 10

Invention Convention Sat, Jan 16 - Mon, Jan 18

2 5 1 8 We s t 4 t h S t .

Wilmington, DE

(302) 658-5077

DCT’s Snow White Sat, Jan 16 - Sun, Jan 31

Night at the Museum Saturday, January 22

Full details for the events above, plus hundreds more at: inWilmingtonDE.com

68 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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PLAY OPERA

PICKS OF THE PLAY VARIETY

There’s an excellent chance you haven’t been to an opera in your entire life. Here’s why 2016 should be the year you change that: the 2016 OperaDelaware Festival in May at The Grand Opera House. It features a once-lost 19th-century opera based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet that has only received one other full production since its rediscovery—and Delaware is the only East Coast production it will get before it headlines the Bregenz Festival in Austria in July. In short, this is a Big Deal coming to Delaware, with the guy who rediscovered the piece conducting the performances. Opera nerds from across the country will be in town to see it. Join them.

— Matt Sullivan, Contributing Writer

JAM OUT WITH THE TINY HUMANS One of my favorite morning events on the weekends has become grabbing a guitar and placing multiple instruments in front of my son and daughter for “daddy jam sessions.” It’s a ton of fun and a great alternative to cartoons.

Their imaginative beats and lyrics never cease to amaze me. Oh, and it gives me an excuse to play too!

— Matt Loeb, Creative Director

GENTLE GIANT / OCTOPUS, TWO-DISC SET: CD AND 5.1 BLU-RAY For fans of adventurous music, this newly remixed release of the classic fourth album from one of the most gifted and ambitious of the original wave of ‘70s progressive rock bands is an absolute gem. Although it was released 43 years ago, the music sounds fresh, exciting, and innovative, helped in large part by an impressive 5.1 remix by prog powerhouse Steven Wilson. If you know Gentle Giant, this is a must have. And if you don’t, grab this to discover the band that influenced an entire genre, and still inspires musicians and listeners around the globe.

— Matt Urban, Contributing Photographer

THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE This Amazon Prime original TV series sees executive producer Ridley Scott return to the heady universe of sci-fi. The Man in the High Castle goes into the past, to post-WWII America.

Except it’s not our past, and it’s certainly not our America. In this version, the Axis won the war, with the Nazis occupying the East Coast and the Japanese controlling the Pacific states. Meanwhile, an underground resistance is gaining strength, inspired by a collection of films that depict an alternate ending to the war: America winning. The premise and action are enough to get one past the first few episodes, and that’s when the actors start to really find their legs. Which is good, because many of them are on the run, with many twists and turns along the way.

My guess is you’ll be right there beside them every step of the way.

— Jim Miller, Director of Publications

CITY THEATER COMPANY Last month I attended CTC’s contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, and the audience was roaring with laughter in the snug, intimate setting of the Black Box. While those performances are over, Titanium 22 will showcase Fearless Improv performers with original one-act plays Jan. 22, 23, 29 and 30. I’m sure it won’t disappoint.

— Krista Connor, Associate Editor JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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70 JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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PLAY

SNAP SHOTS 1.

2.

4.

3.

5.

1. Jesse Vaillancourt and Devin Ernst battling it out with lightsabers at the Fox Force Party on Thursday, Dec. 17, benefitting Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Photo by Matt Urban

2. (l-r) Andy Truscott, Jenna Montgomery, Karl Malgiero, Brianna Hansen, Jessie Stafford, and Chris Jamison hanging out with Jabba the Hutt. Photo by Matt Urban 3. Kevin Pourdette, Ashley Warren, Sherry O’ Rourke, and Mike Klinger at the event’s silent auction. Photo by Matt Urban

6.

4. (clockwise from bottom-center) Miranda Butler, Katie Kennedy, Jose Padilla, Angel Ortega, Luis Amaro, Tayler Johnston, Chris Garcia, Melba Texeira and Monica Van Vechten having fun at the Logan House at the 2015 Santa Crawl on Dec. 11.

Photo by O&A

5. Mike McGrevy, Brian Wasson, Jessical Fountain and Jessica Stevens bringing the Christmas spirit. Photo by O&A 6. Rocking some holiday magic (l-r): Jeff Jones, Katherine Ratchford, Philip Wadsley, Danny Blodgett and Mike Wargo. Photo by O&A

JANUARY 2016 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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