Out & About Magazine March 2017

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

Fur-ever Friends

Pets—of any kind—can bring a lifetime of joy

Tiny House, Big Problems Q&A with County Executive Matt Meyer The Ashby Restaurant Empire

MARCH 2017 COMPLIMENTARY

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2017

April 3-8

Make Your Reservations Early

A Week of Prix-Fixe Dining at Wilmington’s Premier Restaurants Chelsea Tavern | Columbus Inn | Del Pez (Wilmington) Domaine Hudson | Ernest & Scott Taproom | The Green Room Harry’s Seafood Grill | La Fia | Mikimotos | Piccolina Toscana Tonic Bar and Grille | Ubon Thai Cuisine | Washington Street Ale House

LUNCH: 2 courses $15 | DINNER: 3 courses $35

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FLUME • WEEZER • THE SHINS • THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS DILLON FRANCIS • MIIKE SNOW • KESHA • FRANZ FERDINAND • GALANTIS GLASS ANIMALS • TORY LANEZ • PHANTOGRAM • AFI • CAPITAL CITIES • OK GO THE NAKED AND FAMOUS • KALEO • BUSTA RHYMES • BANKS • O.A.R. • BLEACHERS BENNY BENASSI • LIL DICKY • MISTERWIVES • T-PAIN • SNAKEHIPS DJ JAZZY JEFF • WALE • BOB MOSES • CASHMERE CAT • THE STRUMBELLAS NAHKO AND MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE • DAYA • MATOMA • ILLENIUM • GRYFFIN FRANCIS AND THE LIGHTS • STICK FIGURE • SLUSHII • NF • BIG WILD • EDEN THE WHITE PANDA • BISHOP BRIGGS • HAMILTON LEITHAUSER • SIR SLY ALAN WALKER • LEWIS DEL MAR • JUDAH & THE LION • K. FLAY • MUNA MAGGIE ROGERS • JACOB BANKS • SAM FELDT • SOFI TUKKER • MAGIC GIANT BARNS COURTNEY • ANNA LUNOE • JONAS BLUE • BLOSSOMS • MEG MAC RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE • SUNFLOWER BEAN • A R I Z O N A • SIR THE BAPTIST QUINN XCII • JAMES TW • KAIYDO • CRYWOLF • ELOHIM • FICKLE FRIENDS PARDISON FONTAINE • HANDSOME GHOST • KEVIN GARRETT • 888 • STEVE JAMES SHAED • TAYLOR BENNETT • DREAMERS • WIN AND WOO • ALEX WILEY SECRET WEAPONS • YOUNG BOMBS • ANDY FRASCO & THE U.N. • AYOKAY FOREIGN AIR • GOODY GRACE • MONDO COZMO • NAWAS • ROZES • SAINT WKND CVBZ • DEAD MAN FALL • WILDERADO • FLETCHER • SAVOIR ADORE • LAWRENCE SPIRITUAL REZ • SALT CATHEDRAL • JARED & THE MILL • SUB-RADIO • WARM BREW HAMISH ANDERSON • NEW MADRID • THE ORPHAN THE POET • WALKER LUKENS ROADKILL GHOST CHOIR • OWEL • THE STEPPIN STONES • THE SOCIAL ANIMALS THE LAWSUITS • REPEAT REPEAT • DEAL CASINO • ANIMAL YEARS • COLD ROSES CARVERTON • MICHAEL BLUME • HDBEENDOPE • LOUIE LOUIE • TRIO • SHIZZ LO FUTURE GENERATIONS • VITA AND THE WOOLF • ODDKIDOUT • QUITEHYPE SHORT SLEEVE HEART • ASTRO 8000 • BENCOOLEN • MIR FONTANE • ARMANI LEE DUDE RANCH & THE GIRL AT THE ROCK SHOW • CHILL MOODY • JOIE KATHOS MILES CHANCELLOR • ILL FATED NATIVES • LUKE O’BRIEN • ANNA SHOEMAKER HARDWORK MOVEMENT

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PASSES & CAMPING PACKAGES ON SALE NOW AT FIREFLYFESTIVAL.COM

2 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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E X P E R I E N C E

&

THE PLAYHOUSE Kathleen Madigan

LIVE IS ALWAYS BETTER!

Drumline Live!

Hilarious stand-up and Grand favorite returns with more of her snarky, offbeat humor

All-star percussionists perform extraordinary choreography in new and dynamic show

SAT | MAR 11 | 8PM | $30-$38

WED | MAR 15 | 8PM | $44-$54

The Five Irish Tenors

“1964”...The Tribute

Five leading Irish tenors perform a breathtaking program of arias and beloved Irish songs

THUR | MAR 16 | 8PM | $33-$39

The Hillbenders

The “Best Beatles Tribute Band on Earth” (Rolling Stone) recreates the energy and magic of the group’s touring years

SAT | MAR 18 | 8PM | $32-$38

Kim Russo

An Evening with “The Happy Medium”

An evening of spirit communication conducted by psychic medium and star of LMN’s hit show “The Haunting of…”

The Who’s classic TOMMY album fully realized as a full length bluegrass tribute

SUN | MAR 26 | 7PM | $30

FRI | MAR 31 | 8PM | $32-$39

TheGrandWilmington.org | 302.652.5577 | 800.37.GRAND | 818 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

THEGRAND

All tickets subject to box office service charges.

Artists, dates, times and programs are subject to change.

THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART 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.

Arden Concert Gild, The Green Willow, Brandywine Friends of Oldtime Music, African American Community Advisory Council, and the Latino Community Advisory Council are valued partners for many performances in the 2016-17 season.

BRAND NEW!

Download The Grand On The Go mobile app and buy tickets, watch videos, and more!

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Infused with live music and daring aerial feats, this new musical experience will captivate audiences of all ages.

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THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF W. HEATH ROBINSON MARCH 4 – MAY 21, 2017

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Wonder and Whimsy: The Illustrations of W. Heath Robinson features over 65 illustrations, designs, and drawings created by Heath Robinson from the collection of the William Heath Robinson Trust (UK). This exhibition is made possible in Delaware by the Emily du Pont Memorial Exhibition Fund. Additional support was provided, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. | Second Adventure – The Air-Ship. The Aeronaut, 1902, from The Adventures of Uncle Lubin (London: Grant Richards, 1902). Pen and ink, with watercolor, 9 13/16 × 7 11/16 inches.

2301 Kentmere Parkway Wilmington, DE 19806 302.571.9590 delart.org 6 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Out & About Magazine

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Vol. 30 | No. 1

Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net 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 Contributing Designer Ryan Alexander, Catalyst Visuals, LLC

Contributing Writers JulieAnne Cross, Mark Fields, Pam George, Rob Kalesse, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Robert Lhulier, Mike Little, Allan McKinley, John Murray, Larry Nagengast, Kevin Noonan, Scott Pruden, Matt Sullivan Contributing Photographers Jim Coarse and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Tim Hawk, Anthony Santoro, Matt Urban Special Projects Sarah Green, David Hallberg, John Holton Intern David Ferguson

47 53 START

EAT

9 The War on Words 11 F.Y.I. 12 By the Numbers 13 What Readers Are Saying 15 Worth Trying 19 Newcomer 25 Tiny House, Big Problems

47 The Ashby Empire 51 Bites

LEARN

LISTEN

10 Humor Therapy

61 Get Out of Your Seats 64 Tuned In

FOCUS

DRINK

FEATURES 19 Newcomer He has a varied background, but Matt Meyer has never held elective office—until now.

53 Trendy Toast to Health 57 Sips 58 The Perfect Pour

By Larry Nagengast

29 Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

The answer from local pet experts is a resounding yes, but it takes more commitment on the part of the human than the canine.

WATCH

29 Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks 33 Pet Therapy 67 A United Kingdom 35 A Walk on the Wild Side

WILMINGTON

PLAY

By Krista Connor

33 Pet Therapy

71 Snap Shots

Dogs help children to heal at A.I. duPont Hospital.

39 Art on the Town 44 On the Riverfront

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

On the cover: Meet Ting from the Delaware Humane Association—who has found a home!

Original cover painting by Bethany Bullington

47 The Calm Amid the Culinary Storm Bob Ashby has carefully built a hospitality empire.

Now—he says—he’s retired.

By Pam George

Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 Website: outandaboutnow.com Email: contact@tsnpub.com MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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8 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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

Compiled from the popular column in Out & About Magazine

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

Media Watch • From a Wilmington News Journal story quoting Ashley Biden: “DCJ uses a whole-listic approach . . .” Hard to believe someone would misspell holistic in such a literal manner.

• From NJ.com comes this report about a hiker who came across a bear in the woods: “The bear went on to attack the hiker, killing them.” Meaning the hiker and the bear were both killed?

• Dan Patrick, on his radio show, reported that Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told him he had “taken less hits this year.” Dan apparently is one of the many who never use fewer. Once again: it’s less for amount and fewer for numbers or plurals.

• Similarly, from a list of Super Bowl bets in USA Today: “Tiebreaker: total amount of costume changes by Lady Gaga.”

When referring to a plural, use number.

• Associated Press story on the clash of cousins Clay Matthews of Green Bay and Jake Matthews of Atlanta in the NFC Championship game: “Both Matthews are ready to go in this one.” The plural of a word ending in s is formed by adding es, so it’s Matthewses.

• A News Journal editorial stated that Joe Biden was not going to let his deep knowledge "whither on the vine.” That should be "wither.” With the h, it’s archaic and means “to what place,” e.g., “whither thou goest.”

Literallys of the Month A reader caught this deluge of our favorite word during just 15 minutes of a CNN report on 9/11: Rudy Giuliani: “I literally bolted out of the room.”

Laura Bush: “I literally called the President.”

Dick Cheney: “He literally propelled me out of the room.”

(Referring to a Secret Service agent.)

Joe Lhota: “I literally put my head down on the floor.” (In the back seat of a police car.)

Joe Lhota: “We were literally looking at people jumping out of the window.”

Joe Lhota: “I had thoughts of a nuclear attack. I literally did.”

Debora Loewer: “He literally put his arm in front of me.”

(Referring to President Bush on Air Force One.) Rudy Washington: “I literally jogged to the site.”

Ann Compton: “Literally a small Dodge Caravan pulled up next to the plane.”

Word of the Month

effluvium Pronounced i-FLOO-vee-uhm, it’s a noun meaning an unpleasant discharge; for example, fumes, vapors, or gases from waste or decaying matter.

By Bob Yearick

Department of Redundancies Dept.

Mike Breen, in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Schmidt, 67, has become a regular fixture at spring training.” A fixture is “fixed in position.”

Roy Blunt, chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inauguration Ceremonies, at Donald Trump’s inauguration: “George Washington took the exact same oath.” Wait. It wasn’t the exact different oath?

Miscellany Sen. Tom Carper’s response to my request regarding his vote on certain political appointments: “I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns.” The possessive your should be used in this case since the reference is to the act—taking the time (a gerund) —not to me.

Anti-climatic, which I’ve seen in several places in the media, is not a word. It’s anti-climactic (note the second c).

Facebookers, please note: cannot is one word; it’s not can not.

And finally, we must address the bastardization of ask in such examples as “I have a big ask of you” and “March organizers have one ask of you . . .” This random, off-hand changing of our language is a growing, and lamentable, trend. In this case, a verb has been transformed into a noun. “I have a big favor to ask” and “March organizers have one request” are much more palatable—and correct.

Communication Since that’s what this column is ultimately about, here’s an old Hollywood anecdote that demonstrates how language can be manipulated when it’s not sufficiently precise: A journalist faced a tight deadline for his story on Cary Grant, and, needing to know Grant’s age, fired off this telegram to the movie legend’s agent: “How old Cary Grant?”

Unfortunately for the reporter, Grant intercepted the telegram. He thought a moment, then sent this response: “Old Cary Grant fine. How you?”

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

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

Seen a good (bad) one lately?

Send your candidates to ryearick@comcast.net

Buy The War on Words paperback at Ninth Street Books in Wilmington, the Hockessin Book Shelf, on Amazon, or by calling Out & About at 302-655-6483.

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LEARN

PRACTICE SELF-CARE THROUGH LAUGHTER Dr. Sharon Yoder, associate professor at Wilmington University, advocates humor for personal wellness and as a teaching tool.

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eeling stressed out by the headlines, work or life in general?

Humor therapy is believed to be a viable way to promote overall wellness through the physiological process of laughter. While humor has been used in medicine as far back as the 13th century, modern researchers have determined that laughter helps to reduce pain, decrease stress-related hormones and boost immune systems. In fact, studies have revealed that laughter can increase the number of natural killer cells that attack virally infected cells and some types of cancer and tumor cells.

Dr. Sharon Yoder, an associate professor at Wilmington University, reports that information taught with humor strategies can be learned in half the time and retained twice as long. And students who are encouraged to have fun while working are 33 percent more productive than those who aren’t.

Years of research and teaching, as well as a life well lived, have convinced Yoder that laughter’s restorative powers are indeed potent. Like when the comically bad singer at her mother’s funeral got the family through the shattering service. Or when, as a single mother raising five children, laughter saved her sanity. She has been laughing a long time and making others laugh in the process. Her WilmU students have been profoundly impacted by her teaching, as have the legions of people who’ve attended her talks at Fortune 500 companies and universities worldwide.

“Sharon is able to laugh at herself, as she does often,” says friend and colleague Niecy LeBright Roberts, “and teaches students how they can do the same. I recall she was even laughing when she told me the story of her house burning down.”

WilmU student Rita Moseti calls Yoder inspirational. “Her theory of trying new things has kept my brain young, focused, happy and stress-free.”

Ronnie Wilckens, a veteran who has suffered traumatic brain injuries, took Yoder’s Building Brain Power class and reports: “I have had my fair share of remedial training in mental focus, yoga and relaxation techniques, so I was skeptical about the course due to the title,” he says. “Dr. Yoder immediately got my attention. She has a unique ability to connect with everyone in the class, which was very diverse. I found myself looking forward to her class and still utilize her techniques on a daily basis.”

Yoder makes it a point to do something fun or funny every day and advises the same for everyone. “It can be a 10-minute telephone call to a friend who makes you laugh, a 30-minute timeout to read more of your mystery, or a day of adventure.”

And speaking of friends, Yoder says to choose wisely. “Make sure they’re ones who contribute to the fun in your life,” she says.

“Part of fun and humor in our personal lives includes positive, fun, uplifting friends who like us just the way we are. Sometimes it’s not a bad idea to back away from those others.”

MORE SELF-CARE QUICK TIPS • Give your body 10 minutes of mindful attention daily. Identify and gently stretch areas of tension.

• Put on a song you love and dance away frustrations while activating feel-good hormones.

• Inhale a mood-boosting scent, such as peppermint, or a calming scent like lavender.

10 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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F.Y.I. Things worth knowing Compiled by David Ferguson

BE THE BRIDGE

"H

ow did we get so caught up on the differences of our physical and cultural characteristics?

What if we lived in a world where these differences are celebrated instead of criticized?” These questions and more are addressed at community event Be the Bridge: A Better Future through Embracing Cultural & Racial Diversity. On Wednesday, March 29, at the Wilmington Public Library, this workshop will raise awareness on race, culture and diversity. Guests will learn simple strategies to incorporate into everyday interactions to foster the benefits of embracing diversity in life and community. Organizers include artist and community voice Terrance Vann, library staff members like Carl Shaw and more. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Register at tinyurl.com/becomethebridge or visit Wilmington Library’s website wilmington.lib.de.us for more information. Admission is free.

18TH ANNUAL WOMEN OF DISTINCTION

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he Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay will award Kate Hackett the 2017 Woman of Distinction Award on Tuesday, March 14, at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington. Ms. Hackett’s career spans more than 20 years in land and water conservation and management. She served on Governor John Carney’s Transition Team and has led initiatives around the globe to improve the quality of natural resources while protecting the economic vitality of the land.

The event will feature a pre-dinner discussion moderated by Ms. Hackett, with a panel of four women with distinguished careers. Girl Scouts will be invited to attend and participate in the discussion.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT: MARCH 11

BBF HOSTS 2ND TRAIL CREEK RACE

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n Saturday, March 11, the Junior League of Wilmington will hold its second annual Women’s Leadership Summit at the Executive Conference Center in Newark. The JLW hopes this event will be even more successful than the inaugural summit last year.

The Summit aims to help women of all professional levels develop the skills needed to become a better leader in every aspect of life. It will include lectures, workshops, a style clinic, and the opportunity to network with likeminded individuals who are striving to become better leaders. The list of guest speakers is diverse and includes women who specialize in leadership development, talent development, environmental education, social services, and much more.

The event is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale through March 3 for $115 (or $75 for students and members of the military) and include breakfast and lunch.

Visit JLWWomensLeadershipSummit.org for more details and to purchase your ticket.

BRANDYWINE ZOO MARCH EVENTS

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wo events are set for March at the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington.

Spring ReZOOventation takes place on Saturday and Sunday, March 11-12, from 10 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. and will offer guests fun activities and learning stations focusing on all the Zoo’s friends. Members and children under three can join the fun for free. Non-member fees are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for kids.

Career & Animal Science Workshop: Exhibit Design will take place on Saturday, March 18, from 10:30 a.m. until noon. Guests will be asked the question, “What goes into making a good home for our animals?” and will join a workshop that focuses on designing and creating good exhibits for animals to live in. Attendees will also have a chance to design their very own animal home. Cost will be $10 for non-member students and $8 for zoo member students.

Go to Brandywinezoo.org/events for more information.

n Saturday, March 18, the Beau Biden Foundation will host the second race of its Beau Biden Foundation Trail Creek Series. Runners can compete in a 5k or 10k race through parts of the scenic Brandywine Valley. Racers may register up until the day of the event, but those who register sooner can participate in the fundraising efforts of the BBF. Last year more than 500 runners and the BBF raised close to $6,000. This year the goal is $20,000, with every penny going to BBF programs across the state to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Delaware’s children.

Sign up at beaubidenfoundation.org/ trail-run. Or, if you’re not a runner, donate to the foundation at pledgereg.com/beau.

BIDEN INSTITUTE AT UD

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ith Joe Biden’s return to Delaware comes the introduction of the Biden Domestic Policy Institute at the University of Delaware. The 47th Vice President of the United States aims to pair his work in domestic policy issues with the University’s strengths in the education of public policy and research. The new institute will focus on developing public policy solutions on a range of issues, including economic reform and environmental sustainability, civil rights, women’s rights, criminal justice and more.

Biden is a UD alumnus, class of 1965, and served as a senator from Delaware for 36 years. His experience with public policy will act as the backbone for the institute in which he will serve as founding chair.

The Biden Institute will initially be located at 44 Kent Way on the UD campus.

ART MUSEUM SPRING CLASSES

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he Delaware Art Museum is hosting art classes this spring. Students will learn from instructors in workshops on drawing, painting, photography, ceramics and more. Courses are open to all ages and all levels of artistic ability. Registration is open now and those who register before April 3 will save $20 on each class. For more, go to Delart.org/education/studio-art-classes.

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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by the numbers A few facts about March worth knowing

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Wilmington’s average high temperature, in Fahrenheit, in March.

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St. Patrick’s Day & Weekend • Irish Inspired Cuisine • Scotch Pairing

Luck of the Irish Brunch Sunday, March 19th

iSpring Parties I now booking J

Bridal Showers i Baby Showers Rehearsal & Engagement Dinners Baptism i Communion Brunches Saturdays & Sundays Make yo u r r e s e r v a tio n s Easter Brunch Buffet 10am - 4pm

Colum b us I nn

302-571-1492 2216 Pennsylvania Ave Wilmington, DE 19806 www.ColumbusInn.net

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Number of years ago this month that F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, moved into a mansion in Wilmington. Sadly, the mansion is no more.

The number of years, as of March 28, that the U.S. has celebrated National Puppy Day. So stop by a local shelter and maybe take home one of those puppies.

The number of minutes we will turn our clocks back on March 12. Thanks, daylight saving time, and hello, one more hour of daylight.

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The number of years ago, as of March 1, that President Kennedy established the Peace Corps to send young American volunteers to help with the basic needs of developing nations.

The number of bands playing at the Wilmington Winter Blue Grass Festival on March 17–19.

12 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING About Putting Community First REI provided a grant to the Friends of White Clay Creek State Park for a campground (By Krista Connor, February) Thanks to REI for making outdoor life easier and better in Delaware. I had heard about and liked the #OptOutside movement.

Now this campground in White Clay Creek? You guys rule!

— Paul Wishengrad, Wilmington About 100 Reasons to be a Happy Camper In which we highlight some good things happening in the world (By O&A staff and contributors, February) On behalf of the State Office of Volunteerism, I want to thank you for including us in the February 2017 issue. We are thrilled that volunteerism was selected as one of the reasons for optimism today. We wholeheartedly agree! Indeed, hope is one of the key outcomes reaped by individuals that volunteer as well as those on the receiving side of service; our volunteers routinely relay to us feelings of joy, inspiration, engagement and overall well-being!

Explore science and the natural world with interactive experiences inside the Museum and outside in nature.

4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE 19807 delmnh.org 302-658-9111

— Luz Vasquez-Guzman, Senior Administrator/Executive Director Governor's Commission on Community and Volunteer Service The shout outs to The Ladybug Festival and Starbucks on Market were my favorites!

— Lauren Kuhne, Wilmington About Pucker Up A toast to at the sour beer trend (By Scott Pruden, February) I'm one of those beer guys who never liked Belgian lambics, so I doubt if I'd like the new sour beers. But I'll try one if I get the opportunity.

— Tony Conaway, Philadelphia About Serving Up Sustainability A look at local restaurants going green (By Pam George, February) Thanks for your very responsible reporting Pam. Hopefully there will be follow up articles to serve as reminders of our collective responsibility.

— Dick Burkhard, Wilmington

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? SEND US A MESSAGE! contact@tsnpub.com • OutAndAboutNow.com

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOR THE MUSIC What’s #inTune Gaby Indellini Social Media Specialist & Rockstar Wife

Shine A Light: 1977 Saturday, March 4

Dawes Tuesday, March 7

DSO: Denyce Graves Friday, March 24

Gohar Vardanyan Saturday, March 25

For more details visit: inWilmingtonDE.com 14

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Worth Trying Suggestions from our staff, contributors and readers

Delaware Rock Gym

S-Town Podcast

When people ask me, “what do you do for fun?”

I tell them, “I climb,” and they usually laugh because, let’s face it, living in Delaware doesn’t offer the best options for climbing: we don’t have any mountains. But what we do have is one of the best rock gyms in the mid-Atlantic.

The Delaware Rock Gym, at 520 Carson Drive, Bear, is a massive indoor facility with roped and un-roped routes for all ages and levels of experience. You can show up as a novice and there will be somebody friendly from the staff just waiting to talk you through the basics and have you climbing in a heartbeat. For those afraid of heights, don’t worry; the bouldering wall fits all the fun of climbing a big wall into small, more power-driven moves and maxes out around 10 feet. Your arms and hands will feel the burn after a while, but you’ll be hooked, I guarantee it. Check it out.

Okay, so this podcast, helmed by the crew behind This American Life’s explosive Serial, wasn’t released as of press time, but is slated for an unspecified date this month. And if it’s anything like seasons one and two of Serial, I know I’ll like it. Turns out the Serial creators have started their own production company, Serial Productions, and according to recent announcements, S-Town is their first project—an investigative nonfiction series set in small-town Alabama, promising murder mysteries, family feuds and a hunt for hidden treasure. All seven episodes will be dropped simultaneously, making binge-listening absolutely inevitable.

—Krista Connor, Associate Editor

—David Ferguson, Intern

Fairfax Hardware

Geocaching

As a business owner with very little spare time to shop, this is where I go to find odd things for my store and my home, like light bulbs for display cases and other "old-fashioned" items not found at the big box stores. I receive assistance as soon as I walk in, they find what I need, and I'm out the door! As a small business owner, I know it’s tough being a mom and pop shop in this age of online sales and retail giants, and I want this business to thrive.

I just discovered geocaching and it's really fun. It's similar to Pokémon Go because you have to find things using a map and GPS, but you find hidden objects instead of fictional, electronic creatures. You download an app and then follow directions to find interesting things hidden in containers. I've found caches in parks and throughout public places in the city.

—Oliver Poot, first-grader & adventurer

—Valerie M. White, Bellefonte Arts

Have something you think is worth trying?

Send your suggestion to Jim at jmiller@tsnpub.com.

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NEWCOMER He has a varied background, but Matt Meyer has never held elective office.

After unseating incumbent Tom Gordon, he now sits atop New Castle County government. Here he discusses his new job with Out & About.

Meyer hopes to raise ethical standards and take a more holistic approach to fighting crime. Photo Joe del Tufo

By Larry Nagengast

H

e has worked as a teacher and as a lawyer. He has served with the State Department in Iraq. When he was 24, he launched an eco-friendly sandal manufacturing business in Kenya, hiring workers who knew little English and who lived in an impoverished neighborhood.

But until January, Matt Meyer had never served as an elected public official. Now he’s the New Castle County executive.

A 45-year-old bachelor who lives in Wilmington’s Trinity Vicinity neighborhood, Meyer came out of nowhere last March, launching a challenge to three-term incumbent Tom Gordon, a Democrat. While Gordon touted his ability to manage county government efficiently without ever raising property taxes, Meyer campaigned on a platform emphasizing honesty and transparency in government, hammering away at the highprofile personnel battles that plagued Gordon’s administration, including charges of favoritism and nepotism that culminated in Gordon firing his chief administrative officer, David Grimaldi.

Meyer contended that the county could not only raise ethical standards, but also improve its land use and economic

development efforts, collaborate more with local governments in Wilmington and south of the C&D Canal, and take a more holistic approach to fighting crime.

Relying heavily on data analysis as they developed their strategy, his campaign team concluded that Gordon was beatable—if they could transform 4,000 likely Gordon voters into Meyer voters in time for the Sept. 13 Democratic primary.

For Meyer, an admitted data geek, the math was perfect. He won by exactly 2,000 votes, so, if he hadn’t flipped those voters, he would have lost by 2,000 votes.

The general election was a bit easier, as he got two-thirds of the vote in defeating Republican candidate Mark Blake, a Hockessin civic leader.

A Brandywine Hundred native who attended local public schools before graduating from Wilmington Friends School, Meyer now faces the challenge of carrying out his campaign pledges.

During his second week in office, he talked with Out & About to discuss key issues facing the county and how he plans to address them. ► MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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You entered the campaign without any political experience, and you challenged a three-term incumbent. What prompted you to jump in?

I really believed it was the right thing to do. Everything I’ve done in my professional life, I’ve tried to add value, to do better than the status quo. The first issue for me was, if I actually got the job, could I do a better job? . . . I thought the answer was yes.

The next question is: how do you win when you’re running against a three-term incumbent? I love math. One of my favorite things about Little League Baseball was doing the math, figuring out my batting average, and in my short-time pitching career my earned run average and my strikeouts-to-walks ratio.

There’s this general principle that incumbents are hard to beat, and from that they say incumbents are unbeatable. Well, the first statement is emphatically true, but the second statement is pretty clearly false.

What does it take to beat an incumbent? I talked to people.

I talked to Brian Townsend, the state senator, who four years ago beat an incumbent. I don’t want to get nerdy, businessy on you, but we used something called “lean startup methodology,” what you do when you start a technology company. You take preliminary data, do something small, test it, take more data, test it again, and your thesis gets slowly refined.

We had a poll, we went door to door, we refined our model.

We anticipated a primary election with 40,000 votes. It turned out there were 43,000. We figured that if we could turn 4,000 voters from Tom Gordon voters to Matt Meyer voters, we could win.

You have taught, started a business in Africa, worked as a lawyer and served with the State Department in Iraq. How will those experiences help you do the county executive’s job well? . . . they’ve all involved leadership. You go to Kenya to start a business. I’m 24 at the time. It’s a poor neighborhood, none of my employees speak English as their first language. That’s a leadership challenge. You need to deploy nonverbal leadership skills.

My experience in a corporate law firm—you had to get the right answer. Clients were paying top dollar. They didn’t want 98 percent, they wanted 100 percent.

How did teaching help?

In my first year as a fourth-grade teacher, I wrote in my journal: “I am a teacher sometimes. I’m also a babysitter. I’m also a police officer. I’m a judge. When parent-teacher conferences come around, I’m a lawyer. Sometimes I’m a sanitation worker, a server in a restaurant . . .” But a teacher can never give up, no matter what crazy things happen that are out of your control.

The perception was that Tom Gordon ran the county pretty efficiently but his tenure was punctuated by highprofile personality conflicts that detracted from his work.

Do you think that’s an accurate assessment?

I ran on a platform that our county government could and should be more honest, transparent and efficient. I believe now, as someone who has gotten to know Tom Gordon better the last couple of months, that he is someone who really cared, and cares, a lot about the communities of this county for decades. I ran on a platform that we can do much better, and our county can do much better.

20 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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In terms of culture and work environment, how will the Meyer administration be different from the Gordon administration?

There are a lot of good people working in county government. We’re going to work hard to find them and make sure they’re incentivized to do what’s right for the county. There are certain employees who are great employees who have been discouraged in recent years.

Is the County Government Center a house divided—with pro-Gordon forces and anti-Gordon forces?

I’ve talked to a lot of county employees. We don’t really talk about that because it’s not relevant to what we’re trying to do right now. There are people who love Tom Gordon, and people who didn’t like Tom Gordon, and they all seem ready and very able to work hard for the Meyer administration and for the people of the county.

Do you see the workplace changing at all?

The tone from the top will change.

The collaboration between departments, among members of the executive team, has already changed. I’m passionate about the use of technology. Most people, and in the private sector, use technology efficiently, and government uses technology of decades ago. That’s not acceptable to me.

You retained some key people, and you brought in some new department heads. What’s the value in keeping some experienced leaders on board and bringing in some new ones?

I don’t look at it as who we keep and who we don’t keep. My obligation to the people of New Castle County is to put in every slot the highest quality individual we can find. In some cases, that was someone who has been working in county government for years.

It is important to me that we have a team with a diversity of backgrounds. I wanted a lot of new energy.

You’re dealing with a County Council with a new president, Karen Hartley-Nagle, but 11 of the 12 district representatives have considerable experience. As a newcomer, how will you convince them that your proposals are better than what they’ve seen before?

Like any legislative body, you have a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. We’ve met individually with every member of County Council. We’ve introduced a new level of communication with council members. ►

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One thing you learn in school is we have an adversarial system. We have checks and balances, the NEWCOMER legislative and the executive. Maybe because so many continued from previous page council people have been in this for so long, they’re eager for some new blood. People want to talk about ideas and how to move their districts forward.

Let’s discuss specific issues from your campaign. In land use, you said you wanted to streamline the process so rezonings don’t take forever. How do you do that without giving the public the impression that you’re a rubber stamp for developers?

I promised during the campaign that we would have a more professional land use and development process. I brought in one of the finest land use professionals in the country to lead our land use department. We somehow managed to fool a guy who has eight years’ experience as a cabinet secretary in Maryland to come and be in charge of land use for New Castle County. Rich Hall is working to address some of the deficiencies in our land use department. I see eye to eye with him on some of the smart growth strategies he has deployed in Maryland.

It’s my view, not necessarily the county’s view, that the Unified Development Code has a one-size-fits-all approach. If businesses that want to create high-quality jobs want to come into the Route 9 corridor or the Claymont development corridor or other areas that are desperate for high-quality jobs, the land use approval process should not be quite the same as it is for Pike Creek or Greenville.

In the economic development arena, the county doesn’t have the resources to be a big-time player …

We have to win them over with our personality. I’m joking, but I’m serious. I’ve been in the room, in the private sector, where deals are won by the power of personality. We have to convince business leaders that New Castle County has an extraordinary location, has for its size an extraordinary art scene, and really offers a family-friendly environment in which to grow a company in ways that will far exceed any tax break that another state may be offering.

And you have to make sure the county is supportive of small businesses.

We can spend all our time and money trying to attract people and sometimes the answers are right in front of us. There’s extraordinary innovation, especially in chemical technologies, going on right here. The game may be less how we attract people and more how do we retain people as they leave their existing companies and start their own businesses.

You have said that the ethical standards of the Gordon administration don’t match those that you hope to implement. What will you do to raise the bar?

The first page of my ethics policy in the campaign spoke about the need to hire ethical people. Nothing addresses ethical concerns more than hiring people who you can look in the eye and have confidence that they’re ethical. And we’ve done that.

We’re comparing the ethics code of the county with other counties and the state of Delaware and making sure we have the highest standards. . . . people on my executive staff are on notice that if anything close to funny stuff goes on, they’re out of here. There’s no tolerance for that. That’s not me having no tolerance for it, it’s my boss having no tolerance, and my boss is the people of New Castle County.

You’ve pointed out that County Police can improve with hiring policies and diversity. In what other areas can they do a better job?

We have an extraordinary police force, probably operating now at its highest level ever, using technology and collaborating, probably better than any police department in the state and would rival most police departments in the country.

Yet in certain areas of our county, violent crime is increasing, in areas served by county police and in other areas, such as Wilmington. I believe excellent policing can only go so far in reducing violent crime. We have had a dramatic decrease in well-paying middle-class jobs. In such a situation, it’s hard to think of what a police department can do to prevent certain criminal activity.

We’re looking at collaborating with the city and state, we’re looking at reports on recidivism and on shootings in Wilmington, and taking that data and trying to put it to use. There’s a lot of data out there that indicates who shooters will be before they even pick up a gun.

22 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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There was a lot of talk four years ago about more police collaboration but not much happened. What are your thoughts on collaboration?

There is a lot to be done. Mayor Mike Purzycki and I don’t think metropolitan government is a good idea, but we know there are a number of ways we can get our police forces to collaborate. We’re working on it. It’s early. Mayor Purzycki and I are still putting the finishing touches on staffing our administrations. We’ve had conversations. It has been very positive so far, but very preliminary.

In his 12 years, Tom Gordon never raised taxes, but Chris Coons did when he succeeded Gordon in 2005. Can we expect a tax increase this year?

I want to do what’s in the best interest of the citizens of New Castle County. A lot of people have made it very clear they don’t want their taxes raised. We have a very low tax rate in the county. I’ll do everything in my power to keep taxes low.

As you prioritize, what do you hope to accomplish in your first year?

We want to make some headway on land use. We’re taking a hard look at the finances. We think we can do more within the confines of our budget. And we’re going to look at stronger collaboration with towns south of the canal. The county has not been very active with towns south of the canal.

When it’s time for the public to assess your work, what standards should be used? How should you be judged?

At some level, we’re a customer service enterprise. When customers come to us, they deserve to get an answer, and to get it quickly and to get an answer that is fair, even if it’s not the answer they want. So, I want them to think that this is a government that treats the citizens right. Whether you have a tremendous amount of money and power or you walk in here penniless and homeless, you get the same level of service from the county.

There are two other things that are personal passions of mine, even though the outcomes are somewhat out of our control. The first is increasing the level of job opportunities in the communities that need them the most. And related to that, in communities where kids don’t feel safe going outside today, they will feel safer going out [in the future].

If residents want to discuss their concerns with you, how can they do this?

Not only do I plan on doing it, I’ve already done it. Right after the swearing in, I came back to the office and anybody could talk to me. We’ll continue to have sessions like that, and we will be announcing them.

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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START

Mike Little, semi-ready for bed, in the 140-square-foot house. Photo Dragonfly Leathrum

TINY HOUSE,

BIG PROBLEMS A brief January sojourn in “Kermit” gives our intrepid reporter a new appreciation for the much-maligned grid

By Mike Little

I

recently agreed to spend 2-1/2 January days in a 140-square-foot “tiny house” owned by my friend, Newark artist Dragonfly Leathrum, and write about it for this illustrious publication. Before I go into the gory details, let me sum up my experience: tiny houses are for the birds, quite literally.

They may be ideal for people who want to downsize their lives, live mortgage free, and leave a smaller ecological footprint.

I discovered, however, that living in the claustrophobia-inducing quarters of Dragonfly’s two-story house, which sits on her property on the outskirts of Newark and which she has dubbed “Kermit,” was challenging, to say the least. It has no running water, bathroom—except for a waterless compost toilet tucked away in

one of the house’s many cupboards—refrigerator, heat, cooking facilities, or electronic entertainment. The house quickly tested my inner resources, of which I discovered I have none.

I could have brought along all the amenities of modern living: a radio, a laptop computer, or even a television, and used the shower and toilet at Dragonfly’s nearby home. I also could have brought an ice chest to store food that requires refrigeration.

Instead I opted to try living off the grid in the steely pioneer spirit of Jeremiah Johnson, with virtually nothing to eat but potted meat on bread, nothing to drink but cold coffee, and no entertainment save a book (Nevil Shute’s wonderfully depressing 1957 post-apocalyptic novel On the Beach) and a BB gun to shoot at non-living stuff. ► MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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I soon found that the diminutive pine house is no place TINY HOUSE, BIG PROBLEMS to spend the daylight hours. continued from previous page Tiny houses vary widely in size, and Leathrum’s is one of the tiniest (1/18th the size of the average house built in 2014). She is not currently living in it and she is undecided as to its future.

She purchased it last year from a friend in Pennsylvania, and is its third owner. It is among the first ever made, having been commissioned by tiny house advocate Gregory Paul Johnson in 2002. It has two wheels, making it easy to haul around, and he named it “Mobile Heritage.” After living in it for six years, Johnson wrote the tiny house manifesto Put Your Life on a Diet: Lessons Learned From Living in 140 Square Feet. Even Henry David Thoreau’s storied cabin by Walden Pond was bigger by 10 square feet. I suppose the larger ones could be quite comfortable.

THOSE CUPBOARDS! You may think that 140 square feet is a lot of room. Take it from me, it’s not. On the first floor, when you subtract the space taken up by the aforementioned cupboards (which could accommodate a mini-fridge and a hot plate or microwave oven, as well as lots of other stuff), plus the sink, small desk, and ladder to the sleeping loft, what you’re left with, in terms of real living space, is an area three feet wide and approximately seven feet long. My tiny apartment kitchenette is roomier, and during my sojourn in Kermit I never spent more than a minute or two at a time in its cramped downstairs.

The ladder-accessible loft is somewhat roomier. You can sleep quite comfortably and read by the light of a small lantern. That said, the sleeping loft has several serious pitfalls. The only way to get into and down from the loft is via an opening so small you have to perform acrobatics—the secret is to turn sideways on the nearly vertical and treacherously slippery ladder, no easy feat for anyone who is not a professional contortionist—and shoehorn yourself through it. A fat man would have no chance.

What’s more, climbing down in the middle of the night—say to answer the call of nature—is a broken leg waiting to happen.

I awakened my first night soaked in sweat—the tiny house is marvelously insulated, and my sole luxury, a small space heater, did its job only too well. I thus faced the alternative of baking alive or trying to negotiate the loft’s narrow aperture and lethal ladder to fiddle with the heater. Fortunately the loft has a tiny window, which I opened. The cold air ameliorated the sweat lodge effect enough for me to fall back asleep.

Thoreau famously itemized the cost of building his cabin by Walden Pond down to the halfpenny. I can’t match him in that regard, but I can list the essentials I brought to Kermit. They included a comforter and pillow, the BB gun for self-defense in accordance with my Second Amendment rights, the tins of potted meat and loaf of bread, plus shampoo, three large jugs of cold Starbucks coffee, a gallon of potable water (like W.C. Fields, I never let the stuff pass my lips, but it came in handy for bathing and cleaning), one bath towel, a knife, a plastic spork and my book.

As it turned out I had no need for knife or spork, as Dragonfly kindly provided me with a small hunting knife, which I used to spread potted meat on bread and to whittle.

26 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo Dragonfly Leathrum

"An ingenious feat of architecture" (the writer's words), Kermit was commissioned by tiny house advocate Gregory Paul Johnson in 2002.

A YETI? So, what did I do all day, without the distractions of modern living?

Well, on day one, with clear skies and temperatures that climbed to a welcome 50-plus degrees, I spent several hours taking potshots at peeling tree bark with my BB gun. I pretended it was the faces of my enemies. Then I crossed the large field behind Dragonfly’s property (which she has named Camp Whistle Pig) to an impenetrable thicket of trees and brambles. A cock crowed, an owl hooted, and I felt at one with nature. That is, until I discovered a large footprint that belonged either to a moose—sure, people swear you won’t find moose this far south, but just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there, lurking—or a yeti. Alarmed, I immediately returned to the relative safety of Camp Whistle Pig and Kermit to practice shooting one-handed, should an enraged moose tear the other arm off.

Oh, and I came across the spoor of some demonic woodland creature, a deer perhaps, or a hobbit. This disquieted me. Deer are reputedly peaceable beasts, but I wouldn’t want to come across a surly one. And I hate hobbits.

Despite these rustic entertainments, I was grateful for nightfall, during which I enjoyed a cozy cookout Dragonfly hosted for friends. Ravenous for a hot meal, I quickly devoured three sausages.

As it says in the Bible, man cannot live by Spam alone.

Day two was cold, wet, and—I’m not going to lie about it— dreadful. I got up late—I saw no reason to rise with the sun, as the sun was nowhere to be found. The cold (you could see your breath) and drizzle made parking my butt on Kermit’s wet porch a damp and bone-chilling ordeal. And the BB gun had lost its allure. As for On the Beach, I’ve never been a daytime reader, which is just one of the reasons (there was also booze) I was lucky to graduate from college. Bored and miserable, I contemplated—purely to add a frisson of danger to my life—shooting at a nearby drum with the words “flammable liquid” emblazoned on it.

Instead, I opened yet another tin of cold meat and tried my hand at haiku: Dreary drizzle day Waterless compost toilet Get me out of here Then, still in a literary mood, I began writing aphorisms in my soggy notebook. One went, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can't hang a keytar on him and expect him to play Gary Wright's ‘Dream Weaver.’” Ben Franklin I’m not. ►

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TINY HOUSE, BIG PROBLEMS continued from previous page

A FRIGID BATH Honestly, the most exciting thing I did on that insufferable second day was use the compost toilet. Oh, and I took a bath in the frigid outdoors, pouring very cold water over my head clad only in a pair of shorts.

It is not an experience I care to repeat.

I then tried my hand at whittling, which was a celebrated time-passer in the days before the advent of radio, the Victrola crank phonograph, and cocaine.

After an hour spent whittling what I hoped would be a nifty vampire-killing stake, I came to understand why Thoreau wrote, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”

On night two I went to bed early (nothing else to do), only to discover that the miniature lantern, which had served me well the night before, no longer provided sufficient light for reading. So I stared at the peaked ceiling, and suddenly noticed what appeared to be bugs crawling across the pine boards. Horrified, I nearly fled, never to return, but finally summoned the courage to lift the lantern for a closer look. The “bugs” were the heads of nails.

It was official. I was suffering a bona fide case of cabin fever.

I finally calmed my nerves enough to fall asleep, and awoke the next day with the conviction that no way was I going to spend a third night in Kermit, lest I find myself turning into scaled-down version of Jack Nicholson in The Shining. I hung around some on the porch, staring off into space and muttering to myself before finally packing my provisions into my car and heading back to the wonders of crass civilization.

What did I learn from my brief stay in a tiny house? Just this: while my artist friend’s diminutive dwelling is elegant in its simplicity and an ingenious feat of architecture, I wouldn’t want to live in it.

And in response to Thoreau’s famous call to “Simplify, simplify,” all I can say is that simplification can be one very complicated business. And, like many, I have entertained fantasies of abandoning the grid to live a hermit’s life in a snug cabin far from the snares of advertising, the internet and reality television. But no more.

I like the grid. Hell, I love the grid. I love it so much you will have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

28 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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CAN YOU TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS? The answer from local pet experts is a resounding yes, but it takes more commitment on the part of the human than the canine

By Krista Connor

O

ne common misconception about dogs is that once they reach adulthood, there’s no retraining them. Bad habits are here to stay, and you, the ever-loving owner, are stuck with them.

If gleeful Rover urinates on the carpet when company arrives, you accept it with a sigh of frustration and handful of paper towels. If you find yourself embarrassed and pulling Spot out of doggy daycare because of nonstop yipping, you’re resigned to never showing your face there again. If you’re looking to adopt a charming Rosie but are hesitant to go for an adult dog, because, well, they’re just so unpredictable and you want a cute puppy to start over with…let us enlighten you.

Because whoever coined the idiom “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” most certainly chose the wrong animal for the example.

Nancy Fitzgerald of Wilmington-based Positive Results Dog Training LLC says there’s almost always hope for a dog, whatever its needs, but—you may have guessed—it’s the human who needs to give 110 percent.

“A lot of what I do is work with the owner and figure out mechanics of how they’re going to get the information across to the dog,” says Fitzgerald. “It’s not like you can open the dog’s brain and punch a few keys and reprogram it. The only thing we know for sure is how the owner is interacting with the dog. From there, we can manipulate the environment with the hope that it affects the animal’s behavior.”

So, no magic button. Makes sense. But how exactly does one go about altering those few quirks in a pet? Like Fitzgerald says, it starts with a form of brainwashing, aka reward-based training. ► MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo courtesy of Positive Results Dog Training LLC.

CAN YOU TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS? continued from previous page

Nancy Fitzgerald of Wilmington-based Positive Results Dog Training LLC works with owners to get information across to the dog.

“Training is about setting things up so that we can show the animal what we want them to do and help them make the correct choice, so that they do it again,” she says.

“And that’s a fun process for the animal— they have some input and they want to be part of the process.”

If the dog has some bad habits or simply doesn’t know any better, the issues have probably been in his repertoire for a while.

But the dog doesn’t simply forget how to do the “bad stuff,” Fitzgerald explains. So, in a card game analogy, Fitzgerald says the owner needs to help the pet shuffle bad decisions so far back in the deck that it’s not the first card the dog goes to. “There are other, more desirable behaviors to encourage and bring to the front,” she says.

Change won’t happen overnight. It’s certainly a process, but a rewarding one— especially because training should be lots of fun for both you and your dog. “People see their older dogs perk up because they like learning new tricks,” Fitzgerald says.

“It should be fun for the pet and the owner.

The pets get treats, and have improved behavior, the owners learn how cool their dog really is.” Win-win.

If a dog already has good manners but you think it could benefit strictly from learning fun tricks—high fives, rolling over, handshakes—these tasks and training will usually make the dog a lot happier.

30 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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When Fitzgerald adopted one of her adult dogs, it was wellbehaved and would have been fine lying on a dog bed all day, but when Fitzgerald introduced tricks, the dog came to life. Fitzgerald says the dog does “all kinds of goofy things now,” like jumping in the air on cue or pushing a skateboard with her paws.

Regardless of what a dog needs, for pet owners, there’s really always an answer.

“I’m amazed at the transformation people have managed,” says Fitzgerald. “They get good guidance, then put in the work. It’s their commitment and time invested in the dog that paid off.”

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EMBARRASSING BEHAVIOR Oddball behavior in pets, like people, can be a major embarrassment—especially when they’re no long children—or pups. A dog’s excessive barking or other annoying habits may mean that boarding your dog or taking it to daycare aren’t comfortable options. Fitzgerald says this doesn’t have to be a stalemate. With a little work, the dog can join the pack, and the owner won’t have to feel nervous all day about what the dog may be doing.

“Training is behavior modification, so if you stick with it, it almost always works,” says Fitzgerald. “Don’t throw in the towel at every little bump in the road. It’s not always a smooth process.”

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ADOPTING ADULT VS. PUPPY Local experts agree that new pet owners tend to be overly optimistic about how amazing they’ll be with a new puppy, and sometimes things just don’t work out as planned.

“It’s sad to me how many puppies end up back in shelters,” says Fitzgerald. “Choosing wisely is really critical, and a lot of people choose on a more casual basis, and that’s not fair to the animal or to them.”

New pet owners may jump on the puppy adoption bandwagon because they’re nervous about adopting adult dogs – but it really is an “educated decision” to consider, she says.

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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No matter what, it’s best to seek out a trainer to help start you off on the right path, says Stephanie Gomez, Delaware Humane Association animal marketing and adoption event coordinator. While an adult dog may of course have some bad habits that need to be broken with training, he or she most likely has great habits, too. You have to start from scratch with a puppy, but an adult dog typically already has mastered foundational necessities like house training.

Says Gomez: “It’s never too late to adopt an adult dog. If anything, I feel you can get a better sense of where the dog is as an adult vs. a puppy, temperament-wise. I personally prefer adult dogs to puppies. After working at DHA for almost four years now, I’ve watched how quickly puppies find homes, and some of your favorite adult dogs sit for simply being misunderstood.”

Be open to options, Gomez says.

She’s seen people come to the DHA looking for puppies, only to walk out with an adult instead.

Executive Director at Faithful Friends Animal Society Jane Pierantozzi agrees.

“Adult pets can be just as easy or easier to adopt than puppies. Why? Because we know their personality and we know if they have any quirks or behavior challenges and what they are.”

Gomez’s suggested approach for adult dog adoption isn’t all that complicated, either: don’t rush into things, get to know the dog’s likes and dislikes. For one thing, you should find something the dog will work for, like a favorite treat, toy or praise.

Likewise, if you’re looking to adopt a dog with known behavioral issues, you need to be in it for the long haul and take what people are advising you to heart, says Gomez.

Encouraging people to adopt adult pets who may have some behavior issue can be difficult, but Pierantozzi believes the best way to do it is to share with potential adopters the animal’s stories and have an effective training and management plan in place for people who may be adopting them. “It takes work, but it is always worth it,” she says.

“We have hundreds of success stories from families who adopted an adult dog who showed some anxiety or behavior challenge in the shelter and with the right, committed person or family, they have become a fantastic companion,” says Pierantozzi.

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Pet TherapY Dogs help children to heal at A.I. duPont Hospital

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

Trixie, a 4-year-old Great Dane, with a patient at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Photo courtesy of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children.

a

s our group chatted in the bright atrium of the Nemours/ Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, it was clear who in our circle drew the most attention. She sat stately in head-to-toe black and white, a stylish pink accent flower around her neck. Many visitors stopped to say hello, admire her, or give her a warm hug and a pat.

So, who is this commanding presence? She's Trixie, a gorgeous, gentle giant of a Great Dane, who at 4 years old and 155 pounds, is the largest of the furry friends in the hospital's Pet Therapy Program. And judging by her popularity in the atrium, she's perfect for the job.

The Pet Therapy program has been part of duPont Hospital for Children’s Child Life, Creative Arts Therapy and School Programs since 2007, says Melissa Nicely, the hospital's Child Life Program manager. Nicely describes her department as helping kids and parents "make sense" of their situation and the stressors that often accompany a child's long-term hospital stay.

And the Pet Therapy program is a tremendous asset in that effort.

Patients enjoy almost daily interaction with the pet therapy teams, as well as biweekly visits from the Brandywine Zoo and even the occasional special visit of miniature ponies in the outside courtyard.

Currently, there are 15 teams of certified dogs and their handlers, all hospital volunteers. The dogs that participate in the inpatient program range in diversity from Trixie's majestic stature to a Wheaten Terrier, some Shelties, a pair of Tibetan Spaniels and many mixed breeds. Typically, there is at least one therapy dog in the building each weekday, and the dog teams are assigned to different units to work with patients and their families.

"It's incredibly important that children have something to help make this a more healing place to be," Nicely says. "It's a special kind of healing that our dogs provide. They help patients to be less afraid of their circumstances and give them a positive association with a hospital visit. Kids can return home and say, 'Look at the cool thing I got to do in the hospital!'" â–ş

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Nicely says patients aren’t the only ones who benefit from the visits.

Parents, siblings, and even staff love the dogs’ visits as well. “Taking a minute to pet a dog can help bring a smile to anyone’s face,” she says.

The dogs and their handlers come to the program through many organizations, such as Therapy Dogs International and, more locally, Faithful Alfie, above, and her handler are among 15 Friends Animal Society. teams of dogs and handlers who volunteer at the hospital, making almost daily visits.

The dogs must be at least one year old and have passed obedience training or the "Canine Good Citizen” * test. Once dogs are certified, their owners reach out to the hospital to begin the volunteer process for the Pet Therapy team. Initially, all will do a "meet & greet" at the hospital, testing them in different situations with wheelchairs and hospital equipment and seeing how they engage with children and groups.

Chris Colket, of Drexel Hill, Pa., is Trixie's owner. Colket has been involved with pet therapy for 10 years, with past dogs like his boy Dudley (also a Great Dane), and he also has worked in Alzheimer's care facilities. Colket was at a dog show some years ago with one of his pups, and someone mentioned to him that his dog, with its calm demeanor, would be well suited to therapy.

After being certified through Comfort Caring Canines, he and Trixie began their service at duPont Hospital for Children nearly a year ago. "It's so nice to volunteer like this; it really makes me feel great," Colket says. "And they [the dogs] seem to enjoy it themselves. When I pull out Trixie's collar and leash (which she only wears for her hospital duties), she gets excited because she knows she's going to 'work.'"

He and Trixie come to the hospital about once a week, visiting different units each time. On this particular day, they saw 10 patients, which is a lot for her, Colket notes. Her average is about five to seven per visit – they like to focus on quality versus quantity.

Trixie’s very gentle, says Colket, and she doesn't mind if kids tug on her tail or play with her ears. Nicely says that big dogs like Trixie are the perfect height for children in wheelchairs or those restricted to a bed because they can’t reach very far.

Colket recalls that the previous week, Trixie climbed onto a patient's bed and hung out for 25 minutes. That was great for both dog and child. "You learn to pay attention to cues from the family," Colket says. "You'll know when it's time to move on or check back in. It's about what works for each individual child." Colket also takes notes about each visit.

As we wrap up our chat, a small visitor shyly approaches to ask if he can pet Trixie. She calmly obliges, and his smile broadens as he gingerly pets her head and she relaxes into it.

It truly seems this dog has found her purpose. *Started in 1989, the Canine Good Citizen Program is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. It’s a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club.

Photo courtesy of Nemours/Alfred I.

PET THERAPY continued from previous page

36 OCTOBER 2015| |OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM 34 MARCH 2017

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A G W N I A K L A T N THE WILD SID K

FOCUS

E

O

Eschewing cats and dogs for reptiles, birds, small mammals and spiders can be rewarding (your bearded dragon may wave at you), but it isn’t for everyone

By Scott Pruden

A

lot of people want to be different. Maybe they have an unusual car, or perhaps their fashion sense makes them stand out in a crowd.

Or maybe they set themselves off by the type of pet they own.

Not content with the typical (and oh, so ordinary) choices of dogs or cats, some pet owners pursue the scaly, slithery, eightlegged or feathered. Still others stay with the warm-blooded, fourlegged variety, but eschew canine and feline companions in favor of ferrets, rabbits or guinea pigs.

But what’s the attraction? Veterinarian Morgan Dawkins of Windcrest Animal Hospital in Wilmington says mammals like guinea pigs appeal to some people because they’re a small, domesticated mammal that is out of the ordinary. “Generally, across the species there’s just something that’s different” from cats and dogs, he says.

And then there are people who want to own a pet but are limited by the size of their home or apartment, or because larger pets aren’t permitted in those places. Others are making accommodations for allergies they or someone else in the household may have.

“When you talk birds and reptiles, for me personally, they’re cool species that not everyone has that are interesting in their

husbandry and history,” Dawkins says. “That adds a level of interest that’s not the norm.”

Small mammals also attract people because they can be allowed to run loose for short periods of time and tend to be social with humans in ways similar to dogs and cats.

Even some reptile species can be friendly, according to Mike Howard, store manager at Pet Kare II in Newark. At the top of the list, he says, is the bearded dragon, an iguana species native to Australia but popular for its social—for a lizard—nature and its willingness to be handled.

THE SOCIAL BEARDED DRAGON

“Bearded dragons actually have personalities and act like they want to hang out with you,” he says. “My bearded dragon used to wave at me every day when I got home. It would actually come up the tank and act like it wanted to come out. A lot of the other lizards and reptiles I couldn’t say that about.”

Birds, says Dawkins, can vary in their interactivity depending on the species. It’s best to do initial research on what species you feel would work best for you, then talk to your pet shop owner to assess what equipment and food will be required. ► MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo Mike Howard

TAKING A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE continued from previous page

Mallory Chiampas holds a bearded dragon from the exotic animal selection at Pet Kare II in Newark.

Tarantulas, meanwhile, aren’t so much about the interaction as about conquering fear, Howard says.

“People are scared of them, so they’re like, ‘I’m going to own them so I can get over my fear of spiders,’” he says.

Another upside to exotic pet ownership is cost. Even a shelter or rescue dog or cat—including adoption fees and initial setup with equipment and accessories—can cost as much as $500. And that’s not even considering food, annual vet check-ups, vaccinations and medications to fight things like fleas, ticks and heartworms—costs that continue as long as the pet is alive.

Still, Howard acknowledges that, for some people, the $200 or so set-up cost for a lizard, a 20-gallon reptile tank and the necessary lighting and bedding can seem steep.

“People ask, ‘It’s just a $10 lizard, why does it need a $200 habitat?’” he says. “But it’s an animal that you’re going to have for several years. [The cost] is not really out of whack, but a lot of people think it is.”

CRICKETS AND MEALWORMS ON THE MENU

Feeding reptiles is relatively inexpensive, Howard says, with most eating either crickets, mealworms, mice or, in the case of bearded dragons, the ingredients from last night’s salad.

“Bearded dragons are omnivores and will eat lettuce and tomato,” he says. “For the insectivores, you do have to make the commitment to come into the store once a week to buy crickets.”

For small mammals like guinea pigs and rabbits, enclosures can start as low as $50, with the primary costs thereafter being feed and bedding, which needs to be changed regularly. Outdoor rabbit hutches start at a higher price point, usually around $150.

But when using the term “exotic pets,” it’s important to remember that what might be exotic to you isn’t necessarily so under the law. In Delaware, there are the casual designations of the term—referring to pets that are simply unusual but legally sold in pet shops—and the term as defined by the Delaware State Code.

Under state law “any live wild mammal or hybrid of a wild mammal or live reptile not native to or generally found in Delaware” is illegal to import, own or sell without a permit from the state Department of Agriculture. Those permits are only issued for zoos or traveling circuses. Meanwhile, non-native poisonous reptiles are entirely forbidden. In both cases, special permits will be issued for animal rescue organizations.

36 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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80 Years!

Photo Mike Howard

Celebrating

Taikota Williams holds a ball python from the exotic animal selection at Pet Kare II.

For some, the pursuit of truly exotic pets is taken to extreme — and illegal—lengths. Daniel Stonebreaker of 3 Palms Zoo & Education Center in Clayton has an idea of just how serious the problem is because he’s had to make room among his animals for those that were illegally acquired and became problems for their owners.

TICK TOCK THE ALLIGATOR

The center cares for and exhibits a wide variety of rescued animals, including alpacas, raccoons and pot-bellied pigs. In most circumstances, the owner’s situation has changed, preventing the continued care of the animal. Some were abandoned, while others are injured wild animals that have been rehabilitated but can’t return to the wild.

Perhaps his most famous adoptee is Tick Tock the American alligator. Tick Tock was kept illegally and housed improperly for three years, when she was brought to 3 Palms by a Delaware state licensed animal rehabilitator.

“We do not endorse the ownership of any—in the legal sense— exotic animals,” Stonebreaker says. “That’s a lot of the headache I deal with here.”

Headaches not just for him, but for local and state officials as well. In March 2012, an alligator was spotted in a retention pond near a Dover Wawa. Delaware Fish and Wildlife officials responded, placing the three-and-a-half-foot reptile with a wildlife rescue agency.

“Retention ponds are, lots of times, nothing more than a catchall for unwanted reptiles,” says Hilary Taylor, a member of the Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and the person responsible for responding to many cases of exotic pet discovery and abandonment north of the C&D Canal.

Between the black market and exotic pet dealers on the Internet, it’s extremely easy for Delawareans to acquire illegal animals. Others are less subtle.

“I’ll get calls from people who want a cougar, and that’s just ridiculous,” she says. “You’d be surprised what people get. I never know from day to day what kind of thing is going to be here.”

Less threatening to a person’s safety but highly damaging to the environment are the seemingly benign pets that are released, she says.

While many die immediately in the foreign surroundings, others survive to breed with indigenous species. The red-eared slider, a popular box turtle that’s native to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, can breed with local turtles and spread a variety of diseases.

Surprisingly, Newark Animal Control is a frequent source of animal rescue calls when the spring semester at the University of Delaware ends. “You’d be surprised what they find—iguanas and turtles that students have just left behind,” she says. “But you can’t just take them and release them.”

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Downtown Loop

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ART LOOP WILMINGTON

FRIDAY, MARCH 3 5 - 9 p.m.

cityfestwilm.com/artloopwilmington cityfest STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO THE ART LOOP. STEP 1: Select exhibitions that interest you.

STEP 2: Map out your choices and select transportation. You may want to walk, drive or take the downtown DART Trolley. A limited number of seats are available on the Art Loop shuttle. Please reserve your seat by calling 302.576.2100 or email artloop@WilmingtonDE.gov.

STEP 3: Meet local and regional artists while enjoying the newest exhibitions to open in Wilmington and the surrounding areas.

STEP 4: Enjoy one of Wilmington’s excellent restaraunt or nightlife locations. Please visit the food and drink section of inwilmingtonde.com.

STEP 5: Repeat the first Friday of every month!

FREQUENLTY ASKED QUESTIONS WHERE DOES THE ART LOOP START? The Art Loop is a self-guided, go-at-your-own pace tour that can start at any of the locations listed in this guide. There is no designated route for the Art Loop.

HOW DO I APPLY TO EXHIBIT ON THE ART LOOP? Participating galleries book and curate the exhi-

bitions and should be contacted directly at the contact information provided in this guide.

HOW DO I TAKE THE ART LOOP SHUTTLE? Reserve one of the limited number of seats by calling 302.576.2100 or email artloop@WilmingtonDE.gov. The bus will pick-up and drop-off at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts.

40 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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ArtzScape

by Lady C Productions 205 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE www.aladycproductioncompany.com Face to Face by Zathray Burton. Where the simple form of honesty even in hard times comes in and makes smiles of low with a splash of color. Art loop reception 5:30 to 8:30 PM. On view 6 PM – 9 PM. Appointment only before allocated times through March 25, 2017.

2nd & LOMA 211 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE www.2ndandloma.com Using passion for color, Denise paints with bright acrylic medium. Many that she creates are realism with an abstract twist. Some are vistas, some are floral, and some simple a canvas of a color. Art loop reception 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM. On view Mon – Fri 9:00 – 5:00 PM through March 24.

LaFate Gallery 227 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE www.lafategallery.com Women’s History Month Group Show, LaFate Gallery will feature Women’s History Month, with the diverse Art of five diverse Women: Zathray Burton, Eunice LaFate, Madeline Porter, Rettie Winfield, and Jo Worme, Paintings in acrylic, oil, and watercolor. Art loop reception 5 – 8 PM. Tuesday – Saturday 11 A m- 4 PM through March 31st.

Jerry’s Artarama 704 North Market Street Wilmington, DE www.wilmingtonde-jerrys.com Community Unity Advocacy, Community Unity Advocacy, Group show, Members of the Creative Vision Factory and other Youth Advocate program along with other guest pop up artists. Mosaic art. Come get inspired and involved. Art Loop reception 5 PM – 8 PM. On view Mon – Sat 9 AM – 6 PM, Sunday 11 AM – 5 PM through March 31st.

Chris White Gallery 701 North Shipley Wilmington, DE www.sawphotog.com A Young Woman’s Exploration in Art, Group Show. In celebration of Woman’s History month Stay Focused photography program, in conjunction with Serviam Girls Academy presents A Young Woman’s Exploration in Art. Join the young ladies of Serviam Girl’s academy as they explore their identity as artists.

Art loop reception 5:30 – 8:30 PM. On view by appointment only through March 27, 2017.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

2/21/17 1:25 PM

West End Loop

artloopwilm.org The Grand Opera House Mainstage Gallery 818 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE www.thegrandwilmington.org/grand-galleries

Half & Half, photographs by Beth Trepper. Beth Trepper presents two styles of photography: vintage-inspired fashion portraits and ethereal infrared landscapes. Beth is a recipient of the 2017 Established Professional Fellowship Grant awarded by the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Art loop reception 5 PM – 8 PM. On view Mon – Fri 10 AM to 5 PM through April 4, 2017. Nights and weekends subject to staff availability.

Delaware Center for Horticulture 1180 North Dupont Street Wilmington, DE www.thedch.org Still Nature, Frank DePietro. Paintings display a quiet, meditative quality, contemplating our connection with nature and changing notions of what nature is. Reception 5:30 – 8:00 PM. On view from 9 AM – 5 PM Mon – Fri through March 31, 2017.

The Grand Opera House Baby Grand Gallery 818 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE www.thegrandwilmington.org/grand-galleries

The Station Gallery 3922 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE www.stationgallery.net

Kevin Niemi. “I work in a state of flow. From the moment I put a brush to the canvas, my only guide is the painting which tells me when it is finished. The completed piece expresses the evolution of the initial inspiration–it is more about the journey than the destination.” Art loop reception 5 PM – 8 PM. On view Mon – Fri 10 AM to 5 PM through April 4, 2017. Nights and weekends subject to staff availability.

Waterlines, Terry Anderson. Terry’s new oil paintings focus on landscapes from the Brandywine Watershed to the Canadian Near North, taking on an abstract quality reflecting her interest in the relationships between shape, space and color. Art loop reception 5 PM – 8 PM. On view Mon – Fri 9 A – 5P; Sat 10 AM – 3 PM through March 31st.

Levitea 807 N Union Street Wilmington, DE www.leviteashop.com

Arden’s Buzz Ware Village Center 2119 the Highway Arden, DE www.ardenbuzz.com

Introduction to AB Arts Abcasso, The introduction to AB arts (Abcasso). A person trying to find himself in the world using art as a source to help him on his journey. Who, in return is giving his expression of art to help inspire, bring knowledge, and give love to the world and people who comes across his work.

Art loop reception 5 - 8 PM. On view 3 - 9 PM through March 31, 2017.

Old Banks Craft Bistro 1711 Delaware Avenue Wilmington, DE www.oldbankscraftbistro.com Artist Mike Macguinness, “Working class abstractions resulting in cartoons of the semiconscious.” Pen and ink, and mixed media. Reception 5-8 PM. Enjoy Happy Hour and Oldbanks Craft Bistro Specials 3-7 PM. On view 11 AM – 1 AM through March 29, 2017.

Altarpieces - by Jill Althouse-Wood. These mixed media paintings are an exploration of styles and materials, including gold leaf, with the commonality of the forest subject acting as the matrix of this series. Art loop reception 6 – 9 PM. On view by appointment only Mon – Sat 8 AM – 8 PM through March 26th.

Talleyville Frame Shoppe and Gallery 3625 Silverside Road Wilmington, DE www.talleyvilleFSG.com Wicked Winter Group Art Show. Our annual dead of winter art show featuring cool, creepy, scary, funny paintings, drawings, sculpture, photographs and more, by some of the best regional artists. Art loop reception 6 – 10 PM. On view MWF 10 – 5 AM, T, Th 10 – 7 PM, Sat 10 – 4 PM through March 31st.

Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Ave Wilmington, DE 302.429.0506

Bellefonte Arts 803 Brandywine Blvd Bellefonte, DE www.bellefontearts.com

BITS and PIECES, GINA BOSWORTH, Dreamlike images drawn from leftover materials found in the corners and shelves of my studio, appear anew in small format to engage and beg questions. Art loop reception 5 – 8 PM. On view Tues – Fri 10:00 – 5:00 PM; Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM through April 4, 2017.

America, Group show with “America” as the theme. Photography by Lois Johnson “American Celebration, Photography Ann White “Chessie”, Jewelry by Cathy Codding of Dreamers’ Jewelry “American Sunset,” and Acrylic and Marker sketch by Christie Muller “Woman.” Art loop reception 5 – 8 PM. On view Tues – Fri 11 A – 5 PM, Sat 10 – 4 PM, Sunday 12 – 4 PM through March 31st.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

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North Wilmington Loop

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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. The Delaware Contemporary, 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. Del Pez Mexican Gastropub, DELPEZMEXICANPUB.COM Goju Training Center, GOJUROBICS.COM 15. Delaware Children’s Museum, DELAWARECHILDRENSMUSEUM.ORG Riverwalk Mini Golf, RIVERWALKMINIGOLF.COM 16. Joe’s Crab Shack, JOESCRABSHACK.COM 17. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, IRONHILLBREWERY.COM 18. Public Docks 19. Big Fish Grill, BIGFISHRIVERFRONT.COM

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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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46 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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(l-r) Brian Ashby (8th & Union owner), Marc Ashby (president), Lauren Ashby Bartkiewicz, Sandy Ashby, Bob Ashby, Janice Munyan (controller), Jeremy Hughes (vice-president).

THE CALM AMID THE CULINARY STORM Bob Ashby has carefully built a hospitality empire.

Now—he says—he’s retired.

By Pam George Photos by Jim Coarse

ame a culinary star who has made a difference on the local dining scene, and you will likely think of a chef. Unless, that is, you’re an industry insider. Those in the know will put Bob Ashby, a seasoned restaurateur, at the top of the list.

“Bob is a great operator,” says Xavier Teixido, founder of Harry’s Hospitality, which has three Wilmington restaurants.

“He’s very engaged in initiatives that keep our industry healthy.”

Ashby is a past president of the Delaware Restaurant Association and a recipient of the DRA’s Cornerstone Award. He’s also served on the board of the National Restaurant Association.

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If you haven’t heard of Ashby then you’ve undoubtedly heard of his restaurants: Ashby Management owns three McGlynns Pub locations, the Deer Park Tavern and Cantwell's Tavern. It’s a successful track record for the University of Delaware graduate, but as of Jan. 1, Ashby says, he’s retired.

Those who know him aren’t so sure. “For a man who eats, sleeps and breathes the business for as long as he has, I find it hard to imagine him not having a hand in it, in some regard,” says his son Brian, chef and owner of 8th & Union Kitchen in Wilmington’s Little Italy.► MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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COOKING UP A BUSINESS

Bob Ashby didn’t set out to become a restaurateur when he was growing up in Caldwell, N.J., but he had a keen interest in business. However, it was his football skills that brought him to the University of Delaware.

Unfortunately, his athletic career was short-lived. He broke his leg during his freshman year and blew out his knee as a sophomore.

By that time, he’d met wife-to-be Sandy. She first spotted him in 1974 at a football game. (He was not playing.) “I said: ‘Who is that guy? I’m going to marry him,’” she recalls.

When she met him one evening at the Deer Park Tavern in downtown Newark, then a local watering hole with beer-stained floors, she thought he was conceited. She told him so and then fell off the barstool, giving the expression “falling in love” new meaning.

While studying business at UD, Ashby started working at the Stone Balloon, which was another local watering hole that was better known for live music than its beer. Ashby had already decided he wanted to open his own business, and the young owner of the Balloon at that time, Bill Stevenson, was an inspiration.

After graduating from UD, Ashby and Sandy got jobs at H.A. Winston & Co., a restaurant chain. Sandy was waiting tables until she began teaching school in the fall. Ashby had his eye on management.

After graduating from UD, Bob and Sandy Ashby got jobs at H.A. Winston & Co. The company trained its managers “from the kitchen out,” he says. “I learned how to cook, sauté—everything. The manager was the extra hand in the restaurant when needed; it’s your job to jump in and help.”

Ashby Management follows the same approach in its restaurants.

While scouting for a new location for the chain, he visited the old Drummond Ale House in Newark, another haunt from the Ashbys’ college days. It was too small for H.A. Winston but just right for the Ashbys, who purchased it in 1983. McGlynns Pub & Restaurant was born.

THE CALM AMID THE CULINARY STORM continued from previous page

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GROWING THE BRAND

He tested new waters in 1986 when he opened Ashby’s Oyster House, which is located off Main Street in Newark. At that time, seafood restaurants were few and far between.

The price point and the menu items called for cocktails, but Newark only allowed beer and wine licenses. There were other issues. In the 1980s, Main Street was deserted when the students weren’t in town. The restaurant closed in 1990.

Ashby had more luck with his original concept, McGlynns, which he duplicated in 1999 in Peoples Plaza and in 2008 in Dover. All three are neighborhood restaurants.

The Dover restaurant, however, was built from the ground up and has the look of an upscale Victorian public house, complete with woodwork from a pub-centric specialty shop in the United Kingdom.

In 2001, the Ashbys purchased the Deer Park Tavern. Using a vintage postcard as a guide, they elected to renovate it to its glory days. It was a bold move. A landmark since 1851, the three-story structure was the object of fond memories for generations of UD students—including the Ashbys. Many did not appreciate the newly gentrified façade, which includes a two-story porch with ornate spindles all capped by a corner cupola. But the majority embraced the change. Alumni now feel comfortable taking their children and grandchildren to the Deer Park for nachos or a burger.

In 2011, the Historic Houses of Odessa wanted to put a working restaurant in a circa-1822 tavern, once known as The Brick Hotel. When the first operator backed out, Ashby picked up the project and opened Cantwell’s Tavern in the space.

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Though both the Deer Park and Cantwell’s are in historical sites, they couldn’t be more different. There was no retail traffic in the historic complex. “You couldn’t spend a dollar in Odessa before Cantwell’s opened,” Ashby says, jokingly. Fortunately, area residents embraced the restaurant, and Cantwell’s has become the locals’ choice for lunch, dinner and special occasions, including weddings.

KRESTON WINE & SPIRITS

THE HOSPITALITY GURU

By now, Ashby knows the secret to a restaurant’s survival. “You have to constantly be aware that your customer is the only reason you’re there. It’s like throwing a party at your house: Every time you open the doors, you have to have everything ready, and their experience has to be a good experience.” If customers aren’t happy, his managers are told to do whatever it takes to make the customer want to come back.

That approach, plus fresh ingredients, he says, will help the casual full-service segment compete against the fast-casual restaurant, such as Panera Bread, which appeals to those who want a kale Caesar salad with grilled chicken in five minutes or less.

Ashby is generous when it comes to sharing the lessons he’s learned. Merry Catanuto, a former chef at the Deer Park, turned to Ashby for advice when she and husband Bill Hoffman decided to open The House of William & Merry in Hockessin. (The couple met while working at McGlynns.)

“He was very honest about the restaurant business and its highs and lows,” she says. “He let us know that we could lose our investment. He was a great resource. He is one of the first people I go to, and he’s always helpful.”

She’s not the only one who seeks his counsel. “He’s one of those people I will call to say: ‘What do you think about this?’” says Teixido, the past president of the National Restaurant Association.

Carrie Leishman, director of the Delaware Restaurant Association, would agree. “He was always my go-to guy,” she says. “He always has a way of cutting through the chaos to think clearly about all the decisions he makes, and I really respect him for that. He’s been an institution on our board.”

Brian Ashby says his father—an avid reader—always had a word of encouragement when his children needed it. “When I would ask him for advice because I was feeling overwhelmed, his reply was: ‘How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.’”

Brian was 14 or 15 when he started working in the family business, scraping gum off the bars and scrubbing tobacco stains off the wall. He cooked, washed dishes, bussed tables, served and bartended. But Ashby never told his children they had to work at the restaurants. “We were very lucky to have such supportive parents,” Brian says. “They just wanted us to be successful at whatever it was we chose to pursue.”

The well-traveled Brian, who wanted to explore the cuisines he experienced while abroad, opened 8th & Union Kitchen in 2015. In addition to their other son, Marc, the Ashbys’ daughter Lauren works for Ashby Management, overseeing the company’s charitable giving.

It will be interesting to see how Bob Ashby handles retirement. Says Brian: “I know he plans to take full advantage of spending time with my mother and being on the water—two of his greatest joys.”

But decades of habits are hard to break, and the hospitality business is a lifestyle, not just a job, Teixido says. It’s challenging to detach from the industry. As of February, Ashby was still going into the office a few days a week, and he serves on various boards.

“I’m still trying to figure it out,” he says about retirement. No doubt, he will do just that.

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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50 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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ART SALAD, THE DELAWARE CONTEMPORARY

T

BITES Tasty things worth knowing Compiled by David Ferguson

he Delaware Contemporary is rolling through a new season of Art Salad, a lunchtime lecture series featuring artists and other contemporary voices, and March is lining up to be an interesting month for the series. The events are hosted every Thursday from 12-1 p.m. and cost $5 for nonmembers. There is no registration required.

Just show up, dive into a lecture and enjoy a bite to eat from the Rolling Revolution food truck on site. The series will continue through April and will offer guests the opportunity to learn from the minds of artists and art specialists from different fields.

For more information, go to delawarecontemporary.org/art-salad or stop in on a Thursday between noon and 1 p.m. and jump right in.

A COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO HUNGER

O

n Thursday, April 6, the Food Bank of Delaware will take over the Chase Center for Delaware’s fourth annual hunger conference. This year’s conference marks the second year that the Food Bank brings both adults and children together to help alleviate hunger in Delaware and improve the nutrition of the state’s most vulnerable populations.

Entitled “Coming Together: A Community Response to Hunger,” the conference will emphasize that it takes all of us to end hunger in our communities.

The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes breakfast and lunch.

Adults can expect to take part in discussions that will cover a variety of topics, including the psychological and emotional impact of hunger, healthy food access for insecure populations, and challenges for returning citizens. Kids will be able to join a rotating set of educational activities that include demos in healthy eating, gardening and planting, fitness and more.

Tickets are $50 for adults. Children wishing to attend should check with their school supervisors to see if they are registered for the event. Adult tickets are still on sale.

More than 500 people are expected to attend. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit fbd.org/comingtogether.

CANGINEERING COMPETITION

T

he Food Bank of Delaware is hosting its fourth annual CANgineering (formerly DelawareCAN) competition, a creative way to collect much-needed food and create a spirited competition in Delaware’s organizations. The aim is to stock the shelves of many homes that are put in the terrible position of choosing bills over food.

The drive, which lasts from March 20 to April 21, involves the collection of canned food by an organization or workplace followed by construction of a sculpture from the collected items.

Teams must identify a theme for their sculpture, which will determine the types of items to be collected and the time needed for collection and building. When the drives are completed and the sculptures built, images of each sculpture will be uploaded to the Food Bank’s Facebook for viewers to vote on their favorite.

For more information check out, fbd.org/cangineering.

WHAT'S COOKING AT IRON HILL

I

ron Hill Brewery and Restaurant has maintained close ties with the University of Delaware since opening its flagship location in Newark in 1996. Now it has teamed with UD to offer students in the College of Agricultural and Natural Resources the opportunity for internships.

Students will be able to take on a six-month internship with Iron Hill that will focusing on the science of brewing.

At the same time, UDairy Creamery, the university-owned creamery, will be offering exclusive, made from scratch ice cream flavors to all 12 of Iron Hill’s mid-Atlantic establishments. Flavors will include vanilla, malted bourbon pecan, chocolate chip cookie dough, and a chocolate stout flavor that will use Iron Hill’s famous Russian Imperial Stout. Making the partnership even more local is the fact that all the milk used for UDairy’s ice cream comes from cows raised on local farms.

The partnership marks the first-ever wholesale partnership for UDairy Creamery.

Meanwhile, Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant recently announced plans to open another location by spring of 2018, which will bring the restaurant’s number of locations to 13.

Iron Hill Center City is set to open in Philadelphia’s East Market, at 1150 Market St. The 8,450-square-foot facility will be one of the few full-scale breweries within the city limits. The East Market is a huge pedestrianoriented hub that includes many shopping, dining and living options.

With help from the Maryland based design firm Street Sense, Iron Hill Center City will be sleek and open with views of the entire brewery from behind the bar.

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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TROLLEY SQ. • BRANMAR PLAZA • MAIN ST. NEWARK

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A collection of Baba's Bucha bottles, for sale at Newark Natural Foods. Photo Jim Coarse

A TRENDY TOAST TO HEALTH Restorative beverage options are growing in popularity, and local health food shops and restaurants are keeping pace

By Krista Connor

I

t may be time for coconut water, apple cider vinegar and green drinks to slide to the back of the shelf—there are other healthful beverages taking center stage, and some are even locally produced.

Fermented tea drink kombucha on tap and mixed into cocktails and wheatgrass wellness shots are just two of the drinks that are keeping Delaware in stride with major health tonic trends.

(And when it comes to apple cider vinegar we’re jesting, of course. ACV and its miraculous benefits will never get old.)

BABA’S BUCHA: BOTTLED, ON TAP, ON THE ROCKS

When the topic of kombucha comes up, area restaurant and health food shop managers get a little giddy because of two words: Baba’s Bucha.

The Phoenixville, Pa., organic kombucha nano-brewery helmed by entrepreneur Olga Sorzano focuses distribution of small-batch kombucha in kegs and bottles to local establishments, though Baba’s Bucha’s reach is spreading as far as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. With a name derived from “babushka” (it’s Russian for grandmother), Baba’s traces back to Sorzano’s childhood in Siberia, and her kombucha-brewing great-grandmother who would always have a glass jar of the tonic on hand. Sorzano grew up drinking her Baba’s kombucha on a regular basis until she arrived in the U.S. in 2000. A few years later, craving the taste of home, she began making her own brew, and in 2015 she started the company, utilizing the old-world recipe. ►

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Photo Jim Coarse

A TRENDY TOAST TO HEALTH continued from previous page

Catherine Hallman pours Baba's kombucha from the tap at Newark Natural Foods.

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Baba’s bottled kombucha is widely available in the area, but a few local places—including Newark Natural Foods, Home Grown Café, Harvest Market Natural Foods and Delaware Local Food Exchange—take it to the next level by offering the beverage on tap, too.

Newark Natural Foods’ grocery manager Jeremy Tingle is impressed by how well the macro business is faring compared to leading brands like GT’s.

“People who love kombucha really love it and start getting into the subculture of it and loyally follow national brands like GT’s, so it’s interesting to see how a local company, which started out with no following, can now be very close to the sales of major brands,” says Tingle.

“It speaks volumes of how people are perceiving our local economy and local merchants.”

The co-op’s Cafe 67 offers flavors on tap like pear and apple, ginger and floral. Seasonal options rotate, and customers easily go through a couple of fresh kegs each month. In the meantime, the co-op can move 20 cases—240 bottles—in a month.

“Olga was the first local kombucha person, but now we expect to see more and more.

People will start asking for someone’s homemade kombucha and before you know it, it’s turning into an enterprise,” says Tingle.

There are no perceptible health differences between kombucha bottled and on tap; it’s more of a matter of convenience and cost. For customers on the run, a bottled kombucha makes sense. Otherwise, you get more for the cost for a glass or growler up to 32 ounces.

Prices start at $4.29.

Even though he loves GT’s, Tingle prefers Sorzano’s Bucha to the leading brand, especially if someone is being introduced to the beverage for the first time. “Hers is way more palatable, way milder than leading brands,” he says. “Baba’s would be a perfect way to get someone into kombucha. It’s just a completely different flavor.”

And flavors abound. Harvest Market offers four rotating flavors on tap (and seven options in bottles), and CEO Bob Kleszics appreciates the drink’s fall seasonal Asian pear brew, which is ginger-heavy. Winter brews hibiscus, love potion, pear chai and strawberry shortcake were on tap at Harvest Market as of press time, with expectations of blueberry options from local orchards for the warmer months. Meanwhile, in addition to Baltimore’s Wild Kombucha brand, Trolley Square’s Delaware Local Food Exchange touts Baba’s rosy apple (rosemary and apple) and desert rain (rooibos tea, strawberry, rosehips and cinnamon) on tap. DLFE owner Karen Igou notes that desert rain goes well with whiskey.

Or perhaps gin? Home Grown’s bar/assistant general manager Joe Renaud likes to experiment with kombucha cocktails. These typically have a liqueur base melded with seasonal fruits for $8. And good news for vegans: aquafaba is mixed in the cocktail instead of egg whites, which are traditionally used to add texture.

“I do a martini with aquafaba, kombucha, Creme Yvette liqueur and citrus forward Dogfish gin,” says Renaud. “It works well with springtime. These drinks are usually very easy for anyone to drink and enjoy. We could literally sell it and not tell people it’s kombucha and people would love it.”

Kombucha cocktails not for you? Throw it back with a shot, perhaps.

54 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Hilarious Amateur Comedians…One Night, Winner!

Hilarious Amateur Comedians…One Night, OneOne Winner!

We’re on the hunt for the

NEXT great COMEDIAN! Photo Krista Connor

live @ the baby grand

Friday, March 24 • 8PM Kombucha cocktail at Home Grown Café.

WHEATGRASS SHOTS, INFUSED WATER & KEVITA

Sans the alcohol, plant or herbal-based options in liquid form are available at Cafe 67.

In small plastic cups, freshly-pressed “shots” of wheatgrass, turmeric, ginger or cayenne are packed with vitamins and minerals.

The most popular of these is wheatgrass.

“If you’ve never tried a wheatgrass shot before, you’re going to be knocked off your ass, pretty much. It’s strong, bitter,” says Tingle. “A lot of people get their morning cup of coffee, but here, some people just need that little shot of wheatgrass for energy.”

Depending on the shot, prices range from $2.50 to $4.

Delaware Local Food Exchange offers Jacob’s Raw shots in small bottles ready to go.

Additionally, infused beverages— essentially fruits and vegetables that marinate in water for the day—also are available at Cafe 67, giving water a mild, fresher taste.

“It’s more of a flavor thing than anything,” Tingle says. “We’ll take basil leaves, oranges, mangoes, ginger, lemon, mint, whatever, cut them up, put them in the water, infuse them—it’ll taste so good.”

Kleszics from Harvest Market recommends a few other tonic options too, like KeVita and REBBL. KeVita is a sparkling probiotic drink, fermented with coconut water or reverse osmosis water. It’s light in flavor, and unlike kombucha, it’s neither tart nor vinegary. REBBL is a beverage that offers ethically-sourced whole roots, extracts, berries, barks and leaves.

Really, right now, restorative beverage options are limited only by the creative means in which they are sourced.

“For so long people have been getting their vitamins from supplements,” says Tingle. “Now we’re starting to see a trend where instead of supplementing, people are finding it from sources in their food.”

Tickets for the finale are on sale now!

ONLY

$10

TheGrandWilmington.org/LOL | 302.652.5577

THEGRAND

818 N. Market Street | Wilmington, DE 19801

THEGRAND | 818 N.| Market Street | Street Wilmington, DE 19801 | THEGRAND 818 N. Market | Wilmington, DE302.652.5577 19801 | 302.652.5577

WHO IS THE AREA’S BEST TALENT?

2 0 1 7 MUSIKARMAGEDDON

Saturday, April 1 live @ the baby grand 818 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 Local Singer/Songwriters will compete in a head-to-head contest to determine the area’s best talent

For a list of competing artists go to

Sponsored by:

Musikarmageddon.com Ben & Susan Ledyard

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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SPECIALS

daily

Not available during show nights. May not be combined with other specials or offers.

CRAB CAKEmondays $

erly (form e’s) us Mik o m Fa

10 lunch / $20 dinner

TACOtuesdays lunch in the bar area

$

10 at lunch, with choice of chicken, shrimp, beef or tofu

½ PRICE BURGERthursdayall day in the bar area

STEAKHOUSE LUNCHfridays $

16 6oz filet mignon with roasted fingerlings & mixed green salad

SURF & TURFfridays free surf with turf at dinner

FILETsaturdays

20 8oz filet mignon

$

happy hour!

RAMEN BOWLwednesdays

friday

4pm – 7pm $ 2 Bud Lights FREE Anthony’s ‘za 5pm

mon - thu

5pm – 7pm 2 Bud Lights

$

Order/bring your food

get

ShaMroCKED

Fri., 3/17 ; 12pm – All Day $ 2 Bud Lights $ 3 Jameson LUCKY Giveaways FREE Anthony’s ‘za 5pm

[BraCKET manicMARCH!

MaDNESS!]

catch all the TOURNEY DRAMA on 12 hdtv’s Open Noon 16th & 17th Open 2pm 18th, 19th, 25th, 26th

enjoy happy hour specials during every game!

track your

brACkEtS on

15 4kHDtvs!

302.777.2040 | TonicBarGrille.com 111 WesT 11Th sTreeT | DoWnToWn WilminGTon

4809 Limestone Rd Wilmington, DE 19808 facebook.com/PikeCreekPub

56 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

DOGFISH HEAD WOCAAW

SIPS

Here's what's pouring Compiled by David Ferguson

GRAIN H2O SET FOR BEAR

G

rain is sprouting up at a second location in late spring or early summer. The owners of the popular Newark-based Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen have purchased a second location which was, until recently, Aqua Sol eatery in Bear. Located on the C&D canal at the Summit North Marina, Grain H2O will feature some familiar dishes from the original location plus some new seafood courses. And of course, there will be an excellent selection of beer.

A revamped interior that emphasizes the surroundings, fire pits, an outdoor bar, and a private banquet room for 40-50 people are all projects that are in the works.

The new restaurant will be open daily until 1 a.m., will offer brunch every weekend from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will be able to host up to 280 people for both indoor and outdoor seating. Acoustic sets, similar to the Newark location, will be a regular occurrence at Grain H2O and with an outdoor stage the summers are sure to be rocking.

NEW DESIGNS FOR FODO

F

ordham & Dominion Brewery in Dover has completely revamped its Fordham portfolio for 2017. Along with the new designs is the introduction of some fresh, year-round brews to the FoDo family. On one side of the popular Copperhead Ale and Gypsy Lager comes the 7.5 abv Crash Zone Indian Pale Lager with an amazingly hoppy aroma, smoked flavor and bitter bite. On the other side stands the 5.0 abv Dilated Pupilz Golden Pils with a malty start and bitterly floral finish.

In addition, there will be some new seasonal bottles to spice up the year in the form of a Scotch ale and the zingy 11th Sour Berlinerwise.

The entire line of FoDo beers will be available in bottle and draught. Check out more at fordhamanddominion.com/fordhambeers.

D

ogfish Head has two events based around good beers this month.

On Thursday, March 2, an ongoing event, Vintage and Vinyl, will be held at the brewery in Milton. It will feature pours from older bottles of Ancient Ales while a DJ spins guest favorites. On Saturday March 25, from 2 to 6:30 p.m., is the event “Weekend of Compelling Ales and Whatnot.” WOCAAW will feature food and booze at the Milton brewery along with brewery tours, and Dogfish workers ready to hang out and share a beer with you. Specialty tasting sessions also are in the works. Admission is $65 and includes a collection of goodies, 14 rare or exclusive beer samples, and 14 food pairings.

Get your tickets—and whatnot—at dogfish.com/wocaaw.

WINE AND DINE IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK

I

f you missed Newark’s Restaurant Week in January, fear not, another downtown Newark Dining extravaganza is on the horizon for March. Wine and Dine Downtown Newark is a town-wide event that features delicious dishes prepared by Newark’s chefs to complement a variety of wines from around the globe. The event will begin at noon on Saturday, March 25, and continue until 5 p.m.

A total of 17 downtown Newark restaurants are participating. Wine pairings will offer a $2 per two-ounce taste and some establishments will offer wine flights at varying prices.

The first 1,500 attendees will receive a commemorative wine-tasting glass and wine pouch. And don’t worry about tickets; just grab a glass at any participating Wine and Dine establishment and pay as you go.

For information, go to enjoydowntownnewark.com/winedine.

Prior to the event, consider lacing up your running shoes to participate in the inaugural Five and Wine 5-Mile Run/Walk.

It's not every day you get to run down East Main Street, after all. The run starts at the corner of Main and Academy Streets, and finishes on Academy Street near the AETNA Fire Station.

Register at runsignup.com/Race/DE/ Newark/FiveWine.

MOVIES ON TAP KEEPS BREWING

S

ince last April, the monthly Movies on Tap series at Penn Cinema, in partnership with Premier Wine & Spirits, has raised upwards of $15,000 for local charities, including Food Bank of Delaware, Delaware KIDS Fund, Read Aloud Delaware, Meals on Wheels, Food Bank of Delaware (twice), Preston’s Playground, Good Old Boy Foundation and Delaware Nature Society.

The event is one of the most interactive beer tasting experiences around. Each month, a different local brewery sends its brewers to talk with guests, who sample beers and catch a cult-classic flick on the big screen. Ticket sales go to charities like those mentioned above.

Says event founder and Premier Wine & Spirits director of marketing Ryan Kennedy: “It has reached the point in popularity where breweries and charities are actually reaching out to us now, asking to be involved.”

The event generated more than $6,000 for charity in December and nearly $5,500 in January. The goal in 2017 is $35,000-$40,000.

This year the plan is to stick with the cult classic film trend while celebrating more local breweries as well as regional breweries.

A look at upcoming events: this month, the brewery is Dew Point Brewing Co. in Yorklyn with movie and charity TBA. The next months will feature Crooked Hammock (Lewes), Iron Hill (Riverfront—Wilmington) and Tröegs (Hershey, Pa.), to name a few.

For the Iron Hill event in May Kennedy anticipates screening Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with a twist—he wants to host it late afternoon on a Friday to encourage people to skip work in the spirit of the movie, then host a happy hour at Iron Hill after the film.

Other movies scheduled to be screened in the future include Super Troopers, Airplane, Young Frankenstein, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Kennedy aims to open Movies on Tap to more local food trucks to offer attendees another food option. Wahlburger’s from Philadelphia has supported the last two events and donated 10 percent of sales toward the cause.

“We are very proud of it,” says Kennedy.

“All of us are enjoying great tasting beers and classic movies to support the community we all live, work and play in.”

For more details, check premierwinespirits.com/movies-on-tap.

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

THE FINAL FOUR OF THE

April 20, 2017

TM

TM

P E RF E CT POUR

Dining Out For Life returns on 4/20.

Make reservations @ a participating restaurant.

Munch on some great food for an important cause.

Visit AIDSDelaware.org for a complete restaurant list .

Restaurants agree to donate 33% of the days proceeds to AIDSDE client services.

ther is Warm Drinks are Cold - Come Enjoy Our 2 tory Deck!

Area Guinness lovers vote for the venues that best pour the popular stout Last month all around New Castle County, Guinness beer lovers spoke their minds, voting for the bars, pubs and restaurants they feel pour the best pint of the dark, creamy stout.

Guinness is one of the few breweries in the world that encourages a specific six-step procedure for pouring its product.

“We spent a long time crafting this beer, which is why we’re so passionate about the pour,” the brewery states on its website. “This is how we ensure that every single mouthful of the black stuff tastes exactly as our expert brewers intended.”

Similar to a single-elimination bracket tournament, 16 locations were chosen and divided into four divisions of four venues each.

On Feb. 21, after hundreds of votes were tallied, the “Final Four” of the perfect pour were decided: 6 Paupers in Hockessin; Dead Presidents in Wilmington; Kid Shelleen’s in Wilmington; and Klondike Kate’s in Newark.

Guinness fans will have the opportunity to vote up until March 15 in the final round to decide which of the four venues is the “Champion of the Perfect Pour.” The winning bar will then send two of its bartenders to Atlantic City in April to compete in a tristate contest.

To cast your vote and help determine this year’s champion, go to: PerfectPourDE.com.

—O&A

The Deer Park Tavern

MARCH

Entertainment Schedule

EVERY MONDAY: Showtime Trivia EVERY TUESDAY: Jefe & DJ Andrew Hugh EVERY WEDNESDAY: DJ Willoughby EVERY THURSDAY: Karaoke w/ The Vigilantes

Join Us for St. Patrick’s Day!

FRIDAYS:

Opening at 10am on St. Patrick’s Day! Live Irish Bagpipers at 10:30pm $2.25 Green Bud Light, $5 Irish Car Bombs • Corned Beef and Cabbage!

MONDAYS ½ Price Appetizers (5pm-12am)

TUESDAYS ½ Price Burgers ALL DAY! $4 Double LIT’s

WEDNESDAYS - MEXICAN NIGHT! ½ Price Nachos & Quesadillas ALL DAY! $3 Coronas & Margaritas • $2 Tacos $15.99 9oz NY Strip Steak All Day

SATURDAYS:

3/3-Cherry Crush 3/10-JJ Rupp Band 3/17-Back to Blonde 3/24-Radio Halo 3/31-Behind Deadlines

3/4-TBA 3/11-Photo Shoppe Hotties 3/18-Vigilantes 3/25-Federal Street Band

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

Interested in holding a Guest Bartending Event? Give Us a Call at Ashby Hospitality (302)894-1200 302.369.9414 | 108 West Main Street, Newark | www.deerparktavern.com

Be our friend on Facebook!

58 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

R

Beer Grainiac

Craft beer reviews from Grain’s Jim O’Donoghue

THIS MONTH:

Stone Ripper Pale Ale

S

tone's Ripper Pale Ale pushes the boundaries of a Pale Ale, leaning very close to an IPA. Ripper comes from the Australian slang for fantastic, and I have to agree on this one. Brewed with Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest, and Galaxy hops from Australia, this is a West Coast Pale all can enjoy.

At 5.6% ABV you should definitely rip one open and enjoy the spring.

If you like Victory’s Headwaters or Founder’s pale Ale, definitely give Stone’s Ripper a try.

– Jim O’Donoghue

ST. PATRICK’S DAY TIMOTHY’S ON THE RIVERFRONT

SATURDAY PARADE MARCH 11th AFTER PARTY!

IRISH DANCERS | ALL-DAY SPECIALS

OFFICIAL LOOP STOP BUY YOUR WRISTBANDS HERE! TONS OF FREE PARKING $5 Car Bombs | $5 Guinness Pints $4 GreenTea Shots | $5 Tullamore Dew Shots PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS

FRIDAY & SATURDAY Enjoy Our Delicious March 17th & 18th:

Celtic Specials!

HAPPY HOUR: 4:30-6:30PM

Irish Dancers & Bag Piper -- Friday, March 17th

NCAA

MARCH MADNESS! Specials During All Games

TOO MANY TVs TO COUNT!

302.429.7427 • 930 Justison Street • Wilmington, DE TimothysOnTheRiverfont.com MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISTEN

(l-r) Jillian Willis, Erin Silva, Brian Bruce and Kyle Stawicki. Photo Nicole Fusca

Wilmington’s Gozer released its second EP in February

By David Ferguson tanding on the small stage of Home Grown Café in Newark in a tie-dyed t-shirt and strumming an unplugged bass guitar is Brian Bruce, known to most people as Octie, for some unexplained reason. He gives a thumbs up to a group of people standing around the bar, and three of them join him onstage.

To Bruce’s right is Erin Silva, to his left Kyle Stawicki, both on guitar. Behind him is Jillian Willis on drums. They all adjust their equipment, give a few sound checks, look around at the people in the restaurant, many of whom are friends, and smile. Together they form the Wilmington band Gozer.

“Hi, we’re Gozer and we’re sorry to anyone about to eat dinner because this is not going to be an enjoyable experience,” laughs Bruce to the crowd, adding, “also, we’re really not a band that enjoys playing to people that are sitting down, so if you could all come up here and fill in this area in front of us that’d be great.”

Heeding the warning, a few diners rise from their seats and walk out the door. Other guests comply with Bruce’s request, moving to the area in front of the stage as sharp chords from Silva and Stawicki blast through the amps, and the aggressive percussion work of Willis vibrates through the bar. Then Bruce’s deep, raspy voice roars through theBreakfast! microphone the abrasive sound of the ▲ Hot Photo Joeand del Tufo

band becomes clear. You wouldn’t want to take your grandmother to dinner where Gozer is playing.

That was on Feb. 4, but the band started long before that.

Gozer first took form in 2013 at a house show in Wilmington as part of the combined efforts of Willis and Bruce. It wasn’t until last year that Silva and Stawicki joined and helped form Gozer into the four-piece made-at-home machine it is today.

The band still enjoys playing house and garage shows, but not exclusively. Each member is quick to tell you that he or she likes to play bars if the vibe of the place meshes with their style of music.

Their tunes are in-your-face, and it’s unlikely they’ll be asked to play on the dance-club-like stages of Deer Park or The Chesapeake Inn any time soon. Your best bet to catch a show would be to check in on their favorite venues, like Home Grown Café, 1984, or Oddity Bar in Wilmington.

“Home Grown is great because we know Joanna (James-Parks, bartender at Home Grown) and she hooks it up with the booking there and I work at Oddity so it’s easy for me to set up shows there,” says Bruce. “We like playing at places that we’ve formed friendships with; we’re loud and sweaty and most people who’re into that stuff really enjoy it.” ► MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISTEN GET OUT OF YOUR SEATS continued from previous page

NO JOKE, BEDOTTER IS BACK.

2016 World Beer Cup Gold Award, Belgian-Style Tripel SM

Photo Ryan Williams

GRAB A 4-PACK BEFORE THEY’RE GONE

Silva (left) and Bruce in the midst of a loud, sweaty Gozer house show.

#BEDOTTER

NEWARK • WILMINGTON • WEST CHESTER

Shamrock Shuttle: Saturday, March 11th @ 7pm

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

Party Trays Available for Your

March Madness Special

March Madness Party!

$3.50 Miller Lite and Yuengling 23oz.

Drafts During All the Games!

Happy Hour

Monday- Friday 2pm-6pm $ 4 Craft Drafts $ 5 App and Munchie Menu

Stop In On St. Paddy’s Day! Corned Beef and Cabbage Specials All Day

LIVE MUSIC by Anthony Gallucio & Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Believin’ (Journey cover band)

Gozer is a loud band, and each show is like being punched in the face and falling in love at the same time. Their sound is the bi-product of a group whose members play in multiple bands, including local groups Fiancé and Tracey Chapstick. Each member brings something different to the table, which helps to form a sound that Bruce describes as “garage or alternative rock,” and Willis jokingly calls “dream rock.”

With members that spend so much time with other bands, one would think the overlapping of sounds and ideas would be a problem, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“I feel like I write guitar parts for this band to mold to the songs that he (Bruce) writes,” says Stawicki. “He writes in certain keys and certain styles of progressions that I couldn’t do with my other projects.”

Says Bruce: “I play drums in all of my other bands. So, this is kind of like my song-writing project. It’s not much like anything else that I do.”

Gozer’s uniqueness seems to be paying off. In 2016 they released their first EP, Gozer, and just a year later they’re excited to release their second, Sick Of Waking Up, on an unconventional format—cassette tape.

“Yeah we’re releasing it on tape under our buddy Rick’s (Martel) label, Euth Group,” says Stawicki. “I feel like tape is more of a possession and it doesn’t come with the overhead of putting out a vinyl. It’s a bit cheaper and it’s something you can hold and have.”

It’s also on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Spotify, ITunes, and Pandora for those who want to show support but don’t own a cassette player.

Sick Of Waking Up has been a family project for the band. Each member put in his or her fair share of the work and they all have a huge amount of love for the five songs.

“I think they’re all good,” laughs Bruce.

“Yeah, they all have their own little special bit to me, ya’ know?” says Stawicki with a modest smirk.

Aside from their songs, unique sound and loud, sweaty shows, what is most enjoyable about the band is that the members simply love being Gozer. The good time they have on stage is contagious, and as Willis puts it, “I think we have a lot of fun when we play, and people like that.”

The new EP Sick Of Waking Up is available now. Check out the Gozer Facebook page at Facebook.com/GozerDE to give it a listen and for the dates and times of upcoming shows.

62 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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We’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo all weekend long! May 5 – May 7

Join us for the area’s largest

Cinco de Mayo Festival

Live DJ

Sunday, May 7th

Salsa Dancers Corona Girls

noon - close

Food & Drink Specials

KEEP THE PARTY GOING AFTER

Giveaways Kid Friendly

POINT-TOPOINT!

302.478.3939 | 3100 Naamans road | MexicanPost.com | facebook.com/Mex.Post

Opening at 10am on St.Patrick’s Day! Dover Location Opens at 8am!

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

Come Celebrate

St. Patrick’s Day With Us!

$2.50 Green Bud Light Drafts, $5 Irish Car Bombs, Irish Nachos, Corned Beef and Cabbage MONDAYS

½ Price Appetizers All Day

TUESDAYS

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

WEDNESDAYS

All You Can Eat Wings $11.99 after 5pm

INTERESTED IN HOLDING A GUEST BARTENDING EVENT? CALL ASHBY HOSPITALITY (302)894-1200 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 SHOWTIME TRIVIA All Locations!

FRIDAYS

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

Commemorative St. Patrick’s Day Shirts Available!

Enjoy Live Irish Bag Pipers Polly Drummond 6:30pm Peoples Plaza 8:30pm Dover 6:30-730pm

SATURDAYS

$1.00 Off Craft Bottles All Day

SUNDAYS

Beef and Beer $8.99, Steak Night $12.99

All Locations!

Be our friend on Facebook!

www.mcglynnspub.com

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISTEN

TUNED IN Not-to-be-missed music news 11TH HOMEY AWARDS SET FOR MARCH 10

WSTW’s annual Hometown Heroes’ Homey Awards are a celebration of the year’s best in original local music, culminating in an awards ceremony and concert this year on Friday, March 10, at World Cafe Live at the Queen in Wilmington. This will be the tradition’s 11th year.

There are two rounds of voting. In the popular vote, music fans select their favorite 2016 releases and musicians in various Homey categories. The top five in each category become this year’s nominees. Next comes the Homey Panel vote. Made up of past Homey winners and industry professionals, the panel votes on the nominees, deciding this year’s winners.

As of press time, Hot Breakfast, Minerva, TreeWalker, Weekday Warriors and Universal Funk Order were in the running for best band, and dozens of artists were head-to-head for various categories like best guitarist, best live act and more.

Performers at the March 10 event will be last year’s winners: Artist of the Year Nadjah Nicole; Best EP and Pop Song winners Nalani & Sarina; Album of the Year winner John Faye Music & Those Meddling Kids; Best Band winners The Late Saints; and winners of Best Rock Song and Best Guitarist In The Presence Of Wolves.

Artists nominated for this year’s song of the year will perform their nominated song.

Tickets are $10, doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the ceremony starting at 6 p.m.

In the meantime, tune in as Hometown Heroes plays local favorites on Sunday nights from 8-10 p.m. on 93.7 FM or at wstw.com.

SWAN LAKE WITH NEWARK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Newark Symphony Orchestra’s March concert, as part of its symphony series held at The Independence School in Newark (1300 Paper Mill Rd.), will bring a meld of sounds on Sunday, March 5. Music director Simeone Tartaglione and guest conductor Julien Benichou will lead the symphony through Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Isaiah Kim, NSO youth concerto competition winner in the high school division, will also do a cello performance.

General admission tickets at the door are $25. Seniors are $20, student tickets are $15, and the concert is free for children in eighth grade and under. Tickets also can be purchased at newarksymphony.org.

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CLASSICAL GUITARIST BRINGS ‘COMPLETE PACKAGE’ TO WILMINGTON

On Saturday, March 25, with the Wilmington Classical Guitar Society, Gohar Vardanyan will perform works by classical guitarists Rodrigo, Albeniz, Falla and Barrios.

Vardanyan’s style has been described as evocative and virtuosic, and Guitar International Magazine has described her as “the complete package,” with an unusual musicality and emotional quality balanced with classical technical facility.

The performance, held at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant (503 Duncan Rd., Wilmington) at 7:30 p.m. is $10-$15 at the door or online at wilmingtonguitar.org.

The WCGS hosts five concerts a season from fall through spring. The network of local musicians and professionals committed to promoting the classical guitar, its players and music have been instrumental in highlighting artists throughout the Delaware Valley and beyond, such as Vardanyan, who hails from Armenia.

A DREAM GALA

Opera group Wilmington Concert Opera is throwing a Dream Gala on Friday, March 3, at 7 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Swarthmore, Pa., and on Saturday, March 4, at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Wilmington, as part of the cathedral’s bicentennial celebration.

What’s a Dream Gala? A starry performance of operatic favorites, including coloratura showpieces and verismo showstoppers.

Founded in 2016 by Kirsten C. Kunkle and Marisa Robinson, Wilmington Concert Opera provides high-quality concert performances of operas in their original languages to the Wilmington community, while creating performance opportunities for emerging and established opera singers in the greater Wilmington area. Donations will be accepted at the performances.

MASTER CLASS AT KENNETT FLASH

The Kennett Square, Pa., venue Kennett Flash will offer a concert and master class with special guest group StringSongs—Tim Farrell, Michael Manring and Pat Robinson—on Friday, March 3.

The trio will blend folk, jazz, fusion, rock, new age and world music with engaging sound structures, positive energy and improvisations.

Individually, each musician is an award-winning artist. Farrell has performed and taught at prestigious music festivals around the world, Manring is a Grammy nominee, and Robinson has taken home a Grammy for best producer, composer and pianist.

Music students are encouraged to sign up for the master class, which will be held at 4:30 p.m., followed by the concert at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$40.

For more information, visit kennettflash.org.

THIS MONTH AT 1984

Amanda X, Grace Vonderkuhn and more TBA will take the stage at Wilmington barcade 1984 on Friday, March 10, at 9 p.m. With an uninhibited musical dynamic, the three friends who make up Amanda X—Cat Park, Tiff Yoon and Kat Bean—deliver ethereal vocal harmonies, heavy hits and solid guitar work. Currently, Amanda X is planning a May tour and awaiting the release of their first record on Siltbreeze in early summer. Area garage rocker Vonderkuhn will also bring her dreamy, psychedelic sounds. Tickets are $8.

On Saturday, March 18, Worth, Wasted Arrows and Sparkbird will take the stage, bringing a mix of rock, blues and more.

Stay updated at 1984wilmington.com.

MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Beauty and The Beast OPENS MARCH 16

showtimes and tickets at

www.penncinema.com

Penn Cinema +

Escape to the movies 401 S. Madison Street · Wilmington, DE 19801

66 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WATCH

A United Kingdom

3

STARS µµµµµ Rosamund Pike as Ruth Williams and David Oyelowo as Seretse Khama in A United Kingdom. Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

A UNITED KINGDOM, A DIVIDED REACTION Historical biopic, though clichéd, has emotional resonance

By Mark Fields

I

n the late 1940s, Prince Seretse of Bechuanaland (a British protectorate in southern Africa that later became the independent Botswana) scandalized both his homeland and its imperial overlord Britain by falling in love and marrying a white British woman, Ruth Williams. A United Kingdom, a new romantic drama based on this littleknown moment of 20th century history and starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike.

Although the story at its center is compelling, the impact of the film itself suffers because A United Kingdom plays out

like virtually every other film you have seen about an unlikely romance in the midst of adversity. That poses an interesting question: Can a movie be based on a true story and still feel like a cliché? The answer, unfortunately, appears to be yes.

That is not to say that A United Kingdom is absent of any virtues. The performances of Oyelowo (Selma) and Pike (Gone Girl) are resonantly earnest; both actors are charismatic, even compelling in their roles. And, they are supported by a rich cast of British and African actors, including Jack Davenport, Laura Carmichael, Vusi Kunene, Terry Pheto and Tom Felton. ► MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WATCH

Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

A UNITED KINGDOM, A DIVIDED REACTION continued from previoius page

Pike and Oyelowo are charismatic and compelling.

As the story takes its characters from London to Bechuanaland and back again, the two contrasting settings are gloriously photographed by Sam McCurdy, capturing with equal beauty the grey-toned austerity of urban England with the yellow and ochre hues of rural Africa. The direction

by Amma Asante (Belle) is assured if cautiously paced. Patrick Doyle’s score is appropriately sumptuous and expansive.

Even Guy Hibbert’s screenplay rings with occasional rousing speeches and taut dialogue. Nevertheless, the plotting of A United Kingdom checks off every box of the typical “fish out of water,” cross-cultural romantic drama: violent altercation with bigoted street toughs, check; tearful rejection by hard-hearted parent, check; unexpected hostility from the sisterhood, check; late-night questioning tete-a-tete between lovers, check, check and check.

The fact that all of this is biographical doesn’t save it from being sadly predictable.

On the other hand, the geopolitical machinations that overlay this story are intriguing to watch. Because Seretse Khama was the presumptive ruler of a British protectorate, his controversial marriage became a flashpoint in Britain’s relationships with other African countries, most notably apartheid-era South Africa. It is also unique to see the conflict played out in on two continents and within two political realities.

Overall, A United Kingdom is a sturdy, well-made, and satisfying biopic, exploring a fascinating chapter of world history that blends the personal and political. One only wishes that the filmmakers had worked harder to tell this fresh story in a truly fresh manner.

68 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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2/21/17 5:39 PM

P L AYI N G THIS MONTH Nemours Building 1007 N. Orange Street

March 3 - 5

The Eagle Huntress

Fri 2, 8:30 | Sat 4, 7:30 Sun 12, 6

You’re Killing Me Susana

Fri 5:30 | Sat 1 | Sun 3

Rocky Horror Picture Show Sat 11 pm

March 10- 12

Reset Fri 2 | Sat 7:30 | Sun 3

My Life as a Zucchini

Kedi

Fri 5:30 | Sat 1 | Sun 12

Fri 8:30 | Sat 4 | Sun 6

March 17 - 19

FOR THE ARTS Gold

Life, Animated

Fri 2 & 8:30 | Sat 4 | Sun 3

Fri 5:30 | Sat 1, 7:30 Sun 12, 6

Rocky Horror Picture Show Sat 11 pm

Julio Livingston

Founder, CEO & Love Carpenter

March 24 - 26

What’s #inWilm The Sunshine Makers

The Daughter

Fri 2, 8:30 | Sat 4 | Sun 12

Fri 5:30 | Sat 1, 7:30 | Sun 3, 6

March 31 - April 2

20th Century Women

Elle

Fri 2, 8:30 | Sat 4 | Sun 12

Fri 5:30 | Sat 1, 7:30 | Sun 3, 6

For more information and tickets, visit

TheatreN.com

Wonder and Whimsy Sat, Mar 4 - Sun, May 21

Pippin Tues, Mar 7 - Sun, Mar 12

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saturday, March 11

ReZOOvenation Sat, Mar 11 & Sun, Mar 12

For more details visit:

inWilmingtonDE.com MARH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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2/21/17 12:48 PM

Thursday, March 17th:

Official POST-PARADE & SHAMROCK SHUTTLE

The High Holy Day... St. Patrick’s Day! DP is The ONLY Place to be!

A Party All Day Long! Plenty of Parking!

Catch the 1ST Round of NCAA Games!

Hot Spot!

Sunday, March 12th:

The Murray Men Irish Music Sets - 5 & 7pm Great Irish Dinner Specials!

Reservations Recommended

6 1 8 N . U N I O N S T. • W I L M I N G T O N

DEADPRESIDENTSPUB.COM

GET YOUR IRISH ON! Irish Food Menu Starts March 1st

25 BEERS ON TAP!

MARCH 11th 6-8pm BEST RIBS!

MARCH MADNESS

Yeti Cooler Giveaway!

2038 FOULK ROAD, WILMINGTON DE • 302 475-1887 www.stanleys-tavern.com 70 MARCH 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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PLAY

SNAP SHOTS The Official Whiskey of the

1.

2.

3.

27th Annual SAT, MARCH 11, 7PM

OutAndAboutNow.com

4.

PRESIDENTS’ DAY PARTY AT DEAD PRESIDENTS Photos by Anthony Santoro

1. Wilmington mainstay Dead Presidents Restaurant & Pub threw a fitting party last month—its 8th annual—in honor of President’s Day. (L-r) Keenan Aungst (George W. Bush), Olivia Cuyrcillo (Barbara Bush), Whittney Smith (Babe-braham Lincoln), Chris Aungst (George Washington), and Eathan Fegal (Rutherford B. Hayes).

2. Eric Richardson, aka Abe Lincoln, with Dan Healy, the MC for President’s Day Quizzo.

3. Babe-braham Lincoln (Whittney Smith), hailing from New Hampshire, working for the votes.

4. Power to the people—(l-r) Sarah Squires, David Loose, Jake Smith, Matt Vaughn, M. Getz, Jenna Suekoff and Matt Hannagan.

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14067-PTP 2017 Out & About March Ad.qxp_Layout 1 2/20/17 9:24 AM Page 1 14067-PTP 14067-PTP 14067-PTP 2017 2017 2017 OutOut &Out About & About & About March March March Ad.qxp_Layout Ad.qxp_Layout Ad.qxp_Layout 1 2/20/17 1 2/20/17 1 2/20/17 9:24 9:24 AM 9:24 AM Page AM Page Page 1 1 1

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, Sunday,May May May May7 777

E EEE

There are many ways to Point-to-Point!

There There There are are are many many many ways ways ways totoenjoy enjoy toenjoy enjoy Point-to-Point!

Point-to-Point!

Point-to-Point!

Photos Photos

by Jim byGJim G rahara mham Photos

by Jim G raham Photos

by Jim G raham

njoy a glorious day of steeplechase njoy njoy ayear’s aglorious aglorious glorious day day ofofsteeplechase ofWinterthur steeplechase steeplechase racing atnjoy this 39thday Annual racing racing racing atatthis atthis this year’s year’s year’s 39th 39th Annual Annual Annual Winterthur Winterthur Winterthur Point-to-Point.

Pack a39th festive tailgate spread Point-to-Point.

Point-to-Point.

Point-to-Point.

Pack Pack Pack a a festive a festive festive tailgate tailgate tailgate spread spread spread and get ready to enjoy one of the Brandywine and and and getget ready get ready ready toto enjoy to enjoy enjoy one one one ofof the ofthe the Brandywine Brandywine Brandywine Valley’s most stylish sporting events!

Valley’s Valley’s Valley’s most most most stylish stylish stylish sporting sporting sporting events! events! events!

• Plan a terrific tailgate party! Tailgate parking spaces and wristbands available online at • ptptailgate.com Plan • Plan • Plan a terrific a terrific a terrific tailgate tailgate tailgate party! party! party!

Tailgate Tailgate Tailgate parking parking parking spaces spaces spaces and and and wristbands wristbands wristbands available available available online online at at or through the WINTERTHUR mobile app (find it on the apponline store orataccess ptptailgate.com ptptailgate.com or through or through through thethe WINTERTHUR the WINTERTHUR WINTERTHUR mobile mobile mobile app app app (find (find (find it it onit on the on the app the app app store store store oror access or access access it onptptailgate.com our webpage).orOr call 302.888.4994. it it onit on our on our our webpage). webpage). webpage).

OrOr call Or call call 302.888.4994.

302.888.4994.

302.888.4994.

• Be entertained at the Hunt Brunch Hospitality tent—watch the races from your seat at the finish line!

• Be • Be •entertained Be entertained entertained atat the at the Hunt the Hunt Hunt Brunch Brunch Brunch Hospitality Hospitality Hospitality tent—watch tent—watch tent—watch thethe races the races races from from from your your your seat seat seat atat the at the finish the finish finish line! line! line!

• Purchase a Lifetime Rights tailgate spot by March 15 and receive a one-year Winterthur Family • Membership Purchase • Purchase • Purchase a Lifetime a Lifetime aforLifetime Rights Rights Rights tailgate tailgate spot spot bybyMarch by March 1515and 15 and receive receive a one-year a one-year Winterthur Winterthur tailgate spot March and receive a one-year Winterthur Family Family Family FREE! ($100 value).

Membership Membership Membership forfor FREE! forFREE! FREE! ($100 ($100 ($100 value). value). value).

• Join Kid Shelleen’s and Tito’s Outpost for a country barbeque on the rail!

• Join • Join • Join Kid Kid Kid Shelleen’s Shelleen’s Shelleen’s and and and Tito’s Tito’s Tito’s Outpost Outpost Outpost forfor afor country a country a country barbeque barbeque barbeque onon the onthe the rail! rail! rail!

For more information on all Point-to-Point activities For For For more more more information information information onon all on all Point-to-Point all Point-to-Point Point-to-Point activities activities activities and to purchase admission, call 800.448.3883 or visit winterthur.org/ptp. and and and toto purchase to purchase purchase admission, admission, admission, call call call 800.448.3883 800.448.3883 800.448.3883 oror visit or visit visit winterthur.org/ptp. winterthur.org/ptp. winterthur.org/ptp.

Sponsored by Sponsored Sponsored Sponsored by by by

Advance sales only. Rain-or-shine event. No refunds. All wristbands must be purchased by May 6. Adult general admission $30 (March 1–April 28), $50 (April 29–May 6). No wristbands will be mailed Advance Advance Advance sales only. sales only.

Rain-or-shine only.

Rain-or-shine Rain-or-shine event. event.

No event. refunds.

Nowristbands. refunds.

No refunds.

All wristbands AllDiscount wristbands All wristbands must must bemust purchased be purchased beMembers. purchased

by May byProceeds May by 6. May Adult 6. Adult 6. general Adult general general admission admission admission $30 $30 (March $30 (March (March 1–April 1–April 1–April 28),28), $5028), $50 (April $50 (April (April 29–May 29–May 6). and No 6). wristbands No 6). wristbands No wristbands willwill be mailed will be mailed be mailed after Aprilsales 28.

Children under 12 free with for Winterthur benefit the continued maintenance and preservation of 29–May the garden estate at Winterthur. afterafter April after April 28.April 28.

Children 28.

Children Children under under 12 under free 12 free 12 with free with wristbands. with wristbands. wristbands.

Discount Discount Discount for Winterthur for Winterthur for Winterthur Members.

Members.

Members.

Proceeds Proceeds Proceeds benefit benefit benefit the the continued the continued continued maintenance maintenance maintenance andand preservation and preservation preservation of the of the garden of the garden garden andand estate and estate at estate Winterthur. at Winterthur. at Winterthur.

Winterthur is nestled in Delaware’s beautiful Brandywine Valley on Route 52, between I-95 and Route 1.

Winterthur Winterthur Winterthur is is nestled is nestled nestled inin Delaware’s in Delaware’s Delaware’s beautiful beautiful beautiful Brandywine Brandywine Valley Valley Valley onon Route on Route Route 52, 52, 52, between between between I-95 I-95 I-95 and and and Route Route Route 1.1.1.

800.448.3883 •Brandywine 302.888.4600 • winterthur.org 800.448.3883 800.448.3883 800.448.3883 • 302.888.4600 • 302.888.4600 • 302.888.4600 • winterthur.org • winterthur.org • winterthur.org 66 FEBRUARY 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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®

WE’RE COMING FOR YOU, WILMINGTON. ®

68 FEBRUARY 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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SweetWater Brewing Company • Georgia • SweetWaterBrew.com

2/20/17 6:02 PM 2/21/17 12:57 PM

MARCHSPECIALS MARCH TO THE ST.PAT’S HAPPYHOUR TOURNAMENT Under new management!

WEEK

$2 Bud Light drafts All-new! $3 Goose Island IPA and Shock Top drafts $1.50 off All other drafts $5 Glasses of house wine $5 Maker’s Mark drinks $5 Martinis (Classic, Lemon Drop, Cosmo, Appletini, and Manhattan) $6 Tito’s doubles

$4

Bud and Bud Light Aluminum Bottles

$4

Tullamore Dew and Stranahan’s shots

MARCH FRIDAY, 3/03

$6 App menu: Pretzel bites, mozzarella sticks, veggie plate, dip trio, plain nachos and loaded tots

FRIDAY,3/10

MARCH23•6P.M.

$3 $3

MUSIC FRIDAY, 3/17

Weekday Warriors - 10 p.m.

DJ Gifted Hands - 10 p.m.

Tyler and Steve - 5 p.m.

SATURDAY, 3/04

SATURDAY, 3/11

Pet Cheetah - 10 p.m.

88 MPH - 10 p.m.

Bands and times subject to change.

Chapel Street Junction - 2 p.m.

Keltic Rock Warrior - 6:30 p.m.

Chorduroy - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 3/18

Radio Halo - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 3/24

Rockett 88 - 10 p.m.

LOGANHOUSE.COM

During all games: Bud Light 22oz drafts Shock Top pints

Look for these great bands upstairs!

SATURDAY, 3/25

Whiskey Kittens Burlesque Show - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 3/31

Cadillac Riot - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 4/01 Velvet Tones - 10 p.m.

FOLLOW US!

1701 Delaware Ave. Wilmington, DE 19806 • (302) 652-9493 Bands and times subject to change.

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