Harrisburg Magazine Jan/Feb 2021

Simply The Best IT’S TIME TO NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITES!

Plus...

Experts Spill Their Secrets to Wine Storage Do’s And Don’ts Of Working From Home A Short History of Valentine’s Day Artful Inspirations Around Us

CONTENTS JANUARY / F E BRUARY 2021

b enchmark Media, LLC.

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January / February 2021 • Volume 27 No. 1

PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt doordt@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Christina Heintzelman cheintzelman@benchmarkmediallc.com EDITOR Jacqueline G. Goodwin, Ed.D. jgoodwin@harrisburgmagazine.com

INSIDE

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24 ON THE COVER

SIMPLY THE BEST 2021 CATEGORIES NO SOUR GRAPES: THE EXPERTS SPILL THEIR SECRETS TO WINE STORAGE THE TOP 10 DO'S AND DON'T OF WORKING FROM HOME THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE’S DAY

ARTFUL INSPIRATIONS AROUND US

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LOCAL RESTAURANTS

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE'S "SIMPLY THE BEST" 2019 CORPORATE SPONSORS:

Nominations Issue Visit https://harrisburgmagazine. com/simply-the-best-2021 To Nominate Now!

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laura Reich lreich@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING Mike Jurosky mjurosky@harrisburgmagazine.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jo Ann Shover jshover@benchmarkmediallc.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Diane White McNaughton Christina Heintzelman

Harrisburg Magazine® is published monthly at 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. Phone: 717.233.0109; Fax: 717.232.6010; harrisburgmagazine.com. Subscriptions, $10.95 per year. Single copies, $3.75. Back Issues, $4.00 at office or $7.00 by mail (postage and handling included). Send change of address forms to Benchmark Group Media, 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. This issue or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Harrisburg Magazine®, Inc. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, photographs and disks if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights in letters sent to Harrisburg Magazine® will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as such are subject to a right to edit and comment editorially. Name and contents ©2020, Harrisburg Magazine, Inc. Printed by Freeport Press, Freeport, Oh.

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TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT

SIMPLY THE BEST 2021!

1. It’s Bigger than Ever! We have about 275 categories this year.

2. We have added close to 100 new categories like Soul Food, Fence Company, Veteran Owned Business, and Photographer (Session).

3. We have over 40 categories devoted to Best People. These are categories where individuals, not businesses are nominated.

4. Nominations begin January 1, 2021. You can nominate one business per category per day.

5. Nominations can be done online at https:// harrisburgmagazine.com/simply-the-best-2021/

HOW TO NOMINATE A PERSON IN SIMPLY THE BEST 2021 Nominations begin January 1, 2021 and end February 21, 2021.

You can submit one nomination per category per day.

Go to the voting page at https:// harrisburgmagazine.com/simplythe-best-2021/

6. Nominations end February 21, 2021.

7. The FIVE businesses with the most nominations will be listed on the voting ballot.

We decided to have fewer nominees this year, but more categories.

8. Voting will begin April 15, 2021.

9. Businesses must register online. The link to register is found at https://harrisburgmagazine. com/simply-the-best/register/ 10. You must use your own email address to nominate and vote. You will be sent a link that you will need to use to login after casting your initial nominations.

4 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021

This year, we are including Simply the Best People categories with our regular ballot. We have over 30 categories where you need to nominate a person and not a business. These categories will state “(Name and Workplace)” in the category heading.

Our people categories will not have a drop-down of names to select as the business categories do. That’s because people are not listed in Google Business, which is how that happens.

To ensure your nomination counts, it is essential that you include the first and last name plus the business where they work. If it is not clear who you are nominating, the nomination will be discarded.

SIMPLY THE BEST 2021 CATEGORIES AUTO & TRANSPORTATION

BEAUTY & FITNESS

DRINKS & NIGHTLIFE

HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

Auto Body Shop Auto Customization Auto Dealer (New Domestic) Auto Dealer (New Foreign) Auto Dealer (Preowned/Used) Auto Detailer

Martial Arts Massage Personal Trainer Pilates/Barre Classes Place that Helps You Lose Weight Yoga

Local Distillery Local Pub Overall Bar Place for a Craft Beer Place for a Night Out Place for a Specialty Drink Place for Happy Hour Sports Bar Vineyard / Wine Store

Community Activist Community/Charity Event Customer Service Extra-Large Business (101+) Firefighter Large Business (51-100) Local Hero Medium Business (11-50) Nonprofit Organization

Auto Repair Shop Car Salesperson Car Wash Mechanic Transportation (Limos, Taxis, etc) Transportation Service

Child/Day Care Center Computer Repair / IT Services Dry Cleaners Family Owned Business Funeral Home Insurance Agency Insurance Agent Real Estate Agency Real Estate Agent Real Estate Brokerage Real Estate Team Specialty Service Staffing Agency/Services Travel Agency Veteran Owned Business

BEAUTY & FITNESS Aesthetic Physician Office Barber Shop Beauty/Hair Salon (East Shore) Beauty/Hair Salon (West Shore) Dance Studio Facials Fitness Center / Gym Fitness Classes Hair Removal Services Hair Stylist / Barber Laser / Skin Care

BUSINESS

DENTAL Dental Assistant Dental Hygienist Dentist General Dentist (East Shore) General Dentist (West Shore) Oral & Maxillofacial Clinic Orthodontist Clinic Specialty Dentist

DRINKS & NIGHTLIFE Coffee Local Brewery

FINANCIAL Accountant Accounting Firm Bank Bookkeeping Company Credit Union Financial Planning Company Investment Company Mortgage Company Stockbroker Tax Preparation

FOOD Bakery Barbecue Breakfast Burger Desserts Ice Cream Organic & Health Foods Pizza Delivery Salads Sandwiches Soul Food Steak Sunday Brunch Sushi Sweets & Treats Takeout Vegetarian / Vegan Wings

Place to Volunteer Police Officer Quality Small Business (Under 10) Teacher Value

HEALTH SERVICES Acupuncturist Alternative Medical Specialist Chiropractor Chiropractor Office Counseling or Therapy Office Counselor or Therapist Eyewear & Opticians Hospice Care In-Home Health Care LASIK Surgery Ophthalmologist or Optometrist Physical Therapist

Psychologist or Psychiatrist Office Senior Living

HOME BUILDING Architect Building Supplies Contractor / Remodeler Countertops & Cabinetry Decks & Porches

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021 5

HOME BUILDING Door & Window Company Fence Company Flooring Sales & Installation Garage Door Company Gutter Company Home Builder / Developer Masonry / Concrete Roofing Company Siding

HOME IMPROVEMENT Home Accents Company Home Improvement Specialist (Without a Category) Home Organizing / Closets Interior Design Company Kitchen / Bath Remodeling Co. Moving Company Painters Paving / Sealcoating Renovations & Restoration Services Security Company

HOME MAINTENANCE Carpet or Floor Cleaning Chimney Services Electrician Heating & Air Conditioning Company Home Repair / Handyman Junk Removal Service Lawn Service & Landscaping Maid / Cleaning Service Nursery / Garden Center Pest Control Plumber Pool / Spa Service Pressure Washing Company Tree Service

LEGAL Bankruptcy Attorney Business Law Attorney Corporate Attorney Criminal Defense Attorney 6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021

LEGAL Divorce Attorney Employment Attorney Estate Planning Attorney Family Law Attorney General Practice Attorney Law Firm Personal Injury Attorney Property / Real Estate Attorney Tax Attorney Workman's Comp Attorney

LOCAL FAVORITES Artist/Artisans Church College/University Farmers Market Hidden Treasure (Not Nominated Elsewhere) Local Television Personality Must See Place in Harrisburg New Business (2020) Photographer (Session) Place to Work (101+) Place to Work (11-50) Place to Work (51 to 100) Place To Work (Under 10) Radio Personality Radio Station TV News

MEDICAL Dermatologist Dermatology Office

General or Family Physician Clinic Hospital Medical Doctor Medical Specialist Clinic Nurse Obstetrics & Gynecology Clinic Orthopedics Pain Specialist Clinic Pediatric Clinic Plastic Surgeon Plastic Surgery Clinic Podiatry Walk-In Urgent Care Facility HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021 7

PETS Animal Rescue or Charity Doggy Day Care Pet Adoption Agency Pet Boarding Pet Groomer Pet Sitter/Dog Walker Pet Supply Store Pet Training Veterinarian Veterinarian / Animal Hospital

RECREATION & LEISURE Art Gallery Entertainment Center Fun While Learning Golf Course Historical Site Hotel or Bed & Breakfast Kid's Classes or Education Library Museum Park Place for Kids to Have Fun Place to Spend a Day Off Place to Take a Date Place to Take a Tourist

RESTAURANT Affordable Place to Eat American Restaurant (East Shore) American Restaurant (West Shore) Chef Chinese Deli European (Other than Italian) Indian Italian Latin American Restaurant Overall Dining (Downtown) Overall Dining (East Shore / Suburban) Overall Dining (West Shore) 8 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021

RESTAURANT Pizza Place Place to Eat with Kids Restaurant Service Seafood Restaurant Steakhouse Thai

SHOPPING Antiques Book Store Clothing Boutique Framer Jewelry Store Local Store (Without A Category) Pharmacy Place to Shop for Gifts Place to Shop for the Home Specialty Shop Supermarket Thrift or Consignment Stores

WEDDING & EVENTS Birthday Party Services Bridal Shop / Formal Store Caterer DJ/Event Entertainment Event Coordinator Event Venue Florist / Event Decor Local Band Party Rentals Photographer (Wedding/Event) Wedding Cakes Wedding Planner

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021 9

HOW TO NOMINATE A BUSINESS IN SIMPLY THE BEST 2021 Nominations begin January 1, 2021 and end February 21, 2021. You can submit one nomination per category per day.* Please note there are different instructions on how to nominate a person.

1. Go to the voting page at https:// harrisburgmagazine.com/simply-thebest-2021/ 2. Find the category you’d like to nominate a business in. Type in the name of the business. Once you start typing, a list of businesses with that name will show up based on your current location. Find the business with the correct address and select it. Then, type in your email address and click on the green “Continue” button.

3. You will be taken to a new screen where your nomination is grayed out where you will be asked a couple of questions and some additional information. This year we added a question that requires you to confirm that you are using your own email to vote. Casting votes with an email that does not belong to you is against our rules. Those votes will be eliminated and businesses could be penalized or even removed from the competition if caught. When finished, click on the “Nominate” button.

4. If you did everything right, you will get a confirmation message and the ability to move on to the next category. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do this each time (just the first time you register to vote). If you wish to change your vote, you will have that option. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t show the address you selected on this screen.

5. If you are coming back to nominate on another day, you may need to login. To login, you will need to access a link sent to your email. The email will be titled “Login to Simply the Best 2021.” If you can’t find it, you can attempt to login without it and the system will resend it. *We allow you to nominate one business per category per day. This is to allow people to nominate more than one business for the ballot. We reserve the right to select the nominees with the most unique nominations.

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F O R TE A M H A N DY S I D E!

PLUMBING

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ELECTRICAL

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021 11

No Sour Grapes:

The Experts Spill Their Secrets to Wine Storage

W

ine lovers, raise your glasses! Here’s another reason to drink the nectar of the gods (as if you needed one).

Louis Pasteur, author of the germ theory, says, “Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages.”

In this germophobic age, that pronouncement sounds worthy of a toast.

But even before COVID-19 upended our world, most vino enthusiasts knew that drinking responsibly really means never spilling a drop.

The joys of wine have been celebrated since the ancient days of Greek gods and Biblical wedding feasts. As we all hunker down at home, wine remains the “it” beverage of the quarantine, and storage rooms and refrigerators are the appliance and home renovation du jour. Eyecatching wine rooms and cellars with exotic woods, glass walls, stone partitions, and tasting rooms are in demand in the luxury home market, report home builders, decorators and appliance sellers nationwide.

But you don’t have to build an elaborate wine cellar ala Bruce Wayne’s Batman or purchase a dedicated wine refrigerator to store wine properly. The experts were happy to pour on the advice.

Chef Brien O’Brien, who frequently conducts local wine tastings virtually and who appeared on MasterChef with Gordon Ramsey in 2017, joined Josh Hull, wine buyer for the Chairman’s Selection ® and Chairman’s Advantage ® programs, for the Liquor Control Board’s Fine Wine and Good Spirits, in spilling the goods on our wine questions.

Know the enemy

Wine should be stored in a consistently “dark, fairly dry, and cool place,” O’Brien says. Hull says the temperature should be about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, plus or minus five degrees, with a humidity 12 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020

By Diane White McNaughton

level around 70 percent. The area should also be vibration-free, such as a basement.

But to really understand why these attributes are needed, O’Brien outlined the four main factors that can affect wine during storage: sunlight, heat, air, and time. First, sunlight can be harmful to wine once in the bottle, which is why tinted glass bottles are used instead of clear. Clear glass bottles are sometimes used for Sauvignon Blanc, which is a wine that does not age particularly well, O’Brien says.

Second, “Heat hurts wine because it will start to accelerate the aging process of wine --in a bad way-- once the wine inside the bottle reaches 70 degrees, so keeping wine stored under that 70 degree threshold is key,” he says.

Third, air also deteriorates wine once in the bottle, he says. The key to preventing oxygen from penetrating the bottle before being opened is to maintain proper cork health. Cork is wood, and like all other wood, will deteriorate over time. The best way to slow down wood’s aging process is to keep it in liquid.

Therefore, “It is critically important that wine is stored so that liquid is touching the cork at all times,” O’Brien says. This is why bottles of wine are stored laying on their side or upside down. As long as liquid is always touching the inside of that cork, the cork should not rot and will maintain a proper seal in the bottle, preventing oxygenation.

The final factor is time, O’Brien says. All wine has a ticking time limit governing how long it can age before becoming vinegar.

White wine tends to age far more poorly than red wine, and certain varietals of red wine age much longer and better than others.

Hull says, “A basement that is fully underground is often a great choice (for wine storage). Ultimately, how long you plan to store your wines will dictate how necessary it is to be at or close to these ideal conditions.”

O’Brien says he personally has three wine fridges, all full. He also has overflow wine stored in case boxes where the bottles sit upside down in the box. The boxes are then stored in a dark closet in his house.

If you are just drinking your everyday “two-buck-Chuck,” O’Brien says that is not designed to be aged for years. But for artisan crafted boutique wines from around the world, then age is good. Each “vintage” -- the year those grapes grew on the vines-- bring different characteristics to the grapes and therefore bring different flavors to the wine.

“Each bottle of wine is a time capsule of the year and area in which those grapes grew,” O’Brien explained. “If you as a wine drinker fall in love with a particular bottle of wine of limited supply, buy as much as you can drink before the wine starts to deteriorate,” he says. He says this is not only an investment in your future, but it brings an added bonus in the form of a bulk discount.

“Normally, most white wines aren’t stored for longer than five years or so, but red wines can be aged and stored from 20 to even 50 years or longer if properly stored,” he added.

The prep before the pour

With white wine, no special preparation is needed. Just pop the cork and enjoy. With red wine, sometimes it is proper to decant the wine. This is especially true for aged red wine, because a lot of decanters also filter the wine for any cork or other solid particles that are sometimes found in very old red wines.

The decanting process allows the wine to be reintroduced to oxygen, which allows it to “breathe,” reigniting the flavor of the wine.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020 13

To decant, Hull says, you need a large surface area exposed to air – simply opening the bottle ahead of time will not do the trick.

“If you’re in a hurry, vigorously swirl the wine around in the decanter or in your glass (without spilling!) to expedite and maximize the exposure to air.”

If you are opening a very old wine or one you’ve been storing for quite some time, you may want to stand the bottle upright for at least a few hours before serving – especially with tannic reds, your wine may have a significant amount of sediment that has formed in the bottle, and you’ll want that sediment to settle to the bottom of the bottle so you can keep from pouring it into your glass or that of your guests.

“The sediment is harmless but not very appetizing,” Hull added.

“If you plan on keeping age-worthy wines, such as young Bordeaux and Barolo, for a number of years, then yes – I would recommend prioritizing storage by investing in either a wine cooler or a cellar,” Hull says. Lacking a cool, dark basement with fairly constant temperatures, many wine cooler options are available in just about any size to fit your collection, Hull says.

“I also recommend investing in a small cooler to keep in your kitchen or dining room to hold wines you will enjoy in the near term so they’re ready at a perfect serving temperature,” he added.

Particularly for reds, wines served at a slightly cool temperature in the low 60s Fahrenheit best balance the components of the wine.

Wines sealed by screwcap and sparkling wines can be stored either upright or on their side.

Old world or new age?

Getting older, getting better?

But is finding a favorite a matter of trial and error, when the rows of liquid options seem endless?

“I like to suggest that people test their own palates to figure out their own particular preferences in wine,” O’Brien recommended.

If they like wine from old world regions like France or Italy or new world regions like Napa or Australia, he advises to buy two of the same varietal from the same vintage, one from an old world region and one from a new.

“Try the wines side-by-side to determine if you prefer old world or new. Once you try this with a number of different varietals and over a few different vintages, you will quickly learn your personal preferences, which will help make the wine buying process much easier for you in the future.”

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Not every wine improves with age.

“Younger wines will generally display brighter primary fruit flavors, more structured tannins, more prominent oak influence,” Hull says.

“Over time, the wine can change quite substantially, with less fruit, softer tannins and more integrated oak, as well as possibly developing some interesting secondary and tertiary aromas and flavors.”

“Many wines released today are made to be enjoyed immediately, so it’s best to do a little research before laying down your favorite wine for an extended period of time,” Hull says. He recommends reading the winery’s website for advice about aging and conferring with the wine specialist at your local Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection store.

For most wines, you should be fine to open the bottle, pour a glass and enjoy without any additional steps, Hull says.

“In general, the lighter-bodied the wine, the cooler you want to serve, and vice-versa – serve a touch warmer as you get to wines with more body,” Hull says.

The toast of the town

Does Hull have any secret libation loves?

“I love to highlight regions that are underappreciated and offer tremendous value – check out wines from Washington State and Spain.

“In terms of varietals, while I am a Cabernet Sauvignon lover, look to Syrah (also known as Shiraz) from Washington State for complex, generous reds that offer the most complexity for the price,” Hull says.

“Spain offers a treasure trove of incredible values, from Monastrell (Mourvèdre)-based reds from Eastern Spain, to Tempranillo from Rioja, to crisp whites like Albariño from Northwest Spain – there is just so much to discover and the value can’t be matched.”

O’Brien’s favorite wine is a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. In summer, he drinks a lot of white, German, aromatic varietals.

“I am drinking a lot of Gewürztraminer from Clif Family Winery, Dry Riesling from Trefethen Family Winery, and the Blanc De Blancs from Scramsberg is my favorite bottle of ‘bubbles’ right now,” he says.

For a wine that delights both the palate and the pocketbook, he suggests La Marca Prosecco, which can be found at almost every grocery store in America. For special occasions, O’ Brien recommends the Blanc de Blancs from Scramsberg, which he says is a “beautifully crafted sparkling white wine, perfect for any and all special occasions.” He also suggests a Napa cab for a special occasion.

“I love Clif Family Winery’s 2016 Croquet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and keep it on hand for any special night.”

Whatever your taste and whenever the occasion, a glass of wine can ease your stress, accent your meals, and boost your heart health. Cheers! 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020 15

Home Work: The Top Ten Do’s and Dont’s of Working from Home

By Diane White McNaughton

J

anice Jackson calls herself a “total minimalist.” So when the pandemic forced her to work from home four days out of five each week, her home work space followed suit.

Not knowing how long she would be working from her cozy rancher, Jackson refused to spend a lot of time, money and brain power on an extreme home makeover. She set up home base in her bright gray and white kitchen in the front of her sun-lit home. Her boss in her financial services firm bought her a laptop for her kitchen table. All she needed was her daily bottle of water, her glasses, and her papers, and she was in business.

The joys of working from home became readily apparent. She was able to spend time with the high-energy pit bull mix she rescued in May, after her beloved husky died at the beginning of the pandemic.

Jackson was also able to save gas, time, and money now that her daily 45-minute commute to work, each way, had abruptly gone the way of the handshake and the all-you-can-eat buffet.

No more tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, daily stops for coffee at 7-11, pricey visits to the hair salon, or dry-cleaning bills. Plus, she got to sleep in an extra 45 minutes each day.

Life in her DIY home office is like Groundhog Day. Slide out of bed.

Make coffee. Shower. Open the laptop. Work til 5. Rest. Repeat.

Her work space usually features her laptop at her kitchen table. Her cat Ziggy frequently objects to not being Job One by sitting squarely on her keyboard. She can look out the window when she needs a break and walk her dog.

Her kitchen chair is wooden, and has a firm back so she is not hunched over her laptop. Her home is quiet, so loud distractions are not an issue.

She did it far more economically than most.

The costs of building a home office run in the range of $20,000 to $30,000, according to homestratosphere.com. According to howmuch. net, it can be done much more cost-effectively, estimating it costs about 16 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020

$9,200 to turn a 150-square-foot room into an office. This may include the need to erect a wall, buy furniture, and install a window or soundproofing.

Jack Sherzer, founder and principal of the public relations firm Message Prose, set up his home office, pre-pandemic, when he first bought his ranch home in Susquehanna Township. He has been working from home since 2012, when he was offered a buy-out from his long-time position at the Harrisburg Patriot-News. The shift from frenetic newsroom to total isolation was jarring.

He uses his second bedroom as a home office, though there is still room for a guest bed. Over time, he has gradually amassed a host of office equipment: two computer screens, a shredder with a feeder, a printer, and an inexpensive but vital phone holder for long phone calls and Zoom meetings.

They and other tele-workers offer these 10 key must-haves to make your home office your castle.

1. DO buy an ergonomic chair. Most of us have Prolonged Sitting Disease, which is reputedly worse than smoking. Working from home without moving can lead to back and neck issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, weight gain and more. Sherzer’s friend wound up requiring months of physical therapy because he was hunched over a laptop for 10-12 hours a day, with a posture that would make his grandmother’s blood boil, causing lower back spasms, and sciatica pain.

“You must have a comfortable chair. Spend the money,” Sherzer says. “Don’t try to use a kitchen chair. I bought my office chair from Staples. It has wheels on it and a plastic chair mat underneath so I’m not scratching the hardwood or ruining carpet.”

And try it on for size, experts insist. Even if you want to buy a chair online, try to find that chair somewhere and try it on for size. It’s like a pair of shoes. The chair has to fit your body, Sherzer says.

2. DON’T stay in the dark. Good lighting is a must. Nicole Criswell of L & L Window Fashions notes that one of the first things they consider when decorating a home office is where your computer will be.

“We want to look at glare on the monitor.

We want to get the appropriate amount of light control so you can see your screens.”

Several different trendy window fashions, including shades and blinds, are available depending on whether you need roomdarkening or a stream of sunlight. Sherzer uses layers of lighting, employing a lighted ceiling fan above and an adjustable architect’s lamp at computer level. He believes he doesn’t need much lighting because his computer is lit. He keeps his blinds shut during the day to minimize distractions and shed more light on the monitors. Experts advise right-handers to keep their light to the left so it doesn’t impair vision.

3. DO surround yourself with inspiration.

Decorate with things that inspire you.

Sherzer prints out his favorite sayings in a decorative font and tacks them to the wall, including “Procrasti-pain,” and “Delay is the deadliest form of denial.” Many others surround themselves with family photographs. Sherzer also keeps a shoebox on his desk where his Siamese cat frequently curls up for hours.

4. DON’T follow the sound. Seek the sounds of silence. If your home office is in a high-traffic common area, like a kitchen, your work may stop every time someone’s appetite restarts. That is why one Department of Revenue staffer says he started out working from home in his kitchen, then moved to the dining room, and then the bedroom, in a traveling work show. Another state worker worked at her dining room table alongside her husband and her daughter, a high school senior. It was difficult not to be distracted, to chat, or to run and throw in a load of laundry. It was especially hard because her work often consisted of phone calls, which her entire family could hear.

5. DO spend the money on good equipment.

Spring for a state-of-the-art computer and all the fixings. Make sure you have highspeed internet, at the highest speed you can afford. Internet expenses can be a 100 percent tax write-off, Sherzer reminds home-workers, if their home is their only office. Many people these days are using two screens, so they can type their work product on one screen while reading from another screen.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020 17

6. DON’T be stingy with storage space.

Teleworkers need both virtual storage and hard-copy storage. Sherzer recommends that home-workers pay for a good cloud back-up system like Dropbox.. If you subscribe to Microsoft 365, it will keep Microsoft Word and other programs up-to-date, including Mail, Excel, and Power Point. If your company doesn’t pay for them, they are also tax writeoffs. Sherzer can put up to five computers on the software. If his hard drive crashes, his vital information is stored on back-up.

“That’s imperative,” Sherzer says.

He also purchased a back-up hard drive from Best Buy, so he has double back-ups.

He also recommends a great scanner and printer.

7. DON’T become a packrat for paper or go solo with tech problems.

If teleworkers are keeping stacks of paper, it is easy to run out of filing space quickly.

His cat loves to luxuriate in the sea of paper. Sherzer encourages workers to go as paperless as possible. He also recommends that you get a decent filing cabinet at a used office supply place, or buy online.

And pay for professional IT help if your company won’t pay, such as Geek Squad, who can take over your computer remotely if you run into a problem you cannot solve on your own.

He also recommends a mouse pad and keyboard that you can rest your wrists on, to avoid wrist pain and Carpal tunnel syndrome.

8. DO get an inexpensive cell phone holder, for $25-$30. For longer phone calls and Zoom meetings, the phone holder is a must. If you take many phone calls, use a hands-free device on your call. Sherzer uses Apple ear buds. This allows him to walk around and talk, so he is not stuck at his computer in the same old seat.

“If you’re buying equipment for a home office, spend as much as you can afford,” Sherzer recommends. “Don’t cheap out on it.” It will last. If you buy a desktop, you can save money if the hard drive goes bad, because you can replace just the hard drive, and not the whole computer.

9. DON’T blur the lines between work life and home life. The key: A door. Laurie Foster, an interior designer from Wolf Furniture, says a door is the one thing you have that can separate work from the rest of life. When that door is closed, that’s your signal to work. When you walk out the door, the rest of life begins.

10. DO look on the bright side. You can save time and money at home. A gas tank can last a month and no mask is needed when you are parked on your sofa. You can work remotely without remotely working. 7

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HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020 19

The History of Valentine’s Day

By Jacqueline G. Goodwin, Ed.D.

A

ccording to historians, Valentine’s Day is a successor of the ancient Roman feast of Lupercalia dating back to 300 BC. Every year between February 13 and February 15, the Romans engaged in celebrations and rituals to honor the coming of spring. One of these rituals involved sacrificing a dog or a goat and using its skin to gently slap women, an act that was believed to increase their fertility.

In addition, Lupercalia debuted the ancient version of a blind date: men’s and women’s names were drawn via a lottery and randomly matched to spend the holiday together. If they fancied each other at the end of the feast, they would marry soon after.

In the 5th century A.D., Pope Gelasius I decided to expel the pagan holiday and replace it with a day for the celebration of a martyr called Valentine, who was executed

by Emperor Claudius II. There are different legends about who St. Valentine was. One tells the story of a Christian priest who was imprisoned and fell in love with his jailer’s daughter.

Before his death, he signed a love letter to her with the words “From your Valentine.”

Another legend tells about a priest who ignored Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriage for young men in his army. The priest continued to marry couples who were in love for which he was eventually executed.

The man famous for sending the first Valentine’s Day card was Charles, Duke of Orleans. In 1415, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, he sent a poem titled Farewell to Love to his 16-year-old wife Bonne of Armagnac.

Bonne was Charles’ second of three wives. The first one he married when he 20 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020

was 12 and she was 17. His third wife was 14 at the time of marriage and Charles was 46, after having spent 25 years in prison. Charles also liked poetry. He would eventually produce more than 500 poems during his life; but then, he had a lot of time in prison to do so.

The first mention of Valentine's Day as a day celebrating romantic love is thought to have come from Geoffrey Chaucer in 1375 with a line from the poem Parliament of Foules: “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”

Shakespeare also popularized Valentine’s Day with his works and contributed to its transformation into a holiday of matchmaking and gift-giving.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the holiday began resembling its modern consumer-oriented manifestation. While the common folk exchanged cards and turned to prophecies to reveal their future romantic partners, the aristocracy engaged in more sophisticated activities.

In the European courts, where elaborate displays of fashion and style were already common, the holiday was celebrated by gifting expensive presents to selected people called “Valentines.”

What helped St. Valentine’s Day take root across the ocean in the United States was the nation's emerging consumer and popular culture, boosted by the influence of advertising and the following developments

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in printing and mass production.

The meaning of “valentine” transformed from signifying a person to referring to an object of exchange. Esther A. Howland is thought to have popularized the ornate and elaborate creations associated with valentines when she started making and selling such cards in the 1840s.

By 1900, it was a common practice for friends and lovers to exchange small tokens of affection or printed cards. Today, Valentine's Day is the second-largest cardsending holiday, after Christmas. Over 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged throughout the world, and that doesn't count the little cards children traditionally give each other in classrooms via shoebox and construction paper “mailboxes.”

In fact, U.S. consumer spending for Valentine's Day 2021 is expected to be $27.4 billion.

Yale sociologist Jefferey Alexander points out that rituals have always been an important part of human culture and can “help renew a flagging sense of solidarity.” Gift giving has also always been an important way to create peace and reciprocity.

“I think gifts can be thought of as materializations of meanings and emotions, rather than as commercial or financial exchanges. Let’s take the idea of a heart, which was a symbol people used long before Valentine’s Day. The gifts we exchange on Valentine’s Day are supposed to symbolize the emotions that come out of the heart. Of course, today when 22 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2020

everything is commodified, people feel there is a correlation between the emotion communicated in the gift and how much money you spend,” Alexander says.

According to Alexander, how we choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day is up to us. “Taking part in a collective ritual, however, has a positive effect on our feelings of belonging, and thanks to the commercialization of the holiday, there is a way for everyone to participate.” 7

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Artful Inspirations Around Us

By Christina Heintzelman

A

s we begin a New Year filled with hope and good wishes let us keep up our exploration of the artisans who live in our community and create beauty and inspiration for all of us.

We all think of art in personal ways. What is beautiful and meaningful to one person may elicit a totally different feeling in another person. We can view art intellectually and emotionally and come away with mixed feelings every single time.

Over the ages, many people have made many comments regarding the arts. Here are just a few: Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Every artist was first an amateur.”

Henri Matisse: “Creativity takes courage.”

Pablo Picasso: “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

Ansel Adams: “You don't take a photograph, you make it.”

Thomas Merton: “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

Keeping these comments in mind, the following is how our local artisans explain their creative processes and how they find their artful inspirations in this progression.

Bob McCloskey, Linda Benton McCloskey and Ann Benton Yeager

Ann Benton Yeager, Linda Benton McCloskey and Bob McCloskey will tell you that they are a “Family Affair in Painting” and “the family who paints together stays together.” They are one of the 18 artist studios housed in The Millworks Restaurant building in Harrisburg.

All three family members are self-trained artists who have taken the time to participate in various art classes to hone their skills. Bob is a retired history teacher who still takes time to substitute teach in the classroom.

“My interest in art began many years ago when a close friend who was an art teacher asked me if I would like to learn how to clean paintings for some well-known east coast artists such as Frank Schoonover, who was a member of the Brandywine School along with N.C. Wyeth, and Tom Lovell, who was well known for his depictions of the American West,” he says. Bob has many interesting stories from 24 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021

this time in his life because of the influential artists he was able to meet. He began studying watercolor after working with these various painters’ works and now uses his skills in this area to produce acrylic and watercolor work on copies of historical parchments.

“I have created an acrylic portrait of Linda Benton McCloskey Abraham Lincoln that has been affixed to a parchment copy of the “Gettysburg Address,” he says. Bob also creates various collages and silk screens, always keeping in mind his love of history, whether it is about sports, famous people, or important events in our country.

Bob persuaded his wife, Linda Benton McCloskey, to take a watercolor class with him and her love of painting took over.

“When I was a senior in high school I was very much interested in art, but an art teacher told me that I ‘had no talent whatsoever,’” Linda says. As a result of that comment she admits that she put away her paint brushes until age 57. Around this time she also found out that her great uncle was Thomas Hart Benton, famed muralist and one of the co- founders of the Regionalist movement and the mentor of Jackson Pollock. She knew that art and creativity were in her genes. After taking the watercolor class with Bob, Linda decided that it was time to retire

from her career with Rite Aid and devote herself full time to her pursuit of art.

“I paint because not to paint is unthinkable.

Painting completes me and truly is my life's passion,” she adds.

Linda was first published in Harrisburg Magazine in 2011 and has gone on to receive many awards in international, national, and regional exhibits. She is a signature member of the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and the Baltimore Watercolor Society, along with having earned her nautilus membership in The International Society of Experimental Artists. She also has had her work shown in seven internationally published books in the art world.

Linda works in realism and abstract pieces using acrylic, pastels, oil, oil and wax and encaustic. She also teaches many varied art classes along the east coast, on Patreon.com. and has created YouTube videos.

“Discovering creative ways of expression and keeping traditional rules of painting out of the picture are priorities,” says Linda.

Ann Benton Yeager has been painting since 2009 when she went to a weekend getaway at Gifford Pichot State Park with a friend and as part of that trip, she was given the task of painting a rock. It turned out so well that she decided to sign up for an art class being taught by her mother, Linda Benton McCloskey.

“I got my list of supplies and had no idea of what half of them were, so I ended up having to ask mom to explain the list. She was so excited that I was going to join in the family art tradition that she made sure I was well supplied,” she explains.

Ann’s first painting ended up on display in the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg. Afterwards she took an experimental mixed media art class and fell in love. Ann has been moving forward in her art and plans to become a full-time artist as soon as she retires from her position with the PA Treasury Department.

“My works are in acrylic, cold wax and oil, encaustic (hot wax and oil), fluid art and mixed media elements, including charcoal,

pastels, modeling paste, tar gels; anything that can Ann Benton Yeager add texture to my canvas,” says Ann. She also dabbles in watercolor as well. At times, Ann will incorporate items like cheesecloth, bubble wrap, and even sand to add interest to her paintings.

“I believe abstract art is endless in its possibilities, and infinite in design,” Ann adds.

Although Ann had only been painting for two years, she celebrated success in garnering “Second Best in Show” from Art Association of Harrisburg in 2011 and later followed up her original success with the International BoldBrush Award. In addition, her work has been shown in an internationally published art book. She teaches the fluid art courses which are held at The Millworks and has exhibited in many local art galleries. Ann is also a founding member of Mixed Media Art Group.

Readers can contact these artists either through their studio in The Millworks, websites LindaBentonMcCloskey.com, Annbentonart.com or emailing mccloskeyart@gmail.com, and annbentonart@gmail. com. All three artists have Facebook pages, and in addition, Bob and Linda’s work can also be seen on a regular basis at Art and Soul Gallery in Lemoyne and Hetrich Fine Art in Harrisburg. All three artists work regularly creating commissioned pieces.

Jason Lyons

Some of Jason Lyons’ earliest memories are of trips out “junk hunting” with his father and spending summers traveling the art show circuit in the family’s red VW bus. Jason’s father was a graphic artist who also worked with found objects and this is how Jason created his passion for 3D sculpture.

Jason studied graphic design at a vo-tech school in Dallas, Texas after he finished high school, but he soon realized that his interest was in 3-dimensional art. He went to flight school for a while with the idea of becoming a pilot, but the art world continued to beckon him.

Jason moved to the Harrisburg area from Dallas, Texas with his wife, Wendy, about 14 years ago and began earnestly concentrating on his art retiring six years ago to become a fulltime artist. He has shown extensively at art shows, winning many awards for his unique work. In 2009 and 2010, Jason was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Governor Awards for Excellence to create sculptures to be used as awards to honor Pennsylvania’s local government leaders in recognition of exceptional

dedication to improving public services through innovative initiatives.

Jason’s creations are inspired from man-made objects discarded as refuse. He began mostly by using metal but now incorporates all HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021 25

types of found objects that seem to fit into what he has in mind for his sculpture; a ruler may form the body of a rainbow trout with typewriter keys forming some scales, a horseshoe might transform into an armadillo.

“Who’s to say every spoon handle is not a bird’s wing waiting to take flight,” Jason says, regarding how his ideas grow from a single reclaimed object.

Jason explains how patience is necessary to let something be what it needs to become as he envisions it.

“I see a found object while ‘shopping,’ and I think what it might become; I store it away with other pieces that I feel will work with it – I can’t rush the process as it must all fit together as seamlessly and symmetrically as I imagine it doing. I only work on one creation at a time, but I am constantly making piles for the next creations.”

Jason works on both private and public commissions and you can see an example of his public commissioned work at Troegs Brewery in Hershey.

When Jason takes on a commission, he may either rely on the idea proposed by the client or he may take the lead in designing what he feels will make them happy. One of his favorite pieces was turning some tools used by a client’s father into a beautiful flower which would accompany the client’s mother to a long-term care facility. Oftentimes people will donate objects for his use, and he will then create a small piece for them from these treasures.

Jason’s work is currently exhibited at Village Artisans in Boiling Springs and Ivy Stone Studios in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. He can be reached mainly through his website at JasonLyonsArts.com.

Toby Bouder

Toby Bouder began his creative experience in high school as a photographer doing work for his high school yearbook. He was chosen for a scholarship to The Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts, which at that time was hosted at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Only residents of Pennsylvania who were 11th or 12th graders in high school were considered for the program, which was extremely competitive as only 200 students were chosen yearly for the five-week program. In addition to his primary interest in photography, Toby chose a secondary interest area in sculptural welding and forged an entirely new passion in the world of artistic creation, moving toward a more threedimensional approach to work.

Then life intervened and Toby went to work for the US Postal System, knowing that he could retire early and devote more time to his hobby. He bought a Shop Smith and began working in flatwork with wood. At some point he saw a YouTube video of a man working with a lathe and he began experimenting with dimensional wood creations. Six months before his retirement he turned his first bowl, and eight years later he is working exclusively in this genre.

“I collect local trees that have either been cut down or have fallen down and I bring them to my studio to be mounted on my lathe. This is where I begin to peel back the layers to reveal what nature has been hiding,” Toby says, adding that he is always on the lookout for interesting burls which create the most interesting and unique designs for his creations.

Toby explains a burl as a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner. It is commonly found in the form of a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch that is filled with small knots from dormant buds.

“From the outside trees appear mundane… however, inside this outer covering is an endless wealth of natural art,” he adds.

As Toby inspects his wood, he says he begins to make decisions as to what shape, size, and features can be created from a particular piece of wood. He then decides as to whether he should add color 26 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JAN/FEB 2021

to his piece and what finish should be applied after it is created. He works with the basic primary colors of red, yellow, and blue considering the natural color of the wood and what will work best.

Sometimes he simply chooses what he likes best himself.

“This is not a job. I am being creative, and I want to please myself.” says Toby.

Although Toby will tell you that he is not a full-time artist he spends a lot of time working on his creations and taking his works to various art shows where he often exhibits

his works alongside his wife, Judy, who creates pressed flower art pictures.

Toby’s works can be seen at Brain Vessel, located in Mechanicsburg. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen and is President of the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of PA Guild of Craftsmen. Readers can contact him through his Facebook Page and sales site TBWoodturner or his personal page on Facebook, Toby Bouder.

Mike Grove

Mike Grove has been creating pottery for five years. He is the owner of Blind Mike’s Pottery. Mike has been legally blind all his life and became totally blind five years ago. Even with limited vision Mike did a lot of painting and drawing in high school and after graduating he moved to Tennessee and was able to sell quite a bit of his work there.

He moved back to Carlisle area after two years in the South, and as he began to lose more sight, he realized that he would no longer be able to paint so he began studying guitar and became a professional singer in various clubs.

“I didn’t get rich, but I had a ball,” he adds.

Mike also decided to learn to play the fiddle, but an accident with a power saw cut that career short when he lost a finger and was no longer able to hold down various strings on the neck of his instrument.

Undaunted by these changes in events, he began attending HAAC in 2010, studying computer repair and technical support. Mike then transferred to Bloomsburg University and earned a BA degree in Science and Technology in 2016. Since this time, Mike has used this knowledge to work as a consultant, evaluating computer programs for their accessibility for the blind. He has provided some of these services to the State of Pennsylvania.

Although Mike first studied ceramics 45 years ago, he felt that he could not quite get the concept of 3D art, so he put aside his clay until five years ago when he decided to take another pottery class at HAAC and suddenly it began to feel right. He has studied hand building, slab building, slip casting and wheel throwing. He has also studied various methods of firing.

“The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know,” Mike says. “The fact that I had some sight growing up has allowed me to have something to draw on when I am creating,” he adds.

Recently, Mike was asked to build a few elephants that would be used as banks. He knew what an elephant looked like but felt that he was a bit removed from making it look realistic rather than abstract.

“So I went to Walmart and found a toy elephant for $1.00 and took it home,” Mike says. “By using my touch, I studied the dimensions of various parts of the body and how those parts constituted the whole. After studying the toy, I was able to create various size bowls which I could work together to form the head and body and then add other parts by slab building.”

When Mike begins working on a piece, he oftentimes does not have a plan in place as to what it will become.

“The clay has a mind of its own and in holding it and working the ball of clay, it tells me what it wants to

become,” Mike explains. He has a method of glazing which works quite well for him. Mike says he will fill his vessel with the glaze color that he wants inside, such as white or cream color for a mug, then dumps it out and waits a bit for the bisque to absorb the remaining glaze inside.

Then he holds the item by the rim and dips it into the outer glaze color until he can feel the glaze on the ends of his fingers. He lets that absorb and then holds the item upside down holding his fingers about ¼ inch from the edge of the item and re-dips. The air pocket created keeps the glaze from getting on the inside of the object and it covers the rim of his creation. Mike does not question how he can do this without sight, he just knows he can, and he makes it work.

Readers can reach Mike through his Facebook page, Blind Mike’s Pottery. On this page you will find other contact information for him.

Mike also sells at various local art shows or pop-up holiday markets.

Much of his work is sold by word-of-mouth but he does have some of his work in local business such as beauty parlors, coffee shops, and medical offices, and he will periodically hold an open house in the studio in his home. 7

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