Coastal Style Magazine

SIZZLE & SWING: A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN DICKINS

FACES OF THE SHORE: OUR ANNUAL SHOWCASE

SAFE AT HOME: ESPN'S TIM KURKJIAN RETURNS

ALL FIRED UP!: BRICK OVEN PIZZA ROUND-UP

COASTAL STYLE THE EASTERN SHORE’S MOST POPULAR MAGAZINE

MARCH-APRIL 2019

THE FUTURE IS NOW

KURT WEHBERG, MD, KATRIN ARNOLDS, MD AND MICHAEL SOFRONSKI, MD STAND READY TO LEAD BEEBE HEALTHCARE’S STRATEGIC AND REVOLUTIONARY EXPANSION TO CARE FOR SUSSEX COUNTY

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PROMOTION

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

VALLIANT WEALTH STRATEGIES: MARY ELLEN M. VALLIANT AND BRUCE J. VALLIANT, MANAGING PARTNERS, VWS AND REGISTERED PRINCIPALS, RJFS

VALLIANT WEALTH STRATEGIES SOPHISTICATED, TAILORED WEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES The principals and advisors of Valliant Wealth Strategies (VWS) pride themselves on establishing deeply personal relationships with each client they service. At the firm’s core, family comes first — and each member of their client family is personally and dependably assisted through every stage of their wealthbuilding voyage.

“We believe our role in navigating one’s financial journey is to be their lighthouse — a reliable guiding resource that will provide reassurance and direction throughout every stage of the process,” said Mary Ellen Valliant of Valliant Wealth Strategies.

Valliant, a Managing Partner of VWS since 1997 and Registered Principal with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., has more than 30 years of experience with leading financial services and banking firms. Throughout her career, she has provided private client investment management and financial planning services.

Bruce Valliant, a Managing Partner of Valliant Wealth Strategies and Registered Principal with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., offers over 19 years’ investment management and estate planning experience to private clients. Together with their talented and dedicated team, they proudly provide personalized, concierge-level client care for the clients located on the Eastern Shore and around the world.

“Our family of clients and their needs are as unique as this wonderfully diverse region,” Mary Ellen said. “We pride ourselves on having deeply personal relationships with each and every person we service — from the farmers to the fisherman, the families, the fiscally solvent and the free-spirit entrepreneurs.”

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A BRIGHT, HEALTHY FUTURE: THIS ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING DEPICTS ONLY A PORTION OF THE MASSIVE EXPANSION OF THE BEEBE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN SUSSEX COUNTY. IN ADDITION TO A BRAND-NEW SURGICAL HOSPITAL BOASTING STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENTS TO THE EXISTING MILLVILLE AND LEWES CAMPUSES.

Features

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38

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Beebe Healthcare’s revolutionary expansion is well underway. Come see why it is, more than ever, the preeminent healthcare leader in Sussex County.

Singer Erin Dickens traveled the world with The Manhattan Transfer, only to realize that Easton is homesweet-home. We visit with her to see what she’s got cooking these days.

This mouthwatering roundup of some of the region’s best wood-fired and brick-oven pizza purveyors will make you realize that the Shore is a true dough nation!

WRITTEN BY VICTOR FERNANDES

INTERVIEW BY JONATHAN WESTMAN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANT L. GURSKY

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Departments MARCH-APRIL 2019 / THE PEOPLE ISSUE

22 THE SHORE SCENE 26

28

Our photographers were there to capture the region’s most popular social events.

26 A LEAGUE OF HER OWN

Under Rina Thaler, the Ocean City Center for the Arts is thriving as a cultural epicenter.

28 LOVE AND HONOR

While two beloved relatives lost their battles with cancer, Suzy Taylor is determined to win the war.

30

32

30 SLAM DUNK OF A CAREER

Al “Hondo” Handy used his career with the Town of Ocean City to inspire thousands of local youth.

32 NATRUAL-BORN PROTECTOR

When not safeguarding the public, MD State Trooper Kelly Austin is a champion of neglected pets.

36 ONE COOL CAT

This viral kitty has taken the Internet, the Big Apple and Ocean City by storm.

68 SAFE AT HOME 68

72

ESPN analyst and Maryland native Tim Kurkjian returns to the Shore after 20 years to talk a little baseball.

72 A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME

Wyatt Harrison combines creativity and technology to deliver truly one-of-a-kind products with Plak That.

94 HOME GROWN

Be ready for curb appeal season in your neighborhood with expert advice from local garden center pros.

98 PARTING SHOT 94

16 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

98

Photographer Grant L. Gursky captures a moment in time on the Chesapeake Bay.

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BIG NEWS FOR THE EASTERN SHORE!

We’ve been hard at work creating the next evolution in the history of the Race for the Cure!

Ocean City WALK

This April we will premiere the Susan G. Komen MORE THAN PINK WALK™!

Join us as we raise funds for critical local breast health programs and breakthrough research into the cures for breast cancer.

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Volume 15 • Issue 2 MARCH APRIL 2019

President JONATHAN WESTMAN Vice President ERIN WESTMAN Independent Advertising Executives TAMMY CONSIGLI, ROBYNE FEEHLEY Contributing Editor NICK BRANDI Contributing Designers DENA GRAY, ERIC MARQUARD, LAURA NAVARRE Contributing Writers ALISON CLARY, VICTOR FERNANDES, BRIAN SHANE Contributing Photographers TODD DUDEK, JOEY GARDNER, GRANT L. GURSKY, LOGAN PHILLIPS, STEPHEN WALKER

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Customer Care Coordinator KARYN BORTH Distribution KEN RYAN, JOHN WATHEN Contact Us: P.O. Box 667 • Ocean City, MD 21843 410-213-9491 • 410-213-9492 (fax)

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THE SHORE SCENE Komen Ocean City MORE THAN PINK Walk Kick-Off Supporters of Susan G. Komen Maryland gathered at Dry 85 in Ocean City on February 9 to kick-off the largest annual fundraising event of its year. The 8th annual Komen Ocean City MORE THAN PINK Walk will be held on Saturday, April 13, with festivities beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Inlet. For more, see our profile on event chair Suzy Taylor on Page 28.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANT L. GURSKY

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PEOPLE

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A LEAGUE OF HER OWN Rina Thaler’s vision for Ocean City’s Center for the Arts has proven to be wildly popular — and she’s not done yet WRITTEN BY BRIAN SHANE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANT L. GURSKY

S

eated at a potter’s wheel, spattered with clay, Courtney Gorham recalled how she was thrilled to discover the Ocean City Center for the Arts after having moved full-time to the resort from Northern Virginia in November.

“I joined and came to the class. I really was so excited,” she said. “I’ve done pottery in a lot of studios. The teacher is wonderful. The facility is really nice.

As far as meeting people and getting out, it’s social; it’s art; it’s a place to get involved. For me, it’s been a really great experience.”

She’s not alone. Since opening in 2013, the Ocean City Center for the Arts is bustling. By the numbers, that includes more than 104,000 lifetime visitors —

26 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

including 20,000 in 2018 alone — and the counter keeps rising.

“When I was out there trying to sell the concept initially, to get people to invest, it was hard to imagine we’d have a place like this,” said Executive Director Rina Thaler of her early years of fundraising for the building. “But it’s gone even further. We’re here seven days a week, year-round, and we’re looking at where we’re going to put everything. We never imagined we would be this busy.

We’re busy every day.”

Busy enough that the Art League’s 17-member board of directors is starting to think about an expansion, one that would add classrooms, galleries, and meeting space. It’s not clear when or where that would happen, but they’re

planning for it today, right now — because even at 7,500 square feet, the current building feels tight, Thaler said.

Membership has soared, along with the new building, from about 400 people to more than 1,000. There’s also a volunteer corps of about 220 people without whom the Art League simply would not operate.

The Art League’s popularity and influence since opening its sleek and modern headquarters on 94th Street has delightfully taken hold far beyond its walls. Like the first drops of paint on a canvas, it proved to be just the start of something greater.

Members have been teaming with local schools, putting on exhibits at the resort’s convention center and chamber of commerce, and hosting art-therapy programs for people with mental stresses or addiction issues. They even started a film festival for Ocean City.

“It really took a lot to get people to understand how this place would transform the community,” Thaler said.

“That’s kind of the way this place is, because things start here, but then it spreads out.”

Locals founded the Art League of Ocean City in 1963. After operating for years without a permanent home, in 1983 members acquired an abandoned building on 94th Street. They fixed it up and made it into a home for artists and classes. That old structure, once the pool house for a longgone community pool, was demolished in 2011 to make way for the new facility.

When it comes to the planned expansion, a curbside glance shows a set of tennis courts right next door — wouldn’t those be perfect to build on?

Not so fast, Thaler said. To build there would involve wrangling with state and local officials over where to replace the courts, based commitments to Program Open Space.

However they do grow, it’s certain that people still keep walking through the Art League doors, because members have always gone out of their way to make newcomers feel warmly welcomed. On the Eastern Shore, that’s how it’s done.

“We want this space to be a place where people can come and express themselves, and feel like they’re not being judged,” Thaler said. “You don’t have to be afraid to express yourself here, whether it’s musically or making art.”

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LOVE AND HONOR

PEOPLE

of our community

Suzy Taylor draws upon the courage of her beloved mother and aunt for inspiration to champion the fight against breast cancer as event chairman of the Komen Ocean City MORE THAN PINK Walk WRITTEN BY VICTOR FERNANDES PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANT L. GURSKY

S

uzy Taylor will have little time to herself during the Komen Ocean City MORE THAN PINK Walk on April 13 at the Ocean City Boardwalk.

But the event chairman and Berlin resident will quietly slip into the Remembrance Tent, even for a few moments, to honor family members who have inspired Taylor to work with Susan G. Komen Maryland for 15 years and help organize this annual event every year for eight years.

Taylor lost her mother, Joanne Everly George, to breast cancer in 1980 at the age of 43. Taylor’s aunt, Judy Everly Donaldson, lost her battle with the disease in 2006 at the age of 64. “They were both very instrumental in who I am as a person, and I think they would be proud of the work I’m doing for breast cancer now,” Taylor said. “Even though my mom and aunt will be there in my thoughts, the Remembrance Tent will give me time to sit down and honor them. It’s just a good place to stop and have a little connection with them.”

The event has a new name this year,

28 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

because the MORE THAN PINK Walk stands as much for research and finding a cure for breast cancer as it does for raising awareness. But the formerly named Ocean City Race for the Cure remains Susan G. Komen Maryland’s biggest fundraiser, as the state’s affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has set a goal of raising $160,000 for this year.

“It’s about raising money, but it’s also about awareness and community spirit,” Taylor said. “It’s a really inspiring, uplifting event, seeing the survivors, as well as those living with metastatic cancer.

There’s really a lot of positive energy.”

Remembrance Tent and Hope Village will serve as special sections within the larger Celebration Village, which will open at 7:30 a.m. at the Ocean City Inlet.

In the Remembrance Tent, visitors can write a card, leave a note or sign a panel to celebrate family members and friends who have survived breast cancer or memorialize those who succumbed to the disease. Hope Village will serve as a sanctuary for breast cancer survivors and people living with metastatic breast cancer. They will enjoy special perks,

such as chair massages, gifts and food.

“It’s a place for them to feel special and valued and celebrate their journeys,” Taylor said of the guests of honor, who will lead the Parade of Pink around the inlet at 8:20 a.m. That is followed by the MORE THAN PINK Walk, which begins at about 9 a.m. and features a 5K walk from Celebration Village to 18th Street. From there, it’s a trip around the pier before returning to the village’s mainstage.

The event concludes with music, dancing and a beer garden at the inlet.

Taylor will be busy at work. Her mother and aunt will be with her throughout the day. “She’s pretty much on my mind every day,” Taylor said of her mother.

“It’s been a long time, but there’s barely a day that goes by that I don’t think something about her and my aunt.

Whenever I’m in any of these events, they’re definitely top-of-mind.”

To register, donate or volunteer for the 8th annual Komen Ocean City MORE THAN PINK Walk, visit www.maryland.info-komen.org.

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PEOPLE

of our community

SLAM DUNK OF A CAREER Al “Hondo” Handy positively impacted thousands of local youth during his career at the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Dept.

WRITTEN BY ALISON CLARY PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANT L. GURSKY

30 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

A

fter 39 years of loyal service to the Town of Ocean City, Albin “Hondo” Handy, who played a pivotal role in the extensive progression of the town’s recreation department, is retiring. Hondo has served in many roles throughout his employment, most recently as recreation manager, but perhaps his most memorable designation is as one of the community’s most respected and beloved individuals.

As competitive indoor soccer games

carried on behind him, Hondo candidly and humbly summed up his feelings on ending his nearly four-decade-long career.

“It’s been an honor to work for this community. I’ve enjoyed coming to work every day, and I’ve been lucky to be given the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people and businesses.”

Hondo’s roots run local, having grown up in Bishopville and Berlin. Hondo credits his high school and his college basketball coach, Ward Lambert, with sparking his interest in physical education

department grew, so did the number of recreation opportunities available to the community.

“When I first started, there was only one summer camp offered. Now we provide 83 summer camps, which are available to both locals and visitors to the area,” shared Hondo.

Hondo also established local tournaments and sporting events that bring crowds into town, thus benefiting local business. Hondo’s leadership and commitment to the area’s well-being have been consistently recognized by the community. He has received countless awards throughout his career, including the 2004 Citizen of the Year in Ocean City, by the Ocean City Elks Lodge, and the 2015 Ocean City Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, among others.

Hondo said that his retirement will afford him more time with his wife of 30 years, Regina. He plans to play more golf and travel to warmer destinations.

He also intends to finish writing two memoir-style books, which recount his time growing up in Delmarva and detail the ups and downs he’d experienced along the way.

Though Hondo is leaving his formal position, he insisted he will remain a

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and serving as an early mentor. Hondo graduated from Salisbury University with a degree in physical education before briefly moving to Harford County and accepting a long-term phys-ed substitute-teacher position. This led to his involvement in working summer camps, for which he identified an immediate desire to pursue further.

Hondo returned to his Shore roots, and he became an official employee of the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department in 1980.

“In the early days, we mostly only oversaw the upkeep of the few local ballparks. It’s unbelievable how far we’ve expanded since then,” shared Hondo.

Hondo recognized the value that recreation could add to a community in both economic development and community-health improvement.

He worked tactfully to develop the department to its fullest potential and played a role in several significant expansions, including the addition of the Northside Park facility. As the

lifelong supporter of the Ocean City Parks and Recreation Department. “Throughout all these years, I’ve promoted this department wherever I went. I will always continue to do so,” he said.

When asked about the legacy he wishes to leave behind, Hondo shared his hope that the community will remember the strong emphasis he’s placed on sportsmanship.

“I tell my kids to think before they act.

Always be kind. Always remain positive.

I hope they remember this.”

CoastalStyleMag.com / COASTAL STYLE 31

PEOPLE

of our community

NATURAL-BORN PROTECTOR

From volunteer to president and beyond, Kelly Austin has dedicated 20 tireless years to the ethical treatment of animals at the Worcester County Humane Society WRITTEN BY BRIAN SHANE PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANT L. GURSKY

A

nne O’Connell remembers well the day she adopted her kitten, Frances, from the Worcester County Humane Society. What made it special was learning that a shelter volunteer named Kelly Austin had rescued Frances from an abandoned and starving litter and nursed her back to health.

“That is the essence of Kelly,” said O’Connell, now a volunteer at the shelter. “She is a dedicated advocate of the shelter and, more broadly, animal welfare in general. She has an incredible energy when it comes to making sure all the animals at the shelter are properly cared for, loved, and, hopefully, adopted.

It’s clear that our shelter is her mission.”

Austin has passionately devoted the last 20 years to helping the Worcester County Humane Society, as a volunteer, its former president and now the vicepresidential board member in charge of shelter operations.

Their no-kill shelter, located on the outskirts of West Ocean City, keeps animals on the premises until they are adopted. Last year, the shelter took in 342 cats and 87 dogs, and eventually placed 241 cats and 119 dogs with new owners, according to Austin.

“Kitten season this year was really long,” she recalled, as countless felines scampered underfoot in one of the shelter’s many enclosed cat areas.

“While we did do lots of adoptions, we don’t have as many kittens left, because, typically, the first thing people want are babies.”

32 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

NO LIMITS FOR THIS AUSTIN: WHEN SHE’S NOT RESCUING AND CARING FOR NEGLECTED PETS, KELLY AUSTIN (STANDING, FRONT LEFT) SERVES THE COMMUNITY AS A MARYLAND STATE TROOPER DETECTIVE SERGEANT.

Austin works as a Maryland State Police Trooper stationed at the Princess Anne barracks. There, Det. Sgt. Austin oversees reports and the property room — a job already demanding enough without also taking on the responsibilities of feeding, housing and

caring for 200 cats and 24 dogs in her spare time.

Remarkably, she also shepherded the Humane Society (which is unaffiliated with the national group of the same name) out from under a financial crisis in 2013, after a former board president

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departed under accusations of mismanaging funds and shelter operations. Under Austin’s subsequent leadership, a tightknit team of supporters and CALL OF DUTY: KELLY SAID BETA (IN HER volunteers made possible the ARMS), OLIVIA AND BLUTO, organization’s turnaround.

BELOW, ARE AVAILABLE FOR “Everything was completely ADOPTION TO GOOD HOMES restructured — ­ board of FROM THE WORCESTER COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY. directors, written policies, research, better record-keeping,” Austin said. “Everything that a new organization needs is what we have done, starting from scratch and rebuilding.”

The shelter has also grown its services in recent years, offering free pet food to all takers, a lowcost spay-and-neuter clinic, as well as running a West Ocean City thrift store, where all proceeds benefit the shelter.

It takes about $40,000 to the Humane Society for $1 a year. annually to care for the hundreds But that building is now 30 years of animals under Austin’s watch, though old, and so the Humane Society is now many other costs are offset under a working partnership with the town Ocean embarking upon the earliest stages of an estimated $8 million capital campaign, City, which owns the building and rents

34 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

to replace their existing headquarters with a new center that will better suit the community’s needs.

Austin particularly hopes the new facility will have the luxury of different air handlers to prevent upper-respiratory infections that sometimes are a problem for their shelter cats. It’s one of the reasons they have so many spaces for felines to pop outside for fresh air.

She’s also proud to say that the shelter now has more volunteers on hand than at any time in its history — ­ a core group of animal lovers whose unsung efforts are crucial to the daily grind of running a shelter.

“It’s not just a one-person organization — it belongs to the public,” Austin said. “We consider ourselves a family. And we’re all passionate about what we do here. We’re all working for a common goal. Animals are what everybody has in their heart. That’s why we’re all here.”

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imfeelingpipsy Ocean City, Maryland

ONE COOL CAT

From the Boardwalk to Times Square, Pip the Beach Cat has taken Ocean City, the Big Apple and the Internet by storm WRITTEN BY ALISON CLARY | LEAD PHOTO BY GRANT L. GURSKY

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star is born in Ocean City — a star with four legs, that is.

A local feline, affectionately known as Pip the Beach Cat, is taking the Internet by storm. He’s accumulated almost 30,000 combined social media followers, and his follower counts increase daily.

Pip’s Internet fame can likely be attributed to his unconventional tendencies, lovable personality and

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photogenic nature. According to his parents, Emily Meadows and Jack Bulak, Pip has an innate fondness for the beach.

Unlike other cats, he blissfully swims, digs holes in the sand and has even been known to jump on a paddleboard or bodyboard.

“As soon as we saw him get in the water so comfortably, we knew he was special and that we needed to share him with the world,” said Emily.

Just as the couple expected, individuals across the community and beyond have embraced Pip’s adventurous persona.

Whether he’s at the Boardwalk, arcade, local bars or the Ocean City shoreline, Pip is constantly approached by intrigued locals and visitors, many of whom are already fans. Online, he’s showered with praise and notes of appreciation by folks from across the globe.

“We’ve had people reach out to us,

saying they are suffering from mental illnesses, such as depression. They tell us that seeing Pip’s face every day has brightened their spirits,” added Emily.

Unfortunately, life wasn’t always so glamorous for Pip, and people often resonate with his “under-cat” story. He was initially found on a doorstep in Berlin after a late-summer thunderstorm.

From there, he bounced around between a few homes before being united with Emily and Jack.

Because the couple were already parents to two other cats, they originally only intended to babysit Pip until a permanent home could be established.

They were quickly informed the Worcester County Humane Society (WCHS) was at capacity and could no longer accept any more felines. The couple soon fell in love with Pip and agreed to welcome him into their family officially.

From there, Pip’s story developed in ways no one could have imagined. In addition to earning online fame and localcelebrity status, Pip has some exciting projects in the works. He’s the focus of an upcoming children’s book, which is expected to be released by May. The book’s storyline focuses on showcasing Ocean City through Pip’s eyes, by guiding the reader through his favorite local establishments. Pip and his parents are also working on producing a stuffed animal, Little Pips, for fans to enjoy.

Recently, Pip even made a trip to the Big Apple, where he landed representation from an agent, as well as a shout-out in the New York Post. He was also recently invited to join professional athletes as a VIP guest for the 7th Annual Pawject Runway in Baltimore this April.

As Pip’s notoriety rises and he’s ventured into new business markets, he and his parents have made sure to honor their local roots. They plan to donate 15 percent of his book sales equally among The Cricket Center, Surf Into Integrity, and the WCHS. Additionally, they have decided to donate three dollars from any book purchased at a local charity event back to the charitable organization responsible for hosting it.

So, what’s the next chapter for Pip the Beach Cat? Well, his owners say the sky is the limit, and they plan to keep sharing Pip’s adventures and finding ways to support the local community along the way.

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The Future is

NOW

BEEBE HEALTHCARE’S STRATEGIC AND REVOLUTIONARY EXPANSION PLANS WILL ENHANCE ITS POSITION AS THE INNOVATIVE LEADER OF CARE IN SUSSEX COUNTY WRIT TEN BY VIC TOR FERNANDE S

■ PHO T O G R A PH Y COUR T E S Y BEEBE HE A LT HC A RE CoastalStyleMag.com / COASTAL STYLE 39

HE PATIENT EXPERIENCE is priority No. 1 at Beebe

Healthcare, and the Sussex County healthcare system’s highly anticipated Specialty Surgical Hospital in Rehoboth Beach will make the experience even better for patients facing elective surgery, by making their stays shorter.

Maximum efficiency meets relaxing comfort when the main component of an ongoing $180 million master-facilities expansion plan, which includes improvements to the Lewes and Millville campuses, opens its doors in July 2022 at the corner of Route 24 and Warrington Road.

The $124 million project will blend the award-winning service headlining Beebe Healthcare’s century of rich tradition with stateof-the-art amenities Eastern Shore residents expect from their health providers — fully private rooms for patients, well-lit waiting areas for families, well-designed patient care stations and direct, easily accessible routes to and from parking areas and within the facility.

“We really wanted to create a platform for patients to have a great patient experience,” said Beebe Healthcare executive vice president and COO Rick Schaffner about people undergoing outpatient care and procedures requiring a short inpatient stay of three days or less at the surgical hospital. “We looked at the way surgery has evolved in our industry. A lot of it is shifting to shorter lengths of stay, very much elective and very much able to be scheduled in advance,” Schaffner added. “One of the things we wanted to do was create a platform for folks where they could have prescheduled elective surgical procedures in a very comfortable environment.”

When construction begins in April, a plan designed with the wishes of patients and families in mind will start to come to life, such as multimillion-dollar projects at Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus in Lewes and South Coastal Health Campus in Millville. The Patient Family Advisory Council, a committee of past Beebe Healthcare patients, played an integral role in the surgical hospital’s development phase.

“We don’t really like people to tell us everything they love about us, although that’s great,” Schaffner said. “We really challenged the folks on the Patient Family Advisory Council to tell us what they’d like to see done differently. I think they’ve been very, very pleased.”

Patients need to feel calm and confident from start to finish, whether it’s while facing a joint replacement performed by an orthopedic surgeon, hernia surgery handled by a general surgeon, urologic and gynecologic procedures, or procedures done with a surgical robot.

That positive experience begins “from the moment a patient walks in the door and goes throughout the organization, to include state-of-the-art techniques, procedures and skills,” said Dr. Kurt Wehberg, board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with Beebe Cardiothoracic Surgery, who also serves as co-chief of cardiothoracic surgery, chief of robotics and vice president of clinical innovation.

The new surgical hospital, along with improvements on the Lewes and Millville campuses, Schaffner said, “gives us the opportunity to schedule and to manage on an emergent basis

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IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING STATE-OF-THE-ART HEALTHCARE, THE CORNERSTONE OF BEEBE’S EXPANSIVE UPGRADE IS PROVIDING SHORTER HOSPITAL STAYS FOR PATIENTS.

but also schedule more complex surgeries on our Savannah Road campus [in Lewes], because operating rooms will be created for those shorter length-of-stay patients and outpatients out on our Rehoboth campus.”

The $48 million South Coastal project underway in Millville, led by a free-standing ER department and new cancer center, are set to be finished in May 2020 and August 2020, respectively. Upgrades totaling $10 million to the cardiac services area, soon-to-be private patient rooms, main entrance and lobby at the Lewes campus, will begin in the next six months, with completion set for 2021.

Two smaller projects on the Lewes Campus include a hybrid operating room and electrophysiology laboratory. “We are building on a culture of excellence,” Dr. Wehberg said. “This is the standard we are setting for all of Beebe’s services, and we hope the work being done here in our community will soon disseminate to the entire state to promote innovation and the best standards for our patients.”

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE Highlights of Beebe Healthcare’s four projects totaling $180 million that are underway or set to begin.

Specialty Surgical Hospital, Rehoboth Beach $124 million This state-of-the-art surgical technology is headlined by the da Vinci Xi Robotics System, which is touted as the most advanced and minimally invasive robotic surgical system. Also included: fully private patient rooms, well-lit waiting areas for families, welldesigned patient care stations and direct, easily accessible routes to and from parking areas and within the facility (set to begin in April, expected completion July 2022).

South Coastal Health Campus, Millville $48 million This ongoing project will feature a free-standing emergency room department (expected completion May 2020), and new cancer center (expected completion August 2020).

Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, Lewes: Upgrades to cardiac services area, main entrance and lobby; convert semi-private patient rooms to private rooms $10 million (expected completion 2021) that are set to begin in the next six months. In addition to the facility featuring a hybrid operating room and electrophysiology laboratory (expected completion 2020).

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FUNDING FOR THE BOLD EXPANSION OF BEEBE’S SURGICAL FACILITIES AND OTHER PROJECTS BEGINS WITH BEEBE MEDICAL FOUNDATION, LED BY A RECORD $10 MILLION GIFT FROM THE MA-RAN FOUNDATION.

As with Beebe Healthcare’s other campuses, a highly skilled and dedicated collection of specialists, physicians, nurses and team members will reside within the Specialty Surgical Hospital to provide the highest-quality medical service to Eastern Shore residents.

“Innovation to me means thinking ahead and recognizing where a technological advancement will occur,” said Dr. Michael Sofronski, board-certified general surgeon and bariatric surgery specialist. Sofronski pointed to the surgeries that will be performed at the surgical hospital with the use of the da Vinci Xi Robotics System, which is touted as the most advanced and minimally invasive robotic surgical system.

Dr. Sofronski said he performs all of his general and bariatric surgeries robotically. Dr. Katrin Arnolds, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, said robotically assisted surgery “enhances a surgeon’s touch and eliminates unnecessary moves.

It has the ability to do the smallest incisions and a wide range of motion only possible with this technology.”

The future is bright at Beebe Healthcare because, Dr. Sofronski said, “Beebe is a very forward-thinking organization, and that creativity and innovation establishes our health

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system as a leader in the delivery of care to our patients.”

Funding for the surgical hospital and other projects begins with Beebe Medical Foundation, which Schaffner said “has had great success in terms of folks in our community supporting our project.”

Fundraising is highlighted by a Beebe Healthcare and county-record $10 million gift from Ma-Ran Foundation, which led to the Lewes campus being renamed in honor of Ma-Ran co-founder Margaret H. Rollins. The gift will pay to convert semi-private rooms to private in Lewes, and create a more direct path through the facility for patients and visitors.

The foundation will continue fundraising efforts to complete the project, which also includes operating capital and bond financing gained through the state. Meanwhile, excitement continues to build throughout the Beebe Healthcare community. “I am proud to be a member of the surgical team here at Beebe,” Dr. Arnolds said, “because we all work together to bring innovative thinking to our procedures.”

That innovation is leading to the creation of one of the most comprehensive and technologically advanced health systems on the Shore. Beebe Healthcare’s strategic vision for the future offers Sussex County residents and visitors peace of mind, because should they require care, access to state-of-the-art facilities, revolutionary surgical advancements and a network of highly-trained professionals awaits. The future is now.

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239 Ocean Parkway, Ocean Pines | 410-641-7717 OceanPines.org

“Employees take pride in knowing that their day-to-day work resonates with the warm, welcoming residents and guests of Ocean Pines” — Denise Sawyer, Marketing and Public Relations Director In its early days, the Ocean Pines Association was just a small, coastal development with unpaved streets, and initially, there were more pine trees than residents. Flash-forward 50 years, and the community that was once considered a hidden gem has since seen significant development, even earning national recognition and features in respected publications such as Forbes.

Today, Ocean Pines is Worcester County’s largest residential community, with 12,000 full-time residents and 8,000 part-time residents and guests.

With its own police department, fire department, water system, public-works department, yacht club, restaurants, recreation facilities and countless other amenities, it’s easy to see why Ocean Pines maintains a prestigious, fun and safe reputation.

Behind the scenes, the Homeowner’s Association, referred to as the Ocean Pines Association, employs a dedicated and highly skilled team of area residents who manage the community and its many amenities. The Association team works collaboratively to offer exceptional value and quality of life to Ocean Pines’ diverse mix of property owners and visitors.

While the Ocean Pines Association employees come from a broad range of backgrounds, together they maintain one common mindset: Pines Pride.

“Employees take pride in knowing that their day-to-day work resonates with the warm, welcoming residents and guests of Ocean Pines,” said Marketing and Public Relations Director Denise Sawyer.

Pines Pride spreads beyond the Ocean Pines borders, as the Association shares a passion for the well-being of our entire Shore community. Recently, the Association helped facilitate Ocean Pines Marina’s recertification as a Maryland Clean Marina. This statewide recognition demonstrates the Ocean Pines Association’s steadfast commitment to clean marina practices and, in turn, its dedication to the overall health of Delmarva’s waterways.

The Association also oversees the Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market, which occurs weekly throughout the year and is open to the public. The popular market provides a platform for community residents to purchase genuine local produce and goods.

“In a recent Nextdoor online survey, more than a thousand Worcester County residents named the Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market a ‘Neighborhood Favorite for 2018,’” shared Sawyer.

The pride and friendliness that residents and staff exude to area guests have allowed Ocean Pines to remain one of the most highly sought-after, awardwinning local residential communities. Recently, Ocean Pines was even ranked the safest community in Maryland for 2019. To further ensure the community’s safety and better serve residents, the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors recently voted unanimously to expand the Ocean Pines Police Department.

From left: John Bailey, Dave Massey, Denise Sawyer, Angie Ortt, Matt Ortt, Lia Isel, Ralph DeAngelus, Stuart Diepold, Terry Underkoffler, Colby Phillips and Debbie Donahue.

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THE FACES OF CULINARY TALENT SODEL CONCEPTS Operating 10 Delaware restaurants from Lewes to Fenwick Island 220 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach | 302-740-6323 SoDelConcepts.com

“At SoDel, we believe the chef is the person who sets the tone for that restaurant, and for that reason, we do everything we can to help them be successful.” — Doug Ruley, Vice President It is the chefs at SoDel Concepts that drive the company forward, starting with Vice President of Culinary Operations Doug Ruley. Doug leads his team with care and professionalism, having that sought-after ability to inspire his team to strive to grow every day.

SoDel Concepts owns 10 restaurants along the Delaware Coast, including the flagship restaurant, Bluecoast Seafood Grill and Raw Bar, its sister restaurant in Rehoboth, and Matt’s Fish Camp, in Bethany Beach and Lewes.

“At SoDel, we believe the chef is the face of the restaurant and the person who sets the tone for that restaurant,” said Ruley. “For that reason, we do everything we can to help them be successful.”

Sometimes that means giving a chef a structured plan and guidance through a time of growth. Sometimes it is affording the chefs time for continuing education. Other times, it means giving a chef the freedom to be creative Front, from left: Nina Maddox, Maurice Catlett, Doug Ruley, Ronnie Burkle, Chris Parks and Jen Bradour. Middle, from left: Anthony Alderucci, Steve Francis, Alex Martinez, Ryan Cunningham, Scott Viselli, Charlie Moronski, Carlos Rubio, Joe Bekeshka, Charles Armstrong, Raul Rodriguez, Dru Tevis, Perrin McNeill, Bruce Galm, Ray Kumm and Rhian Morrisson. Seated, back: Mayra Roork, Allejandro Hernandez, Maggie Cellitto, Efrain Martinez and Kat Hy.

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and to use their personal knowledge and culinary talents to drive the restaurant forward.

A unique aspect to SoDel Concepts is their ability to bring a young chef up through the ranks.

“There are a lot of young people in our area who are interested in the culinary side of the restaurant business,” Doug said. “Through the years we have developed a plan to identify young talent and to give a young cook just starting out the structure to grow, to learn their craft and to move up in the ranks.”

Ruley maintains that growing the business has been relatively easy, as they have had the chefs ready and in place to execute while maintaining the high standards that SoDel Concepts has become known for over the years. “Really, it is only natural for us to expand. Ultimately, we would love to give all of these talented young people the space to shine,” said Ruley of the company.

When the young people move up, the veterans move up, too. Five years ago, Ruley was the only corporate chef, overseeing the culinary operations at all of the restaurants. Today there are four corporate chefs, including Ruley.

“We are ready to continue to grow, and really I think our food is better than ever. We have a group of incredibly talented people in our kitchens, and they are what SoDel is all about.”

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32267 Clubhouse Way, Millsboro | 302-947-9225 BaywoodWeddings.com

“We are a team of many who all work together and take care of everything a couple could want.”

— Rachel Bain, Director of Events

“I think the staff here and our ability to take care of everything for you is what makes us unique. It definitely takes us a step above a lot of venues that are around this area,” Director of Events Rachael Bain said. “That is a huge factor in the decision-making process for the couple. They’re excited and happy that they know they can come to us for all their needs.”

The possibilities for that singular day — or a weekend-long wedding getaway — are limitless. They begin, Bain said, with an “award-winning weddingplanning staff and on-site florist,” who are on top of the latest trends in customizable room layouts and floral designs. “We then have an amazing team, led by Kevin Maull, the banquet manager, who will set up whatever you want, wherever you want it!”

Want a picturesque outdoor scene as your backdrop? The Clubhouse at Baywood features a waterfront ceremony garden that brings the band, dance floor, stationary bar and cocktail tables outside, with creative hanging centerpieces and tablescapes that add to the ambience.

Do you dream of a beach wedding? No problem: The Clubhouse at Baywood is 20 minutes from the water. For those who fancy a traditional church wedding, “one of our event coordinators will be with the bride the day of the wedding, wherever she chooses to be married— at the church or on the beach — and provide coordination to get the party back to Baywood for the reception,” said Bain.

Meanwhile, as destination weddings grow in popularity, The Clubhouse at Baywood has everything needed for the bride and groom wanting more for their guests.“There are houses available to rent on-site,” Bain said, which include golf carts to drive to the course for a round of golf, to the restaurant for dinner or lunch or to the reception itself. Baywood has private dining rooms for the rehearsal dinner, farewell brunch and other meals in-between.

“It’s a magical experience,” said one couple of their daughter’s December wedding at Baywood. “We use the word ‘magical’ because it conveys the warmth, kindness and professionalism shown to us by the staff, who seem like family to us now,” the couple wrote.

The Clubhouse at Baywood also hosts many other special events, from baby showers and bridal showers to engagement parties and family reunions.

Often, events are booked by couples who had their weddings there. “We form meaningful connections with our wedding couples throughout the planning process and beyond their wedding day,” Bain said.

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The creative, hardworking team of wedding professionals at The Clubhouse at Baywood routinely make wedding dreams come to life at the all-inclusive, full-service venue in Millsboro. The setting boasts breathtaking views of the greens, the gardens and the water set on the back nine. It features a ceremony garden, outdoor patio, a veranda overlooking the garden, a reception ballroom for up to 260 seated guests and more intimate spaces, for smaller affairs. It is a stunning venue, but it is the award-winning staff and on-site florist who make The Clubhouse at Baywood such a special place to have a wedding.

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THE FACES OF AESTHETIC EXCELLENCE PENINSULA PLASTIC SURGERY 314 W. Carroll Street, Salisbury | 410-546-0464 30265 Commerce Drive, Suite 208, Millsboro | 302-663-0119 12308 Ocean Gateway, Unit 8, Ocean City | 410-641-1876 PenPlasticSurgery.com

“Our team uses a comprehensive approach to care to provide our patients complete satisfaction.”

— Dr. Vincent Perrotta The aesthetics industry is constantly evolving, and the dedicated team at Peninsula Plastic Surgery (PPS) pride themselves on using the latest technology and techniques in their expanding list of state-ofthe-art facilities. Their all-inclusive team approach to care has led to the expansion of their med spa and office locations over the past year.

PPS now offers its ever-growing patient-base appointments in three locations — Salisbury, Millsboro and West Ocean City. The main location in Salisbury also houses their nationally accredited surgical center, The Center for Aesthetic Surgery.

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The Center for Aesthetic Surgery (CAS) is a 1,600 sq. ft. ultra-modern facility that not only streamlines PPS procedures but also delivers patient privacy and individualized care and comfort. Board-certified plastic surgeons Drs. Vincent Perrotta and Christopher Pellegrino have performed a wide spectrum of cosmetic and medical surgery procedures at CAS, including thousands of breast augmentations, facelifts and tummy tucks. Their comprehensive list of services includes hand surgery, scar revisions, breast reductions, breast lifts and reconstructions, as well as liposuction and body contouring.

Furthermore, the PPS team have performed thousands of cancerous lesion removals in their operating room, which drastically reduces the risk of infection for each patient. Midlevel providers Kerri Holloway, CRNP, and Jayme Isett, PA, are accepting appointments for skin checks at all three office locations and guarantee to see patients within two weeks.

Peninsula Plastic Surgery’s Millsboro location offers residents of the Delaware and Maryland beaches a convenient location to receive the same state-of-the-art services as the main location, in Salisbury. Services include medical care such as skin cancer evaluations and treatment to non-invasive cosmetic treatments, including injectables, microneedling and laser treatments. Tiffany Pellegrino, Laser RN, recently joined the PPS team with over 20 years of experience in the aesthetics industry.

Beginning in March, she will be offering Blue Light treatments for acne and pre-cancerous lesions on the face, scalp and arms on a weekly basis in Millsboro. Additional laser offerings include laser hair removal, age- and sun-spot removal, as well as removal of vascular lesions on the face and legs.

Peninsula Plastic Surgery most recently expanded into West Ocean City to better serve the needs of their patients in Berlin, Ocean City, Ocean Pines and surrounding communities. Holloway and Isett offer patients skin cancer screenings and treatments, injection therapy and microneedling services twice each month in the West Ocean City office, located within the AGH Women’s Health Center complex.

Kerri Holloway, CRNP

Jayme Isett, PA-C

Not only has PPS expanded its office locations, its acclaimed Renaissance Med Spa has grown, as well. The Salisbury spa is now a beautiful, recently remodeled, stand-alone facility located adjacent to PPS. Patients can enjoy an expanded menu of spa services, including lash lift and microblading, along with more flexible appointment times due to the expansion. Certified aestheticians Emily Coleman, Kyle Mills, Carla Staubs and Dana Ferreri are welcoming new patients in the Salisbury and Millsboro spa locations.

For these detailed reasons, and many more, it’s clear that Peninsula Plastic Surgery is the unrivaled leader of aesthetic excellence on the Eastern Shore.

From left: Jessica Moore, Ali Davenport, Kandice Hancock and Stephanie Vetra.

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THE FACES OF TRUSTED CARE FOR SENIORS L A K E S I D E AT M A L L A R D L A N D I N G 1107 S. Schumaker Drive, Salisbury | 410-749-2848 LakesideAtMallardLanding.com

“Every service we offer is specifically thought out to achieve the goal of overall health and well-being in our residents. The attention to detail is what sets us apart from other senior living communities” — Alyssa Jones When the time comes for you to choose a senior living community, whether for yourself or a loved one, there are many factors to consider.

Perhaps the most influential component is the level of trust you feel for the community and in the level of care the team members can deliver.

The friendly professionals at Lakeside At Mallard Landing understand the significance trust holds in connection with senior care. In fact, the team considers exceptional care to be the foundation of its mission.

Each team member brings extensive experience and education in 52 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

their field of service, as well as a heartfelt passion for supporting seniors in living the happiest, most abundant life possible.

Located in Salisbury, Lakeside At Mallard Landing maintains a reputation as one of the area’s premier senior living communities by providing an ideal mix of gratifying lifestyle options and personalized care. The community is welcoming of individuals in all stages of senior care, which is why they offer Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care options.

The Independent Living residences are an ideal fit for seniors who maintain an active lifestyle but are looking for some assistance with some of the maintenance of their daily lives. The team members assist Independent Living residents by lessening the workload associated with keeping up their homes, while also offering opportunities to socialize with other residents.

Assisted Living residents can count on around-the-clock support from a 24-hour professional health-and-wellness team to ensure they are remaining as independent as possible. Assisted Living residents also have the ability to choose from varying levels of personalized care services, such as showering or bathing assistance, medication management, continence management, glucose and insulin management and linen service.

There are many different floor-plan options available, ranging from quaint suites to spacious one- or two-bedroom apartment homes.

Additionally, each Independent and Assisted Living apartment home features a kitchenette, including a refrigerator, roomy living areas and sizable bathrooms.

concierge services, including assistance in making reservations for restaurants, shows, scheduling flower deliveries and more. Other amenities, such as a clubhouse, beauty salon and barber shop, along with being a pet-friendly community are parts of everyday living at Lakeside At Mallard Landing.

The dining options at Lakeside At Mallard Landing are just as extensive as every other aspect of the community. Everything is made from scratch daily with the finest ingredients, and the menus are always evolving. There are three different culinary venues available to residents: a take-away cafe, pub-style bistro and the Sensations dining room.

Individuals interested in learning more about Lakeside At Mallard Landing may connect with a senior lifestyle counselor, who can provide guidance and expert information. Private community tours, which include a complimentary lunch or dinner, are also available.

Lakeside At Mallard Landing also offers Memory Care for residents facing dementia or other memory-related diseases. Nurses and nurse practitioners, who have received ongoing education and specialized training in memory care diseases, provide exceptional care. Through the exclusive SHINE Memory Care program, these caregivers help residents stimulate and preserve their minds.

To better serve residents, the community recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation that consisted of more than just installing new flooring and lighting and aesthetic changes, like paint colors and new artwork. The designer remodel resulted in a completely refreshed look, providing residents with an even better way to dine, socialize and enjoy life in the new Bistro, Sensations Dining Room, Resident Living Room with fireplace, and modern welcoming Lobby.

Lakeside At Mallard Landing resident services include weekly housekeeping, complimentary scheduled transportation, full CoastalStyleMag.com / COASTAL STYLE  53

Cortney Thompson

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THE FACE OF MODERN, COASTAL DESIGNS PERFECT FURNISHINGS 39597 Jefferson Bridge Road, Bethany Beach | 302-537-2800 PerfectFurnishingsInc.com

“My favorite style is mixing coastal design infused with farmhouse elements and adding a modern twist.”

— Cortney Thompson, Manager, Buyer and Designer

Home furnishings have served as a consistent theme throughout Cortney Thompson’s family. One set of grandparents were professional upholsterers, while her other grandparents and father have operated a furniture store for over 40 years. Her mother, Tisha Buchanan, is the proud founder and owner of Perfect Furnishings of Bethany Beach. Even Cortney’s husband, Fred, helps the family business as a member of the furniture-delivery team whenever called upon.

It was no surprise that Cortney, a Sussex County native, would eventually become heavily involved in the home-furnishings business, especially after inheriting her mother and father’s eye for color, design and detail.

After graduating high school, Cortney officially began working for Perfect Furnishings as an office employee, which mostly consisted of answering phones and completing paperwork.

Soon thereafter, she started accompanying Tisha on trips to national furniture shows. She grasped every opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the industry from her mother and began taking on bigger roles within Perfect Furnishings. Despite having earned her cosmetology license along the way, it was her inevitable conclusion that the home-furnishings industry was her destined career path.

Cortney’s knowledge of the industry and expertise in home design have continued to expand. She now plays an integral role in the store’s success, 54 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

and she wears many hats, including that of manager, buyer and designer.

The Perfect Furnishings quaint storefront is a refreshing alternative to cold, warehouse-like furniture showrooms. While there are many furnishings and décor to be seen within the physical space, there are also endless other options available through customization or special ordering. Perfect Furnishings focuses mostly on coastal schemes, which align with the store’s beach surroundings. While Tisha’s style is more centered around bright colors, Cortney’s style skews to the modern.

“My favorite style is mixing coastal design infused with farmhouse elements and adding a modern twist,” stated Cortney.

Cortney and Tisha have a small yet seasoned staff who support them and add a wealth of industry knowledge. Together, the Perfect Furnishings team uses a hands-on approach, which includes complimentary design services to every customer, offering exclusive options that are fully customized to each individual project.

Perfect Furnishings can cater to any size design project, ranging from a single room all the way up to an entire beach mansion. They also aren’t limited to furniture: A plethora of home décor and accessories are available, as well.

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1655 Woodbrooke Drive, Suite 101, Salisbury | 410-749-1123 | 866-725-1061 (toll free) PeninsulaImaging.com

“We provide compassionate care at the cutting edge of technology.”

— Kelly Courtney, Lead Ultrasound Technologist Delmarva’s Imaging Leader is more than a brand at Peninsula Imaging. It’s the foundation for a full-service imaging center that always provides quality service through increasingly advanced technology and a compassionate, highly skilled team of ultrasound technologists.

an alternative to magnetic resonance imaging exams for patients who aren’t prime candidates for MRIs or can’t cope with an MRI machine’s enclosed space due to claustrophobia.

“We provide compassionate care at the cutting edge of technology,” lead ultrasound technologist Kelly Courtney said, which has made the state-of-theart center in Salisbury a trailblazer in imaging services, most recently with its advances in general ultrasound services.

The noninvasive method allows radiologists to view comprehensive real-time images of muscles, tendons and ligaments, as well as help diagnose tears and other soft tissue conditions. Musculoskeletal ultrasound also highlights dynamic muscle and tendon movement for evaluation, as well as the structure and movement of internal organs and blood flow through blood vessels.

Peninsula Imaging, which is accredited by the American College of Radiology, features ultrasound technologists who are fully registered with American Registry Diagnostic Medical Sonography and have nearly 100 years of combined experience. They perform thousands of ultrasounds each year in the center’s six ultrasound rooms, while a rotating team of 15 board-certified radiologists, several of whom hold specialized sonography certifications, read exams on-site.

FibroScan Liver Elastography offers specialized testing to determine fatty liver disease, which Courtney said allows referring physicians to treat patients before the onset of fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver. Peninsula Imaging is the only facility in the area to provide FibroScan exams, which measures liver stiffness in a simple, painless and reproducible method and in a noninvasive, precise and reliable manner.

Through ultrasound, patients experience a noninvasive method that utilizes sound waves to view the body’s internal structures. It’s often associated with obstetric anatomical survey with the option for 3D/4D imaging, general abdominal, pelvic, thyroid, breast, upper and lower arterial and carotid duplex imaging, as well as venous imaging to assess deep vein thrombosis. Peninsula Imaging breaks through barriers, most recently with the latest in ultrasound technology — musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging and FibroScan Liver Elastography.

“It grows what we can offer our patients,” said Courtney, who pointed to Peninsula Imaging’s “significant investment” in time and money to remain “on the forefront of the newest technology, not only in ultrasound but in all of our modalities.”

Musculoskeletal ultrasound, which the center unveiled six months ago, serves as

That investment pays off for the people Peninsula Imaging serves. “Patients have the choice where they can get their imaging done,” marketing representative Lou Ann Leonard said, “and we like to think when they choose us they’re getting the best care in the area.”

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THE FACES OF DENTAL INNOVATION T I LG H M A N O R T H O D O N T I C S 1324 Belmont Avenue, Suite 104, Salisbury | 410-742-4813 9956 Main Street, Unit 1, Berlin TilghmanOrthodontics.com

“We do it all right here, in-house, which allows us to customize every detail of aligner treatment to the individual patient.” — Dr. Michael Tilghman No two smiles are exactly alike, so Tilghman Orthodontics doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach to orthodontics. That’s why the practice, led by Drs. Michael Tilghman and Carrie Schwartz, incorporated a 3D printer a year ago. Through their ingenuity, experience and desire to provide great smiles at affordable prices, Tilghman Orthodontics created its very own Smiles Correct aligners.

Like Invisalign and mail-order aligners, Smiles Correct offers an alternative to traditional braces. But, unlike similar products, Smiles Correct affords Drs. Tilghman and Schwartz more options to achieve the results their patients want, all in the comfort of their family-owned practice, with offices in Salisbury and Berlin.

“We do it all right here, in-house,” Dr. Tilghman said, “which allows us to customize every detail of aligner treatment to the individual patient.

We can control the size and thickness of the tray — just a couple of things that Invisalign doesn’t offer to the orthodontist.

“We do what we feel is appropriate for the patient,” Dr. Tilghman continued, which involves examining all available treatment or appliance options. But since Dr. Tilghman began marketing Smiles Correct treatment across the Eastern Shore, Tilghman Orthodontics has experienced an influx of Drs. Carrie Schwartz and Michael Tilghman 56 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

people looking for a more reliable, cost-effective alternative, especially for those who are unsatisfied with other treatments.

“The response has been amazing. People are coming in and asking for it,” Dr. Tilghman confirmed, which led to the addition of a second 3D printer and additional scanner. The practice now has three scanners with which to examine patients effectively and efficiently.

Smiles Correct’s advanced software allows a patient’s teeth to be moved and reset digitally. Those digital images are then transformed into a series of trays right in Tilghman Orthodontics’ in-house laboratory. Without the hefty cost incurred with outside laboratories for a similar service, sometimes totaling several thousand dollars, Tilghman Orthodontics can pass these savings directly to their patients.

“We are excited that we can fulfill this need in the community,” Dr. Tilghman said. “Now, by incorporating this technology into our practice, we’re able to offer excellent quality and control of the aligner treatment process, and at a lower price, all under the supervision of orthodontic specialists.”

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6200 Coastal Highway, Suite 301, Ocean City, MD 21842 | 443-614-6286 KariStory.com

“I think the reason why people love us so much, and why we’re constantly voted number one, is because we’re family. I think when people come to First Home Mortgage, they feel that.” — Kari Story, Branch Sales Manager Kari Story had a head for numbers at 22 years old, but her heart belonged to the beach. She needed a plan to turn her math-and-statistics degree from Salisbury University into a life in Ocean City. Fifteen years later, her career as a mortgage lender has added up perfectly.

“I’m very blessed to be running the number-one mortgage shop in Ocean City,” Story said of serving as branch sales manager of First Home Mortgage in Ocean City, which topped Coastal Style Magazine’s list of best mortgage teams in 2018 and made her Coastal Style Magazine’s top mortgage lender for a fifth straight year. She added that she feels fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time for this booming industry.

Story attended an open house in 2004, when a local mortgage lender asked the newly licensed real estate agent, “’You’ve got a math-and-statistics degree. Why on earth are you sitting at open houses? Why aren’t you financing these places?’ I replied that I knew nothing about it,” Story said.

That soon would change. That mortgage lender offered Story a job, giving her an opportunity to learn about mortgage lending from the inside.

That opportunity has led to 15 years of success and a bright future for Story, who dominates the Shore’s bustling real-estate market with a personal approach, strong work ethic and deep connections with the mortgage industry that allow her to get the job done right.

Story especially has capitalized on the Shore’s constantly growing

condominium market. “We’re literally the land of condominiums,” she said. “So where I’ve found success is in really knowing the ins and outs of getting a condo approval done. That’s our niche.”

Story once wondered if she could succeed as a mortgage lender. But a hardworking style born in fast-paced Montgomery County has helped Story build her well-respected brand in the Ocean City area, and she has now begun to do the same across the border, in Delaware.

“I don’t think when you’re 22 you’re really imagining where you’re going to be 15 years later,” Story said. “I think you’re looking at the here and now, like how much business can I do this year? That was really the focus. A few years into it, that’s when you start to envision that you want the majority of the market share. Your competitive drive kicks in and mediocrity is no longer good enough. You want to be number one.”

Even while enjoying Ocean City’s relaxing lifestyle, she refuses to take shortcuts in the pursuit of success. Story takes calls from clients seven days a week, often late into the evening. That approach “helps you rise to the top,” she said. Now, Story has an office team of five, her second family as she calls them, working alongside her and sharing one goal in mind — to continue providing top-of-the-line service to clients wanting to claim their piece of beach life on the Shore.

“We are small but mighty,” Story added. “First Home Mortgage wants to conquer all.”

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Nicole Morris (middle, with dumbbell) with employees of Easton Utilities.

THE FACES OF HEALTHY WORKPLACES H E A LT H I E S T M A R Y L A N D B U S I N E S S E S 201 West Preston Street, Baltimore | 410-778-2533 HealthiestMDBusinesses.org

“Illnesses are costly, and it’s resulting in reduced productivity in the workforce.

It hampers their ability to be competitive.” — Nicole Morris, MS, RN, CWWPM, Regional Lead The health and well-being of workforces from the Eastern Shore to Baltimore begins, in a way, with Nicole Morris. The Easton resident has a nursing background, but her positive impact goes beyond helping one person at a time. Through the Healthiest Maryland Businesses initiative, which Morris has spearheaded since 2012, employees from 200-plus businesses from Worcester to Cecil Counties — and more than 500 businesses statewide — enjoy benefits of a committed effort to improve health in the workplace.

“Employers may not realize it, but they are in a unique position to impact public health,” said Morris. “Whether it is consumer health, through the healthfulness of the products and services it provides, community health, through it’s investments where it does business, or through the businesses efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of its workforce. That’s employee health, and that’s where we come in.”

The initiative began as a social-marketing campaign geared toward getting companies in the health field, such as Johns Hopkins Health System, to place increased emphasis on employee wellness. Now, Morris and regional leaders from the Lower Eastern Shore, Mid/Upper Shore and four other regions offer direct support to businesses of the program. Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset Counties comprise the Lower Eastern Shore, while the Mid/Upper Eastern Shore region consists of Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties.

“We took this regional approach to offer enhanced technical assistance 58 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

to our businesses,” said Morris, who works from offices in Easton and Chestertown. “We help them sift through their data and make smart decisions. We’re there to help look at the science and recommend low-cost or free strategies that support your workforce. It’s all about healthy choices.”

The program features awards for businesses, Morris said, that build the “foundation of a strong employee-health program.” Businesses earn gold, silver or bronze status for completing multiple assessment components, which begin with detailed health-risk assessments for employees and utilizing data to build a plan that best serves each respective workplace.

Businesses are also “finding from employees what they want,” Morris said, from fitness classes, healthier foods in the cafeteria and vending machines and a tobacco-free campus to structuring health-insurance plans and other policies that promote greater awareness.

A total of 58 Eastern Shore businesses, including multi-time honorees Easton Utilities and Perdue Farms in Salisbury, were recognized for their comprehensive wellness plans in 2018. Morris said that’s above the seven percent of businesses nationwide that provide employees with comprehensive programs and policies. “I’m really pleased with how it’s grown. We still have room for growth. Part of that is adapting to the needs of the businesses and really listening to what they want.”

The next step — member-to-member benefit discounts for actively involved businesses — will be unveiled in the next month.

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THE FACES OF STRATEGIC TEAMWORK M E R R I L L LY N C H W E A LT H M A N A G E M E N T 11724 Ocean Gateway, Ocean City | 410-213-9084 | ML.com

“Everybody has something to offer. If we help raise the bar, it improves the client outcome for everyone, regardless of whose team they deal with.” — James Giles, Wealth Management Advisor Nearly 200 years of wealth-management and financial-planning experience reside in a building nestled along a stretch of Ocean Gateway in Ocean City.

As separate entities working under Bank of America Corp. and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Selzer & Associates, The Giles Group, The Bianca & Hill Group, The Foard Lund Group, Lester Dennis and Joseph Wilson provide clients with unique yet equally personal service.

plan and meeting face-to-face,” Christine Selzer said.

“We have a great culture among the people in this building,” said James Giles, Wealth-Management Advisor and senior member for a family-oriented team with 60 years in the industry. The Giles Group also features Jim’s daughter, Senior Financial Advisor Anna Giles Newton, son-in-law, Financial Advisor Zachary Newton and Joseph Jaszemski. “It’s our differences that make us unique. Everybody has something to offer. If we help raise the bar, it improves the client outcome for everyone, regardless of whose team they deal with.”

“I think clients like the fact that we’re here and accessible to them.” Clients have peace of mind when they walk through the front door, because they can get answers from any of the experts inside. “It’s good synergy. We’re competitive to a degree, but it’s really not like that,” said Timothy Lund, Senior Financial Advisor for The Foard Lund Group. “I can go to Christine and say, ‘What would you do here?’ Then she’s going to tell me. There is a lot of idea sharing.” Lund brought his 16 years of experience to the Eastern Shore this past September to expand his Columbia-based company’s services.

Much like The Giles Group, Selzer & Associates utilizes 50-plus years of expertise and an in-person approach to fulfill their clients’ wealthmanagement and financial-planning services. “We evaluate your expenses, budget, income, how much you are saving, how much you need and then we clear the path to a strong financial plan,” Senior Resident Director and Wealth-Management Advisor Christine Selzer said. Selzer joins her husband and partner, Senior Financial Advisor Brian Selzer, in leading a four-person team that includes Resident Director Assistant Melanie Konoski and Client Associate Brody Grove. “We’re diligent about going back and looking at your

The Bianca & Hill Group, of Columbia, also has expanded its reach to the Eastern Shore, through 60-plus years of expertise and a personal approach.

“We try to get to know each client personally,” Senior Financial Advisor and Eastern Shore representative Bob Bianca said.

“The office as a whole has an approach where your goals become our goals,” said Senior Financial Advisor Lester Dennis. “We do what’s best for the client.”

“We do it better than anyone else,” said Certified Retirement-Plans Counselor and Financial Manager Joseph Wilson, the senior member of the office, with 28 years’ experience. “Merrill Lynch allows us the leeway to share information and ideas to provide our clients with comprehensive guidance strategies.”

Front: Christine Selzer, CFP®, CPFA; Melanie Konoski and Joseph Wilson, CRPC®. Back: Brian Selzer, CPFA, CRPC®; Brody Grove, Tim Lund CFP®, CRPC; Bob Bianca, CRPC®; Zachary Newton, CFP®; Anna Giles Newton, CFP®; James Giles, CFP®, CRPC®, CPFA; Joseph Jaszemski and Lester Dennis, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®.

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THE FACE OF STYLISH SPACES PAT T Y FA L C K , TA D A I N T E R I O R S Berlin | 443-614-0877 TaDaPatty@gmail.com

“My goal as a designer is to always provide my clients with a stylish yet comfortable home that meets their needs, makes them feel happy the second they walk in and, perhaps most important, fits their budget.”

— Patty Falck, Interior Designer When Patty Falck launched her interior-design company, TaDa Interiors, she brought with her an extensive professional background in construction and artistry, as well as 35 years of experience in interior design. She also brought the knowledge and relationships gained from her 50-plus years as a Shore resident and former owner of TaDa, a popular retail storefront in Berlin that offered unique home accessories.

Following this mantra, Patty approaches each project by first consulting her clients to collectively determine how they envision the space to appear and how they intend to use it. Prior to creating a detailed, custom home design, Patty considers specific factors, such as whether there is any furniture her clients already own that could be reused and what their entertaining preferences may be.

Patty’s unique experience has equipped her with exceptional insight for planning and executing local design projects. She operates TaDa Interiors as a full-service interior-design company, with capabilities ranging from selecting paint colors to facilitating the removal of walls. While Patty’s personal style is classic mixed with a hint of, well, “ta-da!” she applies her innate creativity as both a professional designer and artist to ensure her designs remain true to her clients’ personal styles. She also leverages her construction background to ensure her designs are structurally feasible and affordable.

“My goal as a designer is to always provide my clients with a stylish yet comfortable home that meets their needs, makes them feel happy the second they walk in and, perhaps most important, fits their budget,” said Patty.

Patty considers home design to be a personal, emotional and collaborative process.

“The process is personal because you need to really listen to clients to discover what they like and don’t like while keeping their budget in mind,” said Patty. “It’s emotional, as it often involves great life changes ­— moving, downsizing and deciding on what to keep or toss, just to name a few. The process becomes collaborative, because it takes cooperation when you are working on someone’s home.”

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Patty’s most recent creation was a full-scale design project at a waterfront home in Bishopville. Initially, the homeowners only requested her assistance with making furniture selections, but they quickly called upon her expertise to transform the entire house to feel more like their home.

Patty’s detailed design, which included the removal of walls, upholds a scenic river view, accommodates large dinner parties and showcases a stunning residence which aligns with the homeowners’ personal style. She also enlisted the help of local craftsmen to create truly unique pieces, such as a custom bookcase, frames and a kitchen table.

Patty is looking forward to unveiling the final project and continuing to extend her design expertise to future clients.

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6279 Hobbs Road, Salisbury | 410-742-4464 TheSalisburySchool.org

“In a way, college life feels like an extension of this school because students receive a well-rounded education that allows for a seamless transition to post-secondary education.” — Rachel Cress, Associate Head of Upper School Nestled on 43 acres on the west side of Salisbury, just off of the bypass, the Upper School at The Salisbury School (TSS) stands out with its unique architecture, a dome-shaped building with octagonal windows set against a sylvan background.

While its appearance makes it quite distinct, it is not the only original and innovative aspect of this independent school. TSS’ Upper School sets itself apart from its counterparts with its comprehensive college-placement program.

The program’s roots are established long before students reach the ninth grade.

Students in the Lower and Middle schools are exposed to a well-rounded education both academically and socially. Preparation for college goes hand in hand with the work being done in classrooms, Rachel Cress, Associate Head of the Upper School asserts, because “We really want students to know who they are, to understand what is important to them, to find something they are really passionate about and explore that.” Once students step into the Upper School dome, the real work begins.

Every week, students in each grade level meet for 30 minutes to begin thinking about their futures. “That time is dedicated to the college-prep process,” Director of College Placement Gracie Ruark said. Freshmen learn the keys to success, such as goal-setting, study habits, and time management. Sophomores prepare for the SAT and ACT exams while tackling practical life skills. They discover everything from finding a job and managing their money to changing a tire, because, Ruark said, it teaches them “how to be successful adults and how to take care of themselves once they graduate.” Juniors continue exam preparation while focusing on the college application process. Then, as seniors, Ruark said, “They put it all into practice and complete their applications.”

With a continued acceptance rate to four-year institutions of 100 percent, the program does more than prepare students for college; it places them in a position of finding a collegiate environment in which they will thrive. Upper school administrators have always felt the need to give students “the education they need to be successful,” said Cress, “but we also need to give them the tools and resources to help them make smart decisions about a very significant event in their lives. We have a comprehensive program. It has to be more than just, “Here are the academics, figure the rest out on your own.” We will help you get there.

Ruark and Cress greet each story of collegiate success with pure joy because hearing those stories never grows old. “It’s exciting when graduates say their college choice is a perfect match. They found a place where they feel as though they are at home, a place where they are thriving and learning,” said Ruark, because that reinforces the importance of The Salisbury School’s comprehensive college-placement program.

The placement program continues to evolve, starting with greater preparation for college admission exams, which play a critical role in the acceptance process.

But the proof of its success lies in the numbers. Along with its stellar collegeacceptance rate, The Salisbury School’s consistent excellence in Advanced Placement tests, according to statistics from The College Board, surpasses state and global averages. Most recently, 88 percent of TSS students scored a 3 out of 5 or better in 2018, compared with 68 percent statewide and 61 percent globally.

The results are that TSS’ average SAT score is 180 points higher than the state’s public school system.

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THE FACES OF BEAUTIFUL EYES AN OPTICAL GALLERIA 9927 Stephen Decatur Highway, Ocean City | 410-390-3924 19 North Harrison Street, Easton | 443-746-0040 111 West Water Street, Centreville | 443-262-9415 EyesAndArt.net

“This is a true family business .... We truly love going to work and taking care of people.” — Niki Pino, Co-owner It’s an understatement to say that Niki Pino loves eyes and what you can do with them. A talented artist, Niki has been drawing and painting passionately since she was a child, deriving immeasurable satisfaction from creating something that can inspire people or breathe new life into a space. It should come as no surprise, then, that Niki’s abiding passion for beauty and art also permeates An Optical Galleria, the award-winning eye-care business she launched with her husband, Bob Pino, 16 years ago in Centreville.

Since then, Niki and Bob — who has 40 years’ experience as an optician — have opened two additional stores, in Ocean City and, most recently, Easton.

The Ocean City location provided the couple the perfect opportunity to maximize their time near their family and allows them to be a part of the tight-knit fishing community, which they have enjoyed for so many years.

That love of family is firmly ingrained in the culture of customer service at An Optical Galleria, just one of the many reasons for its overwhelming success. “We treat people like we want to be treated,” said Niki. “When they come in, no matter which store it is, we try to make them feel at home. It’s not hard, since Bob and I have great employees in place who easily follow suit and love what we do.”

Those employees include the couple’s son, Chris, an optician who successfully runs the Ocean City location. With a lab on-site, Chris has been able to save so many people’s vacations by making glasses in an hour for those who have lost theirs in the ocean. His consistent 5-star online reviews are quite impressive. Also impressive is the Pinos’ history with Akitas, which they have 62 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

been rescuing for 20 years. In fact, Chris’ rescue Akita, Kono, keeps him company in the OC store and is a big hit with customers, as is Pogo, Niki and Bob’s Akita, whom they can be found walking together on the Boardwalk or on the docks at Sunset Marina.

The Pino’s pride themselves as much for their products as they do their excellent customer services. Stocked with an impressive selection of frames that range from basic eyewear to eyeglasses with features such as embedded feathers, silk, Swarovski crystals and 24-karat gold, An Optical Galleria possesses the technology to make glasses on-site in both Ocean City and Centreville while focusing on the style and aesthetic goals of each customer.

Last year, Niki and Bob attended Vision Expo in Milan, as they are always looking for cutting-edge styles that people love to wear. “Investing in our eyewear means investing in our customers. Our goal has always been to bring them the quality they deserve,” Bob said. “We consider ourselves lucky to be serving three great communities.”

But there is yet another treat for the eyes in store for the patrons and friends of the Pinos. The minute you walk in to An Optical Galleria, you will notice the difference. Each location features a gallery of Niki’s original oil paintings, each a one-of-a-kind work that she refuses to ever reproduce. Even the large lens cloth that comes as a free gift with every purchase was designed by Niki.

“This is a true family business. Bob and I are hands-on in all our locations, and we keep expanding our family, because our employees become family, too,” Niki said. “We truly love going to work and taking care of people.”

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225 High Street, Seaford | 302-628-4140 17252 N. Village Main Blvd. # 16, Lewes | 302-703-6993 616 William Street, Berlin | 443-513-4740 pwwlaw.com

“We truly care about our clients, and we want to do our very best for every person who comes before us.”

— Leslie Case DiPietro, Esquire

“She and I have always said we’re kindred spirits, although we’re 15 years apart in our careers. Our stories are similar in a lot of ways,” Woodland said of her relationship with business partner Procino-Wells. Both grew up in tightly knit families with deep ties to Sussex County. And although they vowed to leave home as young adults to embark on their futures, they soon discovered their personal connections to the Eastern Shore were too strong to ignore.

Life begins at home, with an unwavering belief in family that “allows us to build relationships with our clients and provide the services our clients need and want,” said Laurel native Procino-Wells. So it takes more than legal experience to join the 17-person team at Procino-Wells & Woodland, LLC, a firm ProcinoWells founded in 2005 that specializes in elder law and estate planning.

“It’s about values,” said Woodland, a former summer clerk at the firm who became an attorney in 2010. “We can teach anybody what they need to know, but we can’t teach them core values. Now, we have a team full of members who have the same core values. That lends itself to how well we work together, how well we treat our clients and how well we serve our community.”

This made hiring a new attorney somewhat scary, Woodland said, until Leslie Case DiPietro joined the firm about three years ago. “When we started to build a relationship with Leslie,” Woodland said, “it was so apparent to Michele and me that our values couldn’t be more aligned.”

That is key to gaining — and keeping — their clients’ trust. Everyone who passes through the doors of the firm’s offices in Seaford, Lewes (planning to move to a permanent location on Savannah Road in Lewes in 2019) and Berlin become family.

“We truly care about our clients, and we want to do our very best for every person who comes before us,” DiPietro said. “I think our clients really get the sense of that every time they have an interaction with us.”

Procino-Wells moved to Pennsylvania to earn her undergraduate and law degrees from Penn State University and Widener University, respectively.

Woodland moved 800 miles from her Seaford home to study at Flagler College, in St. Augustine, FL, and earn her law degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. DiPietro, a Harford County native with degrees from the University of Maryland and Stetson College of Law in St. Petersburg, FL, has fond memories of spending summers as a child with her grandparents in Rehoboth Beach.

This trio of talented attorneys learned valuable lessons after leaving the Shore to follow their dreams, only to follow their hearts back home. Now, they are raising their own families in Sussex County while building one of the Shore’s most well-respected law firms.

“That’s what I love about our practice. We really are helping families, and we’re getting to know families,” Procino-Wells said. “We’re building relationships with the families we serve.”

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THE FACES OF CARING ATTORNEYS

Michele Procino-Wells and Amber B. Woodland were initially concerned about bringing a new attorney into their law firm.

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THE FACES OF TRUSTED ACCOUNTING ADVISORS P K S & C O M PA N Y, P. A .

1801 Sweetbay Drive, Salisbury | 410-546-5600 12216 Ocean Gateway, Ste. 800, Ocean City | 410-213-7185 1143 Savannah Road, Ste. 1, Lewes | 302-645-5757 PKScpa.com

“We want to make sure PKS is here to support the next generation of business owners on Delmarva.”

— Daniel M. O’Connell II Achieving 40 successful years in business is no small feat. For PKS & Company, P.A., one of the Eastern Shore’s largest and most respected accounting and advisory firms, long-term success can be directly attributed to its family of caring professionals who continually strive for knowledge. They are a talented collection of innovative thinkers, team players and community supporters.

PKS is strategically structured to remain small enough to offer prompt, individualized service yet large enough to provide an all-inclusive, sophisticated array of services to its clients. Many PKS associates have degrees and certifications beyond the typical accounting degree, and the company’s range of expertise extends to many industries and entities that are central to the Delmarva economy, including healthcare, hospitality, government, agribusiness, condominiums and HOAs, construction, food service and restaurants, nonprofit organizations and others.

Having grown into the most diverse firm of its kind in the area, PKS remains focused on growth and building the “Firm of the Future.”

“We want to make sure PKS is here to support the next generation of business owners on Delmarva,” said Daniel M. O’Connell II, CPA/PFS, CVA. “We do this by offering forward-thinking advisory services to our clients, investing in the latest technologies and providing our staff with professional development that well exceeds the industry norm.”

The heart of the firm really lies in its local roots, its employees and its philosophy that “accounting is a lifetime of learning.” All professional staff are encouraged to set aside time for self-improvement and pursue additional degrees and certifications. Many are certified in fraud examination, business valuation, retirement plan administration, government financial management and personal financial planning — and others have gone on to obtain post-secondary degrees.

PKS proudly salutes five members of its team whose hard work and dedication earned them the title of Certified Public Accountants.

Adrienne L. Tyler, CPA; Alex P. Tingle, CPA; Brian T. Ford, CPA; Jess M. Mill, CPA; and Ryan E. Taylor, CPA, all achieved this prestigious designation in 2018.

PKS’ commitment to its team and clients is strengthened by the tools and resources the firm provides. Significant investments in technology improve efficiency, provide the ability to collaborate in an instant, allow staff to work flexible schedules and maintain a good work-life balance.

“Our continuous investment in technology, training and most importantly, our people, has proven to be the formula for our success,” said John M. Stern Jr., CPA/PFS. “This investment will be the driving force of our continued success as we look ahead to our 50th anniversary.”

Front: Susan P. Keen, CPA, Daniel M. O’Connell, CPA/PFS, CVA; Robert L. Moore, CPA, CFF; John M. Stern, CPA/PFS and Michael C. Kleger, CPA Back: Andrew M. Haynie, CPA; CFE, E. Lee McCabe, CPA, CVA and Jeffrey A. Michalik, CPA 64 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

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THE FACE OF HEALTH & WELLNESS YO U R D O C ' S I N 2425 N. Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury 1135 S. Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury | 2385 Ocean Gateway, West Ocean City Additional locations in Easton, Cambridge and Pocomoke 877-222-4934 | YourDocsIn.com

“We’re educating the community about healthy eating and taking care of themselves ....

It’s got to be a pattern repeated through progressive education.” — Dr. Walter Gianelle Your Doc’s In founder Dr. Walter Gianelle arrived at Ocean City Elementary School ready to witness more than 200 kids enjoy a healthy dose of exercise.

Your Doc’s In, a leading provider of urgent care, medicine and occupationalhealth services across the Eastern Shore, kicked off National Heart Month in February by joining the American Heart Association to sponsor the “Kids Heart Challenge” Youth Education Campaign on January 31.

There was lots of healthy fun at the event, from jumping rope and playing hopscotch to shooting baskets. But, as Dr. Gianelle pointed out, there was a serious message at its core: “We’re educating the community about healthy eating and taking care of themselves,” which Dr. Gianelle said needs to be learned at a young age. The 28-year medical veteran added that these early lessons need to be carried forward, into adulthood.

“With kids, you just keep pounding that message. But it really should be equally leveled at the parents because they’re the ones who really need to aggressively change their habits,” said Dr. Gianelle, who has Your Doc’s In locations in West Ocean City, Salisbury, Pocomoke City, Cambridge and Easton, with a second Salisbury location in partnership with Peninsula Regional Medical Center. “We can push it to the middle schools and high schools and maybe up to the college level. It’s got to be a pattern repeated through progressive education.”

Dr. Gianelle said students at Ocean City Elementary responded well to the event, headlined by raising approximately $24,000 for the American Heart Association. He hopes that positive response bodes well at a time when kids have grown more sedentary because of video games, especially since unhealthy habits now can lead to unhealthy habits in the future.

As a board-certified emergency-medicine specialist, he has seen the dangers that lurk within when people don’t take heart health seriously by eating right, not smoking, monitoring cholesterol, keeping diabetes and hypertension under control and other preventive measures.

“You have to get them taking care of themselves, controlling the issues that they can and understanding they’re not doomed because of genetics.

But they have a role in making their lives better,” said Dr. Gianelle, who pointed to senior citizens well beyond retirement age who happily lead active lifestyles. “What’s the message? They took care of themselves. They stayed active their whole lives. You’re trying to get people to understand that that lifestyle is available to them. But you’ve got to put the effort into making it happen.”

Above: Dr. Walter Gianelle and students of Ocean City Elementary School support the "Kids Heart Challenge" Youth Education Campaign.

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Dr. James Crouse

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THE FACE OF AN INVISALIGN EXPERT T H E B R AC E P L AC E 1413 Wesley Drive, Salisbury | 598 Cynwood Drive, Unit 102, Easton | 443-365-2529 DrCrousesBracePlace.com

“There’s a lot of ingenuity to this work. It’s about half science and half art.” — Dr. James Crouse At first, Dr. James Crouse figured he needed only six months to straighten the top row of his patient’s teeth with traditional braces. “Two years later, I was still trying to get this lady’s teeth straight,” said Dr. Crouse.

That case occurred nearly 20 years ago, when Invisalign was new to the market. It was soon thereafter that Dr. Crouse welcomed the breakthrough technology to his Salisbury practice, The Brace Place. “It really opened my eyes that this is something that has potential. Today, more than 70 percent of my patients opt for Invisalign over traditional braces,” said Dr. Crouse, who recently opened a satellite office in Easton.

Despite Invisalign’s two-decade long track record of success and results, Dr. Crouse noted that there are still misconceptions about the clear aligner’s applications. Some, he said, mistakenly believe that Invisalign corrects only minor orthodontic issues, but that is far from true.

“We can treat virtually any orthodontic problem with aligners, and it offers a lot of advantages over traditional braces,” Dr. Crouse said, adding that Invisalign also helps keep gums healthier, is less noticeable than traditional metal-and-wire braces and is easily removed prior to eating and brushing.

Because they are removable, you can eat whatever you want. “I offer it to everybody, including younger patients.

Dr. Crouse, who has three decades of dental experience and was the first Invisalign Top 1% Provider on the Eastern Shore, spreads awareness about clear aligners through speaking engagements that dispel myths about its capabilities. Recognized as one of the nation’s top Invisalign providers, he was a finalist at the 2016 Invisalign Ortho Summit Shootout, in Las Vegas.

66 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

Dr. Crouse said he belongs to a pioneer Invisalign group, “known for pushing the boundaries.” His reputation in the community often has him seeing patients who have come to him for a second opinion after having been told they weren’t candidates for clear aligners.

Dr. Crouse made the right call — not just about Invisalign but in becoming an orthodontist in the first place. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said of his career choice, which was actually made while eating lunch one day, on base at Royal Air Force Bentwaters, outside London, where he practiced general dentistry while serving his country in the U.S. Air Force.

While discussing pros and cons of various dental specialties with colleagues over lunch, the aspiring oral surgeon learned he faced four years of schooling, plus an additional two years of training, to earn the title Doctor of Medicine. “A lot of us became dentists because we want to have our weekends and evenings free,” laughed Dr. Crouse, who would go on to become a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and president of the Eastern Shore Dental Society. “It was then that I decided I’d go into orthodontics and become the best orthodontist I could possibly be.”

In addition to being voted Best Orthodontist in Wicomico County by the readers of Coastal Style, Dr. Crouse is a member of the American Association of Dental Sleep Medicine and the Maryland Sleep Society, in as well as being the first provider on the Eastern Shore to offer AcceleDent.

“There’s a lot of ingenuity to this work,” Dr. Crouse said. “It’s about half science and half art.”

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10 MINUTES WITH...

Tim Kurkjian ESPN baseball analyst and Maryland native Tim Kurkjian returned to the Shore for the first time in 20 years to share stories from his distinguished career and thoughts on the state of the game he holds so dear INTERVIEW BY VICTOR FERNANDES PORTRAIT BY RICH ARDEN / ESPN IMAGES

SAFE AT

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ASEBALL IS THE BEST GAME” only begins to explain the start of Tim Kurkjian’s bond with the game after 40 years as a reporter and analyst.

It’s the incredible players the Bethesda native has grown to appreciate, unforgettable moments he has witnessed and funny stories he shared during an amusing yet poignant speech at the Delmarva Shorebirds’ Hot Stove Banquet at Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury. The secondlargest crowd to attend the annual winter event chuckled and applauded often as the longtime ESPN analyst and former Baltimore Orioles beat writer shared a sample of seemingly never-ending stories about Major League Baseball players past and present. “I wanted to be a baseball writer my entire life. I have the greatest job in the whole world, and all I can hope for is that I get to do it for a few years longer.”

Kurkjian, 62, returned to the Eastern Shore for the first time in two decades to share with Shorebirds fans what has been more his life’s work than just a long, stellar career. He addressed many topics, from the controversy surrounding Easton native Harold Baines’ recent election to the Baseball Hall of Fame and the future baseball home for former Orioles star Manny Machado to what he looks forward to seeing as the game continues to grow on the Minor and Major League levels. But mostly he connected with fans by bringing baseball’s unique history to life.

How excited are you to be back in this area?

It’s been way too long. I haven’t been to Ocean City in 20 years. I’m not real good at the beach. I’m not real good on land, either. But it’s about time I went over the Bay Bridge again and came down here. Kids from our neighborhood go to Salisbury [University]. A couple of dear friends of mine from college live in Salisbury. Another one lives in Crisfield. So I met up with those guys earlier in the day, and now we’re going to get to talk baseball on a cold Thursday night in the middle of January. That’s a good day.

When you started 40 years ago, how did you envision your career unfolding, and how different has it been from what you envisioned?

I had no idea I would ever end up on television. When I was 40, I was working at Sports Illustrated, and CNN Sports Illustrated was formed, and the SI guys said, “You guys are on TV now.” So I said, “I don’t want to do that.”

They said, “You don’t have a choice. You’re on.” So I said, “Is someone at CNN going to teach me how to do this?”

They said, “There’s no time. You’re a writer. You’ll figure it out.” After one year, I went to ESPN and asked the same question. “Are you guys going to teach me how to do this?” They said, “No, there’s no time. Let’s go. You’re on.” So I spent a fortune on clothes. I wear more makeup than my wife does, and I spend a lot of time walking around in a circle talking to myself.

Writing is my number-one love and always will be.

But the spontaneity and the immediacy of television is great. Now, instead of waiting until the morning paper to see what I had to write, or waiting a week with Sports Illustrated to see my work, I can weigh in immediately.

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TIM KURKJIAN ADDRESSES THE SELL-OUT CROWD DURING THE 2019 DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS’ HOT STOVE BANQUET AT THE WICOMICO YOUTH & CIVIC CENTER. PHOTO BY JOEY GARDNER

Are there any things you took from your time covering the Orioles in the late ’80s with the Baltimore Sun? The players aren’t always going to like you. [Hall of Famer and former Orioles great] Eddie Murray hated my guts for about two years, but we finally got that cleared up. What the Baltimore Sun and the newspaper business taught me was what a news story is and how to present it. Television is just a different way to present it. You’ve got to understand what a story is and then present it in a slightly different way.

My days in Baltimore were great. My 10 years as a beat writer are the proudest days that I’ve ever spent. The Orioles ran the show every day, so everything that I wrote was on page one of the sports section, which was great pressure and a great reward at the same time.

What are your thoughts on Harold Baines getting into the Hall of Fame?

I was on the committee that elected him. I heard somebody say the other day that the Hall of Fame isn’t the same because Harold Baines is in. That is preposterous. It is not a worse place because a guy who nearly got 3,000 hits is in the Hall of Fame. He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen. I think it’s great for baseball that somebody who lasted that long and swung the bat and conducted himself as well as he did all those years, is in the Hall. I think the Hall of Fame is a better place that he’s in.

You’ve seen this game change a lot over the last 40 years.

How do you see it changing moving forward?

I’m a little discouraged with where we are right now. Trust me, nobody loves baseball more than I do. But we have too many walks, too many strikeouts, too many home runs and not enough in-between. I would like to see the game attempt to make an adjustment and start to go back to the way that

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Cal Ripken, George Brett, Paul Molitor and Robin Yount played the game. We’re going to situationally hit. We’re going to put the ball in play more often. And we’re not going to see how far we can hit it and how hard we can throw it every time.

If you were trying to convince somebody to love the game as much as you do, what’s one good thing you would mention?

I would point out all the young players we see every single day, starting with Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. I’ve never seen this many great young players in the game at the same time. They’re all coming at different ages, but they’re getting here sooner than ever.

I tell people all the time: “I hope you understand what we’re watching right now. I hope you understand what we’ve watched the last 10 years, with some of the best players we’ve ever seen.” I’m not sure everyone is recognizing what is right in front of their eyes. Mike Trout might end up being the greatest player, a top-five player of all time, and he’s standing right there. Keep your eyes open. It’s worth it.

Tim Kurkjian AGE: 62 HOMETOWN: Bethesda, MD OCCUPATION: ESPN baseball analyst & senior writer, ESPN The Magazine (21 years) NOTABLE: Began his journalism career in 1978 at the Washington Star…moved to the Dallas Morning News in 1981, where he soon became the Texas Rangers beat writer at the newspaper…covered the Orioles for the Baltimore Sun from 1986-89 before spending eight years as a senior writer at Sports Illustrated...…published three books on baseball.

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IN PROFILE

A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME

Wyatt Harrison’s Plak That is carving its own niche in the printing industry

WRIT TEN BY VIC TOR FERN A NDE S • PHO T O GR A PH Y BY GR A NT L . GUR SK Y

I ARMED WITH HIS STATE-OF-THE-ART HIGHTECH EQUIPMENT, WYATT HARRISON'S PLAK THAT IS CAPABLE OF PRINTING A VAST VARIETY OF DESIGNS ON SURFACES RANGING FROM WOOD AND ACRYLIC TO PVC AND ALUMINUM — MANY OF WHICH CREATE AN EYE-CATCHING 3D FEEL.

t’s fair to say that Wyatt Harrison has been riding quite a wave of success, even before he launched his own successful business at 25 years old.

After high school, the Ocean City native traveled crosscountry to study anthropology at the University of San Diego.

After college, he traversed the globe from one warm climate to another before settling, if you can call it that, in Australia for two years.

Down Under is where Harrison first experienced a CNC router, a machine used to cut, shape and etch a variety of materials and the newest of the state of the art technology that Plak That has invested in.

Plak That has evolved from digital photos printed on wood for Eastern Shore customers, designed in his home and printed in Salisbury, into an ultra-modern operation that has grown increasingly popular among local businesses because of Harrison’s creativity and efficiency.

Harrison and his five-person team create signage, point-of-sale racks and other uniquely eye-popping products with designs that appear to jump off the wood, acrylic, PVC and the aluminum they are printed on with precision. “We’re shifting more into a service operation,” said Harrison, whose company produced the 2018 Coastal Style Magazine Best Of awards.

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WYATT HARRISON AND HIS FIVE-PERSON TEAM HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FENDED OFF CHALLENGES FROM RETAIL GIANTS, AND TODAY, HIS COMMERCIAL-SIGNAGE DIVISION CONSTITUTES 55% OF PLAK THAT'S OVERALL VOLUME.

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“We’re going to keep marketing to the general consumer, but most of my efforts are tied into fostering new business-tobusiness relationships, because that has tremendous growth opportunities.”

Thinking big has put Harrison, 31, in a position to look to the future with great hope and creativity, which is why in 2017 Plak That started expanding their catalog into more commercial jobs. Forced to carve a new niche due to increased competition online, Wyatt focused his efforts on evolving Plak That’s products to include commercial signage — a decision that now comprises 55 percent of his company’s business. Plak That has conceptualized and created signage for some the Eastern Shore’s top businesses — K-Coast Surf Shop, ish Boutique and Tailchasers Restaurant & Dock Bar in Ocean City, Boxcar 40 in Pittsville, Maui Jack’s Waterpark on Chincoteague Island — which are all loyal and satisfied customers.

K-Coast Surf Shop co-owner Chris Shanahan marvels at Plak That’s work, who’s signage on Coastal Highway features custom-printed raised lettering on a glossy black-aluminum background.

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The 3D feel of Plak That’s designs has become a trademark for Harrison, as have one-of-a-kind designs, such as custom surfboard stands bearing the logo for Backshore Brewing Company’s Hoop Tea beverage brand and custom-printed restaurant tables for Off The Hook Restaurant Group.

“He’s brought something really unique to town,” Shanahan said. “He’s really cornered the market. He has a solid base, and I think business is really going to grow for him.”

Harrison fondly looks back to how Plak That has grown from a belief in an idea and himself. Make no mistake, the classic photos printed on wood will always be available online or in their shop in West OC, but there are many more products and services under the Plak That brand. He also has plans for further diversification, such as signage for the real estate industry. “We need to broaden how locals think of Plak That and what we do,” Harrison said.

No matter what direction Plak That travels in the future, Harrison has promising plans in place to continue experiencing success.

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CONVERSATION

A Transfer Of Talent The Manhattan Transfer founding member Erin Dickins has sung with legends of the industry — and while she still performs internationally, she's cookin' up a new career from her home in Easton.

INTERVIEW BY JONATHAN WE STMAN P OR TR AIT BY GR A NT L . GURSK Y

E

rin Dickins knew of the Eastern Shore;

her father was a Naval Academy graduate and retired to Annapolis with her mother when his military career concluded. While living in Hawaii, she attended a wedding at the Inn at Perry Cabin. Ready for a change of scenery, believe it or not, she moved here soon afterward with her first husband, settling in Easton.

In a candid conversation at her home, Dickins fondly shared stories of her years as a young singer (so young she needed her mother to sign her first Capitol Records contract), her time with The Manhattan Transfer, a new culinary career, which includes a cookbook and spice collection, and much more.

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We're Recording: Visit the all-new CoastalStyleMag.com to watch a video of our entire conversation with Erin Dickins.

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Singing with The Manhattan Transfer connected Erin with legnds of the industry, including Leonard Cohen, left. That's her on the right on the cover of their first record release, Jukin’, in 1971.

PHOTOS COURTESY ERIN DICKINS

Take us back to the early 70s. What was the music scene like, and how did The Manhattan Transfer originally come about?

The ’70s was a different scene musically than it is today. It was very free. My mother had sent me to school in Virginia to keep me out of New York, because she was afraid I would end up in the music business. So, the first chance I got, I went to New York for a semester of work. The Manhattan Transfer came about when I ran into Tim Hauser and Marty Nelson through a publisher friend of the family. We sang together, and it was Heaven, and that was that. I was under age when I signed the first record deal with Capitol Records. My mother had to sign the contract, which was kind of interesting — poor thing!

What was touring like? How many stops would you play, and where did that take you?

It was really great. A lot of college campuses and a lot of bigger clubs, in New York and all over the country. We were definitely sort of a cult band. We basically toured the whole country, and there were only six of us, so we had a stretch-sort-of Dodge van with mattresses. We’d put our guitars in the back and go. We would probably do three days on, two days off, and our guitar player would drive all night, because he had the stamina. It was great fun. It was really a family. Not like [the business is] now.

What did you learn about yourself in those days?

I didn’t really figure out who I was until I left the group and started finding my own voice. [The Manhattan Transfer] wasn’t really the place for me to find my authenticity. I did later. I think what really did that for me was when I worked with Leonard Cohen, because he was such a mentor and so terribly authentic.

After you left the group, where did life take you?

To New York City, as a studio singer. I got to sing with everybody, including Valerie Simpson, Melissa Manchester,

78 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

Bette Midler and Luther Vandross. I did backgrounds on tons of records and lots of radio and television commercials. I did, “Have you driven a Ford lately?” and I did “Kentucky Fried Chicken: We do chicken right.” I did that for maybe 10 years or so. Then the business started changing, so I did what any New Yorker who felt like a change would do — I moved to Hawaii!

Were you looking for such a drastic change, or were you called there?

I was burned out. It’s such a tough business. You’ll be in the same room, and they’ll say, talking about you, “The nose isn’t right.” It’s so competitive in such an ugly way. Also, radio and television commercials were dying off, and people were recording in their homes. And so any New Yorker, you know, where else are you going to live? Boston? That’s not a real city.

You’re either going to Paris or Honolulu. So, I thought that would be interesting and a great experience for me because it’s one of the seven chakras of the planet. Everybody there is either in drug rehab or into some huge spiritual movement. There’s tremendous energy there, tremendous musicians. I thought I was going to give up music. It lasted about two months.

I read that you opened a restaurant in Manhattan that was the hotspot for the music industry.

It was in a brownstone between Broadway and Eighth, the perfect location for the Theater District. Twenty studio musicians teamed together to buy it. We named it after a booking practice and called it Possible 20, because when you’re booked for a recording session in New York, they’ll book you for three hours, and if they say possible 20, then you can’t charge double time if they hold you over for 20 minutes. It was a great bar and a great scene and wonderful food. It was a big hang for us and for the Theater District. I cooked a bit and worked with designing the menu and the wine list. Then we opened a space upstairs, a Tex-Mex restaurant we called Jose Sent Me, that I cooked in, as well.

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Classically trained at the New York Restaurant School, Erin’s passion for cooking spawned a second career — and includes a cookbook and spice collection to her list of credits.

PHOTOS COURTESY ERIN DICKINS

in his 70s, and his band got back together! I came from Hawaii for a wedding at the Inn at Perry Cabin — for my great friend Jesse Frederick. My husband at the time just saw the charts and said, “We’re moving,” which was fine by me. I was ready to come back.

You’ve had the opportunity to play locally, the Milton Theatre for example. What are those experiences like today, given your past and all you’ve accomplished?

What’s fun about a smaller environment is that it feels like family. Everybody knows you. That kind of feeling, that audience feedback, is very different than being on a big concert stage.

Is that where your culinary passions began, or were you classically trained, or did you just jump into the kitchen because you had to?

I always loved it. My mom was a great cook, so while I was too stupid to get her recipes, I did have a flair for how one cooks improvisationally. It’s the same way with music. It’s nurturing and it brings people together and is love-filled and improvisational — all the things music is. I studied at the New York Restaurant School and studied charcuterie and kind of taught myself Escoffier, the method. I can’t say I’ve cooked every recipe. You’d have to be 103 to do that, but the basics of building on sauces, glaces and demiglaces… I don’t know how you cook not knowing that, because that translates into any cuisine.

It remains a passion. I love nothing better than great music, people sitting around the counter in my kitchen and just passing out food.

How did you discover the Eastern Shore of Maryland?

I knew about the Shore because my parents moved to Annapolis when my dad retired. He was a Naval Academy graduate, and he couldn’t wait to get back. In fact, he had a band when he was in school called The Bars & Tonics — and the band got back together. I mean, how cool is that? He was

80 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

Tell us about your latest album, Vignettes (2017).

It was the scariest and most exhilarating thing I ever did. I’ve spent a lifetime having producers, other artists and managers telling me what I can’t do as a jazz singer or even as a rock singer. So, I decided to self-produce, and it’s terrifying, because you hold yourself to a standard that no one else will. I did each track as a collaboration with one musician.

It was recorded all over the world. I worked with my friend, Bruce Hamada, on an Annie Ross thing, a vocalease thing, which is just bass and voice. I worked with Jim Croce’s son, A.J., in Nashville. I worked with Steely Dan’s Elliott Randall in London. And John Lissauer, who’s a great friend and producer from New York, produced Leonard Cohen, notably the song “Hallelujah.” So, I asked John to do a track, and we decided, of course, to do Leonard Cohen. We chose a song that he wrote with Leonard. I did a big-band thing in Texas and an incredible French tune in New York with Rob Mounsey. It was a remarkable experience.

You’ve accomplished so much. What’s left for you to do?

Clean the house. Get the dog groomed. Clean my studio. I’d like to record again. I have a couple of ideas for records. I’d like to do a tribute to Gene Pistilli, who was in Manhattan Transfer with me and a successful songwriter in Nashville. And I’d like to go down to Austin and work with my friend Danny Levin, too. That would be fun!

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W

OOD-FIRED and brick-oven pizzas have made a scorching impression on the local food scene, as a plethora of wood-fired and brick-oven pizza concoctions grace the menus of several highly respected restaurants. While some local culinary establishments embrace the authentic, Italian style of wood-fired and brick-oven pizza, others choose to put their own spin on the classic technique by inventing their own combinations.

No matter their approach, one thing is for certain: Delmarva knows how to do pizza right! Below is a roundup of some local prime practitioners of this culinary art, ready to put their dough where your mouth is.

WORCESTER COUNTY • Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Ocean City Part of a large restaurant chain, Carrabba’s kneads and stretches each pizza by hand, then adds fresh toppings before baking it in a 600° brick oven. It offers three choices: pepperoni, Margherita or create your own.

Carrabba’s makes its dishes from scratch and includes fresh ingredients. Plus, it embraces an open kitchen layout, so you can always see what’s going into your entrees!

• Albertino’s Brick Oven & Eatery, Ocean City This fairly new restaurant is on 131st St. in Ocean City. Open Wednesday thru Sunday, it offers a large assortment of pizza options, some made with plum-tomato sauce. Plus, there are over 25 toppings to choose from. Included in their offerings is the “Locals Favorite” Specialty Seafood Pie, made with fresh shrimp and scallops.

Albertino’s makes its dough in-house, and all dough is slow cold proofed for two days. This technique produces a dough with the ideal crispness and flavor after being cooked in a 900° degree wood-fired brick-oven. Albertino’s uses only fresh produce, and it creates everything from scratch; it even makes its own sausage!

• Burn Wood-Fired Pizza, Berlin Burn has regular pizzas and about 10 specialty-pizza offerings, including PopPop’s Tomato Pie, Buffalo Chicken, Pineapple Pigs, etc. It can deliver pizzas to Burley Oak, and let’s face it:

TOUCH OF ITALY

There’s not many combinations that can beat a brew and a pie.

As its name implies, wood-fired pizza is certainly Burn’s forte, but it has been known to throw some meatballs into the wood-fired oven, as well.

• Ripieno’s, Ocean City You can order either traditional cheese or pick your own toppings. There’s a big mix of toppings (broccoli rabe, eggplant and arugula, for example). Another cool element is that it serves 28” pizzas that require a specially made, gigantic box.

At Ripieno’s, all dough is created from scratch. It’s always looking to improve recipes, and it was pleased to unveil an even more delicious dough and sauce this year. Ripieno’s uses flour imported from Italy, as well as San Marzano tomatoes grown in the volcanic soils of Italy. While the portions are massive, its prices are affordable!

• Shotti’s Point, Ocean City Shotti’s Point embraces a cool, surf-joint vibe; it even connects to a surf store. Despite being a fairly new establishment, Shotti’s Point is a local year-round favorite. While there are not quite as many pizza options here as at some other restaurants, its wood-burning pies on the roster are pretty unique and hip.

Notable specialty pizza options here include Santa Cruz (fire-roasted salsa verde, chorizo, peppers, onions, goat cheese) and the Gluten-Free Yuppie (cauliflower crust, marinara, vegan cheese). Plus, they have create your own options, as well.

• Sello’s Italian Oven & Bar, Ocean City An 800° wood-fired oven creates a charred crust on 30cm individually hand-stretched pizzas. They use plum tomato sauce for the pizza and boast many authentic options. The menu includes suggestions for optimal wine pairings for their pizza.

Sello’s atmosphere is both intimate and rustic, which emulates an authentic Italian eatery. But Sello’s authentic Italian spirit don’t stop there; Chef Pino Tomasello also sources virtually every ingredient from his homeland of Italy, even the wood used for its oven!

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86 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

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• Piaza Fast Brick Oven Pizza, Ocean City & Berlin Emphasis here is on fast. The pizza is cooked in a 1,000° flamefired brick oven and takes less than 3 minutes to finish. You can create your own pizza by picking the crust, sauce, cheese, protein and toppings. Did we mention the dough is handmade and there are over 40 fresh toppings available?

Or, you can choose from one of their six signature pizzas.

Either route, Piaza pizza is made quickly, so you can take it on the run! Two local restaurant locations currently, but Piaza looks poised to franchise nationally soon.

• DiFebo’s, Berlin There are three of DiFebo’s locations, but it’s at the Berlin outlet where the pies really fly, with 15, Italian-inspired, wood-fired pizza options. An especially alluring option is the Fig and Gorgonzola, which comes with prosciutto, St. Andre Brie cheese, gorgonzola, arugula and a balsamic drizzle. DiFebo’s can also make any pizza vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.

Difebo’s’ dough is quite unique, almost pastry-like. Its cheese has just the adequate bite and creaminess to it, and its sauce is clean and fresh, not overbearing with a lot of herbaceous flavors. All Difebo’s pizzas are chef-inspired, with both traditional pizzas as well as unconventional, yet equally tasty combinations. Everything is roasted fresh!

• Touch of Italy, Ocean City, Rehoboth, Lewes At this hit eatery with multiple locations, handmade dough takes center stage, using “00” flour that's stretched then layered with handmade mozzarella and cooked well-done in an 800° wood-fired oven. Though there are but four pizza options, all are authentic Italian, like the Alla Sopressata.

Touch of Italy creates Neapolitan Style Pizzas, and its woodfire brick ovens burn at 800-1,000°, allowing pizzas to cook in just 90 seconds or less. The pizza dough is made fresh daily using a special “00” flour, and it is stretched by hand using the “flapping” technique, as opposed to tossing it. Touch of Italy uses the finest San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil in its sauce. Pizzas are topped with freshly made Touch of Italy mozzarella which is torn into strips and rested evenly. Lastly, pies are completed with a touch of EVOO and garnished with basil leaves.

PIAZA FAST BRICK OVEN PIZZA

• J&J’s Pizzeria, Ocean City This venerable family restaurant in West Ocean City makes its dough on-site, from scratch, with fresh grated cheese.

With a traditional-steered menu, J&J’s is the go-to pie joint for multiple generations of West OCers.

J&J’s Pizzeria’s owner was born and raised in Rome, so he made sure to import a wood-fired brick-oven from Italy upon opening his restaurant. Only white oak is ever used in this oven. The pizza dough and sauce used at J&J’s pizzeria are freshly made each morning by a pizza guru with 45 years’ experience making superb pizza.

WICOMICO COUNTY • Tall Tales Brewing Company, Parsonsburg All food is prepared using whole ingredients and fired with wood in real Italian ovens. Tall Tales offers an eclectic pizza menu (Chicken Tikka Masala, Shrimp BBQ, Crab Dip, Charcuterie, Chicken Alfredo, to name a few), sure to bring you back for more. Best of all, you can pair your pie with one of their popular craft beers.

At Tall Tales Brewing Company, the focus is on simple ingredients to complement its brewery roots. Its pizza dough and sauce are made in-house daily and include minimally processed, whole ingredients. In addition, Tall Tales uses a cheese blend in which all three cheeses are freshly grated in-house. Whenever possible, Tall Tales sources its pizza toppings locally.

• Specific Gravity Pizzeria & Beer Joint, Salisbury Specific Gravity is known for its artisanal approach to pizza. It has the Build Your Own Pizza (BYOP) with Regular Toppings, Better Toppings, and Ballin’ Toppings. Rock your pizza world inside-out with the General Tso’s, made with sliced chicken breast, broccoli, wontons, sesame seed, white sauce and Asian sesame drizzle. An added bonus is you can pair your pizza with any of their ever-rotating craft-beer selections.

After years of experimentation, Specific Gravity has perfected both its dough and sauce recipe. Along the way, it discovered the following outlook: Eliminate the variables, and the pizza equation becomes quite simple. Their cool, no-fuss atmosphere also features a newly added growler bar and shuffleboard lounge.

• Your Pie, Salisbury This fast-casual chain takes a Subway-style approach to piecraft, where you walk to the counter and select the ingredients that you want. Be prepared for your jaw to drop as you peer over the glass divider and examine all of the topping options.

Your Pie’s dough is hand-tossed and created from scratch.

At Your Pie, the emphasis is always on customization through allowing you to select any of its fresh ingredients to create a one-of-a-kind pizza.

• MoJo’s Urban Eatery, Salisbury Promoting itself as “Not Prissy. Not Expensive. Not Predictable,” Mojo’s sports a hipster vibe and a spunky look — all for the sake of fun. Not a surprise that it’s a popular spot for college kids, but with live entertainment and trivia nights, it’s also a fun place for other age ranges, as well.

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MoJo’s prides itself on taking classic pizzas and adding its own Mojo’s spin. The menu includes a couple of drool-worthy options, like a Taco Pizza and a Salad Pizza. Add the garlic dipping oil for some real mojo.

SUSSEX COUNTY • Mancini’s Brick-Oven Pizza & Rest., Fenwick Island You’ll find Neapolitan-style pizzas fired in an 800° or more wood-fired oven at this cozy, family-run Italian trattoria. No gas assist is used in this oven! Authentic, Italian pizza is exactly what Mancini’s produces, meaning you won’t find BBQ or Pineapple on its pies! Additionally, all pizzas are made by an experienced pizzaiolo with at least one year of experience.

Mancini’s owner originally modeled the restaurant after trattorias he experienced and enjoyed while living in Italy during his junior year in college. Mancini’s has been serving up authentic Italian pizza for 24 years, and it’s no surprise that the restaurant has cultivated quite the cult following with locals and visitors alike!

• Mr. P’s Wood Fired Pizzeria, Lewes There are a big 24 pizzas on the menu at Mr. P’s. All pies are hand-tossed, and the signature chunky home-style tomato sauce is made in-house daily. Prepare yourself for more than 30 toppings, including sliced homemade wood-fired meatballs.

The quasi-hole-in-the-wall motif only adds to the charm.

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Mr. P’s has consciously prioritized quality over quantity, and in that, it takes the time to create pizza the right way. Its mantra of “Be Unique. Be Different. Be Memorable” is infused in every aspect of their pizza-making process.

• Crust & Craft, Rehoboth Beach Fresh and local is the promise here, with 12” Neapolitan pies served with a slightly blistered crust. Crust & Craft pizzas offer a really unique combination of ingredients, with cute, punny names to match.

Crust & Craft pizzas are cooked in a red-tiled wood-fired oven at up to 900°. All dough is handmade and rests for two days before being used. They also serve up an impressive craft beer list (hence the “Craft”), including some local favorite brews!

• Our Harvest, Fenwick Island Our Harvest takes a simplistic approach to pizza, but don’t let that fool you: Exceptional thought and care go into every pizza, or “flatbread” as they refer to them. Only the finest, freshest ingredients from honest sources are ever used.

At Our Harvest, flatbreads are never overprepared or doused with too much sauce. This method is applied intentionally to preserve and even enhance each ingredient’s natural flavors. They feature several signature flatbreads, all of which are prepared in its wood-fired oven. An enticing option is the Clam & Spinach Bianca Flatbread, made with local spinach mornay, gruyere, garlic, fennel and bacon crumbs.

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• Dogfish Head, Rehoboth Beach Part of Dogfish Head brewery, it’s got an unmistakable beer vibe, with a plethora of craft brews to pair with the pies.

There are six wood-fired pizzas offered, all with cool names.

A must-try is A Day’s Wait, which is made with mozzarella blend cheese, rotisserie chicken, crispy pancetta, arugula and (drumroll, please!) Dogfish’s 90 Minute IPA. Everything from the house-made mozzarella cheese to the dough for its wood-fired pies is made from scratch by Dogfish Head. Would you expect anything else? Each pizza is cooked at over 750° in its oak-fired oven, and the oak flavor can be felt in every bite you take!

• DaNizza Wood Fired Pizza, Rehoboth Beach DaNizza has a really authentic approach to pizza-making: It starts with real “00” flour from Italy that rests for two days before being used. Pizzas include an exceptional sauce paired with the finest and freshest cheese and toppings.

There’s only a couple of specialty pizzas on the menu, but make-your-own options are available, as well. A noteworthy specialty pizza is The Shore Thing, made with garlic, oil, blue crab, buffalo mozzarella, bacon, shallots and a touch of Old Bay, for that bona fide Eastern Shore spirit.

MID-SHORE TO THE BAY BRIDGE •Out of the Fire, Easton Definitely a hole in the wall, Out of the Fire boasts boatloads of positive reviews and has emerged as a staple of the Easton community. It’s a simple menu, but well worth it for the time they take to craft the pies to perfection. Gluten-free crusts are available, and the business prides itself on being an ecologically sustainable operation. Meanwhile, works from local artists grace its walls.

Out of the Fire hand tosses its dough and includes fresh mozzarella, roasted tomato sauce and garden-fresh basil in its pizzas. Its pies come out of the fire delectable and flavor-packed.

92 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

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OUT OF THE FIRE

Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, St. Michaels & Cambridge Ava’s has won numerous awards since opening in 2008. It plies the basic 12” pies, baked in an 800° oven, and a slew of specialty pizzas. An especially intriguing concoction is the Waterfowl Pie, which is made with duck confit, fig jam, arugula, goat cheese and dried white figs. Owners seem to be really involved in supporting the local community.

Ava’s creates its own fresh mozzarella daily, which adds an extra buttery and creamy taste to its pizzas. In addition to its other ingredients, Ava’s also makes its own dough, using only just the basics: salt, hot water, and curd. This simple yet laborious approach results in truly delectable pizzas, which have been praised by locals and visitors alike.

• D’Alessio’s Wood-Fired Pizza, Stevensville Originally a food trailer at the Queenstown outlet mall, the brick-and-mortar officially opened in 2017. D’Alessio’s makes its pies in an 850° oven, using the upside-down technique (aka Grandma pizza), meaning the sauce goes on top of the cheese.

This allows the dough to rise instead of being bogged down by sauce, and the sauce stays more vibrant. If you prefer a drier pizza, this is the one for you.

The ambience is relaxed and family-friendly. While its list of signature options is not extensive, devotees of the upside-down technique certainly aren’t complaining.

IF BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER,

THEN BEHOLD BAYWOOD GREENS.

The moment you make the turn into the community be prepared to be amazed by dazzling views, breathtaking gardens and truly phenomenal golf.

Set in the midst of a world-class championship golf course and exquisite botanical displays, the new homes community of Baywood Greens offers an incomparable resort living experience. Private bay beaches and boat docks, scenic walking trails, pools, tennis and the Clubhouse Restaurant are all at your fingertips.

Come visit us and experience it for yourself.

A GOLF COURSE COMMUNITY BAYWOODGREENS.COM | 888-327-3939

N E W H O M E S F R O M T H E M I D $ 2 0 0 ’ S | S H O R T T E R M VA C AT I O N R E N TA L S N O W AVA I L A B L E DEVELOPED BY TUNNELL COMPANIES, L.P.

Directions: From Route 1 in Lewes or Rehoboth Beach take Route 24 West for approximately 8 miles. The entrance to Baywood Greens will be on your left. The Sales and Information Gallery is immediately on your right.

SALES BY HOMES, LLC

DOES YOUR PROPERTY NEED A

PROFESSIONAL Cypress Tree Care brings over 30 years of green industry and tree work experience to every job, client and problem to solve. Let our industry leading professionals service your account and solve your Arboricultural issues. We offer a full range of urban forestry management including hazard mitigation, pruning, removal, pest/disease treatment, stump grinding, and development of forestry inventories and management plans.

302.732.3227 · www.cypresstreecare.com info@cypresstreecare.com

Pruning • Trimming • Removal • Storm Damage • 24/7 Emergency Services CoastalStyleMag.com / COASTAL STYLE 93

RIGHT AT HOME

It will be here before you know it — curb appeal season. We all yearn for the title of “Nicest Neighborhood Yard,” but only one house can claim the honor.

It's game time and we've got you covered.

WRITTEN BY VICTOR FERNANDES

DO YOU LOVE bright, beautiful flowers? Does your less-

than-green thumb keep you from enjoying the array of colors spring planting provides?

Here are some tips from three of the Eastern Shore’s top gardening experts, to put your home on the path to picturesque curb appeal.

Catherine Winkler, Co-owner

Roots Garden & Landscaping Center, Selbyville

T

he Eastern Shore provides opportunities to be creative based on the look do-it-yourself gardeners want, and the goal they want to achieve from their garden.

Winkler suggested a coastal theme or a Japanese-type garden, or perhaps a vegetable and herb garden.

Design choices, and what your garden will do for you, will determine flowers and plants to use. “Are they looking for that health benefit?” Winkler said, referring to growing vegetables and herbs. “Or are they looking to improve their quality of life through stress-free gardening?”

Certain plants like junipers, and grasses such as switch grass and sedges, are better suited for the climate in this region.

“It goes back to the look you’re going for,” Winkler said.

“That’s where we come in.”

94 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

Hom

me Grown CoastalStyleMag.com / COASTAL STYLE  95

PHOTOS COURTESY ROOTS GARDEN & LANDSCAPING CENTER

Debbie Rogers, Co-owner

Maria Erb, Sales associate

R

T

Village Greens, West Ocean City

ogers and her husband, John, have nearly four decades of experience. She hopes customers take advantage of their wealth of knowledge before starting gardening projects. “Our advice is priceless,” she said. Rogers recommends purchasing market packs, or six-plant starter packs as they are commonly known, because they save money by covering more space. Yet, it’s worth spending more money on quality potting soil.

Rogers suggests getting yardwork done early, before planting, but that people should wait until early May before putting tomato plants in the ground.

“Unless you’re an expert gardener and know what you’re doing, it behooves you to go to a garden center,” Rogers said.

“We can put you in the right direction.”

96 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

East Coast Garden Center, Millsboro he professionals at East Coast Garden Center handle planting jobs year-round, as long as the ground is soft. But April is prime time to plant a blend of annuals and perennials.

First, test the soil where you expect to plant to promote proper growth, and apply a soil amendment, such as Leafgro or Clay Breaker, which are organic leaf composts Erb said “will help break down the clay, so the roots of the plant have more oxygen.”

Then create a plan that includes your choice of plants, flowers and trees that make different colors pop, as well as potential planting locations around your home, including for eye-catching accent pieces that add to the outdoor décor.

Erb called them “foundation plantings,” which can be positioned where you have windows, where you can put flowers

higher or in the middle, or as accent pieces at the corners. We have different accent pieces for specimen or focal-point pieces, and we like to consider different types of trees.”

Begonias, sunsations and hollies are good choices around the Shore. But select flowers based on your yard’s amount of sun, shade or both.

Of course, proper watering and fertilization are always important. But flowers also need to be shielded from destructive bugs and insects.

“Some plants are more susceptible to certain insects or diseases than others,” Erb said. “A good garden center will have knowledge of that. They can direct you to something like a neem, or a horticultural oil, which works as a good preventative and curative all at the same time.”

it extends to our wonderful staff and commitment for how we care for our patients.

CoastalStyleMag.com / COASTAL STYLE  97

PARTING SHOT DAILY COMMUTE The Island Belle II, operated 365-daysa-year by Captain Otis Tyler, sets sail from the Crisfield City Dock on its return trip to Smith Island as a brisk winter evening casts a spectacular glow across the Chesapeake Bay. The average daily travel time, with good weather and calm waters, is approximately 45 minutes.

Tyler, who also owns and operates a general store with his son, transports local passengers to the mainland for work, groceries and doctor’s appointments. He also delivers mail, UPS parcels and other cargo to the Island for disbursement. He’ll also allow bikes and kayaks aboard, for a fee. Passengers who wish to do so are politely encouraged to speak with Otis beforehand.

PHOTO BY GRANT L. GURSKY 98 COASTAL STYLE / March-April 2019

You Dream It, We Build It. Now is the time to start thinking about turning those ideas you’ve had in your head into that…

Dream Home

Perfect Patio

Awesome Deck

Fabulous Kitchen

New Addition

If any of these projects are on your wish list, we’re here and ready to help make it happen. Just give us a call.

BUILDING • REMODELING • RE-IMAGINING • AND MORE

410-546-4711 | TylerBuildingCo.com

MCHI# 91101 | MHBR# 6591