Out & About Magazine - November 2019 by Out & About Magazine

Winter Beers Worth Trying

NOVEMBER 2019 COMPLIMENTARY

Thinking Big at Port of Wilmington

Understanding the Keto Craze

Why Eat More Fruits and Vegetables?

FOR THE LOVE OF HEALTH TM

Choosing healthy alternatives to foods that are processed or high in sugar can reduce the risk of many health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. Every healthy decision we make guides our well-being and shapes our future. Why do we do it? The answer is simple â&#x20AC;&#x201D; FOR THE LOVE OF HEALTH.

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1,982 square miles of innovation. Want to work and live where innovation is more than just a catchphrase? We do more than just talk innovation. Person for person, mile for mile, Delaware shows that being small is really big. Innovation in Delaware means:

• Being the 6th most innovative state in the country per Bloomberg

• Issuing the most patents in the country per capita

• Being one of the first states to embrace blockchain

• Leading the way in organic and antibiotic-free practices in our billion dollar poultry industry

• Having the nation’s 4th highest concentration of Ph.D’s employed in health, science and engineering

More opportunities to innovate. More opportunities to thrive. That’s what you can expect from a state our size.

ChooseDelaware.com

–– A not-for-profit arts organization ––

November 14-November 17 The Playhouse on Rodney Square

The Rock Orchestra: INXS

Ryan Hamilton

Piff The Magic Dragon

THUR | NOV 21 | 8PM | $28

FRI | NOV 22 | 8PM | $43-$65

One of Rolling Stone’s Five Comics to Watch known for clean, observational humor

Stand out star of America’s Got Talent performs jaw-dropping magic with his furry sidekick Mr. Piffles

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical SAT | NOV 23 | 2PM&6:30PM | $30-$45

Damien Escobar

Exile on Market Street

SAT | NOV 23 | 8PM | $39-$90

SAT | NOV 23 | 8PM | $50

The beloved TV classic soars off the screen and onto the stage

America’s Got Talent finalist and Billboard chart-topping hip-hop violinist

BVMG brings a night of The Rolling Stones to the baby grand as a fundraiser! Signature drinks included.

COMING SOON

SAT | NOV 9 | 8PM | $28 Tackling two albums from the ‘80s, Listen Like Thieves and Kick

Patti

An evening with

Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 Presenting Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor

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

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

4 OCTOBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

2 INSIDE 2

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Out & About Magazine Vol. 32 | No. 9

Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com

Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Creative Director Tyler Mitchell, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Contributing Designers David Hallberg, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Blair Lindley, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Contributing Writers Adriana Camacho-Church, Mack Caldwell, Cindy Cavett, Mark Fields, Pam George, Lauren Golt, Jordan Howell, Rob Kalesse, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Dan Linehan, Dillon McLaughlin, Ken Mammarella, John Murray, Larry Nagengast, Kevin Noonan, Leeann Wallett Contributing Photographers Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Butch Comegys, Lindsay duPhily, Anthony Santoro, Matt Urban Distribution David Hazardous Special Projects Sarah Green, Bev Zimmermann

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DRINK

7 8 9 10 11 13 15 19

50 53 55 59

War on Words By The Numbers FYI Worth Recognizing Innovation Painting The Town Raye Jones Avery A Safe Ride

Winter Beer Picks Sips Shiner: Pride of Texas Thanksgiving Wines

WATCH 61 Stars Soar Into DTC 67 Movie Reviews

FOCUS

LISTEN

22 24 27 30

71 Jet Phynx 74 Tuned In

Wilmington Beer Week Can vs. Bottle The Beer Monk Full Speed Ahead

EAT

PLAY 76 Birds: A State Treasure

37 The Keto Craze 41 Bites

WILMINGTON 43 On The Riverfront 46 In The City 48 Art Loop Cover photo by Joe delTufo/Moonloop Photography Printed on recycled paper.

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

FEATURES 24 Can Vs. Bottle: The Epic Battle Locally-produced documentary studies this beer-based controversy. By Ken Mammarella

30 Full Speed Ahead Major renovations at the Port of Wilmington means big things. By Ken Mammarella

37 Understanding the Keto Craze Can cutting carbs and boosting fat cure what ails you? Read this first! By Pam George

71 Changing The Narrative Musician/filmmaker Jet Phynx sees big things in Wilmington’s future. By Jordan Howell

76 Alex and the Near-Death Experience How a bird led a knuckle-headed reporter to one of Delaware’s key virtues. By Jim Miller

NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

, e t a r b e l e c k n i r d , t e a giftr cards , e t a b e l e c k n i r d , t ea HARRY’S SAVOY GRILL & KID SHELLEEN’S

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DELAWARE'S LARGEST GARAGE SALE

Join us for the 36th Whale of a Sale November 9 8 A.M. - 1 P.M.

3030 Bowers Street Wilmington, DE 19802

Easily accessible by Rt. 495 Park at East Side Charter School Accessible parking available adjacent to 3030 Bowers 6 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Admission is free! Cash, MasterCard & Visa Accepted

Designer Boutique Kids Clothes & Equipment Antiques & Collectibles Furniture & Outdoor Items Housewares & Holiday Decor And SO MUCH MORE!

Call: 302.652.0544 Email: jlw@jlwilmington.org Visit: jlwilmington.org Connect: facebook.com/WhaleofaSaleJLW

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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

By Bob Yearick

Tie Breaker Edit the sentence below. You may add or delete words. I got on my bicycle, taking my lunch to school, built in the 1960s.

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION? Contact me for a fun presentation on grammar: ryearick@comcast.net. Join me at the University & Whist Club, Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., for a lively, informative, sometimes humorous discussion about The War on Words. Call 658-5125 to register. It’s free!

Word of the Month

obloquy Pronounced ob-la-kwe, it’s a noun meaning strong public criticism or verbal abuse.

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

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

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THANKSGIVING

at the INN

12pm-7pm

FAMILY STYLE

DiNneR

$50 adult | $25 children ages 4-10 Includes:

choice of soup, family style salads

by the numbers A few facts about beer

The gallons, in billions, of beer that Americans reportedly drink annually.

Turkey & Pepper Crusted Filet all the favorite sides: mashed sweet potatoes brussels sprouts with bacon & seasonal desserts

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or add it to your purchase only for all gift card purchases over $50

Book your Holiday Event at Columbus Inn

& receieve a $50 gift card with $500 event

COLUMBUS INN 302-571-1492

2216 Pennsylvania Ave Wilmington, DE 19806 www.ColumbusInn.net

8 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

1935

The year American brewers began canning beer.

62 28.7 The gallons, in millions, that Delawareans consume in a year.

The percentage of beer produced and sold in the United States that is in aluminum cans.

New Hampshireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rank on the list of beer sales per capita.

The number, in millions, of jobs that depend on the American beer industry.

2 1

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‘RIPPED FROM HEADLINES’ AT BIGGS

F.Y.I. Things worth knowing

HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES SET AT ART MUSEUM

he Delaware Art Museum is celebrating the holiday season with its annual Museum Store sale and Winter Arts Festival, among other holiday activities. The holiday sale on Sunday, Dec.1, offers shoppers 20 percent off their purchase on a variety of giftable items, including books, whimsical ornaments, custom stationery, unique toys, and more. From Dec. 2-8, guests will receive 10 percent off their purchase (20 percent for Museum Members). The shopping season will continue when the Museum’s free Winter Arts Festival returns on Friday, Dec. 13 (noon–8 p.m.) and Saturday, Dec. 14 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.).

HOTEL DU PONT: MID-ATLANTIC’S NO. 7

he Hotel Du Pont ranked seventh among the Top 10 Hotels in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic, according to the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. The magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards garnered a recording-breaking number of responses, with readers rating their travel experiences. The awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.” Said the hotel’s managing director, Greg Kavanagh: “It’s an honor for a historical hotel like ours to receive such a prestigious, national designation that is completely decided upon by travelers themselves.”

he Biggs Museum in Dover has partnered with news outlets throughout Delaware for its latest exhibit, “Ripped from the Headlines: Photojournalism in Delaware.” Opening Nov. 1 and continuing through Jan. 19, the exhibit will spotlight area photojournalism from the past 20 years. The exhibition will feature more than 80 images, including illustrations, covers and feature photos from news sources across Delaware’s three counties, including Out & About Magazine. Select photos from noted photojournalists like Gary Emeigh and Kevin Fleming will also be on view. For more information, go to BiggsMuseum.org or call 674-2111.

JUNIOR LEAGUE WHALE OF A SALE

hale of a Sale—“Delaware’s Largest Garage Sale”—returns on Saturday, Nov. 9. The timehonored fundraiser for the Junior League of Wilmington will feature an expanded boutique area, with an array of high-quality and designer items including brand-new clothing, accessories, formalwear, and bridal gowns contributed by local businesses. The furniture section will include gentlyused pieces as well as items that have been rehabbed. The holiday department features children’s clothing, sporting goods, housewares, books, art, and more. Held at 3030 Bowers St. in Wilmington, formerly the Opportunity Center, the sale will start at 8 a.m. and continue until 1 p.m. Visit jlwilmington.org or call 652-0544 to learn more.

KEVIN REILLY SET FOR DEL. PRESS ASSOCIATION

he Delaware Press Association holiday luncheon on Saturday, Nov. 16, will feature Kevin Reilly, author, motivational speaker, football broadcaster and former Philadelphia Eagle. The event also will honor DPA’s 2020 Communicator of Achievement. It will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Ed Oliver Golf Club in Wilmington. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased through the DPA website: delawarepressassociation.org/events.

COMPLIANCE TRAINING FROM BACK TO BASICS

n the wake of #MeToo and #TimesUp, a growing number of states, including Delaware, have passed laws mandating sexual harassment training. That training is now being offered by a Wilmington firm, Back to Basics Learning Dynamics, through an agreement with Traliant, a provider of award-winning online sexual harassment training. Under the agreement, Back to Basics now offers Traliant’s Preventing Discrimination and Harassment Training Suite to businesses and organizations looking for online training that is interactive, relevant to their workforce and up-to-date with federal and state laws. Back to Basics customizes statespecific harassment prevention training, as well as editions tailored for offices, hotels, restaurants, healthcare, retail and industrial/manufacturing environments. “Our partnership with Traliant enables us to expand our focus on education and bring more value to our customers, with innovative employee training on important workplace issues such as sexual harassment, diversity and inclusion, and bystander intervention,” says Juli Bennett, CEO of Back to Basics.

TRUE CRIME LECTURES CONTINUE

he second in Wilmington University’s True Crime Lecture Series is set for Tuesday, Nov. 12, at DoubleTree by Hilton on Concord Pike. The speaker will be Angelo Lano, a retired FBI agent who led myriad investigations during his 29-year career. Lano became most widely known as a case agent for the FBI’s Watergate investigation. He and fellow agents gathered evidence that led to the creation of articles for the impeachment and resignation of President Richard M. Nixon. Sponsored by the University’s Criminal Justice Institute, the series continues on Tuesday, Dec. 10, with Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald, author of A Journey to the Center of the Mind. During his extensive career as a profiler and/or a forensic linguist, Fitzgerald successfully investigated numerous high-profile cases, including the Unabomber, Jon Benet Ramsey, Anthrax and the DC Sniper. The free lectures begin at 5:30 p.m. To register, go to wilmu.edu/cji/index.aspx. NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WORTH RECOGNIZING

Photo Pedro Escarceja

Community Members Who Go Above & Beyond

MARIA MATOS: Leading the LACC for 25 Years

aria Matos wants to be remembered as a kind, gentle spirit—with an iron fist. She probably will be. Under her Maria Matos leadership, the Latin American Community Center, which is marking its 50th anniversary, has become the largest Latino-serving agency in the state and the leading provider of services to Latino immigrants in New Castle County. As president and CEO of the center for the past 25 years, this 5-foot-2inch, feisty woman has held firmly to the nonprofit’s mission to advocate for and address the needs of individuals in the Latino community. More than 7,000 people a year seek help from the agency at 403 N. Van Buren St. Operating on an annual budget of $6 million, the center offers 25 programs, including mental health, immigration assistance, job-seeking assistance, housing, English language instruction, and bilingual education for children. “Our goal is to improve lives,” says Matos, a 69-year-old native of Puerto Rico. Matos says that when she took over the LACC in 1994, it was a “diamond in the rough.” “The first 25 years were very turbulent,” she adds. “No one provided the leadership needed.” With the aforementioned iron fist, she provided that leadership. “Today,” she says, “the center is respected in the state of Delaware.”

10 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

And so is Matos. A recipient of numerous awards and recognized statewide as a community leader and advocate, she was inducted into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame last month. “Maria Matos has been the driving force behind the success of the Latin American Community Center for a quarter-century,” says Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki. “If there is a stronger, more dedicated or more passionate advocate for the Latino community in and around Wilmington, I have yet to meet that person." Purzycki’s predecessor, Dennis P. Williams, also recognized Matos’ impact. He had a section of Van Buren Street where the center is located renamed “Maria Matos Way.” Matos is a breast cancer and domestic violence survivor, and her experiences with poverty, discrimination, domestic violence, and social injustices toughened her and motivated her to help others while making the LACC a strong resource of social change. “This is not a one-woman show,” she says, citing the support of board members, a dedicated staff of 105 employees, and numerous partnerships and supporters. Her success, she says, stems from “surrounding myself with people who know more than I do and being comfortable with that.” In the next five years, Matos plans to have an infant and toddler center built across the street from the LACC and a playground at Fourth and Harrison streets. She also plans to help with the eventual transition to a new LACC executive director and CEO. For more information about the LACC, visit thelatincenter.org, or go to facebook.com/LACCDE. — Adriana Camacho-Church

INNOVATION

INNOVATORS CHOOSE

DELAWARE Delaware Prosperity Partnership promotes Delaware as a premier location for companies to locate and expand and supports local entrepreneurs and innovators. We are shining a light on the leaders who make our communities a better place to live, work and play.

Growing up, what did you want to do? Gideon: I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. At 8 years old, I asked my grandfather to borrow $20. I went to the Save-A-Lot located on Route 13 and purchased a toaster oven for $9.99, four packs of frozen pizza and some Kool-Aid packs to make frozen water ice. I had instant success selling these small treats, netting almost $200 per week. It was at this moment I knew I loved the idea of running my own business. When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing in Delaware? Gideon: This is a tricky question, because I don’t consider what I do as “work.” Technology is a hobby of mine that I enjoy sharing with others. But outside of normal business hours, I often find myself attending networking events with other business leaders/ entrepreneurs and spending time with my wife and 6-month-old baby, from walking down the Riverside trail, dining out, or having a family day at Lums Pond. What makes you passionate about Delaware? Gideon: Growing up in Delaware, I could never have imagined leaving. That was until I went to college in Chester, Pa., and then went off to China for five years. Throughout my time in China, I frequently came back to visit family and friends. During these visits, I noticed that there was a technological divide in our communities. I saw individuals who grew up in similar circumstances as I did, and I felt this burning urge to show them that they too can find success. After relocating back here, I found dozens of people who have a huge sense of pride for our community. We are working together to show that we can create positive change. For this reason, I will forever call Delaware home! What’s your advice for entrepreneurs? Gideon: Don’t allow others to impose their limitations onto you. When I say this, people can immediately think of a time where others have had a negative reaction to their ideas. For example: “You aren’t smart enough to run a business” or “your idea is just dumb.” These examples are sometimes easy to overcome, because deep down we know that they are just “hating.” What’s harder to overcome are the times that people impose limitations on you out of love. For example: Your parents ask, “Are you sure you want to start a business? You know that over 85 percent of businesses fail in the first year.” Or “Are you sure you want to quit your job with a good salary to pursue a dream?”

Markevis Gideon

Serial Entrepreneur & Community Investor As featured on ABC’s SharkTank last month This I find to be the most deadly dream killer, and something prospective entrepreneurs should avoid. You can listen to others’ concerns, but just because someone doesn’t think you can do something or they themselves can’t do something, doesn’t mean you can’t. What do you think is the most important attribute, that has contributed to your current success? Gideon: I attribute a lot of my success to the community that has raised me. Of course, my parents had a major role in my upbringing, but I recall at 12 years old being given my first computer by Mr. Epting, a teacher at Talley Middle School. Then, after noticing that I found joy assembling and disassembling, I was given the opportunity to work on scrap computers. This went on throughout middle school and then the guidance counselor informed my parents that I should go to Howard High School of Technology. This move set me up to become the technician that I am today. It was that one computer, given to me by that one teacher, that changed the trajectory of my entire life. That’s why, through my nonprofit, we donate more than 100 computers each year to the underserved in our community! We want to ensure that others also have the opportunity to improve their circumstances.

Have a suggestion for our spotlight? Email us at innovate@choosedelaware.com

www.choosedelaware.com NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Pouring Black Gold at 2SPBC!

GABF GOLD MEDAL 2019

GABF GOLD MEDAL 2016

GABF GOLD MEDAL 2017

Visit Bob and the crew at 2SP Brewing in Aston and congratulate them as you sip a snifter of the best Russian Imperial Stout in America

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Photo Alex Lowy Photography

NOVEMBER 14TH 6-9PM DUPONT COUNTRY CLUB

NOVEMBER 14

Ron Campbell

PAINTING THE TOWN Renowned Beatles cartoonist Ron Campbell to exhibit at The Grand

eatles aficionados will have a unique opportunity to meet Ron Campbell, director of the 1960s Saturday morning animated TV series The Beatles and one of the animators of The Beatles film Yellow Submarine, on the weekend of Nov. 1-3 at the Baby Grand Gallery at The Grand (818 Market St.). Campbell will showcase his original Beatles cartoon paintings, created specifically for the show, as well as paint original remarques for customers who purchase any of his artwork. Campbell will also feature other artwork based on his 50-year career in cartoons, including Scooby Doo, Rugrats, The Smurfs, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and more. The exhibit is free, and all works will be available for purchase. Following The Beatles’ ground-breaking performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and in the midst of their domination of the U.S. pop charts, ABC debuted The Beatles, a 30-minute Saturday morning animated TV series, in 1965. It became a ratings hit for the network and was among the highest rated Saturday morning cartoons. Campbell also wrote the foreword to the definitive book on the popular animated series Beatletoons. The Beatles classic animated film, Yellow Submarine, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. The film has become a fixture in pop culture, defining the psychedelic ‘60s for generations to come. In his book, Up Periscope, Yellow Submarine producer Al Brodax gives Campbell much credit for saving the movie and tying it all together at the last minute. Here is Campbell’s appearance schedule at The Grand: Friday, Nov. 1 (4-8pm); Saturday, Nov. 2 (noon-6pm); Sunday, Nov. 3 (noon-4pm). — Out & About

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Preview Party Friday, November 22nd 5–8pm | $25

November 22nd–24th

Stop by on your way home from work or as you head out for the evening to enjoy music and a complimentary glass of wine or beer. Browse our beautiful selection of gift items and holiday décor.

Friday, 12–4pm Saturday–Sunday, 10am–4pm

Admission Free

Pictures with Santa

600 Rockland Road Brantwyn Estate | Wilmington 302-746-4535

Sunday, November 24th 12–3pm

Magnificent display of beautifully decorated trees and wreaths, festive marketplace, live daily entertainment, bake shop, great gifts, raffles, and Santa!

Hosted by Delaware Hospice to support its programs. More information at www.festivaloftreesde.org

MENTION “OUT & ABOUT” FOR A FREE 3-DAY PASS!

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Post-CCAC, Avery plans to pursue her creative interests.

Community Change, Through Art As she prepares to move on, Raye Jones Avery looks back at her nearly three decades of transformational leadership at CCAC By Jordan Howell Photos by Joe del Tufo

ou might say that Raye Jones Avery’s life has come full circle. In 1981, she enrolled in voice and piano classes at Christina Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) to pursue music as a creative outlet alongside her budding career in nonprofit management. She had just graduated from the University of Delaware with dual degrees in English and Sociology, and over the next 10 years she worked for Community Action of Greater Wilmington, the Delaware League for Planned Parenthood, and United Way of Delaware. Then, in 1991, while still enrolled in classes there, she was named executive director of CCAC, becoming the first African-American woman to assume that title.

Now, as she prepares to leave that office, she plans to pursue creative interests that she first contemplated nearly four decades ago. During her reign as executive director, Avery’s impact has been nothing short of transformational. When she took the post 28 years ago, CCAC was still a “traditional” local arts center, as she puts it, specializing in music, dance and visual arts while cultivating local talent and fostering an appreciation for African-American arts and culture. Over subsequent decades, CCAC would retain the traditional aspects of its mission, while expanding its scope to include social justice initiatives and other specialized programs in youth violence, literacy and career development. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

START COMMUNITY CHANGE, THROUGH ART continued from previous page

Children have been a primary focus of Avery's work at CCAC and Kuumba Academy.

Social justice initiatives examine the prevalent conditions faced by people of color in Wilmington, Avery says, and the conversations that ultimately arise from these programs lay the groundwork for larger and more meaningful community dialogues about race, class and society. “We value the power of arts and art-making,” she says. “The arts are a platform for dialogue and building bridges, and we have pressing needs in our communities. We have very significant, documented gaps in wealth, food deserts, and prevalent economic conditions that affect every aspect of life. “So how can we be more effective and bring attention to the kinds of conditions that primarily brown and black communities experience, not only in this city but in this country?”

Inspired by Jea Street Sr.

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She credits retiring New Castle County Councilman Jea Street Sr. for inspiring her to become an advocate for greater equality in Delaware’s public schools, especially for those students in and around the city of Wilmington who, from her perspective, society had written off. “It's criminal. It is absolutely willful neglect,” says Avery. “There's a profile of children that people were willing to throw away because they don't want them in their schools, and it's criminal.” The unique economic and educational challenges facing Wilmington’s youth inspired Avery and the rest of the leadership at CCAC to found Kuumba Academy Charter School. Kuumba opened in 2001, making it one of the oldest continually operating charter schools in Delaware. It serves primarily minority and low-income students from Wilmington and the surrounding area. “There is a perception that kids who live in impoverished conditions are less capable,” says Avery. “The philosophical underpinnings of Kuumba Academy are that our children are very capable. They're very resilient, and their parents are important partners in the educational process. That, along with creativity and innovation, has been the center of everything that we've done.” “History is replete with people who came from dire circumstances and changed the world,” she says. “We're teaching our students to be change agents in the communities in which they live, and those underpinnings are different than what is found in traditional public schools, particularly those that are physically located in the city of Wilmington.” Between CCAC and Kuumba Academy, Avery’s impact has been far-reaching, touching the lives of thousands, from infants to the elderly. “Raye, I think, is one of those people who would be really difficult for me to pinpoint first time that I really met her,” says Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman, who worked with Avery at CCAC before her election to the Delaware State Senate last year. “She was just one of those community presences who was just everywhere, involved in everything.” Lockman first worked directly with Avery in graduate school at the University of Delaware while Lockman served as an urban policy fellow with the Wilmington City Council. Together, they researched education policy. Avery was so impressed by Lockman that the following year Avery hired her to lead the Parent Advocacy Council for Education, a social justice initiative at CCAC designed to advocate for equity, access and more effective learning in Wilmington’s schools and community centers.

Pillar of the Community

“I’m not one of the Christina Kids who grew up at the center. I was sort of a late-comer to her tribe,” says Lockman. “But she’s impacted a lot of people. Some will know her as an educator, others as a performer. Some will even know her as ‘Mother,’ sort of a nickname that she earned as matriarch of Christina Cultural Arts Center. She’s a serious pillar of the community.” Because Avery is one of Wilmington’s most respected community leaders, many people are sad to see her go. But she is moving on, largely because the demands of administering a nonprofit leave little room to pursue creative interests, which is what she’s intent on doing. Besides, even without her, CCAC will still have an excellent staff who all share the best interests of the institution and those they serve. “This is really a magical place,” Avery says. “We have a very solid team. I can say with confidence that the opportunities for education and personal development will remain intact. We're helping to raise people's children. It's a joy, but it's also an awesome responsibility that is not to be taken lightly.” As she prepares to leave, Avery is pursuing a handful of closeout initiatives. The first is developing an institutional succession plan and leadership training for CCAC employees and volunteers. As she began planning for her retirement, she realized that there was no formal succession plan in place, nor were there formal leadership development opportunities for CCAC employees and volunteers. She also is partnering with Colette Gaiter, associate professor in the Department of Art and Design at UD, to digitize the historical documents in the archives at CCAC. So

We are almost full!

far, they have digitized more than 500 documents. In Avery’s office, there are flyers for a 1993 theatrical performance by This is Us star Ron Cephas Jones, who portrayed a Philadelphia jazz trumpeter named Lee Morgan in the play Don’t Explain. There’s also a flyer for a musical performance by Esperanza Spalding before the jazz bassist and singer became the fourtime Grammy-winning star she is today. “One of the things that has been really fun for me is seeing all the people who come through,” says Gaiter. “It’s pretty astonishing. And that's what's so great about developing this archive: you see how connected Christina was, and they could attract these people to Delaware.” Lastly, Avery is in the final stages of establishing an Urban Teaching Artist Fellowship at CCAC. “There are a lot of talented artists, but they’re not trained as teachers,” she says. The fellowship period lasts 10 months and includes a stipend, four months of training as a teaching artist, and a practicum in a real classroom. What’s next after that? Avery intends to continue her ventures as a music artist, but she’s also reflecting on her years as an English major and thinks that she may want to start writing again, possibly a memoir about starting Kuumba Academy. Whatever she does, it won’t be the first time she pursues a new creative venture in her vibrant and varied life, just as she did many years ago when she first decided to pursue voice and piano lessons at CCAC. “I had no training as a vocalist until I was an adult,” says Avery. “I'm an adult learner, and I want to encourage adult learners to reimagine their lives. That's where I am right now.”

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18 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

A SAFE

START

RIDE As the holidays approach, Delaware offers Lyft discounts in the ongoing battle against impaired driving

Delaware and most other states define drunk driving as 0.08 blood alcohol concentration. Photo courtesy DE Office of Highway Safety

By Ken Mammarella

he state wants to help Delawareans enjoy the year’s busiest nights for drinking—by not driving. From 3 p.m. Nov. 27 through 2 a.m. Dec. 1, Delaware is offering $15 discount codes on Lyft rides statewide. The initiative—Thanksgiving SoberLift—starts a day before Thanksgiving, nicknamed Blackout Wednesday for its barhopping popularity, a riff on Black Friday, the shopping frenzy that comes two days later. “We are working hard to ensure everyone has a fun night but a safe ride home,” says Cynthia Cavett, spokesperson for Delaware’s Office of Highway Safety, which initiated the program. People seeking the $15 discount Lyft code (and they can get only one all weekend) should text “SoberLift” to 99000. Thanksgiving SoberLift builds on SoberRide (a LyftWashington Regional Alcohol Program campaign that began in 2017) and SoberLift, which ran the last two Fourth of July weekends in the Sussex beaches, where many traditionally party hard. In Delaware from 2014 to 2018, the Fourth of July weekend saw 53 DUI-related crashes—46 in the Sussex beaches—and five DUI-related fatalities.

At the beach, 168 SoberLift discount codes were redeemed in July, with the tab paid by sponsors. Another SoberLift program that was run for St. Patrick’s Day resulted in 291 people texting in for the code, and 101 people claiming it. For Thanksgiving SoberLift, the Office of Highway Safety is again relying on sponsors who have supported SoberLift in the past. So far, these include Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen, Breakthru Beverage Delaware, Washington Street Ale House, Trolley Square Oyster House, Kelly’s Logan House and First State Brew Tours. Thanksgiving SoberLift will be promoted basically everywhere, says Mike Cordrey, director of behavior change for Aloysius Butler & Clark, a Wilmington advertising agency that for a decade has helped market Delaware’s efforts against impaired driving. “We’re always looking for different ways to get people not to drink and drive,” he says, noting that Senior Account Executive Andrew Raftovich and others at AB&C are just starting to plan Delaware’s 2020 marketing to fight “impaired driving”—the term preferred by law-enforcement agencies, in part because it covers driving under the influence of substances other than alcohol. The most significant of those substances, according to Cordrey, are marijuana, opioids and sedatives like Xanax. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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ONGOING CAMPAIGNS

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That campaign joins enhanced impaired-driving patrols by police officers on overtime pay, also running *Consum *Cmi ing n *mi C ra raw iow nnsum ng or ra raw mi un wn nde ing norerc raw ra un co n nde ook werc ke or ed co un ook n nde mke me eat ed erc co t,me m ook se seat eaf ke ed t, foo se sod, ome m eaf eat , foo sh shellfish he t,od, oellf se seaf ,fis sh shellfish sh he foo ellf od, oofis r,sh eggs sh shellfish he o ellf rs fis eggs may mshysoincrease in rmay m nc eggs crea y as increase in snc smay m crea e yo y your yas our sincrease in e nc r crea ri risk yo y your isk our kas rsori risk efisk yo y your kour orf ri risk isk k of 1604-1608 Delaware Avenue -onsum Wilmington through Jan. 1. A drive-sober campaign fo oo od d bor b fo oo od rne debor biilln fo oo rne nes od edss. iilln bor b. nes E Esp rne ss. p pe eec .iilln E Esp ia nes ally p pe ss. ec y .in ia E Esp ally ca p pe yase as a ec se inia ally ca of oase as a y se certain ce er in rtai of o ca certain ce iase as a er se rtai mof oedi i certain ce ic m era al rtai edi co conditions c iic ond al a m di itio edi co conditions c ond on ic ndi al a sitio . co conditions c on ond nsdi . itio on ns. 302.654.8793 | IslandFinPoke.com runs year-round. One prominent continuing program is Checkpoint StrikeForce, a multistate and multi-agency campaign that began in 2002. A recent effort—one checkpoint in each Delaware county, from 10 p.m. July 12 to 2 a.m. July 13—involved 2,563 cars and seven driving under the influence arrests. Agencies also logged 15 drug arrests, eight wanted-person apprehensions, seven child restraint arrests, 72 other traffic arrests, four other criminal arrests, 28 seatbelt charges and six cellphone/ distracted driving charges. Drivers can get text alerts about checkpoint locations by going to arrivealivede.com/drivesober#checkpoints-alerts-rides. Word also spreads as patrons report back to their friends who are still drinking. Officials are hopeful that learning about checkpoints will dissuade impaired people from driving. And then there are saturation patrols, which catch drivers trying to evade those checkpoints. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety studies, sobriety checkpoints can reduce alcohol-related traffic fatalities by as much as 20 percent. Through Sept. 30, there had been 3,116 DUI arrests in Delaware. There have been 11 impaired fatalities so far, but many others are still under investigation. 160 16 04 416 1-1 60 16 04 60 4 08 8 -116 160 De D04 08 el e 4 8aw aware -1De D 16 wa 60 el e are 08 aware aw 8ewa De DAve Av A are eleaw e aware nwa Ave Av Auare een e uAve A Av e enue W lm Wil mi Win Wil ng lm gto miWil W on o in ng ngto lm DE D mi on o En in ng 19 119806 DE D 98 gto 80 Eo on 19 119806 n6 98 DE D 80 E619 119806 98 806 30 02 2.6 30 65 02 54 2.6 4 4.8 65 87 30 54 79 02 4 4.8 93 2.6 387 65 79 | 54 93 Iss4 4.8 3landFinPo lan 87 |nd 79 IssdF 93 landFinPo lan Fin 3nd nP |dF Po IssFin ok landFinPo lan knP e.co nd Po dF co ok Fin okm e.co nP co Po ook m ke.co co om

20 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

GOOD GRADES FOR DELAWARE

For its efforts, Delaware gets four out of five stars in Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s 2018 Report to the Nation. The state gets full credit for its 2014 all-offender ignition interlock law, those sobriety checkpoints, and its no-refusal policy on sobriety tests. MADD gives Delaware half credit on administrative license revocation and child endangerment. The group wants Delaware to “make ignition interlocks available to first offenders upon arrest, enact a law making child endangerment a felony [and] advertise the ignition interlock law during twice-yearly federally funded crackdowns on drunk driving.” “Delaware in 2017 had 32 [DUI] deaths representing 27 percent of all traffic deaths,” says Frank Harris, director of state government affairs for MADD. “The 27 percent of all traffic deaths ranks 15 out of 51 for states plus DC. This is the best measure on how a state is handling drunk driving.” MADD’s data shows First State DUI deaths declining, from a high of 66 in 1982 to generally in the 30s in the last few years, even though more Delawareans are on the road. Delaware looks good to CarInsuranceComparison.com (third least-dangerous state for drunk driving) and WalletHub (ninth strictest on DUI penalties), which, citing federal data, credits crackdowns for some of the improvement. Use of ignition interlocks and the .08 blood alcohol concentration standard for drunk driving (the U.S. government in 2000 forced states to lower the BAC threshold or risk losing federal highway funds) were also key to the reduction, says Harris. MADD itself promotes at least eight solutions, and the most important, according to Harris, are “interlocks, advanced vehicle technology and high-visibility law enforcement.”

SHARED RIDES, REDUCED RISK

Ride-sharing programs are making an additional impact. A 2015 report by MADD and Uber found a 7 percent decrease in drunk driving in cities with ride-share options. “After hearing about Uber’s impact on drunk driving, 93 percent of [the 807 people surveyed for the report] would recommend a friend take Uber instead of driving if the friend had been drinking,” the report says. “Ride-sharing programs make it easier to find alternative ways home after a night of drinking and are still not utilized as much as they should be by people who drink alcohol and drive,” Harris says. “We know this because in 2017, nearly 11,000 people died in drunk driving crashes.” Education and enforcement agencies “can acknowledge and discuss the culture surrounding drinking and driving being a negative behavior,” says Richard Klepner, traffic safety program manager for the Office of Highway Safety, “but there’s still a gap when it comes to marijuana and driving, and other drugged-driving issues that seem to be affecting the younger/millennial driving behavior.” “Millennials and Gen Z’ers around the world are drinking less than older generations did at their ages,” according to Business Insider. The decline is attributed to multiple factors, including an interest in health, favoring marijuana instead and fretting about whether pictures of drunks will hit social media. “Just one DUI can change your life,” a state web page says. Financial, legal and personal consequences could include loss of the driver’s license, fines and fees (about $6,300 for the first offense), jail time, counseling, higher insurance premiums and an ignition interlock. Not to mention that dreaded social media shaming.

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DUI BY THE NUMBERS

Some 4,300 people were arrested for driving under the influence in Delaware in 2018, according to the state Office of Highway Safety. Key breakdowns:

88 76 66

percent were first-time offenders, 12 percent repeat offenders.

percent were males

percent were at or above 0.13 blood alcohol concentration. (Delaware and most other states define drunk driving as 0.08 BAC)

percent were arrested on the weekend—14 percent Friday, 22 percent Saturday and 22 percent Sunday.

NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

presents

9th Annual

WILMINGTON

BEER WEEK A Celebration of Beer

NOVEMBER 4-9, 2019 Features & Special Events at: Chelsea Tavern Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House Market Kitchen & Bar (Hilton) Stitch House Brewery Two Stones Pub (Wilm.) The Queen

Tastings & Special Sales at: Frank’s Wine Girard Craft & Cork Kreston Wine & Spirits (Wilm.) Peco’s Liquors

Wilmington Brew Works

FIND SPECIALS & EVENTS AT:

vote your conscience!

wilmington beer week 2019

can

bottle

cast your vote and have a chance to win a case of your favorite beer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in cans or bottles. (voting locations listed at left)

WilmingtonBeerWeek.com

FOCUS

can vs. bottle: the epic battle Premiering Nov. 9 at the Queen, a light-hearted, locally-produced documentary ‘studies’ this beer-based controversy By Ken Mammarella Photos by Joe del Tufo

24 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

in the beginning, i proclaimed, ‘let there be light…beer.’ Those are the opening words of “the Creator” in Beer Can: A Love Story, a new film about humble beer cans and true love, as well as haughty beer bottles and fun. The lighthearted documentary comes from Matthew Del Pizzo, owner of Townsend’s Del Pizzo Construction, and Gordon DelGiorno, co-founder of Film Brothers. Its world premiere will be Saturday, Nov. 9, at The Queen in Wilmington—at the conclusion, appropriately, of Wilmington Beer Week. The four-hour event will include a showing of the 30-minute film, the release of Wilmington Brew Works’ limited-edition The Son of Can lager, can- and bottle-themed music from Shelley Kelley and Bar Flies, and some surprises. Details, including ticket information, are posted on beercanalovestory.com. The two men, friends from Delcastle Technical High School, hope to follow the premiere with a 20-city cross-country “canPaign” inviting beer lovers to watch their film and “cask” their vote: “bottle, can or crafty independent.” They’re negotiating the details with various local breweries. Del Pizzo and DelGiorno are the film’s producers (they covered the five-figure cost), directors (they had the artistic vision, based on Del Pizzo’s original idea) and stars (they carry the movie without a word of dialogue). Del Pizzo plays the Can, using a nifty Son of Can costume designed by Chris Vellrath (also the film’s photographer and co-editor), with construction by Del Pizzo and wrapping by Wilmington’s Trophy Shop. DelGiorgno plays the Bottle, using a brown turtleneck, $20 bottle-shaped headgear that he bought online, and an evocative physique (tall and long-necked). “We’re having fun at 51,” Del Pizzo says.

an epic showdown

The movie follows the Can and the Bottle through funny and/or emotional encounters. It’s a simple plot that adheres to DelGiorno’s first film-making advice, from a stranger he met in a Philadelphia bar, jotted down on a napkin and saved for two decades: “Who are your characters? What’s the conflict? Who wins or fails?” DelGiorno offers a strong hint: “It’s Bottle vs. Can. That’s the showdown.” The filmmakers make it clear the “love” in the title refers to the affection many drinkers feel for beer cans. And that means (spoiler alert) the Can wins. “Former Gov. Pete du Pont once called Delaware’s typical voter ‘Joe Six-Pack,’” they write on the film’s Facebook page. “Wear the moniker with pride, and tell us: Are you a Bottle or a Can in that six-pack?” A now-closed poll on that page gave the edge to the can, 52 to 48 percent. The plot is intercut with archival television commercials and interviews with brewers, a beer historian, the Beer Monk (See pg. 27), fans of beer, and Jeff Lebo, a Pennsylvania man with the world’s largest collection of vintage beer cans. “We can learn something about the human condition by looking at these things,” Lebo says about beer cans in the film. The genesis of Beer Can was in 2018, when Del Pizzo decided to sell his collection of 4,000 beer cans. “It was a release, like Linus and his security blanket. You can’t hold onto everything,” he says, although he did hold onto two cans of 1938 Diamond State beer, Delaware’s first canned beer.

In the light-hearted documentary, DelGiorno plays the Bottle and Del Pizzo the Can.

In trying to sell his collection, he met “eclectic people” who had stories to tell, which led him to suggest to DelGiorno that those stories be captured in a movie (it’s Del Pizzo’s film debut, DelGiorno’s—by his estimate—800th appearance). “We’re letting those people on the fringe of the beer world have their say,” Del Pizzo says. A devout environmentalist who thinks green in his construction business and is a long-time Delaware Audubon Society volunteer leader, Del Pizzo also hopes the film will highlight the ecoadvantages of cans.

throughout delaware and beyond

With a plan—but not a formal script—the two friends shot four hours of footage over a year, including scenes at the Bottle & Cork in Dewey Beach, the Dogfish Head Brewery treehouse in Milton, Wilmington Brew Works, Stitch House Brewery in Wilmington, Chelsea Tavern in Wilmington and the West Chester Craft Beer Festival. Interviews with experts sent them further afield. They devoted 130 hours to editing; added graphics, animation and music; returned to some locales for shots they later decided were needed; and wrote narration for Film Brothers veteran Jim Rubright as the Creator to bring it all together. They are excited about the film and already have in mind a sequel (according to Del Pizzo) and even a trilogy (according to DelGiorno). They’re also excited about future ventures. Del Pizzo for years supported the Film Brothers’ Festival of Shorts (on hiatus to devote time and energy to Beer Can), and after this project, DelGiorno calls Del Pizzo “a partner and a film brother now.” The movie also marks the 20th anniversary of Film Brothers, whose first film, Franks and Wieners, also included Rubright in the cast. It was written and directed by DelGiorno and his brother Greg, now a New York-based set builder. As expected from the biblical wording in the beginning, a religious motif recurs in Beer Can, including what its website calls “a modern resurrection” of the can as a container for beer. There also are several levels to the film, something that Del Pizzo treasures but DelGiorno feels will go over too many heads. “It’s painful to think deeply,” DelGiorno says. “I want a slow burn.”

history lessons

Beer history goes back millennia. Beer bottles go back centuries. Beer cans date only to 1935. Cans quickly gained popularity, but, as the film points out, they became associated with bland mass-produced brews. So when craft beers became a thing, these small brewers went for bottles as a testament to their tastiness. “The craft industry is created around the bottle,” Del Pizzo says. “But they are finally embracing the can.” ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

FOCUS CAN VS. BOTTLE: THE EPIC BATTLE continued from previous page

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There are mostly facts on the pro side for cans. Cans don’t let in light that can skunk the beer. Cans are cheaper, lighter to transport, and they don’t break. The con side for cans, by contrast, is not fact-based. Cans have a reputation for leaving a metallic taste, but that’s false, says Del Pizzo, who may be biased—he plays the Can in the movie. Aluminum doesn’t affect the taste; after all, a can is just a small keg. Cans have a down-market reputation. Commercials in Beer Can show a class divide from decades past: casual candrinkers are frolicking on the beach, while snobby bottleSpoiler alert: the humble Can wins out over the haughty Bottle. drinkers are sipping indoors. Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione says in the film that he felt at first that bottles were “an ideal package” that gave his craft beer a wine-like appeal. He stuck with bottles until sales flattened, and when he decided to go with cans, the business grew 18 percent that year, he says.

statistically speaking

Friday Night Dec 13 • 8pm

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26 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Nationwide, cans are defeating bottles. “Cans have been growing market share for several years now,” says Lester Jones, chief economist for the National Beer Wholesalers Association. “Craft brewers have adopted the package very aggressively in recent years and made the can package a great success across many channels of retail.” In 2018, the U.S. beer industry shipped 202.2 million barrels of beer. Currently, cans are about 57 percent of volume, with bottles at 32 percent and draft at 11 percent, Jones says. The breakdown differs for craft beers, which represent a quarter of the American market. Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association, which represents craft brewers, says that 47 percent of craft packaged sales volume has been in cans. “A decent percentage of can production is 16-ounce cans (and we’re also seeing the 19.2-ounce format grow),” he says. Although draft sales are 11 percent of the overall industry, they represent 40 percent of craft beer. Do the math, and it works out that about 28 percent of craft production is in cans. Demographics suggest that can’s dominance will continue. “The millennials like cans. It’s all they want,” Carol Stoudt, the country’s first female brewmaster, says in the film. “Go figure.” When casting the film, Del Pizzo and DelGiorno realized that they embody “the respective characteristics of the can and bottle themselves,” beercanalovestory.com says. “Matt is thoughtful, quiet, short and often misunderstood. Gordon is brash, loud, tall and maybe a little abrasive.” Del Pizzo notes that he has an AOL email account. “That’s old, like a can,” he says. “I still play CDs. I’m not on Facebook.” DelGiorno, on the other hand? “In business, he’s a hustler, like a bottle,” Del Pizzo says. Their personalities are also on display in their refrigerators. The evening before their interview, DelGiorno says he enjoyed two bottles from the Kona Brewing Co. and a can of Blah Blah Blah IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery. Del Pizzo’s only chilled choice: “PBR in a can. Nine of them.”

FOCUS

13,000 And Counting

Woody Chandler—‘The Beer Monk’ —continues to sample brews as he prepares to attend the premiere of Beer Can: A Love Story By Kevin Noonan

Woody Chandler in a still shot from the movie. Photo courtesy of Film Brothers

oody Chandler’s biography on his Twitter account is succinct. It states that he is a Pittsburgh sports fan, a movie buff and a beer pest. Beer pest? “Yeah, it’s true,” Chandler says. “Everyone tells me that—when it comes to beer, my personality comes across, and that can be good or bad. I’m emotional, I let my opinions be known and, yeah, I can be a real pest.” Chandler is much more well known by an equally distinctive title: The Beer Monk. He earned the sobriquet by traveling thousands of miles around the world to sample thousands of kinds of beer. And the fact that the 54-year-old looks and dresses like Rasputin, the infamous 19th century Russian mystic who was known as The Mad Monk, is more than a coincidence.

Featured Appearance

Chandler will be at The Queen in Wilmington on Saturday, Nov. 9, for the premiere of a film that is near and dear to his heart and his palate: Beer Can: A Love Story, in which Chandler is prominently featured. The 30-minute film was written by Matt Del Pizzo and

directed by Gordon DelGiorno, both 51 and former classmates at Delcastle Technical High School. (See cover story on pg. 24.) Chandler, aka The Beer Monk, is also a fan of the can, and it was natural for the filmmakers to reach out to him and ask him to be in Beer Can: A Love Story. Maybe (probably) you’ve never heard of him, but in the world of beer, Woody Chandler is a rock star. “When he talks about beer, people listen because of his experience and his reputation,” DelGiorno says. “And, of course, he’s a real character and that’s what you want in a film – somebody that people can enjoy watching and relate to.” By his latest count, Chandler has tasted more than 13,000 kinds of beers all over the world. He’s a familiar figure at beer festivals here and in Europe and he’s written articles and columns for magazines and websites dedicated to beer lovers. Chandler still lives near his hometown of Lancaster, Pa., and when he’s not globetrotting to sample yet another brew, he’s a substitute teacher and journalist. The life-long bachelor used to be a full-time English teacher in high school in Lancaster. He has a master’s degree in arts and teaching from the University of Pittsburgh. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

FOCUS 13,000 AND COUNTING continued from previous page

That was after he spent time in the Navy —Chandler retired in 1998 as a petty officer first class at the age of 33. It was while he was serving his country that his love affair with beer began. His ship, the U.S.S. Fulton, was docked in Barcelona, Spain, and he and a couple of shipmates went into town to get something to eat and a couple of beers. At that time, Chandler’s idea of beer was a typical American brand like Budweiser or Miller High Life, so he was surprised when he asked for a beer and the bartender reached below the counter and pulled out a dark bottle with a cork-and-cage arrangement that Chandler had only seen before on champagne bottles. That unknown-at-the-time beer was Chimay Premier Red, a Trappist ale, and it’s not a reach to say that moment and that first sip changed Chandler’s life. “I thought that was pretty cool,” he says. “The beer was from Belgium, and when I took a sip of it, I couldn’t believe how good it tasted. It was phenomenal, and right then and there I said I’ll never be able to drink that garbage we call beer back in the States ever again.” “The only problem was, that [type of] beer was the only kind you could get in the States, or so I thought,” Chandler adds. “But when I was on the West Coast, I discovered brew pubs where they made their own beer and I tried Anchor Steam Ale and Sierra Nevada and that’s when I realized there was hope for beer in America.” Chandler has quaffed many a Delaware-brewed beer, and even though he was hesitant to rate one over another, he said the best of the First State includes its most famous brewery, Dogfish Head in Milton, as well as the first brew pub in New Castle County, Stewart’s Brewing Co. in Bear. “I don’t like to play favorites,” Chandler says, “but Dogfish Head is consistently good, and Stewart’s also consistently puts out a good product. I especially like their Smoked Porter.” Those Delaware brews were part of his quest—or, rather, quests—to taste the best beers not only in America, but all over the world. And the more he traveled, the more he and his unique appearance became known in the hops-and-malt community. Now he’s reached cult figure status, and if you go to the premier of Beer Can: A Love Story, you won’t be able to miss him or ignore him, even if he isn’t being a pest.

28 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Photo courtesy of Woody Chandler

A Beer Epiphany

WE HOST! [ parties. fundraisers. celebrations. occasions. ]

Call or Email Your Director of Catering & Events 302-384-8113 EVENTS@OPENDOORSHG.COM

NOVEMBER APRIL 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

29 25

FOCUS

FULL SPEED AHEAD Major renovations at the Port of Wilmington herald an increase in jobs and other economic benefits By Ken Mammarella

hen Chiquita’s weekly ship arrives at the Port of Wilmington, it takes two-and-a-half days of roundthe-clock work to unload hundreds of thousands of bananas. That’s down from the three full days that was common before an experienced company called Gulftainer took over port operations last year. “Anything shaved is saved,” says Michael Phillips, manager of warehouse operations and a 19-year veteran of the port. Workers have increased the speed that they can move massive containers off ships from 13 to 14 an hour to 18 to 19, thanks to both increased technology and increased motivation. “We want to show the best value for the state and for the people of Delaware,” says Eric Casey, CEO of GTA USA Wilmington, a unit of Gulftainer, the world’s largest privatelyowned independent ports and logistics company. Those values—such as more jobs, more allied firms setting up nearby and more taxes from both—will come from generating the best values for shippers. A few more numbers help define the impressive potential of the Port of Wilmington: more than 20 inquiries from businesses wanting to move nearby; more than $670 million in investments; just a 36-minute average for loading trucks, and a 37 percent improvement in unloading and loading ships.

They’re all indicators from a new era for the facility, built by the city in 1922, turned over to the state in 1995 and, since Oct. 3 of last year, run by GTA USA Wilmington. “The challenge and opportunity is basically creating a startup while doing a complete refurbishing of the port and while conducting a 24/7 business,” Casey says. “We’re improving service times while adding complexities. We’re coming in, rolling up our sleeves and making a great trajectory.” Delaware officials decided in 2016 they didn’t want to invest tax dollars in the port but concluded it would be attractive as a commercial lease for “an investor willing to share risk,” says Jeffrey Bullock, who as secretary of state is the chairman of the Diamond State Port Corp., which owns the port. The port has several advantages, Bullock says. It’s within a day’s drive of a third of America’s population, and as the first full-service deepwater port on the Delaware for ships coming from the Atlantic, it’s quicker to reach than its upriver competitors, who are also investing in improved services. It has “a workforce recognized as one of the best in the country,” he adds. According to the port website, it’s also the top North American port for imports of fresh fruit into the United States, and it has the country’s largest dockside cold storage facility. ► ▼ Hundreds of thousands of bananas are unloaded from a Chiquita ship every week at the port. Photo Justin Heyes

NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

FOCUS

catalyst.design

FULL SPEED AHEAD continued from previous page

WEB PRINT PHOT

Photo Justin Heyes

VIDEO

Loading and unloading procedures have been streamlined since Gulftainer took over port operations in 2018.

REVENUE, INCOME,, TAXES AND JOBS

Gulftainer has a 50-year agreement to manage and operate the 308-acre port and to develop an adjacent 115-acre site. That Edge Moor site, used by the DuPont Co. and Chemours for decades to make pigments, is planned as a container facility. Containers are one of shipping’s great innovations; they can be efficiently stacked and handled by the standardized equipment. A standard container, called a Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, is 20 feet long, 8 feet high and 8 feet wide. According to its website, the port is a “major asset and economic engine of the state,” annually producing $436 million in business revenue, $409 million in personal income and $41 million in taxes. Diamond State figures the port in 2017 supported 2,951 direct jobs, plus 2,439 indirect and induced jobs. Casey declined to project employment numbers, but says “there are more jobs than before.” Even more jobs could come from those 20 inquiries. That’s how many companies— so far—have approached Gulftainer about establishing new warehousing and logistics lines nearby to handle port shipments. Although none has been announced yet, every new operation means new jobs. Gulftainer was established in 1976 in Sharjah, part of the United Arab Emirates. When Gulftainer’s lease was approved in 2018, CEO Peter Richards noted the company had been vetted after a nine-month screening by seven federal Cabinet departments and a dozen federal agencies. Two key unions—the AFL-CIO and the International Longshoremen’s Association— “vetted the company” as well, Casey says, for “the right approach on safety, collaboration, growth and potential.” The growth is occurring throughout the port. Gulftainer’s investment was called a $570 million, nine-year package when its lease was voted on, but Casey predicted in an interview that the figure will top $670 million. “Retraining of workers started on Day 1,” he says, adding that Gulftainer is committed to port employees. “If you came in as a forklift operator, you still have a job as a forklift operator.” Gulftainer’s lease guarantees that the number of ILA jobs does not fall below the 2017 figures of about 1,500 for the union’s two locals, according to Diamond State. Training includes digital tracking by tablets that replaces paperwork, with barcodes on buildings and cargo to support the complex, just-in-time choreography that assures everything is where it should be. “There are many small changes and some large changes,” says Kathryn Bradley, Gulftainer’s marketing manager. In February, Gulftainer began work on $100 million in improvements to the port for 2019, including warehouse roofs and extensions to the dock and crane rail systems. That work will allow the amount of cargo going through the port to grow from 350,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units to 600,000 TEUs. The capacity for TEUs will double once Edge Moor is operational.

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David Norbut is assistant Stevedore Operations manager at the port, which handled 5.2 million short tons of cargo last year.

SUGAR,, OIL,, TURBINES AND LIVESTOCK

The port’s website lists 372 vessels using the port in 2018, with 5.2 million short tons of cargo, about half in those standardsized containers. Its portfolio also includes dry bulk, such as sand and sugar; liquid bulk, such as petroleum; fresh fruit and juice concentrates; vehicles; breakbulk, such as steel and lumber; wind turbines; and project cargo, meaning large, heavy, expensive or critical equipment; and livestock. Part of the port’s new-found efficiency comes from rethinking operations on the site, a jumble of buildings and paving that dates back to 1923. One early move was to reorganize empty containers in storage yards so they’re grouped by the country they’ll return to, Phillips says. Another is keeping workers informed. “Gulftainer is very, very transparent about its infrastructure plans and its vision,” he says. And the efficiency also comes from recognizing how growth will benefit workers and will trickle down to the community. “We’re motivated,” says Austin Wooley, stevedore operations manager. “More jobs, more hours, more money.” By the fall of 2020, Gulftainer plans on two more warehouses, a new road for trucks carrying bulk shipments and a new entry gate system that will improve efficiency—and the port’s reviews on Google. Those 59 reviews average 2.2 out of five stars, with a lot of grumbling about security guards and traffic flow. On other hand, the 26 reviews on Indeed.com, a site for job hunters, average 3.8 out of five stars for working conditions, often citing a fast pace, supportive management and opportunities for advancement. Gulftainer is coordinating with the state on criteria for a training academy. “Ultimately, we want to set up a center for excellence in logistics to train workers throughout the East Coast,” Casey says. Momentum Logistics, a sister company to Gulftainer, is getting the necessary government approvals and insurance to offer trucking services, he adds. And by the end of 2021, once permitting is in place, Gulftainer hopes to start developing the Edge Moor site. Gulftainer will pay for the initial dredging needed to access Edge Moor, Bullock says. The state is looking at road access, to minimize the impact by trucks on secondary roads and to consider low underpasses that prevent double-stacked cars from leaving the port. The interstate is just 400 meters from the port gates. ►

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And plans beyond that? “Anything more than five years is daunting,” Casey says. “The political climate can change.” “Trade wars ebb and flow,” Bullock says of the current political climate. “Right now there is a lot of rhetoric. It will subside at the end of the day because so much of our economy relies on global trade. We don’t get a lot of business from China,” but tariffs concern him because, he says, they’re “short-sighted.” The changes at the Port of Wilmington come at the same time as major upgrades at competitors upriver. “The marketplace drives investment,” says Dennis Rochford, president of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay, “and the channel deepening provides a catalyst.” Dredging of the Delaware, from 40 feet to 45 feet up to Philadelphia, began in 2010 and is expected to be complete this year, he says. In that time frame, Pennsylvania approved $300 million in upgrades to the Packer Avenue, Southport and Tioga ports, and a port opened in Paulsboro, New Jersey. “We’re staying competitive,” Rochford says, referring to other East Coast ports and noting that traffic on the Delaware hit 2,375 vessels in 2018 and is expected to reach 2,400 this year. That said, steel tariffs imposed in 2018 cut that traffic. “Global trade will continue to grow,” he predicts. Bullock is pleased by both the finances and the progress at the Port of Wilmington. Gulftainer is paying the state $6 million a year (a figure that goes up over the course of the contract and could go up more with increased volume), and the state isn’t paying that $300 million it had calculated that it would need to spend over 20 years for maintenance. “We’ve already saved $30 million,” he says, referring to what the state would have spent on maintenance in the two years since it sought an outside operator. “Things have gone extremely well for employees on the docks and office workers in the warehouses that are part of the larger port family,” Bullock says. “It’s been a surprisingly smooth transition, and they’re ahead of schedule. It speaks well of the people of Gulftainer and the ILA. Everyone has remained flexible. Our customers have only seen an upside in quality. We haven’t skipped a beat.”

RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT—A TIMELINE Wilmington has always benefited from its riverfront site, and its economy has grown with the port An aerial photo of the Port of Wilmington gives a sense of its huge expanse. Photo Joe del Tufo

1913:

Wilmington residents vote to build a deepwater port on the Delaware River to support local companies that make ships, railroad cars and carriages.

1923:

The port opens. Early shipments include lumber, wood pulp, quebracho logs, cork, jute, burlap, lead, ore, fertilizer and petroleum products.

1937:

The Christina channel is deepened from 30 to 37 feet and widened from 450 to 650 feet. The channel to the port today is 38 feet deep, Gulftainer says.

1972:

Del Monte makes Wilmington its principal North American port for bananas and pineapples. Other fruitful landmarks are set in 1987, when Dole and Chiquita begin their first weekly shipments. Today, it’s North America’s top banana port and the nation’s leading gateway for fresh fruit and juice concentrates, handled through an 800,000-square-foot refrigerated warehouse complex.

1997:

The port becomes America’s first seaport to roll out the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card. This federal security system was a big concern among workers when the Gulftainer proposal was announced in 2018, but it is not affected by Gulftainer taking over port management, Casey says.

state EARLY 2010s: The privatization

considers a plan for the port, and the International Longshoremen’s Association suggests building a new port below the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Neither proposal advances.

2016:

The state receives a “very revealing” strategic plan, says Jeffrey Bullock, who as secretary of state leads Diamond State Port Corp. “We were successful, but we realized we would have to invest $300 million in it. Not for significant growth, not for new customers, but just to maintain operations.” So state officials start looking for outside operators.

2016:

1976:

Volkswagen picks the port as its import hub. Auto shipments are “robust” today, says Eric Casey, CEO of GTA USA Wilmington.

State officials decide to pay $10 million for 115 adjacent acres for potential port expansion. Chemours used the Edge Moor site to make titanium dioxide. “It was very attractive because it was close to the dredged channel and right on the I-495 interchange,” Bullock says of Edge Moor.

1984:

2017:

615 acres in the area are designated Delaware’s first Foreign Trade Zone. Imports stored in the zone are not subject to duty or quotas until entered into Customs territory.

The offer to run the port draws 92 preliminary inquiries, 21 parties signing confidentiality agreements, 10 submissions and three proposals on the shortlist.

1995:

2018:

The city sells the port to the state, which creates the Diamond State Port Corp. to manage it.

Diamond State and General Assembly approve the 50-year lease with Gulftainer.

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EAT

UNDERSTANDING THE KETO CRAZE Can cutting carbs and boosting fat cure what ails you? Some say so, but proceed carefully. By Pam George

Grass-fed beef, fatty fish, avocados, nuts, seeds and low-carb veggies are staples of the ketogenic diet.

ill Minster had a love-hate relationship with fad diets. “I have always been 20-to-30 pounds overweight and tried everything from the cookie diet to starvation,” says the Wilmington real estate agent. “Early success was followed by the standard weight gain.” But he had a reason other than weight to find a lifestyle diet. Minster has widespread cancer. “I became determined to be healthy,” he says. Minster’s wife, meanwhile, was searching for a migraine cure. “She is an incredible researcher, and we found ourselves helping each other to find solutions to our health problems,” he says. With that goal in mind, he went on the keto diet last year. His weight dropped from around 210 to a steady 180. Minster has been in three protocols at the National Institutes of Health for cancer, and his NIH doctors were impressed with his quick recovery from surgery and the physique he’s gained from daily two-hour gym sessions.

JulieAnne Cross has also benefited from the keto diet. In 2018, while vacationing in Dewey Beach, she was impressed with several housemates’ carb-cutting abilities. “One had lost 40 pounds already,” recalls Cross, who was nearly 80 pounds heavier than her lowest adult weight. What’s more, statin drugs were barely controlling her high cholesterol, and she was prediabetic. After going on a keto diet, she’s currently at her driver’s license weight—a 20-year-old number—and her cholesterol is half of what it was before medication. Her triglycerides and “HDL cholesterol levels are excellent.” And she’s no longer prediabetic. “My addiction to bread and sugar is under control— which I never thought would happen,” says Cross, who organizes the popular Delaware Burger Battle. Minster and Cross are among the many Delaware-area residents who praise the keto—short for ketogenic—diet. But as with any eating plan, there can be pitfalls. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

EAT UNDERSTANDING THE KETO CRAZE continued from previous page

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WHAT IS KETO?

The goal of the ketogenic diet is to put you in ketosis, during which the body turns to fat—not glucose—for energy. (Ketosis is your body’s defense mechanism against famine.) To do this, you need to get about 75 percent of your calories from fat, compared to the usual 20-30 percent. So, wave goodbye to carbs like soda, sugar, bread, and pasta and hello to good fats like ghee, grass-fed meat, and grass-fed butter (made from cows that feed on grass). When the body runs out of the quick fuel it typically gets from carbs—a threeto-four-day process—it breaks down ketone bodies, which are produced from fat. Congratulations, you’re in ketosis. If you want to be sure, look no farther than your nearest CVS, which sells strips that check the ketone levels in your urine. In the past, the keto diet was used to manage epileptic children’s seizures. “It works quite well for this population,” says Liz Abel, a licensed functional nutritionist with First State Health and Wellness. She has also recommended the diet to people with a traumatic brain injury. Research on the diet’s effect on other diseases, such as diabetes, is limited. But people who’ve seen results sing its praises. Cyndy Pyle, a former nurse practitioner near Media, Pa., is one of them. Pyle and her husband, Harry, were previously on the paleo diet, which embraces mostly low-carb ingredients. He was losing weight; she wasn’t. Looking back, she realizes that she was overdoing the permitted sweeteners, such as honey. Pyle was worried about more than her weight. She had high blood pressure, diabetes, and fibromyalgia. Painful arthritis in her knees often required frequent cortisone injections. Her doctor chalked it up to her age: she was 65 when she was diagnosed. But since going on the keto diet in April 2018, she’s lost 55 pounds. She no longer has high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, fibromyalgia, or painful knees. “The idea of giving up sugar and bread was hard for me, but actually doing it is not hard at all,” she says. “The elimination of sugar takes away the craving.” Former Delaware resident V Capaldi has also seen remarkable benefits from the keto diet. Capaldi, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 24, previously tried Atkins, Pritikin, vegan, vegetarian, and blood-type diets. “Other than helping me lose weight, they did nothing for my MS,” says Capaldi, who now lives in California. Going keto was “the missing puzzle to my healing journey,” maintains Capaldi, who has built the brand Paleo Boss Lady and spoke at TEDx in Wilmington. “Today, I’m potentially the most healed [person] with MS using only diet and lifestyle. I take no drugs and see no doctors.”

STICKING TO THE PLAN

Keto buffs like Pat Farrell of North Wilmington appreciate the diet because it’s easy to follow. “There are so many recipes and alternatives available these days,” says Farrell, who lost 30 pounds. “I make a keto snickerdoodle cookie and coconut flour muffins.” The cost of going keto, however, can be expensive. The program embraces higher-end products such as grass-fed beef and dairy products and wild-caught salmon. And most followers eat organic. For a sweet treat, Cross purchases 85 percent dark chocolate. “You get what you pay for, so skip the average stuff from the grocery store,” she recommends. “I eat a half a serving every night, sometimes with nuts. Macadamia nuts are expensive but worth it. Smoked salmon costs as much as steak, but when I eat it for breakfast with cream cheese and cucumber, I feel like a millionaire and certainly not deprived.” More recently, she’s focused on plant-based foods over dairy, which she says is too high in calories. Capaldi would approve. She eats six-to-nine cups of fruits and vegetables a day. That might surprise those who view keto as nothing but cheese and meat, she acknowledges. “I eat more vegetables than anything else and limit my fruit to one cup of berries a day and still remain keto,” she says. “No dairy at all—so pizza is never on my plate.” Admittedly, making sure you get most of your calories from fat rather than carbs and protein requires some skill—and fortitude. To get enough fat, some devotees swear by “fat bombs.” Despite the name, these high-fat morsels can be nutrient-dense. They’re typically made with “good” fats, such as grass-fed butter, ghee, avocado, or coconut.

Photo courtesy of Healthy Meals Supreme

Grass-fed meatballs stuffed with cheese and served with spinach and cream, from Healthy Meals Supreme.

CONVENIENT KETO

To take the guesswork out of eating keto, Healthy Meals Supreme sells fresh, packaged meals delivered to your door. (You can order a la carte or by meal plan.) Selections might include grass-fed meatballs stuffed with cheese and served with spinach and cream; Salisbury steak topped with mushrooms and served with cauliflower-cheddar mash; and boneless chicken with pesto sauce and sundried tomatoes served with beans. Currently, keto is the Princeton, N. J., company’s most popular meal selection, says founder Joe Martinez, a pharmacist who has diabetes. “Many friends and colleagues asked me how I controlled my weight and diabetes so well. When I told them, they asked how to buy the meals,” says Martinez, who launched his company in December 2018. Healthy Meals Supreme, which delivers to Delaware, added keto selections in June. “It was a hit,” he says, “and the rest is history.” Want ready-made keto foods at a moment’s notice? Head to HoneyBee Seasonal Kitchen & Market in Trolley Square, where Chef Lisa Scolero whips up keto-friendly foods that might feature chicken sautéed in butter, salmon cooked with olive oil, cauliflower mash, and steamed vegetables. “There has been an upswing in the number of customers wanting ketogenic foods, low-carb items and healthy options,” she says. Her meals are inspired by comfort foods—“something customers recognize or relate to a childhood memory.” Prepared meals and recipe books are a boon if you’re like Farrell and mostly eat at home. But depending on any additional dietary restrictions, the keto diet is not hard to follow if you eat in restaurants. Credit all the diners in the past 10 years who’ve made special requests a regular occurrence. “We do hear about the keto diet but not as much as we did the old Atkins diet in the early ’90s when I was at Toscana,” says Paul Bouchard, managing partner of Tonic Bar and Grille in Wilmington. “I may hear about keto from a table once a week.” Perhaps that’s because chefs no longer flinch if diners nix the potatoes in favor of more vegetables. “We get a lot of people doing that,” says Bouchard. “They could be keto people, and they’re just not announcing it.” That’s also the case at Platinum Dining Group’s five restaurants, which include three Italian eateries. “Most keto dieters are making their own modifications without really telling us their reasons why, and we just accommodate their requests,” says owner Carl Georigi. “Now, gluten-free? That’s a whole different story.” Home Grown Café in Newark does not design keto dishes, but many on the menu are low in carbohydrates. Plus, keto dieters can usually adapt. “A lot of items taste good without a roll or bread, such as burgers and sandwich” ingredients, notes owner Sasha Aber. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

EAT

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UNDERSTANDING THE KETO CRAZE continued from previous page

Melissa Ferraro of the Sonora at The David Finney Inn in New Castle is catering to customers with the new “Keto Skillet.” “It’s already becoming very popular,” she says. “It has four eggs, sausage, wild mushrooms, avocado, tomato, and scallions.” Surprisingly, mostly women order it. Pyle, who is down 55 pounds and off nine medications, finds it fairly easy to order out. At an Italian restaurant, for example, she ordered a steak instead of pasta and had two vegetables. “I put oil on a salad and butter on vegetables,” she says.

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Some keto dieters are flexible. Cross, for instance, calls herself a “semi-lazy” keto. She took a six-week break before the Delaware Burger Battle, during which she gained up to 11 pounds. She dropped most of the weight when she slipped back into ketosis. Farrell plans to stay on a low-carb diet but will add items like beets and sweet potatoes after she reaches her goal weight. If you are thinking of going keto, do your homework, Capaldi says. “There is a healthy version and an unhealthy version. Consider adopting a lifestyle that is plentiful in vegetables.” Work with your healthcare team. Your cholesterol may initially spike. “I’ve seen cholesterol levels rise too high,” Abel says. For diabetics, high levels of ketones can poison the body, according to the American Diabetes Association. If you have a thyroid condition, the diet might not be for you. Remember, too, that diet does not change behavior, Abel adds. You need to look at lifestyle factors other than eating to manage weight. She says the hyperdiligence required of going full-tilt keto often works in the short term. But like any fad diet, it could lead to yo-yo dieting. Once people go off the diet, they gain weight. Those who are looking to manage chronic health conditions as well as lose weight may have more incentive to stay on a diet. Minster, for one, is sticking to it as long as he feels good, looks good, and his doctors like his test results. Says he: “I love this quote: ‘Cancer will kill me, but you will never see me dying.’”

EAT

GREEN BOX KITCHEN: POWERED BY PLANTS

BITES W Tasty things worth knowing

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LA PIZZERIA METRO AT MILLER ROAD STATION

he owners of Café Riviera in Concord Mall have opened La Pizzeria Metro in an 11,000-square-foot, newly renovated space at 3101 Miller Rd., next door to Wilmington Brew Works. The pizza oven with bar seating is on one end and the bar with beverage service at the other. Besides the pizzas, look for items cooked and served in skillets, such as chicken wings and tater tots. Outdoor seating is available at picnic tables with umbrellas. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily except Mondays and Tuesdays, when it opens at 4 p.m. For more information, call 761-9199 or visit the website at lapizzeriametro.com.

COLUMBUS INN’S NEW CATERING PARTNER

olumbus Inn’s Taste Catering Co., established in 2016, recently brought many of the former Moveable Feast staff to the team. General Manager Gail Ashe spent 30 years as manager of Moveable Feast before its closing last year after the death of owner Stephen Horgan. Taste Catering provides services for corporate catering as well as private events. Lunch and dinner buffets are available for drop-off or via full catering services. For more information or to place an order, call 685-1860 or visit TasteDE.com

IRON HILL PAIRS FOR A CAUSE

t Iron Hill Restaurant on the Riverfront on Monday, Nov. 11, 20 percent of your food bill (excluding alcohol and gratuities) will benefit the Mental Health Association of Delaware. In order to make this donation, go to mhainde.org and print out or download to your phone a card that must be presented to your server.

ith a mission to nourish the community by serving healthy, approachable and tasteful plant-based food, while emphasizing local philanthropy and social change, the Green Box Kitchen has opened at 400 N. Market St. Billed as a fast-casual vegan eatery and juice bar serving hand-crafted salads, grain bowls, smoothies, açai bowls and cold-pressed juices, Green Box serves food that is 100 percent plant-based. It’s open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit the website: greenboxkitchen.com.

EL DIABLO BURRITOS NUMBER FIVE

l Diablo on Market Street is now open, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. This latest location—number five— is at 837 N. Market. Breakfast items include huevos rancheros, pastries, breakfast tacos and burritos. The lunch and dinner menus remain the same as the other locations, with build-your-own burritos, tacos, quesadillas and salads. Keep updated at facebook.com/eldiabloburritos.

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he Treehouse Café in the Trinity Vicinity neighborhood (714 W. 11th St.) serves breakfast sandwiches, a large selection of coffee and teas, smoothies, shakes and lunch. Hours are Thursdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The restaurant is part of the Treehouse Wellness Center in the same neighborhood.

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SMALL BITES AT DEL. AG MUSEUM

he Delaware Small Business Chamber is hosting Dover Delaware Small Bites on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Delaware Agriculture Museum, 866 N. Dupont Highway. The event, from 6-7:30 p.m., features food from 10-15 Delaware restaurants, food trucks and catering companies by the bite—with a special tasting spoon. You must be 21 or older to attend. Money raised will go toward a $1,000 culinary school scholarship to the winner’s Delaware school of choice. Tickets are $59 until Nov. 5, $75 afterward. They can be purchased at dsbchamber.com. NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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10 36 11 9

14 13

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

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

24 22

32 21

15 31

29 27

Visit RiverfrontWilm.com for info on events happening at the Riverfront! Photo by Joe del Tufo 20. Frawley Stadium, BLUEROCKS.COM Delaware Sports Museum & Hall of Fame 21. Chase Center on the Riverfront, CENTERONTHERIVERFRONT.COM 22. Dravo Plaza & Dock 23. Shipyard Center Planet Fitness, PLANETFITNESS.COM 24. Timothy’s Restaurant, TIMOTHYSONTHERIVERFRONT.COM Molly’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, MOLLYSICECREAM.COM Drop Squad Kitchen Ubon Thai Restaurant 25. Wilmington Rowing Center, WILMINGTONROWING.ORG 26. Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge/ DuPont Environmental Education Center, DUPONTEEC.ORG

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

THE CITY

Stephen A. Smith, Mayor Purzycki and Magic Johnson.

WILMINGTON’S 2019 HBCU WEEK SETS RECORDS

ilmington’s 3rd annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) College Fair, held Sept. 20 as part of the City’s HBCU Week, set a record for the number of students accepted to college on-the-spot (1,200) and for those receiving a full or partial scholarship award (483). According to Mayor Purzycki, 10 of the 21 schools that participated the 2019 HBCU College Fair accepted students to college on-the-spot and awarded scholarships, and a total of $3.8M in scholarships were awarded. The Mayor credited ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Wilmington’s official HBCU Ambassador, for bringing unprecedented local and national attention to the City’s efforts by broadcasting “First Take” live from the 76ers Fieldhouse and for asking NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson to be a special guest on the show.

46 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

“What we started here three years ago was an effort to recognize the historical importance of HBCUs and to highlight the rich educational experience available at an HBCU,” said Mayor Purzycki. “None of us dreamed that we could help so many students so quickly, but this is a movement that will become more organized here and perhaps in other cities, which makes the HBCU possibilities endless. As we increase the number of young people who attend college, we are forever changing for the better countless young lives as well as our local neighborhoods, our country and the world.” While the College Fair remains the cornerstone Wilmington’s HBCU celebration, the HBCU Battle of the Bands at Frawley Stadium on Sept. 21 also set new records as nearly 7,500 people saw performances from North Carolina A&T State Univ., Winston Salem State Univ., Hampton U. and Lincoln U.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

NEWS YOU CAN USE!

MAYOR MIKE OUT AND ABOUT THIS FALL

WILMINGTON WORKS

On Oct. 10 the Mayor congratulated local artist Eunice LaFate on her gallery’s 4th Anniversary on Market St.

Mayor Purzycki attends the United Neighbors community meal on the 7th St. Bridge Oct. 11.

Looking for general job information and resources? Visit www.wilmingtonde.gov/ government/employment to learn about education and training, labor laws and regulations, how to apply for government jobs, as well as other employment-related information.

CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS

Looking for a community organization or civic association in your area? Visit: bit.ly/ WilmDECivicAssoc

Mayor Purzycki welcomes the Vendemmia Italian Wine Festival back to Wilmington, where it belongs!

Mayor Mike and Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione at Vendemmia on Oct. 13.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOV 1

NOV 9

NOV 10 Mayor Purzycki congratulates the 2019 Carolina League Champion Blue Rocks on Sept. 9.

On Oct. 4 the 1000 block of West 5th Street as renamed Demetrio “Junior” Ortega Way in honor of the former City Council member and longtime community activist.

NOV 11

NOV 29

Mayor Purzycki helps dedicate the Fr. Tucker Park Mural on September 16.

“BEER CAN-A LOVE STORY” (THE QUEEN)

FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS FUNDRAISER (ST. ELIZABETH’S CHURCH)

NOV 28-29

Mayor Purzycki reads to students at the Goddard School on Oct. 2

WILMINGTON ART LOOP

VETERANS DAY (CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICES OPEN)

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

(CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICES OPEN)

56TH WILMINGTON JAYCEES’ HOLIDAY PARADE

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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, WILMINGTON May we give thanks for what we have, be generous to those with less, and do them both with grateful hearts. A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

NNIVERS

presented by

November 1 5pm Start Complimentary Shuttle Service Most exhibitions listed here continue through this month

cityfest

A program of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

y Famil Found

Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery at Delaware College of Art and Design (DCAD) 600 N. Market Street 622-8000 • dcad.edu/gallery Artists: “Still Moving” by the DCAD Animation Department

n atio

The Angelus House 417 W. 5th Street 347-963-2208 Artists: “Turning Blight into Beauty” and “Mary Around the World”

Colourworks 1902 Superfine Lane (Race St.) 428-0222 • colourworks.com Artist: Through This Land We Roam by Jason Jellick Gallery 919 Market 919 N. Market Street, 540-8007 Artist: Tracey Landmann

tur

2nd & LOMA 211 N. Market Street 655-0124 • 2ndandloma.com Artist: Enticing Virtuosity by Kenny Ross

City of Wilmington Louis L. Redding Gallery 800 N. French Street 576-2100 • wilmingtonde.gov Artist: Seonglan Kim Boyce

DOWNTOWN

Christina Cultural Arts Center 705 N. Market Street 652-0101 • ccacde.org Artist: Victor Bloise

Cre

The Delaware Contemporary 200 South Madison Street 656-6466 • decontemporary.org Artist: Native Range, a new installation exhibition by Jennifer Borders

LOMA Coffee

RIVERFRONT

Christina Cultural Arts Center

Kenny

Shaka CBD Oil Store

a su le s ta i n a b

DCAD Gallery Club The Saville 521 N. King Street 345-0831 Artists: “Sexuality” by the DCAD Gallery Club Delaware Division of the Arts Mezzanine Gallery 820 N. French Street 577-8278 • arts.delaware.gov Artist: 32 Pieces Inspired by the Goldberg Variations by Gregg Silvis

Grace United Methodist Church 900 Washington Street 655-8847 • gracechurchwest.com Artists: “The Art of Waiting” by One Village Alliance and Lumina Arts

Howard Pyle Studio 1305 N. Franklin Street 656-7397 • howardpylestudio.org Artist: “Ashland Bridge” by Elizabeth Howard

Comegy’s Pub 210 N. Union Street 429-8699 Artists: Fred Comegys & Samantha Stransky

The Grand Opera House 818 N. Market Street 658-7897 • thegrandwilmington.org Grand Gallery Artist: “You Don’t Know Me” by Jo Redbird

Melloy Artisans Gallery 1139 W. 7th Street, Unit C 425-4900 Artists: Yonnie McFly, Doneré Cooper

Dead Presidents Pub 618 N. Union Street 652-7737 Artist: Julia Jay Hardman & James Wyatt

baby grand gallery artist: “Ron Campbell Cartoon Pop Art Show” Hotel du Pont 42 W. 11th Street 594-3255 • hoteldupont.com Artist: Bryan Cohen LaFate Gallery 227 N. Market Street 656-6786 • lafategallery.com Artist: Fall Colors by Eunice LaFate LOMA Coffee 239 N. Market Street, 605-4882 Artist: Oba Jackson MKT Place Gallery 200 W. 9th Street, 438-6545 Artist: Colors, Colors, Colors! Linda Gunderson The Sold Firm 800-B N. Tatnall Street, 689-3237 Artist: Geraldo Gonzalez WEST END & WEST SIDE Bike Lane Café 1139 W. 7th Street, Unit A 425-4900 Artists: Ralph Marley, Melissa Benbow Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Avenue 429-0506 Artists: Alan Soffer and Dennis Beach The Church of the Holy City 1118 N. Broom Street 215-840-1757 Artist: “Through the Eyes of the Beholder” by James Lee Pyle Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 • thedch.org Artist: Gina Bosworth “Pathways”

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church 1301 N. Broom Street 652-7623 • ststeph.org Artist: The Pacem in Terris Traveling Youth Peace Exhibition BEYOND THE CITY Station Gallery 3999 Kennett Pike 654-8638 • stationgallery.net Artist: New Paintings & Whatnots, Laura McMillan COCA POP-UP Gallery 3829 Kennett Pike, Powder Mill Square, 218-4411 Artists: Kathy Ruck, Marty Barnes, Jill Haas, Catherine Bosk & Shirley Rigby Delaware Museum of Natural History 4840 Kennett Pike 658-9111 • delmnh.org Artist: Yesterday: A Snapshot of Nature Arden’s Buzz Ware Village Center 2119 The Highway, Arden 981-4811 • ardenbuzz.com Artist: “I’m Not Here” by Lauren E. Peters

Epiphany Church 812 N. Union Street 215-901-8360 Artist: “Salvage” by JaQuanne First State Health & Wellness Ctr 910 N. Union Street, Suite 2 Artist: David Ohlerking J. Stanley Salon 204 N. Union Street 778-1885 Artist: James McGlone, Sr. Milk & Honey Café-Gallery 807 N. Union Street 654-3738 Artist: Chloe McEldowney Mrs. Robino’s 520 N. Union Street, 652-9223 Artist: Adira Riben Salon Ollae 714 N. Union Street, 654-4848 Artist: Katherine Rozier Shaka CBD Oil Store 416 N. Union Street, 757-6227 Artist: Madeline Porter, Kyma Balardo, Brianne Washington

David’s Studio and Gallery 2324 Cherry Lane, Arden 545-7489 Artist: David Ashworth Burslem

Squeezebox Records 1901 W. 11th Street 510-9429 Artist: Kerrea Meekins

WEST SIDE GROWS

Telo Massage Studio 506 N. Union Street 384-7755 Artist: Yemina Israel

(former) Black Lab Bakery 812 N. Union Street, 215-901-8360 Artists: Tish Williams, Lalo Carrera, Regina Perez, Johanna Rosas, Monica Lopez, Danny Martinez Chez Nicole Hair and Nail Salon 1901 W. 11th Street, 654-8888 Artist: The Joy of Color and Texture” by Cyntaya Welch

V-Trap Kitchen & Lounge 607 N. Lincoln Street 656-1595 Artists: Josh Carter & Stephan Cloud WSFS Bank 211 N. Union Street 571-6508, Artist: Crea Washington

Next Art Loop Wilmington: December 6, 2019

ArtLoopWilmington.org

DRINK

WINTER BEERS

NEW BELGIUM BREWING ACCUMULATION WHITE IPA Everyone knows I'm not a fullon "beer gal," but I do like a nice IPA every now and again. This seasonal release is a blend of citrus flavor, enough “hoppy” to make me happy, and just a touch of bitterness. This brew will certainly be "accumulating" in FitzHaus this holiday season. — Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer

UNION CRAFT BREWING PAJAMA PANTS OATMEAL STOUT I'm a traditionalist when it comes to timely beer styles—light/ sessionable/fruit beers in the warmer months and heavy/dark beers in the colder months. Union (based in Baltimore) is fairly new to Delaware distribution and this beer is perfect for the coming cold. Based on Union's regular oatmeal stout, Snow Pants, this is their variant of that beer infused with Brazilian coffee. I think coffee and stouts go together like peanut butter and jelly, and at 8 percent ABV, it's sure to warm up those cold bones. — Tyler Mitchell, Art Director

50 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

DOGFISH HEAD 90 MINUTE IPA The 90 Minute IPA by Dogfish Head is your no BS beer. It's smooth, full, and tastes like it was made with a few solid ingredients. I know.... craft beer snobs will think I'm basic because I don't like my drinks to cost $10 and reek of dragon berry. And maybe it's a bit redundant to plant another crown on a king. Esquire magazine called the 90 Minute IPA "perhaps the best IPA in America." But as someone firmly planted in the "beer is not my whole personality" camp, the 90 Minute IPA is an unpretentious and, more important, delicious choice. — Mack Caldwell, Contributing Writer

FORDHAM & DOMINION OAK BARREL STOUT A recent tour of the Fordham & Dominion brewery in Dover allowed me the opportunity to get reacquainted with this tried-and-true brew from Delaware’s second biggest beer producer. Just as I enjoy a pint of Guinness for its creamy smoothness, I appreciate the Oak Barrel Stout for its earthy flavors of coffee, smoke, and charred malt. It feels like a beer custom-made for the colder seasons. If you’re looking for a hearty stout that pours fairly light at just 6 percent ABV, add this one to your winter menu. — Jim Miller, Director of Publications

STONE BREWING XOCOVEZA IMPERIAL STOUT I will admit, I don't naturally steer toward stouts when it comes to beer, but this one is just different. It doesn't sit as heavy as stouts tend to do. Its flavors translate best on your tongue as opposed to words on a page, but let me just say that between the intense flavor of chocolate, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, you will be savoring every smooth sip of this velvety 8.1 percent ABV brew that is a delightful and balanced journey for the taste buds. — Blair Lindley, Contributing Designer

LIQUID ALCHEMY BEVERAGES THE DARK CIDE(R) Again, not a beer, but The Dark Cide(r) from Liquid Alchemy brings a very welcome expansion to winter imbibing options. Normally, if I'm drinking apple cider in the cold, I've mulled the non-alcoholic variety and spiked it with whiskey. It's a heartier, richer cider made using caramelized beet sugar the same way stouts and porters use roasted barley. So it gives you the warm, cozy feelings of a good dark beer, but doesn't sacrifice the lightness inherent in a hard cider. That means you can drink more than one and not feel like an overstuffed casserole. — Dillon McLaughlin, Contributing Writer

NOT BEER, BUT STILL DELICIOUS Sadly, a somewhat recent diagnosis with a chronic disease has taken beer out of my life. Once acceptance was reached, it wasn't too hard to find a few alternatives. Southern Tier released a series of canned cocktails made with their own craft spirits. I've tried a few from their ever-soconvenient variety pack and the "Bourbon Smash" has become my favorite. Don't try them all at once, since they all hover around the 10 percent mark. — Matt Loeb, Production Manager

Enjoy these daily specials

ALL MONTH LONG! s Mondays: 15% OFF Craft Beer 6-Pack $50 Tuesdays: 15% OFF Whiskeys over

ne Wednesdays: 15% OFF 750mls of Wi Thursdays: $2 OFF Growler Fills

Huge Selection Mix Your Own 6-Pack Friendly Staff

WILMINGTON BEthER thWEEK November 4 -9

all week long! 10% off craft 6-pack cans wilmington 522 Philadelphia pike -

uors.com 302.764.0377 - pecosliq NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

ANNIVERSARY

SUNDAY BRUNCH • TRIVIA • AWARD-WINNING BREWS 219 GOVERNOR’S PLACE • BEAR, DELAWARE • STEWARTSBREWINGCOMPANY.COM w

November

Entertainment Schedule EVERY MONDAY: Showtime Trivia EVERY TUESDAY: Jefe & DJ Andrew Hugh EVERY WEDNESDAY: Music Bingo at 8:30pm EVERY THURSDAY: DJ Willoughby EVERY FRIDAY: EDM DJ Dance Party

LIVE BANDS!

Enjoy Our Great Specials during EVERY Pro Football Game! $799 Wings or Nachos $599 Tots

$899 Coors Light & Yuengling Pitchers $1299 Blue Moon Pitchers

SUNDAY FUNDAY IS BACK! Hub & Friends 9 pm - 12 am EVERY SUNDAY!

MONDAYS ½ Price Appetizers ALL DAY!

TUESDAYS ½ Price Burgers ALL DAY! $400 Double LITs

WEDNESDAYS $5 Off All Pizzas ALL DAY! $2 Keystone Lt. Pints & $3 Keystone Lt. Mini Pitchers $1599 9oz. NY Strip Steak All Day $4 Glasses of All House Wines

FRIDAY: 11/1 11/8 11/15 11/22 11/29

SATURDAY:

Party Fowl Engine #9 Kalicade Boom Chorduroy

11/2 11/9 11/16 11/23 11/30

It’s All Good Common Courtesy Radio Neon Stereo Giants Big Rumble Twist

Open Thanksgiving at 7pm! THURSDAYS ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Wings (5pm-Close) ½ Price Burgers (11:30am-3pm) • $325 Rail Drinks

Next time you stop in, don’t forget to sign up for our Ashby Hospitality Groups VIP Loyalty Program! 302.369.9414 | 108 West Main Street Newark, DE | www.deerparktavern.com

52 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

SIPS

Here's what's pouring

CAN VS. BOTTLE DEBATE HIGHLIGHTS WILMINGTON BEER WEEK

hich beer container is superior, can or bottle? The argument is the theme of the ninth annual Wilmington Beer Week, set for Nov. 4-9 at select restaurants and liquor stores throughout the city. Each participating WBW venue will have a ballot box for you to cast your vote—can or bottle. Those whose vote matches the container preferred by the majority will have a chance to win a case of beer and/or other beer-related prizes. In addition, participating liquor stores will be offering special pricing on beer in cans or bottles throughout the week. This year’s WBW will close with two significant events, both scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 9, at The Queen (500 N. Market St.). “Local Brews, Local Grooves!” will feature a dozen area breweries and six local bands with VIP and general admission pricing options. Later that evening, the premiere of Beer Can: A Love Story, a light-hearted film focused on the beer vs. can debate, produced by Wilmington-based Film Bros. Productions will be shown. The event, which includes a premiere party, is already sold out. Another WBW highlight is a beer dinner at Market Bar & Kitchen (Hilton) on Nov. 8 featuring Big Oyster Brewery. The $66 dinner features six courses and a free overnight stay to first 10 reservations. This year’s WBW restaurants/breweries include: Chelsea Tavern, Kid Shelleen’s, Market Bar & Kitchen (Hilton), Stitch House Brewery, Two Stones Pub, The Queen and Wilmington Brew Works. Official WBW liquor stores are Frank’s Wines, Girard Craft & Cork, Kreston’s Liquors and Peco’s Liquors. Visit WilmingtonBeerWeek.com.

A BREW WORTHY OF A MOVIE

PAINTED STAVE TURNS SIX

ilmington Brew Works has created a German-style amber lager that will be officially released as part of a crowd-wide toast during the premiere of Beer Can: A Love Story showing at The Queen on Saturday, Nov. 9. According to the WBW owner Craig Wensell, the Son of Can lager is brewed with Pilsen and other continental malts and hopped conservatively with modern noble hops. Cans will be available for purchase at two encore screenings of Beer Can: A Love Story (dates to be announced) set for The Alamo Room at Wilmington Brew Works. Visit WilmingtonBrewWorks.com.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM STELLA ARTOIS

tella Artois is introducing a limitedrelease dark lager for the holiday season. Midnight Lager will be presented in a 12-ounce black bottle and feature bold notes of chocolate and caramel yet offer a cold, crisp finish. In focus-group testing, Midnight Lager was most appealing to wine and champagne drinkers. Stella’s Midnight Lager is available now at many Delaware retailers.

WHISKEY, WINE & WRITERS AT DUPONT CC

ourtesy of 99.5 WJBR, Whiskey, Wine & Writers will bring a rustic fall feel to the elegant Ballroom at the DuPont Country Club on Thursday, Nov. 14. From 6 to 9 p.m., you can sample an array of whiskeys and wines while enjoying great food and entertainment. Get to know writer Dave Fenley and Frank Myers, who are behind some of your favorite radio hits. Guests will learn the process that went into making songs like “My Front Porch Looking In” by Lonestar, “Tomorrow” by Chris Young, and the Grammy-award-winning “I Swear,” sung by John Michael Montgomery. Proceeds from this event help support The Ronald McDonald House. Help fill a Diver Chevrolet by bringing an unwrapped toy. Guests will also have a chance to win a gift basket with the featured Whiskey and Wine from the evening. For ticket information and more, go to wjbr.ticketspice.com/ whiskey-wine-writers.

myrna-based distillery Painted Stave will celebrate six years of booze with a whiskey release on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 7-10 p.m. Guests will also have an opportunity to wax-dip their own bottles and sample food from area restaurants in a Taste of Smyrna presentation. Painted staves will be auctioned for charity. Admission is free. Visit PaintedStave.com.

HOLIDAY TREATS FROM MIDNIGHT OIL

idnight Oil, the Newark-based craft brewery, is releasing a collection of unique beers to spice up the holidays. New brews available in the coming weeks include: Insomnia (chocolate stout), Sleepover (Mexican hot chocolateinspired imperial stout made with chilis, cinnamon and chocolate), S'more What? (s’mores-inspired Imperial smoked stout), Heathen Holiday Ale (spiced Belgian strong ale), Tidings (beer made with cranberry and spruce). Visit MidnightOilBrewing.com.

ANALOG-A-GO-GO WEEKEND

ogfish Head Craft Brewery’s ninth annual Analog-A-Go-Go weekend is set for Friday, Nov. 8, through Sunday, Nov. 10. The three-day celebration will feature special events at each of Dogfish Head’s coastal Delaware properties: Dogfish Head Tasting Room & Kitchen (Milton), Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats (Rehoboth Beach), Chesapeake & Maine (Rehoboth Beach) and the Dogfish Inn (Lewes). The ticketed portion of Analog-A-Go-Go will take place on Saturday (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the Milton location, with a $25 ticket providing guests nine samples (six cask-conditioned beers, two spiritsbased samples from Dogfish Head Distilling Co. and one bonus beer), a limited-edition Analog-A-Go-Go tasting glass, tours of the brewery’s production facility and Steampunk Treehouse, live music by Bastion’s Wake, and access to an artisanal marketplace featuring an array of local artisans, record stores and food trucks. For a complete list of Analog-A-Go-Go activities, visit DogFish.com. NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Enjoy Our Great Specials during EVERY Pro Football Game! $7 99 Wings or Nachos $5 99 Tots $8 99 Coors Light & Yuengling Pitchers $12 99 Blue Moon Pitchers Next time you stop in, don’t forget to sign up for our Ashby Hospitality Groups VIP Loyalty Program!

MONDAYS

½ Price Appetizers All Day

Open Thanksgiving at 7 pm! Polly Drummond Location Only TUESDAYS

½ Price Burgers All Day

$1.50 Domestic Drafts after 7pm

WEDNESDAYS

All You Can Eat Wings $12.99 after 5pm

$1 Off Craft Draft Beers

THURSDAYS

All You Can Eat Shrimp $13.99 after 5pm Prime Rib $18.99

7pm-Close

after 5pm

1/2 Price Burgers

11:30am-3pm

FRIDAYS

SATURDAYS

Prime Rib $22.99

$1 Off Craft Bottles

$3 Taylor’s Grog

Prime Rib $22.99

after 5pm

All Day

7pm-Close

SUNDAYS

Beef & Beer $9.99 Steak Night $13.99

after 5pm

DJ DANCE PARTY AT ALL LOCATIONS!

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OVER 30 DIFFERENT SIXTELS IN STOCK!

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54 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

Spoetzl Brewery Brewmaster Jimmy Mauric stands in front of the bottling line for Shiner Bock beer. Photo courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery

HOME BREWING The makers of Shiner beer set down roots in a little Texas town 110 years ago, and the brand has thrived ever since By Kevin Noonan

t lacks the nouveau appeal of most other craft brews. In fact, it seems almost pretentious to call Shiner a craft brew. It has too much tradition and has gone through too many changes to be grouped with some fancy, expensive brew made by some trendy brew pub. Shiner, which started as a small, local brewery in the middle of nowhere, Texas, more than 100 years ago, is still a small, local brewery in the middle of nowhere, Texas, even though it has become a national brand and continues to thrive in a saturated market. Theirs is a story of history and geography. Shiner is made at the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas, and has been around since 1909, which makes it the oldest brewery in the Lone Star State and one of the oldest independent breweries in all of the states.

Shiner (pop. 2,069) is a one-stoplight town at the crossroads of Rtes. 90 and 95 in Lavaca County, about 60 miles east of San Antonio and even closer to neighboring towns like Gonzales, Yoakum and Halletsville. It was named after Henry B. Shiner, who, in 1890, donated 250 acres for a railroad right of way. In the late 1800s, large parts of central and eastern Texas were settled by Czech and German immigrants, who brought their own culture, music, food and, of course, beer with them to America. Those Czechs and Germans missed the hearty beers they had known and loved back in the Old Country, so what became Shiner Brewery was founded by a group of local businessmen in 1909, and they hired Herman Weiss as the first brewmaster. Five years later, that job was taken over by Kosmos Spoetzl, who plied his craft in his native Bavaria before immigrating to Texas because he thought the warmer weather would be good for his fragile health. â&#x2013;ş NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

DRINK

Photo courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery

HOME BREWING continued from previous page

Old photo of the Spoetzl Brewery. The K stands for Kosmos, the brewmaster who came to Texas from Bavaria.

Spoetzl took a grassroots approach to making and marketing his beer—he loaded iceddown kegs in the back of his Model A Ford and drove around the county, offering drinks to thirsty farmers and tradesmen. In fact, he would sometimes leave a cold beer sitting on top of a fence post so the farmer could quench his thirst after he got done plowing the north 40. Spoetzl held his job for almost 50 years, until he died in 1950. Eventually, Shiner became a well-known regional brand in East and Central Texas, but it wasn’t until recently that it expanded to other markets, including Delaware. Woody Chandler is very familiar with Shiner beers, but, then again, he’s familiar with just about every beer ever brewed. Chandler is better known by his unofficial title of The Beer Monk, because he’s traveled the globe sampling more than 13,000 brands of beer. (See more about Chandler on pg. 27.) “Shiner makes good beer and they’ve been around such a long time because they do it the right way,” he says. “I’ve reviewed 28 of their beers and really liked almost all of them. They’re an old-fashioned brewery and they’ve been doing this for a long time, and that’s why they’ve built such a good reputation.” Chandler says his favorite Shiner brews include the seasonal Holiday Cheer, Bohemian Black Lager and a newer brand, Ruby Redbird. But he wasn’t so keen on another brand, Light Blonde. The current brewmaster at Spoetzl is 51-year-old Jimmy Mauric, a Shiner native who started working there as a 17-year-old bottle washer and worked his way up to the top job, which he has held since 2005. Mauric—who married a Shiner girl and raised three Shiner kids—took a few minutes recently to talk by phone to Out & About Magazine about himself, his town and especially his beer. O&A: You started out as a bottle washer and worked your way up to brewmaster. How did that happen? Mauric: In a small brewery you have to wear many hats and I wore just about all of them. I washed bottles and ran forklifts and unloaded box cars by hand and, basically, everything and anything that needed doing. Back then, I even ran a city route [for deliveries], which was more involved than it sounds, since Shiner had probably 24 bars for a population of 2,069—we had more bars than grocery stores. It was a great way to learn the business, from the bottom up. O&A: Did you always have ambitions to be brewmaster someday? Mauric: When I started this, I did not envision being where I am. I had no idea where the road was going to lead me. Then, as each year passed by, I realized I was doing what I love because I’m from Shiner and the beer is named Shiner and everybody here takes a lot of pride in that, and I did, too. And after a while I was like, “You know, I really enjoy this and I’m going to do everything I can to keep moving up the ladder.” So, I kept chucking away, and here I am.

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O&A: How do you learn to be a brewmaster? It’s not like you can go to a normal college and major in making beer—drinking it, perhaps, but not making it. Mauric: I was fortunate to learn from the best—John Hybner, who was the brewmaster here for decades. I interned under him for 27 years, and eventually became assistant brewmaster in 1992. Then, when John left in 2005, I became brewmaster. John Hybner really knew the business and he was always willing to share his knowledge with others, including me. And then I went to the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago [a school that teaches the brewing arts] and even went to night school in Victoria and San Marcos, which is like a 100-mile round-trip drive. But the lessons I learned from John Hybner are the ones that have really stuck with me. O&A: And what was the greatest lesson you learned from John Hybner? Mauric: He kept it simple—it’s all about the beer and the quality. That’s one thing he instilled in me that I’ve never forgotten: You can’t cut corners. You do it right and you do it right the first time. And we’re 110 years old, so we’ve been doing something right here for a long time. O&A: Shiner started as a regional beer in Texas and was only sold within a few hundred miles of the brewery. How did you expand your brand? Mauric: A big part of that came in the 1970s, when we moved into Austin and became popular with the college crowd there. That’s when we added Shiner Bock to our traditional Shiner Premium and that really took off and became a cult beer of sorts with the college kids. We gradually started to sell Shiner all around the country and now we’re available in all 50 states and produce 500,000 barrels a year.

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O&A: How have you survived in this era of trendy craft beers, when so many older, traditional breweries haven’t? Mauric: Because we are a craft beer—we were craft before craft was cool. When the big wave of craft beers hit in the 2000s, we were like “OK, we’ve done this. If people want these kinds of beers, we can give them that as well as the beers they’ve loved for years.” For more than 100 years, we had made just two beers, the Shiner Premium and the Shiner Bock, which we started in the 1970s. We just adapted. O&A: Do you feel pressure to keep up with the ever-changing marketplace? Mauric: Absolutely. We see the changing market – there are more than 7,500 breweries out there, and they’re all competition and they all make great beers. We’re not sitting back and we’re not scared of the competition. We enjoy creating new beers while holding onto the beers that have kept us in business for more than 100 years. O&A: Do you see a danger in too much of a good thing and a time when the market will simply be oversaturated by craft beers? Mauric: It’s oversaturated now, because there are so many damn beers out there and most of them are very good. But at some point, it has to hit a ceiling and there has to be some pushback. Right now, everyone is jockeying for shelf space, but there’s a limit on how much shelf space there is. O&A: How will Shiner survive in that marketplace? Mauric: We’ll just continue to do what we’ve always done, which is produce great beer and adapt to changes when we have to adapt. Quality counts, and as long as we remember that, we’ll be OK. And we’ll never, ever forget where we come from, and that’s Shiner, Texas.

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Tasteful Departure Thanksgiving wine suggestions that break from the traditional By John Murray

es, it’s that time again. Time to begin planning the wines for your Thanksgiving feast. While there are 10 other countries that celebrate this holiday—Germany, Grenada, China, The Netherlands, Japan, Liberia, South India, Brazil, Ghana, and Malaysia—this column will focus on North American wines. Traditionally, I’ve written about traditional Thanksgiving favorites—Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Zinfandel—but the following suggestions are lesserknown varietals and blends that will work well on your table. Why not experiment and open your taste buds to new flavor profiles at your table? (Bubbles are always a great start and finish to your feast, but we’ll save that for the December issue.) Enjoy! And happy Thanksgiving!

White Wines Sidebar Kerner $29.99 This beautiful winery is a project of the Ramey Wine Cellars family. David Ramey has a passion for making expressive wines from unique grape varietals sourced in California. Kerner is a cross between Riesling and Trollinger grapes. This small and only planting is from the Mokelumne River in Lodi. It is crisp, light, dry and floral. Spicy textures with citrus zests lead to a wonderfully rich finish. Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier $14.99 Crafted from fruit in the Clarksburg Appellation, this is grown on the Sacramento Delta. Enticing floral aromas of freshly baked apples, citrus and lemongrass open the door on its flavor profile. Bone dry, hints of lime zest, lemon curd and melon create a rich finish.

Helioterra Starthistle Cuvée $18.99 With grapes grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, this is a blend of the Huxelrebe and Riesling. Balanced fruit with lingering notes of jasmine, cardamom and honeysuckle lead to a slightly off-dry finish, firmed up with great acidity. Montinore Borealis $14.99 Here is another gem from the Willamette Valley. This mouthwatering crowd pleaser is very versatile with food flavors. A blend of Müller-Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris, it shows fruits of kiwi, honeydew and orange blossoms, finishing bold and clear. Alexander Valley Vineyards Sangiovese Rosé $14.99 A wonderfully bright, aromatic, dry rosé from Sonoma, it has aromas of guava, strawberries, watermelon and raspberries. The fruit explodes out of the glass, showing hints of peaches and mint with great acidity. This 2018 is drier than previous vintages.► NOVEMBER MARCH 2019 2016 || OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Red Wines Sheldrake Point Winery Gamay Noir $16.99 Located on the western shore of Lake Cayuga, this winery is known for wines of incredible value, texture and fruit. The Gamay Noir has rich aromas of strawberry coupled with excellent fruit flavors of cherry and cranberries. It is light, clean and dry. J. Lohr Estates Wildflower Valdiguié $9.99 Valdiguié is also known as Napa Gamay. Once widely planted throughout California, it has a brambly, exotic fruit nose that gives way to flavors of blueberries and pomegranate. Soft and delicate with light tannins, this wine is worth a try. Dashe Delta Red $19.99 The husband-and-wife team of Michael and Anne Dashe craft incredibly rich, eloquent wines. I met Michael in 1989 when he was a cellar rat at Ridge Vineyards in Cupertino, CA. He is known for his non-extracted, rich, brightly-fruited, earthy and spicy Zinfandels. Delta Red is a blend of Carignan, Mourvèdre, Teroldego, Tannat, Zinfandel, Barbera and Petite Sirah. This exotic blend has fruit flavors of rich, dark currants and spicy black pepper with hints of baking spices and dark chocolate. Clos de Gilroy Grenache $19.99 Produced and bottled by Randall Graham of Bonny Doon, this pioneer winemaker has a long, stellar history of innovative winemaking. This wine pays homage to the small, rustic town of Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world. With bright, vibrant colors, this wine shows fruits of cassis and spicy pepper. It pairs well with a variety of foods. Forlorn Hope Ost-Intrigen St. Laurent $34.99 Exotic and bright yet spicy, this wine has a very small production of 125 cases. The fruit is from the Ricci Vineyard in the Carneros region in Napa and Sonoma. St. Laurent has exotic dark fruits along with blue currants and cloves with light, soft tannins, offering the eloquence of Pinot Noir with a refreshing taste on the palate. John Murray is proprietor of State Line Liquors.

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STARS SOAR INTO

DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY Television’s Stefanie Powers and Harry Hamlin play triple roles

Harry Hamlin and Stefanie Powers star in One November Yankee at Delaware Theatre Company. Photo Matt Urban

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

elaware Theatre Company (DTC) again collaborates with playwright/director Joshua Ravetch (who also penned Go Figure!, presented at DTC two seasons ago) for his new piece, One November Yankee. It’s a tale with one plane and two actors, entwined in three stories. The title of the play comes from the call letters on the plane’s tail: “1NY.” L.A. Law’s Harry Hamlin and Hart to Hart’s Stefanie Powers star in the production, playing three sets of siblings whose lives are interwoven by the aftermath of a plane crash. “These are three stories that touch one another in unexpected ways,” says Ravetch.

The Flight Path

Powers and Ravetch are long-time friends (his father was her junior high English teacher), and he essentially grew up around Powers’ career. A mutual friend, the actor Robert Forster (who sadly passed away last month), told her about Ravetch hosting play reading nights at his home, and there they reconnected. (Interestingly, Forster did the original workshop reading of One November Yankee.) Ravetch initially mounted the production in 2012 in a 99-seat theater in Southern California. Hamlin performed in the premiere, joining the cast just eight days before the first preview. ►

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“I saw it when Harry did it previously, and I thought it was most unusual and really fascinating subject matter,” says Powers. “It’s always a great opportunity to try out new work,” Hamlin says. “I’ve done a lot of revivals, but new plays really get me. I love to create something brand new.” Originally, Ravetch sent Hamlin’s agent the play, and although it wasn’t immediately passed along to the actor, Ravetch was persistent, and Hamlin eventually read it. “When I finished it I thought, ‘Wow, this is an amazing play,’” Hamlin says. “It’s so unique, and it says so many different, wonderful things in such a compact space.” As modern technology would have it, Hamlin ended up connecting with Ravetch through LinkedIn.

The Playwright’s Inspiration

Playwright Ravetch studied with legendary acting teacher Stella Adler. Late in Adler’s life, she and Ravetch attended a spate of plays together…and every one took place in a living room. Ravetch recalls Adler turning to him at the last play and saying, “Promise me you’ll never put a play in a living room!” “She understood that the ‘place’ is the play—the poetic canvas where the ideas unfold and live,” he says. “Audiences come from their own living room to see a performance…why can’t we make it more interesting? I was delighted by that notion.” On that track, Ravetch says he usually starts writing with a place in mind. “I’m interested in surprising an audience with something they’ve never seen before,” he says. “It’s exciting for me when I walk into a theater and the place is already thrilling and provocative and visually interesting.” His vision is definitely realized in this set, whose center is a striking piece—a sizable, crumpled, bright yellow Piper Cub, upended in the middle of the stage—created by designer Dana Moran Williams. Ravetch wanted to write a piece with flight at the center. A private pilot himself, he loves the beauty, poetry, science and romance of flight. Coincidentally, Powers is also a pilot, and Hamlin previously studied for his license.

The Actors’ Take

Photo Matt Urban

Both Ravetch and Hamlin note the play’s content hasn’t changed much since its premiere. Powers, meanwhile, is new to the part (Loretta Swit previously starred in the role). “Having Stefanie do it gives a different voice,” says Hamlin. “And, I have to say, it’s fantastic. She brings a lovely, funny depth to the role.” Do either have a favorite moment in the play? Not yet, they both agree. “I may not ever have a favorite,” Hamlin says. “It’s challenging, you know, to get it right…and you never totally get it right. There are definitely parts [of the play] that are more challenging than others.” But both agree One November Yankee is original and amusing. “There are a couple of moments in the play that are just really funny,” says Hamlin. “There have been times we’ve been rehearsing Says Hamlin: “There are a couple of moments in the play that are just really funny.” when we’ve said the words and just cracked up.” Hamlin and Powers are both classically trained character actors “…planted in leading role bodies,” as Hamlin says of this production. Ravetch agrees, referring to one of Powers’ roles as a museum curator in the play. “Nobody has more of a sense of style and elegance and sophistication,” he says, “and it's difficult to ‘act’ those qualities if you don’t already have them swimming somewhere in your mettle. “And Harry is basically a character actor in the body of a leading man. He’s quirky and unexpected; he has to play an artist as well as two very different characters, and his willingness to not be a leading man makes him so interesting.”

catalyst.design

The Writer as Director

The actors aren’t the only ones juggling multiple roles. Ravetch is both writer and director of One November Yankee. “It’s unusual to have a writer direct as well,” Powers says. “Sometimes, the writer has more emphasis, and sometimes the director has more emphasis, so it’s a balancing act [for Josh].” Does she prefer one “hat” over the other? No, it’s just a unique experience, she says. “But Josh is extremely generous as far as protecting the integrity of what he’s written.” “It would actually be harder for me to write the play and sit on the sidelines while someone else directed it,” Ravetch says. “I directed plays before I began to write, and for me it seems like one job. I get the idea, I buy the paint brushes and the canvas and the paint—it doesn’t make sense to me to hand the brushes to someone else.” Delaware Theatre Company Executive Director Bud Martin initially met Ravetch through a mutual friend, and the playwright’s style resonated with him. “His characters are often complex, and I love working through or ‘unpacking’ that,” says Martin. Martin says two things attracted him to this particular work. He’s always interested in the “art imitates life, imitates art” discussion. Also, there are six characters desperately seeking acceptance and connection. “Growing up in a very large family, sibling dynamics have always been of interest to me,” he says. “The inability to talk to each other about what was wrong and often not be heard has such lasting impact, and I love how those relationships ultimately resolve.” But, Martin notes, when Ravetch told him Harry Hamlin and Stefanie Powers wanted to do the show, “…that was the icing on the cake.” Hamlin is confident that audiences will connect with the play. “I think they’re going to enjoy it…actually, I know they’re going to enjoy it. It’s a play that works.” One November Yankee is running at Delaware Theatre Company now through Sunday, Nov. 10. Tickets start at $29 and are available at DelawareTheatre.org or by calling 594-1100. ►

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Photo Shervin Lainez

STARS SOAR INTO DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY continued from previous page

Ajoyo's music—a unique blend of African tradition, jazz and soul—opens CCAC's music series.

MORE NOVEMBER EVENTS

Live @ Christina is Christina Cultural Arts Center’s annual concert series, held in its intimate Clifford Brown Performance Space. Christina has been notably adept at snagging appearances by such noted blues and jazz artists as Gregory Porter, Delfeayo Marsalis, Snarky Puppy and Christian Sands. This season Live @ Christina launches on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. with noted world music ensemble Ajoyo. Headed by French-Tunisian saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Yacine Boularès, this collective blends the sounds of African tradition, jazz and soul with the silken vocals of Sarah Elizabeth Charles. “Our music stems from West and North African rhythmic traditions—Fela Kuti, Salif Keita, Oum Kalthoum and many more,” says Boularès. “But we also bring a lot of our individual experience as musicians: Michael plays guitar with Brazilian singer Seu Jorge; I tour with Haitian legends Tabou Combo, and Sarah is one of Christian Scott’s protégés.” The sum of it all, he notes, is an upbeat, eclectic brew of jazz, soul, African rhythms and indie rock. Appearing at Christina in May 2018, Ajoyo happily returns to downtown Wilmington for a repeat performance. “On tour, we tend to develop special relationships with certain audiences, and CCAC was definitely one of them,” Boularès says. Of that last show, he says the ensemble felt very connected to all in the audience— children, parents, grandparents. “[That concert] almost didn’t feel like a performance, but more like a ‘family reunion.’ Since then, we’ve been meaning to come back.” Asked to describe the “Ajoyo experience” for those who may not know them, Boularès says: “As an emotional connection, there is some of that familial experience I referred to earlier. On and off the bandstand, we’re like a brother/sisterhood, and I think we convey that sense of warmth and sincerity through our music.” Ultimately, he says, Ajoyo is music for the mind, for the heart, and the body. “You’ll definitely want to stand up and dance,” he says. Tickets for the performance are $23 and are available at ccacde.org. This engagement is made possible through the Special Presenters Initiative program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts. Now in its fifth year, The Delaware Contemporary’s SABA (Small Art Buying Adventure) V returns on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. The annual “anonymous art” fundraiser receives more than 350 submissions from local, national and

64 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

Photo courtesy of The Delaware Contemporary

The Delaware Contemporary's 5th iteration of its “Small Art Buying Adventure” returns on Nov. 9.

international artists. Past iterations of the event have included work from artists such as Nanci Hersh, Rick Hidalgo, Gina Bosworth, Caroline Chen and more. All of the event’s available artwork is 6x6-inches in size and is displayed namelessly, offering guests a fun, surprise opportunity to acquire works from noted artists at an affordable price point—$25 each. Tickets for the Patron Preview (beginning at 6 p.m.) are $100, the cost of which includes complimentary champagne and the chance for patrons to view and reserve one artwork choice before the Open Party. Open Party tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. The Party “opens” right at 7 p.m. with live music delivered by Milan and the Sour Goat and tasty bites served by Wilmingtonarea favorite Drip Café. A cash bar is also available. This year, in order to avoid the mad rush to select artwork during the pre-public celebration, The Contemporary has added a new element to the Patron Preview: attendees will select their artwork in the order their event tickets were purchased —which means, art lovers…don’t wait to secure your spots! (Director of External Affairs Tatiana Michels assures us that the Open Party portion will still contain the requisite elbow-jabbing, art-grabbing fun.) This season, The Contemporary also welcomed new Executive Director Leslie Shaffer, who previously served as the organization’s manager of Public Engagement and Programs. That role, she says, helped her gain an in-depth knowledge of the facility, its audience base, resident studio artists and staff. Shaffer’s immediate goals are to facilitate reorganization of staff and implement new internal systems and procedures. Another goal is to launch initiatives to reconnect with surrounding communities “…not only through exhibits and education, but also through the manner in which they connect; how people ‘see themselves’ in art; and how they relate to artists,” she says. Her long-term sights are set on securing the museum’s financial stability, establishing The Contemporary as an East Coast “mustsee” destination, and developing projects that inspire change in the presentation of contemporary art. Shaffer also recognized a key organizational challenge in leading people to understand that contemporary art is essential to the health of a community. “[Art] does heal and prevent,” she says, “And we must work hard to demonstrate the value and shared benefit of introducing to our dialogue new voices on culture, society, politics, and humanity through the artists of today.”

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Harriet

STARS µµµµµ

Cynthia Erivo (left) stars as Harriet Tubman and Aria Brooks as Anger (age 8) in Harriet, a Focus Features release. Photo Glen Wilson / Focus Features

HISTORY AS ADVENTURE STORY—WITH MUSIC Biopic Harriet showcases the luminous Cynthia Erivo By Mark Fields

t shouldn’t be surprising that the biopic Harriet, based on the life of renowned slave rescuer Harriet Tubman, should be a film resonant with music. Focused on the story of enslaved African-Americans, the movie is understandably rich with the recurring melody of spirituals. But it also features a number of actors who are perhaps better known as musicians. Cynthia Erivo, who plays Tubman, won a Tony for The Color Purple on Broadway. Philadelphiabased abolitionists William Still and Marie Buchanon are played

by Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton) and singer Janel Monáe. Jennifer Nettles, formerly of the band Sugarland, has a supporting role as a plantation owner. And director Kasi Lemmons is best known for the moody, lyrical Eve’s Bayou. As a result, there is music coursing through Harriet. What is surprising, however, is what a stirring adventure Harriet is. It’s intense and exhilarating, and Lemmons (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Gregory Alan Howard) sets a dramatic but brisk pace for Tubman’s story, keeping the viewer consistently on edge. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Telling the story of the woman called Moses on film is, of course, way overdue. Harriet takes a figure from HISTORY AS ADVENTURE history who should be much better known and embraces STORY—AND MUSIC her legacy, but does so by making her fully realized as a continued from previous page character rather than an archetype. Moreover, one of the refreshing elements about the film is that it is really about freedom, not slavery. Although the misery of the enslaved are never far off-screen, Harriet’s story is focused on her determination to escape that life, and to help many of her family and others to escape as well. Harriet also avoids a misguided habit of many films about African-American history, such as Glory or Amistad; it doesn’t make a white person the functional hero of the story to seemingly make it more accessible for white audiences. In addition to keeping an emphasis on action (this is a film, after all, about running), Lemmons also wisely showcases the expressive face and body language of Erivo. Featured in nearly every scene in the movie, she has a magnetic screen presence. The rest of the cast ably provides support; of special note is Odom, Monáe, and Joe Alwyn as Gideon, Tubman’s one-time owner with a strange fixation on her. Beautifully photographed by John Toll and resplendently scored by Terence Blanchard, Harriet is a visual and aural treat. The screenplay may suffer from a few too many noble “speeches,” but the real drama of the movie is inherent in the tragic social injustice on which Tubman’s story was based. As both an overdue history lesson and a rewarding human drama, Harriet delivers.

Dolemite Is My Name

STARS

Photo François Duhamel/NETFLIX

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Eddie Murphy stars in Dolemite Is My Name.

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

It may be somewhat off-kilter to juxtapose the intense drama of one of American’s foremost heroines with the misbegotten antics of a blaxploitation star, but in truth, both Harriet and Dolemite Is My Name are films about characters striving for self-realization, albeit in two very different milieus. Dolemite (which opened in movie theaters in late October to qualify for Oscar nominations but is now streaming on Netflix) tells the based-in-truth story of Rudy Ray Moore, a frustrated entertainer in the 1960s who discovered unlikely fame in several mesmerizing home-made action films that were astonishingly bad and yet captivating. Eddie Murphy plays Rudy, and the comic actor’s legendary charm and self-confidence carry this slight tale of misfits triumphing over the system. Much like the late Robin Williams, Murphy has long struggled in Hollywood to find roles that can withstand the power of his own engaging personality. In Rudy and his stage character Dolemite, Murphy has a vehicle worthy of his often-wasted talents. A marvelous and equally funny supporting cast—Keegan-Michael Key, Titus Burgess, Craig Robinson and a long-absent Wesley Snipes—make this many-fishes-out-of-water story delightful, hilarious, and yet sneakily thoughtful.

Also Playing in November: Linda Hamilton returns as Sarah Connor in Terminator: Dark Fate, Nov. 1; Last Christmas brings Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding together for holiday romance, Nov. 7; Disney provides a sequel with Frozen 2, Nov. 11; and Tom Hanks channels Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Nov. 22. NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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JET PHYNX: CHANGING THE NARRATIVE The former musician, now a filmmaker, sees big things in Wilmington’s future—maybe even Beyoncé Phynx has more than 200 videos on his YouTube channel. Photo courtesy of Jet Phynx

By Jordan Howell

ocal filmmaker Jet Phynx (pronounced fee-nix) likes to say that he’s seen it all. Born Parris Duncan, he was raised in Wilmington but often spent weekends visiting his mother's family across the Maryland state line in Elkton. He became interested in music at a young age and credits the influence of his father, Frederick Duncan, a jazz enthusiast and music collector, and his great uncle, the legendary drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, a member of the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. At the age of 9, Phynx learned that his father had been diagnosed with throat cancer and would have his vocal cords removed. Unable to speak, the elder Duncan would arrange album covers around the record player, then quiz his children, playing music and asking the kids to match songs to albums. Young Parris Duncan began pursuing music and songwriting in earnest while enrolled as a fashion merchandise major at the University of Delaware in 2004. It was at this time that his father's throat cancer returned.

Two days before passing away, his father shared a final wish. “He basically said, ‘I think you should be in music. The world didn't get to hear me. Make sure they hear you. Be my voice.’” Shortly thereafter, Duncan began devoting all his energy into launching a music career. He recalls telling a friend that he felt like a "jet" after his father passed away, and his friend added, "or like a phoenix, rising up from the ashes." And so was born his stage name: Jet Phynx. He left college and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an internship with Interscope Records, where he witnessed 50 Cent’s debut album, Get Rich or Die Trying, go through the production process. In 2010, with his then-girlfriend, Brawdway, he formed the band Typical Friday Night (TFN) and began experimenting with music and performance at the intersection of American hip-hop and Korean pop-dance culture. His first single, “Jiggle It,” was released in 2012, and his debut independent album sold more than 12,000 units worldwide. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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He has been backstage with Lady Gaga, opened for Kansas, and at one time was labeled “the next Black Eyed Peas,” by Elle Canada. He’s walked the red carpet twice at the Video Music Awards and Billboard’s Grammy afterparty. However, by 2015, Phynx had burned out on the music industry and returned to his mother's couch in Elkton. Over the next four years, he would use his connections in the music industry to build a new life as a videographer, The Jet Phynx Films team: Phynx (above) and (clockwise) Christian Butler, Brent Ferguson and Anthony Patterson-Osborne. creating music videos for up-and-coming artists. He now has more than 200 music videos on his YouTube channel. “He's an experimental guy,” says Zach Phillips, creative director at Short Order Production House in Wilmington. “He's always trying to push the limits and do something different.” For Phynx, who is now 35 years old and lives with his wife and children in Wilmington, promoting Delaware and its talent pool of young artists has become his driving mission as a local filmmaker and entrepreneur. To learn more about his career and what it’s like to film in Wilmington, Out & About sat down with Phynx for an exclusive interview. O&A: What made you decide to stop being a music artist? Phynx: It was just like three years of trying to be something I wasn't, and it got to me after a while. So I decided to walk away from all that, and I came back to Delaware to decide the next step of my life. The industry is very tough. That's why a lot of people see artists turn to drugs because there's a lot of demands, there's a lot of pressure that comes with it, especially if you don't have control of your identity. You start to lose yourself. One night, I was in a hotel in Toronto, and I'm like, You know what? I don't want none of this anymore. I got on my knees and asked God for stability because at that time I didn't have stability. When you're traveling a lot, you're doing a lot of things; you really don't have stability in your life. O&A: What attracted you to filmmaking? Phynx: I was always interested in music videos. As a music artist participating in photo and video shoots, I started seeing a greater demand for good videographers. Around here, some folks were charging between $500 and $800 for videos that weren't really that good. So here’s the plan: I'm going to shoot a hundred videos and only charge $100 for each video. Once I get past the first hundred, then I'll move the price up. And that's what I did. And now people are calling me, some of my label friends who remember me as an artist calling me like, “We love what you're doing! Would you want to shoot for some of the artists we just signed?”

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O&A: So your first office was at the Wilmington Amtrak station at the former location of Short Order Production House? Phynx: I did love being at the train station. It was cool because we could secretly bring in celebrities and clients right off the train and nobody knew that they even came to Delaware. Or we could hop on the train and head to New York, or anywhere we wanted. I loved that access. Our lease wasn’t renewed, and we just got a three-story building on Market Street. It was a good thing for me because, realistically, I wanted to be on Market anyway. I feel like that's where the new energy is going.

Photo courtesy of Jet Phynx

JET PHYNX: CHANGING THE NARRATIVE continued from previous page

O&A: In addition to producing music videos, you’ve also worked with the City of Wilmington to rebrand the city. Can you tell me more about that? Phynx: It's the narrative. Wilmington needs a new narrative, and culture and social life. If you can bring that, then this whole city will change. I started realizing that I have people around here who look up to me. So that's been my number one goal is to change the narrative of Wilmington, and be one of the real pioneers to set a new tone and bring culture here that connects with the millennials, because a lot of people that are doing good things out here, they're just still not connecting to the millennials. O&A: What made you decide to start a small business in Wilmington? Phynx: Wilmington can be the hottest city in America. I truly believe it’s a city on the rise, just like Austin was. We have a lot of unique things going on here in the state, and it’s just waiting for the right people to step up and be the faces of it. That’s what makes a city grow. That’s why I’m really pushing because there’s not many film companies here, and on top of that not even an urban film company. So that's why I'm going to pioneer this energy with film. O&A: What are some of your favorite spots to shoot in Delaware? And what do you look for when planning a shoot? Phynx: Delaware has a lot of different looks. You got Wilmington, an eclectic city with buildings from a lot of time periods mixed together. You’re an hour away from the beach. You can get the suburban look. So what I always try to look for are places that, for example, look like New York. Then I create the narrative, making it look like a New York street. Same if there's a neighborhood that looks like California. When I came back to Delaware, I was like, These houses are built just like in Long Beach, California. So I just look for places and landmarks that give a different type of feeling. There are so many historical buildings. Like the Hotel Du Pont: that's equivalent to the Waldorf Astoria. You hear what I'm saying? We wanted to capture that regal feel, like you were at a ball in the Waldorf. I just have a keen eye for that. That's what I look for. O&A; Have you heard about the new sound stage that’s being built on Wilmington’s Seventh Street Peninsula? Phynx: Yeah. That's gonna bring so much, like, oh my God—do you realize how big that is?

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O&A: I have no idea. What can Wilmington expect because of it? Phynx: So here's what I learned in the music business. When you're building a tour stage with lighting, pyrotechnics, underground lifts and all types of stuff, everyone needs to practice the routine beforehand. Run the set, make sure lighting is there, and everything is the way you want it to be. Then you keep breaking the tour stage down, seeing how long it takes to break down, how many crew you're going to need, how many trucks are needed. That's a big deal.

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Q: So the soundstage is where all the pieces of a tour come together for the first time? Phynx: Yeah. But it’s also logistical. When artists go on tour, they mostly start on the East Coast and wrap up in LA. It’s easier on the pockets. Why have a truck drive all the way from California to New York just to circle back around when the tour is done? Just start from here and travel back to California. Here in Delaware, the trucks will get right on I-95 and go. It’s prime location. That’s one reason why Beyoncé and all these big-time superstars are going to be coming to Delaware soon, and they're gonna stay in hotels because they're going to be working on their tour for that whole week, or month, right in that building. Learn more about Jet Phynx at jetphynxfilms.com. NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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

FRIDAY, 11/01

Element K - 10 p.m.

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Richie D Trio - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 11/15

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SATURDAY, 11/16 Mr. Jinx - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 11/22 Click - 10 p.m.

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THURSDAY, 11/27

THANKSGIVING EVE Chorduroy - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 11/29

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SATURDAY, 11/30

Party Fowl - 10 p.m. 1701 Delaware Ave. Wilmington, DE 19806 (302) 652-9493

LOGANHOUSE.COM Bands and times subject to change.

74 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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TUNED IN Not-to-be-missed music news LIKE A ROLLING STONE

Local musicians are teaming to present an evening of Rolling Stones music to benefit The Grand’s family programs. On Saturday, Nov. 23, the Brandywine Valley Musicians Guild will team with The Grand to present Exile on Market Street. BVMG comprises more than 30 area musicians who regularly donate organizational and performance time to local causes. BVMG’s first fundraiser for The Grand brought in more than $10,000. Exile on Market Street will take place at the baby grand (818 Market St.). Doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8. Tickets are $50 and include complimentary specialty cocktails. For tickets, visit TheGrandWilmington.org.

FIREFLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2020 DATES

Firefly Music Festival, the East Coast’s largest music and camping festival, is celebrating its return to four days of music and camping in The Woodlands (Dover) on June 18-21, 2020. The multi-genre festival will be celebrating its ninth edition in 2020. Past performers have included Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Snoop Dog, Eminem, Artic Monkeys, The Killers and more. This year’s lineup will be announced at a later date. For event details and ticket plans, visit FireflyFestival.com.

LOCAL ACTS SHOWCASED AT BREW FESTIVAL

Six local acts will be featured at Local Brews and Local Grooves set for Saturday, Nov. 9, at The Queen (500 N. Market St.). The beer and music festival begins at 1 p.m. for VIP admittance and 2 p.m. for general admission. Featured acts include The Susquehanna Floods, Stone Shakers, Cadillac Riot, TreeWalker, Region and Homestead Collective. Visit TheQueenWilmington.com.

INXS TRIBUTE AT THE BABY GRAND

The Rock Orchestra, a tribute group consisting of well-known area musicians, will present An Evening of INXS on Saturday, Nov. 9 (8 p.m.), at the baby grand (818 Market St.). TRO will tackle two of this iconic 1980s band’s most memorable albums: Listen Like Thieves and Kick. Formed by Joe Trainor and Matt Urban, The Rock Orchestra performs live recreations of studio records by classic artists. Previous tribute performances have included Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, The Who, Pink Floyd, Queen and Genesis. Tickets are $28. Visit TheGrandWilmington.org.

Photo courtesy of The Kennett Flash

Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar.

PRE-HOLIDAY TREATS AT KENNETT FLASH

Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar are making rare duo appearances in 2019 and have included a stop at Kennett Flash (Downtown Kennett Square, Pa.) on Fri., Nov. 9. The Louisiana slide guitar wizard will deliver his bottle-neck style slide chops while Austin-native Cashdollar will showcase the talent that earned her a spot in the Texas Music Hall of Fame. The following week, Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys play the Flash on Thur., Nov. 14. The band brings a brand of American music that has earned them an induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, several national television appearances and guest spots on The Grand Ole Opry. On Sat, Nov. 16, folk singer/ songwriter Lucy Wainwright Roche visits the Flash. Roche is the daughter of Suzzy Roche (The Roches) and Grammywinner Loudon Wainwright III. An accomplished musician in her own right, she recently won the 2019 Independent Music Award for Best Album in the folk/singer-songwriter category for her critically acclaimed Little Beast. All shows are at 8pm. For tickets, visit KennettFlash.org.

KEVIN COPE PERFORMS AT DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

Recipient of the Division of the Arts 2019 Emerging Professional Award, Kevin Cope will perform on Sunday, Nov. 10 (1 p.m.), at the Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway). Cope is a graduate of the University of Delaware with Master's degrees in music composition and guitar performance. He will be performing original works, incorporating a variety of influences including serial techniques, free atonal, Latin dance, Arabian scales, and metal. Tickets are $15 for members, $25 for non-members. Visit DelArt.org.

ANNUAL CONCERT AT ST. JOSEPH ON THE BRANDYWINE

The Music Ministry of St. Joseph on the Brandywine (10 Old Church Rd., Greenville) will present A Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. The concert features Ralph Vaughan Williams' “The First Nowell” with soloists Madeline Ley, soprano, Brian Gilmore, baritone, choir, chamber ensemble and organ. Traditional Christmas carols with audience participation will follow. All are welcome.

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NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

HAVE YOU HEARD OF SOMETHING?

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ALEX AND THE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE How a bird led a knuckle-headed reporter to one of Delaware’s key virtues By Jim Miller Photos by Matt Loeb

Experts say this is a good time to see native songbirds like this northern mockingbird as well as those passing through to warmer climates. “Now through mid-November, little parks in urban environments are a fantastic place for people to see migrating songbirds,” says Chris Bennett, program manager for DNREC’s Environment Stewardship Program.

he baby bird’s name was Alex. Not having a clue if it was female or male, that was the name I’d given the mourning dove chick. And that was the name I cried out after almost killing the tiny creature. “Oh, my God!” I yelled at my dogs after the incident. “We’ve killed Alex!” My two dogs just stared at me blankly for a moment, then immediately returned to chasing each other in the yard. I’ll explain my clumsy involvement in Alex’s frightening near-death soon enough. But, first, the vital backstory. Alex had hatched just a couple of weeks earlier in the nest atop the light fixture above the back door of my house. I imagined the birth as a serene scene: golden sunlight shining down; Mama Dove proudly admiring her progeny; and Sir David Attenborough narrating the event from behind a nearby tree. The nest had been there for years, serving as the birthplace for several other birds. For some reason, this time around, I’d taken a keen interest—even going so far as to research and purchase birdseed. I didn’t think birds held baby showers, but I hoped the gift was appropriate. It was, at least, gender neutral. My focus on Alex probably had something to do with the 76 NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

article I’d recently come across. The headline read: “North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds since 1970.” And no, it wasn’t a matter of people simply misplacing their parakeets. Bird species were going the way of the 8-track tape. The article presented a macro view of the problem, but in the meantime I had a micro view right in my own yard: Earlier in the summer, it appeared that Mama Dove had simply bolted just weeks after another one of her chicks had been born. I feared that she had developed a case of cold feet and ditched the poor thing. God forbid she should do it again to our Alex! My concern prompted me to call one of Out & About’s clients, Charles Shattuck, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Hockessin. After gently laughing at the idea of a mother bird leaving her young, Shattuck asked me how much I knew about mourning doves. “Charles,” I assured him, “Please feel free to talk to me as if you were certain I knew less about birds than just about every person you’ve ever met.” He responded by explaining that when their infants are ageappropriate, a mother mourning dove will leave the nest and “shadow” her young from nearby, in the hopes that the tactic will eventually encourage flight.

The European starling does well in urban environments like Wilmington. “Starlings are considered invasive because they compete with native cavity nesting birds—like woodpeckers, purple martins and eastern bluebirds—for nesting cavities and nesting boxes,” says Bennett.

Basically, it was Mama Dove’s way of saying, “Look, you’re two weeks old, already. It’s time to go out in the world and get a job.” Then Charles posed a set of questions. “What you should ask yourself is: Why did that bird choose you? What in the mother’s eye made your yard a safe place to raise her young?” I suggested that it could be my eclectic taste in music. But Shattuck was thinking of more environmental factors. In particular, he pointed out that Delaware’s protected lands offer a suitable habitat for many species of birds—nearby places like the former du Pont estates of Longwood Gardens, Winterthur and Mt. Cuba. Or our area’s state parks. And places like Bombay Hook, Prime Hook and Cape Henlopen down south. “A lot of other states on the East Coast don’t have those kinds of protected lands,” Shattuck said. “In fact, if you go to some parts of Europe, they don’t have any songbirds. They’ve overdeveloped so much, there’s few habitats for songbirds. “We’re used to waking up in the morning and hearing the songs of birds. There, you hear nothing.” My mind pictured in stark black-and-white a set of dark cobblestone alleys in some formerly occupied Soviet territory. No sounds of birds at all, just the sorrowful whistling of a lonely street cleaner sweeping in the distance. ► NOVEMBER 2019 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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ALEX HOME ALONE

Back at the house, I discovered that Mama Dove had flown the coop, leaving Alex looking as bewildered as a two-week-old mourning dove could possibly look. All by herself/himself. I scanned the surrounding area for where Mama could be staked out, “shadowing” her chick, as Shattuck had called it. Who was I to second-guess millions of years of evolutionary success? Later, I would ponder what he had said about Delaware being a unique place for birds on the East Coast. I spoke to another local bird expert, Sally O’Byrne, who’s been involved with the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS) since the early ‘90s, serving two terms as the organization’s president. She’s also been a naturalist at Delaware Nature Society for more than 30 years, conducting a variety of classes on birds. “In our tiny state, we have more variety of habitat than a lot of other places,” she said. “And in addition to that, we have birds that come up here for the summer and we have birds that come down here for the winter. It’s kind of on that mid-point.” Then she said something I’d never heard anyone say about our area before: “Delaware is very important as a migratory flyway. The Delaware Bay is recognized as being one of the most important corridors in the world for the movement of birds.” Speaking of the movement of birds, picture a baby bird’s first flight: the literal leap of faith it takes to bound from the nest and into open space, its instinct driving it to flap its little, hopeful wings in an effort to become airborne and touch the sky. Now picture a knuckle-headed reporter pulling his car into the driveway, thoughtlessly letting his dogs out of the car, and having one of them jump up at Alex, who possibly had just taken that first leap from the nest. That knucklehead—me—then witnessed the tiny creature fly dangerously close to the front paws of my leaping, overlyeager Mini Doberman. Did I just watch baby Alex get its wings clipped? It was close, but Alex landed immediately in my neighbor’s driveway. That’s when I yelled at my dogs, who of course were only momentarily concerned. My mind went into overdrive. Certainly a broken wing for a baby bird spelled C-A-T-F-O-O-D— in no uncertain terms. I felt responsible. Without many options, I went inside with my dogs and returned with birdseed. Alex was still there. I put the birdseed up on a ledge by my garage, thinking that if Alex could fly, maybe that would incentivize her/him to seek higher ground. Eventually, I drove to work, leaving Alex just sitting there in my neighbor’s driveway. ALEX AND THE NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE continued from previous page

DELAWARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

“More than in some other places, Delaware has a real awareness of birds and birding,” O’Byrne had said proudly. “We have a Division of Fish & Wildlife that is very involved with birding. We have one of the most active bird clubs—DOS is an incredibly active bird club compared to a lot of others in the nation. The American Bird Association, a national birding organization, is centered in Delaware City. That’s its headquarters. We have national attention coming to Delaware.” Over the next few days, my attention was on Alex. As I came and went from my house, I regularly found the innocent chick under a tree in a protected corner of my yard where my neighbor’s house and mine meet. I had not seen it fly and had no idea if it could. ►

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I would be certain not to let the dogs roam free; I left birdseed out when I could; and scared off the neighborhood cats that I saw circling the vicinity. Simply put, I didn’t want to see Alex die. And in this process, I feel like I too was taking my first steps into a bigger world. Maybe I was becoming a birder. Or at least a bird lover. Mt. Cuba Center’s marketing and communications manager, Katie Bohri, helped me see the process—and the appeal—in a clear light. “Birding or appreciating the natural world is a way for us to unplug in a structured way,” she said. “There are so many demands on our attention these days. We can deepen our appreciation of the natural world and finally look at something that’s not trying to sell us something. We can get out of our phones.” I remember the moment I saw Alex fly. Once again, it was under the same tree. I offered some birdseed, but off Alex went, up into the air. It felt great. I haven’t seen Alex since, but I’m thankful we had those few stressed and misunderstood moments together. Nowadays, I like to think of Alex flying high above the landscape—having no immediate agenda—the sun warming its wings on its lofty way to wherever instinct or the next adventure calls. As for me, I’m looking at Delaware and its relationship to birds in an entirely new light. Our state has been known for its beaches, and lately its beers. Maybe it soon will be even more well-known for its birds, too. The possibilities have put me in an optimistic mood. I feel like I’ve experienced an awakening of sorts, as if someone just let me in on a big secret. Perhaps you could say a little bird told me.

When releasing its latest report on the decline of North American bird populations, Cornell Lab of Ornithology included these everyday tips that you can follow to help encourage repopulation efforts.

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