Out & About Magazine December 2018

Local Gifts Worth Giving

Fun Guide to Lifelong Learning

The Evolution of Buffalo Wings

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

SOUND

INVESTMENT Light Action’s world-class facility seeks to bring Broadway and film projects to Wilmington

DECEMBER 2018 COMPLIMENTARY

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Celebrate Winter with deals from Ten Thousand Villages & BBC Tavern and Grill

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

Give the gift of

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Gift certificates in any amount are available for all Grand and Broadway In Wilmington performances.

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December 63

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The Weight Band THUR | JAN 31 | 8PM | $38

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The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

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

4 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Out & About Magazine Vol. 31 | No. 10

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

Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

Publisher Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net Creative Director & Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC. Graphic Designer Tyler Mitchell, Catalyst Visuals, LLC. Contributing Designer David Hallberg, Catalyst Visuals, LLC Contributing Writers Adriana Camacho-Church, Cindy Cavett, Mark Fields, Pam George, Rob Kalesse, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Dan Linehan, Mike Little, Dillon McLaughlin, John Murray, Kevin Francis, Larry Nagengast, Kevin Noonan, Leeann Wallett Contributing Photographers Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes, Rebecca Parsons and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Lindsay duPhily, Tim Hawk, Anthony Santoro, Matt Urban Distribution David Hazardous Special Projects Sarah Green, John Holton Interns Elizabeth Carlson, Emily Stover

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EAT

9 11 12 15 17 21

55 Bites

The War on Words FYI Worth Recognizing

By The Numbers Wishing Forward Honoring Selflessness

LEARN

WATCH 57 Holiday Cheers 63 Movie Review

DRINK

10 Leading With Compassion

67 Holiday Wines Picks 71 Sips

FOCUS

LISTEN

25 Hollywood On The Riverfront? 73 MEGA Doing Their Thing 31 A Fun Guide To 76 Tuned In Lifelong Learning

WILMINGTON 41 On the Riverfront 44 In the City 46 Art Loop

PLAY

78 Snap Shots from 39th Halloween Loop

On The Cover: Light Action president Scott Humphrey at the company’s current New Castle headquarters.

Cover photo by Justin Heyes/Moonloop Photography

FEATURES 25 Hollywood on the Riverfront?

Light Action’s world-class facility could make Wilmington “the place to be.”

By Rob Kalesse

31 Fun Guide to Lifelong Learning From sailing to axe throwing, creative opportunities to learn a new skill.

By Jordan Howell

38 Local Gifts Worth Giving Support the local economy by taking these unique gift suggestions from O&A staff and contributors.

49 The Evolution of Wings The humble chicken delicacy has evolved from throwaway to game day and now offers plenty of options.

By Leeann Wallett

Editorial & advertising info: 302.655.6483 • Fax 302.654.0569 outandaboutnow.com • contact@tsnpub.com DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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11/26/18 9:57 AM

A SIGN OF THE TIMES

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This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com

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

Compiled from the popular column in Out & About Magazine

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

Media Watch Our thanks to The Philadelphia Inquirer for our first four entries: • “In 2005, Johnson had just graduated high school . . .” – Sarah Todd.

As we repeatedly point out, high schools and colleges graduate people, but people graduate from high schools and colleges.

• “[Markelle Fultz] was disinterested, disengaged and more than a little confused.” – Marcus Hayes. The primary definition of disinterested is “unbiased; not influenced by considerations of personal advantage.” Better to use “uninterested.”

• Sixer Dario Saric told the Inky he was “110 percent ready for the Boston games.” Even being 101 percent ready means making an effort that is beyond human capacity, so Dario was at least 10 percent wrong.

• Joe Juliano wrote that there would be a “dual between Michigan State’s best-in-the nation rush defense and Penn State QB Trace McSorley.” Dual is an adjective that refers to something composed of two like or complementary parts. A duel is a noun meaning a struggle between two individuals, groups, or ideas.

• “Beyoncé proved too successful of a star to be taken down for her opinions.” – Maeve McDermott, USA TODAY. The of is not only unnecessary in this phrase but also displays uncultivated speech. (Conversely, in the phrase “what kind of a car do you have,” the a is unnecessary.)

• “It was déjà vu all over again . . .” – John Black, in the Penn State Football Letter. The French phrase déjà vu describes the sensation that something you are experiencing has happened before, so “all over again” is redundant. This tired repetition of a supposed Yogi Berra joke needs to be retired, as Yogi did in 1965.

• On his show, Dan Patrick talked about Kansas City’s “porous” defense, then proceeded to spell it “p-o-U-r-o-u-s.” The word is not related to “pour,” as in pouring water, but to pore – possessing or full of pores, or capable of being penetrated.

• Even the sainted NPR commits gaffes. Reader Jane Buck reports that Domenico Montanaro, NPR's lead political editor, wrote this: “At least two women candidates are taking different tacts as they head into the home stretch of the midterm campaign.” Tacts is not short for tactic and, indeed, is not a word. He meant tacks, or methods of dealing with a situation or problem; a course of action or policy. It’s derived from the nautical term for a change in course.

• Comcast Sports headline: “Furyk diffuses tiger rumors.” That should be defuses. Diffuses means to spread, disperse.

Then or Than?

Anyone paying attention to emails or Facebook posts have seen these two words constantly mixed up.

Here’s a quick tutorial: • Than: used in comparative statements: He is taller than I am.

• Then: used either as a time marker or with a sequence of events: I took the exam, then I took a nap.

It seems that then is most often misused in place of than, as in this email I recently received: “We have more who can’t make it tomorrow then those who can.”

By Bob Yearick

Reader Larry Kerchner grabbed this shot in an area post office. It should be "Every Day." Everyday is an adjective.

Department of Redundancies Dept.

• Reader Janet Strobert tells us that a UD student was quoted thusly in The News Journal. “It's a big inconvenience for the whole entire community.” They’re synonymous. Choose one.

• Columnist Ted Kaufman, in TNJ, referred to “our president’s descriptive adjectives.”

• O&A Contributing Writer Larry Nagengast submits this from Republican state legislative candidate Bryan Shupe, in a TNJ op-ed: “. . . we must remember that the solutions to our large challenges in Delaware will be solved with innovative solutions that come from partnerships between government, business and our local communities.” Adds Larry: “This is an example of the skillful use of repetition to distract the reader from the improper use of between instead of among.”

• And then there was this headline in USA TODAY: “Chaotic Afghan elections draw to a close after violence, chaos.”

Follow me on Twitter: @thewaronwords

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

Word of the Month

abnegation Pronounced ab-ni-GAY-shuhn, it’s a noun meaning self-denial.

Seen a good (bad) one lately?

Send your candidates to ryearick@comcast.net

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

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11/21/18 11:52 AM

LEARN

LEADING WITH COMPASSION Chosen by the Wilmington University Alumni Association from numerous nominations, Alderman Kelly Pettyjohn receives the first Distinguished Alumni Award, which was created in celebration of WilmU’s 50th anniversary.

A

lderman Kelly Pettyjohn uses her background, work experience and education to lead with compassion and make a positive difference in her Laurel, Delaware community.

You may be asking yourself, “What is the role of an alderman, exactly?” An alderman is nominated by the governor and confirmed by the state senate to decide all violations of city ordinances occurring within a city.

In Laurel’s Court 35, Alderman Pettyjohn speaks with elementary students about civics lessons, listens to defendants’ backgrounds, or sets up payment arrangements for those who find themselves in her court. However, she never imagined herself presiding over a courtroom. “I would not have guessed that I would be a judge,” she says. “I am honored to work in such a small town, where I can get to know the stories of those who enter the court for whatever reason.”

She finds solace in those stories, mainly because, at 17, she was a victim of domestic violence in a romantic relationship. “I knew what it felt like to be scared and feel helpless,” she says. “Domestic violence can sometimes seem manageable until it’s too much to bear. I was able to heal from my experience through helping others find their voices. It was most important to me to educate others to advocate for themselves when no one else could.”

Before becoming an alderman, Pettyjohn worked as a domestic violence liaison and program manager at People’s Place, a multiservice nonprofit dedicated to helping people find their paths to growth and independence by connecting them with counseling, education, prevention, intervention, supportive services and advocacy.

She coordinated and mediated visitations between custodial and noncustodial parents, and the position utilized her ability to de-escalate emotionally charged situations.

Alderman Kelly Pettyjohn

“My passion to work with domestic violence survivors in a more impactful way pushed me to continue my education,” says Pettyjohn, who earned two degrees from Wilmington University’s College of Social and Behavioral Science. In 2015, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science, and more recently, completed her master’s in Administration of Justice. Both degrees, as well as more than 30 other degree and certificate programs, will be offered at the University’s new Brandywine site, opening in January.

The alderman notes that she feels “incredibly grateful” when she thinks about how differently things could’ve turned out for her.

“I have spent the last 24 years trying to convince myself that I am worthy, and that is difficult once your spirit is crushed. I don’t need recognition or to be on television or in the news. Just the feeling that the folks in the town I serve feel welcome and comfortable talking to me or asking for help: That’s how I know I’m absolutely where I’m supposed to be.”

Alderman Pettyjohn hopes that her hard work will not only bring benefits to her fellow citizens, but will also bring inspiration to her daughter, Mollie. “I couldn’t imagine her going through everything I had to go through to find my voice. I’m stronger because I know she’s watching.”

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors WilmU graduates whose achievements and good works shine a light in their communities.

View the full list of outstanding individuals nominated for this award at: blog.wilmu.edu/magazine If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence and in need of help, you can find resources at: peoplesplace2.com/resources

wonderful It’s the most

time to get started!

Apply for FREE by Jan. 9 with code Gift

50th anniversary scholarships available! • wilmu.edu/Gift 10 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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F.Y.I. Things worth knowing

SLAM DUNKING AGAIN IN LEWES

T

wo of the top 25 high school basketball teams in the country and many of the nation’s best players will be part of a 13-team field in the 2018 Slam Dunk to the Beach tournament set for Cape Henlopen High in Lewes Dec. 27-29. Slam Dunk has earned a national reputation since its return in 2014 and several recent attendees are now playing in the NBA, including Salesianum product Donte DiVincenzo (Milwaukee Bucks) and Westtown School’s Mohamed Bamba (Orlando Magic). Paul VI (Virginia) and Roselle Catholic (New Jersey) are the top25 teams highlighting this year’s entries.

Other national powers in attendance are Gonzaga College (DC), Vermont Academy (Vermont) and Our Savior New American (New York). Afternoon and evening sessions will be held all three days. For a complete schedule and ticket information visit slamdunktothebeach.com.

ENJOY A PARENTS NIGHT OUT

T

he Delaware Museum of Natural History is welcoming parents to stop by on Friday, Dec. 7, drop off their kids who are between the ages of 5-10, and enjoy a date night. At the museum, the children will have pizza for dinner, games, a movie, arts and crafts, and more. While their parents have a night to themselves, the children will learn and have fun with educational experiments.

There is a limit of 14 kids, so register soon if interested, It’s $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. This event takes place every month, so go to delmnh.org to purchase a spot or for more information.

SENSORY-FRIENDLY PROGRAMMING AT THE GRAND

T

he Grand’s Sensory-Friendly Family Shows welcome children and adults of all ages and abilities to enjoy the experience of live entertainment. Together these performances are supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and presented in partnership with Autism Delaware and Easterseals.

The next play in the sensory program is Sunday, Dec. 16. Titled The Rainbow Fish, it’s an adaptation of the book, and will be performed at 3 p.m. The Rainbow Fish will enchant even the youngest child with his silver scales and heart of gold in a new adaptation of Marcus Pfizer’s awardwinning books. This striking puppetry production includes two delightful companion stories—Rainbow Fish Discovers the Deep Sea and Opposites —delivering the sweet message that resonates with children around the world.

Every performance is a “non-shushing” show, so audiences are not discouraged from vocalizing or helping to tell the stories as they unfold. All tickets are $15. Save $3 each when you buy three shows. Go to thegrandwilmington.org to learn more.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON DEC. 12

T

he Women in Business Luncheon is set for Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

Guest speaker will be Renee Paine, an inspirational speaker and author who has written two books and has been published in many magazines. Individual tickets are $49 and tables of 10 can be reserved. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to DelawareToday.com/WIB.

THE LOPERS ON FILM

F

ather and son artists Edward Loper, Sr. and Edward Loper, Jr. will be featured in an exhibit in Gallery Nine at the Delaware Art Museum from Feb. 23 to May 12.

Two documentaries will bring the local artists, who have attained national prominence, to life. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Admission is $12. For more information, call 571-9590.

THE NUTCRACKER SET FOR DEC. 8-9

E

ver want to travel to a world of snowflake swirls and sugarplums dancing? Then come to The Playhouse on Rodney Square in Wilmington on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 8 and 9, for the 52nd annual performance of The Nutcracker. Special guest artists include Unity Phelan and Russell Janzen from the New York City Ballet, the HAC School of Dance, and the Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. The show will feature more than 100 dancers from the Wilmington Ballet, Orchestra and Chorus. There will be two shows daily, a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening show on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 8 p.m. Reserve your tickets now at thegrandwilmington.org.

DOWNTOWN VISIONS MEET & GREET

D

owntown Visions is sponsoring a Meet & Greet at the Christina Cultural Arts Center (705 N. Market St. Wilm.) on Wednesday, Dec. 5. The public is invited to join Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, the executive director of Downtown Visions, the executive director of the Christiana Cultural Arts Center, and other officials on the second floor from 5-7 p.m. There will be food and drinks available.

For more information, call 425-4200.

WINTER WONDERFEST IN LEWES

W

inter Wonderfest in Lewes opened in mid-November and continues through Dec. 31, featuring an ice rink, Christmas Village with carnival rides and midway games, and a drive-through light display at Cape Henlopen State Park. More than 60,000 visitors from 31 states experienced this beach-based holiday celebration in 2017 and organizers are hoping to exceed that attendance in 2018. For times and ticket information visit wonderfestde.org.

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WORTH RECOGNIZING

Community Members Who Go Above & Beyond

CHLOE SACHS: Tower Hill eighth-grader spreads the joy of reading

F

No Contracts, ever.

NO JOINER FEE NOW.

Join today at www.ymcade.org.

Financial assistance is available.

Offer valid at all YMCA of Delaware locations December 15, 2018 - January 31, 2019.

or 2019, Chloe Sachs, 14, wants to get as many kids reading as she possibly can.

“I’m lucky I can buy a book or go to the library,” says the Tower Hill School eighth-grader. “There are kids who can’t do that.”

For her bat mitzvah last September, the Wilmington resident asked guests to bring new or gently used books for Chloe Sachs students in grades 1-12.

This past winter, she launched Books for the Better (BFTB), a project aimed at making books accessible to students who come from low-income families and attend under-resourced schools in Delaware. BFTB allows teachers to get free books so they can add to or start a class library. They can then offer students reading time in class or the opportunity to take books home.

“A lot of these students and their families do not have the means to buy books, and so it ends up being the teacher’s job to provide books for their students,” says Sachs, who hopes that in 2019 BFTB will reach under-resourced schools across the country. Currently, she is using money she got for her birthday to pay the cost of shipping books to teachers.

Tameka Wingo, a fifth-grade teacher at a charter school in Wilmington, says some of her students have moved on to higher reading levels since BFTB supplied her with a box of 25 books four months ago. “I have them read for 30 minutes every night,” says Wingo.

So far, teachers at Great Oaks Charter School in Wilmington and St. Georges Technical High School in Middletown have received books. Since BFTB’s inception, more than 100 books have been donated and 200 more are in stock.

Sachs says more students in need would discover the joy and growth that come from reading if they had easier access to books. According to 2017-18 data from the Rodel Foundation of Delaware, a non-profit dedicated to improving education in the state, 37 percent of the 137,000 students enrolled in Delaware public schools are from lowincome families.

Sachs loves reading (favorite authors include Nicola Yoon and Rainbow Rowell, but her favorite books are the Harry Potter series), and she was struck by the number of books she saw in trash bins or lying around collecting dust, so she came up with the idea to donate unwanted books. When her cousin, Sam Brotman, who was part of the Teach for America program, told her about under-resourced schools, Sachs immediately knew where she wanted the books to go. Teach for America is a nationwide non-profit that provides teachers for inner cities and rural areas.

Teach for America helps Sachs find instructors in need, and Sachs’ sister, Maddie, 17, helps collect the books and ship them out.

Alonna Berry, manager of teacher leadership development for Teach for America Delaware, says the Wilmington office notifies teachers about BFTB through email or social media. The teachers then email Sachs directly.

Berry says she was excited when Sachs reached out. “A student like Chloe who has the means and resources is an example of giving back to the community through the work she does,” she says.

Sachs is working on organizing book drives at Tower Hill School, Congregation Beth Emeth and at the Brandywine Volleyball Club in Wilmington.

To donate, drop off books at the Siegel JCC in Wilmington. For more information and to donate, email Sachs at chl.esachs@gmail.com or follow on Instagram at books_for_better.

— Adriana Camacho-Church 12 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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by the numbers With our focus on acquiring new skills (See “A Fun Guide to Lifelong Learning,” pg. 31), here are a few facts about careeers and education.

10 The number of jobs the average worker holds before age 40, according to The Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

4– 8 PM

62 The percentage of college graduates who are working jobs that require a college degree.

5,300 The approximate number of colleges and universities in the United States, ranging from certificate beauty schools to Harvard University.

28 The percentage of college students who drop out in their freshman year.

10 The average person spends 100 percent of 10 years (90,000 hours) of his or her life working.

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DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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WINTER ARTS FESTIVAL Friday, December 7 | Noon – 8 pm Saturday, December 8 | 9 am – 4 pm Celebrate the season during this family-friendly two-day event! Shop for holiday gifts from 18 regional artisans, listen to festive music performed by local choirs, and enjoy the Museum’s seasonal decorations. Visit delart.org for details.

2301 Kentmere Parkway | Wilmington, DE 19806 302.571.9590 | delart.org

16 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Quincy Harmon sits in his namesake chair, the “Q-Lounger.” Photo JPG Photography

WISHING IT FORWARD A Middletown teen’s selfless decision is making hospital stays more comfortable for children with cancer

By Dan Linehan

S

ince 1986, the area Make-A-Wish foundation has granted 6,582 wishes. Almost all of those recipients, quite naturally, used the wish to fulfill a dream, like meeting a celebrity, going to Disneyland or getting a puppy.

But four of the recipients opted to donate their wish. Meet the latest member of that selfless quartet: Quincy Harmon.

When he was approached by Make-A-Wish, the Middletown teenager was, of course, tempted to pick a wish for himself.

“You know, that’s what everybody thinks, but I couldn’t think of what I wanted,” says Harmon, who in late 2016 was a 16-year-old fighting bone cancer. “I had everything I needed or wanted.”

When Make-a-Wish told the Harmon family about the lesserused option of using the wish to give back to a hospital or another organization, Quincy took to the idea. The family batted around proposals until Quincy thought back to his stay at Nemours/ Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Because he was undergoing chemotherapy that weakened his immune system, he had to stay in his hospital room for days at a time. He could only lie in bed

so long before feeling sick. But as a tall kid—he was almost 6-1 by then—he had a hard time relaxing in chairs made for shorter kids.

So he decided to use his wish to provide more comfortable chairs for those hospital rooms, both for the kids themselves and for parents, who could use a recliner to hold their children.

The family worked with one of the hospital’s designers to plan the chair’s every detail. They considered four prototypes, selected the best traits from each, then the Harmons and the hospital christened the first “Q-Lounger,” named in Quincy’s honor, in May 2017.

Make-A-Wish purchased four of the chairs and the manufacturer pitched in one more. Then a Wilmington-based foundation called Live Like Lukas, which formed in 2017 after the cancer death of Lukas Kusters, donated about $35,000 to purchase about a dozen more chairs.

Quincy intended the chairs to be a gift for other children and families. So it was in some ways a cruel irony that he would be back within a year, using a chair for himself. But the gifts gave his family something deeper than physical comfort. ► DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo courtesy of Chantay Harmon

WISHING IT FORWARD continued from previous page

Quincy Harmon, shown here playing with therapy dogs at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, was 15 when he started treatment for osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.

An Ominous Knee Injury

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Quincy’s cancer had been discovered because of a sports injury. He had always been an athlete, and his tall, lean frame made basketball a natural choice. But in February 2016 he hurt his knee during tryouts at St. Georges Technical High School and the family took him to the emergency room to get an X-ray.

That’s when they found the tumor.

It had started in his femur, then spread into the soft tissue of his knees, where it caused the pain that sent him to the ER. The pain may have saved his life; had the cancer continued to develop inside his bones, where there are fewer nerves, it may not have been spotted until it was too late.

He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer that tends to strike during a teen’s growth spurt, with unusually tall children at higher risk.

At first, the mass was so large doctors didn’t know if they could save his leg. They avoided an amputation, though Quincy underwent a knee replacement and a May 2016 surgery that replaced a third of his thigh bone with a metal rod.

Because disease-fighting cells originate within bones, chemotherapy that targets tumors there devastates the immune system. It means patients like Harmon are kept isolated for days at a time to protect them from microbes. Beyond schoolwork, there wasn’t much for him to do in his hospital room. Whiling away the hours was made harder by beds and chairs designed for shorter kids. But the discomfort he endured would provide the inspiration to donate a wish.

The Fifth Wish

There are four common types of wishes, says Molly Gatto, vice president of mission delivery for Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley.

Kids can wish to go somewhere, and about half who choose trips go to Disney World. They can choose to have something, like a treehouse, a puppy or, for one boy whose cancer took him away from his favorite sport, a hockey rink. Other kids choose to meet someone, usually a celebrity, or be someone for a day, like a chef or a police officer.

The average cost of a wish is $10,000.

But there’s a fifth, less common, type of wish—the wish to give.

“I think there’s a maturity level for some of these young people who have gone through a traumatic illness. They appreciate the support that their family and community has provided and they want to pay it forward,” Gatto says.

18 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo courtesy of Chantay Harmon

Quincy and his mother say when they were approached by Make-aWish, it scared the family.

They associated Make-AWish with terminal illnesses, and though his cancer was life-threatening, they wanted to focus on recovery.

It’s a common misconception that wishes are only available to kids with a terminal illness, Gatto says. Instead, they’re for kids with “critical illnesses,” a judgment call that is made in consultation "I'm a survivor," says Quincy, now a freshman at with the child’s physician.

Gatto prefers a maritime Drexel University. metaphor to describe which children qualify for a wish.

“We’re in the lifeboat business,” she says. “We’re there for the child who is in the middle of the lake and can’t quite get across.”

After his initial fear, Harmon had time to think about it and opted to donate his wish. In the meantime, he kept up his grades and was inducted into the National Honor Society in October 2017. But he still needed that lifeboat.

Chair Stories

He had enjoyed almost a full year of remission when, in November 2017, scans revealed that the cancer had returned, this time to his lungs. He had surgery to remove the abnormal cells and returned to the hospital. And one of the Q-Loungers was there in his room.

“It was bittersweet, because that was not how we expected to see the chair in action,” his mother, Chantay, says. But the stories nurses told about how families have been helped by the Q-Lounger became solace for the mother and son.

There was the father who’d recently undergone neck surgery and could only visit his child while sitting in one of the recliners.

And there was the child who couldn’t get out of bed unless he could sit in the chair.

“These were the kind of stories that kept us going,” Chantay Harmon says.

In addition to the donation from Live Like Lukas, Quincy’s wish won him recognition from the Still Strong Foundation, which honors cancer survivors who use their experience to help others.

His latest scan showed him clear of cancer, and he graduated from St. Georges Technical High School and is now enjoying life as a freshman at Drexel University in Philadelphia. He can no longer play basketball competitively—golf is his game—but he’s enjoying his major, biology. His goal is to become a cancer researcher.

Far from being a setback, the experience now motivates him.

“That’s what inspired me to push through to get into a good school,” he says. “I’m a survivor. It’s where I draw my strength from. It’s why I’m here.”

Make-A-Wish made a video that features Quincy’s gift. See it on YouTube by searching “Wish Kid Quincy gave back for our 6,000th wish!”

To donate to Make-A-Wish, visit the local chapter’s website: philadesv.wish.org.

To donate toward more Q-Lounger chairs, go to: secure.qgiv.com/ event/team/816526.

DECEMBER MARCH 2018 2018 || OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Celebrate the Season in

Kennett Square

Saturday & Sunday, December 1 & 2; 8 & 9 Holiday Village Market at the Creamery. Outdoor artisan market filled with unique holiday gift options, a live ice sculptor, craft workshops, food trucks, live music, visits with Santa and more.

Sunday December 2, 9, 16 & 23 Holiday Horse Drawn Carriage Rides, 12-3 p.m. Enjoy a carriage ride through the streets of Kennett Square; $5 per person, children under 5 are free.

Friday, December 7 First Friday Art Stroll Enjoy a holiday themed art stroll.

Thursday, December 13 Tinsel on the Town, 6-9 p.m.

Get Merry in Kennett Square with fun filled holiday shopping; craft beer garden; DJ with holiday jams and more.

HistoricKennettSquare.com @historickennett

Monday, December 31 Midnight in the Square Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Kennett Square with live music, food trucks, a laser light show and a beautiful lighted mushroom!

20 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Throughout this year, Out & About has been profiling local volunteers and the programs in which they serve. The series has been developed in cooperation with the State Office of Volunteerism, and we hope it will show readers how they can improve their communities by volunteering their time and talents. For information about volunteering opportunities through the state, visit VolunteerDelaware.org.

(L-R): Rep. David Wilson, Patricia Saunders and Gov. John Carney. Photo Dan Trader Photography

HONORING SELFLESSNESS The Governor’s Awards spotlight the many Delawareans who devote countless hours to helping their fellow citizens, the environment, and the arts

By Larry Nagengast

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assion and selflessness: That combination of qualities makes a fitting description for Delaware’s most dedicated volunteers.

“It’s very nice to be recognized, but to me it’s just a way of life,” says 77-year-old Patricia Saunders of Wilmington, recipient of a Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award for community service. “I’m just trying to do what I can for other people.”

What Saunders does includes volunteering for more than 750 hours at Friendship House in 2017, helping individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. She greets them at the front desk, gets their mail, makes phone calls for them and keeps the social area near the building’s lobby neat and clean. On top of that, she cooks dinner for homeless men once a month, volunteers at her church and still helps with the Delaware Fund for Women, a nonprofit she helped create.

Saunders was one of 23 individuals and groups honored with the Governor’s Awards in late October. Recipients ranged from 94-year-old Ann Russell, a foster grandparent for 33 years,

to 20-somethings Jennifer Proebstle, a University of Delaware student who volunteers for Planned Parenthood, and Jason Bakke, a volunteer in multiple capacities with the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes.

Gov. John Carney presented the awards, with help from state Rep. David Wilson and officials of the state Office of Volunteerism.

Others who, like Saunders, demonstrate passion and selflessness in their service include Dee Durham and Marian Quinn, honored for their commitment to environmental causes; Chika Chukwuocha, recognized for promoting fitness among urban youth; and Norman A. Abrams Jr., saluted for his support of education and literacy programs.

Durham, 57, a Democrat who last month unseated an incumbent to win a seat on the New Castle County Council, was recognized for her leadership of Plastic Free Delaware, an organization she cofounded in 2010. The group engages in education and outreach, trying to affect local and state government policies, to reduce or eliminate the use of single-use plastics like straws and bags. ► DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Durham says she learned community service from her parents. Her mother was a prison reform advocate in the 1960s and ‘70s and her father, an ophthalmologist, traveled Dee Durham with Rep. Wilson, Chuck Lax (who nominated her), and Gov. Carney. around the world providing eye care to the poor and needy.

While cleanup efforts like those on Earth Day have mobilized many to environmental causes, they are just “a piece of the puzzle,” Durham says. “We want to address the root causes, to stop some of that stuff from getting out there to begin with.”

Photo Dan Trader Photography

HONORING SELFLESSNESS continued from previous page

She believes that “the purpose of my life is to leave the world a better place than how I found it.

Environmental issues are a crisis in our time. As I get older, I’m redoubling my efforts to make a difference.”

Another environmental Marian Quinn receives her award from Rep. Wilson and the governor. award recipient, Marian Quinn, has volunteered for 22 years with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research. She retrieves injured birds, works with the organization’s oil spill response team, trains new volunteers and delivers educational presentations.

Although she holds a master’s degree in library science, Quinn says she “had a blank slate as a human being” before volunteering with Tri-State. “It gave definition to who I am, taught me to be compassionate, to make presentations, to write for the newsletter, to present scientific information in a way the masses can understand. Those are all things that come from volunteering,” she says.

Working with birds “enables me to separate my needs from those of another being,” while also providing her with a common basis for connecting with others, she says.

“Birds are amazing creatures. They face tremendous challenges, the way the earth is being altered by humans,” she says.

Quinn praises the diverse volunteer team at Tri-State, “from ages 13 to 93,” who not only work directly with birds but also do laundry, shop for groceries, prepare for special events and maintain the facilities. “There are so many roles to fill,” she says.

“You’re always learning.”

Also recognizing the importance of learning is Norm Abrams, who is wrapping up his second five-year term as a member of the Appoquinimink Board of Education. Abrams, 54, a Middletown resident, has spent more than 20 years volunteering in the school district, starting when he helped reorganize the PTA at Townsend Elementary School, which his daughter attended at the time. Besides his school board responsibilities, Abrams has been a leader and volunteer at book fairs, vendor fairs and other special events.

Spurred in part by his wife, a school librarian in the district, he has been an ardent promoter of literacy efforts. “Over the past 10 years, our PTAs have probably put more than $25,000 worth of books in our school libraries,” he says.

Abrams also is a strong advocate of having a fulltime librarian in every school, a practice he says many other districts have abandoned. Districts that don’t have librarians “are shooting themselves in the foot” because their absence has a negative impact on literacy, which ultimately leads to reduced academic achievement.

Photo Dan Trader Photography

LEAVE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE

22 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo Dan Trader Photography An advocate for literacy, Norm Abrams was congratulated by Rep. Wilson and Gov. Carney.

I CAN DO 26.2

Photo Dan Trader Photography

While Abrams promotes strong minds, Chika Chukwuocha promotes healthy bodies. About six years ago, she developed an interest in running, joining the Black Girls Run group, and improved to the point that she has twice completed the Philadelphia Marathon. With a strong interest in community service (the financial systems analyst is married to Nnamdi Chukwuoucha, the former Wilmington city councilman who was recently elected to the state House of Representatives), she doubled down on her children’s interest in running by starting I Can Do 26.2, a program for children ages 4 to 12, with the goal of having them run a total of 26.2 miles, the length of a marathon, over six weeks during the summer.

“I’ve seen children who are slightly obese, or who aren’t enthusiastic about running,” she says. “The first time, they can hardly do a lap” around the track behind P.S. du Pont Middle School, “then after a couple of weeks, they’re doing two or three laps. Then they won’t stop.”

What pleases Chukwuocha most is getting texts and emails from parents telling her how much the youngsters want to continue with the running program.

She would like to expand the program beyond six weeks in the summer, and she’s working on finding funds to help achieve that goal. In addition to the actual running program, she collects running shoes for the children and hosts an annual 5K walk-run fundraiser.

“You have to care about where you live, what mark you want to leave on earth,” she says. “I want to teach children how to be healthy, how to lead a more fruitful life.”

Chika Chukwuocha was honored for a program that helps young people lead a more healthy lifestyle.

Here’s a look at the other recipients of the 2018 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award. ► DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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INDIVIDUALS

Ann B. Russell, Paul Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award: For 33 years, Russell, 94, has been mentoring and tutoring thousands of children with exceptional needs as a member of the Delaware Foster Grandparents Program.

Karen Tuohy, Human Needs: Tuohy is one of Autism Delaware’s most dedicated volunteers. As the mother of two adult children with autism, and as an educator at Heritage Elementary School in Wilmington, she is passionate about educating the public and improving the lives of individuals with autism and people with disabilities.

Jennifer Proebstle, Social Justice/Advocacy: Proebstle, a University of Delaware student, has been a volunteer and advocate for Planned Parenthood of Delaware in its education department, and has served as a member and leader for Generation Action, its college advocacy group. During the past three years, she has spent more than 300 hours performing administrative duties, conducting research, aiding in marketing efforts and assisting with outreach.

Beth Peterson, Health and Special Needs: For 14 years, Peterson has led and directed a group of human and canine pet therapy volunteers at Bayhealth Medical Center. She also has spent more than 1,600 hours visiting more than 28,000 patients, families and staff.

Harriet Davies, Human Needs: Davies began serving with Delaware Hospice in 2005, and her dedication has grown each year. She volunteers at Camp New Hope, the organization’s children’s bereavement camp, and at several fundraising events.

She also volunteers at Avenue Methodist Church in Milford, the Dover Symphony Orchestra and the Rose Colored Lasses.

Jason Bakke, Arts/Culture: Bakke has been volunteering since the age of 12 for the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, which commemorates Delaware’s first European colony and is a showcase for the Lewes area’s maritime, military and social history. Serving as an educator and interpreter, a researcher, a program developer and a performer, he has been instrumental in assisting museum staff to expand its outreach beyond Lewes and further into Sussex County.

Teresa Salinardo, Community Service: Salinardo has been serving her community in various capacities for more than 50 years.

Currently she volunteers at the Freeman Stage in Selbyville, Easter Seals, the Christian Storehouse Thrift House, Catholic Charities and her local church. In addition, she has served as a foster parent to newborns until they are adopted.

William F. Jiron, Jr., Veterans and Military Families: As an Air Force retiree and a former Department of Defense contractor, Jiron has a personal and comprehensive understanding of the challenges that face veterans. In 2008, he opened the Veterans’ Awareness Center in Greenwood to assist all Delaware veterans to achieve independence and self-sufficiency through access to information and services. For 10 years, he has spent close to 2,000 hours annually working to fulfill this mission.

GROUPS

Newark Arts Alliance Volunteers, Arts/Culture: Alliance volunteers perform a wide range of activities that help build community through the arts. In 2017, they contributed nearly 3,000 hours of service, engaged more than 5,600 community members and provided opportunities for almost 600 artists.

Delta Gamma Sorority, Education/Literacy: The sorority has been assisting the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired, producing large print books, re-cataloging textbooks, typing books for Braille transcription and labeling books for delivery to public schools. It also helps with mailings, outreach events and summer camp recruitment.

Christiana Care Health System Life History Volunteers, Health and Special Needs: Since October 2012, Christiana Care Health System volunteers have been interviewing patients and writing their non-medical stories to build a bridge between the patients and staff. They have completed more than 526 life histories, allowing staff to deliver care in the context of the whole person.

PAWS for People Training Volunteers, Human Needs: PAWS for People Delaware provides therapeutic visits to people who would benefit from interaction with a well-trained, loving pet. To join a team for PAWS, both the human and pet must become certified through a rigorous training program. The 52 training volunteers welcome new applicants, conduct orientation and basic training, certification and provide ongoing support and mentorship.

Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity Habitat Heroes, Human Needs: Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build affordable homes, communities and hope.

Habitat Heroes, most of whom are retired, participate in all aspects of residential construction as they have helped build more than 40 homes since 2009. In 2017, the 10 volunteer Habitat Heroes served a combined 3,000 hours.

Fort Miles Historical Association, Arts/Culture: Founded in 2003 to work with Delaware State Parks and in particular, Cape Henlopen State Park, to develop the potential of Fort Miles, one of American’s coastal defense fortifications, located within the park, the association has grown in 15 years from four to nearly 400 members, sharing the rich history of Delaware’s role in coastal defense.

Common Thread, Economic Development: Common Thread is a group of 10 women from Eagle’s Nest Church in Milton who devote their sewing talents to providing new Sussex County Habitat for Humanity homeowners and families with baskets of hand-sewn and quilted items for their homes. Since its founding in 2015, Common Thread has served more than 40 Habitat for Humanity families in Sussex County.

MERR Institute Volunteers, Environment: The Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute Inc. is a public, nonprofit volunteer-based organization that responds to reports of stranded marine mammals and sea turtles in Delaware. With one paid staff person and 400 trained volunteers, MERR operates throughout Delaware and, in 2017, responded to 232 stranded marine animals. The efforts of MERR and its volunteers save the state more than $450,000 annually.

First State Senior Companion Program Volunteers, Healthy Futures: For 37 years, members of the First State Senior Companion Program have assisted and befriended older adults who have difficulty with daily living tasks. Senior Companions help these adults remain independent in their homes and in their community and offset the responsibilities that typically fall on family members or professional caregivers. In 2017, 67 volunteers served 138 clients and volunteered more than 75,000 hours, saving Delawareans $1.7 million for in-home, non-medical care fees.

American Legion Auxiliary Oak Orchard – Riverdale Unit 20, Veterans and Military Families: In 2017, the unit recorded more than 20,000 hours of service across dozens of programs, benefiting hundreds of veterans, military and their families and community residents.

24 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOCUS

HOLLYWOOD ON THE RIVERFRONT? A rendering of the Light Action Productions warehouse and The Pine Box sound stage. Rendering courtesy of Light Action Productions

Light Action’s huge new facility, including a world-class sound stage, could bring big-time productions to Wilmington

By Rob Kalesse

A

bout 380 years ago, the Swedish South Co. sailed a little boat called the Kalmar Nyckel to the New World.

Her crew landed at Fort Christina, establishing the first settlement that would become the state of Delaware some 150 years later.

Today, another company is settling on the riverfront area, just a few blocks away along Wilmington’s 7th Street Peninsula.

Called Light Action Productions, it may not have quite the impact as the landing of the Swedes, but its potential boost to the area economy is prodigious.

In an online exclusive with Out & About released late last month, Light Action Productions owner and President Scott Humphrey revealed details of his plans for a 150,000-square-foot facility on 10 acres of land along the peninsula. The $8 million project, he said, also will feature a 25,000-square-foot, 95-foot-tall sound stage called The Pine Box, lit up and visible from Interstate 495. It’s the kind of facility that could lure big hitters from entertainment centers like New York and Los Angeles.

“This sound stage will be for crews and companies that are either doing pre-production on a Broadway musical, or for a touring band that’s about to go out on the road, or for film or TV crews,” says the 56-year-old Humphrey. “I think this space will bring a sort of organic energy and lots of opportunity to the area.”

Humphrey says he’s been looking to move his business from New Castle to the city for quite some time. After outgrowing his space at Industrial Drive just off Route 13, he’s ready to move his lighting, staging, rigging and other equipment needed for putting on a live show of any kind or magnitude. (His company built the infrastructure that lined the Benjamin Franklin Parkway when Pope Francis visited Philadelphia in 2015.)

“It took time to find the right spot before we decided to invest and make the move from New Castle, but if we’re in the city, we can grow.

It makes sense for us,” he says. “We’re breaking ground before the first of the year, and we’re really excited. This place can be a centerpiece for the Riverfront, and it’ll be something that will really catch the eyes of people driving down the highway toward the city.” ► DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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visit grain ksq for details

According to Humphrey, the City of Wilmington was eager to facilitate the sale of the 20 acres of land (the total HOLLYWOOD ON purchased by Humphrey). Mayor Michael Purzycki says the THE RIVERFRONT? continued from page 19 location and availability of land on the 7th Street Peninsula, while somewhat neglected, makes perfect sense for a company of Light Action’s size.

“There aren’t that many places in the city where you can find a piece of property that large, especially for a company of Scott’s size, with the need for external parking, all his big rigs, storage, and equipment,” says Purzycki. “We wanted to do everything we could to make the site attractive, but there was no particular assistance from us other than the commitment that we will approve road access out there.”

Once the facility is built, Light Action Productions’ warehouse—which will be filled with every sort of live entertainment production element—will occupy 90,000 square feet, along with 30,000 square feet of space devoted to design, video and lighting studios and conference rooms. Another 5,000 square feet will be reserved for office space, and the final 25,000 square feet for The Pine Box, which Humphrey says is a reference to an expression his father always used.

“My dad would always say, ‘This is my last move before I go in the pine box,’” says Humphrey. “I figure this is my last move, so I kinda threw the name out there as a joke, but it stuck, and the architect liked it. The building will eventually have an ipe [wooden decking] wrap on it and of course we’ll light it up for different occasions and holidays.”

Humphrey says he’s already spoken to industrial and manufacturing neighbors in the 7th Street vicinity and has plans for the area. A small community featuring a restaurant and/or bar and possible hotel accommodations has been mentioned, though no plans have been confirmed as yet.

SO WHO IS SCOTT HUMPHREY?

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For as many people who know Scott Humphrey—local musicians, Mayor Purzycki, the group behind the Firefly Music Festival, and music, film and TV industry folks from coast to coast—there are many more who don’t. It seems that Humphrey prefers it that way (at least until now). He likes to fly under the radar and behind the scenes, almost like the equipment he rents and sells for shows.

He was born in Detroit, but his family moved to Toronto in 1970, where he spent two years honing his hockey skills. He realized early on that going pro someday was out of the question, but he credits the discipline and structure of hockey camp and practice for his work ethic.

“I’ll tell you, it was a rude awakening knowing I didn’t have what it took to someday play professionally,” Humphrey says from his New Castle warehouse. “But having to work that hard at such a young age prepared me for a life in business and has a lot to do with where I am today.”

His family moved once again, this time to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where he spent his high school years dabbling in the school theater and running lighting for his brother’s band, Heaven’s Edge. After graduating, he toured with The Force, out of Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios, while working at his father’s printing company.

A year later, he was working at clubs all over New Jersey, doing lighting wherever he could on a board he’d made himself. Then, out of the blue, he got a call from a friend in Delaware, saying The Johnny Neel Band was looking for someone to do lighting for their tour up and down the East Coast.

The year was 1983. “I wasn’t making shit, and I needed gigs,” says Humphrey. “I decided to start my own company while I was still working at the printing company. Me and my co-workers there always used ‘action’ to describe what we were doing. Like, ‘let’s get into some drinkin’ action’ or ‘let’s get some party action going’ or whatever. So a co-worker – I’ll never forget her, Karen Link—said, ‘What about Light Action?’ And it stuck.”

With that, he was off and running—out of his van, for the most part. He started working with Philly area legends like Robert Hazard and Tommy Conwell, which led to bigger tours with Thin Lizzy, Cyndi Lauper and Joe Piscopo’s Miller Lite tour. But by the late ‘80s, the work slowed and he was just about out of money.

That’s when he got a call from Michael Glick, who was the production manager on Rocky V. “Apparently, he got my number from a Power 99 [FM] DJ who I worked with on another project,” says Humphrey. “Each day, the station would announce over the air that the film needed extras, and whoever showed up at the Civic Center might be in the movie.

He knew I did lighting, so he passed my name along.”

26 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo Justin Heyes/Moonloop Photography

Scott Humphrey has owned Light Action since 1983.

That one meeting completely turned things around, Humphrey says. The contract to do the lighting for the fight scenes at the Civic Center paid him and his longtime business partner, Paula De Luca, $50,000. And when the studio called a month later to say it needed Light Action to set up additional continuity shots in Los Angeles, a check for another $50,000 arrived.

“I don’t care who you are, $100,000 in 1989 was a big deal. In less than 60 days, I had more money than I’d ever made in a year,” says Humphrey. “We were set to really start focusing on building the business in Delaware, rather than hopping on every tour that came our way.”

ONE-STOP SHOP

Rocky V led to the Nick Nolte-Shaq vehicle Blue Chips, which in turn led to doing lighting and staging for the MTV Music Video Awards at Radio City Music Hall in 1993. Over the years, Humphrey’s company also has worked just about every Fourth of July “Welcome to America” event in Philadelphia. As a result, he started three other businesses—Applied Electronics, Staging Dimensions and Riverfront AV—to handle the production service business from soup to nuts.

“I realized that if you’re in New York or L.A., you can afford to pick one: lighting, staging, maybe sound, whatever,” says Humphrey. “But when you’re in Delaware, you gotta kind of diversify yourself, so that you can be a one-stop shop.”

Rather than move to one of those big cities, Humphrey stayed put. He credits much of his attraction to Wilmington to its “A Place to Be Somebody” tagline. As he recalls, on trips to the beach with his dad, James, they would pass the sign and it left an impression on him.

In the back of his mind, he says, it served as some sort of inspiration.

“I always wondered, when we passed that sign, ‘Would I ever be somebody? Would I make something of myself?’” he says. “I think I have, but a lot of it is because of what’s clicked for me here in Delaware. I’ve met some fantastic people here, and I’ve always gotten the sense that people are willing to help each other out here.

I can’t explain it, but I just get good vibes here.” ► DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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fresh & festive WREATHS, GARLANDS, & TREES

FOCUS HOLLYWOOD ON THE RIVERFRONT? continued from page 19

He says he’s hoping to give something back to the area that’s given him so much over the past 30-plus years. He believes the move can bring more attention to an otherwise neglected area of the city, and that The Pine Box can be a resource for independent filmmakers.

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Ever since Dead Poets Society filmed in Delaware in 1988, First Staters have had that Hollywood itch, but it’s been difficult to scratch. Sure, Delaware natives like Aubrey Plaza and Ryan Phillippe, among others, have certainly made a name for themselves. But they don’t shoot feature films in their home state, and one reason just might be the lack of a sound stage, which Humphrey will have ready to go by 2020.

But facilities are just one consideration.

T.J. Healy, chairman of the Delaware Film Office, says that while The Pine Box sound stage is a great thing for the Wilmington Riverfront, and Humphrey may have the right connections in New York and L.A., it won’t necessarily bring big-time directors and producers to Delaware. Healy, who has worked primarily on the production side of the industry since 1966, was involved with Dead Poets, and knows that, like everything, money talks.

“There are cities out there, Atlanta being one of them, that will offer production crews something in the neighborhood of 30 percent in tax credits to film there,” says Healy. “I don’t think our local legislators are willing to do that—or at least they haven’t yet—which is a shame, because as I recall, Dead Poets brought in around $18 million during the crew’s short stay here. Even that was mostly a result of rooms they rented for like 100 nights at the old Radisson Hotel, as well as all the meals they ate and the shopping they did while they were here. You’ve got to offer some sort of incentive if a crew is going to infuse that kind of financial boost.”

On a smaller scale, Zach Phillips, creative director of Short Order Production House in Wilmington, loves the idea of Humphrey moving his facility to the 7th Street Peninsula. As a board member of the Challenge Program, which sits adjacent to the Kalmar Nyckel Museum along 7th Street, Phillips is happy to see the area getting the attention it severely lacks.

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COMING SOON TO NORTH WILMINGTON!

Wilmington’s

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Rendering of the Light Action warehouse and The Pine Box sound stage on the 7th Street Peninsula.

“The fact that someone who has the resources to do something like that sees the opportunity in Wilmington is a really good sign,” he says. “It’s one thing for cool, new fintech companies to grow in Wilmington, but something like this, with a little more sex appeal, well, that’s exciting.”

Philips says his company uses its own 29-by-47-foot sound stage locally, and as a creative production company that works primarily on commercial video projects, a sound stage as large as The Pine Box might not fit his needs. But knowing it’s there and what it can attract is the bigger picture.

“Once the infrastructure is there to lure larger production companies in, anything is possible,” says Phillips. “I mean, just think about how expensive it can be to get this kind of space in New York, and how many actors have apartments in the city. They could get down here on the Acela in no time.”

While The Pine Box might be a bit big for Phillips’ purposes, knowing he could get his crew in there on a budget would be comforting. Humphrey says he sees an opportunity for production crews both large and small, and would be willing to offer a Delaware discount, of sorts, to local independent filmmakers as well.

“If [the sound stage] is open for four weeks, we’re open, and we’ll cut them a deal that works with their budget,” says Humphrey.

“We can back that up because I own these things, so it’s a little easier to do. But I’m all about giving back because I know how indie film directors have to watch every nickel and dime.”

Independent filmmaker Rob Waters, who runs W Films out of Lewes and coordinates the Revival House program at the Milton Theatre each month, says the local indie scene is middling at best, and lacks a real cohesion to bring everything together.

“I’m not sure I would find myself in need of something as big as a 25,000-square-foot sound stage, but maybe this Pine Box can act as a sort of hub,” says Waters. “We haven’t done a WilmFilm Festival in a few years because people just didn’t really come out, and it fizzled. I would love to get something like that going again.”

Humphrey, again, is open to the idea. When asked if he might be able to secure a major motion picture producer in the event of a future festival, his first response was, “Oh god, yes. I couldn’t be any more welcoming to something like that. The Pine Box isn’t going to be a public space that will be used on a regular basis, so we’ll want to find other ways to use it.”

Indeed, rarely has “a place to be somebody” had a better opportunity to demonstrate the accuracy of that motto.

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Unleash

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December 2018 • #inWilm

Lauren E. Peters

INdepedent Artist

DTC: A Sign of the Times

Scrooge The Musical December 1-9

December 7-24

Bernie Felch

Lauren E. Peters

Contemporary Craft Show

CTC: Mamma Mia!

Santa at Hagley December 8

DSO Chamber Series December 11

The Beach Boys

A Christmas Story

Basil Restaurant Classical Cafe

Cartoon Christmas Trio

INtheSpirit Holiday Party

Noon Year’s Eve at The Zoo

New Year’s Eve: David Bromberg December 31

December 1 - 23

December 7-15

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December 16

December 20

December 7-28

December 13

December 31

December 7

December 14-30

inWilmDE.com 11/21/18 2:11 PM

FOCUS

A Fun Guide to

Lifelong Learning From sailing to axe throwing, opportunities to acquire a new skill abound locally

By Jordan Howell

T

hese days, cities need more than trendy restaurants and cookie-cutter gastropubs to bring in crowds, especially when it comes to attracting those coveted millennial residents: young professionals at the beginning of their careers who are eager to spend money now that they’re not flat broke.

So as our region’s long-hoped-for renaissance continues to unfold, and as Wilmington rebrands itself as a vibrant yet affordable place to live, work and play, more small businesses and nonprofits are stepping up to offer experiences that are fun, educational, and, so the hope goes, life-changing.

Whether you’re interested in a certificate program to reach the next stage in your career or simply want to learn a new hobby to occupy leisure time, there’s something here for you, some of it interesting, some of it quirky, and all of it educational. ►

NextFab offers computer-controlled wood-cutting.. Photo Jim Coarse/Moonloop Photography

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FOCUS

Photo Jim Coarse/Moonloop Photography

BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTIES WITH US!

A FUN GUIDE TO LIFELONG LEARNING continued from page 19

Among NextFab's capabilities is 3D printing.

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CYCLING Urban Bike Project Address: 1500 N. Walnut St., Wilmington Website: urbanbikeproject.com Phone: 300-4323 Email: urbanbikeproject@gmail.com Fee: $15 The past few years have been good for bikers in northern Delaware. With the opening of the impressive Jack A. Markell The bike shop at Urban Bike Project.

Trail, as well as new bike lanes in Wilmington and surrounding scenic byways, there’s never been a better time to start pedaling.

If you’re new to biking, Urban Bike Project will get you set up. Located on Wilmington’s east side near the Brandywine River, UBP sells affordable, refurbished bikes and offers educational programming on fixing flat tires, brake repair, safe commuting and much more.

“Whether we're teaching youth or adults, we always want our program participants to walk away from our educational programming with two things: confidence and selfsufficiency,” says Laura Wilburn, executive director of UBP. “If a person feels comfortable identifying and solving mechanical problems on their bike, they're going to be more confident traveling further from home by bike.”

Classes are held regularly on Monday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. and cost $15 per class or $50 for the month.

Photo Jim Coarse/Moonloop Photography

4019 KENNETT PIKE GREENVILLE, DE 19807 302.655.3785

Next Fab Address: 503 N. Tatnall St., Wilmington Website: nextfab.com Phone: 477-7330 Email: info@nextfab.com Fee: ranges from $19/month for beginners to $199/month for unlimited use When Philadelphia-based NextFab expanded to downtown Wilmington last year, it filled a critical void in the city’s arts and design scene. Until then, Wilmington lacked an affordable coworking space and design studio with access to 3D printing, laser cutting and engraving, electronics, robotics, computer-controlled wood-cutting and more.

“Whatever you want to create, you can learn how to make it here,” says Wilmington Location Manager Kate Brown. “NextFab offers high tech digital and traditional fabrication equipment and training to increase your skills and expand your capabilities, whether for your project, your business, or your personal life. Whatever your vision, NextFab's training can help you get there.”

For professional designers, NextFab offers a range of membership options that include unlimited on-site access.

Upcoming workshops include 3D printing, build your own robotic racecar (open to ages 10 and up) and for the holiday-lover, build your own electric snowflake with “smart” LED lights.

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Sailing

Conservation The Nature Conservancy in Delaware Address: 100 W. 10th St., Suite 1107 Wilmington Website: nature.org/delaware Phone: 654-4707 Email: delaware@tnc.org Fee: $30 Have you ever wanted to be a citizen scientist?

As part of the Stream Stewards program at The Nature Conservancy, volunteers learn to monitor water quality in streams that flow through First State National Historical Park, all of which flow into the Brandywine Creek, the sole source for Wilmington’s drinking water.

Once a month, volunteers are trained to perform water quality tests and review data collected by stream monitoring equipment.

Volunteers also join a community of citizen scientists dedicated to conservation.

“I want to make science fun and accessible to everyone and help people understand the importance of using science to make good conservation decisions,” says Kim Hachadoorian, project manager for the Stream Stewards program. “When people are engaged in the conservation process they will have a connection to nature, and I think that’s the best way to inspire stewardship.”

For more information about becoming a Stream Steward, contact Hachadoorian at kim.hachadoorian@tnc.org. ►

Macarons 2.0 Photo courtesy of the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation

Kalmar Nyckel Foundation Address: 1124 E. 7th St., Wilmington Website: kalmarnyckel.org Phone: 429-7447 Email: captainsharon@kalmarnyckel.org Fee: $115 Longing for a seafaring adventure? Learn to sail on the Kalmar Nyckel.

Launched in 1997, the Kalmar Nyckel is a replica of the Dutch merchant vessel that brought Swedish settlers to the shores of the Set sail on the Kalmar Nyckel.

Christina River in 1638. With its home port in the Copeland Maritime Center on the 7th Street Peninsula, the ship is maintained and operated by a crew of more than 300 volunteers.

“We built Kalmar Nyckel, with many volunteers and years of labor, to explain a piece of American history that goes beyond Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower. It’s a floating classroom,” explains Executive Director Cathy Parsells. “It’s uniquely Delaware.”

The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation offers classes four times a year to teach volunteers how to sail a 17th-century square-rigged ship, which includes tying knots, hauling lines, climbing ladders and setting sail. Once trained, volunteers may crew for daytrips or week-long expeditions to other ports.

Winter classes begin mid-January and spring classes in mid-April.

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FOCUS

Gardening

Mt. Cuba Center Address: 3120 Barley Mill Rd., Hockessin Website: mtcubacenter.org/classes Phone: 239-4244 Email: info@mtcubacenter.org Fee: Varies Few organizations in northern Delaware have the capacity and the mission to offer the range of educational programming that Mt. Cuba Center does. With dozens of courses and workshops in gardening, conservation, art and wellness, the center is in a class of its own.

For the weekend gardener, Mt. Cuba Center offers dozens of single-day workshops on container gardening, tree and shrub management, mosses, ferns, garden design, tool sharpening and much more.

For the avid gardener, the Ecological Gardening Certificate program offers multiday workshops covering more advanced concepts, like plant disease management, controlling invasive plants and ecological landscape design.

“Our classes, gardens and website are great local resources for communities to obtain the best information on native-plant gardening in this area,” says Duncan Himmelman, education manager at Mt. Cuba Center. “Whether you’re looking for advice on what plants to use, how to get rid of invasive species, being creative with eco-friendly art projects, or merely wanting to immerse yourself in the natural world, we have you covered.”

View the complete Fall/Winter Course Catalog at mtcubacenter.org/classes.

A FUN GUIDE TO LIFELONG LEARNING continued from page 19

FINE FOOD MAKES A FABULOUS GIFT This holiday, surprise everyone on your list with something special from Janssen’s Market.

From unique cheeses and gourmet fare to delicious bakery treats, we have something for everyone!

WWW.JANSSENSMARKET.COM 3801 KENNETT PIKE, GREENVILLE, DE 302.654.9941

Battle Axe Address: 820 Pencader Dr., Newark Website: battleaxewilm.com Email: events@battleaxewilm.com Fee: $25 per person Trust me: Throwing an axe into a plywood target is as much fun as it sounds, even if you suck at it, which I most certainly do.

Battle Axe started as travelling axethrowing facility, with mobile targets assembled on-site. I happened to catch them at Liquid Alchemy in Wilmington. About three meads into my unplanned early dinner of salted pretzels, my friend and I signed up to throw some axes. I landed a few, as did my friend, but we were put to shame by the steely older woman next to us, as well as by several kids.

“Our goal is to give our customers a sense of empowerment,” says CEO Mike Evans.

“There is nothing better than the feeling of landing an axe in the target for the first time.

We take our time with our customers and get them to that end.” He’s right.

In addition to mobile axe throwing, Battle Axe recently opened the state’s first competitive axe throwing facility in Newark.

So before joining that bowling league, you may want to check out Battle Axe.

Photo courtesy of Battle Axe

Axe Throwing

Arts and Crafts Delaware Art Museum Address: 2301 Kentmere Pkwy., Wilmington Website: delart.org/education/studio-art-classes Phone: 351-8551 Email: artiscreating@delart.org Fee: varies We all need to exercise the right side of our brains, and it doesn’t require an art school education.

The studio arts program at the Delaware Art Museum offers classes in drawing and painting, ceramics, photography and metalsmithing, all of which are taught by a cadre of exceptional teaching artists. Classes for beginners are offered every semester.

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Grow Things Delaware Center for Horticulture Address: 1810 N. Dupont St., Wilmington Website: thedch.org Phone: 658-6262 Email: thedch.org/contact-us Fee: free No organization has done more to beautify Wilmington than the Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH). I think that deserves a full stop.

DCH supports more than 40 community gardens throughout New Castle County; its community forestry program has planted more than 15,000 trees on Wilmington streets since 1977; and

crews of staff and volunteers maintain public landscapes like traffic islands and sidewalk gardens.

In other words, DCH does a lot of good in our community.

So when you attend workshops sponsored by DCH, like the wildly popular terrarium workshops at Wilmington Brew Works, rest assured that your dollars are supporting a good cause.

“The Delaware Center for Horticulture’s mission is to inspire individuals and communities through the power of plants,” says Mackenzie Knight-Fochs, education and outreach manager at DCH. “Our educational programs are one way we seek to fulfill this mission.”

Next year, DCH will feature monthly programming that examines a seasonal aspect of horticulture, kicking off with an interactive presentation on organic gardening. Also, says Knight-Fochs, expect more terrarium-making workshops at Wilmington Brew Works. ►

Photo courtesy of Battle Axe

Full disclosure: my wife, Rebecca Howell, manages studio arts at the Delaware Art Museum, but that’s not why I’m including it here. For me, learning to throw clay on a pottery wheel was a life-changing experience. I had never seen a pottery wheel in my life, let alone used one. Within hours, it felt like I had just reunited with a long-lost friend.

As it turns out, my experience was not unusual.

“We frequently see people coming into our programs with little or no artistic experience, or maybe they used to be an artist but that was decades ago, and the process of discovery and the time spent within a community of artists ends up having a profound effect in one or more areas of their lives,” says Rebecca.

So what are you waiting for? Use the right side of your brain.

Sign up for a workshop. Or go on a Clay Date.

Terrarium-making workshop at Wilmington Brew Works.

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FOCUS A FUN GUIDE TO LIFELONG LEARNING continued from page 19

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Wilmington Trail Club Address: P.O. Box 526, Hockessin Website: wilmingtontrailclub.org Phone: 652-6881 Email: wtcmembership@yahoo.com Fee: varies Catch one of the Wilmington Trail Club’s weekly public hikes and you’ll be surrounded by Delaware’s most beautiful natural scenery, including Beaver Valley and First State National Historical Park, Brandywine Creek State Park and White Clay Creek Preserve.

In addition to hiking, Wilmington Trail Club offers kayaking classes in the spring. Learn basic kayak safety as well as recreational and whitewater kayaking. And with rentals available, you don’t even need to own your own kayak to get started.

Learn for College Credit or a Certificate Delaware Technical and Community College Address: 530 E. 4th St., Wilmington Website: dtcc.edu/continuing-education Phone: Stanton 454-3900 | Wilmington 571-5300 Email: sg-workforcedevelopment@dtcc.edu Fee: varies Delaware Technical and Community College is the only community college in Delaware, and it offers degrees and certificates in more than 100 specializations.

Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the school offers “IT Academies” for unemployed and underemployed Delaware residents with at least one year of previous IT experience with specialized training in database management, programming and networking.

And DelTech’s workforce training program offers some fun options, like coding for kids and virtual reality for kids. If your job requires certification to operate a forklift or handle hazardous material, then you can find that at DelTech too. Even if your job doesn’t require it, don’t you still want to learn how to operate a forklift? Exactly.

Wilmington University Address: 320 N. DuPont Hwy., New Castle Website: wilmu.edu/certificates/ Phone: (877) 967-5464 Fee: varies Wilmington University offers a variety of certificate programs ideal for those looking to reach the next stage of their career or to add value to a degree already in progress. Most certificate programs require just five courses.

With six locations in Delaware, including three in New Castle County, Wilmington offers more than 60 certificate programs in fields like accounting, human resources, marketing, nonprofit management, nursing, criminal justice and more.

36 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOCUS YEAR-LONG MEMBERSHIP TO WINTERTHUR

Local Gifts

Worth Giving Looking to support the Delaware economy while shopping for holiday gifts? Here are suggestions from staff, contributors and readers that will lead you to area merchants and organizations.

WILMINGTON BREW WORKS MERCHANDISE Anything from Wilmington Brew Works works—a gift card, T-shirt, pint glass, or a simple night out.

We have to make sure the first production brewery in Wilmington doesn't flounder, especially when it’s making beers as good as these. I bought my first ever crowler (a 32-ounce can) from WBW and it completely changed how I attend BYOB parties. Try the Marzen if it's on tap when you're there.

— Dillon McLaughlin, Contributing Writer

HEART & HOME GIFT SHOP This local string of shops (Pike Creek/Newark/Peoples Plaza) has some of the singular best gift choices for even the most hard-to-buy-for pals. From chic candles and dazzling drinkware to snuggly socks and booties; from must-have accessories by Lily Pulitzer and Kate Spade to vintage lip gloss that brought me straight back to 1984, there’s always something new to discover, and the staff is equally helpful in finding just the right thing.

— Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer

This is the gift that keeps on giving, since the famed Winterthur Museum and Gardens has various programs throughout the year, including many with seasonal themes. A yearly pass provides unlimited free general admission and comes in different price ranges: • Individual: $75.

• Dual (two): $100.

• Family (Two named cardholders and up to four children): $110.

• Contributor (Two adults, four children; option of “Guest of” card): $165.

• Patron (Eligible for additional benefits): $275.

• Benefactor (Special benefits and behind-the-scenes opportunities): $500.

• Friends – Associate (Benefactor benefits and can host private event): $1,000.

• Friends – Director (Eligible for every membership benefit offered): $2,500.

To purchase a yearly membership, log onto Winterthur. org or call the membership office at 888-4713.

— Kevin Noonan, Contributing Writer

DELAWARE STORE This store is all about official Delaware, made in Delaware, for Delaware. Located in Dover with all of essentials of your home state, including Del-awhere? shirts and more. The store also has nostalgic collectables. It’s at 325 S State St. — Elizabeth Carlson, Intern

A VINTAGE APPROACH What’s old is new again and that certainly holds true with the vinyl records fascination. It’s the preferred way to listen to music for my two 20-somethings, and I know they’re not alone. Thumbing through vintage albums brings back great memories—and is now creating new ones. It also exposes younger people to older music, which is never a bad thing. So, consider the vinyl option for the music-lover on your list. You have ample options in the area. There’s Grooves and Tubes (Centreville), which also offers a wide range of turntables, speakers, receivers, etc. Same for SqueezeBox Records (Union Street, Wilmington), a relatively new family business that sells and repairs equipment and has plenty of music inventory. Jupiter Records on Kirkwood Highway has a large inventory of new and used music and offers you the ability to trade-in. And in Newark there is Wonderland Records, Delaware’s oldest record store (opened in 1972), and Rainbow Records, which has nearly as much history, operating on Main Street since 1979.

— Jerry duPhily, Publisher

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BELLEFONTE CAFÉ, BLUE STREAK GALLERY, MUSEUMS

CROWLERS FROM YOUR LOCAL BREWERY

I head to the local art museum or shops for unique gifts for the holidays. At places like Bellefonte Café, you can find hand-crafted items. Blue Streak Gallery has funky items you won’t see anywhere else. The museum stores are a great source as well, and in New Castle County we’ve got The Delaware Contemporary, the Delaware Art Museum, Hagley Museum and Winterthur.

Have a beer-loving friend or relative who likes to try new beers? How about grabbing a crowler or two from your local brewery as a gift? For the unversed, a crowler (can-growler) is a 32-ounce aluminum can filled with beer, then sealed fresh with a canning machine at the bar. Crowlers keep way longer than your standard glass growler, and are easier and safer to transport. You should still try to keep the crowler cold at all times, but that's nothing a cooler and an ice pack can't solve. Most of our local breweries provide crowlers for beer-to-go, so go support a local brewer!

— Bev Zimmermann, Special Projects

LIQUID ALCHEMY BEVERAGES Locally made beer, wine and spirits come with distinctive flavors and, especially from the smaller outfits, a unique story. Both are in good supply at Liquid Alchemy Beverages in Wilmington, which sells both mead, a generally sweeter drink made from honey, and cider. Personally, I’m a fan of The Light Cide, which has a tart flavor that belies the notion that ciders must be cloyingly sweet. Owners Terri Sorantino and Jeff Cheskin are friendly and happy to go into detail about each variety. Unfortunately, state laws prevent them from shipping to Delaware, so you’ll have to purchase growlers and bottles at their tasting room or the handful of retailers, listed on their website, that carry their products.

— Dan Linehan, Contributing Writer

GIVE THE GIFT OF GLASS Smoking reefer just isn’t the underground act of socialpolitical resistance that it used to be, especially now that recreational consumption is legal in 10 states (Michigan being the most recent addition to the list of free states) and medical in 40 states, including Delaware. So this year, give the gift of glass from Frolic in Newark. In other words, since you can’t buy the flower (at least not legally if you don’t have a prescription), go for the next best thing and buy a glass pipe for someone you love. As with anything, the prices vary depending on what you want. Looking for something extra special?

Try the UV-reactive Sherlock pipe. It glows in the dark.

— Jordan Howell, Contributing Writer

THE REP AT UD Every time I've been to a REP production, I've walked away impressed, and I've seen comedies, Irish drama, psychological thrillers, and more. They don't limit themselves to a single genre and have proven more than capable at tackling subjects from across the globe.

Production value approaches Broadway levels, the actors are insanely versatile, and every show is worth the money.

— Tyler Mitchell, Graphic Designer

DELAWARE STATE PARKS PASS Every year, my lovely wife gets me a Delaware State Park pass as a stocking stuffer. This is always my favorite and most utilized gift. Annual passes are available for purchase at select parks and they cover daily entrance fees at all Delaware State Parks from March 1 to Nov. 30 (no fees required off-season). They're also available online at destateparks.com.

— Matt Loeb, Creative Director & Production Manager

THE NEW AND IMPROVED BRANDYWINE YMCA Membership in the YMCA for you or a loved one—or the whole family—is a great investment. This branch on Mt. Lebanon Road “raised the roof” in 2018 with a new addition and equipment, and it’s now top-notch.

Call to get a tour and tutorial on the facilities and the new equipment. Then start working out on your own or sign up for one of the many group programs. The instructors provide expert but considerate guidance and motivation for any level of fitness you desire. You name it, they’ve got it: Zumba, spinning, yoga, BODYPUMP, CXWORX, STEP, lap swimming, basketball, and more.

Want the ultimate challenge? Sign up for Grit and be prepared to be tested to the max by a tiny dynamo named Sarah. Go to ymcade.org for details.

— Bob Yearick, Contributing Editor

Continued ►

— Dillon McLaughlin, Contributing Writer DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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FOCUS LOCAL GIFTS WORTH GIVING continued from previous page

LOCAL CHARITIES

My family is big on memberships and donations to charity. Animal rescue, historic preservation, and donations to organizations that take care of the needy are on the top of our lists.

— Bev Zimmermann, Special Projects

TICKETS TO THE EVERETT THEATRE Since 1922, the Everett Theatre has been providing the people in and around Middletown with movies, plays, and a sense of wonder. The cast and crew are all volunteers who come together to make the props and stage and costumes, so all the money from tickets sales goes into the plays and keeping the Everett alive. My family finds such joy in going to the plays almost every month. Every Christmas my sister preorders ticket for a handful of the plays and gives them to my mom, and we all go and enjoy not only the show, but the quality time we spend together. Tickets to the shows, or even a season pass, would be a wonderful holiday gift, especially for those who love the theater. Go to everetttheatre.com for more.

— Emily Stover, Intern

SWIGG WINE SHOP This boutique wine and spirits shop has recently relocated to a larger footprint just across the parking lot from its original space in Independence Mall on Concord Pike. Great news for Swigg fans like me, as this move provides more room for Dave and Joanne Govatos’ expertly curated (and affordable) selections of not only wine but also specialty vodkas, gins, scotches and craft beer. Swigg also sells a delectable assortment of local cheeses, spreads, olives and chocolates as well as regional artisan gifts like candles and wooden cutting boards, which makes this the perfect stop on the way to a holiday party when you’ve forgotten a hostess gift.

— Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Contributing Writer

DIAMOND STATE RYE WHISKEY Did you know Delaware has its own distillery? The Painted Stave has been around for a little while now and is slowly gaining popularity. Everything those people make is great, but their rye whiskey is one of my favorite spirits. It's spicy, strong, distinct, and will help convince you there are different flavors in whiskey, just in case you weren't so sure about that.

Support your local distillers by drinking great whiskey.

— Dillon McLaughlin, Contributing Writer

There’s so much happening in Downtown Wilmington.

Come see it for yourself!

DowntownWilmingtonDE.com *Photo Credit Moonloop Photography 40 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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NOW OPEN 302-425-4890

RIVERFRONTRINK.COM

FOLLOW US

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NOW OPEN! riverfrontrink.com

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

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

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Visit RiverfrontWilm.com for info on events happening at the Riverfront! Photo by Joe del Tufo 20. Frawley Stadium, BLUEROCKS.COM Delaware Sports Museum & Hall of Fame 21. Chase Center on the Riverfront, CENTERONTHERIVERFRONT.COM 22. Dravo Plaza & Dock 23. Shipyard Center Planet Fitness, PLANETFITNESS.COM 24. Timothy’s Restaurant, TIMOTHYSONTHERIVERFRONT.COM Molly’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, MOLLYSICECREAM.COM Ubon Thai Restaurant 25. Wilmington Rowing Center, WILMINGTONROWING.ORG 26. Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge/ DuPont Environmental Education Center, DUPONTEEC.ORG 27 Riverfront Commuter Lot, RIVERFRONTWILM.COM/PARKING

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28. Penn Cinema Riverfront IMAX, PENNCINEMARIVERFRONT.COM 29. CrossFit Riverfront, CFRIVERFRONT.COM 30. The Residences at Harlan Flats, HARLANFLATS.THERESIDENCES.NET 31. Altitude Trampoline Park, ALTITUDEWILMINGTON.COM 32. The Westin Wilmington, WESTINWILMINGTON.COM River Rock Kitchen, RIVERROCKKITCHEN.COM 33. Delaware Humane Association, DEHUMANE.ORG 34. Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard/Fort Christina Park, KALMARNYCKEL.ORG 35. Jack A Markell Bike Trail 36. Constitution Yards Beer Garden, CONSTITUTIONYARDS.COM Horizon Services Riverfront Rink, RIVERFRONTRINK.COM

11/21/18 2:43 PM

THE CITY IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

CITY’S FILTER PLANT AND RACEWAY REHAB PROJECTS EARN NATIONAL AWARD

T 19TH PURPOSE BUILT COMMUNITY IN U.S. COMES TO RIVERSIDE WILMINGTON; 45 ACRES MARKED FOR MAJOR REVITALIZATION EFFORT

M

ayor Purzycki, joined by Gov. Carney and other elected officials, the REACH Riverside Development Corp. (REACH Riverside) and the Wilmington Housing Authority, announced last month a major community development initiative in partnership with nationally renowned Purpose Built Communities, a nonprofit consulting firm based in Atlanta. Purpose Built, which works side-by-side with community leaders, residents and others to plan and implement holistic community revitalization efforts, has designated Wilmington’s Riverside neighborhood as the 19th Purpose Built Community in the U.S. Expanding on the City’s commitment to partner with neighbors and community leaders to revitalize Wilmington’s disadvantaged areas, the Mayor said this project will bring renewed hope and opportunity to citizens who are living and working in and around Riverside in northeast Wilmington.

“This wonderful news follows years of research, planning, and development by the City, WHA, community leaders and Riverside residents, all of whom recognize that it is time to invest in an inclusive, holistic manner to make Riverside a neighborhood of opportunity for all of its current and future residents,” said Mayor Purzycki. “We are very excited about the prospects for the future of this neighborhood and this area of the City.”

For more details about the revitalization project, visit: http://bit.ly/purposebuilt19.

44 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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he American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA) has recognized the Brandywine Filter Plant and Raceway Rehabilitation projects, and the related book “From Creek to Tap: The Brandywine and Wilmington’s Public Water System,” with a national award celebrating the outstanding rehabilitation of a historic structure. Mayor Purzycki congratulated the Dept. of Public Works and the Dept. of Planning and Development for their work related to the award, specifically thanking Sean Duffy, Matt Demo and Vince Carroccia from Public Works, and Debra Martin of Planning, for their collaborative efforts in bringing the projects to a successful conclusion.

“These two related projects are an excellent example of the City going above and beyond what was required of it,” said Mayor Purzycki, “and the result is the preservation of an important piece of Wilmington’s past and a part of our City’s current water delivery system. I encourage everyone to read ‘From Creek to Tap,’ which is a wonderful document that traces the history of our public water system.”

The book “From Creek to Tap: The Brandywine and Wilmington’s Public Water System” is available online at https://bit.ly/2AJsasV, or in hard copy by contacting Debra Martin, Historic Preservation Planner, at 302-576-3107.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

11/27/18 10:36 AM

NEWS YOU CAN USE! HOLIDAY PARKING REGULATIONS IN EFFECT IN DOWNTOWN AND RIVERFRONT

MAYOR PURZYCKI ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF FEDERAL GRANT TO SUPPORT SOUTH WILMINGTON WETLAND PROJECT

M

ayor Purzycki announced that Wilmington has been awarded a nearly $3 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the South Wilmington Wetland Project. The grant is the largest of 35 grants awarded nationwide through the National Coastal Resilience Fund.

The Mayor thanked Delaware’s Congressional Delegation—Senators Carper and Coons and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester—for their support in securing the grant. He also thanked Wilmington’s Economic Development Director Jeff Flynn and Project Manager Leah Kacanda for their hard work and persistence in guiding this important project.

“This project and certainly this supporting grant are a big deal for Wilmington,” said the Mayor, “especially for the residents of Southbridge. To receive this award – the largest in the country – is a testament to a whole series of efforts on the part of City and Federal officials, and local citizens and organizations.”

The wetland park, scheduled to begin construction in 2019, will create a storm water management facility to reduce flooding in Southbridge, and create a new open space for the community. The project will restore 14 acres of degraded wetland to a highfunctioning freshwater tidal wetland habitat in South Wilmington with a trail system. It will enhance coastal resiliency, improve soil and water quality, and restore habitat for a variety of wildlife.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO OUT & ABOUT MAGAZINE

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Mayor Mike Purzycki and Finance Director Patrick Carter remind citizens that Wilmington’s holiday season parking meter policy is in effect now through Mon., December 31, 2018. During this period, from Noon to 6:00 p.m. each weekday, the City will not require payment at parking meters in the Downtown Business District (the area bounded by 2nd St. to 12th St., and

by French St. to Washington St.) and in the Riverfront Business District. Official holidays like Christmas Day (Dec. 25) remain free all day. A 2-hour parking limit will remain in effect, however. During the holiday season, all other applicable parking regulations other than those requiring payment at parking meters will be strictly enforced.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR DEC 4

CAROLING ON THE SQUARE (RODNEY SQUARE)

DEC 7

ART LOOP WILMINGTON

DEC 4,11,18

WHACC FAMILY CHESS CLUB, 5-6 P.M.

DEC 25

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY (CITY OFFICES CLOSED)

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

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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presented by

December 7 5pm Start Complimentary Shuttle Service (see website)

cityfest Next Art Loop Wilmington: January 4, 2019

A program of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

Station Gallery

LaFate Gallery

Mezzanine Gallery

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Howard Pyle Studio

Delaware Center for Horticulture

Arden’s Buzz Ware Village Center

MKT Place Gallery

Bike Lane Café

Colourworks

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RIVERFRONT The Delaware Contemporary 200 South Madison St. 656-6466 • decontemporary.org Artists: Shelley Thorstensen, Daniel Jackson, Shawn Pinckney DOWNTOWN Christina Cultural Arts Center 705- 707 N. Market St. 429-0101 • ccacde.org Artist: Joseph Repetti The Chris White Gallery 701 N. Shipley St. 690-9051 • chriswhitegallery.com Artist: Andy Vible Colourworks 1902 Superfine Ln. (Race St.) 428-0222 • colourworks.com Artist: Andy Gordon Toni & Stuart B. Young Gallery at Delaware College of Art and Design (DCAD) 600 N. Market St. 622-8000 • dcad.edu/gallery Artist: Bernie Felch Delaware History Museum 505 N. Market Street 655-7161 Artists: “Delaware: One State, Many Stories” Grace United Methodist Church 900 Washington St. Gracechurchwest.com Artist: 9th Annual Wilmington In Transition Local, Sustainable Food & Gift Fair The Grand Opera House 818 N. Market St. 658-7897 • thegrandwilmington.org The Grand Gallery Artist: Tony Sealey “Spatial Perspectives” The baby grand Gallery Artist: Yakime Brown “Textura Brillante” Hotel du Pont 100 W. 11th St. 594-3256 • hoteldupont.com Artists: Francisco Sanchez, Nancy Carol Willis, James Wyatt, Elena Howley, Crae Washington and Lvon Yoder

LaFate Gallery 227 N. Market St. 656-6786 • lafategallery.com Artist: Holiday Cultural Diversity Art The Living Room 704 N. Market Street 650.773-6459 Artists: Roldan West, Ellen Durkan & Joe Hoddinott.

Louis L. Redding Gallery 800 N. French St. 576-2135 Artist: Timmy Graham Mezzanine Gallery 820 N. French St. 577-8278 • arts.delaware.gov Artist: Lauren E. Peters The Mill 1007 N. Orange Street 4th floor 751-6455 • TheMillSpace.com Artists: Nikki Stout & Paul Rickards MKT Place Gallery 200 W. 9th Street 438-6545 Artist: Kristina Marie Ellura Poppycock Tattoo 115 W. 8th Street 543-7973 Artist: Black Light Art Show Studio on Market 219 N. Market Street 229-7108 Artist: Michael Orhelein Wilmington Library 10 E 10th Street 571-7400 • wilmington.lib.de.us Artists: First State Montessori Academy: 2nd & 3rd Grade Art Show WEST END 3P Gallery 1139 W. 7th St., Suite C 717.578-3478 • 3rdplacewilm.org Artists: The 4th Annual Ornament Show Bike Lane Café 1139 W. 7th Street 425-4900 Artist: Kevin Melloy

Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Ave. 429-0506 Artists: Mitch Lyons, Helen Mason, Maxine Rosenthal & Susan Schulz Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 Artist: Four Youth Productions Howard Pyle Studio 1305 N. Franklin St. howardpylestudio.org Artists: The Artists of the Howard Pyle Studio featuring Kathy Deauville St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church 1301 N. Broom St. 652-7623 • ststeph.org Artist: Dolores Bartholomew BEYOND THE CITY Bellefonte Vintage 901 Brandywine Blvd.

762-7878 Artist: Maureen Collins Talleyville Frame Shoppe & Gallery 3625 Silverside Rd. 478-1163 • www.talleyvilleFSG.com Artists: 5th Annual Big Little Art Show Arden’s Buzz Ware Village Center 2119 The Highway programs@ardenbuzz.com Artist: Arden & local area artists David’s Studio and Gallery 2324 Cherry, Arden 545-7489 • yessy.com/davidburslem Artist: David Ashworth Station Gallery 3999 Kennett Pike 654-8638 • stationgallery.net Artists: Rachel Altschuler, Anna Biggs, Molly Carpenter, Sherrill Cooper, Janis Fitch, Gay Freeborn, Linda Ford, Olga Ganoudis, Richard Hoff, Ed Letven, Estelle Lukoff, George Martz, Abigail McBride, Laura McMillan, Fran Miller, Nancy West.

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EAT

ThE eVoLuTiOn Of

bUfFaLo WiNgS

The humble chicken delicacy has evolved from throwaway to game day, and now it’s available locally in a variety of flavors

By Leeann Wallett Wings have evolved over the years to become a food category of their own.

T

he Buffalo wing is ubiquitous, especially at this time of year, when football is in full swing and NFL playoffs are set to begin. In fact, these handheld delicacies have become so common—appearing not only at game-day (or night) house parties but on tavern and restaurant menus— that most of us probably never give a thought as to how they originated, or what their future is.

The origin story has several versions, but most hew to the same basic facts: It was invented in 1964 and first served at the Anchor Bar, a restaurant owned by the Bellissimo family in— you guessed it—Buffalo, N.Y. Her 1985 New York Times obituary credits Teressa, the Bellissimo matriarch, as the one “who invented the Buffalostyle chicken wing.”

One of the wing stories starts with Teressa’s son, Dominic, who had wanted something to eat for him and his friends on a Friday night shortly before midnight.

Says Dominic Bellissimo: “The true story is that I was tending bar, and a bunch of my friends were drinking. My mother, God rest her soul, was in the kitchen. I said to my father, ‘Let’s have some hors d'oeuvres.’ Dad said: ‘They’re all Catholic boys. They don’t eat meat on Friday.’”

The obit continues: “Dominic reminded his father that it would soon be Saturday. And, he recalled, ‘Dad told mother to come up with something.’”

Another story, this time from a 1980 issue of The New Yorker, cites a delivery mistake, wherein chicken wings were delivered to the bar instead of backs and necks, which were at the time used for spaghetti sauce.

Ms. Bellissimo’s husband, Frank, thought “it would be a shame to use the wings for sauce,” so he asked her to “figure out some more dignified end for the wings.”

All three Bellissimo family members have since passed away, so we can’t check the veracity of the stories, but the bottom line is that the City of Buffalo has celebrated its namesake dish on National Chicken Wing Day every July 29 since 1977.

NaTiOnAl ChAiNs JuMp In

What followed their invention was a parade of national chains dedicated to the mighty wing, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Wings N’Curls in Florida, and Hooters, and then the adoption of wings as an appetizer at pizza chains like Domino’s.

The Buffalo-style sauce has also spiced things up in similar food categories, spawning a love for Buffalo chicken fingers, pizza and shrimp.

Wings have gained such renown that they’ve become a competitive eating circuit staple, at venues such as the nowdefunct Wing Bowl in Philadelphia and the National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo. ►

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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EAT THE EVOLUTION OF BUFFALO WINGS continued from page 49

Philly’s Wing Bowl was founded in 1993 by two sports-radio talk show hosts, WIP’s Angelo Cataldi and Al Morganti.

It began solely as a radio promotion but quickly morphed into an officially recognized competitive eating contest.

Held the Friday preceding the Super Bowl, the Wing Bowl became “part sport, part circus, and all entertainment,” according to the Wing Bowl website. After a successful yet controversial 26-year run, Cataldi announced in October that the event would come to an end.

A few hours north, Buffalo, N.Y., celebrates its namesake dish each September at National Buffalo Wing Festival. This two-day event attracts more than 70,000 people, who eat 25-plus tons of wings from more than 30 eateries around the world.

The festival highlight is the officially sanctioned wing-eating competition, which brings professional eaters from all over the world. This year, perennial favorite Joey Chestnut won by downing 206 wings in 12 minutes. Portions of the proceeds from the festival go to local charities like the Alzheimer’s Association and Meals on Wheels.

Football, with its party atmosphere, has spurred the wings love affair. Last year, the National Chicken Council projected that Americans would eat 1.35 billion wings during Super Bowl weekend, when the Eagles played the New England Patriots.

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Delaware jumped on the wing wagon early on. It’s not entirely clear who began the craze here, but one of the early stories begins in 1985 with a Buffalonian mother and son who were stationed at Dover Air Force Base and “pined for wings from Buffalo,” says John Martino, president and CEO of Wings to Go. Instead of waiting for wings to arrive, the duo took it into their own hands to establish the first Wings to Go store at the entrance to the base.

As demand grew, Wings to Go opened multiple locations in Wilmington and Dewey Beach and by 1989 it had begun franchising. In 1995 the ww original owners were bought out by a small group of investors who planned to rebuild the brand and expand its franchises. ►

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EAT THE EVOLUTION OF BUFFALO WINGS continued from previous page

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Martino started out as an investor and moved up to running the parent company in addition to opening his own store.

As for the origin of wings, he thinks the Anchor Bar story is “baloney,” and believes that the delicacy originated much earlier, as an African-American dish. A 1980 New Yorker article supports this theory. In it, writer Calvin Trillin acknowledged that an AfricanAmerican man, John Young, established his restaurant Wings ‘N Things in Buffalo before the Bellissimos. These wings differed from Buffalo-style wings because they are left whole, rather than cut in half, and are breaded and tossed in a mambo sauce, which is more like a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce.

It’s important to note that before the chicken wing gained popularity, it was a “throwaway food,” says Martino.

Wings have followed the same path from undesirable to delicacy as other throwaway foods, like scallops, mussels and, yes, lobsters.

Steve Torpey, owner of Stanley’s Tavern on Foulk Road, remembers this humble beginning for the savory favorite first hand. “Chicken wings were a complete by-product,” he says.

Torpey also vividly recalls the first time he heard about Buffalo-style wings.

“It was the early 1980s, maybe 1984. My former partner told me about ‘Buffalo wings,’ these fried chicken wings tossed in butter and sauce and served with blue cheese that he had eaten at a tailgate,” says Torpey. “I blew him off immediately.”

Not long after, Torpey gave the chicken wing a second chance. A year later, Stanley’s was selling an everincreasing number of wings. At its peak, the sports bar sold 86,000 pounds of wings in one year.

“At the time, wings were extremely inexpensive to buy,” says Torpey. “We ran a lot of two-for-one and 25-cent wing specials.”

Stanley’s has maintained its longstanding wing tradition and has offered two-for-one Buffalo wings during all NFL games this season. (Be sure to order your wings in advance for your Super Bowl party.)

423 Baltimore Pike | Chadds Ford, PA 19317 | 610.388.7700 | thegablesatchaddsford.com

52 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Like any good team, Stanley’s has a game plan for Super Bowl Sunday: “We have three cooks just to cook wings and five helpers to bag to-go orders,” says Torpey. “Buffalo wings are not just a fad anymore. They’re now an American staple.”

FrOm FrIeD tO sMoKeD

Wings have evolved over the years to become a food category of their own. When they started out they were fried and served Buffalo-style. Nowadays, it’s almost a sin to offer just one style of wing. As Martino says about Wings to Go: “We’re a sauce company, not a chicken company.” Nineteen wing flavors are testimony to that statement.

While sauces are one component of a good wing, what about the way they are cooked? Two Wilmington-based restaurants have brought smoke into the equation.

One of them is Market Street’s Merchant Bar, which has stocked its bar food menu with dishes you can’t really find elsewhere.

Says co-owner Andrea Sikora: “Variations on chicken wings will never be wrong. We have tried to create a menu at Merchant Bar that’s very unique, with dishes like our crispy lamb meatballs and smoked duck moo shu.”

To complement these dishes, Merchant Bar serves not one but two smoked chicken wings—dry rub and Korean BBQ— both served with celery and blue cheese.

A bit further down Market Street, 218 Grille’s specialty is smoked meat, including its smoked chicken wings, which are served in a variety of flavors—hot and mild, BBQ, and BBQ jerk, and more exotic flavors like sesame ginger, Thai coconut curry, and mesquite dry rub.

Just in time for football season, owner Darril Guilford has added two new flavors: sweet teriyaki and garlic parmesan.

Says Guilford, “I decided to focus my menu on chicken because it’s a universal food for many cultures. I wanted to offer something special with great taste, so I incorporated unique flavors to appease anyone who enters through our door.”

Delivery from 218 Grille is now available and can be ordered online or by calling 397-8667. Make sure to order early on football game days, Super Bowl and New Year’s Eve, which are the most popular times to order wings.

And wing lovers should mark their calendars now for next year’s National Chicken Wing Day on July 29. Most of the large wing chains like Buffalo Wild Wings offer deals on this holiday. Or, if you’re like me and have a hankering for a chicken wing now, try this recipe:

JaNiCe OkUn’S bUfFaLo ChIcKeN wInGs Makes 24 wings • 24 chicken wings • 4 pounds salt • 4 cups peanut, vegetable or corn oil • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter • 2 to 5 tablespoons Frank’s Louisiana Red Hot Sauce • 1 tablespoon white vinegar • Blue cheese dressing • Celery sticks

1. Cut off and discard the small tip of each wing. Cut the main wing bone and second wing bone at the joint. Sprinkle the wings with salt, if desired, and pepper to taste.

2. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large casserole. When it is quite hot, add half of the wings and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the chicken wings are golden brown and crisp, remove them and drain well.

3. Add the remaining wings and cook about 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Drain well.

4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add two to five tablespoons of the hot sauce and vinegar.

5. Put the chicken wings on a warm serving platter and pour the butter mixture over them. Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

— Recipe from The New York Times, Aug. 30, 1981, nytimes. com/1981/08/30/magazine/food-winging-it-in-buffalo.html

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EAT BRUNCH WITH SANTA

W

BITES Tasty things worth knowing Compiled by Emily Stover & Elizabeth Carlson

NEW CITY STEAK HOUSE PLANNED

T

here’s new life for the restaurant space at 1307 N. Scott in Wilmington, the former home of Moro. The Big Fish Restaurant Group, which already operates a host of restaurants in Wilmington including Trolley Oyster House, Mikimotos and Big Fish Grill, has acquired the location and plans to fully renovate, change the name, and open in the summer of 2019 as a “cool, hip, steakhouse.” Stay tuned.

TOAST TO THE INDUSTRY

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n Nov. 12, more than 450 people, including Gov. John Carney and U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, gathered at The Queen in Wilmington for the Cornerstone Awards, the Delaware Restaurant Association’s annual industry celebration. Instead of individual awards, the event focused on celebrating the restaurant industry’s impact on the Delaware community and economy. One in 10 Delawareans work in restaurants and restaurants are the top component of Delaware tourism industry, generating $3.8 billion in sales annually. The evening also introduced the 2019 DRA Executive Officers: Jeff Cook/2 Fat Guys (Board Chairman), Scott Kammerer/SoDel Concepts (Vice Chairman), Carl Georigi/Platinum Dining Group (Treasurer) and Steve Montgomery/ The Starboafrd (Immediate Past Chairman).

IT’S ALL ABOUT BREAKFAST

F

irst Watch, an upscale breakfast, brunch and lunch spot that does not serve dinner, has just opened its first Delaware location at 74 Geoffrey Drive in Stanton. The restaurant is part of a national chain with more than 260 restaurants in 29 states. First Watch offers traditional breakfast and lunch along with creative offerings such as crab cake benedicts, wild mushroom frittatas, butternut squash bisque, and pumpkin pancakes. It is open daily 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

BEACH UNITY DINNER

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ehoboth Beach Main Street is hosting the Community Unity Dinner on Sunday, Dec. 2. Food and drink will be provided by Nicola Pizza, The Pond, CAMP Rehoboth, The Sea Shell Shop, Dogfish Head, and Blue Moon. Activities for Children will include a coloring table, letter-writing to Santa, and a visit from Santa. The event will be located at the Rehoboth Convention Center from 4:30-7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and free for children under the age of 10. Visit cityofrehoboth.com.

ITALIAN ADDITION

W

ilmington’s roster of Italian restaurants just expanded with the recent opening of Bella Gia Bistro at 504 Greenhill Ave. in Wilmington.

The eatery specializes in classic Italian cuisine and is open daily 11 a.m.-1 a.m. For more, call 274-2977.

hite Clay Country Club is providing an early taste of the holiday when it hosts Brunch With Santa on Sunday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The brunch will feature an all-youcan-eat buffet with chef-attended stations.

Adults are $38.95, children under 10 are $12.95, and under age 5 is free. Youngsters will also have an opportunity to get a photo taken with Santa. For reservations call 995-6700 ext. 7194.

DELAWARE 34TH IN U.S. IN COOKING FIRES

A

ccording to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking is the leading cause of home fires. One out of three home fires occurs in the kitchen, more than any other place in the home. The number one cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. The NFPA data shows the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are a peak time for home cooking fires.

• Keep a lid beside the pan when cooking.

If a fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Never throw water on a kitchen fire.

• Keep anything that can catch fire—oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, etc., away from your stovetop.

• If preparing turkey, make sure it is thawed and dry before cooking. Ice or water that mixes into the hot oil can cause flare-ups.

• Cook outdoors on a flat level surface with a cleared radius of at least 10 feet.

Don't use a fryer on wooden structures, such as decks or patios.

• Be attentive when cooking and never leave the fryer unattended.

• Keep a fire extinguisher approved for cooking or grease fires nearby.

• Make sure your smoke alarms are working.

• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out. When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

• Remember to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Photo courtesy of Eleone Dance Theatre

WATCH

Carols in Color at Christina Cultural Arts.

The Arts Deliver Cheers For the Holidays A plethora of events provide song, dance, crafts, food & drink, and much more

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

A

s Christmas and the New Year approach, here's a list of local merriment to get you into the bell-ringing, carolsinging, candle-lighting, reindeer-sighting, eggnog-guzzling, mistletoe-nuzzling mood. Happy Holidays, all!

Historical Holiday Happenings Winterthur Yuletide Jazz & Wine Now–Dec. 19 | Winterthur Museum & Gardens, Winterthur While Winterthur has plenty of holiday events for all the family —Enchanted Winter Day, live performances of A Christmas Carol with Gerald Charles Dickens, Yuletide Brunch with Santa—but here’s a little musical twist for the adult set. Sip a glass of wine and bask in Winterthur’s holiday finery while the sounds of regional jazz artists surround you in the Galleries Reception Atrium Wednesdays during Yuletide. “Winterthur Yuletide Jazz & Wine” features Sharon & Shawn (Dec. 5); The Tony Smith Trio (Dec. 12); and The Rob Zinn Quartet (Dec. 19). Performances are free for members and free to nonmembers with a purchase of a Yuletide Tour general admission ticket. Visit winterthur.org for details and tickets.

A Longwood Christmas Now–Jan. 6, 2019 | Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square This season, Longwood gives us a whole new look at the Christmas tree with the “Tree Reimagined”—festive firs suspended from above, towering Tannenbaums created from books, birdhouses and stained glass, and traditional favorites elevated with surprising twists. The holiday spirit continues in the Gardens, where you’ll find gloriously illuminated trees,

floating orbs of light, illuminated roots and branches and the Main Fountain Garden dressed up as you’ve never seen it.

Complement your festive respite near fire pits or enjoying holiday snacks and spirits at the Café or Beer Garden. Tour tickets are timed, so be sure to schedule in advance. Visit longwoodgardens.org for details and tickets.

A Brandywine Christmas at Brandywine River Museum Now–Jan. 6, 2019 | The Brandywine River Museum of Art, Chadds Ford The remarkable Brandywine Railroad O-gauge model train display features trains running on nearly 2,000 feet of track and includes more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small town, a farm, factories and even a carnival. Additional concurrent programs throughout December include Carols Concerts (Sundays in December), a Children’s Christmas Party (Dec. 5) and Breakfast with the Trains (Dec. 8 & 15). For tickets and details, visit brandywine.org/museum/exhibitions/brandywine-christmas.

Family Holiday Fun Holiday Sing!

Sunday, Dec. 2, 3 p.m. | The Music School of Delaware, Wilmington Branch This musical sing-along for the whole family is hosted by the Early Childhood Department of the Music School and marks its 28th annual seasonal celebration. Music School faculty and friends provide instruments, singing and fun! Free to attend and good for ages 1½ and up. ► DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Newark Symphony Holiday Pops Concert Sunday, Dec. 9, 3 p.m. | The Independence School, Newark THE ARTS DELIVER CHEERS The Newark Symphony Holiday Pops Concert opens with FOR THE HOLIDAYS Tchaikovsky’s iconic Suite from the Nutcracker Ballet, Op.71, continued from previous page followed by Hanukah Medley, a World Premiere piece by Dr. Robert Baker, commissioned by the NSO. Other holiday favorites include “O Holy Night,” The Polar Express and Leroy Anderson’s A Christmas Festival. Guest performers include soprano Rebecca Gulinello, The Wilmington Handbell Ensemble, and members from the Newark Symphony Chorus, Kennett High School Chorus, Oxford Area High School Chorus and Newark United Methodist Church Choir. Tickets are $10-20 at newarksymphony.org.

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A Charlie Brown Christmas – Live!

Saturday, Dec. 8, 2 and 6 p.m. | Copeland Hall, The Grand Opera House, Wilmington Charles Schulz’s beloved characters come to life onstage in this touring production, based on the classic television holiday special. Join in the fun as the entire Peanuts gang —Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy and more—produce their own Christmas play and ultimately learn the true meaning of the season. Tickets are $35-39 at TheGrandWilmington.org.

Hansel & Gretel Saturday, Dec. 8, 10:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. | OperaDelaware Studios, Wilmington OperaDelaware welcomes Peabody Opera Theatre—an ensemble of Peabody Conservatory students who perform community outreach—for their production of Hansel and Gretel. Composed by Engelbert Humperdinck and based on the fabled Brothers Grimm tale (lost in a forest, Hansel and Gretel are lured to a mysterious candy house where they must outsmart the evil Gingerbread Witch), the program is a condensed version of the children's opera. This is a wonderful family introduction to the opera, perfect for elementary school age children or anyone young at heart. Tickets are an affordable $5-10 at operade.org.

Willingtown Square Holiday Lighting Friday, Dec. 7, 5 p.m. | Delaware Historical Society’s Willingtown Square, Wilmington Join the Delaware Historical Society for the first Lighting of Willingtown Square!

Located in the 500 block of North Market Street, Willingtown Square is a scenic park-like setting filled with trees and open space. Community partners Brew Ha!Ha!, DLS Discovery and Downtown Visions have come together to brighten Willingtown Square with festive sparkling lights for the winter season. Join in the official countdown, and see all of the lights go on at once. Free cider and cocoa will be provided courtesy of ShopRite.

Titillating Holiday Theatrics Delaware Theatre Company presents Sign of the Times Now–Sunday, Dec. 23 | Delaware Theatre Company, Wilmington With the book by legendary comedy writer Bruce Vilanch and story by Richard J. Robin, this Regional Premiere tells of one woman’s journey from middle America to the bright lights of New York City in 1965. It’s an era fueled by women’s liberation, the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. Along the way, she’ll discover unexpected friends, lovers, passions and conflicts that change her and her world. Set to the backdrop of iconic songs and music—“Downtown,” “If I Can Dream,” “The Boy from New York City,” “You Don’t Own Me”—this is a story you won’t forget. Tickets are $25-50 at delawaretheatre.org.

Scrooge — The Musical Now through Dec. 9 | Delaware Children’s Theatre, Wilmington The delightful Christmas Carol story always touches holiday hearts as Scrooge, the Cratchit family and Tiny Tim bring us (and bring out in us) the best of the holiday season.

Tickets are $14-15 at dechildrenstheatre.org.

City Theater Company presents Mamma Mia! Dec. 7-15 | Studio One, The Grand Opera House, Wilmington CTC presents Mamma Mia! as its first production of the 25th season. The beloved musical is a celebration of love, friendship and female empowerment, with a nostalgic soundtrack featuring some of ‘70s pop music’s favorite songs. A grand cast of CTC favorites and newcomers includes Mary Catherine Kelley, director, and Joe Trainor,

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music director, as well as Pam Atkinson, John Cassidy, Lori Citro, Rich Degnars, Trevor William Fayle, Spencer Greene, Rob Hull, Nick Hunchak, Jeff Hunsicker, Righteous Jolly, Dale Martin, Kerry Kristine McElrone, Darby Elizabeth McLaughlin, Emma Orr, Kat Pigliacampi, Dustin Samples, Dominic Santos, Joe Trainor, Ezra Walter and Dionne Williford. Tickets are $35 at TheGrandWilmington.org with special discounts for military personnel, students and youth. Call 652-5577 for discount info.

A Christmas Story — The Musical Dec. 14-30 | Wilmington, Drama League, Wilmington This ‘80s holiday classic now brings to life on the stage everything you loved about the mischievous, bespectacled Ralphie, who dreams of getting a BB-gun for Christmas. Relive the laughs and nostalgia of tongues stuck to a flag pole, leg lamps, pink bunny suits and “Chinese Christmas turkey.” Tickets $12-20 at wilmingtondramaleague.org.

Dazzling Holiday Dance Delaware Dance Company presents The Nutcracker Now–Sunday, Dec. 2 | | Mitchell Hall, University of Delaware, Newark Delaware Dance Company is excited to bring its 35th annual production of the beloved family ballet, The Nutcracker, to the UD campus. This fully staged version of the U.S.’s most popular ballet will feature local ballet students as well as professional actors and dancers. Tickets are $15-35, with a $5 discount for children 10 and younger or seniors 65 and older. Visit delawaredancecompany.org for details.

Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance — Nutcracker Saturday, Dec. 8, 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 9, 2 and 6 p.m.

The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Wilmington Wilmington's beloved holiday tradition, the 52nd annual Nutcracker at the historic Playhouse on Rodney Square— where Victorians party, mice battle, snowflakes swirl and visions of sugarplums dance in our heads. Special guest artists Unity Phelan and Russell Janzen of the New York City Ballet, the HAC School of Dance, and the Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble join more than 100 dancers from the Wilmington Ballet and the Wilmington Ballet Orchestra and Chorus. Tickets are $7-32 at TheGrandWilmington.org. ► DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Christina Cultural Arts Center presents Carols in Color THE ARTS DELIVER CHEERS Sunday, Dec. 9, 4 p.m. | Copeland FOR THE HOLIDAYS Hall, The Grand Opera House, continued from previous page Wilmington For a unique holiday treat, check out Carols in Color’s 27th anniversary performance with a one-day-only show in Wilmington.

“Carols” is a stirring holiday musical that retells the story of Christ's birth according to the gospel of St. Matthew, through contemporary music, exuberant dance and powerful narration. It features some of Philadelphia's premiere vocalists and the soul-stirring movements of Eleone Dance Theatre and Eleone Connection of Philadelphia.

Tickets are $16-35 at TheGrandWilmington.org or 800.37.GRAND. Christina’s Got Talent — A Holiday Showcase Saturday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m. | Christina Cultural Arts Center, Wilmington Join Christina's students and faculty members for a holiday showcase of their dynamic talents. Performances include modern dance, tap and hip-hop; piano and vocal performances and more.

And it's free to attend.

First State Ballet Theatre — The Nutcracker Friday, Dec. 21, 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 23, 2 p.m. | Copeland Hall, The Grand Opera House, Wilmington Delaware's professional ballet company presents Wilmington's favorite holiday tradition. Experience the magical journey through the land of sweets in FSBT's lavish production. Tickets are $14.99$50 at TheGrandWilmington.org or 800.37.GRAND.

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Dickinson Theatre Organ Society presents A Holiday Spectacular 2018 Saturday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m. | Dickinson High School Theatre, Wilmington The Dickinson Theatre Pipe Organ Society presents this holiday concert using the fourth largest theater pipe organ in the world and featuring organists John Baratta and Carl Black. Also appearing will be Brandywine Brass, the Longwood Performing Arts Group, the Dickinson Middle School Singers, H.B. du Pont Middle School Singers and vocalists from Cab Calloway and Salesianum High Schools. Baratta’s performance will be accompanied by a short silent film featuring Laurel and Hardy. This performance is free to attend.

Festival Concert — Mastersingers of Wilmington Saturday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square Market Street Music’s holiday concert features its own Mastersingers with organist Marvin Mills, harpist Janet Witman and conductor David Schelat. Their concert begins with an all-20th and -21st century program, including the tuneful and haunting Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten. Tickets are $20 ($25 at the door) at marketstreetmusicde.org.

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Thursday Noontime Concert — Cartoon Christmas Trio Thursday, Dec. 6, 12:30 p.m. | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square Market Street Music welcomes back the Cartoon Christmas Trio for one of downtown’s favorite holiday traditions! Jazz music from the beloved cartoon A Charlie Brown Christmas will fill the sanctuary of First & Central. The concert is free to attend, but donations are gratefully accepted.

Mélomanie Winter Concert by Candlelight Friday, Dec. 7, 7 p.m. | Delaware Historical Society’s Old Town Hall, 505 N. Market St., Wilmington As part of Art Loop Wilmington, the co-artistic directors of Mélomanie present a program of seasonal musical favorites as well as works by Bach and Telemann. Featuring Kimberly Reighley, baroque and modern flutes, and Tracy Richardson, harpsichord, and introducing guest Jessica Lynch, baroque and modern flutes. Tickets ($5-15) available at melomanie.org.

Youth through age 15 admitted free.

Thursday Noontime Concert — A Center City Chorale Christmas Thursday, Dec. 13, 12:30 p.m. | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square Market Street Music continues its musical holiday celebration with conductor David Schelat and conductor and guest organist Steven Patchel. New tunes and old favorites will fill the room with holiday cheer and send you off with a song in your heart. The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.

The Beach Boys: Reason for the Season Christmas Tour Thursday, Dec. 13, 8 p.m. | Copeland Hall, The Grand Opera House, Wilmington What could lift your holiday spirits more than a live appearance by the legendary Beach Boys? They make a holiday stop in Wilmington to share the joy of the season and play some of their most beloved hits interspersed with traditional seasonal songs.

Tickets $55-60 at TheGrandWilmington.org. ► Jim Brickman: A Joyful Christmas Live Holiday Concert Event Saturday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m.. | Copeland Hall, The Grand Opera House, Wilmington Brickman delivers the sound and spirit of the season with carols, classics and original songs on his 22nd annual holiday tour.

This performance promises to keep your days merry and bright.

Tickets $41-50 at TheGrandWilmington.org. ►

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DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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The NFL Season IS FINALLY HERE!

Hot Breakfast! and Friends presents Another Very Dorky Christmas THE ARTS DELIVER CHEERS Saturday, Dec. 15, 8 p.m., FOR THE HOLIDAYS The Queen, 500 N. Market St., continued from previous page Wilmington Delaware's Premier Acoustic Dork-Rock Power duo salutes vintage holiday specials with this “Dele-brity”-studded performance.

Guest artists include Tony Cappella, Dan Kauffman (Glim Dropper), The Honey Badgers, Sharon Sable, Rachel Schain, Brian Turner and more, and the show is hosted/narrated by Mark Rogers of 93.7 WSTW. Get ready for a fun, funny night as Hot Breakfast! takes good-natured aim at the TV shows of our youth in this unique concert event. Tickets are $15 at thequeenwilmington.com.

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The Cartoon Christmas Trio & The Wilmington Children’s Chorus Sunday, Dec.16, 7 p.m. | Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington The Cartoon Christmas Trio makes their holiday rounds to the Highlands area of town with special guests, baritone Grant Youngblood and The Wilmington Children’s Chorus.

Holiday Gala Concert Sunday, Dec. 16, 4 p.m. | St. Stephen's Church, Wilmington This year, Southern Delaware’s Cantabile Women’s Chorus travels to Wilmington to join their voices with The Delaware Women's Chorus and Small Wonder Jazz Singers in celebration of the holiday season. This gala concert features premier adult and faculty ensembles from The Music School of Delaware—both choral and instrumental—including Nagoya String Trio and Midnight Clear (guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums ensemble). Admission is one non-perishable food item for St. Stephen’s Food Pantry.

Scintillating Holiday Shopping Winter Arts Festival Friday, Dec. 7, noon to 8 p.m., & Saturday, Dec. 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington Celebrate the season during this family-friendly two-day event.

Shop for holiday gifts from 20 regional artisans, listen to festive music by local choirs and enjoy the Museum’s seasonal décor. Winter-themed art projects will be available for families, and snacks and beverages will be sold by Toscana in the Museum’s Thronson Café.

Holiday Art Loop Featuring Annual Contemporary Craft Show Friday, Dec. 7, 5 p.m. | The Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington The Holiday Craft Show is a festive shopping experience dedicated to contemporary American craft and providing a venue for emerging and established artists to show and sell their works. The show is complemented by “Taste of the Holidays” from Barry’s Events, where you can drink in $1 samples of craft beer, wine, champagnes and more.

The Art Loop on site also features opening receptions for "In Between There" by Shelley Thorstensen and "Keeping up with the Illuminati"

by Contemporary studio artists Dan Jackson and Shawn Pinckney.

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Instant Family

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STARS  Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne are prospective parents in Instant Family. Photo Hopper Stone/SMPSP, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

FAMILY DRAMEDY INSTANT LY LIKABLE Lightweight adoption story blends laughter, tears

By Mark Fields

N

ot every film aspires to be the next Oscar winner or summer mega-blockbuster. Some movies just want to tell an appealing story well and perhaps entertain the audience for a couple of hours. I think a lot of critics forget that simple fact, and review every film against the benchmarks of greatness. To do so is a disservice to these modest cinematic ventures and also to their potential audiences who don’t share such lofty (and usually unrealistic) expectations. Writer-director Sean Anders’ Instant Family belongs in this category, and I won’t fault it for a lack of ambition.

Instant Family, which Anders based on his own life experiences, tells the story of Ellie (Rose Byrne) and Pete (Mark Wahlberg), a couple in their early 40s who never had the time, nor perhaps the inclination, to be parents. A throwaway taunt from a loutish brother-in-law and a very effective campaign for foster parenting opens their hearts and minds to the possibility.

Soon, they find themselves the inexperienced guardians of three adorable if challenging children. ►

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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The story unfolds from there in a predictable albeit satisfying way with the ups and downs of family life with headstrong children. When the three siblings’ birth mother re-enters their lives unexpectedly, this emerging family unit is thrown into its biggest conflict yet.

The rickety plot steps are saved from utter cliché by the winning performances of the cast, led by Wahlberg and Byrne.

Wahlberg’s performances seem to come in two basic variations: kick-ass, takeno-prisoners serious Wahlberg and motormouth, TMI Wahlberg. Instant Family calls for the second variation, and Wahlberg is his endearing self. Byrne can match Wahlberg’s quirk note for note (a skill she also exhibited with Seth Rogen in the Neighbors movies). They make an effective film pairing.

The two are ably assisted by a solid supporting cast, including Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro as oversharing adoption counselors, Margo Martindale and Julie Hagerty as lovably loopy grandmothers, and Joan Cusack in a memorably oddball cameo. The three child actors—Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz and Julianna Gamiz—are refreshingly credible as the foster kids who form the couple’s instant family.

Director Anders keeps the story moving as it careens between comedy and pathos in a way that feels livedin and unforced. Although there is a familiar feel to the rhythms of this film’s screenplay, it doesn’t ever feel boring.

Ultimately, Instant Family doesn’t possess any qualities that will resonate much beyond the time it takes to walk from the cineplex to your car. But it nevertheless entertains with a little flair and a fair bit of heart.

Coming in December: Aquaman, the latest feature from the DC superhero canon, starring Jason Momoa, Nicole Kidman and Amber Heard, Dec. 13; director Rob Marshall’s sequel, Mary Poppins Returns, with Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dec. 19; Vice, Christian Bale as former VP Dick Cheney in a pointed biography from Adam McKay (The Big Short), Dec. 25; and On The Basis of Sex, a biopic about Ruth Bader Ginsberg starring Felicity Jones, also Dec. 25.

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DRINK

Wine Recommendations for the Holidays

Choosing wines for holiday occasions can be confusing. Whether you’re giving the wine as a gift, cooking with it, hosting a dinner party, or relaxing after a long day, it’s nice to have some guidance when choosing from the myriad offerings. To assist you, we contacted area experts for their favorites in two price categories: under $20 and over $20. Here’s what they told us.

Joseph Butcher, State Line Liquors Import buyer

Ed Mulvihill, Peco’s Liquors

Under $20: Eugene Carrel’s Cremant de Savoie Brut, $18.99 Between entertaining and gift-giving, it’s all too easy to spend more than you mean to during the holiday season. Having solid go-to sparkling wines at a reasonable price can be a lifesaver for a last-minute gift, or for hosting or attending a party. To that end, I recommend Eugene Carrel’s Cremant de Savoie Brut, or, if you can’t find this wine, Cremant in general. Eugene Carrel is located in the Savoie region of eastern France, where they make this dry, bubbly wine out of Chardonnay and a local grape called Jacquere.

As a refreshing bottle of sparkling wine, it has light toasty elements in conjunction with precise citrus flavors.

The true value to this wine, and Cremants like it, is that the production method is the same as the method used in Champagne, with slightly different aging requirements; some Cremants are aged longer before release than Champagne, some for less time.

Either way, you can usually buy two or three bottles of Cremant for the same price as one bottle of Champagne.

Under $20: Raisins Gaulois Beaujolais 2017, $14.99 Young, fresh and vibrant, this unique offering from Kermit Lynch is a great choice for Thanksgiving. It’s Gamay grown on old vines, late harvest , and fermented using indigenous yeast. At only $14.99 this is a steal. It has loads of fresh fruit on the nose balanced with bright acidity. From the turkey to all the side dishes, this wine is a winner.

Over $20: Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe 2016 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, $84.99 Buying red wine, especially as a gift, is more difficult than it sounds because not all red wines are created equal. For the purpose of versatility, I often recommend wines from France’s Southern Rhone Valley.

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe has been owned and managed by the Brunier family since the late 1800s. Their plot of land is located in the Southern Rhone Valley’s most famous appellation, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, where red blends based on the grapes Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre (along with a host of others) are the norm. This wine, and ones of its ilk, are so useful because they are easily appreciated by fans of both French and California wine.

Plus, reds from Chateauneuf-du-Pape show delicious red and black fruits in their youth, but also develop great complexity as they age.

Over $20: Moobuzz Pinot Noir, Monterrey 2014, $20.99 Pinot noir is one of the classic parings for your Thanksgiving meal. Moobuzz will not disappoint. This medium body red has notes of fresh red fruit balanced nicely with savory spice and a long finish.

David Govatos, Owner of Swigg Under $20: Domaine Laurens, Marcillac Rouge, Cuvee Pierres Rouges, 2016, $17 Domaine Laurens is a 21-hectare, family-run farm located in the wine growing region of Marcillac, primely positioned within the Massif Central mountain range. The property was founded in 1975 by Gilbert Laurens. His two sons run the property, and focus on growing Fer Servadou grapes. In the glass, the wine exudes loads of red current, rhubarb compote and inflections of raspberry notes and beef bouillon. The wine unravels different layers of earth, spice and funk as it’s left open. At 12.5 percent alcohol, the wine is totally “crushable,” and its smart interplay between tannin and acidity allows it to cleanse the palate while tackling savory seasonal stews.

Over $20: Foris, Cedar Ranch Pinot Noir, 2015, $32 The Gerber family has been growing grapes in Oregon’s most southernly wine-growing appellation, Rouge Valley, since 1974. In fact, Foris is the southern-most vineyard in the Pacific Northwest. Cedar Ranch has 46 acres under vine, 25 acres of which are devoted to pinot noir. In the glass, the wine expresses notes of brandied maraschino cherries and menthol with hints of powdered chocolate and mountain herbs. ►

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Looking For That Perfect Something?

Let Us Help YOU Enhance Your Holiday Gathering

KRESTON & WINE

SPIRITS

Celebrating 85 Years

DRINK WINE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HOLIDAYS continued from previous page

John Murray, Proprietor, State Line Liquors Under $20: 2016 Dashe Les Enfants Terribles Carignane Evangelho Vineyard, $19.99 Gnarly old vines planted circa 1890 in Contra Coast County California on the Sacramento River Delta’s sandy soils produce eloquent fruit flavors of cherries, strawberries and pomegranate that enhance this vibrant and bright wine. Soft tannins, with nice spices and good acidity, lead to a long and rich finish. The winemaking team of Anne and Mike Dashe have crafted many excellent wines, and this is no exception.

Over $20: 2013 Stony Hill Chardonnay, $59.99 Spring Mountain fruit is vinified by the McCrea Family and longtime winemaker Mike Chelini. Stony Hill is known for crafting Old World wine with New World fruit. Fermented in neutral oak with Montrachet Yeast and no Malolatic Fermentation, this Chardonnay exhibits flavors of apples, citrus and exotic spices.

Hints of mineral components with good clean acidity make this wine absolutely incredible.

Linda Collier- Collier’s of Centreville Under $20: Varichon & Clerc, $14.99 This is a sparkling wine from the Alps and is made in the champagne method, with a combination of grapes, including jacquere, chenin blanc, ugni blanc and colombard.

Over $20: Champagne; Vielle France Brut Rose, $41.99 This is pinot noir, chardonnay and 15 percent coteaux champenoise rouge. My feeling in life is you can never have enough bubbles as they make every day a celebration and go amazingly well with lots of foods or simply by themselves.

Jeff Kreston, Kreston Wine & Spirits Under $20: Second Growth Cabernet Sauvignon, $15.99 The 2016 Second Growth Cabernet Sauvignon draws fruit from a number of small vineyards in the Columbia Valley in Washington, and 2016 was a record vintage for the area with high quality and a large harvest. The result is a rich, velvety wine with flavors of black cherry, cocoa and velvety tannins. It’s the perfect wine to cozy up to for the colder days ahead!

Over $20: Le Mas Des Flauzieres Gigondas 2015, $25.99 Received a 92-point rating from Robert Parker. Has with hints of dried spices and vanilla over a core of cherry fruit. A full bodied, supple and profound flavorful experience.

MIDDLETOWN 448 E. Main Street Middletown, DE 19709 Tel: (302) 376-6123

WILMINGTON 904 Concord Avenue Wilmington, DE 19802 Tel: (302) 652-3792

Stephen Allegretto, The Wine & Spirits Co. Of Greenville Under $20: 2016 Pierre Sparr Pinot Blanc (Alsace, France), $19.99 Over $20: Veuve Fourny & Fils, Premier Cru, Rose Champagne, Brut nv (Vertus, France), $56.99

KRESTONWINES.COM 68 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

Spirited Our recommendation from an area pro

FRESH NEW LOOK. MORE GREAT CONTENT. OutAndAboutNow.com

From Joe Renaud, Beverage Director, Home Grown Café

SPIKED CIDER

I often daydream about this drink when I’m out in the winter weather and the cold is working its way through my body. There is nothing better to me than sitting at home with a mug or two, watching holiday movies from childhood and relaxing with my cat Bruce. It’s the perfect drink for the snowy nights with friends and family.

Things you’ll need: • 4 oz rye whiskey (Redemption High Rye) • 1 oz honey • 6 cinnamon sticks • 2 rosemary sprigs • 10 oz Apple cider

OUR 8th ANNUAL

Worth ISSUE

To make: 1. Heat up a sauté pan to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, take your cinnamon and rosemary and add them to the pan. This process is to open up the herbs and spice, bringing out the oils.

Watch them to make sure they don’t burn, turning them every three minutes; after about 10 minutes it should be done.

2.Add the cider to the pan, warming it up to a low simmer. This will incorporate the cinnamon and rosemary flavors into the cider.

Once it starts to simmer, add the honey to the mix. Stir until fully incorporated, and then turn off the heat. You can let this sit for a few minutes to keep infusing if you would like a stronger flavor.

2. Grab your favorite mug and pour in your whiskey. Add the infused cider. You now have a delicious spiked cider ready for a night on the couch watching the snow fall through the window.

Turn on your favorite holiday movie and relax as the cider warms you up and takes you back to simpler times.

Cheers!

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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OPEN THANKSGIVING AT 7PM!

Polly Drummond Location Only

Bring in the New Year With Us!

Next time you stop in, don’t forget to sign up for our Ashby Hospitality Groups VIP Loyalty Program!

New Years Eve Party with DJ Dance Party, Champagne Toast, and Party Favors!

Gift Cards Make Great Gifts!

Buy a $100 Gift Card - receive a $25 Gift Card for free!

Buy a $50 Gift Card - receive a $10 Gift Card for free!

From Nov 23 to Dec 31, 2018

, e t a r b e l ce k n i r d , t ea ate, r G b H e H l ce k n i r d , t a e

MONDAYS

½ Price Appetizers All Day

TUESDAYS

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

WEDNESDAYS

All You Can Eat Wings $12.99 after 5pm $1 Off Craft Draft Beers 7pm-Close

THURSDAYS

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

108 Peoples Plaza (Corner of Rtes. 40 & 896) | Newark, DE | 302-834-6661 8 Polly Drummond Shopping Center | Newark, DE | 302-738-7814 800 North State Street | Dover, DE | 302-674-0144

FRIDAYS

Prime Rib $22.99 after 5pm $3 Taylor’s Grog 7pm-close

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$1 Off Craft Bottles Beef and Beer $9.99, All Day Steak Night $13.99 Prime Rib $22.99 after 5pm

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, e t a r GIVE THE b k e c e l t , d r i n t e ,Perfect Gift SEASON e a l e b r a THIS k n i e c t,dr ea gift card

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70 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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DRINK

COOKIE AND WINE PAIRING

H

SIPS

Here's what's pouring Compiled by Emily Stover & Elizabeth Carlson

1984 TURNS SEVEN

F

or seven years, the Wilmington bar 1984 has been luring guests with not only more than 50 beers on hand, but a feeling of nostalgia as they walk in the door. The 4th Street establishment has more than 30 classic arcade games that guests can play, including pinball, Skee-Ball and Joust.

Now the bar is inviting guests to celebrate its seven-year anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. with the band Seven Points. There will be no cover charge. For more information go to 1984wilmington.com.

SMALL BATCH FROM HEAVY SEAS

H

eavy Seas Brewery in Baltimore has announced that the next phase in its Small-Batch Beer project will be all about innovation in the coming year. To kick off this innovation and honor its 23rd Anniversary, Heavy Seas is introducing a limited 16-ounce can release of a triple IPA. Dubbed 23 Anniversary Ale, it’s being released in four-packs this month and will be available in local liquor stores. To learn more about Heavy Seas Beer and its other creations for this project, visit hsbeer.com.

arvest Ridge Winery is combining two of our favorite things: alcohol and cookies. On Sunday, Dec. 9, from 12-3 p.m., the Marydel-based winery is offering a class pairing local wines with popular holiday cookies. This learning experience will help guests get ready for the holiday, and by extension, all the parties that come with the season. Harvest Ridge is a family owned and operated winery welcoming guests to come and try out these pairings to help find the perfect wine to bring home this holiday season.

Head to harvestridgewinery.com and check out the events at the bottom of the page for more information.

FIRST STATE BEER PIONEER

T

he gravesite of Delaware brewing pioneer Christian Krauch has been without a marker since his death 148 years ago. With the help of local supporters, Wilmington Brew Works is aiming to correct this historic oversight and honor the man known in his time as the state’s “Father of Lager Beer.”

The brewery has been working with Delaware beer historian John Medkeff, Jr. and Krauch descendants on plans to place a granite monument upon Krauch’s cemetery plot at the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery. The organizers hope to raise the $2,700 needed for the memorial within the next several months.

Krauch was one of America’s earliest lager beer brewers and perhaps the most significant figure in the state’s brewing history. In 1850, Krauch brought his saloon and brewing business to the burgeoning city of Wilmington and introduced lager beer to the First State. The brewery is now advancing the tribute with the Christian Krauch Memorial Fund. The public is encouraged to help memorialize Krauch and celebrate Delaware’s rich brewing heritage by donating to the online campaign at plumfund.com/memorialfund/krauch. In addition, Wilmington Brew Works will be donating a portion of proceeds from beer sales to the effort.

STOUT AT HEART

A

fter being well received throughout Wilmington Beer Week, the Out & About Oyster Stout is still available on tap or to take home at the following locations: Chelsea Tavern, Ernest & Scott Taproom, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Two Stones Pub Wilmington, Wilmington Brew Works and Stitch House Brewery. The beer was a collaboration among brewers from 2SP, Iron Hill, Wilmington Brew Works and Stitch House Brewery to help celebrate the magazine’s 30th anniversary as well as bring awareness to Delaware’s resurgent oyster industry.

FIFER ORCHARD CIDER FEST

F

ans of Fifer Orchards Cider Fest have two Saturdays left to enjoy it. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, the popular Camden-Wyoming orchard will offer warm-hearted fun including hot apple cider, s’mores over a campfire, hayrides, farm tours by tractor, and a holiday store with locally grown Christmas trees, handmade wreaths, and gift baskets. Admission is free.

Visit fiferorchards.com.

HOLIDAY COCKTAIL CLASS

P

ainted Stave Distilling in Smyrna is hosting a holiday cocktail class on Friday, Dec. 7, from 7-9 p.m. The session will feature three seasonal cocktails for the class to mix, make, and test. In addition to showing the mixology behind the cocktail, attendees will receive an “art-of-the- cocktail” history lesson. Admission is $30 and you must be 21 or older. Visit paintedstave.com.

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LISTEN

MEGA: Doing Their Own Thing The Wilmington psychedelic rock quintet is having fun and getting gigs, after finally settling on a name Chris Maloney, Phil Matarese and Tyler Holloway perform at Kelly's Logan House.

By Rob Kalesse Photos by Matt Urban

M

ore often than not, serious effort and planning go into putting together a successful band. Sure, any group of guys or girls with some musical proficiency can cobble together a page on Facebook and call themselves a band. But forming a group that will gig together for years instead of fizzling out before they lay down any tracks or even play a live gig takes the right concept, personalities and instruments.

And then there’s MEGA, a rare example of a band that bucks the trend, despite themselves.

The Wilmington psychedelic rock quintet includes Phil Matarese (guitar/vocals), Chris Maloney (guitar/vocals), Allan McKinley (bass), Mike Bleinberger (guitar) and Tyler Holloway (drums). They’re essentially a cast of college buddies who put about as much effort into their band name as they did into picking a distinct theme for their first album.

“I wish there was a cool story there, like other bands have,” says Maloney. “But Phil and I have very different ideas of what a cool band name is, so we just kept texting five names a day at each other back and forth. We stuck with MEGA because it was the only name that both of us kinda liked.”

That nonchalant attitude seeps into the track order on the band’s first full-length album, The Valley Spirit Never Dies, released this past spring. The nine-song recording zigs and zags around the

genre spectrum. There are plenty of Phish-inspired riffs (without too much extended jamming), and pop ditties with three-part harmonies. There are also a couple of instrumental tracks that wander with playful abandon and a hippy closer more suitable for a Woodstock revival album than the eight previous tracks.

To be clear, this is not a bad thing.

Having Fun

“I’m sure there are rules for how to put an album together, but we just don’t care,” says Matarese. “To me, the best part about forming a band and making an album is having fun and doing what you want to do, right? I think people appreciate that when they listen to our songs on Bandcamp and see us live, whether they download our album or not.”

While the order of songs and band names may be left open to interpretation, Matarese and Maloney still followed the rules of online engagement with potential fans. MEGA’s presence and songs were planned in advance on iTunes and Spotify. With Bandcamp, however, there was a bit of trouble.

“Some other Italian punk band had been sitting on that name, for some reason,” says Matarese. “We had to call Bandcamp and basically check on the account, which had been left idle. I didn’t even know that could happen, but we were able to get it for ourselves, eventually.” ► DECEMBER JUNE 2018 2017 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISTEN MEGA: DOING THEIR OWN THING continued from previous page

Allan McKinley and Mike Bleinberger cookin' at the Logan House.

The album itself, which Maloney says they only pressed in vinyl (rather than CDs) “to increase our hipster cred,” features a ton of ‘90s nostalgia. All five band members graduated as friends from the University of Delaware in 2003, and it’s clear their late-‘90s high school memories influenced the songwriting process.

Songs like “Winnie Cooper” and “Tetris” dot the track listing, and even the band’s logo is a replica of the highly popular ‘90s gaming system, SEGA. When asked if they’d paid the licensing fees to print their logo on shirts, Matarese says, “Are you kidding? If they ever found out, Sonic the Hedgehog would probably take my house.”

Guest Musicians on the Album

www.meetatgrain.com

Newark, DEL

Even the album’s title, The Valley Spirit Never Dies, is an homage to their youthful days of driving around the Pike Creek Valley, looking for the Witch House and other Delaware anomalies, according to Maloney. He says the title also doubles as a reference to the Tao Te Ching, by sixth-century Chinese philosopher Laozi.

The album was co-produced by local legend Nick Krill (Teen Men, The Spinto Band), and includes artwork by artist/filmmaker Albert Birney, a one-time member of Spinto. Local guest musicians also appear on the album, including Kevin Tarzanin (The Bullbuckers) and Blayne Salerni (Universal Funk Order) and Krill.

Matarese says that, unlike other bands, they record by focusing on one song at a time, rather than a certain instrument. Each track, he says, takes on a life of its own, rather than functioning as part of a greater catalogue.

“Some bands, like, say, The Strokes, have albums where just about every song sounds the same, albeit in a good way,” says Matarese. “But we like the song-a-day approach, where we can take hours to bang out one song. It gives us a chance to really drill down and make it perfect, rather than over-dubbing from multiple recordings.”

“No song is ever really done, I guess,” he says. “Sure, you can listen to the recorded version, which is usually a mix of several versions, but even the live shows allow the songs to constantly evolve. Guess that reverts back to the notion of that spirit never dying.”

MEGA has three local gigs booked this month, including Friday, Dec. 7, at 1984 on 4th Street with New Shields, Bayrides and <tsunami, Saturday, Dec. 8, at Argilla Brewing Co. on Kirkwood Highway with Less than Five and Reverse Giraffe, and Friday, Dec. 21, at the Jackson Inn on Lancaster Avenue with Wasted Arrows Band, New Shields and Mothman Properties.

74 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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Day!

w

December

Entertainment Schedule

EVERY MONDAY: Showtime Trivia EVERY TUESDAY: Jefe & DJ Andrew Hugh EVERY THURSDAY: DJ Willoughby EVERY FRIDAY: EDM DJ Dance Party

Join us For Our New Years Eve Party!

DJ Dance Party, Champagne Toast, and Party Favors!

LIVE BANDS! Brunch with Santa!

Sun Dec 16 10am-2pm

FRIDAY:

SATURDAY:

12/7-Cherry Crush 12/14-As If (90s Tribute) 12/21-Big Toe 12/28-Engine Number 9

12/1-The Stereo Giants 12/8-Small Town Throw Down 12/15-Chorduroy 12/22-Kalicade 12/29-Universal Funk Order

Gift Cards Make the Perfect Gift!

Buy a $100 Gift Card - receive a $25 Gift Card for FREE! Buy a $50 Gift Card - receive a $10 Gift Card for FREE! From Nov. 23-Dec. 31, 2018 MONDAYS ½ Price Appetizers ALL DAY!

TUESDAYS ½ Price Burgers ALL DAY! $4.50 Double LIT’s

WEDNESDAYS - MEXICAN NIGHT! ½ Price Nachos & Quesadillas ALL DAY! $3.25 Dos Equis Lager & Margaritas • $2 Tacos

THURSDAYS ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Wings (5pm-Close) ½ Price Burgers (11:30am-3pm) • $3.25 Rail Drinks

$15.99 9oz NY Strip Steak All Day

Next time you stop in don’t forget to sign up for our Ashby Hospitality Groups VIP Loyalty Program!

302.369.9414 | 108 West Main Street, Newark | www.deerparktavern.com

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PRESENTS:

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Holiday Party!

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NEW YEAR’S EVE 3-Course Dinner: $25 Included Soup or Salad, Appetizer and Entree!

SUNDAY-FUNDAY SPECIALS! Large Cheese Pizza & 1 Pound of Wings Only $15 (Dine-in Only)

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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

SATURDAY, 12/01

The Relatives - 10 p.m.

SANTA FRIDAY, 12/07 LOOP! Element K - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 12/08

Kris V and Richie D with drums - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 12/14

Photo Elias Muhammad

Stereo Giants - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 12/15

Bye Felicia - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 12/21

Chorduroy - 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, 12/22

Shotgun Betty - 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, 12/28 Radio Halo - 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, 12/29

Big Rumble Twist - 10 p.m.

MONDAY, 12/31

NEW YEAR’S Cherry Crush Band EVE! - 10 p.m.

1701 Delaware Ave. Wilmington, DE 19806 (302) 652-9493

LOGANHOUSE.COM Bands and times subject to change.

LISTEN

TUNED IN Not-to-be-missed music news WVUD’S HOLIDAY TREAT

WVUD (91.3FM) Station Manager Steve Kramarck continues a 30-year tradition with his Java Time Christmas Special on Friday, Dec. 21, from 5-11 a.m. Kramarck now hosts the show with his two children, Quinton (10) and Jillian (9), and will be featuring a wide range of holiday music and shows throughout the six-hour special, including tunes that rarely get air time. Jack Benny and Jean Shepherd will be featured in the first hour.

MONTANA WILDAXE AT THE QUEEN

Longtime local favorites Montana Wildaxe, who have reduced their appearances to just a handful throughout the year, will play The Queen (500 N. Market St., Wilmington) on Friday, Dec. 21.

Doors open at 7 p.m. with showtime at 8 p.m. For tickets visit LiveNation.com.

ELEMENT K AT KELLY’S LOGAN HOUSE

Versatile Newark-based cover band Element K will perform at Kelly’s Logan House during the Ugly Sweater Crawl on Friday, Dec. 7. Admission is $5, but free if you wear an ugly sweater. First set is 10 p.m. Visit LoganHouse.com.

JAZZ CLASS FOR DEVELOPING MUSICIANS

Acclaimed jazz musician and instructor Gerald Chavis will be conducting educational classes for developing musicians at Christina Cultural Arts Center (705 N. Market St., Wilmington) beginning Jan. 14. Classes will be held Monday and Thursday evenings. An audition is required and there is a tuition fee of $20 per week for 20 weeks. For more visit CCACDE.org.

WILMINGTON CHILDREN’S CHORUS AT DELAWARE ART MUSEUM

Delaware Art Museum’s Performance Series continues Sunday, Dec. 16, when the Wilmington Children’s Chorus joins the Cartoon Christmas Trio for a holiday performance at 7 p.m. Assembled in 1995 by bassist Rob Swanson, the Cartoon Christmas Trio has made live appearances on NBC, ABC and NPR, playing compositions from classic Christmas cartoons including the Peanuts soundtrack. Tickets are $10, children under 6 are free. Visit DelArt.org.

The Wilmington Children’s Chorus, “Wilmington’s singing ambassadors,” also will perform their annual Candlelight Concerts at First & Central Presbyterian (1101 N. Market St., Wilmington) on Saturday, Dec. 8 (7 p.m.) and Dec 9 (5 p.m.).

WCC consists of students from the Greater Wilmington area.

Visit WilmingtonChildrensChorus.org.

76 DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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LISA LOEB AT ARDEN GILD HALL

Musician, author and philanthropist Lisa Loeb, whose 1994 No. 1 hit “Stay (I Missed You)” appeared in the film Reality Bites, performs at Arden Gild Hall on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. Loeb continues to be a trailblazing independent artist while also designing Lisa Loeb Eyewear, writing children's books, and supporting non-profit causes. The Los Angeles-based mother of two is well known to parents and kids for her albums Catch the Moon (with Elizabeth Mitchell) and Camp Lisa (with sales benefiting the Camp Lisa Foundation). Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for non-members. Visit ArdenConcerts.com.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE

W/ BORN OF OSIRIS, CROWBAR, DEATH RAY VISION

DEC. 5

GRUNGE FEST

FT. TRIBUTES TO PEARL JAM & STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

DEC. 14

TINSEL ON THE TOWN

Historic Kennett Square is taking holiday music to the streets as it closes State Street to create the inaugural Tinsel on the Town, a free open-air holiday celebration on Thursday, Dec. 13, from 6-9 p.m. Guests can walk Kennett’s central business district while enjoying music, food, a beer garden and holiday shopping featuring local retailers and area artisans.

Visit HistoricKennettSquare.com.

ORCHESTRA AT NEMOURS

On Saturday, Dec. 15, the Newark Symphony Orchestra will take its show on the road for a special performance at Nemours Mansion & Gardens in Wilmington. NSO, which has been performing since 1966, currently features more than 80 musicians.

Showtime is 1 p.m. Visit NewarkSymphony.org for more information.

THE BOUNCING SOULS

W/ WORLD INFERNO / FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY, WORRIERS

DEC.16

DJ JAZZY JEFF DEC. 20 MONTANA WILDAXE DEC. 21 ECHOES

THE AMERICAN PINK FLOYD

DEC. 22

IMAGINATION MOVERS DEC. 29 CASH UNCHAINED

GIVE THE GIFT OF MUSIC THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! • New & Used Vinyl Records • Stereo Equipment • Posters

302.510.9429

squeezeboxrecords@gmail.com

• Gift Cards • T-Shirts • Books • CD’s Etc.

BRING AD FOINR THIS A

A TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CASH

JAN. 11

@THEQUEENWILMINGTON THEQUEENQILMINGTON.COM

FREE GIFT!

Tues - Sat 11am - 8pm Sunday 11 am - 3pm Closed Monday

1901 W. 11th Street • Wilmington, DE 19805

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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PLAY

SNAPSHOTS

1.

3.

2.

4.

5.

6.

HALLOWEEN LOOP 2018 Photos by Anthony Santoro

1. (L-R): John Paul Macisacc (YipYip from Sesame Street) and Kristen Riley

(Loro from Sealand).

2. Tesse Sieverd, Conner Sieverd, Ali Donnely, Mark Gurenlian, Kana Donnely and Maria Stanley.

4. Trevor Fernandez (Prince) Jackie Fernandez, Rob Fernandez, Angelique Rig, Eliesse Fernandez and Tyron Brown.

5. Joe Gross, Alex Savina and Anthony Santoro.

6. Brittany Hanscher, Emily Szep and Lisa Car.

3. Lynn Carpenter and Serena Carbonell.

78 DECEMBER MAY 2018 |2018 OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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8.

7.

9.

11.

10.

12.

7. Ariel Riale, Ryan Russell and Leanne Cooper.

10. Shannon Strosser, Maggie Short, Katie Dodds and Erin Dodds.

8. Dafne R. Ivelis Manfredy, Tynajai Bernard and Andreina Cerrato.

11. Gloria Soto, Alex Soto, Jerome Padilla, Kasandra Carrucini and Amanda Ortiz.

9. Danny Callaghan as Richard Simmons.

12. Brittney Solzaro, Ryan Meekins and Danni DiMaio.

DECEMBER 2018 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM

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U

presents

gly Sweater

C R AW L

Cover proceeds benefit Wilmington Children’s Chorus

Fri, Dec 7 • 8PM • $5 Cover

Wear an Ugly Sweater and

DON’T PAY A COVER!

Special Discount Code On Your Loop Wristband!

CATHERINE ROONEY’S CHELSEA TAVERN DEAD PRESIDENTS ERNEST & SCOTT TAPROOM GALLUCIO’S CAFE GROTTO PIZZA KELLY’S LOGAN HOUSE TIMOTHY’S RIVERFRONT TROLLEY SQUARE OYSTER HOUSE

TROLLEY TAP HOUSE

INSTANT PRIZES! FOR THE UGLIEST SWEATERS!

OutAndAboutNow.com • 302.655.6483

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11/21/18 4:25 PM

March 2, 2019

500 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE

The annual Shine A Light™ On The Queen concert is a musical spectacle that needs to be seen to be truly heard. Over 60 local musicians come together on one stage, swapping out members to play the hits of whatever theme strikes our fancy! This “Musical Chairs” approach to playing the stage generates thousands of dollars in donations to The Light Up The Queen Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to ensuring arts education is preserved in our community.

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11/20/18 3:02 PM

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11/21/18 4:22 PM

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