JerseyMan Magazine V7 N1

THE TRAVEL ISSUE

Q&A with Temple coach

FRAN DUNPHY

Chef Brian Duffy’s New Flying Fish Crafthouse

Volume 7 • Number 1

$3.95

Get Lost Journey with us to some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations p.48

Machu Picchu, Peru

#whereintheworldisdee

Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail DESTINATION: CLEARWATER

Spring Training Home of the Phillies

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PUBLISHER

FROM JerseyMan Magazine THE VOLUME 7 • NUMBER 1 ____________________________________________________________________________________

BY KEN DUNEK

Ken Dunek Publisher CONTRIBUTING EDITOR George Brinkerhoff

Blessings and Basketball

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uiltily, I admit to having a life-long affair. My mistress’s name is Hoops.

Blessed with above average size and hand-eye coordination, my basketball travels took me from Marengo (IL) High School to Paducah (KY) Community College to Memphis State University, where I was able to compete at the highest level against the likes of Sidney Moncrief, Andrew Toney, and Darrell Griffith.

Although I switched to football my senior year in college in a last ditch maneuver to be a professional athlete, it wasn’t my first love. I was always early on the court for round ball practice.

Regrettably, even though I was more acclimated physically for football, I could never duplicate the passion.

So when given the chance now to write about basketball, the words flow as if transferred from an endless reservoir of love.

ART DIRECTOR Steve Iannarelli CONTRIBUTING WRITERS George Anastasia, Jan L. Apple, Michael Bradley, George Brinkerhoff, Sam Carchidi, Alexandra Dunek, Ashley Dunek, Jamie Dunek, Mark Eckel, John Hopkins, Robert Kennedy, Sam Kraft, Bill Lyon, Glen Macnow, Anthony Mongeluzo, Daniel R. Morroni, Gervase Peterson, Nina Radcliff, MD, Andrew Ryan, Dee Sader, Natalie Sawn, Kurt Smith, Dr. Rubina Tahir DC, T. Jordan Wompierski Administrative Assistants Alexandra Dunek Jamie Dunek Allison Farcus

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet local legend Fran Dunphy of Temple University. It was a real treat to chat with the coach who has won more Big 5 games than anyone in history. You will read about my talk with Coach Dunphy later in this issue.

Events Coordinator Ashley Dunek

And then there wa s my encounter with Craig Sager.

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A sideline reporter known as much for his flamboyant sports jackets as his friendly and folksy interview style, Craig lost his valiant fight with leukemia several weeks ago. I met him once in a hotel lobby in East Rutherford, NJ before an Eagles game. Not sure why he was there, maybe our football/basketball paths were crossing for a reason.

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Sager loved the game. He loved people.

And the day he died, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr asked the crowd at a home game to honor Craig not with a moment of silence, but with a moment of joy to recognize the man so passionate about the sport and his role in it.

Applause rained down like a Steph Curry 3-pointer.

So seek your passion. And be #sagerstrong in your quest to find it.

There will be no regrets about the love affair. #Ipromise.

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Controller Rose M. Balcavage Sales Associates Ashley Dunek, Jamie Dunek, Terri Dunek, Allison Farcus, Chris Kazmarck, JP Lutz, Tinavalen Nguyen JerseyMan Advisory Board Peter Cordua. . . . . . . . . . HPK CPAs & Consultants Nick DeRose. . . . . . . . . Legacy Treatment Services Joseph Devine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kennedy Health Ted Flocco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernst & Young Bob Hoey. . . . . . . . . . . Janney Montgomery Scott Jeffrey Jaskol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Jaskol Group Robert Kennedy. . . . . . . . The Kennedy Companies Julie LaVan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LaVan Law Anthony Mongeluzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCS Ryan Niedoba. . . . . . Niedoba, Beppel & Co., LLC Mike Regina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Big Sky Enterprises Paul Tully . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eagle Wealth Strategies

DID YOU KNOW?

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine

Prior to 1922, traveling, or running with the basketball, was counted as a foul charged to the offending player.

JerseyMan Magazine/PhillyMan Magazine, products of the partnership of Joe LaGrossa, Ken Dunek, and Alex Kazmarck, are published

by New Opportunity Publishing, LLC, with offices at 7025 Central Highway, Pennsauken, NJ, 08109. Copyright 2017.

www.jerseymanmagazine.com 8

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INSIDE 20 THE TRIPLE DOUBLE

by BILL LYON

24 THE HART OF THE FLYERS

Q&A with Temple head basketball coach

36 “DUFFIFIED”

Chef Brian Duffy’s Flying Fish Crafthouse

62 FOR THE LOVE OF RADIO

Andre Gardner of 102.9 WMGK

66 THE FLYERS AT 50

Celebrating Ed Snider’s brilliant gamble

70 COZMO’S TALE

ON THE COVER Machu Picchu is built on two fault lines. As Peru is a highly earthquake sensitive zone, the Incan Empire arranged the stones so when a seismic event hit, the stones would bounce or “dance” through the vibration and then fall back into place.

This makes it virtually earthquake resistant!

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by GLEN MACNOW

30 FRAN DUNPHY

JerseyMan Magazine VOLUME 7 • NUMBER 1

Former Marine Robert Consulmagno

THE TRAVEL ISSUE WALKING NORTH 42 Trials and jubilation of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail

GET LOST 48

Where in the world is Dee? We’ll show you DESTINATION: CLEARWATER 54

Spring training home of the Phillies, and so much more AIRBNB 58

The new and improved hospitality business

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Appalachian Trail thru-hiker Natalie Sawn

COLUMNS 12 JOTTINGS • 18 FEEL GOOD PHILLY • 22 GEORGE ANASTASIA’S MOB SCENE • 26 GET FIT • 28 THE ENTHUSIAST 74 DR. NINA • 76 THE ENTREPRENEUR COACH • 80 THE HEALTH REFEREE • 82 WHAT WE WEAR 88 TECH TIME • 90 THE CIGAR GUY • 93 THE WINE MAN • 94 SAY GERV? BY GERVASE PETERSON

jerseymanmagazine.com

JOTTINGS

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BY GEORGE BRINKERHOFF

The Art of the Automobile

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OR MORE THAN A CENTURY, travel throughout the civilized world has included the automobile. And for nearly as long, racing automobiles competitively has been a thing. It just so happens that the Philadelphia region has been a hot bed of racing from the beginning. So it’s fitting that within the city limits of Philadelphia there exists one of the premiere automobile museums in the world: The Simeone Foundation Auto Museum, featuring one

of the finest collections of racing sports cars anywhere. Their theme, “The Spirit of Competition,” celebrates the history and evolution of these magnificent machines. Many of the cars are staged in authentic historical scenes, each with information detailing their road racing achievements. Assembled over 50 years by Dr. Frederick Simeone, the Museum contains over 65 historically significant cars including Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, Bugattis, Mercedes, Jaguars, Bentleys, Porsches, Aston Martins, Corvettes, Fords and more. These sports cars represent the pinnacle of automotive design, engineering and performance and are justifiably considered rolling art. Anyone who is even a casual fan of the power, beauty and style of the auto should check it out, one of the coolest museums and most badass of “art galleries” in town. For more information check out www.simeonemuseum.org.

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Photos Steve I.

Simeone Foundation Auto Museum

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The Spirit of ’76

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ET’S FACE IT, our region possesses a vast wealth of historic sites from the time of the Revolutionary War. And because, as we know, it has been determined that both fighting and drinking were part of the DNA of our American ancestors who fought in the Revolution, we think it’s fitting to tread in their footsteps a little. Whether raising a glass to General George Washington and cursing King George III or battling his red-coated regulars (or worse his hated mercenaries, the Hessians), our revolutionary forbearers captured the Spirit of ’76. We found several places from around our region where these patriots indulged in both, hard-fought battles with long odds and copious quaffing, in conveniently close proximity to one and other, and where you can too. (Well, at least the toasting and cursing part.)

The Battle of Iron Works Hill, Mount Holly, NJ, a series of skirmishes on December 22 and 23, 1776, was a diversionary tactic for Washington’s December 26 attack on Trenton. It ended when the colonials withdrew from Iron Works Hill. The marker and monument are at Pine St., between Shreve St. and Hulme St. in front of St. Andrews cemetery. The nearby Mill Street Hotel & Tavern (otherwise known as Three Tuns

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ONGRATULATIONS to Philadelphia’s William Penn Charter School grad, Matt Ryan, quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, for taking them all the way to the Super Bowl this year. During the 2016 regular season, he threw for a career high 4,944 yards, second in the league, and a career high 38 touchdowns and a career low 7 interceptions. He was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl, and was recognized as the NFL Most Valuable Player by the Pro Football Writers Association.

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In the footsteps of the Patriots

Tavern in 1776), opened its doors at 67 Mill Street in Mount Holly in 1723.

In the Red Bank Battlefield Park in National Park, NJ, lies Fort Mercer, the site of an ill-fated attack by the British leading to victory by the Americans on October 22, 1777. The Mt. Royal Inn is a brick tavern open to the public close by in Mt. Royal, NJ, at the crossroads of Berkeley Rd. and King’s Highway, built in 1762 and functioning in various forms as a tavern, inn or hotel since that time. Or you can check out the Barnsboro Inn in

General George Washington used the Battle of Iron Works Hill as a diversion for his attack on Trenton in 1776.

a retreat, luring about 200-300 militiamen across the river and cutting off their retreat. Between 30 or 40 Americans were killed, but the British were stalled. Three days later an attack by the British at Hancock’s Bridge was made where our brave colonial militiamen were bayoneted in their sleep. Drink a toast to these heroes at Ye Olde Centerton Inn, in Pittsgrove Township, Salem County, which traces its history back to 1706.

The Fort Mercer Monument at Red Bank Battlefield Park

Barnsboro, NJ, established in 1720 and licensed in 1776 a few miles to the east.

The Battle of Quinton’s Bridge on the Alloways Creek at Quinton, NJ was the site of an attack

by British forces on March 17, 1778. The British, 1500 strong, were occupying Salem, NJ and attempted to take this bridge. The British feigned

In June, 1778 a skirmish occurred at Crosswicks, NJ, between British troops (under General Howe marching towards what would become the Battle of Monmouth) and the colonials attempting to stop them from crossing the Crosswicks Creek. During the exchange one American was killed attempting to cut away the bridge, and an American cannonball remains lodged in the side of the Quaker meeting house to this day. The nearby Chesterfield Inn, at 633 Chesterfield Arneytown Rd., was built in 1710 and preserves the spirit of its local history. n

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Conshohocken Brewing Company Opening – Bridgeport, PA 23rd Annual Hair O’ The Dog – the Fillmore Philadelphia

Ray Didinger (L), Jillian Mele and Glen Macnow at the opening of Glen’s new Conshohocken Brewing Company in Bridgeport, PA.

Samaritan Opens South Jersey’s First Freestanding Hospice Center – Marlton, NJ

Dinner honoring longtime Philadelphia Inquirer and JerseyMan Magazine columnist Bill Lyon – Broomall, PA

L to R: St. Joseph University Athletic Director Don DiJulia, Former Eagles GM Jim Murray, Bill Lyon, author Joe Marrella, Ken Dunek, radio host Phil Neuman.

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Seated in one of the family rooms at The Samaritan Center at Voorhees, from left: Cheryl Brida, Wells Fargo Business Banking Manager; Samaritan CFO Mary Finn; Standing from left: Samaritan President & CEO Mary Ann Boccolini; Jeffrey Wasmuth, Wells Fargo Senior Regional Credit Officer; Ralph Richard, Wells Fargo Greater Philadelphia Area Manager; and Kevin Agness, Wells Fargo Principal Relationship Manager.

Mike McLaughlin CACC Hall of Fame induction – Holy Family University, NE Philly Former Holy Family University women’s basketball head coach Mike McLaughlin and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Commissioner Dan Mara at Mike’s CACC Hall of Fame induction on Sunday, December 18th.

Mike is currently the head women’s basketball coach for the University of Pennsylvania.

Coach Mike McLaughlin (center) and 14 seasons of alumni players celebrating his Hall of Fame induction at Holy Family’s Northeast Philadelphia campus. Credit: Holy Family Athletics

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Feel Good PHILLY

_________________________________________________________

Stories to spark a smile…

Wear It On Your Sleeve Photos Philamedia

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LMOST 9,000 MILES FROM PHILADELPHIA, Phnom Penh, Cambodia feels like a world away.

Yet check the tag on your favorite designer goods and you’ll find that it has closer ties than you might think. High-end brands, some you’ve most likely purchased, are being created in manufacturing plants which exemplify many of the harshest realities of corporate greed. Sadly, most of these factories fail to meet even the most minimal of ethical standards on issues like environmental protection, worker safety, and labor compensation.

That’s until Brandon Study, a Temple University senior, came up with an idea. In fact, he’s putting his business degree to work months before his graduation date.

He challenges you to Understand Your Brand (UYB), a clothing line he created that combines trendy styles with 100% recycled fabric.

With a nod to Shakespeare’s Othello, the “wear it on your sleeve” t-shirt has become a literal representation of positive change, demonstrated by different colored sleeves. Bonus: they are as comfortable and stylish as they are socially and economically friendly. Each shirt is manufactured by a zero waste, ethical manufacturer that provides its employees well above a living wage and the opportunity to move into management positions.

Brandon says he wants his t-shirts to, “incite curiosity, not only about the fashion manufacturing industry, but about individuals and the pursuit of their passions.”

Brandon, we are sure you’ll incite more than curiosity with this brand. And we are honored to wear it on our sleeves and support it. – Jamie Dunek Want to wear it on your sleeve too?

This discount code will save you 15%: FEELGOOD Visit: www.brandonstudy.com or email: brandonjstudy@gmail.com Instagram: @understandyourbrand • Facebook: Understand Your Brand

Music To My Soul IT’S NOT EVERY DAY you run across guys like John Beacher and Brandon Kamin.

Check out their video here: https://vimeo.com/170562402 18

Two young visionaries from Philly who are committed to making our city, our world, a better place to live.

With Brandon behind the camera and John behind his guitar, these two longtime friends set out to give those less fortunate something to smile about and took to the streets of the City of Brotherly Love to spread just that.

With John’s belief that music brings people together, he gently approached folks that would allow him the opportunity to share his gift. Sitting on a stoop with his guitar, he strung out notes and sang with his new friends, sometimes taking requests and other times simply strumming his instrument in rhythmic beat as they belted out their favorite tunes.

“The beautiful part about performing with other people is that they become a part of the experience and there’s this magic thing that happens…”

As I watched the finished video that Brandon and Josh created, my eyes welled up with tears.

Magic did happen.

Lives were touched.

Voices were heard.

And it was beautiful. n – Ashley Dunek

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BILL LYON ___________________________

Russell Westbrook

The Triple Double It started with Oscar Robertson.

The Big O. Remember?

He’d set up shop out there at the top of the key, lock on and back his man down, one bump-bump at a time and his man was helpless; he looked like he was shod in castors and O was moving office furniture.

O would score when it suited him or if his team was behind. But of course the points were not even half of the story.

There were the assists.

And the rebounds.

Lots and lots of all three, so many that, finally, someone got to thinking it might be fun to keep track of them. Take a bow, Harvey Pollack. The late Super Stat of Philadelphia was without equal when it came to inventing numbers.

And so was born, drum roll, please, The Triple Double.

During the 1961-62 NBA season the Big O played in 79 games with the Cincinati Royals and averaged…averaged…30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists.

To repeat, that’s averaged. That’s double digits in each of the three most important statistics in basketball. Covering an entire season.

Exactly how difficult is that?

It’s never been done since, that’s how difficult. Through the first five weeks of the current season, Russell Westbrook, the point guard for the Oklahoma Thunder, amassed nine triple doubles. The rest of the entire league amassed nine triple doubles. The whole league. Which means that all those best players in the world might not be so hot after all. Or… …Or Russell Westbrook is good…really good, wicked good.

Wilt…Of Course I’m a devote of The Triple Double. I rank it right up there in terms of degree of difficulty with, say, Wilt Chamberlain’s average of 50.4 points per game. For one entire season.

And Wilt, by the way, had 78 Triple Doubles in his star spangled career. Points? By the car load. Rebounds? Tons. Assists? Not so much, although there was that one season when he 20

bristled over a story that said “all” he could do was score and rebound, and Wilt responded with just for that I’ll lead the league in assists.

Which he did.

Of course.

Magic Man Earvin Johnson was the name, sleight of hand was the game.

The Big O holds the career Triple Doubles record with 181. Russell Westbrook, assuming he can avoid debilitating injury, which is no mean feat in the NBA wars, should breeze past that in a season or three.

Lurking between them is Magic Johnson with 138.

The Big O was pretty much the stoic on the court, going about his business in the methodical style of a paid assassin. O, they said, would weave a web around you, put you in Dream Land and you’d wake up to find he had laid a box score line on you that read something like this: 32-18-12. You know the song “Killing Me Softly”? That was O. Magic, of course, was the exact opposite, Show Time. Remember?

Light the Lights, Strike Up the Band… behind-the-back passing, 94 feet of burnt rubber…full court mayhem, all orchestrated by the guy with the piano keyboard grin, and it was contagious.

Magic was made for the Triple Double. He was tall like a small forward, he could see over the defense, he could overpower guards, he could hold his own, and then some in the elbow-sharp sparring around the rim and those Bloody Nose Alley bouts in the paint… and the best part was he loved to spread the wealth around. Be alert…you’re apt to get a pass in your ear hole if you don’t keep you head on a swivel.

He could—and frequently did—play all five positions in the same game.

Bird Man It was one of those NBA All Star weekend skills competitions, 3-point shots, and the locker room door flew open with a resounding crash and the players jumped and this Hick

From French Lick strutted in and proclaimed: “OK, which one of you poor SOBs is playing for second?”

NBA, please welcome, from the Boston Celtics, Larr-r-r-r-r-r-y Joe Bird.

They called him White Magic. He had a game right out of the Globe Trotters manual.

French Pastry. There was the 3-ball, both fade away and step back. And a baby hook, borrowed from that other Magic.

He used his elbows like bayonets, carving out choice rebounding real estate, and his passes belched blue flame.

The sadly uninformed sniffed and labeled him slow afoot and non-dunker. Yeah, right. He couldn’t play a lick, could he?

Forget those 59 Triple Doubles.

The Kidd You saw a lot of The Big O in Jason Kidd’s game. Same go-for-the-throat dispatch. Played the point, got the game spread out before him, flush for the taking…like a Chinese menu: one from column A and 2 from column B, and do we get egg rolls with that? No. but you did get 107 Triple Doubles.

The King LeBron. King James. One of the five best all-time.

Right?

Right.

Modest total of Triple Doubles (45), yes, but he’s still collecting them. Along with rings.

The New Guy So what to make of this Russell Westbrook.

He is listed at 6-feet-3 and 200 pounds. Hardly imposing. The NBA is full of those.

But he is cheetah-quick and hard to run to ground. His basketball IQ is off the charts. He can score from anywhere on the court. Literally. Being so quick to the ball enables him to snatch away rebounds from bigger players like a slick pick-pocket. His court vision enables him to see the game a move ahead. Or two.

Someone who consistently averages double digit assists is hardly a ball hog. You’d beg to have him pick you. n

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MOB SCENE

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BY GEORGE ANASTASIA

Taking Down the Mob

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ACK IN THE 1980s, the wife of a South Philadelphia mobster had firsthand knowledge of her husband’s involvement in two gangland murders. This did not make for a happy marital abode.

She came to believe that her life was in jeopardy, so she filed for divorce and eventually became a government witness against her former spouse. While living in protective custody, she took up with one of the FBI agents assigned to guard her and married him.

Looking for some personal insights, I asked her what the difference was between the cops and the wiseguys.

Without missing a beat, she replied, “The cops have badges.”

I thought about that while reading Bob Buccino’s self-published book New Jersey Mob, Memoirs of a Top Cop. Buccino’s highly acclaimed law enforcement career was built around his crusade to take down the mob in his native New Jersey. But he frankly admits that as a teenager, he was on a different path and could have easily ended up as a made member of one of the seven organized crime families that operate in the Garden State.

Fate, happenstance and a young wife who made it clear she’d have nothing to do with him if he didn’t change his ways led him to take the New Jersey State Police exam two years after he graduated from high school in Orange, the town where he grew up and where he cut his teeth running with a teenage gang, collecting numbers bets for mobsters and bouncing in and out of trouble.

Buccino says of his childhood and teenage years in 1950s North Jersey.

“You could place a horse bet or a wager on almost any sport contest in almost every candy store and luncheonette.”

“I saw wiseguys and recognized the Mafia long before the FBI even acknowledged their existence,” Buccino says of his childhood and teenage years in 1950s North Jersey. “You could place a horse bet or a wager on almost any sport contest in almost every candy store and luncheonette.”

As a teenager, he was fascinated with the life and wanted to be a part of it.

“I started running numbers, selling football pools, and ran small nickel and dime card games,” he writes. “I always had money in my pocket.

I idolized wiseguys like Little Pussy Russo in his pink Cadillac convert22

ible. I admired that way of life.

No one messed with made guys in the neighborhood.”

Street smart and never afraid to mix it up, Buccino had all the attributes that the organization valued. But instead of turning to a life of crime, he used those same character traits to build a career in law enforcement. In many ways he epitomized what the woman in South Philadelphia recognized intuitively. The attitude, the swagger, the willingness to take risks and live life on the edge were part of the wiseguy ethos. But they could also be part of what made someone a good cop.

In a career that began in 1962 and spanned four decades, Buccino worked organized crime first as a detective with the New Jersey State Police, then as the chief investigator with the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, and finally as head of detectives in the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

Long before The Sopranos provided an entertaining and surprisingly accurate depiction of the mob in New Jersey, Bob Buccino was recording it all in investigative files and case logs that would have provided the writers of that popular HBO series with enough story arcs for several more seasons. Now he’s put it in a book. And while his writing is somewhat disjointed and at times repetitive, his knowledge and experience paint a fascinating picture.

There’s Anthony “Tumac” Accetturo, the younger brother of one of Buccino’s boyhood friends. Accetturo, whose nickname comes from a cartoon caveman, was a leader and major money-maker for the Lucchese crime family. He based his operations in North Jersey and Florida.

Buccino played a key role in bringing him down and helped turn him into a government informant. Like several other gangsters at the time, Accetturo tried to feign mental illness to avoid prosecution. He claimed to be the victim of Alzheimer’s disease, although in a discussion with Buccino he said he suffered from “oldtimers disease.”

You can’t make this stuff up.

ther major players with whom Buccino crossed paths included Louis “Bobby” Manna, a Genovese crime family leader who was jailed for, among other things, plotting the murder of John Gotti; Robert “Bobby Cabert” Bisaccia, a ruthless North Jersey Gambino crime family capo on whom, it is said, Joe Pesci based his Goodfellas character; and Giacomo “Jackie Adams” DiNorscio, a wiseguy who could have made it as a standup comic and whose comedy routine won him an

O

acquittal when he represented himself in a high profile federal racketeering case in Newark.

That trial was the focus of Star-Ledger Reporter Bob Rudolph’s excellent book The Boys from New Jersey and was the basis for the movie Find Me Guilty in which Vin Diesel played the DiNorscio character.

Angelo Bruno, Tino Fiumara, Michael Coppolla, Angelo “Gyp” DeCarlo, John DiGilio, Antonio “Tony Bananas” Caponigro and the brothers Michael and Martin Taccetta were also part of Buccino’s 40-year battle with the underworld.

The Taccetta brothers, like Accetturo, came from his neighborhood. Michael, in fact, had been a grammar school classmate of his sister’s at Our Lady of the Valley. Buccino was instrumental in making cases that sent both brothers to prison, but he said he and Michael had an understanding.

“I like not what he stood for, but…that he always seemed to readily accept the fact that I would arrest him without hesitation and that he would have no problems with me,” Buccino explained. “It was like a game. He was the bad guy and I was the good guy and it was my job to catch him…he expected it to happen and that was the price of the business he had chosen.”

Buccino could have chosen that same business. Instead, he went in the opposite direction. That’s the recurring theme in his memoir, which also touches on the strong family ties and sense of identity that was part of growing up Italian in a North Jersey community populated by aunts, uncles, cousins and neighbors whose names ended vowels.

Once he chose his career path, he saw Cosa Nostra as a stain on his Italian-American heritage and took pride in working to bring the organization down. He did this even as he encountered prejudice while moving up the law enforcement ladder. He writes that he never let that get in his way, but that he always knew it was there.

“Italian immigrants built this country of ours,” Bob Buccino says early on in his memoir, “first with their hands, then with their brains and determination.”

But there were always obstacles, he said, pointing to an ironic and philosophical piece of street corner wisdom from his youth that captured the point perfectly: “When an Italian immigrant only has a wheelbarrow and shovel to make a living, he is called a guinea or a wop.

After he works hard and saves his money and begins to prosper and buys a dump truck, he is called the Mafia.”

Bob Buccino never had a wheelbarrow or a dump truck.

He had a badge.

And for forty years he used it to bury the mob in New Jersey. n 23

GLEN MACNOW _________________________________________

The Hart of Flyers Hockey Gene and Lauren Hart

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ACH TIME SHE BEGINS SINGING the National Anthem at Flyers games, Lauren Hart gazes toward the press box where her father used to sit. She makes a little nod. A salute. Look for it next time you’re there.

It’s a beautiful moment.

“I always look up,” says Lauren, “because I feel he is still watching over me.”

Gene Hart passed away in 1999, but the fatherdaughter bond continues. So does the bond between the Hart family and the Flyers. That one dates back a half century. Both of their voices— Gene calling the games, Lauren leading them off with the Anthem—are as much a part of the franchise as orange-and-black.

Lauren Hart has been singing the National Anthem at Flyers games since 1997.

When the Flyers arrived in 1966, the sport was as foreign to Philadelphia as cricket. So Gene’s job wasn’t just to announce hockey. He had to teach it. The jolly, articulate professor explained to everyone what icing was, who Bernie was, where Flin Flon was.

We listened. And by the umpteenth time he shouted, “He scores—for a case of Tastykakes!”—we fell in love, with the man and the sport.

Gene (nobody called him by his last name) painted word pictures. An out of position goalie wasn’t just scrambling, he was “Dancing like Hockey Hall of Famer Gene Hart the first man on the sun.” A push-and-shove match became “a rugby scrum.” Yapping players were just “exchanging their how-do-you-dos.”

Of course, his most-famous words, on May 19, 1974, sent two million Flyers fans parading down Broad Street.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, the Flyers are going to win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers will win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers have won the Stanley Cup!” It still brings chills.

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ockey is the toughest sport for a play-by-play man. Possession goes back and forth, the pace can be frantic, and the names are often unpronounceable. Gene was always on top of the action. His words machine-gunned at the rate of 300 per minute, without even stumbling over Kyosti Karjalainen. And when the pitch went higher, almost to a falsetto, well, you knew that Propp was feeding Kerr in the goalmouth.

Photos courtesy Philadelphia Flyers

Over three hours, Gene Hart stopped talking for just two minutes. That was when his beautiful daughter Lauren sang the National Anthem.

For sure, he was a homer. The Flyers were his favorites and he wouldn’t insult you by suggesting otherwise. In his mind, the orangeand-black never got a fair shake from the refs. But, unlike others, Gene wasn’t beyond telling you when the boys were playing poorly. Usually 24

it would come out in one sentence: “The Flyers have stopped skating.” You could sense his disappointment.

Most often, he was joyous. He addressed listeners as “my friends,” and he meant it, even if you hadn’t met him. You also knew by listening that he could be a showoff, and he loved telling you everything he knew—about hockey, about cooking, about opera. Gene had a lot of passions.

They phased Gene out in the 1990s, first taking him off TV and then off the radio broadcasts. Sure, he had slipped a little, but most fans still considered his ouster treasonous.

Gene never showed bitterness. The company man still showed up for every game.

It was around then that Lauren, his teenage daughter, began singing the Anthem at a Flyers games. She had seen Andrea McArdle, Broadway’s “Annie,” perform it at the Spectrum and asked her father for a chance.

“He didn’t want to be a stage dad,” she recalls. “He didn’t want to set me up to fail. But I pulled it off and he saw that I was good at it.

He was so proud.”

Lauren attended Temple, went away to pursue a career and returned home in 1997 when Gene’s health began to decline. She sang the Anthem for the opener that year, as the Flyers honored Gene for making the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“As I came off the ice they asked, ‘Would you like to do it every game?’” she recalls. “I said, ‘sure.’ But I never expected it to last this long.

Not in my wildest dreams.”

Lauren has been named the NHL’s best Anthem singer. It’s her voice you hear singing it in the movie ‘Miracle.’ She has put out four CDs, written television soundtracks and is raising four children with her husband, coffee entrepreneur and adventurist Todd Carmichael.

It’s a busy life, but she never misses a game. Often, she’ll sing the Anthem wearing a Flyers jersey with the No. 68—Gene’s age when he passed.

“Every game, someone still comes up to me with a new story about my dad,” she says.

“It’s never about hockey. He was their teacher, or he came to their matching band championship. He visited someone in the hospital when they were a sick kid. He was such a great dad—but he was great to everyone.”

I can also attest to that. The last time I saw Gene was in early 1999 in that press box that now bears his name. I sat next to him for three periods and got an education on Bizet, stir-fried cooking and the left-wing lock. In fact, over three hours, Gene stopped talking for just two minutes. That was when his beautiful daughter Lauren sang the National Anthem. n 25

GET FIT

For more guidance follow Alexandra

@TipsFromAFitChick on Instagram! ______________________________________________________________________________________________

BY ALEXANDRA DUNEK

Scaling Get Out!New Heights

C

olorado is known for its beautiful landscapes. If you meet anyone that lives there, most likely they own a set of climbing ropes just like Hawaii residents own a surfboard. But professional climber, Paul Robinson isn’t originally from Colorado. In fact, he’s from…South Jersey.

South Jersey isn’t known for mountains and certainly not known for rock climbing, but Robinson proves that anything can become a passion, no matter where you’re from, what equipment you own or what skills you possess.

Branded a professional and competitor, Robinson got his start at the one and only indoor rock climbing gym in the area, Elite Climbing.

This family-owned business is definitely not your average fitness center and neither are the people that run it.

The owners—John Ene and wife, Ina Ene are also competitive rock climbers, each with over 25 years of experience. They’ve passed down their talent to their daughter Maya, who can be seen scaling the walls if you ever stop by for a visit at their Maple Shade, NJ location.

Elite Climbing 67 Old Kings Highway, Maple Shade, NJ www.eliteclimbing.com • email: contactus@eliteclimbing.com

CLIMBING TIPS FROM PAUL ROBINSON • Always remember to warm up.

• Enjoy the process of climbing and improving.

• Watch those who perform well and learn from them.

a harness). I stepped away from the weights and took the opportunity to top-rope under the coaching of experienced trainer, Ivan Barcinal.

With my fear of heights ahead of me and full trust in the spotter below me, I inched my way up the wall, remembering the key technique Ivan taught me moments prior… footwork is number one. The proper footwork will help you, regardless if you are a beginner or expert.

John Ene with wife Ina and daughter Maya, Red Rock, Nev.

Both originally from Romania, Ina has competed for her country and in the U.S., while John is a 13-time Romanian World Cup Champion and has also competed throughout the U.S. and all over Europe, touching some of the world’s most iconic mountains. He has even gone up against Robinson himself and other climbing legends.

The gym offers two training styles: top-rope (with a harness) and bouldering (without Elite Climbing has a variety of packages to choose from. They even offer programs for children ranging from birthday parties to summer camp and field trips.

Another tip was to climb as quickly as you can. The quicker you go, the more fluid and visually pleasing you look up on the wall.

As I hung at the top, just being able to the view the entire gym was a sense of accomplishment. I closed my eyes and envisioned what it would be like if I were actually outdoors.

I think I’m ready to take on a mountain now…or maybe I’ll just try it at Elite Climbing without a harness first. n Photo Jamie Dunek

The author gives the wall a try at Elite Climbing in Mt. Laurel, NJ

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Robinson

27

THE ENTHUSIAST ______________________________________________________________________________________________

BY ANDREW RYAN

The Literary Dylan

F

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entire bestowment reeks of the worst kind of sucking-up to the pop culture community.

And yet on the other hand, one could say if the lyrics of a song can hold just as much weight and meaning without the music— and Bob Dylan truly may be the only musician this can be said about—then one would be forced to conclude that yes, in fact, lyrics can be viewed as literature. After all, as Dylan himself expressed in his letter to the Committee, weren’t Shakespeare’s words meant to be spoken, not read? Is the greatest literary figure of the Western Hemisphere less deserving of praise because he wrote plays, not novels? So who’s to say Dylan is any less deserving just

because he didn’t bind his words between two covers? Does a rose by any other name not smell as sweet?

’ve admittedly always been a bit wayward from the pack in my opinion that Bob Dylan wasn’t a truly brilliant musician. It’s not that he didn’t write beautiful songs with weighted, meaningful lyrics—obviously he did, or we wouldn’t be here—I just never really connected with his sound. I found it charming at best, like The Beatles’ early years, yet in a more annoying kind of way, with almost none of the melody (a thousand hipster brains across a thousand coffee shops just exploded). He wasn’t very

I

Illustration by Dan Dinsmore

OR THE TIMES, they are indeed a changin’. Just a few months ago, celebrated singer-songwriter Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the field of literature.

And a few seconds after that, the Internet exploded with everyone’s all-caps opinions of the highly controversial bestowment because of course it did. Predictably, fans of Dylan, rock ’n’ roll, art, music, literature (and I guess peace?) all took to their laptops and started calling each other idiots. But perhaps I’m being too harsh, because after all, this is an extraordinarily complicated issue.

Most people don’t really know what to make of the decision, least of all Bob Dylan, who didn’t even bother to pick the damn thing up himself. Has Dylan been given the award specifically for his lyrics or for the totality of his music catalogue? Even the Nobel Prize Committee seems a bit unsure, giving us absolutely no answer as they cited his contribution being “creating new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” What a copout, right? Really, what the whole issue boils down to is this: can songs ever be literature?

Some people say no, some people say yes, and perhaps the most sensible among us say, “Who cares?” All sides have their points. Now, maybe you’re a hard-liner. I can respect that.

Perhaps you’re thinking such a well-renowned and prestigious literary award should be rightly reserved for such figures as Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, who won in 2001 for “poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality.” Unfortunately you’d be wrong. That was actually Wislawa Szymborska in 1996. But you’d still have a point (although you already probably are re-thinking your so-called passion for this particular subcommittee of this particular organization). Bob Dylan was awarded the prize in literature for his music. It’s hard to escape the feeling that this is slightly unfair to the forefront of the world’s community of novelists and poets, whoever those presumably odd-looking, whitebearded gentlemen may be. All kidding aside, it is genuinely hard to escape the feeling that this

catchy, he wasn’t easy to digest, and above all else, his songs never seemed to be, well, songs.

They droned on and on, in seemingly endless fields of G chords peppered with the occasional deafening blast from his ultra-treble harmonica (fun fact: spotting one of those harmonica neck-holders still remains the fastest way to tell if your buddy’s open mic night slot is going to totally suck). I listened to his songs the way I would read a book: in a contemplative mood with absolutely no distractions present. I never tapped along, I never whistled. I needed to hear every single word or start the whole thing over again. Sure, he managed to touch the very

So who’s to say Dylan is any less deserving of the Nobel Prize in Literature just because he didn’t bind his words between two covers? depths of my soul and confront me with deep, persistent moral questions with his lyrics to “With God On Our Side,” but his overly repetitious melodic style always seemed to subtract from his message.

Frankly, I never knew what to make of my distaste for Bob Dylan’s musical abilities. That is until now. You see, I was never sure if there was some hyper-personal Freudian reasoning behind it (like Mr. Tambourine Man was playing over the loudspeaker that time I fell into the pool with all my belongings in front of my highschool crush or something), or whether it was as simple a matter as preferring orange juice to apple. The answer, as it turns out, is neither. The answer is that Bob Dylan isn’t really a musician!

It all makes so much more sense now! Was he a brilliant artist? Yes. Was he a transformative pop icon that shaped the modern world through his endeavors? Absolutely. Was he a genius?

Without question. Was he a great musician? No, he was not. Because in the end, his songs were always a vehicle for his ideas—ideas best expressed through words, be they written or sung.

He pointed out the beauty and hypocrisies of society in a way no other pop icon ever has. He gave a new voice to an entire generation. And even though he touched me deeply with his story of the Hurricane, he still has never rocked me like one. So perhaps there is no more fitting an award for a man like Bob Dylan—an icon who changed the world with only three chords, one god-awful harmonica and a hell of a lot to say. n 29

SPORTS GUYS

Fran Dunphy TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

HEAD BASKETBALL COACH

Q&A

INTERVIEW BY KEN DUNEK

Humility is such an attractive trait.

And we rarely see enough of it in these days of chest pounding and end zone celebrations.

So when I had the chance to meet Temple University Head Basketball Coach Fran Dunphy at a recent pre-game shoot-around, one of the first questions he posed to me was, “Why do you want to do a story on me?”

Let me count the ways: • All-time leader in Big Five wins edging out his predecessor at Temple John Chaney.

• Lifetime .650 winning percentage.

• Won 10 Ivy League titles in a 17-year career at the University of Pennsylvania.

• 16 NCAA tournament appearances.

• 3x Atlantic 10 Champion. 2x Coach of the Year.

• 2016 AAC regular season Champion. 2x Coach of the Year.

I think that resume stacks up pretty well in the “do I think I’m worthy of a story department.”

To top it off, Dunphy shared time traveling the world playing for the military basketball team with Mike Krzyzewski of Duke. They have had a lifelong respect and bond through the years.

A local product who played at Malvern Prep and LaSalle, he has remained in the area coaching the game he loves.

So I humbly submit to our readers this Q&A with the Head Basketball Coach of Temple University, Fran Dunphy.

The humility thing is catching—I guess.

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Ken Dunek: You are the all-time Big 5 leader in wins. What does that mean to you?

Fran Dunphy: Never really thought much about it. It is not something that I go to bed and think about. I have been around a long time, and I’ve had the great fortune to be involved in a lot of college basketball games, had some really good staff and really good players that have taken good care of me.

The only thing that is important in all this is the relationships and the opportunities that you have had. There have not been very many people as lucky as me and I feel very fortunate.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: I assume this is something you will look fondly on when you hang it up. Correct?

FD: I am going to respectfully disagree. It is not why you do anything. I try to enjoy the moment. We are getting ready to jump on a plane to Orlando and we have a tremendous challenge in front of us, just like we had a great challenge recently against Yale and Cincinnati.

I just don’t get caught up in the past too much.

Photos Temple University

Fran Dunphy is the all-time winningest coach in Philadelphia Big 5 history

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Photos Temple University

Q&A

The past is what you were and now you hope the future is what you want it to be. I appreciate the question and the sentiment behind it, but it is just not what I am about.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: I know you have a special relationship with coach Mike Krzyzewski that dates back to your military years, and with Greg Popovich as well. Who else are you close to with respect to your fellow coaches past and present?

FD: The admiration piece goes very deep.

Every coach I’ve ever gone against has my respect. Because I know how hard they work and what goes into the plan they put forth.

I guess from an admiration standpoint, I will mention Fran O’Hanlon from Lafayette, Scott Langel who is at Colgate University, and Joe Mihalich from Hofstra who are all guys I have worked with and respect. Andy Toole who played for me at Penn and who is now at Robert Morris University, Gary Williams, Speedy Morris are all guys that come to mind.

Dunphy with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski

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Tom Schneider at Penn gave me the opportunity to move over to there and that is the only reason I got the head job at Penn. I’m grateful to him. Those are the types of people I want to mention because I have so much gratitude for them. Bill Bradshaw gave me the chance to work at Temple University.

Howard Porter of Villanova. They were two fantastic players and good people as well.

Joe O’Malley who I coached at Penn was such a good player that he gave me credibility as a coach. My old high school coach Dan Dougherty who gave me the chance to be an assistant coach at West Point in 1971. The fact that I have the relationship with Mike Krzyzewski is spectacular. Look at what he has accomplished at Duke. Look at what Greg Popovich has accomplished. I could only hope to gather some wisdom from those two great coaches.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: What are your thoughts on Jay Wright and Villanova winning the NCAA Championship last season?

‘‘

FD: What they accomplished is really remarkable, and how they went about it is even more remarkable. They seemed to have what every coach wants to have happen to them—to get total buy in from his team. You’ve got to give Jay and his staff an unbelievable amount of credit for that.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: Temple has been nationally known for basketball for years, but can you talk a little about recently departed football coach Matt Rhule, and the impact he has had on the university?

You love the excitement, the craziness that is going on in your stomach, the nervousness, the agita, whatever you want to label it, as the nervousness is awesome. The accomplishment of getting there is fantastic, and the excitement of being there incredible. I think you had to have been in the arena to fully explain it and appreciate it, I guess. It is the crux of why we do what we do.

I would 10 times rather be a player than a coach, but because we can’t play anymore,

You love the excitement, the craziness that is going on in your stomach, the nervousness, the agita, whatever you want to label it, as the nervousness is awesome.

It is the crux of why we do what we do.”

There were probably teams that were better or more talented, but no one played better together, and I think that is the mark of a terrific program and a great head coach and staff.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: What about the potential of your current squad this year?

FD: I think the goals are always the same.

You chop it down to every possession. You try to get a good shot on offense and prevent an easy basket on defense. Hopefully if you do that enough, it will result in enough wins that will get you into the NCAA tournament. If you are lucky enough to get in, then a whole new world starts.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

you have to find that juice somewhere, and that juice comes in the form of coaching.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: What are the significant changes you see in today’s game?

FD: Someone mentioned to me the other day about my 1969 LaSalle team that played Villanova, and the game was recently replayed on TV and how the game has changed.

I would say the simple use of film has had a great impact. The face that we can study opponents and ourselves immediately has had a great impact. The training techniques are so different. The athletes are bigger, stronger, and so much more prepared than we ever were.

KD: I have always thought the “one and done” aspect of the tournament makes it the most exciting sporting event. What is it like to make it in, to coach in it? Do you feel extra pressure?

The game itself is still fairly simple. Making the right decisions and making the right plays, but it certainly has changed. So if you have some success, you certainly have earned that success because of the competition and the quality of the athletes that you face.

FD: You feel pressure every single moment you are out there, but as Billie Jean King once said, “pressure is a privilege”. The privilege is to be in these situations.

I will say though after watching that game, there are two players from my era that could have played for anyone at any time and those names are Kenny Durrett from LaSalle and

FD: I think Matt did a terrific job of coaching over the last four years, and he deserved the opportunity from Baylor that he got. I wish him nothing but the very best.

I will say this, Matt was an assistant coach with Al Golden, and Al was really instrumental in changing the football culture here. So from Al to Steve Addazio to Matt, now to Geoff Collins, the job has changed, the expectations have changed, and the opportunities have changed.

It is exciting for me as a basketball coach to go to those games on Saturdays in the fall. I take our team down there and we have recruits that come in and watch the games. We are excited about the future of the new coach and the program.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: Who is the most complete player you ever coached or played against?

FD: I would say Jerome Allen impressed me a lot when I was at Penn. Not only from the athletic side, but from the leadership side as well.

Of course, Jerome was the head coach at Penn, and now an assistant with the Boston Celtics.

When I got to Temple, I would say Lavoy Allen was about as good a player as you could coach. He just never made a mistake on defense, and never worried about himself on the offensive end. He was the kind of player that you could just jump on his back and he would carry you to a championship.

As for someone I coached against, you are looking at one guy right now at Villanova who sets himself apart because of his competitiveness. There are guys that are bigger, stronger, longer and more athletic, but he is a guy that knows when his team needs him the most.

That would be Josh Hart.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: What is your current relationship with former Temple coach John Chaney?

FD: We speak about once a month. He doesn’t really come to many games. That is not what he does. I know he watches the games, and if we don’t play particularly well, I know I can expect a phone call the next morning.

He gives me some advice and I look forward to it. I look forward to the conversations that we have, and often times, those talks aren’t about 33

Photos Temple University

Chaney

basketball. They are about life and relationships and those types of things. He is a terrific guy, a great mentor, and I coached against him for seventeen years. And trying to beat him was not a whole lot of fun.

But I learned a lot from him and consider him a close friend. I love him very much.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: Have any NBA coaching opportunities ever come your way?

FD: I’ve had a couple of opportunities, but because of the jobs I had, I really didn’t think a lot about it. But when you watch the NBA game, specifically around playoff time, it is an amazing game and incredibly hard fought.

I’m a big fan of the NBA, but it is not something that I ever strongly considered because I loved the jobs I had.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

KD: And finally, a most important question.

Will we ever see the return of the famous moustache?

FD: It came back for the last five or so Novembers. But it looks real ratty during that period.

And it is really not as full or bushy as it used to be. But after I got rid of it, a few people came up to me and said you look so much younger and thinner. So I am not sure if it will ever come back to stay. n 34

35

D

‘‘

36

D

BY JAN L. APPLE

Chef Brian Duffy’s Latest Creation: Flying Fish Crafthouse

DRIVE.

uffified”

It’s the dynamic force behind every endeavor that Chef Brian Duffy undertakes. And his latest—Flying Fish Crafthouse, Brewerytown, Philly on North 31st Street/the Girard Avenue corridor—is no exception.

The casual urban American eatery that opened its doors in early December in the heart of historic Brewerytown, pairs Duffy’s creative “Duffified” fare with the artisanal craft beers of Somerdale, New Jersey’s Flying Fish Brewery.

Customers are flocking to the establishment for burgers, salads, sandwiches, pizza and appetizers while savoring 16 distinctive varieties of brew, fresh from the tap. The casual, comfort-style menu offers up longtime staples, but like the renowned chef at the helm, the eatery is anything but ordinary.

“It’s nice to have a place to call my own in my hometown,” said Duffy, thrilled to introduce his “Duffified” brand with the Crafthouse

concept. The establishment features a 98 percent scratch kitchen. The Executive Chef is Theo Atkinson, formerly with Eulogy Belgian Tavern and longtime friend and business confidante of Duffy’s.

“All of our meats are antibiotic and hormone free,” explained Duffy. “All of our chicken comes in from Lancaster.” The restaurant is about quality and freshness and guests have been raving about the daily eats, the variety and—no doubt—the beer! “Everyone loves beer,” said Duffy.

The 8,000 square foot, two-level restaurant, explains Duffy, is in the same building as a Philadelphia icon—Acme Corporation’s original Distribution Center. He’s left some of the signage intact as a nostalgic testament.

In the midst of a revitalized historic neighborhood, millennials, young professionals and people of all ages have welcomed the newcomer. And since it’s in the same building as The Fairmount at Brewerytown rental community,

residents can order take out or delivery service to their door.

“Our location and our food are unique,” said Duffy. “You don’t get any closer to beer than Brewerytown.” At one point in history, he says, Philly was home to 700 breweries. Within a 10-block radius of the restaurant, there were several breweries.

“When you get in here on a Friday or Saturday night, the place is packed,” beamed Duffy.

“People are playing beer pong, eating a tower of French fries or pretzels that are sticking out of cups.”

Their Crafthouse Flight, a popular item that changes weekly, matches five different brews with appetizers that run the gamut. “We smoke our ‘Duffified’ wings for two and a half hours,” said Duffy. “Our pretzels are made in house, our French fries are hand-cut, our mac and cheese is unlike anything else. It’s got six different cheeses.” Even their hot sauce and breads—with the exception of two types—are 37

Photo Jan L. Apple

Flying Fish Crafthouse, Brewerytown, Philadelphia

created on premises. Hops are steeped in milk and then brioche is made. Customers can taste the slight bitterness of beer as they bite into a roll.

Flying Fish Crafthouse is not about fine dining, explains the 45-year-old Duffy. It’s unpretentious; it’s about savoring the experience within a casual, fun ambiance. Duffy says that most events within our culture are centered on food and booze, so why not make the indulgence pleasurable!

FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR with the high-energy, take-charge chef known for his appearances on Spike TV’s Bar Rescue series,

38

his “Duffified” brand encompasses more than just fun, experimental, over the top food pairings. “The brand is about living through experience,” he said. “It’s the idea of never saying no and literally experiencing all you can.”

In the short time they’ve been in business, they’ve already developed a loyal following.

Yet, it’s not just the young. “People love beer,” said the Philadelphia native. They recently

hosted a party for a man’s 75th birthday and they’ve rented the space for an upcoming wedding and a 30th birthday party.

Duffy is active in raising money for charities including cystic fibrosis and pancreatic cancer and plans to hold fund-raisers and special events in the space. He’s a huge supporter of the military. All military customers receive a 15 percent discount off their food bill.

‘‘

People go to restaurants because it’s an experience.

We need to exceed expectations of the guests.

We need to wow them.”

Duffy has two partners on the restaurant end of the business—development professionals who own the property. The three had been searching to partner with a local craft brewer.

When Duffy found Flying Fish, he knew the formula spelled success. “To have the opportunity to partner with an amazing brewer such as Flying Fish, a craft beer made in an artisanal style, is exactly what I’d been looking for.”

Duffy calls the melding of his food, vision and brand with Flying Fish beer a chef’s dream.

Gene Muller, founder of Flying Fish Brewery, shares Duffy’s sentiments: “When we started 20 years ago, we committed to designing all our beers to complement food. One of the most fun parts of this project is that our brewers can show off their talents and create

dozens of beers that will only be available at the Crafthouse.”

Duffy says everything they do goes well with beer, whether it’s the pretzels, potato sticks or menu items like the Gucci burger: “spicy and classy, laced with roasted long hots, smoked chili peppers and topped with tequila soaked onions, roasted shishito peppers and brie, drizzled with Hot Spain,” or their Chop Chop salad: “tangy chicken, carrots, fennel, red onions, tomato, avocado, romaine and iceberg lettuce and IPA marie rose dressing, topped with crispy onions.”

“My motto is: the art of the presentation creates the experience,” said Duffy. “Consistency breeds success. People go to restaurants because it’s an experience. We need to exceed ex-

pectations of the guests. We need to wow them.

“Craft beers are unbelievably hot,” continued Duffy who was raised in Bala Cynwyd, where he currently resides. You’ll often find him at the Crafthouse—sometimes for 12 hours a day—overseeing the myriad of details needed for its operation. But the divorced father of two always makes time for daughters, Emily, 15, and Fiona, 13. In fact, the two work at the restaurant: Emily as a hostess, Fiona, a runner and hostess. He’s also passionate about traveling and riding his Harley motorcycle, which “helps me think.”

DUFFY’S LOVE FOR FOOD and all things culinary developed in childhood, cooking Sunday dinners with his large Irish-Italian family.

He’s worked in restaurants since age 14, starting out as a busboy. Yet he didn’t pursue the profession until enrolling at age 21 at Philadelphia’s The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. Today, he serves on their board helping to re-evaluate the culinary program.

After graduating in 1999, he apprenticed at the Four Seasons under award-winning executive chef Jean-Marie Lacroix. Duffy describes Lacroix as a mentor who inspired him. “I liked the way he ran his kitchen. He was appreciative and educational.” In fact, it took a long time, notes Duffy, to appreciate all Lacroix taught him. “About 10 or 11 years ago, I went

39

from being a dictator to a leader,” said Duffy, acknowledging the striking difference between the management styles.

Besides Duffy’s television appearances revamping bars and restaurants, his lengthy resume includes serving as executive chef at McCormick and Schmick’s, Seafood America and the Dave Magrogan Group. He was co-owner of Kristopher’s restaurant and is a radio host and Food Network guest.

Duffy oversees a series of restaurants around the world, including in Spain and Cuba, is culinary director of Nightclub and Bar—the largest nightclub and bar convention in the world, and a sought after consultant and motivational speaker to restaurants and bars across the country and the globe. “I speak with them about ways to maximize their staff: to grow them, build them, train them, educate them and keep them happy,” he said.

Duffy recently returned from Africa and the Middle East with the Messlords—a group of seven television chefs who travel the world, entertaining and cooking for U.S. troops. “We cooked for 14,000 soldiers and sailors in four days,” said Duffy.

Walking through the eatery, Duffy describes the space, which seats 191, as massive. The ground level is a beer garden; the second level a dining room with two bars. There’s an outdoor patio for warmer weather that accommo-

40

dates 90. Not only do the upper level bars offer 16 types of beer on tap, they serve top-shelf mixed drinks, red and white wines and specialty cocktails. A local carpenter handcrafted the tables and chairs as well as the bars. Duffy tries to keep things local whenever possible.

“I had been approached to open restaurants in Philly, but never found one I was passionate about,” he said. “I’m passionate about the Crafthouse because it’s in a diverse, up and coming area. It was a no brainer, a definite yes, when it was brought to my attention.”

To put it quite simply, Duffy loves hospitality. “It’s a business that involves human reaction,” he said.

Does he have a long-range goal for Flying Fish Crafthouse? Without skipping a beat, Duffy replied: “Twenty locations in five years.”

Is he serious? “I’m ready for the second location. I always want to do something bigger and better. You’ve got to dream big, shoot for the moon. I always do.” n ffcrafthouse.com or chefbrianduffy.com Flying Fish Crafthouse, Brewerytown, Philly 1363 N. 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA (215) 701-4545 Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner; brunch served on Saturdays and Sundays.

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THE TRAVEL ISSUE

Walking North

Photos courtesy Natalie Sawn

The trials and jubilation of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail BY NATALIE SAWN

42

SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 HAS NO REAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION. SOME BIRTHDAYS HERE AND THERE, PROBABLY A FEW WEDDINGS. MY DAY MADE NO REAL IMPACT ON THE WORLD, BUT I CAN SAY IT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT, MOST MEMORABLE DAY OF MY LIFE.

M

Y DAY BEGAN by waking up to a beautiful sunrise which had become my alarm clock after 168 consecutive nights in the woods, give or take a few nights spent in hostels. But this day- day 169- would be my last. You know those dreams you sometimes have that feel so real you swore it actually happened? That’s what it’s like when you achieve a goal that is as physically and mentally demanding as an Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I was climbing my final summit holding my dream in my hand. As the wind blew me around relentlessly on Mt Katahdin, I realized that I kept this same excitement every day on the trail. It was obvious to me that our connection with nature flows through our veins and we need it as much as we need oxygen. While I was proud of myself and ecstatic about completing my journey, I also felt like I was leaving a piece of me on the trail. Thoughts immediately began racing through my head. Will I be able to relearn social norms? Will my knees ever recover? Will I be able to sleep inside in the same bed at the same location every single night? I wasn’t interested in answering any of those questions. If it was up to me, I’d be living trail life forever.

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A typical trail day went something like this: wake up to the sunrise, eat as many calories as I could while restricting how much I ate because I still needed to ration for the next few days, listen to the demoralizing sound of my sleeping pad deflate as I packed away my sleeping bag and tent, and then put one foot in front of the other until I got hungry again. Of course there were always obstacles, and nothing was ever typical. And I was always, always hungry.

Hiker hunger is when you’re burning more calories than you can consume to make up for it. A thru-hiker burns between 5,000 to 7,000 calories a day and the more food you carry on trail, the heavier your pack is, and the more calories you burn. I realized that hiker hunger had hit me when I ate 4 complete breakfasts—eggs, pancakes, bacon, the works. Pretty much everything I ate on trail after that was wrapped in a tortilla. Turns out it’s a great way to add a couple hundred calories to any meal. The further along the trail I went, the more enticing burger challenges became. My favorite burger was a bacon cheeseburger with everything on it in between two grilled cheese sandwiches. Of course it came with fries and I already had wings as an appetizer. There’s no shame in the hunger. I never turned down a food handout and I never thought twice about eating a stranger’s leftovers off their table when they left the restaurant.

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THRU-HIKE isn’t always fun and games, but it’s important not to take it too seriously. I refused to plan any day in advance because plans and structure are what you need in real life.

My most memorable trail moments were things that happened spontaneously. Most memorable does not mean they were my favorite. One day in Massachusetts after I already had a few miles in, I decided to hitch into town to do some laundry and get a light resupply. On my way back to the trail, a man who called himself Saint George picked me up. Saint George raved about a bar with great vibes, a bonfire, and live music. I agreed to go with him, not really knowing where this place

The trail was more than just a physical walking trail to me.

It was my temple to pray in, my jungle gym to play on, my school and my home.

was but assuming it was in that town. I kept glancing at the time as he told story after story when I realized an hour had already passed by the time we got there. Not long after we arrived, he told me he needed to leave and to get my backpack out of his car.

Well, this night just got interesting. A woman named Sarah overheard what happened and offered a room at her place only a few minutes away, she just needed to make sure it was ok with Willow. Lucky for me Willow, who I later found out was her dog, said it would be fine if I stayed the night. As the late night slowly turned into early morning, I was learning more than I wanted to know about Sarah. Sarah was a hoarder, bipolar, and the owner of an entire encyclopedia on how to telepathically talk to your pets. She used this skill to talk to her dead dogs as well. She wanted more than anything to legally change her name to Hummingbird Hummingbird. First and last name. She desperately wanted to get married and kept lists around her house of what personality traits attract men to women.

I don’t want to bash Hummingbird, I was very grateful that she gave me a place to stay. In fact, I was so grateful that the next day I didn’t hesitate when she asked me to do her laundry, wash her dishes, and organize her closets—wrapping similar clothes in trash bags with cedar blocks that I had sanded, and then placed dryer sheets in to keep moths out. She reluctantly returned me to the trail that afternoon after I turned down her canoeing invitation.

When I finally got back, I laid down and apologized to the trail for taking it for granted and not fully appreciating what I was doing. Truth

Day hikes on the AT in NJ & PA I’M A BIG FAN OF DAY HIKES. There’s nothing like foraging through Mother Nature to reach the peak of a mountain. It’s a therapeutic and exhilarating experience that I highly recommend for any of you thrill seekers, nature lovers and Zen masters.

Mount Minsi forms the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap and is the eastern extent of the Blue Mountain—5.1 mile moderate hike with amazing views, directly across from Mount Tammany.

Mount Tammany forms the east side of the Delaware Water Gap and is the southernmost peak of the Kittatinny Mountains in Knowlton Township NJ—3.5 miles, rocky and steep, this is a challenging day hike!

Hawk Mountain, Kempton, PA – 8 miles of trails, exceptional views and one of the most famous places to watch the autumn hawk migration. There is a range of trails (varying from moderate to advanced) on this hike, so do your research before you choose one.

Old Rag Mountain, of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia – 8.3 mile scramble.* If you fancy yourself an experienced hiker this is a must-try! *Scramble - It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hiking, hillwalking, mountaineering, and easy rock climbing.

Hiking tips (from someone who wishes they knew earlier): SHOES! – I can’t stress this enough. Sneakers are not hiking shoes. Invest in a reliable pair of hiking boots. You can thank me later.

Socks – Yes they deserve their own bullet point. You want to look for comfort and “wicking.”

Preparation – Be sure you plan your hiking route in advance. Every hike I’ve been on has several different trails and if you’re not prepared it can be very confusing and even scary. Note the coordinates, and drop a pin on your mobile GPS to remember where you parked your car.

What to bring – Water, water, water. It’s only a day hike but make sure you have some light snacks and plenty of water. Other recommendations: first aid kit, suntan lotion, pocket knife and good company.

is, right before all this happened, I wanted to go home. I was so tired of being in pain, being wet, carrying wet gear, heat and humidity, mosquito bites, hunger, and to add insult to injury my grandmother was very sick and I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to see her again. I felt selfish for hiking this trail that I wasn’t even enjoying anymore—especially when people kept telling me they wish they had time/money/less priorities to thru-hike. Stubbornness was the only thing keeping me out there.

I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get out of Hummingbirds house and I felt homesick for the trail.

The trail was more than just a physical walking trail to me. It was my temple to pray in, my jungle gym to play on, my school and my home.

I was excited to see my trail family again. Trail families are a support system after leaving your real family behind, who won’t understand what you’re going through anyway. We all have trail names, which enforce the separation between real life and trail life. Trail families can be people you spend anywhere from a few days to the entire trail with. They are your family away from home, they help you maintain mental stability, they’re drinking buddies and provide emotional support. You have literally all day to get to know each other while simultaneously walking through rain, weeks on end surviving on Pop-tarts and Ramen bombs (Ramen noodles mixed with instant mashed potatoes). When you don’t see someone in your trail family for more than a day, the next time you

Attire – Know where you’re going and what the weather will be like. Just because it’s a cool spring day doesn’t mean the hike won’t be chilly. It’s always safe to throw a lightweight fleece in your backpack.

– Ashley Dunek

Ashley atop Mt. Tammany overlooking the Delaware Water Gap

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The author taking in one of the many magnificent vistas on the AT

entire trail, always reading her entries as I got closer and closer to catching up to her. I ended up meeting her on the night before our final summit and it felt like we were already longtime friends. We spent hours together sitting on top of Mt. Katahdin.

HE PEOPLE who are with you for these experiences are what you’re going to remember. I saw countless beautiful views and I can’t even remember what state I was in when I almost stepped on that baby rattlesnake while he was eating a frog. But what I do remember are the people who were there living these experiences with me and that is what I miss the most.

Tick is my closest friend. I met him on day

T see them is a huge reunion. You can keep up with them through trail logs which are notebooks kept in shelters along the trail.

I was behind Rocky Mountain High the

Natalie and Tick

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When I finally got back, I laid down and apologized to the trail for taking it for granted and not fully appreciating what I was doing. one. Somehow we ended up hiking almost the entire trail together and after five and half months, we saw each other’s best sides, worst sides, and everything in between. We ended up falling into this pure raw love with no judgement or outside distractions. He is the most positive, selfless person I ever met and I am extremely thankful that I had him there for me and still do.

I could have begun this story at the base of Springer mountain right where my hike began, but I think my beginning makes for a much better end. It was the end of seeing everything as it was, the end of countless fears and, most importantly, the end of self-doubt. I had a glimpse into a perfect world that at times seemed like it would never end but there hasn’t been a single day since I got off the trail 16 months ago that I haven’t thought about it. n

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THE TRAVEL ISSUE

Walking through history in Kyoto, Japan. The Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine give me one more reason to love historical Japan. A Torii gate is seen as an entrance to a sacred shrine in the Shinto religion.

They mark the pathway to shrines across all of Asia. These gates date back to 711 A.D.!

#whereintheworldisdee

Where in the world…

S THE CURSOR HOVERED over the bright yellow “Confirm Purchase” button, I held my breath. Looking back, it should have read “Confirm Transformation.” As the screen refreshed to show my confirmation number for a flight to Thailand, I never could have even imagined how it would change me. I never planned to travel solo. It just sort of… happened. After a month of planning the perfect group trip, somewhere between the “Yes! Count me in!” and the “Okay, booking now, who’s in?” the group went from five of us to just me. Me, the person whose travel routine was an endless cycle of work, gym, home, repeat. The most exotic place I’ve been to was Miami.

Hell, I didn’t even have a passport!

All that glitters is most definitely gold in the United Arab Emirates. Did you know you can actually withdraw gold from an ATM at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi?

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Photos courtesy Dee Sader

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Dee Sader takes us to some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Enjoy the trip!

Skydiving above the manmade Palm islands in Dubai has been a dream of mine. I finally was able to make it a reality! Did you know the islands are slowly sinking into the Persian Gulf? If skydiving in Dubai is on your list, you better make it out there before it becomes the next lost city of Atlantis!

Namaste in Bolivia. Standing at 11,995 feet above sea level, on the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni was once a prehistoric ocean. When it rains, this turns into a huge reflective mirror! Selfies anyone?

“Aren’t you scared to go alone?!” “Haven’t you watched Taken?” Trust me, I’ve heard it all. Yes, I’m terrified. Of course, I saw Taken, and while there are real dangers out there, they didn’t stop me. If I would’ve surrendered to that fear, I would have never discovered this adventurous, capable and bad-ass side of me. It’s perfectly normal to be afraid. Fear exists for our own protection, but it should never control our lives. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve literally crawled to my departure gate doubled over with anxiety. I almost didn’t get on that plane because I was scared about what was waiting for me. Even now, three years and a passport full of stamps later, my subconscious still screams, “What if something goes wrong?” Yet, had I submitted to fear, I would have never left my cubicle.

Travel will change you. It will change you in subtle ways, and it will change you in dramatic ways.

Angkor Wat is the main reason tourists flock in numbers to Cambodia. It is the world’s largest religious temple and considered one of the Wonders of the World. There is a small carving of a dinosaur on the walls of a temple at Ta Prohm, where Tomb Raider was filmed! The carving might be an indication that dinosaurs lived on much later than originally thought.

You can snorkel between Eurasia and North America in a fissure in Iceland, touching two continents at the same time! The water is at a “warm” 21 degrees Fahrenheit, but the dry suit keeps you cozy as you bob your way through the fissure. The water comes from a nearby glacier that is filtered through porous underground lava. Visibility is at 100 meters! Shane West should’ve taken Mandy Moore to Iceland instead!

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After the devastation of Hiroshima, Japan at the end of the second world war, bamboo was the only plant to survive, and greatly assisted the regreening of the region. This forest is thought to protect Mitaki Temple from evil.

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Meet Lola! I foster this gentle giant in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Every month I get an update on Lola and what she’s been up to. Check out Chiang Mai Mahout Training Center to become an Elephant caregiver with the option of fostering one for yourself!

A Brazilian flight crashed on the black beaches in Reykjavik, Iceland, giving me the opportunity to re-enact my own episode of “Lost.”

The only cars that Cuban citizens can own legally are cars made and bought before 1959. After this year, the Cuban government seized all cars, and owns them all to this day. Most of the pre-1959 cars in the country are from the United States.

Travel will change you. It will change you in subtle ways, and it will change you in dramatic ways. Nothing changes the way you view your own life like seeing the way other people live theirs. You’ll gain a new sense of wonder and empathy for other cultures and countries.

It teaches you that experiences are far more valuable than anything money can buy. I know solo travel can be overwhelming. You’ll have to learn how to survive, who to trust, and how to make friends. But the unknown is where the true magic lies. It’s where you discover your greatest strengths and weaknesses. You’ll gain confidence as you experiment with your life and explore what’s in you. You’ll learn that there’s a fine line between loneliness and solitude. You are never truly alone when you travel. Sure, traveling with a friend can be just as awesome, but you are forced to compromise on where to stay, what to eat, where to go, and what to see. You’ll learn more about your travel buddy than you will about yourself. When you travel solo, you travel to the beat of your own drum. I encourage everyone to travel solo just once. An adventure with no excuses, no boundaries and no compromises. It might be the scariest thing you’ve ever done, but it will be the most liberating. #whereintheworldisdee you ask? Well... wherever I want to be. n Located in Southern Iceland, Gullfoss, which means “Golden Waterfall,” is by far Europe’s most powerful waterfall. This canyon was created at the end of the Ice Age by catastrophic flood waves.

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Dee_xox www.whereintheworldisdee.com

Man & Woman of the Month JerseyMan and PhillyMan Magazines are proud to recognize those in our area who demonstrate the rare combination of business excellence and dedication to community service. These Man & Woman of the Year candidates will be honored at our 3rd Annual Unmasking the Legacy Celebration on Nov. 2, 2017, where a portion of ticket proceeds will go to the winner’s designated charity.

Mary Ann Boccolini is President/ CEO of Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice.

Since becoming President/CEO in 2001, she has established Samaritan as the region’s most experienced provider of hospice care.

She has also led the not-for-profit organization through the development of a diverse “family” of services in addition to hospice care, including Palliative Medical Partners, Transitions, New Jersey’s first Hospice/Palliative Fellowship, and extensive professional and community education programs.

In 2005, Mary Ann proudly opened Samaritan’s first Inpatient Hospice Center in Mount Holly, and The Samaritan Center at Voorhees, the area’s first free-standing hospice, opened in December 2016.

Mary Ann is the mother of three daughters. She and husband Bob live in Marlton, NJ. Mary Ann is representing Kawempe Home Care for JerseyMan/PhillyMan’s 3rd annual Unmasking the Legacy celebration event.

Bill Brandt is the epitome of the Ameri-

can Dream. Born in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia, Bill always dreamed of having his own business. In 1975, Bill’s father took a gamble and purchased a small beer distributer that would soon become “Brandt’s Beverages.” In 1990, when Bill’s father lost his fight to leukemia, Bill, alongside his brother Tim, took over the struggling business. It soon became apparent that these two brothers had an incredible vision. Within six years they purchased a second store and took Brandt’s Beverages from a small retail store to a beer distributer that serviced over 75 local bars. Four years after this, they purchased the business that would take their careers to new levels: Traino’s Wine and Spirits. When they acquired Traino’s, the store’s sales were $2.8 million annually. Since then they have expanded their business to a second location. Combined they have more than tripled their sales. Aside from his financial success, Bill has become a well-known philanthropist in the South Jersey area. He has supported numerous foundations, local school districts, and a variety of local organizations. Above all, Bill has been a huge contributor to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Traino’s gave him the outlet to create an annual Wine and Beer Festival that ran for nine years and raised well over $150,000.

Bill is representing the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of New Jersey for JerseyMan/PhillyMan’s 3rd annual Unmasking the Legacy celebration event.

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THE TRAVEL ISSUE

BY MICHAEL BRADLEY

DESTINATION: CLEARWATER

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N THE LATTER YEARS OF THE LAST DECADE, a once-sleepy west Florida beach hamlet became the equivalent of Cancun for middle-aged men and women, seniors and families who wanted to spend their children’s spring vacations away from beer-ponging, spring-breaking college louts. Clearwater has been the Philadelphia Phillies spring training home since 1947 and the team’s residency there is the second longest in Major League Baseball, behind the Tigers’ stint in Lakeland.

When the Phils won the 2008 World Series, Clearwater went from a fun place to escape from this area’s harsh winter weather and watch some baseball to a full-on vacation destination. New hotels sprang up every year, and the restaurant scene exploded—and improved.

Even as the Phillies slid into their current torpor, thanks to a variety of factors, not the least 54

of which was the organization’s refusal to rebuild on the fly, Philadelphia-area residents still flock to Clearwater.

“From mid-February to late March, people come to Florida to get away from the cold weather in the north,” says George Cretekos, Clearwater’s mayor. “The Phillies are part of our family down here, and they are part of the

community 365 days a year.”

When people talk about “Clearwater,” they are actually referring to a three-pronged portion of real estate in Pinellas County that extends from Tampa Bay (the body of water) to the Gulf of Mexico. It includes Clearwater, the city, Clearwater Beach, a three-mile barrier island, and Sand Key, which is connected to Clearwater Beach by a causeway.

Unfortunately for the city, Clearwater is the birthplace and “Flag Land Base” of the Church of Scientology, which began operations there in the ‘70s and maintains its headquarters downtown. Obviously, Cretekos and the other natives aren’t too keen on this, and the good news for those who visit the area is that no one has to worry about John Travolta or Tom Cruise trying to recruit them for Scientology membership. If you happen to see someone wearing a T-shirt that reads, “L. Ron Hubbard

Rocks!” walking toward you, turn around and go the other way.

When a team trains for so long in one spot, the people who come down to watch tend to develop some habits. And while it’s fun to see all of the new places to stay, eat and drink popping up, there are those who have specific haunts they enjoy returning to every single year. Cretekos says it gets even more specific than that.

“There are people who don’t just want the same hotel; they want the same room,” he says. “They want the same seats at the stadium, too.”

lthough the Phillies’ recent tailspin has convinced some of us that there are better ways to spend our winter cash than to visit Spectrum (nee Bright House) Field to watch the latest iteration of the team’s rebuilding process, there are still plenty of reasons to visit Clearwater. It begins with the hotel scene, which swells almost every year.

Last February, the Opal Sands debuted on the beach with its collection of 230 rooms, all of which front the Gulf. This January, the Wyndham Grand opened its doors, adding another luxury property to the ranks. They join the Sandpearl, another gem on the Gulf, along with the Hyatt Regency, which opened earlier this decade, the Sheraton and Marriott, which is where Phillies Phantasy Camp participants stay, among the top properties. All offer excel-

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lent pools, strong restaurant options, comfortable rooms and easy access to Clearwater’s beaches, which were rated last year as the best in America by TripAdvisor.

Those who don’t want to pay luxury prices, have plenty of other options. The Clearwater area offers hotels for every budget, but those who want to be closer to the water may encounter premium pricing. And if you are looking for a wilder scene, consider the Shephard’s Beach Resort, which has been described as a “constant party”, with plenty of thirsty guests and an abundance of live music and fun activities.

“We have at least 10,000 rooms you can pick from,” Cretekos says. “One of the things we have tried to do is increase the number of midpriced hotels. You can find a place to stay in any price range.”

If the hotel selection is vast and diverse, one would imagine the menu of Clearwater restaurants is extremely varied, too. That is correct.

Just about every kind of food is available, but it makes sense to take advantage of Clearwater’s location and have some seafood. The one item that can be found all over the area, but is perhaps best known at Frenchy’s, is the grouper burger. Have one. You will be happy you did. Another fixture on the Clearwater scene is Lenny’s, which is right near the ballpark and is renowned for its breakfasts.

There are Columbia restaurants throughout the state, but the one on Sand Key combines modern bustle with some old-Florida charm.

Frenchy’s is renowned for their grouper burger

The menu provides almost too many choices, but those looking for a taste of the whole bill of fare might go for the Marilyn and Joe Salteado, a stew of beef, chicken, pork, shrimp and chorizo mixed together with some rice, peppers and potatoes. Created to commemorate a night in the 1950s when Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio had a spat while dining at Columbia, and Monroe sought counsel from the ladies room attendant on how to handle the situation, the Salteado is not for light eaters but is delicious.

Those looking for sushi and other seafood Photo Threshers Baseball

Clearwater has been the Philadelphia Phillies spring training home since 1947.

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offerings can sample the bill of fare at The Island Way Grill. It’s owned by former Tampa Bay Buccaneer fullback Mike Alstott, and it’s a good spot for celebrity watching, including Hulk Hogan, who comes in on occasion. Another place to find some famous people is the Palm Pavilion, which has offered beachfront dining since 1926 and has a terrific grouper sandwich.

Those looking for a good spot for Italian cuisine can try Cesare at the Beach, which offers inside and outside dining and is one of Phillies chairman emeritus Bill Giles’ favorite places to eat. The Clear Sky Cafe, which is right next to the Sandpearl, offers a top-shelf brunch, and those who are looking for some beef and don’t mind traveling a bit should head 56

Photo visitflorida.com

Photo seewinter.com

to E&E Stakeout Grill. You’ll find something of a “country club” atmosphere at Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber, along with fine seafood and good steaks. There is excellent calamari at Guppy’s, which offers beachside dining, and Watercolour Grillhouse in the Marriott has a strong collection of offerings. And those wanting something extremely casual—although it’s hard to find too much in Clearwater that requires formal attire—Bobby’s Bistro & Wine Bar, right behind The Beachcomber, pairs pizza with selections from the restaurant’s strong wine cellar.

As you can imagine, there is plenty of nightlife in the Clearwater area. Whether you eat at

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar

the Palm Pavilion or not, you can hang there for entertainment and drinks. The Cork N Brew Bistro features a tremendous collection of craft beers, and the Dunedin Brewery isn’t too far away.

The fun isn’t all about eating, drinking and being merry in the Clearwater area. Take a

couple hours and drive over to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. It’s outstanding. Really. The Ruth Eckerd Hall features a full menu of concerts. Kids will love to head to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which houses Winter, the star of the movie Dolphin Tale.

nd, of course, there are the Phillies.

Spectrum Field is a great place to watch a game. The seats are close to the action, there is an abundance of food and drink options, and there is a collection of promotions every game. Be sure to get your tickets early, preferably through the Phillies’ website, because the small capacity means games can sell out quickly. And get to the game early, because that’s when the regular players end. It may be fun for hardcore baseball fans to watch AA and AAA players in the later innings, but those who want to see the Phillies who will be in Philadelphia will want to see the early action. Also, players are more prone to sign autographs during spring training than throughout the regular season.

There are a couple fun alternatives to the stadium seats. Fans can sit on the hill beyond the outfield fence, or they can join the fun at the Tiki Bar, which requires a special ticket to be able to spend the game within its confines.

You may not end up seeing much baseball, but you’ll have a good time.

And isn’t that what spring training is all about, anyway? n

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Photo opalsands.com

Opal Sands Resort on the Gulf of Mexico

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I THE TRAVEL ISSUE

the new and improved hospitality business Airbnb.com has made it possible for millions of travelers to stay in residents’ homes all over the globe…and help residents pay the rent.

BY KURT SMITH

I RESIDE IN TURNERSVILLE, NJ, a middle class suburb whose biggest attraction is an auto mall. It’s not exactly a bucket list destination. No one I know takes a vacation to buy a car.

So you can imagine my surprise upon learning that even Turnersville city slickers could earn a few bucks towards the mortgage…just by letting travelers use a spare bedroom.

See, the town actually has something going for it, aside from multigigawatt illumination of car dealership lots. It’s a short drive from the city where this nation was born, millions of tourists visit that city, and hotels are expensive and boring.

All a Turnersvilleian needs to do is overcome the uneasiness of strangers staying in their home. Easier said than done, perhaps. And that trepidation works both ways. How many people would spend a vacation in the home of someone they’ve never met?

That might sound like a rhetorical question, if the answer wasn’t 60 million. That’s how many guests have used Airbnb.com for their travel lodging since the site’s debut in 2008.

Here’s some exponential growth: Airbnb celebrated its millionth booking in February 2011. Less than a year later, in January 2012, that number reached 5 million. That June they passed 10 million. There might be some calculus-related phenomenon for that line on a graph, but there’s little question that Airbnb has demolished the trust barrier.

The business model is simple enough. Travelers choose from sometimes thousands of residences to rent at their destination, often at far more reasonable rates than local hotels. Hosts can offer the use of a room 58

or their entire home, including the refrigerator and stove, homemade breakfast, free parking, whatever makes the sale.

Both parties benefit. The guest has a greater variety of affordable lodging choices, and the host makes a few dollars to pay bills…no small thing in tourist destinations where the cost of living can be abominably high.

Airbnb’s cut, three percent from the host and 6 to 12 percent from the guest for each booking, keeps the company going substantially well.

With 60 million bookings, that 9 to 15 percent works out to…carry the exponent symbol…a boatload of money. (If you want the real number, Airbnb was recently valued at about $30 billion.)

_______________________________________________ IT ALL STARTED with a couple of young dreamers needing to pay rent.

And several air mattresses.

It’s doubtful he planned it that way, but one of Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s entrepreneurial lessons is this, which he shared in an interview with Gigaom: “Being broke brings an incredible amount of discipline and focus.”

Chesky and his friend Joe Gebbia, now the CPO of Airbnb (and like Chesky, now wealthy enough to buy the Yankees) moved to San Francisco in 2007 to create their startup, with no jobs, ideas or money.

That turned out to be the key component of a savvy business plan.

Just as the rent was coming due, San Francisco hosted a tec h convention that caused all the hotel rooms to be booked. To pay their landlord, the two offered a stay in their apartment on air mattresses, which attracted three paying visitors. You can almost hear the ding of the bulb switching on. Airbedandbreakfast.com was born.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing. Finding investors was difficult enough until they managed to win over Paul Graham at Y Combinator.

When Chesky and Gebbia, and their friend and tech expert Nathan Blecharczyk, needed to fund an eBay-style couchsurfing idea, Graham initially balked for obvious reasons. But he changed his tune when he saw the Obama O’s and Cap’n McCain cereal boxes that the young executives had designed and sold during the 2008 election. Graham was so impressed he even tried unsuccessfully to persuade his VC friends to buy in just on the basis of their drive.

Graham advised the founders…and funded the trip…to visit hosts in New York, where Airbnb had become a popular alternative to astronomical hotel rates. Chesky and Gebbia spoke face-to-face with hosts about their needs.

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EVER SINCE THEN, Airbnb has striven to better the user experience in every way, from sending a professional photographer to hosts’ homes (a service Airbnb offers at no extra charge), to allowing users to sign up using Facebook accounts and simplifying the payment process. Airbnb requires verifiable information like phone numbers, and guests and hosts can publicly rate each other.

Being A “Superhost” If you get enough positive feedback from visitors to your abode, Airbnb may make you a “Superhost.” It’s the equivalent of an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

According to Airbnb’s website, to become a “Superhost”, you have to, in one year, host at least 10 trips, maintain a 90% response rate, and receive a five-star review from at least 80% of the travelers who use your place.

You don’t have to apply for the badge, they will give it to you automatically.

On the website, Airbnb lists some examples of Superhosts and what makes them stand out. One couple in Sydney, Australia put off the sale of their home rather than cancel a booking that they had made; a woman in Rome, Italy always invites her guests to join her and her friends for meals or conversation. Airbnb points out that what makes a Superhost is going the extra mile and doing things one wishes hotels would do.

The Superhost gets a shiny badge on their listing showing their status, and there are some other perks too…like a $100 travel coupon for maintaining your status, priority support, and exclusive invitations to product releases and events.

Best of all, potential guests can filter their search to have only Superhosts show up in the results. Kind of like filtering only five-star reviews of a product on Amazon.

(L to R): Joe Gebbia, Nathan Blecharczyk and Brian Chesky

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Eating Your Own Dog Food

among millions of stays is pretty impressive. It’s not enough to give too much pause, obviously. But Airbnb also has legal issues to contend with these days.

Brian Chesky isn’t just the co-owner of Airbnb, he’s also a client.

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In 2010, Chesky decided to finally move out of the San Francisco apartment that housed the first Airbnb travelers. To a new mansion? Nope. He spent several years staying with Airbnb hosts in San Francisco and elsewhere.

THE HOTEL INDUSTRY ISN’T HAPPY about Airbnb cutting into their business. They might have a legitimate gripe. Part of the expense of running a hotel is following cleanliness and safety statutes that an Airbnb host doesn’t usually need to observe.

When you think about it, the stay on air mattresses that was the inspiration for Airbnb could arguably have been illegal. Zoning laws in many municipalities prohibit businesses to operate in residential areas,

As he said on Twitter, “I am still homeless (most of the time), and living on Airbnb.”

In other words, Chesky is so dedicated to his craft that he lives it; he stays with Airbnb hosts every night and continues to do what he and Gebbia did in New York City at the start; stay with hosts and learn from them how to improve the experience. In entrepreneur-speak, it’s called “eating your own dog food”.

After all, why buy a house you won’t be in most of the time? Chesky has pointed out that the sharing economy was all about avoiding buying something you won’t use. The average power drill, he is quoted in Traveller as saying, gets used a total of 13 minutes in its lifetime, but there are 80 million of them out there.

Chesky still lists the San Francisco apartment as his primary residence— and incidentally, as recently as 2015 you could still book a $50 stay on the couch.

Admit it, you’ve probably never stayed overnight in an igloo before. But that’s the beauty of Airbnb…a different style of lodging. But an igloo, you ask? Yes, and check out some of the other types of residences that are currently listed on Airbnb: Igloo – You can stay inside of an igloo by a lake in Norway for $181 a night; the listing says that it can sleep 2-3 people and to bring your sleeping bag. It doesn’t have any reviews, so apparently, the igloo thing hasn’t caught on yet. Airbnb removed a Brooklyn igloo listing in 2016, saying it didn’t meet the occupancy standards. Someone will get it right.

Castle – On the other hand, castles are pretty big on Airbnb…an article on the Conde Nast traveler site listed 11 of them, with stunning photos and equally stunning prices. The Castello Dal Pozzo in Piedmont, Italy goes for $4,029 a night, and the Martello Tower in Dalkey, Ireland brings in $518 a night. If you search for “Airbnb castles,” you can see the top 20 listings in France and Ireland alone.

Photo airbnb.com

The timing didn’t hurt. The way had been somewhat paved: by the time Airbnb came along, eBay and Craigslist had already taken advantage of the Internet to make the classifieds obsolete.

If eBay’s success has taught us anything, it’s that most of us are decent people who instinctively know that theft and assault is wrong. That’s why exceptions make the news. In the age of Facebook, it’s a great deal easier to learn enough about someone to feel comfortable riding in their car or even buying a car from them. For every story of fake Super Bowl tickets sold on Craigslist, there are a million stories of satisfied users who got something they wanted at a great price or made a profit selling something they no longer use.

It’s called the “sharing economy,” and given the meteoric rise of eBay, Uber and now Airbnb, apparently we’re comfortable with the odds. Airbnb users often gush that transactions often result in friendships and great experiences for travelers and hosts.

That’s not to say there haven’t been some nightmares.

“You’re Staying Where?”

_______________________________________________ THE MOST NOTABLE STORY is of the Bay Area woman whose home was ransacked by a guest in 2011. She lost cash and valuables, and other items were burned in her fireplace with the flue closed. She was traumatized enough to start an anonymous blog, documenting Airbnb’s failure to address the devastation. It took some bad press, but Airbnb did apologize publicly and profusely and took steps to improve safety, including a damage guarantee for hosts, which is now $1 million.

There was also the terrifying ordeal of a 19-year-old man staying in Madrid with a transgender man living as a woman, who locked him in the apartment and refused to let him out until he submitted to a sexual act. The story appeared in the New York Times, describing Airbnb’s arguably insufficient efforts to stop the assault. Airbnb quickly publicized that they would be instructing employees to call the police if they believed a crime was imminent. The victim advised Airbnb users to take precautions, like making the host’s address available to family members.

Those aren’t the only stories of bad actors, but that such tales are rare 60

Treehouse – Thrillist recently published an article listing the “25 Coolest Treehouses on Airbnb.” #1 is in Atlanta…it’s three separate rooms connected by a rope bridge and goes for $375 a night. Airbnb says it’s the “most wished for listing in 2016.” Others include a luxury treehouse on the Bayou in Baton Rouge; a Bay Area treehouse with a wraparound porch and food delivery; and a treehouse in Swallowtail studios in Petaluma, California “with 360-degree views of surrounding vineyards.” The nice thing is that they all have stairways.

An Airplane – Airbnb was the site for a contest to win a stay in a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines airplane…the plane had been retired from service and furnished with a living room, bedrooms and two kitchens. There were some comical rules to follow, like “No Smoking when the non-smoking sign is on,” and “No marshmallow roasting with the jet engines.”

They offered movies with your stay too. One of them… I’m not making this up…was Snakes on a Plane.

Missing The Boat Another of Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s tenets for entrepreneurs is “conventional wisdom is overrated.”

Venture capitalists know this better than anyone. They all know the stories of products that no one believed would sell, like the Beatles, bottled water, or a Donald Trump presidency. But you can imagine that even they might balk at the idea of a website that enables people to rent out rooms to strangers for a night. At least until they see how dedicated to overcoming that mistrust barrier these entrepreneurs really were.

Paul Graham saw that; his friend Fred Wilson didn’t. Despite repeated emails from Graham pleading with Wilson to at least meet with the Airbnb guys, Wilson reluctantly balked at an investment, the proverbial definition of missing the boat. To Wilson’s great credit, he published his mistake on his VLC blog.

According to Wilson, his mistake was focusing on the idea and not the people. He just didn’t see air mattress stays taking off. Paul Graham, through a series of e-mails, tried heavily to convince Wilson to meet with the founders. Graham believed that Chesky and Gebbia had what it took to become billionaires: a willingness to make an unusual idea work, and to do what it took to make that happen.

Today, Wilson still has a box of “Obama O’s” in his office that Chesky and Gebbia created and sold to fund their startup. Why? So he can tell the story to entrepreneurs who don’t know how to raise money for their own startup.

“It’s a story of pure unadulterated hustle,” he says. “And I love it.”

and running a hotel from home might qualify.

San Francisco had been one of the more stringent cities about such laws, even placing eviction notices on the doors of quite a few hosts. New York City, with almost 30,000 Airbnb hosts, has also taken issue with the service, citing a 2010 law that disallows apartment rentals for less than 29 days. Lawmakers insisted it wasn’t targeted at Airbnb, but they did fine one host $7,000, a total eventually reduced to $2,400.

San Francisco eventually reconfigured the laws to make hosting legal, once Airbnb agreed to have hosts pay the 14% hotel tax. See, governments can be reasonable.

But the Big Apple continues to be a thorn in Airbnb’s side, recently passing legislation—signed by Governor Cuomo—that imposes stiff fines on property owners who don’t follow housing regulations while renting their homes. Politicians frequently used hot button words like “threat to affordable housing” in their support of the bill; Airbnb angrily accused them of protecting the hotel industry.

Now that they can, Airbnb has armed themselves with a strong legal team of their own, to fight the NYC battles and other regional disruptions that will likely keep ensuing.

As Gebbia was quoted in Inc. magazine, “The car had incredible opponents from the carriage industry. It would have been a big ask to get people to understand them overnight. But their value was proved over time.”

It hasn’t taken long. Every couple of seconds or so, a booking happens on Airbnb, and that interval keeps shrinking as the reputation for trust grows with each successful stay. Occasional ugly experiences and regulatory battles won’t likely stop the juggernaut.

Once one gets past the trust barrier, they’re getting the same deal as in any hotel…a room with a bed and a TV. Perhaps the most appealing part of all is lodging with a true local who…for business purposes…wants you to have a great stay. Unlike a concierge reading from a typewritten list of restaurants, a resident will actually know where to find the best Italian food or ideal parking spot.

Or where to buy a car. n 61

i PROFILE

BY T. JORDAN WOMPIERSKI

IT’S NO SECRET that children have imaginative minds, especially during playtime.

Some kids like to act out games of cops and robbers, pretending to catch criminals and keep the city safe. Others might imagine they’re racecar drivers, speeding around the driveway or sidewalk on a Big Wheel. Many like to play teacher or doctor, but they aren’t actually teaching students or treating patients, of course. As an 8-year-old growing up in South Jersey, Andre Gardner dreamed big like most kids. He wanted to be a radio disc jockey, except instead of using his imagination, he actually was a deejay, broadcasting from a functioning radio station built in the spare bedroom of his parents’ home. Gardner took to the airwaves almost every night, transmitting a signal that could be picked up by radios as far away as one mile.

“We had some listeners in the neighborhood,” Gardner said. “My mom used to let us give our phone number out on the air. We’d say, ‘OK, call us now for requests,’ and some nights, the phone would be ringing all night long with kids from the neighborhood calling up and making requests for songs. It’s so crazy, looking back at it.”

From broadcasting to dozens of listeners as a child to millions of listeners as an adult with 102.9 MGK in Philadelphia, Gardner’s radio career has come a long way. Now 56, Gardner attributes his love of music to his parents.

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“Music has been part of my DNA since I can remember my first actual thoughts,” he explained. “My parents were always big music fans, so they always had music blasting in the music room. To their credit, it was a wide range of music. Paul Whiteman, The Mills Brothers, and George Gershwin, but it was also pop music like Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley and that kind of stuff, and then The Beatles came along.”

Gardner quickly developed a passion for music, taking a particular liking to The Beatles.

“My older brother used to be a big collector

of records and he’d bring stuff home all the time. We’d be listening in the house, and I just remember being captivated by The Beatles. I remember ‘Please Mr. Postman’ was one of the earliest songs I can remember hearing from them,” Gardner said. “He might have gotten the Vee-Jay album before they were on Ed Sullivan, so I might have heard them before Ed Sullivan, but I can’t be sure. I just remember locking into them to be my first real favorite group. I was just completely over-the-top obsessed with The Beatles.”

Gardner’s brother parlayed his interest in

Gardner at WMGK studios

Andre Gardner transmitting from his home radio station in 1973

A Beatles “Mix” Up

Photo courtesy A. Gardner

In 2006, Gardner received an advance copy of The Beatles: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2, a set that included four Beatles albums originally released by Capitol Records in 1965.

“In the U.S. and in England, up to the Sgt. Pepper album, the track lineups, the titles, and in many cases the cover, were different,” Gardner explained. “So we had different song lineups here than they did over in the U.K., so Capitol decided it would be kind of neat to put out the U.K. versions of these Beatles albums in the United States.”

‘‘

THERE WAS THIS LITTLE TOY CALLED MR. MICROPHONE. MY DAD HACKED IT, AND IT ENDED UP GOING LIKE A MILE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WAS A PIRATE FREAKING RADIO STATION. I WAS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, AND I BOUGHT RECORDS EVERY WEEK. WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD SETUP GOING.” music into a job in the radio industry, leaving home to work as a deejay in places like Denver, West Palm Beach, and ultimately, Philadelphia.

“As a kid, I used to be able to sit and listen to him on the radio, on our little transistor radio that we had in the house and it was just so cool to hear my brother’s voice coming out of the speaker, playing all these songs that I loved so very much,” Gardner said.

With his brother working close to home at Philadelphia’s WIBG, Gardner had a chance to visit the broadcast studios. He was in awe within seconds of entering the building.

“I swear to you, when I walked into the place, saw the chandelier in the lobby and the spiral staircase up to the studios, I was just mesmerized and just completely hooked at that very moment,” Gardner said. “Sitting there in the back of the studio watching him do his show was just so cool. Thinking about him in this little booth, talking into this mic and broadcasting all over the place to thousands of people, just completely captivated me, and literally at that moment, I decided that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

••• GARDNER’S INFATUATION WITH MUSIC and radio was clear to his parents and brother, which is what led to the establishment of his very own bedroom studio.

“Thankfully, I had very supportive parents, and of course my brother, being in radio, was also very supportive,” Gardner said. “My father

was a technical engineer at KYW, so he and my brother schemed to build me this little radio setup in our spare bedroom in the house. I’m talking about built one from scratch, with 2x4s to make a console and a board, little meters, a little mixing board, a couple of turntables, and a microphone.”

It’s one thing to furnish a makeshift broadcast booth, but figuring out how to transmit a signal is a bit more difficult. Fortunately for Gardner, his father was an engineer.

“There was this little toy, I think it was called Mr. Microphone, that you could buy at the store and it was literally an FM transmitter. You could be like 15 feet from a radio and you could hear yourself on the radio,” Gardner explained. “My dad hacked it, and it ended up going like a mile around the neighborhood. It was a pirate freaking radio station. I took it very seriously. I was the program director, and I bought records every week. We had a pretty good setup going.”

A few years after first building the bedroom radio station, Gardner’s family moved from Willingboro to Medford Lakes, NJ, but the station was re-established in their new home.

“The equipment got a little better every few months,” Gardner said. “The microphone quality increased, I had a big library of tunes, and I had friends come over and do shows. We were a functioning rock station there for a while, and my interest only increased over the years. I just got more and more obsessed with radio.”

Gardner continued to practice his craft, and

The release included the albums in both stereo and mono, and while the two versions were nearly identical, there were slight differences in the songs that die-hard Beatles fans would recognize.

“The way it was done back in those days was there would be separate mixes for stereo and mono, so sometimes there would be little nuances or little changes, maybe an extra vocal here, or the fade goes longer on the stereo, or something like that,” Gardner said.

“I put on the mono version of “Norwegian Wood,” which has a cough after one of the lines in the song, and I played it, and there was no cough. I was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s up with that?’ and then I put on another track on the album, and again, something I was waiting to hear on the mono wasn’t there.”

After listening to all four of the discs in the set, Gardner came to realize that two of them had the wrong mono mixes.

“Rather than use the actual mono mixes, they took the stereo and just kind of summed it into mono,” he said. “Somewhere along the production chain there was a mistake.”

At the time, Gardner was friends with an executive at Capitol Records, so he reached out to him to point out the error.

“He was understandably upset,” Gardner said. “As it turned out, they admitted they had made a mistake somewhere in the mastering process.

As a result, Capitol Records re-released the set with the correct mixes. They added a sticker to the cover noting the correction.

“Someone would have picked it out eventually because Beatles fans have keen ears, but it just so happened that I happened to hear it first,” Gardner said. “It was kind of cool for a couple of weeks to be swirled up in that little controversy.”

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A Stern Warning During Gardner’s time with WXRK K-Rock in New York, he was taught how to work the edit button for The Howard Stern Show, just in case the station ever needed someone to fill in as Stern’s censor.

“There was a guy who actually sat in a room and had to monitor every second of the show, because if stuff got too salacious, the FCC would be all over it and slap the company with millions of dollars in fines,” Gardner said.

“The guy who was doing it at the time was the general manager, and they sort of groomed me and trained me to be his backup, so when he would go on vacation or he had to take care of business or something, I would sit in there and work the button.”

Gardner wasn’t expecting to find himself in the role very often, but the training turned out to be very important.

“Long story short, this guy got sick and was out for months at a time, so I ended up having to go in there and do it all the time” he said. “I ended up doing that for four years, being the button guy on the Stern show.”

Gardner referred to the role as a terrible but necessary job.

“I’m a huge Howard fan – I always have been – and the fact that I was cutting up his art was very frustrating,” he said. “Not nearly as frustrating as it was to him. There were times he was very aggravated with me and what I was doing. It made for some pretty tense times.”

Gardner recalls more than one occasion where Stern confronted him about cutting parts of the show.

“I couldn’t win,” Gardner said. “If I cut too much out, then I’d have to face Howard Stern being very angry with me, and us having one or two yelling matches in the hall, and if I didn’t cut out enough, we’d get a million dollar fine from the FCC and I’d have to answer to our CEO, and I certainly did not want to do that. I was in a real tough spot.”

When Gardner got a job offer from WMGK, he was happy to leave his duties with the Stern show behind.

“I couldn’t get out of there quick enough,” he said with a laugh. “I could go back to listening to Howard Stern as a fan and enjoying it.”

While he may have been upset to see parts of his show cut out, Stern recognized that the editing was just part of Gardner’s job, and he doesn’t harbor any ill will.

“Everything was fine after that, and we’ve had lovely communication after I left the station, but it was definitely a tense time,” Gardner said. “It did not make that part of my career fun.”

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when he was 16, a family friend let him know about a part-time opening for a weekend deejay at WPST in Trenton.

“I’m thinking, ‘I’m 16 years old. Nobody is going to hire me at a real radio station,’” Gardner recalled. “But the guy said, ‘Just send something along,’ so I took a tape—an audio recording from that bedroom station—and sent it to the guy.”

Gardner got the job. It was an unexpected but greatly appreciated break, and as a result, Gardner’s official radio career began much earlier than he could have ever imagined.

“It just fell into my lap,” Gardner said. “I was a junior in high school. I probably wasn’t the greatest student in the world because I was so singularly focused on radio. I hadn’t even thought three months ahead. That summer, in fact, I had joined a bowling league with my friend because I thought we were going to be bored and not have much going on in the summer, so we joined a league just trying to stay out of trouble. And then out of nowhere, this opening came up and it was crazy.”

As Gardner’s senior year of high school progressed, he impressed the higher-ups with his weekend work at WPST. “My program director said to me, ‘Hey, we’re probably going to have a full-time opening in the fall. Would you be interested?’”

Gardner recalled.

He knew he wanted to take the full-time job, but he wasn’t sure how his parents would feel about skipping college and entering the workforce immediately.

“I had to go to my mom and say, ‘This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I know I should probably go to college, but this is an opportunity I can’t pass up,’” Gardner said.

Just as his family had been supportive enough to build him his bedroom radio station, they encouraged Gardner to follow his heart and take the job at WPST. “She said, ‘Go for it,’” Gardner said. “To her credit, she never once said, ‘Oh, you need a proper education.’ She said, ‘If that’s what you want, pursue your passion.’ So I graduated high school and that was it.”

Gardner certainly made the most of the opportunity, kicking off a lengthy radio career and never looking back.

“It was 40 years ago this summer than I started at WPST, and dream come true doesn’t even begin to say how I feel about doing what I love for so many years and having so much fun, even after 40 years,” he said.

After more than two years with WPST in Trenton, Gardner left in 1980 and embarked on a journey that saw him serve stints at two stations in Philadelphia, a stop in Ft. Pierce, FL; three more stations in Philadelphia; a year in Atlanta; two stations in Dallas; and

five years at WYSP in Philadelphia. He eventually landed at WXRK K-Rock in New York City, where he had been working for nearly 10 years when he interviewed for a job at WMGK in Philadelphia.

“One of the perks offered to me was, ‘Well, you know, if you come down here in time, we’ve got an interview lined up with Paul McCartney,’” Gardner said. “I was like, ‘When do I start?’”

••• GARDNER TOOK THE JOB WITH WMGK in 2002 and has been there ever since. He is on-air weekdays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and he also hosts a “Breakfast with the Beatles” show every Sunday morning. As a self-professed “absolute maniac for the Beatles,” it was that early interview with McCartney at WMGK that stands out as one of his favorite moments.

“It was great,” he said, still just as excited about the encounter 15 years later. “My second day on the job and there I was sitting in the same room with Paul McCartney, pinching myself because I couldn’t believe it. I’ve been very lucky to interview and meet a lot of heroes, but of course, as a Beatles fan, that’s the number one coolest thing that’s ever happened, ever.”

Gardner has had the good fortune to interview McCartney in-person on two different oc-

casions, and once more via phone. In addition, Ringo Starr has joined Gardner via satellite for a “Breakfast with the Beatles” broadcast.

“Any time a Beatles fan gets a chance to talk to a Beatle, it’s absolute magic and a privilege,” Gardner said. “It’s an incredible, incredible feeling. Thank goodness I recorded those interviews, because I barely remember them. I just blacked out. It was the craziest thing.”

Whether he’s interviewing a childhood hero or simply playing classic rock for his listeners during the afternoon drive, Gardner enjoys every second of his job.

“Honestly, this really isn’t work to me,” he said. “I’m doing exactly what I’ve wanted to do my entire life, and to get paid for it is really amazing. To play music at top volume—so loud that the people in the insurance company the floor below sometimes ask me to turn it down if they’re having a meeting in their conference room—I never thought it would go 40 years. Every day that I walk into that place and my key card still works, I consider myself very lucky.”

Gardner doesn’t have a radio station in his home anymore, but if he didn’t work for WMGK, it’s safe to say he would probably set one up.

“I love it so much,” he said. “In my spare time, I’d probably be doing radio anyway, because I just love it.” n

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Bobby Clarke with Ed Snider

Celebrating 50 Years of Flyers Hockey

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BY SAM CARCHIDI

d Snider’s vision has turned into a lovefest between the Flyers and their fans as the franchise celebrates its 50th anniversary season.

Despite not winning a Stanley Cup since 1975, the fans’ loyalty has remained steadfast.

Never was that more evident than when a sellout crowd attended an alumni game between the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 14. It was a matchup between two of the six expansion teams that entered the NHL in 1967.

The teams played to a 3-3 tie (remember them?) before an appreciative sellout crowd, and the game featured players from every Flyers decade, including the famed “LCB” and “Legion of Doom” lines. Reggie Leach, Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber formed the former, John LeClair, Eric Lindros, and Mikael Renberg the latter.

Representation ranged from original Flyer Joe Watson to Danny Briere and Simon Gagne, forwards on the team’s Stanley Cup finalist in 2010.

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In honor of their 50-year anniversary, the Flyers have also brought back many of their former stars for pre-game festivities this season, reliving memorable moments.

But while the focus has been on the many heroes who have worn the Orange and Black, there is another group that deserves serious mention.

“The fans,” Lindros said, “were always incredible in Philly.”

Oh, they may boo on occasion in an attempt to wake up players, but they have filled virtually every seat for the longest of times.

Lindros, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November, never took the fans for granted. When he played, he wanted to reward them for their loyalty. For proof, go to YouTube and watch Lindros, his voice crack-

ing, his eyes filled with tears, in his emotional speech when he accepted the 1994-95 Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. “In closing,” he said toward the end of his speech, “I’d just like to say, thank you to the Philadelphia fans who supported us when we weren’t so good.”

And here, Lindros became choked up with tears. After a long pause, he composed himself, barely, and said: “We’re getting better and we’re going to do it.”

The Flyers never won a Cup during the Lindros era. Fact is, they haven’t won one in 42 years. But the fans keep filling the arena.

When Lindros and LeClair were inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame in 2014, both said the fans pushed their careers to a higher level.

“You guys are awesome,” LeClair told the standing fans before a banner with his name and his former linemate’s was raised to the rafters. “You didn’t accept losing.”

LeClair thanked the fans for “the continuous energy” they gave him.

Lindros had a similar theme.

“Night in and night out, you brought passion to the Wells Fargo Center,” he said.

At the November Hall of Fame ceremony in Toronto, Lindros said, “Philly fans are terrific.

They really are. There’s not many cities in the States where you get that feeling. You get it here in Toronto, obviously, and in every Canadian city. I think Philly is top-notch in terms of the U.S. side of things.”

After the alumni game in January, the participants seemed awe-struck by the crowd.

“A sellout to watch a bunch of us hasbeens,” goalie Brian Boucher said with a smile.

“Can’t say enough about the fans.”

“I wouldn’t have changed anything. I would have played with one leg, to be honest with you,” Hall of Fame left winger Bill Barber said.

“To have the opportunity to be out there for our fans, we have the greatest fans in the world and I thank them for that. It was a real pleasure to play here in Philly in front of a crowd like that.”

“It’s all you need to know about Flyers fans,” Briere. “To get 20,000 people to come out for guys that are past their prime. That’s all you need to know. It’s just simply amazing.”

Briere said it was great for him and the other players “to have one more day to live our dream. I still have goosebumps just thinking about it. To get on the ice for the warmup and to see the whole building already full…to play with legends…It was a blast.”

Carl Luzi, 61, who owns an insurance and retirement planning agency in West Berlin, NJ, attended the alumni game with his 26-year-old son, C.J. The elder Luzi called the game “a real tribute to the organization, including Ed Snider.”

Snider, of course, was one of the team’s cofounders and he was the Flyers’ chairman until his death last April.

“I think the roof would have blown off if 88’s shot had hit the back of the net to win it late in the game,” Luzi added, referring to Lindros.

“All in all, it was a life moment for all of us in the Flyers family.”

The loudest cheers may have been when Snider was shown on the scoreboard in a series of photos, a tribute to the man who had the foresight to believe hockey could make it in Philadelphia.

W

“I would have played with one leg, to be honest with you,” Hall of Fame left winger Bill Barber said. “We have the greatest fans in the world and I thank them for that.” there were people watching it,” said Watson, an original Flyer who is now a senior account executive for the Wells Fargo Center’s advertising department. “I said, ‘Hell, we’re not going to be here very long.’ One fan gave me the finger and said, ‘You’ll be in Baltimore in six months!’ “ The franchise was purchased for $2 million, and Snider and Jerry Wolman got the Spectrum built for $12 million. A bogus contest was held to name the team. The winner was “Flyers,” but Snider’s sister, Phyllis, had actually chosen

that name months earlier.

General manager Bud Poile and coach Keith Allen did an excellent job in the expansion draft, selecting players such as goalies Bernie Parent and Doug Favell, defensemen Watson and Ed Van Impe, and right winger Gary Dornhoefer.

Parent, Watson, Van Impe, and Dornhoefer would become fixtures when the Flyers won consecutive Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975.

The Flyers were in the West Division with

HEN YOU HEAR all the glowing tributes to the fans, it’s easy to forget that Philly wasn’t always a hockey Photos courtesy Philadelphia Flyers

hotbed.

When Snider co-founded the team, he was taking a huge risk. At the time, Philadelphia did not have a good track record of supporting major- or minor-league hockey teams.

In 1967, after returning from Quebec City and their first training camp, the Flyers tried to drum up fan interest by holding a parade down Broad Street.

About two-dozen people showed up.

“There were more people in the parade than

Top: Bobby Clarke (facing off against Bryan Trottier) and Eric Lindros were just two of the many former Flyers who recently played in a sold out alumni game vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Flyers 50th Anniversary celebration.

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“I think it’s the only city in the league that would do that, on the hockey scene at least,” Clarke, the greatest player in franchise history, said about the alumni-game sellout. the five other expansion teams. The East Division was composed of teams from the NHL’s Original Six. Fans were slow to accept the new team.

Tickets were $2 to $5.50 per game during that first season, and just 7,812 showed up for the home opener. Gradually, as the Flyers sprinkled in wins against the original teams, attendance picked up. By February, they had their first home sellout.

The Flyers finished 31-32-11 in their first season, were outscored 179 to173, and won the title in the West, which was also composed of expansion teams from St. Louis, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Los Angeles.

Late in that first season, winds gusting at more than 50 M.P.H. blew off a portion of the Spectrum’s roof, causing the Flyers to play seven “home” games in Quebec City, Toronto, and Madison Square Garden.

“I think the guys rallied around the fact that they were going to be Road Warriors, so to speak, for a long time,” said veteran public-address announcer Lou Nolan, who worked in the

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team’s public-relations department, headed by Joe Kadlec, during the franchise’s first season.

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HE FLYERS HAVE WON just two Stanley Cups in their history, and none since 1975.

But they HAVE been successful. They have missed the playoffs just 10 times and have reached the Cup Finals eight times.

Since they entered the NHL in 1967-68, only Montreal and Boston have a higher points percentage than the Flyers.

That, and the players’ eagerness to live in the community and get involved in local charity events, explains why a sellout crowd attended the alumni game to help celebrate the franchise’s 50th anniversary.

Boucher was asked if he was surprised by the huge turnout.

“I don’t know why I would be shocked because I know how great of a hockey town this is,” he said. “Everybody talks about a sports town; it’s a great hockey town. These Flyers fans, starting right around this time of year,

working into February, March....they really get jacked up to watch their Flyers play into the spring.”

Boucher paused.

“I’ve had a couple of opportunities to be a part of teams that did that,” he said. “I know what it’s all about, so I guess that I’m not shocked that 19,000 fans came to watch their heroes of yesterday play because they love the Flyers so much, and it’s a real treat as a player when you’re all done to get another chance to be in the NHL for one night. It was a real special night.”

“I think it’s the only city in the league that would do that, on the hockey scene at least,” Clarke, 67, the greatest player in franchise history, said about the alumni-game sellout.

“I mean, there are still some good players to watch like Lindros, LeClair and Briere. Those guys are still pretty good players, but there are a lot of us that aren’t. It was really fun, though.”

Lindros kidded that the fans got to watch old players perform “in slow motion.”

“It was great. It’s just that, when you get in front of that crowd that’s always behind you for five decades now,” he added. “All the guys had wonderful stories about the support they’ve gotten along the way and their own journeys and the team’s success. The fans are a really big part of it and you could feel it.”

Ed Snider would have been proud. n

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o o o o Cozmo’s Tale

PROFILE

BY MARK ECKEL

THE STORY BEGINS in Jersey City, NJ in 1972 when his mother, a 16-year-old child at the time, got pregnant for the second time in just over two years. The baby of a baby, Robert, has only brief memories of his biological father, Michael, who hung himself when Robert was just 10 years old.

“I remember seeing him once or twice,’’ he says. “They say (the suicide) was a combination of his schizophrenia and the fact that he was living down the street from us and couldn’t handle what was happening.’’

What happened was Robert’s mother left Michael for Phillip, who he refers to as “his stepfather’’ and the man who raised him from the time he was 5 years old until he also committed suicide seven years later.

Phillip was very respected in the neighborhoods of Jersey City and was friends with some very influential people that allowed him to take Robert to Mets’ games, and Jets’ games and Rangers’ games where they would have 70

Photo Jason Wood/Newtown Athletic Center

ROBERT “COZMO’’ CONSULMAGNO set a world record, which will soon be in the Guinness Book of Records, Dec. 20, 2016, when he performed 524 standing ab-wheel rollouts in 60 minutes. That world record isn’t just part of Cozmo’s story. It’s actually the ending.

primo seats and at times, would meet the players and get their autographs after the games.

“There was a good side to him,’’ Cozmo says of Phillip. “And as a kid, you’re like a puppy, you love that affection. He would come to my Little League games and cheer me on, but if a call went against me, he would go crazy on the umpire. And I still remember, I had a New York Daily News paper route and he would help me with it every Sunday. He would drive me around in that big Pontiac Bonneville he had, the same car where he eventually shot himself.’’

Phillip’s bad side was more than just yelling at umpires after bad calls. And it’s what Robert remembers much too much. When one of his teams would lose, or if something went wrong at his work, Robert and his mother would pay.

“He beat my mother all the time,’’ Robert said. “He beat his own mother.’’

And he beat Robert.

“One time, he kind of chicken-winged my right arm and broke it,’’ he said. “Another time

he knocked me down the stairs and put me in a body cast. He told my mother I fell.’’

There was also the time Robert witnessed Phillip beating a man to near death on the street over a parking spot. The cops showed up, took the body away and let Phillip walk away. Yes, he was very well respected.

“I never understood what he did or why he did it,’’ Robert says “I still don’t.’’ uuu

R

obert didn’t know what to expect on a cold, bitter New Jersey night in December of 1984 when he was 12 years old and his mother woke him up in the middle of the night.

“It was really cold that night, freezing cold and my mother comes in my room and says, ‘c’mon let’s go’ and gives me a kiss. She had packed some stuff up. I’m still in my pajamas and we go outside and there’s a van there. I didn’t know what was going on at the time.’’

The van belonged to Chuck, Robert’s mother’s new boyfriend. After years of abuse from Phillip she finally got the courage to leave. And she did so in the middle of one of the coldest nights of the year.

“The van wasn’t even running. Chuck and another guy were pushing it,’’ Robert said. “We didn’t want to wake up Phillip. I remember I

got in the back. We started driving and the next thing I knew we were in Newburgh, New York at the Hidden View Trailer Park.’’

It got worse from there.

Phillip, incensed over the family’s departure, tracked Chuck down. They knew each other from the old neighborhood and actually worked on the same block. When he found him, Phillip pulled out his .22, the same one Robert remembers him letting him hold, and shot Chuck in the head. He thought he killed him, but the bullet somehow managed not to go all the way through and Chuck survived.

Phillip didn’t. Later that night he was found in Moonachie, New Jersey, dead in his Bonneville, with the engine on fire and a bullet wound to his head.

“Chuck said he saw him and said, ‘If I can’t have Dottie, no one can have her.’ Then, I guess he killed himself, too,’’ Robert remembered.

At 12 years old, he had a father and a stepfather commit suicide and another “father figure’’ get shot in the head.

“My life sucked, right?’’ he says now. “You know it sounds strange, but even though Phillip beat us, I liked him. It’s like the batteredwoman syndrome. I actually wrote Phillip a letter after we left and told him I missed him. I gave it to Charles to give to him, but he threw it away. And then laughed at me.’’

“The Marines was a good thing for me, but I was fighting all the time. I got in a lot of trouble, but I never broke.’’

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“All I want to do is help protect people and save lives.” .

R

obert, a city kid, didn’t like the trailer park life in Newburgh and moved back to Jersey City. He lived with Phillip’s mother and finished school at Dickinson High School, which sat right across the river from the World Trade Center. Upon his graduation, which he skipped, he joined the Marines.

“I wanted to be somebody and I wanted to just get away,’’ Robert said. “I actually wanted to be a Navy Seal, but I was just a basic swimmer.’’

Robert laughs at his own joke. Now, 44 years old he laughs a lot. After all he’s been through, life is finally good. He’s finally enjoying himself. He’s happy. He’s setting World Records.

It started when he joined the corp.

“The Marines was a good thing for me, but I was fighting all the time,’’ he says and again laughs. “As tough as people say the Marines are, and they are, it was easy for me. I’m not sure why, but it just was. They called me a rock and they tried to break me. But I never broke. I got in a lot of trouble, but I never broke.’’

It was during his five-year stint that took him from Paris Island to Japan to Tennessee and finally, North Carolina where Robert was diagnosed with Bi-polar Disorder One and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“I denied it at first,’’ he said. “I would go

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see the doctor, and then rip up the paper work. I’d get back to the base and they would ask me what happened and I would say, ‘They told me to get back to work.’ Yeah, I screwed myself.’’

After his discharge, and with the persistence of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Robert finally got the help he needed to battle his afflictions. It didn’t come through the prescribed medicine, however.

“They gave me medicine, but it just didn’t make me feel right,’’ he said. “I didn’t want to be on medicine. I needed to find my own high.’’

So he prescribed his own solution. After going back to college at William Paterson in New Jersey, selling stereo equipment for Tweeter, reuniting with some old Marine buddies and traveling the country, he found Mixed Martial Arts was the answer.

“I met a guy in St. Louis who was trainer for the MMA,’’ he recalled. “That’s what I needed.

When I’m manic, I go to the gym, and I’m a machine.’’

Inspired when he found out his great grandfather, Michael Consulmagno, aka Mickey Taylor, is in the Boxing Hall of Fame, there was no stopping Robert from his new goals.

His first dive into the field was in the area

of International Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and he rose to be the world’s No. 1 ranked man in his age bracket. When he stopped in 2016, he was ranked No. 2 in the world.

“I needed a break,’’ he said. “I wanted to do other things. If I had known sooner about my great-grandfather, I probably would have been a boxer.’’

As he rose to the top of his field, “Cozmo’’ decided to help others afflicted with the same diseases and troubles he faced in his life, and has begun another career as a keynote speaker for Bi-Polar disease and PTSD. “All I want to do,’’ he says, “is help protect people and save lives.

“What I tell people is you have to find something, you need to do what you do best. For me it was working out. For someone else it could be playing chess, or art, or anything. It doesn’t matter what it is, you have to attack it.

“You have to use your PTSD to push yourself, you need to attack your fear. I like to use the Batman quote, ‘Make your worst fear your ally.’’’

Robert “Cozmo’’ Consulmagno has done just that, and on Dec. 20, 2016 at the DAV headquarters in Washington D.C., he set a world record. n

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DR. NINA

_______________________________________________________________________________

BY NINA RADCLIFF, MD

The Health Benefits of Chocolate

O

UR LOVE FOR CHOCOLATE dates back to the Mesoamerican era—3500 years ago. Fast forward to modern times, it remains a prized love food for everyone on Valentine’s Day, as well as throughout the rest of the year. And here is some “yummy” news— science shows that chocolate can be good for our health.

Talk about having your chocolate and eating it too!

While not quite a vegetable, it is derived from the cocoa plant. As a result, chocolate is chock-filled with nutrients as well as antioxidants that protect the body from damage caused by waste products created during normal bodily processes. And it is important to note that because dark chocolate contains greater amounts of nutrients and antioxidants, it potentially has greater health benefits.

What You Need to Know About Dark Chocolate and Its Potential Health Benefits: LOVE POTION When love comes to call, the substance phenylethylamine (PEA) is introduced into our body and stimulates the nervous system. Chocolate naturally contains this “love compound” and, as a result, can mimic the feeling of being in love.

BAD CHOLESTEROL Flavonols—a pigment that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties—in chocolate are speculated to reduce “bad” cholesterol absorption in our gastrointestinal track and somehow raise “good” cholesterol in our blood. This is a win-win situation.

And, wait, there is another potential win! Because chocolate’s antioxidants can neutralize waste products, it prevents the conversion of “bad” cholesterol into a toxic compound that can damage the inner lining of our heart’s arteries. When arteries are damaged, it is fertile ground for the abnormal collection of cholesterol and other debris—plaques that cause atherosclerosis.

BLOOD CLOTS In a study by Johns Hopkins University, the researchers found that daily dark chocolate consumption can help thin the blood and consequently decrease the risk of developing a blood clot. This is because flavonols inhibit platelet activation—specialized cells in our body that gather together at a blood vessel tear to temporarily stop bleeding.

The reason this is beneficial is abnormal platelet function plays a role in heart attacks and strokes—two leading killers and causes of major disability in our country. When blood vessels are injured--by cholesterol, high blood pressure, or smoking--cholesterol-rich plaques build up inside the vessels. And if these plaques rupture, platelets quickly attach to the exposed sites to form a clot that can go on to block blood flow. By inhibiting platelet function—the reason your healthcare provider advises you to take daily doses of aspirin—chocolate may decrease your risk for these conditions.

COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND DEMENTIA In 2013, Harvard Medical School researchers found that cocoa consumption boosts memory, thinking skills, and “neurovascular coupling.”

Neurovascular coupling describes how blood flow in the brain matches brain activity—oxygen and nutrients are increased to the areas of the brain that are working hard and where it is needed. This process becomes topsy-turvy in Alzheimer’s, dementia and other brain conditions.

In fact, there is some research to show that cocoa may also significantly improve cognitive function in elderly people with mental impairment.

DIABETES In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, over 18,000 men were surveyed on their chocolate consumption. Those who frequently consumed chocolate were found to have a significantly lower risk of developing diabetes in the following nine years compared to those who did not. The reasons for this remain unclear, but it is hypothesized that flavonoids have something to do with it.

WEIGHT In a perfect world, chocolate would have no calories. While this may not be the case, there is some good news: dark chocolate provides a sense of satiety, or feeling full. By decreasing our cravings for sweet, salty, and fatty foods, it functions as an “appetite suppressant,” and can decrease our overall consumption throughout the day. However, this news does not give us carte blanche to consume as much chocolate as we want. Because chocolate still contains fat and calories, moderation is the key to receiving the best of both worlds.

As Forrest Gump iconically stated: “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” What we do know is that chocolate is near and dear to our hearts. And with its potential for a number of health benefits, chocolate does not have to be a forbidden love, guilty pleasure, or given up. But moderation is key.

And so, aptly stated, our love for chocolate may be the key to happiness and health. Like Forrest, I may not be a smart woman, “but I know what love is.” n

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75

THE

Entrepreneur Coach

by John Hopkins

inspireme@inspiritgrowth.com

The Leader/Coach Knowing the difference. Being both!

LEADER/COACH CLARITY A leader shares vision, has authority and influence, and presides over an organization. A coach instructs or trains the fundamentals of team strategy. A leader isn’t always a coach and a coach isn’t always a leader. To be an effective closely held business owner today, you need to be both … at the same time! Leaders do the right things. Coaches show ‘em how.

WISDOM A Leader/Coach shares wisdom and insight the team doesn’t have. Wisdom isn’t learned from books. Knowledge comes from books.

Wisdom is gained, not studied and comes over the passage of time. When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.

Consider seeing yourself NOT as a business owner but as Leader/Coach. When we do this, we stop looking at people as employees, but as the most valuable assets on our team.

LEADER/COACH ROLE FOCUS Our Leader role focuses ON business strategy, marketplace changes, customer needs, and our self-awareness. Our Coach role focuses ON our people. To grow, an expansive thinking Leader/ Coach delegates so as not to spend more than 25% working IN the business. That’s what managers are for. In our Leader role, we ask the WHAT and WHY questions. In our Coach role, we ask, and connect the dots around the HOW, WHO and WHEN questions.

LEADER/COACH ROLE ACTIVATION Leaders raise awareness and mindfulness of the team to what is the vision, what needs to be done, knowing the difference between what is essential vs. urgent, what finished looks like, and what are the expected results. Leaders increase mindfulness of the team as to why we need to do what we do. Customers don’t do business with us so much for what we do, but why we do it. Getting the “why” to resonate within and outside the company ignites inspiring leadership and belief.

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As a Coach, we show individuals how to get stuff done in ways that contribute to teamwork, and not just solid individual efforts, how to take personal responsibility for the right results done the right way, and how it fits into the overall strategy. As a Coach, we focus on who is the right person to play what position based on their natural abilities. Coaches need to make sure everyone knows when things need to be done and to do it well.

HEADS UP! Because we live in the “tyranny of the urgent” every day, business owners and our teams are experiencing erosion of critical thinking skills.

Faster information from more devices and sources creates more distraction and diffusion in daily activities. Everything seems to have the same degree of importance. These interruptions compromise and even block anyone’s ability to stay focused and be mindful in getting the right assignment done in the right way. You know when people are caught in the tyranny of the urgent when they are NOT effectively communicating without email, NOT taking clear initiative, thinking but NOT being thoughtful, and NOT able to differentiate essential from urgent.

Practice Leader/Coach impact by asking 5 critical questions in any given situation with any employee: 1. WHAT is the reason for the proposed course of action?

2. WHY do they believe this is essential and valuable to do?

3. HOW will they meaningfully follow through on this action?

4. WHO else needs to be involved to help them?

5. WHEN does this need to be in place and working? …and then be a great listener!

THE ONE THING We have primarily ONE responsibility as a Leader/Coach. Keep the right team in place with the right priorities to expand in the right way by asking critical thinking questions to increase mindfulness.

For sustainable growth, a Leader/Coach knows when to focus ON the business and when to work IN the business. A Leader/Coach is very mindful, very self-aware and keenly aware of Hi-Po employees. A Leader/Coach prioritizes the team on what is essential vs. urgent vs. important. A Leader/Coach knows that everything is done by people, with people, through people and for people, therefore mindful focus is essential. Be focused, stay focused and create focus in others as a Leader/Coach by always asking critical thinking questions. Get your people to not just think, but be more thoughtful, to increase their own self-awareness and be more mindful of the essential. Your net worth rises and falls based on your people. Know when to lead and when to coach. Embrace this shift in leadership by being willing to practice being a better Leader/Coach. n

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A social club

Photos John Wilchek Photography

LegacyClub where business happens

• Do you want to expand your network in Philadelphia and South Jersey?

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• Do you want to attend exclusive networking events once a month at local venues?

We are proud to introduce to our readers to the members of our private business network.

“Big Sky has been involved since the beginning, first and foremost, because of the leadership. Secondly, their events are second to none and provide an opportunity to connect with high level execs and business owners in the Jersey and Philly markets. We look forward to continuing our partnership as JerseyMan and PhillyMan grows.”

- Mike Regina of Big Sky Enterprises, LLC “I have been impressed with the quality of the magazine content from the start. I feel Ken and crew found an important and diverse market. In our brief time with JerseyMan we have gotten quite a bit of buzz and look forward to the business it will bring with it!”

–Bob Harriett, Harriett Energy “As a new business owner, choosing which organization to invest my time and money was a much harder decision process than I had expected with so many to choose from. I was sold at the very first JerseyMan/PhillyMan event six months ago, and could not be more pleased with my decision. Not only does the Dunek team go above and beyond for its Legacy Club members, the Legacy Club members go above and beyond for each other, and I’ve experienced both first hand numerous times. Not only was becoming a member a great investment for my business, it was also a great investment for myself”.

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To learn more about the Legacy Club contact Ken at ken@jerseymanmagazine.com or call (856) 912-4007 78

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THE HEALTH REFEREE ______________________________________________________________________________________________

BY DR. RUBINA TAHIR, DC

7 Power Foods That Boost Immunity

T

he dreaded ‘tickle in your throat,’ a cough here and there, and probably a few sniffles combined with powerful sneezes. Your body is fighting germs that you have been exposed to. In the winter months, everyone needs a solid plan to fight off colds and the flu. So what can you do to amp up your immune system?

Here are 7 foods with known nutritional immune boost properties that you should try. After all it’s February, the month of love, so let’s practice some self-love. You are what you eat!

1. Fermented Foods

3. Coconut Oil

Sneezing into your elbow and washing your hands repeatedly is one way to help stop the spread of germs! If you are serious about boosting your immunity, then the addition of fermented foods is an essential habit for your germ fighting ways. The beneficial bacteria in fermented foods helps regulate your digestive system and strengthen immunity. Kefir, a fermented milk drink, is an excellent choice, and can be made from any type of milk, cow, goat or sheep, coconut, rice or soy. Besides kefir, other good fermented foods include natto, kimchee, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, yogurt, and olives.

Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which the body converts to monolaurin. According to a study published in the journal of Alternative and Complementary Therapies, monolaurin has profound antiviral and antibacterial activity. When selecting coconuts and coconut oil, make sure you choose organic ones that are unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and are non-GMO. A tablespoon of coconut is a nutritious addition to a morning smoothie.

2. Chicken Soup A research study published in Chest Journal found that drinking hot chicken soup is more effective than hot water when it comes to loosening up nasal mucus. Nasal secretions help rid the body of pathogenic viruses and bacteria. In addition to consuming chicken soup, breathe through a warm wet washcloth, and use steam to ease congestion.

On average, children have six to eight colds per year and adults have two to four. Garlic has antimicrobial and antiviral properties that relieve the common cold, among other beneficial effects. British researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or a garlic extract for 12 weeks; the garlic takers were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold. Other studies suggest that garlic lovers who chew more than six cloves a week have a 30% lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50% lower rate of stomach cancer. To soothe a sore throat simply suck on a clove of raw garlic for 10-15 min. Be sure to scratch it against your teeth to stimulate the release of garlic juice. If you are looking for a way to mask the taste of the garlic, try soaking a slice in honey before you suck on it.

6. Mushrooms

4. Green Tea Polyphenols and flavonoids found in green tea help boost our immune system, making our health stronger in fighting against infection.

But don’t just drink the tea, gargle with it! Researchers at the University of Shizuoka in Japan studied nursing home residents who were at a high risk for catching colds and the flu. The residents were instructed to gargle with green tea three times a day. At the end of the study, the residents who had gargled with green tea showed a considerably lower rate of contracting flu and cold viruses. Green tea gargling is a great way to combat viruses that hang around in the throat.

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5. Garlic

White button mushrooms are shown to increase production of B and T lymphocytes, which are the crucial immune cells that help control our response to pathogens (harmful bacteria), viruses, toxins and other substances that can make us susceptible to illness. Heat mushrooms in a large skillet and add garlic, or top off your favorite salad with one cup of mushrooms.

7. Bell Peppers Last but not least, we cannot forget about the importance of foods rich in Vitamin C. A vitamin C deficiency results in a reduced resistance against certain pathogens, whilst a higher supply enhances the immune response.

There are many options when it comes to Vitamin C intake. Here are a few of my favorites: bell peppers, dark leafy greens, kiwifruit, broccoli, berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peas, and papayas. n

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WHAT WE WEAR

_______________________________________________________________________________

BY DANIEL R. MORRONI

The Best of Worsted Wool

W

hen you’re deciding on the fabric to use for your next suit, knowing what it’s made of can help you make decisions that will give you a long-lasting, high-quality garment. For those who’ve wondered what the term “worsted” means to their suit, and a little of its history, we’ve gathered some vocabulary and background on worsted wool.

The term “worsted” came from the location that traditionally produced the wool-the village of Worstead, England, which became a textile manufacturing center in the 12th century.

Raw wool includes both short and long fibers.

If the wool is carded, long and short fibers are twisted together into yarn. Loose twisting results in soft yarns that are suitable for sweaters and socks. Wool that has been carded into yarn is called “woolen.”

If the wool is combed instead, the shorter fibers (which are also fuzzier) are discarded and only the longer, smoother fibers are included in the yarn. Wool that has had the fuzzier fibers combed out will be known as “worsted.”

Twisting tightly creates the crisp, taut yarn used in suits.

Fabric made of worsted wool will be stronger, smoother, and slightly shinier than fabric made from whole wool. Because it uses only the longer fibers, worsted wool is also more durable and long-lasting.

Worsted wools are commonly either used in a “plain weave” where threads alternate evenly, or in a twill (including gabardine and serge) where alternating threads are skipped to produce a diagonal pattern. Flannels can be made of either worsted or woolen yarns, and is usually combed on one or both sides to raise some of the soft, shorter fibers. n

Designing a suit coat to make you look taller The two-button suit coat has long been the dominant look-and its classic look is always in style.

However, if you’re on the shorter side and want to create the illusion of height, a one-button suit can provide assistance. The single button is placed lower on the coat, making the V between the lapels longer. This added visual space makes a shorter gentleman appear taller and trimmer.

One-button coats also work in your favor by offering the eye a clean, crisp expanse of cloth without the visual distractions of multiple buttons. Minimizing coat pockets and accessories will enhance this effect.

“Clothes and courage have much to do with each other.”

– Sara Jeanette Duncan 82

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TECH TIME

______________________________

BY ANTHONY MONGELUZO

2017 Tech Trend Predictions 2016 HAS COME AND GONE, and we are now at the beginning of a new year. One of the questions that everyone asks me is, “What’s next?” or “What is going to be hot this year in technology?” I’m going to share a few trends that I know are going to be HOT in 2017.

CUT THE CORD

AUGMENTED REALITY

Cutting the cord (and the cost of your cable bill) has been talked about for years. The problem has been the cost of wireless bandwidth, which is still expensive, and there has not been a good solution until now.

AT&T and DirectTV are making a push to allow you to cut the cord. For only $35 a month, you can get more than 100 channels LIVE. The best part is that AT&T will not charge you for any bandwidth when using the DirectTV app. That is the game changer, and it makes things very affordable. I do have to say the service is a bit buggy and not 100 percent reliable, but I do believe it will get better over time.

I have written a lot about Virtual Reality and how amazing the experience has been. There is another type of reality called Augmented Reality. Augmented Reality is basically using a device (such as your phone) to view the “real world” but have some computer interaction augment or supplement the experience. A great application to try on Augmented Reality is the IMS App available in the Apple or Android store. Augmented Reality is going to make trips to the museum more fun—let’s say your kids are in front of a dinosaur, and the museum has an app. They can use their phone camera to look at the dinosaur, and it can come to life and tell them their story.

SMART WATCHES – EVEN SMARTER Smart watches have been cool and trendy but not groundbreaking. Many folks who wear the Apple watch (like myself) have one because we love tech. It is semi-useful but not great.

New smart watches are coming out such as the HELO, which does all of the regular functions, but can test for blood pressure and blood alcohol content, and can even help to keep away mosquitoes. This year, expect some continued big breakthroughs in the smart watch world.

THE YEAR OF “ON DEMAND” Everything is on demand now. You want to watch your favorite movie?

You click a button on your phone, your tablet or your “SmartTV.” Need a ride? There is Uber or Lyft for that. Need some food? Try GrubHub. This year, you will see more and more services using apps to deliver what you need. Want a haircut, massage or maybe your nails done at home? There is an app for that too called ManeStreem. We just touched the surface with these apps. Now all we need is an app for snow removal! n

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THE CIGAR GUY _____________________________________________

BY SAM KRAFT

Sponsored by The

Smoking Dog

E.P. Carrillo Dusk Stout Toro

T

he Dusk is the most recent cigar added to E.P. Carillo’s Classic Series. It now stands alongside the Core Plus, Cardinal Impact, and New Wave Connecticut. It is a dark Maduro and comes in four sizes. The makers have not given any more detail as to where in America the wrapper is grown, just that it is grown in America. Two of the most common growing regions of North America are Pennsylvania and Connecticut. So there is a good chance that the most important tobacco in this cigar has been grown in “our backyard.” The binder is Ecuadorian and the filler is Nicaraguan. Ecuadorian tobacco can be rich while Nicaraguan tobacco is commonly spicy and strong. Already, the Dusk looks to be an interesting smoke.

Once this cigar is lit, it takes a bit of time for the flavors to pick up.

Right off the bat, there is a strong presence of oil. It coats the tongue.

Considering its dark shade, there is not a lot of spice or strength yet.

The only other detectable flavor would be described as meaty.

As opposed to three parts of a cigar, I would say the Dusk has five or six parts. It changes quite a bit. After three or four puffs the cigar begins to pick up rather quickly. It begins to open up as the taste of orange rind joins the oils and the meatiness. The taste is both bitter and

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Wrapper: American Binder: Ecuadorian Filler: Nicaraguan

sweet. The retro-hale is somewhat mild up until this point. However, an inch into this smoke, the retro-hale becomes much more dynamic.

Spices rear up and the pallet gets hints of ginger, black pepper and more orange rind.

Somewhat past the halfway mark, the Dusk surprises its smoker with a strong taste of coffee. Considering the first half, this surprise in flavor somewhat deviates from the cigar’s expected path. Further down, the cigar changes again and is reminiscent of a bell pepper.

A lot of the Dusk’s flavor notes are very unique. There are not many cigars that can balance those flavors successfully. More surprise comes from the look of this cigar. It would appear from its inky wrapper, that the Dusk would be strong and full of spice. Yet the Dusk is barely stronger than a medium. It’s mellow and an interesting smoke, with flavors ranging from bizarrely meaty, to ginger orange, to oily coffee.

When you smoke it, be sure to retro-hale for the full experience.

Be safe, have fun, and enjoy your smoke! n

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THE WINE

MAN

_______________________________________________________________________________

BY ROBERT KENNEDY

All Rieslings Are Not The Same

M

ANY OF US who have enjoyed drinking wines over the years have strong opinions of what wines are best. The truth is, drinkers’ palates differ immensely, and what one enjoys, another may not. That said, confusion continues to reign when it comes to certain misunderstood wines and grapes such as the Rieslings. (Pronounced “Reese-Ling”) Let’s take a closer look.

We know Germany produces more Rieslings than any other country in the world. The white grape varietal originated in the Rhine appellation of Germany, and the early origins date back to 1435, during Count John IV of Katzenelnbogen’s tenure. Back then, German nobility enjoyed the Riesling so much, they traveled across the western continent with it

Germany yields a large amount of the “Noble Grape” for consumption, but what some may find surprising is that there are other countries that also grow Rieslings, including France. More remarkably perhaps, is that Alsace, France, the appellation that also grows this grape, produces mostly dry Rieslings. Yes, dry. This means

There are some vast differences in Rieslings, and all characteristics of these will be noticeably diverse, depending on which appellation produces these grapes. in tow. What intrigued the early Germans back then about this delightfully floral libation continues to intrigue and confuse some of us today. German Rieslings are wonderfully sweet with high levels of acidity, floral fruitiness, citric scents and flavors. The grape is laced with apple, peach and apricot aromas, bordering on perfume fragrances. The grape is considered one of the 6 greatest varietals in the world.

Now, some palates may disagree about the enjoyment of these Riesling flavors, such as those who may tend to lean towards the dryer types of white wines. Some may think, “Sweet wines? I would never permit a drop of that stuff to touch my lips!” And, make no mistake, most German Rieslings are sweet or semi-sweet, for sure. However, what most may not know is that some Rieslings produced really are dry.

that the winemaker, during the fermentation process, allows the yeast to consume most, or all of the sugars found in the Riesling grape, yielding a dry wine. Although the distance between where German Rieslings are grown and their counterpart from Alsace is a short 2 hour drive, the flavors couldn’t be further apart.

ust when you thought all Rieslings were sweet or semi-sweet, there’s another option on the shelf of your favorite wine store. When venturing out to purchase a Riesling, here are some labels

J

you may want to take notice of when choosing the right one for your palate: Alsace Rieslings will be dry, so if you would prefer dryer wines, look for the label that reads “Alsace.” A German dry Riesling has the word “Trocken” on it. This connotes a dryer wine. If you tend towards a sweeter one, then look for “Auslese.”

The grape will be very ripe with very rich fruitiness to the finish. The “Kabinett” will also be laced with fruity acidity, but not as much as the Auslese. The label that reads “Spatlese” will be somewhere in the middle with strong tropical fruits and hints honey on the finish.

As you can see, there are some vast differences in Rieslings, and all characteristics of these will be noticeably diverse, depending on which appellation produces these grapes. Note that not all German Rieslings taste similarly and many have vastly different flavors, since the Southwest German region has huge variations in terroir. However, there are certain similarities to all Rieslings, such as the high level of acidity, which gives the wine its ability to be laid down for many years. Very high quality Rieslings can sleep for over 100 years for better aging—very uncharacteristic of most white wines, which are produced to be opened and drunk young and tend to spoil with time.

(All Riesling wine bottles are tall and narrow too!)

So, next time you want something that’s very different than the usual “sweet” wine that typically is tagged as a German Riesling, treat yourself to a dry Alsace Riesling from France, and try pairing it with spicy Thai or Indian foods. I assure you, you’ll come away with a completely different perspective of the Riesling experience. n 93

Got a question for Gerv?

SAY GERV?

Send your questions to: _______________________________________________________________________________

saygerv@jerseymanmagazine.com

BY GERVASE PETERSON

and look for his answers in the next issue!

S

ay Gerv? My mother passed away in June

and my wife noticed that my dad isn’t

wearing his wedding ring anymore.

Do I ask him about it?

Joe, first, sorry to hear about your mother.

Second, no I don’t think there is anything to ask your dad about. He loved your mother and now has made what I’m sure for him was a very big and tough decision. There’s no need to question why he did it. You don’t want your dad feeling guilty for his decision.

We all move on at our own pace. There’s no time frame for it. When your dad is ready to talk about it, he will. And if he doesn’t that’s okay too. When my dad passed away, my mom always said he was the only man for her. I always admired that about my mother.

My girlfriend says the same thing. If we got married she would never marry anyone else if something happened to me. I told her I’d be dating within six months. Needless to say that didn’t go over well with her. _________________________________________ Say Gerv? My parents spend more time doing more for my siblings who have issues than with me. Why am I being punished for having my act together?

– Reggie, Merchantville, NJ Reggie, you’re not being punished. That’s actually the best compliment ever. Since you have you’re act together, your parents know they don’t have to stress and worry about you.

Which means they can focus more time, energy and effort into your wacky siblings who need them more. You should be proud that you don’t need to borrow money, need a babysitter or move back home. That shows your parents that they did a great job with one of their kids, at least. I know you probably want more of your parent’s time and attention, but if they can’t get to you, why not go to them?

I’m sure they don’t mind if you come over.

Hell, they probably love it because you’re sane as opposed to your brothers and sisters. Reggie, sometimes you have to look at what you perceive to be a negative as a positive. When you do that, the whole world looks brighter.

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Say Gerv? My husband and our son have been hanging at the park with a 24-year-old single mom and her son. It’s making me uncomfortable. How can I get him to stop?

Say Gerv? A girl I really like and messed around with two years ago just got engaged.

I’m upset and a little pissed because I still like her. Don’t I have a right to be?

– Laura, Marlton, NJ

– Alan, Atlantic City, NJ

Laura, I understand that this is making you uncomfortable, but if your son and her son play together I don’t see a problem with it.

Now if something else is going on, then, yes you have every right to be concerned. Is your issue that your son has a friend you don’t know about? Is it because the boy’s mother is 24 years old? Is it because your husband is hanging out with a 24-year-old woman at the park? Laura, this is where trust and communication comes in to play. I’m a firm believer in trusting your gut. If something seems off, then don’t ignore it. The signs are there. But the mind is a powerful thing. There’s a saying, “lack of communication leaves too much room for the imagination” Don’t let yours start creating problems where there are none.

If you’re not happy with this situation, sit the hubby down and talk to him about it. Let him know how you feel and that should take care of the situation. If not, I’ll have to charge you for our next session. Good luck!

Alan, let me see if I got this straight. A girl you hooked up with a long time ago and really like, who you stopped talking to, got engaged to a guy that is giving her what she needs so much so that she wants to marry him, and you’re upset because you let her slip through your fingers? Lean a little closer so I can slap you, son. No, Alan, you don’t have a right to be upset. You do however have the right to have your head examined. Have you ever heard that saying “you slow, you blow, you snooze, you lose”? Well, not only did you snooze, you’re a knucklehead, too. Have you ever listened to “Lose Yourself” by Eminem? If not, do that right now. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Do you understand now, Alan? Don’t let opportunities pass you by because you may only get one shot at it. Don’t be that guy who complains about not getting what he wants because he never goes after it. Put in the effort, and if it doesn’t work out, at least you tried and you’ll never regret that. Carpe Diem! n

Gervase Peterson was a cast member on the reality series “Survivor.” Gerv is an actor and entrepreneur and keeps busy fulfilling personal appearance requests and speaking engagements across the country.

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